An insight into the greatest problem of the modern age. Where beliefs/feelings outrank facts even if based on nothing

What on Earth is this? An "in depth" BBC article about free speech in the UK that only cites examples of right-wing/ 'anti-woke' speech being suppressed. How can you mention Lucy Connolly but completely ignore Palestine Action / Just Stop Oil? Gob-smacking. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Yes, concept of being able to name the entire Cabinet went out with the Ark. With only 1 or 2 exceptions, they achieve little of substance before being moved on or out. No way to run a country

Ed Davey does something else the government should be doing …Davey urges US cancer scientists to come to UK www.bbc.com/news/article...

This

It would be good if the only political pushback against Nigel Farage's plans to mass deport hundreds of thousands of our neighbours, friends, family and colleagues didn't just come from a handful of backbench MPs and one regional mayor

Oh wow! Thanks @waterstones.bsky.social for selecting Kingmaker as one of their books of the year. I’m so so thrilled. This paperback version waiting for you right now in all their stores.

There should be a high bar for politicians attacking the media, but maybe Ed Davey has half a point here? For example, the first three paragraphs of this BBC story repeat Reform's £243bn figure without saying that the thinktank behind the estimate now disowns it. (This is mentioned in paragraph 35)

The media - no, we're not going to report on serious Lib Dem policies The media - yes, we will report on fun stunts The media, also - the Lib Dems need to show they've got serious policies

Well, thank you so much Shona. Delighted to hear this not least because it looks like I’m coming to Canada v soon!

Yes. Please do read

Thanks so much for coming along. Great to meet you!

Just reviewed my first paper that cites an entirely hallucinated paper I had apparently written 😬

Me too

Couple of leery blokes with flags at Marylebone station being deliberately ignored by everyone else.

To say that Mandelson had been good at his job is also nonsense. DC contacts tell me he had made many enemies (not great for an ambassador) and there was this 5 minutes into the job www.politics.co.uk/news/2025/03...

They should never have removed Dame Karen Pierce as US Ambassador as I said at the time.

Unusually, I also rather agree with Iain Dale

This

This is spot on. There is much to be grateful for - and much overdone negativity to rebut - as I point out in my @bylinetimes.bsky.social comments. Please subscribe and read!

Agreed

Highest level of support since Gallup started asking this question a quarter century ago

Nothing to see here. Move along.

No10 looking at DCMS for the past year:

Absolutely this

Well, recurring a podcast in Kingmaker with Anthony Scaramucci was fun! Listen here m.youtube.com/watch?v=mwwH...

Out today! My fourth paperback book. Each one represents a big chunk of my life, my thoughts, hard slog and ultimately my thrills when readers tell me how much they enjoyed it. As big a deal as ever to me but also utterly humbling to have the support I do to make it happen. Thanks to all my team!

Folks, the paperback is coming! Woohoo

🖋️ @emilyherring.bsky.social 🖋️ @malachiwhitaker.bsky.social 🖋️ @terrystiastny.bsky.social 🖋️ @thantmyintu.bsky.social 🖋️ @soniapurnell.bsky.social 🖋️ @charlieenglish1.bsky.social 🖋️ @yvonnesingh.bsky.social

And Morgan McSweeney?

Psst! Don’t tell anyone but there’s a 20% discount on pre-orders of the Kingmaker paperback via the Virago bookshop! Rock up everyone. It’s out next week and I think it’s looking gorgeous in a very fetching blue store.virago.co.uk/products/kin...

Time to give the RNLI a few more quid I think

This

This makes it sound like i seduced America with a spy. Alas I didn’t! But i did talk to Anthony Scaramucci about the astonishing life of Pamela Harriman as portrayed in my book Kingmaker LISTEN podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/o...

I’m fond of other cities. Paris is golden. Rome is magnificent. Venice is beautiful. Amsterdam is cool. But #ILoveLondon for blend of old and new, constant reinvention, dramatic but also cosy, bustling but green, more multicultural than anywhere else I’ve ever been, foodie scene, tolerant etc etc

We’re only beginning to understand this problem. An obviously intelligent 28 y.o told me other day he didn’t watch TV news because it presented viewpoints and people he wasn’t familiar with whereas those he followed on social media felt like friends. He then said, oh that sounds bad doesn’t it!

Denver International Airport failed to load my luggage onto a British Airways connecting flight to Heathrow. But huge credit to #BA @britishairways who tracked it down, delivered it to my home and reimbursed me for the stuff I needed in the meantime. Thank you!

👑 What is 'good leadership'? Join @leomc76.bsky.social with author and journalist @soniapurnell.bsky.social, discussing the complexities of leadership as told through her book 'Kingmaker', and the colourful life of trailblazer Pamela Churchill Harriman: www.youtube.com/watc... #YorkFestivalOfIdeas

Or even five years to complete

The setting for the Sun Valley Writers Conference is spectacular. What a place, what a crowd. Feel privileged to have been invited to talk about PamelaHarriman here not once, not twice but three times. Some stellar names. One we’re not allowed to know until the last minute. Will reveal when I can.

Had to show you this! I’m thrilled that Tina Brown hails Kingmaker as the book *everyone* on both sides of the Atlantic is devouring this summer

Very Important News: @metoffice.gov.uk is currently accepting ideas for new storm names Waiting for Gusty McGustface to become the No1 choice www.metoffice.gov.uk/forms/name-o...

Hugely enjoyed recording an episode of Open Book podcast about Pamela Harriman and Kingmaker with Anthony Scaramucci just now. Listen in when it comes out week after next

Join me at the Imperial War Museum on 16 September where I will be discussing formidable Pamela Harriman who sorted out the Democrats in America as well as playing a spectacular role in WWII and Bosnia. Come find out about her astonishing secret life of power and sex www.iwm.org.uk/events/iwm-i...

Blaise Metreweli, previously Q and now the first female C at MI6. Women such as Virginia Hall have long been pioneers in espionage so this is about time. People who have met her tell me she has tremendous presence. A common theme with many successful women spies. They wouldn’t make it otherwise

How true. Currently re reading the Jane Austen canon for first time since my teens. Utterly different experience. Richer, funnier, even more insightful

This. Come on someone, take him on

Says it all. #Brexit

This is a helpful and rational guide to the UK EU deal. Ignore a lot of coverage which is silly at best and almost certainly nationally damaging

No one is stopping him standing in the queues tbf if that’s what floats his boat