Will Starmer and co heed pay attention? Of course not.

That Mahmood thinks this is acceptable is shameful. That Starmer doesn’t see a problem with it is despicable. Shame on both of them.

“This is embarrassing!” Says the journalist feeding the embarrassment machine for clicks. If even pro-HS2 journalists cannot help but engage in disingenuous comparisons, it’s no wonder the brand is toxic - and you are not without fault.

HS2 is a critical transport project whose network-wide benefits are desperately needed to address the capacity issues faced on the W and ECMLs. Comparing it to NEOM is utterly ridiculous and betrays an embarrassing level of ignorance and stupidity.

The Times publishing fact-free nonsense about HS2? Groundbreaking.

-screams in EFTA/ EEA- While a customs union may be beneficial, the primary issues created by Brexit are regulatory - which aren’t addressed by a CU. The „re-set“ is a case in point with the SPSA, as well as ambitions vis-à-vis mutual recognition of conformity assessment and qualifications.

The assisted dying bill is a *terrible* reason to reform the Lords (something there are plenty of good arguments to do). It was a backbench bill! Lords were under no obligation to support it. Plenty of people suggested a backbench bill was a bad way to pass assisted dying *for this very reason*.

Starmer loyalists simply cannot deal with any criticism of his ministry’s actions and their best responses are “but it’s difficult” and “fuck off and join the Greens”. Makes you wonder why Labour’s 2024 voters left the party.

It’s better to be honest with yourself and the electorate than passively accepting a situation you don’t agree with and know to be damaging and hoping warm words and tweaks are sufficient.

For all Starmer and Reeves’ talk of economic growth and re-integrating with the rest of Europe, their actions speak louder than their warm words. As ever, they just won’t follow through and hope they can talk around the political choices they need to make.

I'm so sick of this. I know it's been said a million times but NATO members have an obligation to assist each other if one of them is attacked, not to assist any member who launches a war. But if he wanted assistance for that he should've consulted them first. 1/2 www.france24.com/en/live-news...

The sooner Rayner - or anyone with a moral compass and backbone - replaces Starmer the better. That man’s passivity in the face of such abhorrent policy shames the country and the party.

The one thing about EU opposition to “cherry-picking” is they opposed it with cherry juice dripping down their chin. Expecting domestic fees in another country is a case in point - no matter how beneficial it may be.

My plans for tonight: gaming and Netflix. Work:

While the Home Office continues to make the case for its atomisation, its very public fuck-ups and u-turns also demonstrate the need for a competent minister who can challenge its worst instincts instead of feeding into them.

Alas Starmer and Reeves would rather freeze thresholds, cut welfare spending, and hope there’s a few billion behind the sofa.

Sure, Ministers have been and continue to be naïve about UK-EU relations. However, them attempting in some way to bring the electorate with them - and thus avoid the „but there’s no consensus“ critique - is not a cardinal sin.

So in an increasingly-unstable world with rising disinformation and propaganda while trusted sources like Radio Free Europe are being attacked … HMG decides to kneecap the World Service. Well fucking done you utter morons.

Mahmood: „this is progressive!“

That "leaked Starmer memo" about UKGov spending in Scotland, Wales and NI is literally the frequently publicly stated policy of the Labour government that has been put into action repeatedly over the last year and a half. People trying to turn it into an outrage are pathetic. The SNP in particular.

The vibes-based approach to policy unsurprisingly isn’t going to last nor do Polanski any favours.

Ah, Australia … where a pot is considered to be a weapon because it so heinously and feloniously possessed a handle.

Reform and Farage: „net-zero is expensive nonsense!“

An underrated (and one of the few) joys of being back in Melbourne is not having internet access (outwith wifi) and being distant from the *gestures at everything*.

Just how successful has the strategy of telling your voter base to piss off in favour of nostalgic views of a voter base that doesn’t exist been? The sooner Labour are rid of this nonsense the better.

Sunak’s folly continues apace. A pity the supposedly pro-growth Labour government with a considerable Commons majority - whose front bench opposed the cancellations - continues leaving their policy of accepting Tory mistakes.

HMT: “what, invest money and reap savings in the future? Fuck off.”

"The argument for electrifying our railways will become clearer in time." British Rail, 1979.

🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

If only No 10 were occupied by someone sufficiently skilled to take advantage of events instead of talking and refusing to learn from previous mistakes…

What makes this all the more on the nose is Starmer et al insisting they would be different. From the change candidates to continuity contempt.

Right now govt is making up an obviously false “saving” to justify its imm, while ignoring the obviously true cost of that policy (treasury projections assume a level of net migration Home Sec opposes and which is unlikely to happen). And these ppl wonder why trust in politics is declining.

Starmer, it seems, just doesn’t want to deal with the question of our relationship with the EU – or at least, not in public. That now has to change ✏️ Matt Withers

The voters: “we don’t like your rightward shift” Starmer: “fuck you”

From “vote for change” to needing Tory votes to pass an unprogressive, offensive, and cruel migration changes. All for what, to woo far-right voters that hate Labour and aren’t buying it? Well done Starmer, you fucking idiot.

There's something really despicable about Trump calling for ordinary Iranians to take the risk of rising up against the regime. He's been so disdainful of the same sentiment in Ukraine. He's never taken a risk for anyone else's benefit. Man wouldn't stand up to serve himself at a buffet.

Oh look, another opportunity Starmer will completely miss.

Sunak’s Folly.

Huh, it’s almost like the UK’s closest ally is France …

An overtly political decision from Starmer? Never going to happen.

Perfect time for Starmer to double-down instead of at least attempting to change course.

After the issues/ complaints with British citizens requiring a British passport to enter the UK, can you imagine the outrage if it involved a tax bill? Not to mention the unsavoury notion of treating non-resident citizens as an income stream and expect payment for basic govt responsibilities.

Yet again HMT’s short-sighted obsession with counting pennies leaves tax-paying passengers worse off. Labour shouldn’t be reducing passenger protections and making the rail travel experience more hostile.

With Starmer being far too politically inept to see the folly in perusing the immigration policy he and Mahmood are. He’s legitimised the far-right view of immigration and alienated his base … all for no electoral gain nor political credit whatsoever. Genius.

As an academic born and raised in Denmark who researches and writes about Danish politics, I can confidently say that Cowley has no idea what he’s talking about. The piece is full of factual errors and falsehoods

Denmark has *far* worse outcomes - economic, social and integration - than the UK. Just a fantasyland for those who want an excuse for their own xenophobia and/or are incapable of doing the hard work of confronting the UK's real problems. www.thetimes.com/world/europe...

“I fear for … British democracy” says the man proposing to suppress the ability of people to vote.

Continuing to demonstrate his trademark lack of political judgement. The only way this madness ends is with fresh leadership, not just the sacking of an underling.