Makerfield result is extraordinary: A swing back to governing party in a by-election is exceptional. Winning absolute majority of the vote in a seat with Reform friendly demographics is exceptional. Doing both on an increased turnout when your party is polling under 20% is truly exceptional

Big fan of the ‘pro-Starmer’ memo that appears unaware that there was a recent by-election result in Makerfield.

Excellent article ‘Because if Ukrainians are your brothers, why are you invading them? And if Ukraine isn’t a real nation, how do you declare war on a country you insist doesn’t even exist?’ ⬇️

Could not agree more with this #Zurbaran at the #NationalGallery review! ❤️👏

I suspect there are politico "civilians" like me who ended up listening to 5+ podcasts yesterday about Makerfield. This is still the best, because @steverichards.bsky.social has historical knowledge and perspective. A long lead-up to saying these live events are great too!! Looking forward to it!

My post on the aftermath of Makerfield What happens now with the Labour leadership? How bad was it for Reform? And other big Qs. samf.substack.com/p/after-make...

David Brooks on longing in the spiritual life. NB: This article is for America subscribers. "The Spiritual Life" podcast with Mr. Brooks is available gratis on YouTube, Spotify and Apple. www.americamagazine.org/podcasts/202...

Check out the Tom Hanks World War II special on @HISTORY . The first two episodes are the story of a man full of grievance, who wants to make his country great again, who blames all of their problems on racial minorities, and who takes his military on overseas adventures.

The Immaculate Conception https://www.wikiart.org/en/francisco-de-zurbaran/the-immaculate-conception-1635

Some incredibly timely, if depressing, reading for the week ahead from @trillingual.bsky.social

“His crucifixions are so three-dimensional you feel you can walk behind them…” Fiammetta Rocco reviews the National Gallery’s Zurbarán exhibition—and makes the case for why this Spanish master deserves your time before 23rd August

The World Cup starts today, making it a great time to invest in… www.amazon.co.uk/Power-Glory-...

www.sheffdocfest.com/composition/... Heads up! 70Up - at Sheffield Doc Festival Thu 11 June 19:30 - 20:45 - Lyceum The Up series is one of the most influential documentaries ever made. Join me and the team behind '70 Up' for a landmark conversation about the final chapter of documentary history.

If in London on Saturday 13 June, pop by the French Institute in South Kensington where poet Valentin Deudon and I will be talking all things Cantona to mark the publication of Valentin's "82 Goals" in English. All details in link.

Farage said it to the nation last week. With chest, no stutter — then watched the press do what it always does: not much. Third summer of mob violence waved through, and the man engineering it still gets the easiest of rides. @trillingual.bsky.social names it. 🎙️ OTTUTR

This was an excellent live event with @steverichards.bsky.social this evening, and justifies the Patreon subscription! ❤️👏

The Eucharist http://collection.nationalmuseum.se/eMuseumPlus?service=ExternalInterface&module=collection&objectId=22497&viewType=detailView

Born (or at least baptized) on this day in 1599, in Seville, Diego Velazquez. I borrowed his equipment (and assistants) when I was working in Spain myself! And he learned a lot from me. Great painter.

Treat yourself to the Friday late night openings at the #NationalGallery.....Dinner from the @giorgiolocatelli.bsky.social menu, followed by the wonderful @fzurbaran.bsky.social exhibition ❤️

New book event: talking to photographer Manal Massalha at the opening of her Hackney Art Week exhibition "Everyday Trust, Everyday Hope" on 11 June at Dalston Curve Garden. Proceeds to the Hanoon Foundation, training medical workers in Palestine. www.tickettailor.com/events/manal...

Rupert Lowe’s Restore party has become a huge far-right online phenomenon enjoying the backing of Elon Musk. It’s now pressuring Reform towards embracing more extreme policies. Very good but worrying podcast interview with @trillingual.bsky.social. open.spotify.com/episode/5Q4H...

Farage has spent years trying to avoid associating his parties with coked up racist thugs and Restore have panicked him into forgetting why.

A timely purchase....The Power and the Glory by award-winning writer @jonawils.bsky.social.... #WorldCupHistory ❤️

Good piece by @joemulhall.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The new film “Pressure” makes the events of World War II seem surprising by focusing on a little-known hero: the weatherman who helped coordinate the final stages of D-Day, writes David Sims.

Today I ‘interviewed’ Facebook whistleblower on stage at Hay…& she couldn’t say a word. Facebook took legal action to prevent her speaking. What pathetic, pointless vindictiveness. www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

Racing’s hammering of Clermont has really shaken things up - not least because of next week’s fixtures… La Rochelle host Stade Francais and Clermont head to Bordeaux. Racing welcome Toulouse to La Défense. Pau slip to 4th for the first time this season, but have Montauban at home.

This is a great listen, and inspired me to buy the book! #ThePowerAndTheGlory by @jonawils.bsky.social

The World Cup is coming up. If only somebody had written a history of that fine tournament. www.amazon.co.uk/Power-Glory-...

The new film “Pressure” makes the events of World War II seem surprising by focusing on a little-known hero: the weatherman who helped coordinate the final stages of D-Day, writes David Sims.

Georges Bernanos. Best known to movie lovers for his novels made into films by Robert Bresson

🚨CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL POD!🚨 @acjimbo.bsky.social, @danielstorey85.bsky.social, @tomwfootball.bsky.social & @adrianjclarke.bsky.social went LIVE after events in Budapest 🤔Can Arsenal get to the next level? 🥇Enrique an all-timer? 🔁Slot out, Iraola in at #LFC? pod.fo/e/42337b

On the BBC World Service this morning, I argued that Pope Leo’s encyclical can be read by atheists as well as religious people as a “timely and stimulating philosophical text on what it means to be human in the digital age”. (And if Peter Thiel does not like it, tough.)

PSG beat Arsenal in penalty shootout to win back-to-back Champions League titles

Best team in the competition, and winner of the best game in the competition, won it. Right result for the neutrals

A great conversation with #JoSiedlecka, founder of @indcatholicnews.bsky.social....❤️🙏

Wednesday is new episode day! A conversation with Jo Siedlecka of Independent Catholic News #CatholicPodcast 🎧️ allkindsofcatholic.substack.com/p/104-an-inv...

IF WE TOLERATE THIS is out today! These are worrying times politically but if there's one thing I want to get across, it's that the slide into far-right nationalism is not inevitable. Please help me spread the word. uk.bookshop.org/p/books/if-w...

Now online: the New Statesman's review of IF WE TOLERATE THIS. www.newstatesman.com/culture/book...

Absolutely love this episode about one of my favourite films #TheThirdMan Misha Glenny really did it justice, plus some fascinating insights into #Vienna

A French engineer and diplomat with a passion for cinema, Antonin Baudry—following an ambitious but unconvincing debut—presents the first part of the diptych De Gaulle: Résistance at #Cannes2026 OoC for Pathé. Covering a significant yet largely overlooked chapter of history, the film deploys

Wow! A new film on @charlesdegaulle.bsky.social based on the biographical masterpiece by Julian Jackson "A Certain Idea Of France"...🇨🇵 ❤️ Look forward to seeing both films later this year....

Another great conversation on The Spiritual Life with @jamesmartinsj.bsky.social.... #MartinSheen @americamag.bsky.social

To be clear, this is not NATO's going-out-of-business sale; but it IS your chance to snap up everything you always wanted to know about NATO and what it might have to do next, at 25% off.

"Since Pope Francis was buried in the basilica April 26, 2025, St. Mary Major has been transformed from an already prominent Roman church into one of the city's major pilgrimage sites for admirers of the late pope, Catholic and not." www.ncronline.org/vatican/one-...

Really enjoyed this conversation with David Runciman about Labour's current crisis and its potential future as a party

🎞️ French football legend and actor Eric #Cantona is back at the #Cannes Film Festival with two films, one of which documents his five turbulent years at #ManchesterUnited. The other, Avril Besson's "Marvellous Mornings", sees him portray a wine merchant with a passion for #disco.

This is such a good episode...It zooms out and provides excellent analysis and context to how Starmer and the large Labour majority has ended up where it has currently....❤️👏 Looking forward to part 2!!

Good morning, here is your @ftweekend.com highlights thread. There's too much good stuff so I do recommend you pop out for a paper, but here for early birds are some 300x freebies. [A sub to the FT Edit is £49/yr for this kind of thing. See all Weekend sub plans here subs.ft.com/weekendx]