Not so much the glass half full or empty as the glass with no concept of full

Now that Brexit has entered from stage left into the discourse to general delight / loathing / scepticism [tick as appropriate] I wonder if there is a more pathological subject of political discussion in the UK (and with the EU).* * Yes, the pandemic, probably.

Slightly amusing that a party polling at 19% is worried about losing voters because of a Brexit position!!!!

On behalf of the powers vested in me, I am delighted to award the inestimable @peark.es with Bluesky’s coveted Nelson Mandela Award for Food Writing.

Brutal. Burnham’s lost Bluesky in less than a week.

UNLEASH THE GOOD DISCOURSE

Now that Brexit has entered from stage left into the discourse to general delight / loathing / scepticism [tick as appropriate] I wonder if there is a more pathological subject of political discussion in the UK (and with the EU).* * Yes, the pandemic, probably.

Thanks.

Actually the more I think about it (and this isn’t exactly a genius insight) the more I think that having relitigating Brexit as an election issue must generally be worse for Reform.

Pupdate: #baloobear is growing up and his teeth are falling out - the piercing barks are murder until the offending teeth are shed. And the new molars? Ginormous.

Ah, further to my previous skeet.

Does anyone have a hmmm educated idea as to how to think about current Brexit sentiment in a constituency like Makerfield and its salience in the context of an election?

We were meant meet a friend for lunch. When we arrived at the restaurant we told the waiter our fiend was sick and couldn’t make it. ‘Hantavirus?’ He asked.

Lord have mercy

Phasers set to stun…

This is a really interesting point. My assumption had been that the leadership campaign would be in part an EU closer relations bidding contest. But that’s not the case if Burnham is effectively crowned post winning Makerfield (ie there isn’t much of a contest).

Good to see further evidence that joining the Euro is mandatory / inevitable etc for EU menber states…

Great piece this which makes me wonder if doing simple things extremely well is the new avant garde of cooking — there’s a recklessness in the unadorned.

This is obviously true but it’s a bit rich to bemoan a delay to the defence investment plan…a large part of the reason they’re in this mess is because of the things they haven’t got on with… www.ft.com/content/94aa...

Lovely piece on the mid twentieth century American poet Frank O’Hara with a compare / contrast to current times. Very clever, very timely. O’Hara’s America and its period of artistic achievement and social discord is very relevant. giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...

If ever there was a business that needed an effective CEO, it’s Bluesky.

🎶 Why do birds suddenly appear…

I’m not saying this Paris event will be more fun than the Olympics. And I’m not saying that it will be some miracle cure for anything that ails you, but I am sayjng it’ll be the event of the season, the party to end all parties, the pichet of wine at the end of the universe…DM for details…

In an extremely weird sort of way the convoluted Burnham to the leadership process — because it requires winning a pretty much straight fight against Reform — might be revolutionary for Labour’s prospects. (Ofc if he loses the by election it’s an absolute disaster)

Cometh the hour, cometh the banter choice

Should have RTd this before. 13/10.

The issue here (I think) is that it offers both a free hit against the government and a free hit against the potential next PM — that’s a ginormous incentive for opposition parties of all sorts. Disaster written all over it.

Ok. I’ve seen enough. Sell.

I’m not saying this Paris event will be more fun than the Olympics. And I’m not saying that it will be some miracle cure for anything that ails you, but I am sayjng it’ll be the event of the season, the party to end all parties, the pichet of wine at the end of the universe…DM for details…

A reminder that this *wildly unmissable event* is happening soon - if you fancy it and you haven't already said so, do please DM me or @columnist.bsky.social or @stevenhseggie.bsky.social or @donnad.eurosky.social !

Actual scenes…

Guys…

If for the sake of argument I was a politician who had previously received a large amount of money for a specific reason, I would… 1. Have detailed expenditure receipts 2. With respect to my political dealings, recuse myself from any subject matter that might pertain to the donor of the money

That’s not necessarily a compliment

Buckle up etc

👀👀👀

The moral of the story — a lesson that has been conclusively demonstrated to the extent that it is now scientific fact: never go on a cruise ship.

110 years ago to the day, my grandfather Henri Auclair led his squad in the assault of the "tranchée de la Madone" in Verdun and was met with a barrage of machine gun fire. He was knocked unconscious by one bullet; but saved by his helmet, without which, well, you wouldn't be reading this.

I’d be interested to see where Kemi and Nigel would rank if added (I think I can place Zack).

Ed Miliband winning the league is I think the perfect Bluesky outcome.

At the risk of giving too much credit to grand strategy style notions, this is an interesting thought.

This is a great idea!

Another make or break speech should finally resolve the impasse.

V useful currently contrarian take.

Not to get all Aristotle on this but every PM has a perceived fatal flaw. If, for the sake of example, your perceived fatal flaw is weakness / dithering, it is not a great surprise that when your make or break speech exudes weakness / dithering, the fatal flaw is well and truly triggered.

Is this an existential event for the Labour Party? The short answer…it certainly may be: the Party’s unstoppable quest to hold the beer of the Conservatives in their own self inflicted doom. A kinda proof point — if it is existential, the new PM / leader will fare less well than KS. Good morning!

Or indeed a football commentator

If the speech this morning was the final straw, it was an extremely on brand form of self hazing — the promise of no more half measures delivered via a series of (at best) quarter measures.

*PUPDATE* Hard at work on his first solo album

Indeed 💯