Yesterday the Cabinet Office published the ministerial direction on Chris Wormald's exit payment 👇 This has been discussed a bit in the media, mainly in terms of 'civil service tried to block the huge payout' A few points on this.. www.gov.uk/government/p...

Reminder of this part of the Attorney General's Legal Risk Guidance, as revised by Richard Hermer. I've no knowledge of the circumstances of the abandoned defence to Reform's claim, including whether this bit was in play. But... assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/672b71...

I think this must be the first time I became aware of the in-house lawyer.

So: should you invite Matt Goodwin to dinner or not? bsky.app/profile/sund...

Bit odd. They must have had legal advice on this previously. What changed? www.politicshome.com/news/article...

‘No case to answer’ sounds like it was concluded the allegations from the complainant were completely unfounded. And yet the process was a ‘rich source of feedback about management and leadership style’ that led to ‘tough conversations’. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

When is it rational to make a choice believing (as here) there’s a high risk of disaster? Perhaps for those in desperate straits, with little to lose. Though this doesn’t seem to the position these people are in. (TBF the post only says ‘as rational’ as other voters.) bsky.app/profile/luke...

Palantir: too bad to be untrue. bsky.app/profile/samf...

Though today’s judgment may well be reversed, the difficulties it creates, & all the other problems for police, prosecutors & Govt flowing from the original proscription decision, which has proved counterproductive, ought to prompt this rethink. Probably won’t, of course. bsky.app/profile/publ...

"Starmer actually no worse than Johnson, claims IFG." 😀 I'm still confused over what's happened here. Gus O'Donnell on R4Today said such a direction correct because no one senior to CW could authorise, so had to be a ministerial decision. bsky.app/profile/alex...

Good overview here. Includes this detail from a Times article, which may call someone else to mind. bsky.app/profile/ukci...

The Conservative line-that-can't-be-crossed seems to be a work in progress. If the aim to be slightly less extreme than Reform, that can be difficult because that appears to be a moving target, as Nigel Farage feels for his own goldilocks zone of acceptable xenophobia. bsky.app/profile/publ...

Unedifying power struggle behind the power struggle, & more evidence of the resilience of Long Johnson. www.politico.eu/newsletter/l...

A reminder of the HL Constitution Committee’s report on the appointment and removal of permanent secretaries, including the cabinet secretary publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld5803/ld....

I'd forgotten how clear the manifesto was on this. "A proud tradition of welcoming people fleeing persecution and abuse." bsky.app/profile/jame...

Neat set of posts from @stephenkb.bsky.social showing how skewed notions of left & right have become, & how important tribes & vibes are. Probably applies to Keir Starmer as well: those on the left think he's right, & those on the right think he's left.

A few pieces suggesting the economic picture may be improving, which plays into leadership calculations. But how sustainable, & how soon might it be noticed? And any recovery could yet be stymied by further anti-business measures or the continuation of immigration policy. brc.org.uk/news-and-eve...

If this is true, & this is really the reason, then those hoping for a reset on standards are obviously going to be disappointed. bsky.app/profile/pipp...

Recalling Sir Humphrey saying "Oh really, which is the lucky country?" www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...

Kerryman who is married, living and working legally in the United States for >20 years has been incarcerated by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) since September 2025. Profoundly disturbing report by Karlin Lillington @klillington.bsky.social www.irishtimes.com/world/us/202...

Risky defence strategy from @stephenkb.bsky.social? Maybe helped win more seats, but so what if so many MPs can’t be relied on to vote for the Govt? Partly because it’s tied itself up in manifesto knots to avoid scaring these horses that it’s now in such a mess. giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...

The case I made on @BBCr4today at 0720 was this. The disclosure of all documents and messages relating to the Mandelson appointment is vital. But the ISC requirement here goes much wider and (perhaps inadvertently) risks collateral damage to UK diplomacy. isc.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/u...

An interesting analysis I hadn’t with some issues I hadn’t really thought about. However, it’s also worth noting that the Intelligence and Security Committee isn’t a ‘real’ Committee of Parliament.

Quite a stinging statement from McSweeney. Taking responsibility for the *advice*, but not the *decision*, & making plain it was the decision that was wrong. And that responsibility must be ‘owned’ & then ‘the only honourable course is to step aside’. Is he really just talking about himself here?

This accords with the way the resignation statement was phrased (making clear the decision was wrong), & suggests Blue Labour thinks the PM is a busted flush & is looking to others to keep the blue flame burning. bsky.app/profile/pipp...

Whether he sees it as part of a bid for survival, or part of his legacy on bowing out, now would be a good time. (18 months ago would’ve been a better time, as he ought now to be reflecting, but there it is.)

But he didn’t make the decision...? bsky.app/profile/lewi...

Peter Thiel, whom Mandelson worked for, & friendly with Blue Labour. bsky.app/profile/whoa...

I think there’ve now been (at least) 3 times recently when Republican disquiet has forced Trump to back down: the Pretti killing, Greenland, & the Obama post. So does this signal his power within the party is waning?

I’m blaming @giffordhead.co.uk for this.

IMV the judiciary &/or the Govt need to get a better grip of this. There's confusion on what the law allows, following the Trudi Warner case. But if jurors are found to be deciding the case otherwise than on the evidence they commit a criminal offence. www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/art...

I’m sticking to this. The end of Wilson’s premiership was of course mired in scandal, dysfunction & paranoid infighting.

Nearly 3 years since this, when the rot set in, outsourcing decisions on the messy side of politics to people like McSweeney. A bit late now to do anything about it.

Another in the series of invaluable posts explaining the US extreme right, & here also considering whether it could consolidate power after Trump. bsky.app/profile/samf...

Is this quite a commonly held view? At an interview for a law firm I was once told, "You'll work for some really interesting people. Some of the clients here are worth tens, hundreds of millions." As though there was an automatic link. bsky.app/profile/pete...

Suspect one key to the extraordinary Mandelson scandal machine is this from the FT interview last year. Like Boris Johnson, he simply doesn’t acknowledge that other people have any right to tell him what to do.

This is an excellent recipe if you want to make a fairly simple but rich, fresh-tasting curry, which can be adapted. (Camellia Panjabi.) I use 5x the ginger, passata, & don’t bother adding water at the end. And squeeze lemon over. Essential not to rush the cooking of the onions.

Recommend this measured & thoughtful piece if you’re interested in understanding the pro-Brexit perspective. bsky.app/profile/igma...

In summary, very steep. But this also suggests some hope of recovery. giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... How steep is Trump’s democratic backsliding?

Hadn't realised Trump's favourite film is Citizen Kane, & wonder what he thought of the section dealing with Kane's attempts to make his talentless wife a success as an opera singer, ending in humiliation & disaster.

I was expecting the government to stonewall my question about restoring the independence of the Electoral Commission, but the answer I got today in Parliament... hints that there may be a little movement possible?

And recall this: www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article... bsky.app/profile/joxl...

Would Kemi Badenoch still defend Robert Jenrick’s remarks now? Not quite the same of course (white/British & white/integrated), but it’s not very obvious what makes one completely off-limits & made the other absolutely fine. giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...

If only Harry Brook had played like this in the Ashes.

Excellent point: if a leader isn't even writing the first draft of speeches, it's a good sign that the organisation is rudderless. giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...

What explains the choice of spooky imagery? Reform as Rentaghost.

This is very good of course. It’s a problem made worse by the politicians misunderstanding what Government is, & seeking to control independent bodies as though they were part of it.

I think NF plays with this flimsy theory because he doesn't want to confront his own depravity in coming round to support the guy just as he starts threatening former allies.