“This responsibility demands a strong financial pledge: stepping back now, even slightly, sends the wrong signal at a moment when decisive leadership is needed”, writes Labour MP @drbeccycoopermp.bsky.social 🗣️ The UK’s Global Fund pledge is a missed opportunity www.politics.co.uk/mp-comment/2...

Stark language from this Labour MP speaking in opposition to the government’s asylum proposals “The Prime Minister said in September that we are at a fork in the road. These asylum proposals suggest we have taken the wrong turning.”

“Britain helped build the Global Fund because we understood that a healthier world makes for a safer world. This truth has not changed”, writes Dr Saliha Mahmood Ahmed 🗣️ UK government must back the Global Fund at critical time www.politics.co.uk/comment/2025...

Miriam Cates continues to slow roll her defection to Reform UK

Nigel Farage asks Enoch Powell for his support ahead of the 1994 Eastleigh by-election From this 2014 Telegraph article - www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic...

“Britain can once again set the global standard and prove that great science and the welfare of animals are not mutually exclusive”, writes Conservative MP Dame Caroline Dinenage 🗣️ The future of science is animal-free – Britain must not be left behind www.politics.co.uk/mp-comment/2...

“Politics once moved at the pace of persuasion. A leader would make a case, tour the country, take questions, debate opponents – and then wait weeks or months to see whether the argument had landed. “That rhythm is gone”, writes ex-No 10 special adviser Mario Creatura

“It’s official. The Conservative Party leadership has joined the ranks of climate deniers, in a race to the bottom with Nigel Farage and Donald Trump”, writes Labour MP Olivia Blake 🗣️ Why cross-party leadership on climate policy is essential www.politics.co.uk/mp-comment/2...

“Rewarding failure tells the public that accountability is optional, and that consequences are negotiable”, write Lord Clement-Jones and Lord Arbuthnot 🗣️ Fujitsu must be barred from new government contracts www.politics.co.uk/comment/2025...

“It’s been a poor conference season for those who would be king.” www.politics.co.uk/week-in-revi...

"Jenrick’s own podium contribution was seriously underpowered – echoing his sermon at the Conservative Party’s 2024 fête. (The shadow justice secretary’s rise has been powered by a canny social media strategy; it’s noteworthy that he has not risen to the set-piece opportunities afforded to him)."

Starmer and Badenoch repel their pretenders – for now It’s been a poor conference season for those who would be king. Some observations on the political landscape ahead of parliament's return next week Latest long-read for @politics.co.uk 👇 www.politics.co.uk/week-in-revi...

Not seeing the strategic sense in this line. Phillipson is likely to lose, she will know that, so what’s with the hostility? It just reads like No 10 rounding on Powell, who will be invited to return fire. It’s not just the contest at stake here, but the kind of deputy leader Powell will be

“Obama’s London speech was a welcome reminder of politics’ oldest truth – people need stories. Starmer has one, of patriotic renewal after national decline, about fairness after years of drift”, writes @plmr.co.uk CEO @kevincraig.co.uk www.politics.co.uk/comment/2025...

“Starmer’s story about Britain’s moral character, and threats to it, should not relegate concerns about its material condition.” www.politics.co.uk/week-in-revi...

“Political narratives matter, especially in a fractured and highly competitive political landscape, because they dictate the battles a party picks. “Managed conflicts are a means by which parties project their values to voters.” www.politics.co.uk/week-in-revi...

“Starmer positioned Labour as Reform’s antithesis and antidote. He defined the nature of the populist threat, and presented a theory to explain its moral failings. In other words: Starmer told a story.” www.politics.co.uk/week-in-revi...

“Starmer’s conference address was an analysis of the political landscape, its recent redevelopment, its faultlines – and a statement of where Labour under his leadership would stand within it.” www.politics.co.uk/week-in-revi...

The calling of Keir Starmer ‘Pledges’, ‘milestones’, ‘first steps’, ‘missions’, ‘foundations’ and ‘phases’ are no substitute for singular purpose. Starmer’s conference speech was a reminder of the power of narrative Latest long-read for @politics.co.uk 👇 www.politics.co.uk/week-in-revi...

On Starmer's popular front strategy – the opportunities and risks (from my newsletter: www.politics.co.uk/subscribe/)

Starmer: “The Tories, do you remember them conference?” The Conservative Party gets its first mention

Expect a 'no time for novices'-esque message from Starmer tomorrow. That was Brown's retort to an upstart David Cameron, which had the happy consequence of catching David Miliband in the crossfire PM probably won't go for inexperience (not a big enough distinction between him, Burnham and Farage)…

Already seen quite a lot of this so far

Bridget Phillipson is the first cabinet minister to receive a shoutout in Starmer’s conference speech. Definitely not the No 10 candidate…

On Starmer's popular front strategy – the opportunities and risks (from my newsletter: www.politics.co.uk/subscribe/)

@richardburgon.bsky.social tells @moreincommonuk.bsky.social fringe it’s “politically inevitable” that Keir Starmer “will no longer be prime minister” if the polls hold up to and into the May 2026 Holyrood, Senedd and local elections

Anneliese Dodds @moreincommonuk.bsky.social fringe: “Ultimately we have to be better at telling a story about what we're doing… “But the story's got to be an authentic one and this is where I think actually picking the right fights is important…”

From deputy prime minister David Lammy’s conference speech:

The 'King of the North' holds court On Burnham's surreal appearance at the electoral reform conference fringe event yesterday. To receive this newsletter: www.politics.co.uk/subscribe/

Expect a 'no time for novices'-esque message from Starmer tomorrow. That was Brown's retort to an upstart David Cameron, which had the happy consequence of catching David Miliband in the crossfire PM probably won't go for inexperience (not a big enough distinction between him, Burnham and Farage)…

Treasury minister Torsten Bell at Labour conference: “What Britain needs to tackle Farage is a vision, and the vision they need is not a fat bloke in a wetsuit, which is what the Lib Dems have got to offer Britain in the 21st century.” www.politics.co.uk/news/2025/09...

“Today dissent is pathologised, selections are stitched up, members treated as irritants. Labour’s pluralism, once its superpower, has been replaced by a culture of control”, writes @labourlewis.bsky.social 🗣️ Robin Cook showed us politics at its most serious. Labour has lost that balance

🚨 NEW: Back electoral reform to embed ‘progressive majority’ and thwart Farage, Starmer urged Without electoral reform, the country could face a “horrendous scenario” leading to the “extinction of the United Kingdom”, @paulsweeney.bsky.social has warned Story ⤵️ www.politics.co.uk/news/2025/09...

🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham criticises ‘climate of fear’ in Labour with vow to continue ‘debate’ “To those making calls for simplistic statements of loyalty, well... I think that’s at risk of underestimating the peril the party is in”, he said Full story👇 www.politics.co.uk/news/2025/09...

🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham criticises ‘climate of fear’ in Labour with vow to continue ‘debate’ “To those making calls for simplistic statements of loyalty, well... I think that’s at risk of underestimating the peril the party is in”, he said Full story👇 www.politics.co.uk/news/2025/09...

Burnham not backing down: “I've launched a debate on our direction because I think we need it at this moment, because I want this government to be a success… “I think we need to go further, and we do need to have a debate about our direction, and and I, for one, won't be shying away from that.”

@andyburnham.bsky.social calls for a more “collaborative politics” at Labour conference electoral reform rally He says: “This is an idea whose time has come. Because the world we are in now demands a new politics — it demands a new approach.”

Labour MSP @paulsweeney.bsky.social at electoral reform conference fringe: “We need to be aware of the long term prospects for our nation, and build a system of politics in this country that reflects the structural, progressive majority that truly exists in this country.” @labour4pr.bsky.social

Landed at Labour conference. If you’re around, do give me a shout :)

To whom will Labour conference flock, Starmer or Burnham?

Keir Starmer: “I love and have pride in my country, and I want to serve the whole of my country — our beautiful, tolerant, diverse country... Reform do not believe in that country, they want to tear that country apart. “[Reform’s ILR plan] would tear our country apart…”

NEW: Lib Dems demand paracetamol public information campaign to counter Farage and Trump “fake news” Lib Dem health spokesperson @helenmorganlibdem.bsky.social comments:

The world’s worst double date: Mark Francois and Lembit Öpik + the Cheeky Girls From an interview Francois did about his memoirs, ‘Spartan Victory’, with the Bruges Group (which I had the misfortune of stumbling across a few months back) www.brugesgroup.com/blog/spartan...

There are political journeys, and then there’s whatever Lembit Opik has been up to since 2010

Clive Lewis backs Andy Burnham? Remarks delivered at the 2025 Robin Cook Memorial Lecture

“Reform UK have spotted what you could call a ‘gap in the market’, and it's not a good one”, writes Labour MP Dr @simonforstroud.bsky.social 🗣️ Reform UK’s vaccine crankery is a dangerous threat to our national security www.politics.co.uk/mp-comment/2...

“I absolutely will insist that you are not discarded as collateral damage in a rush to worship the god of unfettered autonomy for an articulate few”, writes @timfarron.bsky.social 🗣️ My opposition to assisted dying is rooted in liberalism and Christianity www.politics.co.uk/mp-comment/2...

🚨 Zarah Sultana confirms she has been frozen out of ‘Your Party’ — Hits out at “sexist boys’ club” — Accuses Corbyn statement of having “misrepresented the situation” — Calls for a meeting with Corbyn — Party is “more important than any one person”

All is not well in ‘Your Party’. Note the absence of Zarah Sultana’s name at the bottom of this statement

From YouGov: Seven in ten Britons (71%) now hold an unfavourable opinion of Keir Starmer