No final decision made (or, at least , not confirmed publicly) but the sourcing + nature of the FT report & post-publication reaction in govt + outside make it v likely this happens. So who might become Home Secretary next week?

In places like the village I live in it's basically a race to see if your kids make it through school before it closes...

A problem for primary schools now, secondary schools in the next few years, and universities a few years after that.

The media seems v unlikely to notice dramatically falling school numbers as they continue to run inaccurate stuff about migration pressures on school places

Breaking: Kent and Medway will be carved up into four unitary authorities, including a wild MidKent Council that spans from Sheppey to Romney Marsh.

Same old England. On first viewing I thought Tuchel’s subs were disastrous. On second viewing, the retreat happened beforehand, a consequence of Argentina pushing on & England being exhausted. The three defensive subs did make sense. Analysis here…⬇️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/744...

The BBC audience for England's defeat in the World Cup football semifinal peaked at 21.5 million last night: biggest TV audience of year - averaging 15 million across the broadcast. A 9 million peak live for 2am-4am game with Mexico, and 16.8 million for Norway deadline.com/2026/07/engl...

Congratulations to our director, @bobbyduffy.bsky.social, who yesterday received the inaugural Sir Robert Worcester award for outstanding contributions to political, economic and social research! 🔗⬇️

Nigel Farage resigned as an MP to spend more of this summer with his constituents by the Essex seaside. My Eastern Eye column this week considered how the Clacton by-election's descent towards farce became overshadowed by the tragic murder of Ann Widdecombe www.easterneye.biz/nigel-farage...

Argentina v Egypt. - behind for 68 minutes, by 2 goals for 12 minutes from 69th minute - 0-2 from 67 minutes until 79 minutes (but still had 33 rather than 23 minutes to recover two + still had 20 rather than 11 minutes to equalise) - scored 3 in 15 minutes to win in injury time, not extra-time

You can actually watch football die

Shabana Mahmood is reported to be most likely Chancellor appointment. She would inherit a tight fiscal position. As Home Sec, prioritised continuing to drive net migration down after fell to net 205k/170k. Will fall below < 100k in 2026 & zero in 2027: big fiscal hit (£13bn) obr.uk/box/the-impa...

Only 3 countries have led in a World Cup semi-final + lost France: 1982: led 3-1 in extra-time, lost on pens to Germany Italy: 1990: led 1-0, but lost on pens to Argentina England: 2018 + 2026: 2018: led 1-0, lost 2-1 in extra-time to Croatia 2026 led 1-0, lost 2-1 in injury time to Argentina

2026 was probably England's best World Cup outside England - at least since Italia '90. England had not come through to win a game like Mexico in the Azteca before. But they lost this semi-final of 2026 how they lost the semi-final of 2018 - though against the World Champions this time.

England are losing, and John Stones is down injured. The camera cuts to Mick Jagger. Guy Mowbray says some pre-scripted thing about "He won't be feeling much satisfaction." YES BUT THERE'S A PLAYER CALLED 'STONES' DOWN INJURED. MOWBRAY! YOU HAD ONE JOB.

England's semi-final record WL LL LWWL Won 3, Lost 5 WC 1966: Portugal. Won 2-1 Euro 1968: Yugoslavia. Lost 0-1 WC 1990: Germany. DL 1-1. (Lost pens) Euro 1996: Germany. dL 1-1. (Lost on pens) WC18: Croatia. Lost 1-2 (aet) Euro20/1: Denmark W 2-1 Euro24:Netherlands W 2-1 Wc26: Argentina L 1-2

In the bargaining stage where I'm thinking "I thought 60 years had a nice ring to it, but maybe 64 more years has a better ring"

Argentina v Spain in the World Cup final. Goals in the 85th and 93rd minute as they blitzed England after going behind with half an hour to go. Argentina keep a 96 year record of winning 6 out of 6 World Cup semifinals.

On 85 minutes: Argentina 1-1

Bring on Dan Burn!

We need to try to do something on the break at some point

Everyone seems to know the score They've seen it all before They just know, they're so sure That England's gonna throw it away gonna blow it away But I know they can play, 'Cos I remember ...

Only 3 teams have ever gone benind in a World Cup semifinal & won in 40 matches But they are Germany 1982 v France Argentina 1990 v Italy Croatia 2018 v England

Do the BBC have any stats on a spike in TV licence sales from this appeal, which the commentator is gently apologising for

I still do not really understand why Anthony Barry gives these half-time public interviews on TV but they are illuminatingly concise & frank. (He thinks England have physical opportunity for dominance as it goes on)

Half-time: England 0 Argentina 0 48 minutes of tetchy rugby-ish stop-start attrition in the semifinal. Despite the presence of Simeone junior, a total contrast to the classic of 1998 at halftime. xG 0.05 to 0.03 (!)

Argentina (5 out of 5 since 1930) and Spain (2 out of 2 since 2010) are the only countries to get to & never yet lose in a World Cup semifinal, so England need a historic win

England's men in football semifinals is a tale of three eras. Few recall there were two semifinals in the 1960s, though everyone remembers/knows that there were two semifinals in the 90s. 4 in half a century from 1966: a couple every three decades Now 4 in under a decade, 2018-26!

Argentina had to battle to get past Cape Verde, Egypt and Switzerland, so should find England challenging. We had to battle to beat DR Congo, Mexico and Norway so should find Argentina challenging. But it is a winnable match. #WC2026

England v Argentina games of 1966 and 1986 both resonated for decades, contested narratives of perceived & actual injustice. England's fine victory in a must win group gane in 1962 is the least famous of their five meetings at the World Cup youtu.be/Oj5-O7ktiFE?...

Good to see Akeela Ahmed & British Muslim Trust take young Muslims from across the UK into Downing St today to talk to faith minister Lord Lemos & the PM's advisers about identity, cohesion & tackling anti-Muslim hostility. + A hopeful image for pride without prejudice.

Walking from the office to the Tube this evening, two things were striking: quite how many truly awful away shirts England have had over the years, and the visible diversity – in age, gender and ethnic appearance – of the people wearing the shirts.

"I think, in a very profound way, the English football team over the last half-century has shifted the cultural and social norms of who we think is English". I spoke to Reuters about national identity, the England team & the spirit of three lions www.reuters.com/sports/socce...

England's men in football semifinals is a tale of three eras. Few recall there were two semifinals in the 1960s, though everyone remembers/knows that there were two semifinals in the 90s. 4 in half a century from 1966: a couple every three decades Now 4 in under a decade, 2018-26!

Harvey Redgrave, the current Unit head, will stay on as home affairs and justice adviser, also on temp contract initially. More here on who Cooke is/how the appointment is going down 👇https://www.newstatesman.com/uncategorized/2026/07/exclusive-andy-burnham-appoints-number-10-policy-chief

Scoop: Andy Burnham has appointed Graeme Cooke, a former adviser to his chief of staff James Purnell, as Director of the Number 10 Policy Unit. Cooke currently advises on domestic policy in Starmer's Number 10. He takes on the policy chief role initially on a three-month transition contract.

I became fairly agnostic over England under Southgate (to the extent of trying to get involved in the excitement, but 30 years of conditioning meant I felt nothing). However, the current team seem to be naturally more dislikeable, so normal service resumed

Some of it is normal rivalry, some of it is unfortunately ani-English, but I think a lot of it is caused by the massively disproportionate coverage we need to endure from UK media outlets.

YouGov found about 1/4 people in Scotland want England to do well, about 1/3 support their oppponents, about 1/3 don't mind either way. Those all seem to m legit views: it can also be sporting tribal rivalry, not animosity.

My piece for Arguably on how a Burnham government could grip the policy & politics of immigration. A plan to control immigration fairly could bridge the balancers, liberals & moderate sceptics who want fair controls + to challenge the politics of remigration & racism www.arguably.uk/p/britain-ne...

It would be v helpful for politicians to agree not to use language vs opponents they would object to being used vs them Yusuf saying these are OK words to target Reform MPs with is silly & ofc he would object to thst

I’m a little bit lost for words when trying to sum up the spirit and fortitude of the Hillsborough families But after the privilege of watching them make history again today - I’ve tried to sum it all up here…

My slightly partisan pre-tournament prediction remains possible! 1. England 2. Spain 3. France 4. Argentina

Spain have now put France out in the semifinal of both World Cup 2026 & Euro 2024

No team 2-0 down in a World Cup semi-final has made the World Cup final - though Germany came back from trailing 3-1 during extra-time to draw 3-3 and win on penalties vs France in 1982. V few teams have trailed by one goal & won an SF: Croatia 2018 v England Argentins 1990 v Italy on pens

Anyway, need one of France or Argentina to do something otherwise it's England vs Spain (Women's World Cup 2023) England vs Spain (Men's Euro 2024) England vs Spain (Women's Euro 2025) England vs Spain (Men's World Cup 2026)

Or another way, if Argentina fail to progress, an England senior team would have made every major tournament final for six successive years as the men lost to Italy in 2021 and the women bested Germany in 2022. Boring.

At the Moulin Rouge, The Dance, by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, 1890

All that Uruguayan hurt explains their approach to playing the game

Just struck me it's not just the currently ranked top four in the World Cup semis it's the last two World Cup finalists and the last two Euro finalists