Great news that King Charles is going to be patron of the Community Security Trust. Now wondering if he's available for a shift swap next Saturday. "Hello, lovely to see you, and what brings you to this synagogue".

If you're replying to a post about torched ambulances in London with a point about Israel, you've crossed the line into antisemitism. And you're doing absolutely nothing to help any cause. Even if you consider yourself one of the good people. Maybe especially so. You've just caught racism.

💯⬇️ www.ft.com/content/4e35...

Two conclusions. Kepa is not the man for big matches. Remembering to attack can be useful in a final.

This is excellent and important by @stephenkb.bsky.social

Today's newsletter. Cheery topic!

I suppose after two world wars it was Britain's turn to turn up late.

oil now reaching the 'um, guys? we sure this is all ok?' stage

Something about this week's political debate reminded me of this

Didn't feel the distribution of this should be limited to X x.com/HaIfTurn/sta...

Three cheers for @robertshrimsley.bsky.social. Am reading and listening to too many self-styled fans of liberal democracy saying, in effect, 'let's park international law for the moment and talk about....'

The guy who filmed Andrew Tate dancing in Dubai

Those who are careless of international law are too often careless of the consequences of war: military, economic, political and human. And as Trump has demonstrated, contempt for international law is often matched by a disregard similar disregard for rights at home www.ft.com/content/8117...

In defence of the Iran war's handwringers and pearl-clutchers. www.ft.com/content/8117...

Am sticking with my bet that the right is reading this wrong and that the majority of voters are not at all unhappy Starmer has upset Trump by holding back from a war whose purpose and end game no-one seems able to define.

This IPSO adjudication against the Telegraph is quite something Confirms their story titled: ‘We earn £345k, but soaring private school fees mean we can’t go on five holidays’ was completely fabricated, with the family involved non-existent and stock pictures used www.ipso.co.uk/rulings/0210...

Really wonder how much the Tory/Reform atack line on Starmer that he wasn't quick enough to support Trump attack on Iran, resonates with voters. My hunch is not much at all

On becoming one of the those 10,000 step bores www.ft.com/content/fb56...

British politics gets religion - thanks to the church of Nigel as.ft.com/r/5ecae328-4...

Too late. They've already been killed by the Greens. Best they can hope for now is a non-aggression pact for their sitting MPs

The Starmer leadership strategy - as explained by Rutherford Hall - the buck starts here www.ft.com/content/84af...

At the end of 2026 I'll be very surprised if I don't still think The Secret Agent was the best film I saw this year.

For no particular reason, I remind you of the glories of the reporting on Cecil the lion and his brother Jericho.

This is how I discovered Polanski’s position on ‘natural birth’ and god, fuck this so so much

Farage against the machine On Political Fix this week, @annasophiegross.bsky.social, @robertshrimsley.bsky.social & @stephenkb.bsky.social discuss whether Reform can broaden its appeal Plus: local elxn delay u-turn, fresh Chagos drama, & battles ahead on SEND podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/p...

Isn't it

If you loved the last conservative government this looks like the team for you

Excellent column by @stephenkb.bsky.social

NEW What the Palestine Action judgment means - and what it does not mean How the High Court ruled against the government, but not with enthusiasm By me: emptycity.substack.com/p/what-the-p... (A follow up to my Prospect post this morning.)

You may not like it, but strip out the hyperbole and abuse and it's quite hard to argue with this Cummings asssessment of the public mood

That’s how much respite losing McSweeney gets you.

British values

top political trivia

Latest episode of POLITICAL FIX has just dropped... Mandelson, money - and the risk to the prime minister Feat @PickardJE, @stephenkb & @AArmstrong_says Available here, or wherever you get your podcasts 📻🎧 podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...

This is an amazing story. The auto-worker who posed as a fake Saudi prince and changed the outcome of the election of the Lebanese PM as.ft.com/r/3d59471a-b...

Kemi Badenoch has just praised Shabana Mahmood, so that's her cooked.

Fingers point at Morgan McSweeney, the chief of staff who championed Mandelson, but the final blind eye was Starmer’s. www.ft.com/content/1a29...

If I were Wes Streeting I’d now be hoping Starmer hangs on a while. This will contaminate all Blairites and harden Labour MPs resolve against them

Matt is a genius:

Starmer forced to admit he knew of Mandelson's continued relationship with Epstein after the first convicton when he appointed him ambassador. Eek this is a shocker. Badenoch has nailed him on this.

In an otherwise utterly grim saga this is, I'm sorry, hilarious. Epstein, the recipient of Mandelson's leaks chides him for being indiscreet and betraying his bosses in his autobiography.

"Have you considered employing a Chief Innovation Engagement and Information Officer.? "No reason, I just like the sound of a CIEIO." Rutherford Hall on the spate of bullshit C-suite titles as.ft.com/r/486ee668-b...

The prisoner of Downing Street and his incredible shrinkig government. as.ft.com/r/27efadf7-6...

"All governments decay eventually. What distinguishes Keir Starmer’s is the speed with which the necrosis has set in. After little more than 18 months in office, it already resembles the last months of Rishi Sunak’s premiership" as.ft.com/r/44182887-8...

Suella Braverman's later career since she quit Home Office has been a story of being outpaced, outmanoeuvred and outplayed by Robert Jenrick. She's been on catch-up for nearly three years now.

If the by-election is lost now it will all be put on Keir - that plus locals could be it

Since people are talking about Hamilton songs, events of today remind of the one that goes “you don’t have the votes, you don’t have the votes” Cabinet battle

Wonder if this is the perfect outcome for Burnham. Keir looks like a scared machine pol. Builds up the Burnham brand- avoid booths by election and leader contest he’s not certain to win while boosting his status as the future King and the demand for him. Becoming leader now is too soon for him. 1/2

If given the choice between the Labour Party led by Keir Starmer and Reform UK led by Nigel Farage, Britons are slightly more likely to favour Labour – however…

"Having wracked my brains, I've come up with a slogan for Britain’s middle power opportunity: 'Take back control'." My Swamp Notes with @robertshrimsley.bsky.social on why Carney has laid out the rest of the west's only sane response to Trump. Free to read. as.ft.com/r/672930fc-c...