Having pondered it all morning, I'm still incredulous that all that Today programme coverage of migrant hotels at no point (unless I missed it) mentioned why people were here, what they might be fleeing from etc.

This is a good policy. Tax wonks are pretty united on national insurance being a bad tax, because it means labour income is taxed more than other forms, and adds to complexity

On the one hand, better late than never. On the other hand: why so late? The case for doing this was just as obvious in May as it is in September.

'The speech this week will be the first time Starmer will publicly take on the arguments of Farage since Reform ramped up its policy announcements and visibility over the summer' www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

I'll have more to say on Reform's proposals to scrap ILR at some point but for now I'll just note this - anyone telling you this is a popular idea doesn't know the polling. Overwhelming majority of public back giving people who work and pay taxes most or all rights after 5 years or less

really dislike that "Boriswave" used to be something you'd exclusively see being used by racist Twitter accounts but it's now made its way to the political mainstream, including today's Playbook headline

God imagine being an Arsenal fan. Such great players. Such a dull team.

Best birthday card ever #mot #lufc

And it wasn't even good self-interest! You can draw a pretty direct line IMO from 'Labour being overwhelmed by their inheritance, aggravated by those NI cuts' to 'Reform replacing the Conservatives'.

In which, remarkably, while talking about the fiscal bind, and even after Jeremy Hunt goes on about acting in the interests of the country, no one brings up the TWO NI cuts carried out largely if not solely for narrow party political ends. podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/h...

Honestly, the 1,5% was always just to get it to the nice 5%. What’s happening with the 3,5%, that’s what’s important (and also addressed in the article).

Asked by Newsweek whether she thought Tommy Robinson had been "unfairly demonised", Liz Truss says: “Yes, I do.” A Conservative Party serious about ever regaining power would have slung her out long ago. www.newsweek.com/liz-truss-br...

WE’VE SCORED THREE!!!!!

Goooaaaaaaal. Again!

It all comes back to 'you can't run a campaign literally entitled "Change" and then wonder why voters don't reward you for things not meaningfully changing'.

"EU member states must formally apply for the 'SAFE' defence fund by 30 November 2025. That means time is tight if the UK doesn’t want to miss out on joining procurements." @jannikewachowiak.bsky.social explains the need for swift negotiation on UK participation in the EU's €150bn defence fund

‼️ Don't miss out on our next event ‼️ To discuss the fragmentation of the left in the UK, we have none other than @fisherandrew79.bsky.social, @johnmct.bsky.social, @profjanegreen.bsky.social & @anandmenon.bsky.social 💻 Online 📅 Tues 23 Sept, 1pm BST Sign up here 👇 ukandeu.ac.uk/events/ukice...

Where the separate divisions of ANTIFA landed on the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944:

For a more detailed assessment by @jannikewachowiak.bsky.social click here: ukandeu.ac.uk/explainers/e...

I can’t believe how bad this www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...

The split in Your Party has broken into the open. Jeremy Corbyn urges supporters not to donate to the link promoted by Zarah Sultana. Sultana responds calling it a "sexist boys club."

"It is against this backdrop of uncertainty that the economic implications of the Economic Prosperity Deal are beginning to bite." In light of Trump’s state visit to the UK, @drsarahhall.bsky.social discusses the extent of continuing uncertainties around UK-US trade ukandeu.ac.uk/trouble-ahea...

"Starmer’s government has made a solid start on its EU agenda, but the path ahead is still full of potential pitfalls." For a comprehensive analysis of the difficulties that lie ahead when it comes to UK-EU relations, read @jreland.bsky.social's latest blog 👇 ukandeu.ac.uk/uk-eu-negoti...

No better measure of the Trump effect than the faith erstwhile republicans seem to be placing in the diplomatic skills of the Royal family 😂

Happy 20th birthday to @resfoundation.bsky.social! Pleased to serve on their refreshed advisory council alongside people such as John Kingman, Anna Valero and @anandmenon.bsky.social www.resolutionfoundation.org/press-releas...

a few days ago brian kilmeade said homeless people should be executed. jesse waters accused the left of trying to start a civil war. fox news spent years telling verifiable lies about dominion and the 2020 election. canceling jimmy kimmel isn’t about an offensive line in a monologue. it’s about

Really interesting interview with @ruthcurtice.bsky.social by @guardianheather.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Well that looks like a no to secondary tariffs. Will be interesting to see Trump’s reaction. Hope someone asks him today….

It was a perfect bit of friendly grilling by @jillongovt.bsky.social who should def be the new In Our Time host, or better still Today prog. In fact can you both do it

Great piece by @sachahilhorst.bsky.social on Reform voters, and their thoughts on Farage's narrative of political renewal. I'm still unclear on what concrete steps they want Reform to take ? Public Services ? Welfare state ? Business ? Policies on workers rights ? Tax ? @anandmenon.bsky.social

What are the key policy challenges the UK must confront? As we publish the Policy Landscape 2025 report with @ukandeu.bsky.social, @ruthcurtice.bsky.social and @anandmenon.bsky.social reflect on the challenges facing the government one year in. Read it here: buff.ly/Q7LSOmx

Fantastic second session featuring @jreland.bsky.social @heathergrabbe.bsky.social Matt Hinde and @johnspringford.bsky.social

"An interesting question is whether anyone dares to weaponise Brexit against Reform. These are the people who gave you Brexit and promised it would deliver controlled migration." @jillongovt.bsky.social on the surge in popularity in Reform among UK voters

"European politics is affected by the same phenomena of fragmentation and polarisation. For both the political agenda is packed with big, wicked issues that are hard to solve, which makes UK-EU relations less of a priority." @jenniferrankin.bsky.social on the salience of UK-EU relations

Our next panel on 'UK-EU relations: the UK perspective' take to the stage With @simonusherwood.bsky.social, @anandmenon.bsky.social, @jillongovt.bsky.social, @sophiestowers.bsky.social & @jenniferrankin.bsky.social Stay tuned for some key quotes 🧵

"The ECHR issue is strikingly similar to the EU debate before Brexit. It's something that people didn't really care about before but do now because it has been tied to immigration." @anandmenon.bsky.social on debates about UK membership in the European Convention on Human Rights

Here we go again... In Brussels, Nick Thomas-Symonds talks to @anandmenon.bsky.social (who apparently just had a milestone birthday) about shared interests

Looking forward to this conversation next week with @anandmenon.bsky.social, @psurridge.bsky.social & @johnmct.bsky.social Should be an interesting discussion, do join in ... ukandeu.ac.uk/events/ukice...

"Undoubtedly, though, there is increased distrust and reduced respect for rules globally which will affect UK-EU ties." ✍️ @davidheniguk.bsky.social argues that changes to the rules-based global order will affect how the UK and EU navigate their relationship ukandeu.ac.uk/how-the-new-...

If it were me, I'd have gone for a different metaphor. thecritic.co.uk/divo...

"Politics and policy make for a combustible mix. It remains to be seen if this government has what it takes to try to ride out this storm." ✍️ @anandmenon.bsky.social and @ruthcurtice.bsky.social explain the key policy challenges this government must confront ukandeu.ac.uk/explaining-t...

Couple more City goals and we’re above Man Utd 🤣🤣

Exclusive @theipaper.com: Sir Ed Davey has been told to raise his game by Liberal Democrat MPs amid growing concerns that the party is failing to cut through with the public inews.co.uk/news/politic...

Hallelujah. Well said 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

Can be a tactical decision - a political calculation - to respond or not to a call by Elon Musk for the dissolution of parliament to replace the government. But a deep failure of national leadership - not simply a tactical error, but an ethical vacuum - to remain mute on this call for violence

Want to be clear that the predictable violence against the police wasn't the only problem with yesterday's march It's that 100,000 angry racists gathered in London for the biggest racist march in 50 years, and anyone not white had to steer clear The govt can't see that because they are inadequate.

👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

Interesting by @rachelsylvester.bsky.social but was Mandelson project as successful as she claims? New Labour shed loads of white working class voters who ultimately went on to vote UKIP and Leave (cf Brexitland by @profsob.bsky.social and @robfordmancs.bsky.social). observer.co.uk/news/opinion...

“The absolute expiry date is May. But it could be the budget if that unravels in a spectacular way – and party conference is going to be an absolute nightmare.” observer.co.uk/news/politic...

The problem is that ‘this is not who we are’ is coming to feel a little empirically unconvincing. It might help if the PM actually stood up and made the case for a liberal, tolerant and inclusive country.