Labour lost almost four times as many voters to the Greens as they did to Reform UK in the local elections, according to new YouGov polling

C’mon people, let’s get this over the 100k mark

This headline is fuel for the right-wing anti-migrant reaction machine, but the article reveals the employer knowingly brought her to the UK under a visitor visa to employ her, then denied her a work permit—and most importantly!—refused to pay her any wages. This looks approximate to modern slavery

“The fact that he is known as a vulture capitalist should tell you everything about how inappropriate this deal is [for Thames Water]… these kinds of people are there to suck the lifeblood out of our utilities and public services, and this deal should not be rushed through.”

Stunned, appalled, shocked etc to see actual tax reform from a politician. This from Wes Streeting today. A thread on why capital gains tax is broken. It's too low AND too high. & why this is a good proposal.

Immigration levels in the UK are collapsing. This will do serious permanent economic damage to the economy leaving us behind Spain and Italy who have caught onto the reality that they need migrants to fix their collapsing birth rate.

Maybe Andy Burnham is playing the seat right by triangulating on Europe and immigration (and PR?). But equally he might be falling into the McSweeney trap: not winning over Reform voters, while annoying Labour voters enough that they stay home (or switch to Green).

It's easy to jump ahead to wondering whether Burnham's shift to the right would hurt him after winning the seat – but it's not entirely clear to me it *necessarily* helps him win it. By-elections can be complicated beasts.

💥 At European Movement, we’re running a campaign to smash Starmer's 3 red lines on Europe... And European Movement will be setting out what a pathway to full EU membership looks like. All to coincide with the 10th anniversary of Brexit. See more here: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/smash-red-...

He doesn’t hold surgeries in his constituency, he misses PMQs each week, he pulls out of high profile interviews last minute & he doesn’t declare financial gifts Yet this feckless, lazy, arrogant man is revered by many the answer to their problems. FGS the man takes the piss out of you every day!

MAGYAR: Ukraine is the victim, and it has every right to protect its territorial sovereignty and integrity by all means at its disposal. I would also like to emphasize this, because independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine were guaranteed by Budapest Memorandum in 1994.

Why I think Burnham will win in Makerfield.

In short: fuck me, the government's decision to relax sanctions on Russian oil products is stupid. How is it possible for Starmer to have been this disappointing at everything?

Agree with Emily Thornberry here.. this is a properly shit decision from the govt. How can you just throw them under the bus

UK supermarkets are upgrading their pricing so they can use 'Surge Pricing' where prices are changed instantly and automatically 5 items left in stock, price goes up 30% This is of no benefit to you and they have already QUADRUPLED profits since 2022 with fake 'cost of living'

An important paper laying out the scale of China's challenge to Germany's – and Europe's – export-led economic model. We should debate how best to respond, but it's a mistake to think we can return to the world of yesterday. Doing nothing is also a policy choice.

It's time to end the cherry picking. We can't be at the heart of Europe without rejoining the EU. We can't enjoy the benefits of the Single Market without embracing Freedom of Movement. We can't manufacture and sell together without rejoining the Customs Union with its shared rules of origin. 🇬🇧🇪🇺

Has anyone in the press picked up what happened in 2019. As @bylinetimes.bsky.social reported, Farage and Johnson colluding with US based Bannon to topple May. According to Ben Habib, Thailand based Harborne paying Johnson and Farage to stitch up 2019 elections bylinetimes.com/2026/02/16/b...

Reform UK's candidate for Makerfield, Rober Kenyon, has "mothballed" his Facebook account in the past few days and deleted all of his friends. This because of his friends was Gary Raikes, leader of the New British Union, the self-styled successor organisation to Moseley's British Union of Fascists.

How in Satan's ballbag do you get your account permanently suspended from X these days? Reform's candicate for Makerfield, Robert Kenyon, is not off to a great start...

Some important context from @pippacrerar.bsky.social

Recent immigration continues to reshape the UK labour market. 15 years ago working-age adults born outside the EU were about 10 percentage points less likely than the UK-born to be in work - a *huge* gap. Now they are significantly *more* likely to have a job.

Has anyone actually tried to win this sort of area by being honest? Wouldn't that be real leadership? To say: "I know why you voted for this, but it's turned out badly and I think you know that. You now have a choice. Trust the next easy solution the same conmen offer you, or fix the damage." 4/

I really wanted this Burnham speech to leave me hopeful and was actively rooting for it. I found it deflating - to put it mildly. Where it needed to be brave and expansive, it was small and meek. Let me give one example that I found quite instructive, since Andy used it as a framing device. 1/

Another post Andy Burnham Mirror poll Should the U.K. rejoin the EU 62% for Yes at present. www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

Andy Burnham is heading for Downing Street! This could be the end of Nigel Farage and the beginning of the future millennials and Gen-Z deserve! A future without FPTP!! A future with real democracy. A future where all votes count equally!!!

Andy Burnham: "That deindustrialisation was then compounded by deregulation, privatisation in the 90s and austerity in the 2010s. It all adds up to 40 years of neoliberalism.. 40 years of trickle down economics that did not in the end trickle down very much at all"

Streeting embraced the topic... Burnham looked like he was being dragged into it against his will. This is not because they hold different positions. It’s because they face different electorates.

Woah! Almost 90% of NEETs do not have a degree. That seems like a problem

Read more about these gentle bumbling beetles here sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/news/bumblin...

Downside: could make it trickier for Burnham. Upside: Farage might finally have to own Brexit.

As I have said, what is needed at the top of Labour is the courage to lead even on issues considered “thorny”. Especially when those issues are on “enemy territory”. This… doesn’t inspire confidence. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cr...

It’s a continuing pattern now: prosecutors around the world examining files released by the Trump DOJ say they find evidence of serious crimes. The DOJ insists there’s nothing to see there, and refuses even the most routine cooperation. By the way,

How to change this debate. " Being outside the EU costs every UK household an average of £8,300 every year. But being inside again would only cost each UK household £38 every year. Do you still think we should stay out? "

Battle of ideas and new politics. Andy Burnham plans: Reindustrialisation of UK. Stronger public control of essentials, such as water and energy. A massive council house building programme. Reforms to promote technical education Proportional representation for general election.

💥 Burnham proposes renationalising “energy, housing, water, transport” and calls Reform “arch-Thatcherites” In the words of Billy Bragg’s song ‘Thatcherites’: “They privatise away what is ours… We’ll take it back some day, mark my words” www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Immigration make Britain brilliant

I'm ambivalent about Labour. They 100% deserve the kicking they're getting from challengers on the left. But Makerfield feels like a Martin Bell in Tatton moment, when Green/LD should stand aside to let Burnham defeat Reform. Fight it out after. But don't split the progressive vote and help Farage.

Those who decry this as an economic blow to the UK need to propose less destructive ways of dealing with the spiralling inequality that has corrupted our society and our democracy.

Every second, $6,000 in fossil fuel subsidies are handed out globally. That’s $5 trillion/year. Renewables? Barely a fraction. We have 6–7 years to halve emissions. The industry has zero years of conscience. Share if you’ve had enough. 🌍✊

The photo that perfectly sums up the Beijing summit.

It is amazing how little the press is willing to dissect US decline under Trump. The US got no help with Iran, was scolded on Taiwan, says it got a small Boeing deal (China has not confirmed) and Trump appeased on Chinese students, microchips, etc. Xi even insulted US power.

Tesco boss’s pay rises by more than £1m to £10.8m. 3m Britons skip meals, can't afford to buy food. Tesco profits hit £3.15bn. There are no controls of fat-cattery. Shareholder votes are advisory, not binding. Workers have no say. Customers have no say.

I'm saying again that Reform will struggle to find a decent,relatable, not riddled with a dodgy social media past candidate for Makerfield who will face intense scrutiny. Burnham is used to it and is a good communicator. Reform will know a Matt Goodwin type won't cut it

I hope this isn’t true. There are times when it’s more important to put country before party. This is one of them. Burnham’s longstanding commitment to a fairer voting system could transform our democracy & counter the dire threat of a Reform UK government elected on a minority of the vote

Nigel Farage says he can't be bought by anybody and he didn't say the things Elon Musk asked him to say Elon Musk posts, "Farage is lying"

BREAKING: I'm told that Labour's national executive committee has - as expected - voted for Andy Burnham to be allowed to stand for selection as the party's candidate in the Makerfield by-election

* Summit with Putin - got nothing out of it. * Summit with Xi - got nothing out of it. * War with Iran - got nothing out of it. Starting to think this whole Art of the Deal might not be true.

Greens should get Burnham's assurance on democratic reform in this parliament and stand aside. #Makerfield #PR

And here’s a convicted criminal paying for Farage’s security long after he secretly accepted £5 million from Christopher Harborne supposedly to pay for his security.