Does NATO even really exist anymore? Time to think about that European defence force?

Quite a few people are asking why Angela Rayner didn't just put a call into the head of HMRC. That would be wildly improper in 2025. However it was absolutely the done thing in 1925 A completely tangential thread:

Windows 11 has warned me that today is International Cat Day. I can only assume this means social media is going to be 87% more fluffy today.

It says a lot about where we're going that the BBC is now running stories in which they ask lifeboat crews whether they will apologise for using their boats to save lives

With Farage inciting his supporters to kickstart the Farage Riots again this Summer, watch him claim to know nothing again if he succeeds.

President Pushes to Strip Citizenship From American for Criticizing Him One reason we’re in that situation—not the only reason, but a significant contributor—is because of figures who proclaimed a national speech crisis when people they consider lesser talked back to them. I’ll never get over that

The first time Charlie Chaplin used his voice in a film, he wielded it to forcefully condemn the rising forces of fascism around the globe. Will we listen to his words today?

To quote an old line, the average IQ of both parties has gone up.

Would you look at that? Getting sucked into far-right American funded hate didn't actually create any winners - just losers all round. bylinetimes.com/2025/07/07/s...

Labour announcing their plan for community centres which will include medical services (dignostic, mental health, dentistry, etc) and link up with debt, employment and other services. Absolutely huge. What are the media talking about? The Chancellor was a bit teary.

The Ages of Rod Stewart 2018: Advocates for a second Brexit referendum saying that voters might have been misled in the first one 2021: Brexit has been a “disaster for the UK” 2025: "Give Nigel Farage a chance" He wants to give the person who misled the British people in 2016, a chance? 🤷‍♂️

As it's in the news again - this is the post I wrote a few months ago on why the disability benefits bill has been going up. Essentially, you can't remove need by removing support - it just pops up as a cost somewhere else. open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...

Foreign secretary David Lammy tells Reform's Sarah Pochin to "get off social media and get help" As she spouts nonsensical conspiracy theories in parliament

Pete Hegseth explains how there's no new evidence to suggest that Iran is building nuclear weapons and that it was just Trump's hunch

9th anniversay of brexit referendum. If anyone fancies a laugh, this is what arch-brexiteer, Daniel Hanan, said life would be like in 2025 if we voted to leave. www.reaction.life/p/britain-lo...

This is the last thing the BBC needs

1. Take a situation that has challenges - pretend it's a huge crisis (trade deficit, immigration); 2. Use it as a pretext to massively deploy executive power in a way previously constrained by laws and norms; 3. When anyone complains yell, THERE'S A CRISIS AND YOU'RE WHINING ABOUT LAWS & NORMS?!?

So, when Starmer said two hospitals in Badenoch's constituency are getting new scanners, she said there was only one hospital in her constituency. I've checked and there are three main ones, plus community centres. Did she forget about boundary changes?

Interesting campaign strategy. Tell the voters they're all feckless and that's why they should vote for an unhinged maniac to rule over them for their own good.

Setting aside the implausibly high number, wonder if actually most people would prefer a government that protected them from AI making it even harder to actually speak to humans about whatever they're trying to achieve...

NEWS! Winter Fuel Payment to be reintroduced for all state pensioners (Eng & Wal) but clawed back through tax if you earn £35,000+. My instant analysis of how it works, what it means and is it an improvement. youtu.be/fHg7ReqbnpA

What do we think?🤔 Hmm…. A Daily Mail headline so clearly designed to make you furious. Being shared by salivating Tory MPs who love a good rage farming story! So, what’s going on here? Let’s take a look!👀 🧵 1/13

🔴Bearly Newsworthy: Stepping Off the Rage Carousel You don't have to care about everything – outrage is exhausting and distracting from the real issues, argues @bearlypolitics.co.uk www.bylinesupplement.com/p/bearly-new...

Yesterday, I was convinced it was Thursday. Titled all my files Thur 1, Thur 2, etc. Now I realise my mistake and am regarding today as Thursday as well (more accurately this time). Not sure how I feel about having two Thursdays in the same week.

Genuinely good news. Extending FSM to all children on Universal Credit is long overdue. Will cut poverty and help improve concentration and health.

My instant response to Winter Fuel Payment news & key message to the Chancellor (I heard while walking to the office, so pls forgive the fact it was done there and then for speed)

Elon Musk just called Trump’s budget plan a “disgusting abomination” and says it’ll blow up the deficit to $2.5 TRILLION. Reminder: Musk worked on this bill last week. The grift is collapsing.

So, if we change the definition of White British to exclude a load of people who are both white and British, then there won't be as many White British people left ... maybe ... in 40 years ... round about the time the brexit benefits are due ...

Telegraph's front page story is based on idiotic and/or deliberately malicious analysis. ONLY £12bn out of annual £90b UC goes to households with foreign-born residents, so the real story is that "foreigners" are 25% LESS LIKELY to claim universal credit than British-born British citizens.

What George doesn't understand is that in the UK, we decided in 2020 that 'governing' was actually a tedious distraction from 'speculating about, and positioning for, the next general election'. It's core to our culture and it is *very* disrespectful to criticise it.

Ah, corporate governance...

I have to say I think Labour are making a mistake in constantly holding press conferences which just invites the media to quote Nigel Farage in articles. They would do better to promote the more universally welcomed policies that Farage isn't interested in.

All you need to know about Elon Musk’s stunning success is that he lasted 2.65 Liz Trusses and lost 150 billion dollars.

Because ridiculously rich people are used to getting mostly what they want without having to accept responsibility. They simply can't understand why entire countries can't do the same, and so are the last people who should inform policy.

Left: Kemi Badenoch, "I'd never ever ever put myself in a situation where security was reduced" Right: But I did break the law and hack into a political opponents website changing what it said

Trump's highest tariff threats are now being deferred at greater speed but as yet with the exception of the basic deal with the UK we actually don't know what he'll settle for, which is probably because he doesn't either. www.ft.com/content/fca6...

This is how Trump's 50% tariffs on the EU has panned out this weekend: Trump: You guys are getting 50% tariffs on June 1st. I don't want a deal with you. EU: Put the July 9th deadline back or we won't talk to you. Trump: I have decided to put the July 9th deadline back. EU: Good boy.

The RW media is all over this scandalous behaviour by Angela Rayner! Oh wait, it's Farage, they don't give a fuck

I've had enough Labour MPs say to me that they didn't come into politics to see child poverty go up to think that they're going to win this fight.

So, if you found yourself in one of the councils taken over by Reform UK this month, it appears you have little to worry about. The calibre of their councillors is clearly top notch, even though it doesn't look like they could pass the new government English language test for migrants.

Of course, the reality is that wind power generated in the UK feeds directly into the National Grid. Oil and gas from the North Sea is sold on the international market where we pay the same as everyone else for it. This is why energy from fossil fuels costs more in the UK than energy from wind.

Awkward. Or, it would be if mainstream commentators had any self-awareness.