Jim Pickard
@pickardje.bsky.social
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Deputy political editor, Financial Times. Also amateur iphone photographer and some-time musician.
pinned post!
of all the interviews Iāve done this week, this podcast with
@tommctague.bsky.social
was probably the most reflective
m.youtube.com/watch?v=NiCH...
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What did Starmer already know about Mandelson and Epstein? | UK Politics | The New Statesman
YouTube video by The New Statesman
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NiCHpbYVWkk
4 months ago
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eight key FT takeaways from todayās Mandelson files
www.ft.com/content/da9f...
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Eight things we learnt from the latest Mandelson files
Documents contain nuggets about the peerās appointment as US envoy and the workings of Sir Keir Starmerās government
https://www.ft.com/content/da9f971b-6088-4c28-9e55-3819aa1fdeb1?syn-25a6b1a6=1
about 1 hour ago
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Jessica Elgot
about 3 hours ago
An interesting exchange in the Mandelson documents where Mandelson essentially admits he is the source of a story but Number 10 agree to deny it anyway. Just remember, when Number 10 says it "doesn't recognise" something, this is what it means....
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Janine Gibson
about 13 hours ago
āThis is censorship... This is a demonstration that some of the worst abuses in our time are not confined to kings, emperors, governments ⦠but to a class of companies that have assumed the sovereign affect, and seek to assert their power the same way that some of those despotic nation states do.ā
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Meta legal action forces Facebook whistleblower to sit in silence at Hay festival
Sarah Wynn-Williams did not speak during event after lawyers warned of possible sanctions from tech firm
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/may/31/meta-legal-action-forces-facebook-whistleblower-to-stay-silent-at-hay-festival
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there does seem to be something of a pattern here
www.ft.com/content/2c3a...
1 day ago
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John Oxley
2 days ago
When the waiter tells you "Are you sure, it is very spicy":
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poppies in a field near Goring
2 days ago
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poppies in a field near Goring
2 days ago
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Amy Borrett
4 days ago
šØElon Musk has boosted the public profile of Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe on X, pulling Britainās political discourse towards extreme content and amplifying his influence ahead of a knife-edge election in Makerfield More @FT:
as.ft.com/r/80f4639f-0...
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excellent
@robertshrimsley.bsky.social
column on the Restore Britain threat to Reform UK: āthe last thing an already polarised nation needs is a new bidding war on the anti-immigrant rightā¦ā
www.ft.com/content/7312...
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Farage is facing his own menace on the right
The rise of Restore Britain may force Reformās leader to switch strategies
https://www.ft.com/content/73126c30-8fd1-414a-afa4-9a8b87a3080a?syn-25a6b1a6=1
4 days ago
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some newspapers treat Tony Blairās words like tablets of stone but most people who can remember the Iraq war (and many others who werenāt around) take a more nuanced view of his opinions
4 days ago
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itās still possible to be surprised by the sheer vindictiveness
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
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US justice department launches criminal investigation into Trump accuser E Jean Carroll
The case centres on whether the former columnist lied about the funding she received for her civil lawsuit against the US president.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyp77jd407o
4 days ago
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Yorkshire moors
5 days ago
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Saltburn
5 days ago
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The official fund for Donald Trumpās Board of Peace is empty despite $17bn of pledges, and the organisation is stuck in a legal and political limbo that has held up projects to rebuild Gaza
www.ft.com/content/5ba3...
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Donald Trumpās Board of Peace fund is empty
Despite $17bn in pledges, organisation is stuck in limbo with no money flowing to projects in Gaza
https://www.ft.com/content/5ba3bd2c-0e0e-4306-84be-99d6d89b0d49?syn-25a6b1a6=1
5 days ago
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Twlldun
6 days ago
āTo defeat the scourge of populism, the government should do a procession of things that sound suspiciously like the populistās manifesto, but crucially filtered through the economic priorities of the people paying me to write thisā
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the glory days of journalistic expenses - via Graydon Carterās memoirs
6 days ago
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Jim Pickard
Rob Ford
7 days ago
No there will not be an early election. A man with 400 seats will not risk half of them three years early to satisfy columnistsā belief in mandate fairies.
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two different interpretations
8 days ago
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Cat Neilan
9 days ago
Reform's candidate Robert Kenyon said abortion was a "cowardly act of murder" and implied that people falsely claimed to have been raped He said: āDonāt dole out the āwhat if someone is raped by their brotherā arguement... donāt want babies? Use contreception! [sic]ā
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
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Reform candidate for Makerfield by-election calls abortio...
Robert Kenyon, who is standing against Andy Burnham, suggested on social media that women falsely claim rape to terminate pregnancies and has links to far-right figures
https://observer.co.uk/news/national/article/reform-candidate-for-makerfield-by-election-calls-abortion-cowardly-murder
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Andrew Boa
9 days ago
How about introducing voice-activated electric chair? Whisper sweet nothings to your spouse/partner and you get a little pleasurable tingle, but anything above a certain level and then other carriage users get control of current controller. Profanities get an automatic short sharp shock.
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loudmouths refusing to keep it down in the quiet carriage, even when asked politely, has this always been a thing?
9 days ago
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Jim Pickard
The Guardian
10 days ago
UK pitched single market for goods with EU, as it pursues deeper trade ties
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UK pitched single market for goods with EU, as it pursues deeper trade ties
Exclusive: Top official presented idea in Brussels, but sources say EU rebuffed it The UK government pitched the creation of a single market for goods with the EU as the cornerstone of an ambitious attempt to reintegrate British trade back into Europe, the Guardian can reveal. During recent visits to Brussels, the Cabinet Officeās top official on EU relations, Michael Ellam, presented the idea to deepen the UKās economic relationship with the bloc. Continue reading...
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/may/22/uk-pitched-single-market-for-goods-with-eu-as-it-pursues-trade-reintegration?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=bluesky&CMP=bsky_gu
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lichen
10 days ago
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sea frets in south Devon
10 days ago
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the police force covering the former home of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has said it has āengaged withā lawyers for a woman claiming to have been trafficked for sex with the former prince, while also still pursuing an investigation for misconduct in public office
www.ft.com/content/46a1...
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Police āengage withā lawyer for woman claiming she was trafficked to former prince Andrew
Thames Valley force offers first updates including on its probe into possible misconduct in public office
https://www.ft.com/content/46a11574-23a5-448a-9838-0e99ddbb2c87?desktop=true&segmentId=d8d3e364-5197-20eb-17cf-2437841d178a&syn-25a6b1a6=1#myft:notification:instant-email:content
11 days ago
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Robert Smith
11 days ago
The definitive profile of Sir Chris Hohn from my colleagues
@costasmourselas.bsky.social
and
@pollard.bsky.social
. Just really top-tier writing and making the most of hard-won access.
www.ft.com/content/521d...
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How Chris Hohn built the worldās most profitable hedge fund
The billionaire hedge fund manager has deep convictions on finance, philanthropy ā and, increasingly, faith
https://www.ft.com/content/521d1861-82c5-4194-9358-f3dd53d122b5?syn-25a6b1a6=1
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A video showing the manhandling and humiliation of European activists by Israeli police has drawn widespread condemnation from western allies, forcing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to break ranks with one of his staunchest coalition allies.
www.ft.com/content/a365...
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Ben-Gvir condemned in Israel after video of European activists provokes outrage
Far-right ministerās taunting and humiliation of foreign nationals draws diplomatic blowback from western allies
https://www.ft.com/content/a3658698-2381-4e8c-94d2-f71dabb836ba?syn-25a6b1a6=1
11 days ago
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Ships trapped in the Gulf are accumulating barnacles, algae and jellyfish as the Middle East conflict drags on and temperatures begin to rise, impeding their ability to eventually exit the region
www.ft.com/content/28c8...
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Barnacles and jellyfish infest ships trapped in the Gulf
Sea life could impede the ability of vessels to leave the region when the conflict ends
https://www.ft.com/content/28c8ca92-0c98-46c8-8d51-7c90c68821b7?syn-25a6b1a6=1
11 days ago
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Jim Pickard
Jennifer Williams
12 days ago
One thing Iām starting to notice about burnhamās pronouncements is that they have a lot of top spin hut COULD they, when you read the wording, just be the Labour agenda now? There are exceptions but some are entirely capable of being reconciled with the current policy agenda
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Sir Keir Starmerās team was kept in the loop about Labour Togetherās āindefensibleā investigation into the background of journalists who had written critical pieces about the loyalist think-tank, according to newly released documents
www.ft.com/content/9c56...
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Keir Starmerās team was updated on think-tankās investigation into journalists
PMās former chief of staff among aides who received updates on probe in run-up to 2024 general election
https://www.ft.com/content/9c56d2ce-fa55-40a9-a376-00e03bb29115?desktop=true&segmentId=d8d3e364-5197-20eb-17cf-2437841d178a&syn-25a6b1a6=1#myft:notification:instant-email:content
12 days ago
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JohnnyRed
12 days ago
And the £80bn - £100bn hole in public finances that are down to lost revenues due to Brexit. And the % rate that government borrows at having been worsened by it all.
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Iām sceptical about any analysis of Britainās current political shitshow that doesnāt at least reference the Ā£500bn spent on dealing with Covid and the last energy crisis, for which we are still paying
12 days ago
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Jim Pickard
GylesNaMopaleen
12 days ago
quite the scoop for
@petergeoghegan.bsky.social
, quality journalism. Now picked up by the FT. TL;DR: Sweeney had access to info about a think tank investigation into journalists, in the run up to the 2024GE.
add a skeleton here at some point
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Sir Keir Starmerās team was kept in the loop about Labour Togetherās āindefensibleā investigation into the background of journalists who had written critical pieces about the loyalist think-tank, according to newly released documents
www.ft.com/content/9c56...
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Keir Starmerās team was updated on think-tankās investigation into journalists
PMās former chief of staff among aides who received updates on probe in run-up to 2024 general election
https://www.ft.com/content/9c56d2ce-fa55-40a9-a376-00e03bb29115?desktop=true&segmentId=d8d3e364-5197-20eb-17cf-2437841d178a&syn-25a6b1a6=1#myft:notification:instant-email:content
12 days ago
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Jim Pickard
people are acting like Labour asking supermarkets if they might voluntarily cap the price of a handful of products is some kind of Stalinist state intervention but Boris Johnson did something similar in 2022 without facing the same criticism hereās a reminder
13 days ago
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Jim Pickard
Andrew Sissons
13 days ago
Got to be honest, loosening sanctions on Russia before weāve even tried any basic demand-side measures is not filling me with pride or joy
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UK loosens Russian oil sanctions as fuel prices rise
The waiver reflects increasing supply concerns over certain fuels due to the effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy42x3g7r89o
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people are acting like Labour asking supermarkets if they might voluntarily cap the price of a handful of products is some kind of Stalinist state intervention but Boris Johnson did something similar in 2022 without facing the same criticism hereās a reminder
13 days ago
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Jim Pickard
Justin Baragona
14 days ago
And there it is, folks.
www.nytimes.com/live/2026/05...
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good evening
13 days ago
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Treasury is pushing large supermarkets to introduce voluntary price caps on key groceries in return for lifting some regulations, according to people familiar with situation (but it'll only apply to a handful of products out of the tens of thousands on their shelves)
www.ft.com/content/8573...
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UK Treasury pushes supermarkets to cap food prices
Retailers furious at government effort aimed at limiting impact of inflation
https://www.ft.com/content/85736371-40bc-4ec1-a502-4f557d3a68b0?syn-25a6b1a6=1
13 days ago
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in 2010 ministers said phase 1 of High-Speed 2 (from Old Oak Common to Birmingham) would be finished by 2026 now the completion date has been pushed back to between 2036 and 2039 with the final leg to Euston not set to be finished until as late as 2043 price tag up from £80bn to £103bn
13 days ago
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in 2010 ministers said phase 1 of High-Speed 2 (from Old Oak Common to Birmingham) would be finished by 2026 now the completion date has been pushed back to between 2036 and 2039 with the final leg to Euston not set to be finished until as late as 2043 price tag up from £80bn to £103bn
13 days ago
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Farrukh
14 days ago
Left: Andy Burnham, "I want to rejoin, I hope in my lifetime I see this country rejoin" Right: Andy Burnham, "I'm not proposing that the UK considers rejoining the EU"
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big surprise that Ed Miliband comes in so low
add a skeleton here at some point
14 days ago
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Jim Pickard
Joel Clark
14 days ago
I wonder if this will be discussed ad nauseam on the Today programme. I wonāt hold my breath.
add a skeleton here at some point
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Jim Pickard
XpatJock
14 days ago
ā¼ļøā¼ļøā¼ļøš
add a skeleton here at some point
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Jim Pickard
Henry Mance
14 days ago
decent banter
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Jim Pickard
Ellin Stein
14 days ago
Every day a new story. Not a news story, a new story.
add a skeleton here at some point
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Ministers were so worried about criticism of the rising cost of High Speed 2 that they commissioned an internal review into whether it would be better value for money to abandon the scheme.
www.ft.com/content/fcee...
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UK ministers considered abandoning HS2 amid spiralling costs
Analysis earlier this year concluded that decommissioning the scheme could cost as much as continuing to build the railway
https://www.ft.com/content/fceea98d-4185-4402-aa5c-be8fb04d1279?syn-25a6b1a6=1
14 days ago
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PLOT TWIST: Andy Burnham has backed away from his previous call for Britain to eventually rejoin the EU, as the Labour leadership hopeful attempted to stop the issue derailing his bid to return to Westminster. āIām not proposing that the UK considers rejoining the EU."
www.ft.com/content/692b...
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Andy Burnham backs away from call for Britain to rejoin EU
Rival to Keir Starmer is trying to win election in pro-Brexit constituency
https://www.ft.com/content/692bdf31-1cd1-4c63-9c69-60f2e3b5b398?syn-25a6b1a6=1
14 days ago
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