"First-past-the-post system is creaking at the seams" and "Westminster is dangerously underprepared for a multi-party future". Excellent piece by @drhannahmcd.bsky.social: the Gorton & Denton by-election raises much bigger questions about our democracy than whether Starmer survives as Labour leader

It's rather depressing that, in a three-way by-election with potentially seismic consequences - in which voters had a genuine range of options - less than half the electorate showed up. By-election turnout is never great, but I don't think we should just shrug over this.

I'd like to congratulate Sir Oink A-lot on not only getting a very respectable 0.43% of the vote, but also beating out candidates from five actual honest-to-god serious political parties. That'll do pig, that'll do.

The Monster Raving Loony Party candidate “Sir Oink-A-Lot” beat Ben Habib’s far-right and openly fascist “Advance UK” party.

Today's by-election is another illustration of the problems with FPTP. The result may tell us less about what voters want to happen than whether they can game the system effectively to stop a result most *don't* want. The electoral system should not be an obstacle that voters have to work around.

"Iceland will in the coming months hold a referendum on joining the European Union, Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir told a press conference in Poland." #EU #Iceland www.reuters.com/world/europe...

Yusuf: "When Nigel is prime minister, there will not be a judge in the country that will be able to prevent flights from leaving." Worth noting that the political precedents for saying, 'The judiciary cannot in any way check the powers of the executive' is not a happy one.

F@scists don't like (honest) journalism, ep. 63543 📝 And they won't stop until hitting zero axis! 📉 (WaPo is dead by the way, only remains NYT) Chart: Chris Mooney for ReportEarth.substack.com

These people are poison. They will unleash racist thugs on the streets of this country and call it security. They will subjugate us to the US and call it patriotism. They must be stopped. There is no more important task in politics.

Entertaining, fascinating and informative

I've been meaning to run this analysis for a while: the probability of voting Labour at GE2024 in seats *gained* by Labour was higher for people who were younger, more liberal, on the left economically, more likely to favour immigration, do not think immigration is the most important issue, etc.

Wow.

"Against folly we have no defense. Neither protests nor force can touch it; reasoning is no use; facts that contradict personal prejudices can simply be disbelieved — indeed, the fool can counter by criticizing them, and if they are undeniable, they can just be pushed aside as trivial exceptions."

FWIW, after 2+ decades in 🇬🇧 diplomacy my settled view is that BBCWS is *the* (not *a*) vital element of British soft power and the continued attacks on its funding are nothing short of barbaric and self defeating.

The Guardian leader brings this out very well. Letting the World Service die would be a form of unilateral disarmament in the info war between truth and lies.

My book about Britain ends with a memory. Of the first time I ever worked at Broadcasting House as a guest commentator, what that meant to me, and what the BBC means for 🇬🇧’s place in the world. The idea that the World Service could end is awful, and frankly embarrassing for the British Government.

I never really sign stuff. But this was different. It's not about trying to facilitate or block a particular party's route to power. It's about an electoral system that's unsuited to the political realities we face today and risks giving us government after government with no convincing mandate.

It is so embarrassing that it has taken nearly a decade for a British minister to say this, a statement of the absolute bloody obvious

Hubble has captured a new view of the Egg Nebula 🥚 the first, youngest, and closest pre-planetary nebula ever discovered! Discover more about the light show around this rapidly dying star 👉 www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed... 🔭 🧪

This is what we're up against. Bangor University, that fine and noble institution where I've spoken twice, nearly 150 years young and still going strong. The sheer hatred they reserve for us shows what could happen after 2029, but also that they're frightened of knowledge and learning.

Hubble has captured the sharpest image yet of the lenticular galaxy NGC 7722 and its long, winding dust lanes! Read more 👉 www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed... 🔭

One of the stories of British politics over last 15 years has been Conservatives and Labour valuing narrower and narrower ideological coherence over their historic, broad coalitions and then being astonished that their vote shares keep falling. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

"Keir Starmer often says it is folly to choose between Europe and the United States. The truth is we now have neither." goodallandgoodluck.substack.com/p/the-valuel...

A new moderate centre-right Tory group launched today. Worth looking at the list of supporters including @davidgauke.bsky.social @davidlidington.bsky.social, Ruth Davidson, Malcolm Rifkind &many others known to 1) be quite pro-European 2) have no time for culture wars prosperuk.com/meet-the-team/

Liz Truss waiting patiently by her phone for Reform to ring, not realising it's actually a penguin biscuit

Reform is basically a suburban petrol station's DVD bin of Tory politicians.

This is the last call for the "Ah, but…" people. Applications will be closing soon www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...

The events of the last 24 hours show why it's important to build functional verification structures in public and counterpublic spaces to resist the authoritarian erosion of our democratic systems, as described in this thread.

“ One agent then allegedly broke the glass window of the father’s car while the girl was inside.” “There is no way to know the long-term impact this will have on this little toddler.” www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

"European history tells us where this leads. ... The apparatus of democracy is gripped by coercive arms of the state. Opposition is equated with treason. The polling station becomes a theatre for mandatory performance of loyalty to the regime." www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Board of Peace - Season 1

So much admiration for those out protesting in freezing conditions. This is what standing up against authoritarianism looks like.

one of those threads you'll be thinking about for a while after you've read it

"Think the unthinkable". Yesterday's speech by German Foreign Office State Secretary von Geyr expresses the horror at both Trump's Greenland threats and the "Board of Peace" by many in German foreign policy establishment. Both named alongside Russia's war against Ukraine as turning points.

Sky News: Danish PM Mette Freideriksen’s note in the visitors book when she visited UK today

tune in for next time, where world war three is narrowly averted by giving Trump a Blue Peter Badge

Worth reading in full. Carney is a true statesman. www.weforum.org/stories/2026...

With Blue Monday shortly coming up, we're here to brighten your week with this Webb image. This is the clearest infrared view yet of the famous Helix Nebula 👉 www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed... 🔭 🧪

Trump's "Board of Peace" isn't an international organisation; it's a personal fiefdom. Its Charter names him personally as chair,subject only to resignation or unanimous vote of incapacity; lets him pick his successor; allows him to hire & fire the executive... www.timesofisrael.com/full-text-ch...

Joining the board involves undermining the UN, submission to Trump’s will and acquiescence in his vision of future of world governance – an imperial court where vassal states pay cash and vie for the ear of the orange emperor. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

This is correct but it is also worth emphasizing that the EU is weaker without the UK in it, and that there is an overwhelming incentive to work together. There are many practical inpediments. One can only hope that those in charge will see that they pale in comparison to what we are faced with.

This is a huge problem: humans are not wired to cope with this daily torrent of disgust & dismay. It's exhausting & unbalancing. It's tempting just to switch off the news. But that surrenders the political arena - & the lives of all those it affects - to the hooligans & vandals who are trashing it.

I’m increasingly hopeful that Trump will not get his way on Greenland. Europe appears determined not to allow Trump to take the territory through coercion. And it looks like there is a veto-proof majority in Congress that will not permit Trump to take it militarily. www.politico.com/news/2026/01...

Eu consider 93bn in retaliatory measures . Trump to meet VDL at Davos, France and Germany working on joint strategy giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...

The very stable geniuses of British politics should not be allowed to forget their sycophancy towards Trump.

France is pushing for the EU to use its tough anti-coercion law to respond to Donald Trump’s trade blackmail on Greenland, according to French government sources reported in the press today. The EU has “robust” legal weapons to defend itself, the sources said 1/ www.lefigaro.fr/economie/en-...

Keir Starmer often takes 2-3 days to issue very mild criticism of US actions. This is both direct and issued fast. I think there is a serious risk that the US miscalculated quite what a big deal the Greenland thing is to Europe (and in Europe).