Not just politics.

Bizarre listening to the BBC Radio news bulletin and leading with Reform's whingeing about Labour rather than, say, what the PM said and then including that as the response. Or just not bothering as a tit for tat row of no substance.

You see some idiotic takes on British politics in the UK, but fuck me the Americans can turn it up to an entire other level. Ignorance plus unjustified confidence.

On 1 October, Ukrainians mark the Day of Defenders of Ukraine – a national occasion honouring the courage and resilience of those who protect the country. The day is not only a celebration of bravery, but also a moment of remembrance for the men and women who have given their lives for freedom.

Take the Gatwick Express When your life's in a mess It will help you fly Whether off far or near You can down airport beers Wave your troubles bye... Ba ba ba da ba ba ba ba da

Half time oranges to be fair were the only time I accepted fruit as a child.

The worst thing is you know it is deliberate. They come from the world of online crybullying which is why are so het up.

Fucking Birmingham. Fucking Birmingham

Birmingham City are pathetic wankers.

Best advice ever. #wawaw

Made a joke at the Riyadh Comedy Festival. Didn't go down well. Guess it cut to close to the bone.

Yes Keir

I think we, as a society and a species, should be clear that what “make users be more comfortable” means in practice is “forget you are talking to a machine”.

As Ian points out the best thing about the launch of a new train is the combo of complete nerds who have got up at 5am to ride it and absolutely exhausted normal people just trying to get to work.

Saw a comment today “and you call yourself a Simpsons fan when you hate 80 % of episodes and probably haven’t watched it in 25 years?” Lads. This is the ONLY kind of true Simpsons fan.

This guy is one of those men who arent gay but he hates women as a concept so much that he just comes across as insanely gay

The weird thing about this is that of and in itself there was nothing the likes of Wootton (or Farage) should be able to disagree with in the speech other than who it was directed at. Pride in nation, but with decency. The fact it drives them crackers is revealing.

I think that was Keir Starmer’s best speech as Labour leader, in part because he clearly believed most of it and the argument actually cohered and had some policy substance to it.

Quite apart from the moral reasons for taking Farage head-on, it makes him squeal like a stuck piglet.

Burnham gonna Burnham. Kind of the South African cricket team (yes, pre-2025) of politicians in that looks a million dollars when the pressure's largely off and has a certain freedom, but invariably flunks the big moment that matters.

Wow, Dog the Bounty Hunter is still alive. Could have sworn he died years ago.

I'll take the snap now please.

"Please clap...or else".

FWIW we were told to stop having oranges at half-time as the acidicness wasn't good for immediate energy levels.

Starmer making a bid for the Lib Dem 'People who like fixing church roofs' vote (c. Kemi Badenoch).

That thing that always happens has happened again

It's not a bad speech but the problem with it is that for a speech about 'national renewal' it's a lot more decisive about what it wants to romanticise about the past than how it builds the future.

Lot good in this, but I have to disagree with Stephen on the Premier League as a return to the early 90s before it became a global behemoth would mean Sheffield Wednesday were in it, with an outside chance of winning the thing.

Social Media really is our "lead in the pipes" isn't it?

Has a superpower ever died of stupid?

Go on Sri Lanka Women, lads.

I'm getting really really fed up at constant reassertion that welfare spending is "out of control" when it is the same as the average for the past few decades. One reason disability benefit costs have risen is because core support has fallen.

Excuse me did anybody order a crunching gear change?

Where's me waterboard?

The Starmer 'decisions that will not always be comfortable' line has absolutely sent me. There are lots of things I think Labour should do that Labour members would *hate* but I think they should do them because they would work. 'Labour members hate it' has become how this government self-soothes:

maybe if we keep forcing ai to create videos about how much better the world was before ai it'll take the hint and kill itself

Good thread, this. (Tho IE hits on the answer in the replies: what Labour think the immigration system for is getting people to shut up and stop talking about immigration)

This Country. Kurtan is having a driving lesson. Vicar: Two hands on the wheel, please! Kurtan: Sorry. Muscle memory from impressing birds on the dodgems.

Worcester (where I grew up) is such an interesting bellwether. Had a Tory MP 2010-2024. But the council has been getting steadily Greener, and now it’s a minority Labour administration with zero Conservatives on it, and only 1 Reform.

On the morning of Keir Starmer's conference speech here's a new post on an odd psychopathology in British politics - our main parties don't like the people who vote for them - the dreaded Professional Managerial Class. And so they are acting out like a divorced dad seeking cooler voters. 1/n

I am deeply admiring of Leo DiCaprio’s commitment to playing an ever growing parade of loser schlubs in his movies. It’s so fun to watch.

Quite a lot of what Labour has done that is poorly thought through is pure uncut member-pleasing, or perhaps more accurately, stakeholder-pleasing. (One problem is that a lot of what the government does that it is leftwing is decided for the party's power brokers, not its base.)

Of the decisions Labour has made that are actually 'tough' and actually might turn things around for the country, I'm not sure *any* of them upset Labour members in great numbers. Sure, some Labour members are Nimbys in their private life but they don't care a huge deal about planning reform.

The government is not popular with Reform voters. It is not popular with business leaders. Being economically leftwing but really, really, really irritating left-liberals might spit out as 'somewhere in the centre' on the political compass but it is not the same as actually governing effectively.

Labour are confusing 'decisions which Labour members do not enjoy or dislike' with 'decisions anyone outside of the Labour party likes or welcomes', I think. www.ft.com/content/f776...

‘Throw out the Irish trash’: I’ve been to 15 Ryder Cups but this was a new low

We really must stop the Saudi regime torturing its own people like this.

The Bored of Peas