Thirty more questions that Keir Starmer didn’t think to ask The prime minister has been damagingly incurious over the Peter Mandelson affair. But that’s not the half of it

The prime minister has been damagingly incurious over the Peter Mandelson affair. But that’s not the half of it

✏️ @jonnelledge.bsky.social

NEW EPISODE 💡 Indecision’s bugging the Two Matts… should Keir Starmer stay or should he go? If he stays there will be trouble. But if he goes it will be double

Tune in 🎧 buff.ly/WRhPMuf

Starmer’s rolling disaster is pushing Britain closer to the Faragist abyss He’s doing huge damage to his party, but the PM shows no sign of loosening his grip on power. And that’s a problem – because no Labour PM has ever been removed from office against his will

He’s doing huge damage to his party, but the PM shows no sign of loosening his grip on power

✏️ Francis Beckett

The truth about Trump’s Iran downfall? The worst is yet to come With Epic Fury’s epic fail, the president has given encouragement to aggressors everywhere

With Epic Fury’s epic fail, the president has given encouragement to aggressors everywhere

✏️ @paulmason.bsky.social

The Grand Egyptian Museum isn’t the world’s best museum. It’s not even the best museum in Cairo The new £1bn landmark is a startling attraction. But it’s the old place – shorn of its most famous treasure – that now really glitters

The new £1bn landmark is a startling attraction. But it’s the old place – shorn of its most famous treasure – that now really glitters

✏️ @editormattkelly.bsky.social

🗞️ Our next edition is now on sale!

Featuring Nicky Woolf, Tilly Lawless, Matthew d'Ancona, @alastaircampbell2.bsky.social, Rachel Ifans and more

Subscribe and get a FREE signed copy of Braver New World 🌍️ 📕
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The biggest losers of Trump’s Iran fiasco: Israel and the US After Iran, and Venezuela, the US has destroyed its reputation and the world has learned a new lesson. That the US is no longer a country to be admired. It is now to be feared

After Iran, and Venezuela, the US has destroyed its reputation and the world has learned a new lesson. That the US is no longer a country to be admired. It is now to be feared

✏️ Tom Arms

Reform's energy cost stunt hits yet another snag The party promised to pay the energy bills for a year of a competition winner and their entire street - but plenty seem to have missed out

The party promised to pay the energy bills for a year of a competition winner and their entire street - but plenty seem to have missed out

✏️ Rats in a Sack 🐀

How the Aussie media got Harry and Meghan’s visit all wrong The media here has picked up on the UK press’s dislike of Harry and Meghan, but the papers are way out of step with the Australian public. The informal style makes the couple a much better cultural…

The appeal of Harry and Meghan to Australians becomes easier to understand. They do not ask for the deference of an increasingly diminished institution

✏️ Lynne O'Donnell

Why is Queen Elizabeth II still beyond criticism? The BBC’s documentary to mark what would have been her 100th birthday was always going to be respectful - but it feels too reverent

The BBC’s documentary to mark what would have been her 100th birthday was always going to be respectful - but it feels too reverent

✏️ @rostaylor.bsky.social

Cats, dogs and the Telegraph's pet topic of wokeism The paper claimed the NHS wants to stop medics saying ‘it’s raining cats and dogs' as it's offensive to foreign culture'. Guess what? It's rubbish

The paper claimed the NHS wants to stop medics saying ‘it’s raining cats and dogs' as it's offensive to foreign culture'. Guess what? It's rubbish

✏️ Rats in a Sack 🐀

The truth about Trump’s Iran downfall? The worst is yet to come With Epic Fury’s epic fail, the president has given encouragement to aggressors everywhere

We must learn to think only about the effects of Donald Trump’s behaviour – not cause, intent, or reasoning. The more we try to fathom what he is trying to achieve, the more it will fry our brains

✏️ @paulmason.bsky.social

Inside the White House “Holy War” Signal chat group According to JD Vance, Pete Hegseth and Russell Brand, the Bible is clear that war is a good thing. Why doesn’t the Pope understand? (Is this real, or satire?* Read on to find out…)

According to JD Vance, Pete Hegseth and Russell Brand, the Bible is clear that war is a good thing. Why doesn’t the Pope understand?

✏️ @mrhenrymorris.substack.com

The horrors of the online “Rape Academy” If you thought the rape of Gisèle Pelicot was a unique story, you were wrong

This is not questionable pornography. This is men that hate their wives. This is rape culture magnified and gamified and keyworded

✏️ @jamieklingler.bsky.social

Alastair Campbell's diary: The bizarre truth about my own vetting for No 10 Hours after being grilled by an ex-military man, I ran into him again - in very strange circumstances

Hours after being grilled by an ex-military man, I ran into him again - in very strange circumstances

✏️ @alastaircampbell2.bsky.social

Robbins demolished a PM's excuses - just like Starmer used to The prime minister is in even deeper trouble after the civil servant he sacked took apart No 10’s latest tangled explanation of the indefensible

The prime minister is in even deeper trouble after the civil servant he sacked took apart No 10’s latest tangled explanation of the indefensible

✏️ @jamesrball.com

LIVE SOON: Live: Super-rich donors are distorting UK politics. Why won’t Starmer fix it? Starting Apr 21 at 6:00 AM EDT

LIVE SOON ⌛️ Join @petergeoghegan.bsky.social and Lucy Reade as they discuss how the super rich are becoming increasingly influential in British politics

buff.ly/NjrXl60

The Tories and Mail go loopy over Erasmus+ Kemi Badenoch's party and the right wing paper are convinced the student exchange scheme is aimed at brainwashing four-year-olds

Kemi Badenoch's party and the right wing paper are convinced the student exchange scheme is aimed at brainwashing four-year-olds

✏️ Rats in a Sack 🐀

Sun, sea and sacks of cash: Professor Boris Johnson’s £8m afterlife Boris Johnson has gone from partygate shame to a series of lucrative paydays – with the latest coming in the heat of Miami

Boris Johnson has gone from partygate shame to a series of lucrative paydays – with the latest coming in the heat of Miami

✏️ Nicky Woolf

Could it be Rupert Lowe v Matt Goodwin at the next general election? Fresh from his defeat in Gorton and Denton, the former academic is being tipped to take on the ex-Reform turned Restore Britain MP

Fresh from his defeat in Gorton and Denton, the former academic is being tipped to take on the ex-Reform turned Restore Britain MP

✏️ Rats in a Sack 🐀

The horrors of the online “Rape Academy” If you thought the rape of Gisèle Pelicot was a unique story, you were wrong

If you thought the rape of Gisèle Pelicot was a unique story, you were wrong

✏️ @jamieklingler.bsky.social

Is a brave new world possible? With John Kampfner Journalist and author John Kampfner joins the Matts to discuss his stunning new book Braver New World - a global travelogue of bold solutions to some of the world’s thorniest problems

NEW EPISODE 💡 Journalist and author @johnkampfner.bsky.social joins the Matts to discuss his stunning new book Braver New World - a global travelogue of bold solutions to some of the world’s thorniest problems

Listen now 🎧

Dubai Dicky faces a third week of tax tales Reform's deputy leader has seen his tax arrangements raked over by the Sunday Times again - not that you'd know from watching GB News

Reform's deputy leader has seen his tax arrangements raked over by the Sunday Times again - not that you'd know from watching GB News

✏️ Rats in a Sack 🐀

The Iran war has taught Australia a new, brutal truth about itself The fuel price shock has destroyed Australia’s most fundamental strategic assumption – that geographical isolation means security. Turns out that was wrong all along

The fuel price shock has destroyed Australia’s most fundamental strategic assumption – that geographical isolation means security. Turns out that was wrong all along

✏️ Lynne O'Donnell

Why is everyone trying to kill Sam Altman? Governments, critics and AI executives themselves have been saying for years that AI could completely overturn western society. So is it any real surprise that it’s now come to this?

Governments, critics and AI executives themselves have been saying for years that AI could completely overturn western society. So is it any real surprise that it’s now come to this?

✏️ Matt Muir

The next sacking is going to be Starmer If he knew Mandelson had failed vetting, he should resign. If he didn't, he looks fatally incompetent

The mood in the Labour ranks couldn’t be much bleaker. As one Labour veteran observed, if Starmer survives in No 10 after this, he will be more squatter than prime minister

✏️ @jamesrball.com

Ozzy Osbourne wouldn't have marched with Tommy Robinson. Why is Sharon doing so? Sharon Osbourne plans to join a far right protest in London next month

For a man who seemed capable of almost anything, I simply can’t imagine Ozzy marching to the beat of Tommy Robinson’s drum. Instead, the job has been seized by his widow

✏️ Ian Winwood

Dear progressives, stop being wimpish on Trump Feeling you are right and assuming the public agree is not enough. If you feel strongly, shout very loudly

Feeling you are right and assuming the public agree is not enough. If you feel strongly, shout very loudly

✏️ Patience Wheatcroft

Vance still worshipping at the Church of Trump The US vice president, a God-fearing Catholic, could not bring himself to criticise his boss portraying himself as Jesus Christ

The US vice president, a God-fearing Catholic, could not bring himself to criticise his boss portraying himself as Jesus Christ

✏️ Rats in a Sack 🐀

Inside the Vance, Kushner, Witkoff Islamabad talks Three of Trump’s top bros went on Spring break to Pakistan to try and sort out the Middle East. Here's the inside story. (Is this real, or satire?* Read on to find out…)

Three of Trump’s top bros went on Spring break to Pakistan to try and sort out the Middle East. Here's the inside story. (Is this real, or satire?* Read on to find out…)

✏️ @mrhenrymorris.substack.com