And you can complain to the BBC here:

www.bbc.co.uk/contact/comp...

We need to overwhelm the BBC with complaints about this. This is the most egregious breach of their own impartiality guidelines I can remember. They’re no longer even trying to hide it.

www.bbc.co.uk/contact/comp...

Should you wish to return any ReFUK election material. Return address. Free post. They pay.

Return address. Free post. They pay

Johnson and Cummings’ secret meeting with Palantir founder revealed Non-disclosure of apparent meeting a year before firm won NHS role raises serious questions over transparency

That was Johnson & Cummings👇 After the initial COVID contract in
2020 a £23m extension for tNHS data store.
2023: £330 m contract for the NHS Federated Data Platform.
2022 onward: contracts with the Ministry of Defence for defence data analytics.
#NoToPalantir
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

OMFG I had to go and check that this ACTUALLY happened.

Since when does the BBC ever do chyrons with a political party's branding, rather than their own? Not to mention this is during a pre-election campaign purdah.

(h/t @iainsol.bsky.social)

I used to respect you as a politician, but lately you have disappointed hugely. Many of us haven’t forgotten the true horror of 14 years of Tory lies and corruption and sleaze. To suggest Starmer is as bad is just performative nonsense. Grow up

It really isn’t more of the same. Johnson was appointed FS & Lebedev to Lords for life against vetting. We are still living with those consequences.

Labour see huge eight-point swing in another disaster poll for Reform Labour have gained ground on Reform in a bombshell poll which suggests the Iran war has had a big impact on the popularity of both parties.

“Farage’s position on the conflict has been clear as mud…only person in the world who hasn’t yet realised that being associated with Trump is political suicide…Starmer’s refusal to let the UK be dragged into war & criticism of Trump…helping his popularity..” www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/lab...

UK has quietly regained its position as the world’s 5th largest economy The United Kingdom has regained its position as the fifth largest economy in the world, according to the latest figures.

In other news today the United Kingdom has regained its position as the fifth largest economy in the world, according to the latest figures
www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/uk-econ...

Well, everyone will have their own view, and perhaps Olly Robbins testimony tomorrow will change the narrative again. But, listening to HoC debate, imo Starmer’s put up a plausible defense - and by admitting upfront the misjudgment in appointing Mandelson, partly neutralized that line of attack.

The Mandelson affair, obv. I’m dreading the upcoming drama in H of C, as everyone parades faux outrage. The appointment was a complete cock-up. No-one emerges well. It’s possible rules were followed, AND bad decisions taken, AND this is not the end of all days. I dread Badenoch’s posturing most.

Absolutely. And a new chamber altogether. The current one is not fit for purpose. Buckingham palace would be an ideal site.

This is brilliant. Required reading for anyone wanting a primer on what’s at stake in the English local elections this year.

NEW headline voting intention from Ipsos

📊Reform UK +6 point lead over Labour – down from +7 in March, +8 in Jan 2026 and +15 in Nov 2025

📊Lib Dems are up +5 since March

📊Labour and Conservatives are now both on 19% - a drop for Labour from March (-2) and an increase for the Conservatives (+2)

Stamer retains his March lead ahead of Farage and Badenoch, on who Brits think would be the most capable Prime Minister.

He’s down -1 since March 2026. There’s been no change for Farage, whilst Badenoch is up +4.

55% of Britons support rejoining the EU

Rejoin EU
Support: 55% (+1 from Jan)
Oppose: 33% (-1)

Closer, but no rejoin/SM/CU
Support: 63% (+1)
Oppose: 20% (+1)

Status quo
Support: 33% (=)
Oppose: 44% (-2)

Looser ties further
Support: 22% (+1)
Oppose: 61% (-3)

yougov.com/en-gb/articl...

Fact-finding call between Mike Ostheimer (General Counsel to the PM) and Jonathan Powell (NSA) Approx 20:35 on 12 September 2025 Jonathan Powell (JP) found the appointment process unusual of Lord Mandelson (LM) weirdly rushed, noted Nin Pandit holding PPS pen and Ailsa Terry handling FCDO. JP doesn't recall any specific meetings on this that he was involved in, though there were a few conversations. JP raised concerns about the individual and reputation to Morgan McSweeney (MM). MM responded that the issues had been addressed. In terms of PM engagement, JP believes the PM may have had a couple of political conversations around this but JP was not party. In respect of correspondence from LM to the PM, JP didn't see anything himself. JP had a vague feeling there was some incoming communication from LM to someone but has low confidence in that or what it was. JP noted FCDO PUS was Philip Barton at the time who also had reservations around the appointment. Ends

Sep 2025: Jonathan Powell
National Security Adviser said he found the appt process unusual and weirdly rushed and raised concerns about Peter Mandelson and his reputation to Morgan McSweeney, who responded that the issues had been addressed.

JP noted FCDO PUS Philip Barton also had reservations.

Pure speculation on my part, but if I were Olly Robbins looking to override the vetting process, I’d be WhatsApping Morgan McSweeney.

Not for a green light, but an imperceptible nod.

ENDS

And this made me think of Morgan McSweeney who, when he resigned, said that while he did not oversee the due diligence and vetting process, he believed that process "must now be fundamentally overhauled."

That sounds like what you might say if you knew sth like this was going to emerge.

7

Boris Johnson failed vetting, yet Theresa May appointed him Foreign Secretary.

Dominic Cummings was never vetted, yet had free access to Government and Number 10.

The vetting process is self evidently farcical.

Boris Johnson didn't pass vetting when Theresa May appointed him Foreign Secretary.

The media must have missed that one.

Nick Robinson - pushing the line that Starmer somehow should have known the results of Mandelson’s developed vetting when the results were being deliberately withheld from him. This (unless Robbins changes his story) is a case of a senior official going beyond his duty/remit. @mrjamesob.bsky.social

An explainer - The Mandelson vetting as it relates to CRaG
Let’s be precise:
The Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 governs civil service process and confidentiality.
It does not govern vetting decisions or their overrides 1/.

Some facts, UK:
- The euro is great for users
- Adherence to monetary union is part of the initial criteria for membership applicants
- It is a central part of European unity
- The far right will make unity about the euro
- Europe needs commitment for trust

So, don't wait. Make the case today. €

Who Funds Nigel Farage? Mapping His Millions Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is the highest-paid Member of Parliament. In less than two years as the MP for Clacton, Farage has racked up £2 million in personal income and gifts, on top of his £94,00...

With Farage making a shed load of money from bitcoin and an assortment of weird companies, we’ve launched a map and live tracker of his income 👇🏻👇🏻

“Very incisive from Alex Wickham, UK political editor for Bloomberg

“Sources say Olly Robbins felt bound by the rules of the security vetting process NOT to tell the PM, No10 or the foreign secretary about the concerns raised about Mandelson””

We should be learning from other countries...

But papers like the Times and broadcasters like the BBC just crawl up Farage’s backside instead of asking him the difficult questions and scrutinising his past failures.
Don’t pretend to care about probity with Starmer if you’re willing to red-carpet this piece of utter filth into Number 10.

Concern grows for Suella Braverman as she completely forgets she spent nine years as part of the Conservative government, including two periods as Home Secretary, responsible for immigration.