In many ways the intelligence/secret part of the British state is its most sacred, and vetting was sort of like the confessional aspect of that. It’s a process that works and has power because of its closed and slightly mysterious nature.
It’s misunderstood but that’s kind of inevitable because it’s so secret.
It wasn’t designed to be a politically transparent system, ever. It’s a national security failsafe.
Have avoided commenting on the Starmer/Robbins show but I’m going to venture a point: The UK’s vetting system has been a remarkable success story. The British secret state is one of the most secure and well-run among any of its peers.
I don’t think we can afford them
“The simple, damning story wouldn’t work for No 10: Keir Starmer could hardly admit that he’d known about Mandelson’s friendship with Epstein but decided it didn’t matter, having just sacked him for that reason.
“They needed a different story and came up with one that centred on vetting.”
Sir Oliver “Olly” Robbins is a clever, well-informed person. He’s also ambitious & diligent. Sir Keir Starmer & his team now have a potentially highly dangerous enemy. Not because Sir Oliver wants revenge (though he might) but because of the facts of the Mandelson case.
A long 🧵. Have a cuppa! /1.
this is super interesting and also encouraging - Ukraine has become the world's leading drone superpower
Again, there is literally no one covering Hegseth’s Pentagon worship services more closely than @briankaylor.bsky.social.
Zelensky just out with a long comment after the latest Ramstein meeting. Optimistic and gives thanks to many partners. Not a single mention of the US helping Ukraine.
The Ukrainians are not hiding the fact that the US is no longer their friend.
For my money... get the two term limit change into the constitution asap (but do it by the book, so the courts can't challenge it)... it forces everyone to realise Orban is never coming back and, at the very least, that they'll need new patrons.
*supermajority (which is also... super)
I hope Magyar has a plan for governing... because even with a super majority, his room for manoeuevre will begin to shrink dramatically if he tackles the wrong things first.
Corrupt institutions and a wealthy oligarchy won't take long to corrode his support.
It's a game of chess to neuter them.
I knew it was bad but really didn’t appreciate it was quite this bad
as.ft.com/r/db911dd6-f...
Well done Ukraine
“Zelenskyy said Ukrainian military teams dispatched across the Middle East last month had already delivered “positive” results by intercepting Iranian Shahed suicide drones in “several” Gulf countries hosting US military infrastructure.
“Did we destroy them? Yes, we did,” he said”
Indeed. There's no getting away from the optics of this interview. It looks terrible.
By way of context, i'd only add that this is fairly typical for Peston... who is a much respected journalist, altho perhaps a bit marmite-like. I believe he has ADHD and OCD which he's said in the past make him an "unconventional" broadcaster.
Extraordinary to see the UK PM putting Trump and Putin together like this, and referring to 'Trump' not 'President Trump'. A lot has changed in the last few weeks - this would have been unimaginable six months ago - and I don't see how it changes back. www.politico.eu/article/star...
Hall of fame FT correction
When I was about 13 or 14 I'd pick up discarded copies of the Financial Times and pretend to read it on the bus home. I honestly thought this would help me get a girlfriend.
Counterpoint: it is not premature to do this.
It is manifestly clear that America so far has not won or gained anything in any meaningful sense. It has destroyed a lot of stuff and people, which is very much not the same thing.
The only thing it is premature to do is say it’s over yet.
What the hell.
“Once... Iran completes its assessment, vessels are given a few seconds to pay in Bitcoin, ensuring they can’t be traced or confiscated due to sanctions”: www.ft.com/content/02ae...
Soon after the deadly Israeli attack that caused thousands of Hezbollah pagers to explode in September 2024, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government offered its assistance to Iran.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/0...
1/ This Yanis Varoufakis screed made me so angry the only way I can salvage my day is to go through it line by line as catharsis.
You are welcome to come on the journey toward my aneurism with me.
An angry h/t to @sianushka.bsky.social for bringing this into my life.
unherd.com/2026/04/why-...
Impossible to disagree with a single word that Ben Rhodes (Obama era NSC official) is saying here:
"Altman [made a] move that no other pitchman had perfected: he used apocalyptic rhetoric to explain how A.G.I. could destroy us all—and why, therefore, he should be the one to build it. Maybe this was a premeditated masterstroke. Maybe he was fumbling for an advantage. Either way, it worked."
