5 times Keir Starmer blamed the deep state No. 10 Downing Street is making a habit of blaming officials for its woes.

www.politico.eu/article/5-ti...

Keir Starmer was once seen as the ideal PM for the civil service, having been a senior civil servant himself.

But since entering office, he's fallen out badly with the blob time and again.

My @politico.eu listicle recalling when Starmer blamed the 'deep state' is below. 👇

Starmer will not be swayed by Trump’s ‘small and petty’ insults, says Lammy Exclusive: deputy PM says UK will not join Iran conflict despite Trump’s sometimes ‘incomprehensible’ social-media barbs Donald Trump’s insults towards Keir Starmer are “small and petty” and designed to put pressure on the prime minister to change his position on Iran, David Lammy has said, as he insisted the UK would not get dragged into the conflict. The deputy prime minister argued the US president should be able to “disagree agreeably” with allies rather than publishing attacks on social media, and that US actions had “made things worse, not better” as far as global instability was concerned. Continue reading...

Starmer will not be swayed by Trump’s ‘small and petty’ insults, says Lammy

Is once again appreciating the brilliance of Radio 4's 'The Reunion.' An afternoon of cooking accompanied by moving, enlightening discussions about the Berlin Wall, Clutha helicopter crash, Iranian revolution, Alan Bennett's 'Talking Heads', Fastnet race disaster & Spycatcher.

The assisted dying debate isn't going anywhere.

While the current bill will fall next Friday in the Lords, it's near certain to return.

@politico.eu's long read by @danbloom1.bsky.social and yours truly delves into how supporters hope to win ... and whether they can succeed. 👇

Britain’s bitter assisted dying debate is about to come roaring back to life Supporters of assisted dying plan an unprecedented gambit to break a deadlock in the U.K. parliament that may unleash a level of rancor not seen since the Brexit era.

www.politico.eu/article/assi...

The assisted dying debate isn't going anywhere.

While the current bill will fall next Friday in the Lords, it's near certain to return.

@politico.eu's long read by @danbloom1.bsky.social and yours truly delves into how supporters hope to win ... and whether they can succeed. 👇

Thanks v much Tim, appreciated!

Strait into trouble What’s driving the day in Westminster. Politics and policymaking in the UK capital. By SAM FRANCIS with BETHANY DAWSON Send tips here | Subscribe for free | Listen to Playbook and view in you…

I also penned a postcard for this morning’s London Playbook looking at why so many Union Jacks and English flags are flapping (or drooping) from lamp posts in Braintree, a market town represented by Shadow Housing Secretary James Cleverly since 2015.

www.politico.eu/newsletter/l...

Tories scramble to fend off Farage on their home turf Victory for Reform UK in Essex this May will be crucial to show Farage can turn polling success into actual votes.

www.politico.eu/article/tori...

NEW: The battle for the Tory backyard.

The Conservatives have run Essex County Council since 2001 and won 10 of its 18 constituencies in 2024.

But Reform thinks it can end that quarter century reign thanks to voter disillusionment.

My @politico.eu Essex dispatch below 👇

I remember seeing photos of Margaret Thatcher on the front pages the day after she passed away. I was aged 11 on a North Norfolk Easter road trip for research purposes as our year seven geography teacher had tasked us with making a homemade model displaying coastal erosion.

BBC Sounds - The History Bureau - Available Episodes Listen to the latest episodes of The History Bureau on BBC Sounds.

Listening recommendation: The History Bureau's series on Putin and the Apartment Bombs. An absolutely compelling, suspenseful, worrying, eye-opening narrative about a tragic series of events — and the difficulty of achieving accountability.

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand...

Furious graduates give UK’s Starmer another reason to be fearful Vast student debts have left Britain’s Gen Z in despair. Labour MPs are worried, and their political opponents are circling.

www.politico.eu/article/furi...

The government has announced interest on plan two and three student loans will be capped at 6% rather than RPI + 3% from September due to the Middle East conflict.

But pure politics will have affected their decision. My @politico.eu analysis from last month. 👇

One way of knowing the local elections are around the corner ...

All quiet on the Westminster front Presented by Instagram By NOAH KEATE PRESENTED BY Send tips here | Subscribe for free | Listen to Sunday Crunch and view in your browser Good Sunday afternoon. This is Noah Keate, slowly recovering…

www.politico.eu/newsletter/s...

Parliament is in recess, but the Middle East crisis leaves politicians facing many dilemmas.

Bridget Phillipson tried a "keep calm and carry on" approach today, but admitted the impact on inflation & interest rates would be negative.

My @politico.eu Sunday Crunch analysis👇

All the times Donald Trump dunked on Keir Starmer over the Iran war The U.S. president hasn’t held back after Keir Starmer disappointed him in the Middle East.

www.politico.eu/article/dona...

Donald Trump and Keir Starmer once had the world's most unlikely bromance.

Since the Iran war, that's well and truly ended.

My latest @politico.eu piece explores all the times the U.S. president hit out at London's response ... putting paid to the "special relationship." 👇

MSPs have voted *against* the legalisation of assisted dying in Scotland by 69 votes to 57. There was one abstention.

MSPs currently voting on other business - so the first result read out by Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone is *not* about assisted dying (to avoid confusion).

Scottish Tory MSP Brian Whittle joins the growing number of parliamentarians who won't support the assisted dying bill after voting in favour last year. Whittle says choice "must be a real choice" that includes quality palliative care — but this isn't currently available to all.

Scottish Labour MSP Daniel Johnson will also oppose the assisted dying bill after backing the legislation last May. Johnson says it isn't the safest bill in the world as it only relies on the opinions of two doctors (unlike Westminster, which has a multidisciplinary panel).

SNP MSP Jamie Hepburn says "with some sense of regret" he won't support Liam McArthur's assisted dying bill after backing the legislation at stage one due to concerns about doctors raising assisted dying and worker conscience rights (which Holyrood doesn't have competency over).

Stage set for another Reform press conference - this time about the party’s pledge to cut energy bills and, er, launch a competition where the winner (and their entire street) will have their energy costs funded by the party for an entire year. Expect many questions about that …

The irrepressible Nigel Farage [FREE TO READ] Ten years after they first had lunch together, ‘the Brexit guy’ tells Henry Mance why the country needs his help once again

Almost exactly ten years ago @henrymance.ft.com had lunch with Nigel Farage www.ft.com/content/864c.... It remains legend. Quite a lot has happened over the subsequent decade so we sent him back in. as.ft.com/r/edeac2c6-0...

Polanski’s Greens are beating Liberal Democrats at their own game The U.K.’s third party is struggling to reach voters as insurgent outfits offer an alternative protest vote.

Britain’s Green leader Zack Polanski was once a Liberal Democrat.

Now he’s eating his old party’s lunch.

How do the Lib Dems grab attention with insurgents on the left and right?

“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t frustrating,” a Lib Dem MP said, contrasting their coverage to the abundance of Green leader Zack Polanski across the media airwaves.

My @politico.eu analysis below 👇

Polanski’s Greens are beating Liberal Democrats at their own game The U.K.’s third party is struggling to reach voters as insurgent outfits offer an alternative protest vote.

www.politico.eu/article/zack...