Some of us were writing that precise phrase in October 2020 and earlier

It was Kilroy, obviously. And he failed for this reason.

Before Direct Rule, the few Home Office civil servants responsible for oversight of Northern Ireland were also in charge of London taxis, British Summer Time and the nationalised pubs of Carlisle

This is a really excellent podcast

This is as moving now as it was way back when it was first published. He’d have loved your Substack!

Getting really tired of "this is all a media concoction"...

Starmer has the lowest approval rating of any PM in history bar Truss. Senior ministers are openly and unsubtly positioning. His Chief of Staff, Director of Comms and Cab Sec have all resigned on the same day.

I mean come on...

Lol!

Keir Starmer’s hollowness is clear for all to see The PM’s distaste for politics means he has outsourced every significant decision and now finds he’s left to pay the bill

Absolutely brilliant column by @patrickmaguire.bsky.social: every word of it true:

There's a name for this psychological phenomenon – the Baader-Meinhof effect!

Advantage Nigel Farage as the right realigns Kemi Badenoch may have projected strength by firing Robert Jenrick but I watched as Reform leader had the last laugh

I spent today with Nigel Farage and watched Robert Jenrick’s rumoured defection become reality in the space of minutes, listening to a phone call from my vantage point in the back seat of a people carrier. Here’s how it happened.

www.thetimes.com/article/12d3...

Millions of people in this country wouldn't be able to tell you who exactly Liz Truss is

Indeed. The overriding essay question that Reform needs to answer in the next three years is: if you are on the right and hate Keir Starmer, which of a) Reform UK or b) The Tories is the bigger, stronger, more viable vehicle for change? In many ways it is a basic issue of showing mass and velocity

Plus psephologically they surely need a bit of they-can’t-be-that-bad-he-used-to-be-chancellor-they’re-just-the-Tories-now-I-may-as-well-vote-for-him to grow beyond 30 per cent consistently

99 per cent of analysis I’m reading about Zahawi is way too involved. To the extent people pay attention to this at all, it will be to note that Reform are doing well and hear someone else say Farage will/can be PM. Also: are Reform the same old Tories or something new and scary?

Stephen Flynn’s already done it. Keir Starmer’s PPS did it a few months ago too. As has his former political director. Polanski would be great!

Errrr... no. It's "oh dear" because this is a self-inflicted disaster for No 10, who assumed - wrongly - that this wasn't going to happen. If I thought what you think I thought, I'd just write it.

In defence of Loadsamoney More thoughts on Labour's blindspot

I've gone completely insane. New Substack on – variously – Harry Enfield, Alan Bleasdale, Walter Greenwood, Dennis Potter, Jimmy Reid and Damian McBride.

maguirepatrick.substack.com/p/in-defence...

This station is now managed by Great British Railways on behalf of the people

The voters who make populism happen And why this government isn't speaking to them

Insightful piece from @patrickmaguire.bsky.social on what makes some voters tick, and how to tickle them
maguirepatrick.substack.com/p/the-voters...

How not to be helpful Why Labour Together's leadership survey matters

New Substack: why Labour Together's membership survey matters. And how to define "helpful"

maguirepatrick.substack.com/p/how-not-to...

It's so good, isn't it? Beautifully written, often laugh-out-loud funny, and – while obviously sympathetic – never anything less than fair, and duly critical of his excesses. The Brinkley book I mention is more sceptical, as I say, but broadly concurs in how it assesses him.

The voters who make populism happen And why this government isn't speaking to them

I've written a Substack about what I've been reading and writing recently – on the voters who make populism happen, and why Labour isn't speaking to them.

maguirepatrick.substack.com/p/the-voters...

I think at least some of it was conscious imitation of the man he still calls "Grandpa"

Get some fat men around him Keir Starmer's government is full of the wrong Brownites

New on my similarly new Substack: why Keir Starmer needs fat men around him, the person actually doing a good job inside No 10, and the best books on Brownism

substack.com/home/post/p-...

It’s Browning Street revisited but where’s Starmer’s Tom Watson? The old guard offers experience across Whitehall but the prime minister lacks the enforcers that sustained New Labour

Column: not many people appreciate just how many Brownites there are at the top of this Labour government. But are they the right ones for a PM with his back to the wall?

www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...

What I'm reading and writing Welcome to my Substack

I've joined Substack to share more thoughts on my reading, writing and thoughts on the history that helps explain our political moment. Subscribe here, if you like.

substack.com/home/post/p-...

State comprehensive actually, great guess, you muppet 👍🏻

Nigel Farage v Keir Starmer is the only game in town Nigel Farage v Keir Starmer is the only game in town

Nigel Farage v Keir Starmer is the only game in town | ✍️ Patrick Maguire