NEW ITV Wales YouGov MRP has Plaid and Reform neck and neck in Senedd vote intention
Impossible to say who would be largest party in terms of seats but neither would be close to majority
Would almost certainly result in Plaid led government as they have more potential allies in the Senedd 🧵👇
Michael Crick • @MichaelLCrick X.com In two to three years time, when Starmer and his government are no doubt deeply unpopular, I hope we in the media will ask ourselves: "Why were we so supine during the long 2024 election; why didn't we hold Labour properly to account while we could, and ask more probing questions, and explore their records, rather than give them such an easy ride?"
I think we can see the reason for this is the same as any number of abysmal scandals at all kinds of major British institutions: Nobody wants to go lifting rocks because of the very high risk that moving one of them will send a geyser of scalding hot corruption leaping two hundred feet into the air.
As it should. This is the bed they made for themselves.
The culture within Number 10 was/is quite clearly rotten. Something almost Nixonian about the team that surrounds Starmer in terms of the way they conceive of the strategic business of ‘doing politics’.
But, in other respects, the process point (as well the issue about whether he inadvertently misled parliament) is irrelevant. Starmer’s problem is that he decided to approve the appointment of Mandelson in the first place, when it was already clear that there was ample evidence that his business record and his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein made him suspect. That, presumably, is why Olly Robbins decided to facilitate the appointment by using his discretion over overrule the vetting recommendation. It seems the argument of some in Downing Street might have been the Mandelson should get the job not despite being the sleazy former best friend of a paedophile, but precisely because he was this sort of character. They weren’t appointing him ambassador to the Vatican. There seems to have been the assumption that this was the sort of interlocutor Donald Trump (another ex-Epstein best friend) might like. You can understand why Starmer won’t put it like that in public. Whatever the reason, it turned out to be a colossal misjudgment.
This is spot on
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
Regardless of whether or not Starmer misled the Commons re. Mandelson’s vetting status, the fact he decided to appoint him in the first place - despite knowing he remained friends with Epstein after his conviction - should have already settled the question of whether he’s fit to be Prime Minister.
For a moment I genuinely thought this was Samoa Joe’s WWE entrance music
youtu.be/oWQqCgSOIKY?...
You should when appointing someone to a government position check if they have a wikipedia and if they do read the controversies section at minimum.
Mandelson wasn't a "washed up old spinner", he made millions selling his political contacts to represent firms like Palantir, a career path Team Starmer admire and want to copy ,and he helped design Team Starmer's devious route to leadership. This wasn't a 'mistake', its is who Starmer's group are
🚨New article🚨
What if the misguided construction of 'right-wing populism' has prevented us from holding the elite accountable and rejuvenate democracy?
This is what @alexyates2000.bsky.social and I explore in our new article: 'There is no such thing as ‘right-wing populism’'
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shorturl.at/jptiu
Erika Kirk and JD Vance are drawing like WCW in 2001
Donald Trump is visiting Las Vegas on April 16 in the middle of WrestleMania Week.
Checking the schedule, he could pick up a free autograph from Rikishi at The Cove Bar & Arcade that day or attend First Crush by Trish Stratus at Flanker Kitchen + Sports Bar
thenevadaindependent.com/article/trum...
Reaching a point where you’re campaigning on the basis that voting Plaid threatens Wales with the “chaos” of “independence” feels both a sign Labour are scrabbling for the last line of defence - when all others have fallen - and they’re not understanding what underpins their former voters defection.
A 'Listen to Blood Work' promotional tile featuring an incredibly direct TV graphic
A 'Listen to Blood Work' promotional tile featuring a joke about the Hormuz crisis featuring a screenshot from IN BRUGES
A 'Listen to Blood Work' promotional tile featuring Fat Bastard wielding a gun
A 'Listen to Blood Work' promotional tile featuring Ronald Reagan's Secret Service detail
BLOOD WORK MARKETING DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS:
I'M JUST A BLOOD MACHINE, AND I WON'T WORK FOR NOBODY BUT YOU
View more on Instagram:
www.instagram.com/p/DXCj-0FDGE...
I find the difference between how TKO’s two entities treat Trump interesting. UFC directly embraces him as part of the onscreen product while WWE keeps all support ‘personal’ to the McMahon-Helmsleys off-screen interactions outside kayfabe. Presumably that’s a choice based on different audiences.
So, Kid Rock is essentially the U.S. President’s entrance music. The symbolism of attending an MMA fight at the same time your negotiating team is trying and failing to ‘wrestle’ out any sort of deal. A spectacle of strength overlaying a base of material failure.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
More villages in South Lebanon being detonated by Israel.
Israel is the one sharing these videos. They are proud of their war crimes.
QMUL is advertising an exciting opportunity: a fully funded PhD studentship, working on European politics, ideology, and political 'myths' with @karlpike.bsky.social and @timbale.bsky.social. Details below.
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DRB421/p...
In 2025, Keir Starmer allowed B61 nuclear bombs to be delivered to a US air force squadron at RAF Lakenheath, the first US nuclear deployment in the UK since 2008.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...
Screen shot of the Drudge report
Wrestling's newest star is massive, bearded, and ready to piledrive ICE
Brody King made the Drudge Report
AEW Dynamite was in Winnipeg last night, and the Canadian crowd broke into a "Fuck the tariffs!" chant 😆
Content warning for article: hard to imagine another U.S. Education Secretary’s husband (separated) facing the allegations here - alongside ‘ring boys’ ones - and it not being a national scandal. Instead WWE lent into the McMahon name & referenced VKM on RAW.
www.cagesideseats.com/wwe/430346/j...
And unfortunately those resources can in fact mean disinformation … like the magical continent of Africa, which my 6 year old brought home, full of strange animals and oddly positioned landmarks.
“Fuck ICE” chants, speaking up against the genocide in Gaza, a deathmatch with glass, barbed wire, and an exploding table. Welcome to the AEW.
The full story: lataco.com/all-elite-wr...
By @afroxander.bsky.social
Delighted, as Head of Division for Politics & IR, that our department is recruiting a Lecturer in Environmental Politics on an open-ended teaching & research contract.
If anybody wants to chat informally about the position, I’ll be @ PSA Annual Conference next week.
www.bath.ac.uk/jobs/Vacancy...
