A colleague didn’t recognise me in my glasses so I tried to joke “I’m Clark Kent” but accidentally declared “I’m Ken Clarke”

Jon Ossoff at 18/1 for next US president, worth a punt IMO

More than anything, today’s result in Hungary is a reminder that much of the public discourse is wildly overstating the strength of authoritarianism (F-word) and the weakness of democracy.

What I learned from my first few weeks as a Green MP? Most politicians have no clue how tough things are out there | Hannah Spencer With this escalating cost of living crisis, so many are really suffering – yet Labour lacks the imagination, boldness and will to do anything about it, says Green party MP Hannah Spencer

Deeply depressing. Just lazy soundbites and bad economics.

Populism without racism is infinitely preferable to the combination. But Greens badly need something that actually resembles a coherent economic strategy.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

For me the best stuff on AI and its impacts is coming from @jburnmurdoch.ft.com and @sarahoconnorft.ft.com.

Not downplaying its potential but also not getting caught up in hype. Just really thoughtful data-based analysis.

This is the way

The second best Irish phrase I’ve heard, used to describe someone who’s always engaging in one-upmanship, is “if you’ve been to Tenerife, he’s been to Elevenerife.”

My number one favourite Irish phrase, and one of the most crushing burns you’ll ever hear, is “he looks like his mammy knitted him.”

Why is everyone suddenly using the word epistemic

Kharg Island: Iran’s oil lifeline that Donald Trump has left untouched How US deals with crucial export hub could shed light on its longer-term strategy towards Iran

FT coverage is just so good at a time like this at explaining stuff in a really concise, clear way. www.ft.com/content/1355...

I don't think calling the people who voted for the nice woman who thinks working hard should grant you a decent life unhinged extremists is going to work out brilliantly for Labour.

As discussed in this post it's a perfect example of elite consensus across the political spectrum - which is now the most powerful way to shift the news agenda.

samf.substack.com/p/the-signal...

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I don't think op eds are dead yet but the politician op ed is fully fully dead.

Pleased to see this written up by the FT, and to see my driving analogy make the cut. We need to look beyond just the fiscal speedometer.

www.ft.com/content/c88b...

It's a small thing but one of my take-aways from their party conference is that they have a long way to go in making their brand look and feel not weird

How will the Warm Homes Plan change home heating? Prioritising electric technologies like heat pumps and solar, and backed by £15 billion investment, the plan will mandate minimum energy efficiency standards for rented homes and create the new Warm H...

We have our Nesta reaction to today's Warm Homes Plan up!

What does it mean for heating, fabric and electrification? What funding is available? What gaps are there in the plan?
Read all about it here:

www.nesta.org.uk/blog/how-wil...

I would have thought condemning an company producing child abuse material on an industrial scale for profit would be an easy one. But here were are.

How a Tuscan vision took Barnsley back from the brink of disaster - BBC News The once-struggling mining town is now rivalling the historic city of York in visitor numbers.

Sometimes people ask me - where do you think is doing some really interesting local development?

Often I respond Barnsley.

Here’s why!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgrnkwjvlgo.amp

Why your AI companion is not your friend First, tech companies usurped the meaning of ‘friends’ and ‘connection’ — now they are coming for ‘companionship’

Marvellous, moving and wise column by @martinsandbu.ft.com:

Yesss

The way to go viral on twitter now is to complain about quality street

Merry Christmas one and all x

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An insane seven days and I'm finally getting to lay on my sofa with the cat

The best thing about having a cat is when he’ll walk in the room carrying a slice of ham but you don’t have any ham in the house. Where’d you get the ham little guy?

This is a good thread! Every week someone reads out a London Centric story on TikTok without credit and does big views. This isn’t a wah wah moan… more that when a big news outlet steals, they know what they’re doing. I think a lot of content creators sincerely think “reading words” *is* reporting?

This dynamic is in part why Keir Starmer should have a good, regular Substack, because so much of important media is what I think of as 'derived' these days, i.e. it is TikTok or Facebook thread from someone who actually reads journalism repurposed or driving their opinions.

Defo. Could be very interesting if part of a broader strategy to "make legacy media come to me for a change", but it does not look like that.

This is a borderline psychotic thing to put in a newspaper.

A hundred times this