Yes, but from my admittedly limited experience of writing about this, most heads seemed to find the current situation OK.

Ban it!

As ever with the wider subject of phones and young people it’s a vitally important, even urgent one, but not particularly helped by potentially rushed or bodged legislation or people talking about different meanings of “ban”.

Mobile phones to be banned in schools in England under new plans Government amendment to children’s wellbeing and schools bill to replace existing guidance with statutory ban

Sounds like the “mobile phone ban” will simply make statutory what was already guidance to schools in England - no phones during the school day. So appears largely symbolic given almost all schools had this policy in place anyway.

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Greens ‘have welcomed’ people expelled by Labour for antisemitism, Steve Reed claims Housing secretary also targets Reform as May elections loom, saying Farage more interested in Trump than own constituency

NEW: Local election battles hotting up - Steve Reed says Greens have welcomed activists kicked out of Labour for expressing antisemitic views and people should be “very careful” who they vote for.

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Imagine he worked in a bank. Or as a British Airways pilot. Or as your local solicitor or GP. In none of these roles would he be allowed to keep working.

Fair point about Donald Trump by Matthew Parris in the Times.

Nearly fivefold increase in children in unregulated social care settings in England Exclusive: Vulnerable children being placed in caravans and Airbnbs when Ofsted-inspected homes cannot be found

Important and alarming reporting from top colleague @lexytopping.bsky.social about the increasing numbers of children in England temporarily placed in unregulated social care settings including caravans, Airbnbs and holiday camps.

www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

From a Reform point of view, they already face the electoral challenge of c. 50% of voters who would vote however necessary to keep Nigel Farage out of No 10. I've not seen a single Reform policy in recent months which might make some of those people go, 'Well OK, maybe I'd give them a chance.'

The Conservatives went through a big fuss quite recently about whether changes to permanent migration status should be retrospective (after the Katie Lam comments) and Kemi Badenoch eventually said they should not. This seems like another change of stance.

Conservative response to Reform reversing asylum grants Chris Philp MP, Shadow Home Secretary, said: “The Conservatives have already proposed a detailed BORDERS plan to pull out of the ECHR and completely ban asylum claims by illegal immigrants. Instead, we would deport them within a week of arrival. “The Conservative’s Removals Force will deport 150,000 immigrants each year with no right to be here. “Reform is slowing catching up with our ideas - but without the detail that will ensure it works in practice.”

Reform are announcing today that they would review and retrospectively strip asylum status from hundreds of thousands of people who are making their lives in the UK. Notable that the Conservative response to the plan seem to effectively endorse it.

I asked the Restore Britain donor, Miles Routledge, if he stood by the Hitler post and other comments. He replied: “That’s exactly what I said and meant, and I was likely holding back… I must add that I will also imprison journalists such as yourself when I take an ounce of power.”

Two more Reform local election candidates accused of offensive posts Labour calls on Nigel Farage to sack candidates and says his party’s checks ‘clearly not fit for purpose’

* Two more Reform candidates accused of making offensive or potentially racist social media posts.
* It seems that Restore Britain accepted a donation from someone who has called for “another Hitler” to come to power.

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

It must make them very sad to have to object to so much active travel infrastructure, given they support cycling.

Like many bits of London, Dulwich - which is more than Dulwich Village - has lots of cash but also no shortage of deprivation.

West Dulwich Action Group "supports safer streets, cleaner air and cycling", they insist. There is just something about *this particular* scheme that is terribly wrong and forces them, with huge regret, to raise money for a legal challenge. You feel for them.

The stated reasons for objecting to the bike lane are almost beyond parodying. Apparently it has "too many" cross-junctions, which makes it dangerous, and "removes considerable parking space". And the plan has been "rushed".

In other news, you'll be pleased to know that bike lane nimbyism is *still* a thing in London. I've just been sent a flyer from the "West Dulwich Action Group" vehemently opposing a new bike lane on a residential road which has a busy primary school at the other end of it. It's all a bit 2011.

FAC calls for Sir Olly Robbins to give evidence on Mandelson’s vetting next week            Correspondence: Foreign Affairs Committee Chair to Sir Oliver Robbins        The Foreign Affairs Committee has written to Sir Olly Robbins, former Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of the United Kingdom, to request he give evidence next Tuesday (21 April) on the vetting of Lord Mandelson.

OK then.

DARREN JONES: Mandelson vetting incident a "failing of the state"

If only we knew who ran this "state" of which you speak.

[Early 2025 in the Foreign Office]

“Shit, Mandelson’s failed vetting.”

“Shall we tell the PM?”

“No need.”

“Any ministers?”

“Nah, it’ll be fine.”

No 10 claims Starmer did not know Mandelson failed security vetting until this week – UK politics live The prime minister was not aware that the former US ambassador had failed the vetting process, according to Downing Street

If anything saves things it’s this. But it’s still a terrible look.

No 10 claims Starmer did not know Mandelson failed security vetting until this week – UK politics live www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...

The Conservatives, Lib Dems and Greens have all called for Keir Starmer to resign if it is shown he misled parliament.

Revealed: Mandelson failed vetting but Foreign Office overruled decision Guardian investigation uncovers decision by UK security officials to deny clearance before Mandelson took up role as US ambassador

As well as being a great scoop by Guardian colleagues, this feels potentially very, very bad for Keir Starmer.

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

I saw these vast bits of Nike marketing in my local park and thought the messaging was anomalous and crass for parkrun. Turns out others agree.

This YouGov polling on what votes think is important ahead of the local elections is fascinating. Potholes are *always* a thing, so no surprise it's at no 1. But bin collections are usually seen as the other area people notice, and it's at the bottom. Maybe most councils are quite good these days?

A rival!

My guess is that Richard Bingley is the only Reform council candidate who was formerly a Labour press officer (as well as being a Labour councillor), not to mention also a press officer for Unison and for Campaign Against the Arms Trade. It's been quite a journey.

Ex-Tory and Labour councillor Richard Bingley joins Reform for May elections The much-travelled politician, who has also been a member of Ukip, will stand for election to Thurrock council

Behold the curious tale of the once-Tory leader of Plymouth council leader, who resigned after 100+ city centre trees were cut down, who was formerly a Tory, then Labour, then Ukip and then Tory again - and is now standing in May for Reform.

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Hello! I can alway pass it on - peter.walker@theguardian.com

Sounds interesting.

McIntyre was told his trial, which is expected to last for three days, is set to take place from September 9 2030

From a court report *today*.

[and yes, I know this isn't at all unusual]