🇬🇧 This is a bbc Political Reporter on bbc ‘News’, effectively campaigning on behalf of ‘Refash uk’

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Are you YES yet ? 🇪🇺

Nigel Farage Has Personally Accepted £675,000 from Foreign Sources Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has accepted more than half a million pounds from foreign companies, governments, and donors while serving as an MP, DeSmog can reveal. Since July 2024, when he was elect...

“Farage rarely turns up to do his actual job. Yet he finds time to jet off around the world on his donor’s private plane and trouser half a million quid while families struggle. Reform are not on your side. They’re just in it for themselves”

It’s so obvious, it hurts.
www.desmog.com/2026/04/18/n...

Tech giants and giant slayers: the case for digital sovereignty Digital Sovereignty – control over a country’s digital infrastructure, data and technology – is critical for economic and national security

Modern societies run on digital systems.

But much of this infrastructure is owned and operated by private tech firms.

That raises a serious issue: control of the system → control of the power.

Clive Lewis MP explains

Im sure that's true. But on the other hand don't help other parties bother? They might well publish their propaganda too.

Local Elections 2026 Blog Welcome to our politics blog. Our aim is to keep you up-to-date on the political goings-on in East Anglia in the lead-up to the local elections on 7 May

What’s really happening on the ground ahead of 7 May?

Our new local elections blog brings you short, sharp updates daily from across the East of England – including Pecksniff’s take.

Dip in, stay informed 👇

Local elections in Essex: what are the parties promising? Elections are being held across Essex on 7th May. What are the parties offering the voters?

Elections are coming to Essex on 7 May.

We asked the five main parties what they’re offering voters. Only two replied.

Here’s what they said ⤵️

The King’s US speech – an early draft emerges… A supposed early draft of the King’s US speech has surfaced, and it is rather more candid than expected

Ben Smith has seen what looks like an early draft of the King’s US speech.
Some passages may raise an eyebrow or two.
#satire

eastangliabylines.co.uk/lifestyle/hu...

Defence: T’aint just what you spend, it’s the way that you spend it Britain’s defence debate focuses too narrowly on weapons, ignoring resilience, alliances and the wider foundations of national security

For decades, UK defence assumed two anchors: the US and Europe

Both are now uncertain

So what does that leave us relying on?

Simon Pease explains ...

Remember to go before you boldly go With the historic return of the Artemis II crew to earth the thing fascinating the British nation was… the loo

From John Glenn in a spacesuit to frozen pipes on Artemis II
Spaceflight has always had one stubborn problem:
human biology.

And this time, the loo fought back...

@eastangliabylines.co.uk

Register to vote Register to vote to take part in elections in the UK. Includes how to get on the electoral register and how to update your address on the register.

One day left to register to vote in the May elections!

www.gov.uk/register-to-...

I can certainly speak for Mr Durrant. It's not playing party politics, of course, its just gormlessly following where they think the herd (and the readers) are going.

Pecksniff: Whatever the extra taradiddles, Britain prepares to return to Europe In which Mr Pecksniff lays before his readers for their approval certain observations and speculations reflecting on the political life

In this week's Pecksniff's political diary:

Britain edges back towards Europe, though no one quite says it aloud * Reform’s candidate controversies keep stacking up * Turnout may decide whether extremes gain ground...

...and more.

@eastangliabylines.co.uk @pecksniffsdiary.bsky.social

Pecksniff: Whatever the extra taradiddles, Britain prepares to return to Europe In which Mr Pecksniff lays before his readers for their approval certain observations and speculations reflecting on the political life

Britain edges back towards Europe, though no-one quite says it aloud - well, no-one except our Mr Pecksniff.

Also this week:

- Reform’s candidate controversies go on & on
- May election turnout may decide whether extremes gain ground, &
- Lurking LibDems

Pecksniff: Whatever the extra taradiddles, Britain prepares to return to Europe In which Mr Pecksniff lays before his readers for their approval certain observations and speculations reflecting on the political life

Britain edges back towards Europe, though no-one quite says it aloud - well, no-one except our Mr Pecksniff.

Also this week:

- Reform’s candidate controversies go on & on
- May election turnout may decide whether extremes gain ground, &
- Lurking LibDems

Letter: Hungary’s reckoning with Orbán has finally begun Letter to the editor

This wasn’t close. It was emphatic.
Orbán’s system was built to last – so how did it collapse so completely?
A compelling letter from Cambridge Szeged Society chair Julia Seiber Boyd on Hungary’s turning point.

eastangliabylines.co.uk/democracy/le...

How to read an election leaflet These elections are about you, the voter. The parties putting their leaflets through your door would like you to think they’re about them

They think you’ll fall for it again.

From weasel words to vanishing party names, the oldest political trick is still alive: say anything, hide everything.

Every election, parties put out glossy leaflets telling you what matters. But it’s your job to decide – not theirs.

Peter Thurlow explains

Pecksniff: Whatever the extra taradiddles, Britain prepares to return to Europe In which Mr Pecksniff lays before his readers for their approval certain observations and speculations reflecting on the political life

Britain edges back towards Europe, red lines quietly fading * Labour talks “alignment” while avoiding the word EU * Reform’s funding questions refuse to go away

Pecksniff's Diary

eastangliabylines.co.uk/pecksniff/pe...

Important questions to ask your political canvasser With the 7 May elections on the horizon, residents across the east can expect a knock on the door from their local political canvasser

With the 7 May elections on the horizon, residents across the east can expect a knock on the door from their local political canvasser | Celina Błędowska

Ah, Saturday! That means a hazelnut mocha pans au chocolat, & @pecksniffsdiary.bsky.social

Pecksniff: Whatever the extra taradiddles, Britain prepares to return to Europe In which Mr Pecksniff lays before his readers for their approval certain observations and speculations reflecting on the political life

Finally, denials aside, reality is biting as Britain edges towards Europe.

If only ministers had listened to The Muckrakers' wise men, so much pain could have been avoided.

Meanwhile, tactical voting gets ever more creative, Tory's are in knots & local elections look anything but predictable..

Pecksniff: Whatever the extra taradiddles, Britain prepares to return to Europe In which Mr Pecksniff lays before his readers for their approval certain observations and speculations reflecting on the political life

Finally, denials aside, reality is biting as Britain edges towards Europe.

If only ministers had listened to The Muckrakers' wise men, so much pain could have been avoided.

Meanwhile, tactical voting gets ever more creative, Tory's are in knots & local elections look anything but predictable..

Quite the puzzle, isn't it. I'm assured it's because of something I can't
write here, though that doesn't seem sufficient.

I had a story ready to go which might have provided an explanation, but it was made irrelevant by Sunak calling the 2024 election.

Isn't he the boy? Thanks.

The best thing about Brexit is it sold the EU to the rest of Europe.

“Is the Prime Minister going to resign?”
“No” - Chief secretary to the PM Darren Jones #UKPolitics

Things can't go on like this, Starmer tells social media bosses It comes as the government continues to consult on whether to ban under-16s from social media in the UK.

🤳 Starmer: "It's clear to me that parents aren't asking us for tweaks at the edges, they're asking us whether a system that clearly isn't working for children should be allowed to continue at all."

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

BREAKING - Peter Mandelson failed his security vetting clearance but the decision was overruled by the Foreign Office

Investigation from Paul Lewis, @direthoughts.com and @pippacrerar.bsky.social

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

Nigel Farage earns over a million pounds a year.

Still claims £160,900 in expenses (benefits)

Moans about people abusing benefits.

But not himself, of course.

Is this BBC story helping Reform’s election campaign? During an election campaign the BBC is expected to remain impartial. Its coverage of asylum fraud risks damaging that

The BBC leads with a story suggesting widespread asylum seeker fraud

At the same time Reform UK is using the issue as a campaign wedge in the May elections

And that combination shapes how the story lands

Is Reform UK really going to sweep the counties? Polls suggest that a swing from Conservative to Reform in May will transform control of our county councils. Should we believe it?

Polls suggest that a swing from Conservative to Reform in May will transform control of our county councils. Should we believe it? | East Anglia Bylines