It’s very hard not to give up…
The media outlets that we should be able to trust to hold power to account are in the pockets of power. They undermine our democracy every day.
I despair, I really do.
For decades, UK defence assumed two anchors: the US and Europe. Both are now uncertain.
What if funding national security involved the public directly? Not just through tax, but something more deliberate.
Simon Pease explains ⤵️
@eastangliabylines.co.uk @simonpease.bsky.social
This!
Yes. Depends on which crisis, I guess.
In the end it comes down to this; announcing things which are still uncertain for the sake of perceived political impact may well produce an impact, just not the one you expected.
Perfect summary b
Apparently, we are going to get "angry Starmer" in the Commons.
But politically, constitutionally, logically and administratively all this flows from his - his! - appointment of Mandelson.
All else is the putting into effect of that decsion.
But: anger at others, blaming others, sacking others.
Whether Starmer goes is more a matter of politics than about the constitution, but the Prime Minister should properly account to Parliament for his own decision to appoint Mandelson.
His current approach of ducking, and blaming and sacking others, is a failure of prime ministerial responsibility.
That’s exactly what concerns me. The gluttony will hurt millions, and the burst more.
Olly Robbins had to implement something many people at the time believed to be a bad decision, badly made.
But enough of his time as Brexit negotiator.
This thread is endless but extremely helpful if you read it to the end.
Me for East Anglia Bylines. Just like to point out I wrote this before Rachel Reeves was reported to be looking into “War Bonds”.
While we're on the workings of the UK government today, a moment to reflect on the US pharmaceuticals deal which even if these numbers feel exaggerated is something that really needs parliamentary scrutiny that successive governments have denied for trade deals www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/...
It is mad to continue with this unregulated without considering all the implications.
The China balance according to the FT Editorial Board. A slowly dawning realisation that its rise cannot be stopped or ignored, and thus the world will never be the same again. Far more significant in the long term than a mad US President. www.ft.com/content/d62f...
Ukrainian drones have struck the Tuapse refinery and export terminal in Russia’s Krasnodar region, triggering a massive fire across the tank farm. Multiple storage tanks have burned, with thick black smoke visible over the facility, indicating significant damage to oil infrastructure. #Russia
Don’t bother telling me that I shouldn’t say Reform is racist. They are. They are cruel and hateful and racist. Voting for them is a cruel and hateful and racist act. Shame on everyone who supports and excuses them.
With Farage making a shed load of money from bitcoin and an assortment of weird companies, we’ve launched a map and live tracker of his income 👇🏻👇🏻
From “The Simpsons” house genius John Swartzwelder, interviewed in The New Yorker by Mike Sacks
Need to know why, and what lessons can be learned and what if anything should be changed. At the very least, I suggest such appointments should never be “preannounced” even if there seem to be political arguments for doing so. Once that has been done the whole process is compromised.
Read all your posts on this this morning. I can understand, of course, the different views on interpretation and judgement. Who is “right” in these circumstances will turn on the detail, and it could turn out that “right” isn’t sensible. Seems that a lot of poor judgements have been made. We…
Also, FCDO minister in House of Commons last September:
It was the PUSs decision that completed the process. I know, sometimes you don’t follow the rules exactly (I can think of one occasion I didn’t to spare a junior Minister’s blushes, but the risk was not nearly so great.
Try telling any PM that their pick has failed DV, but refusing to divulge or discuss any details. I’m not saying he would have been wiser to ignore the strict rules on the grounds the case was exceptional, just trying his shoes on. They pinch quite hard.
Try telling any PM their pick has failed and then refuse to give any details ?
Not at all.
If I can find it, an historian did the timeline. OR had to take the DV decision in his first 12 days in the job. Don’t envy him that.
With Radev's win in Bulgaria, imo, we'll see something new at the EU level-- advocacy for pro-Ru positions not from a euroskeptic position a la Orban/AfD/RN but from an ostensibly pro-EU position: Europe should abandon Ukr and go back to cheap Ru energy to be stronger and strategically autonomous.
Latest in @theatlantic.com The Ukrainians are now longer pretending that Donald Trump's USA is their friend. Their honesty is important as they seem to understand how much Trump is helping Putin and how important it is that Europe stick together. Gift Link. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
