'!f you want to create the conditions for a chaotic and unpredictable reordering of our party system, “the governing party is in office during a sharp price shock that the opposition loudly supported the causes of” feels like a pretty good way to do that.' 👏 @stephenkb.bsky.social
The British right’s messianic zeal for a war that is illegal, has no clear goals, and has nothing much to do with the UK (beyond defence) is not the biggest story right now, but it is one of the most baffling
I'm out of words here
This is an absolute *gem*. Hats to @henrymance.ft.com for making me spit out my porridge laughing
(I now too want to go for lunch with Lord Mancroft)
TBI has been heavily funded by billionaire Larry Ellison, a close personal friend of Netanyahu. Last year, Democracy for Sale and Lighthouse Reports revealed how TBI has changed since Ellison, gave £250 million to the institute.
Feels like a day to reup this recent Democracy for Sale story
Tony Blair’s Institute privately pressed a top European Union official working on the rebuilding of Gaza to work with Donald Trump’s Board of Peace.
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/revealed-t...
Listened to this earlier today. Would very much recommend
This is first class work from @catneilan.bsky.social
Yet another prime example of how regulation completely fails to stop fraudsters and scammers - and costs the public billions (in this case alone)
My heart bleeds…
History is going to judge McSweeney very badly for being so close to this
A couple minutes later ‘did the government screw up over Diego Garcia?’
Ffs Today likes to see itself as the ‘flagship’ place for political discussion in Britain but the quality is so often lacking nuance
‘Why is it important for wars to have clear aims?’ Amol Rajan asks guest talking about war in Iran
When did Today become this demotic?
Last week, UK lobbying regulator closed investigation into ex Tory MP Ben Howlett
We offered Howlett money to work for a fake Chinese investor. He introduced us to a dozen Labour MPs
Regulator didn't even speak to us. Our system is broken
New, by me: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/we-paid-an...
Impressive timing by Shabana Mahmood for today to be the day she announces her asylum policy 'inspired by Kristi Noem'.
New from 404 Media: Proton Mail, the privacy-focused email service, gave authorities data that let the FBI unmask an anonymous 'Stop Cop City' protester. It was payment data linked to the anonymous email account. From that, FBI ID'd them, then tracked their movements www.404media.co/proton-mail-...
Used to always explain Hibs to English people as ‘a bit like Spurs’
But to be fair, Hibs aren’t this ridiculous
Yet another datapoint confirming what George Stigler said: "regulation is acquired by the industry and is designed and operated primarily for its benefit." chrisdillow.substack.com/p/on-regulat...
Oh yeah it is, but they could pretend it’s theirs! Tories aren’t going to own it
I’m not a political strategist but what is rhe logic of Labour not owning the falling migration numbers and saying ‘we’re controlling our borders’ rather than ever time repeating far right talking points
Seems a very odd approach….
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
There's a whole range of things where the most you can actually catch people breaking the rules is on a technicality, because the actually bad stuff is 100% allowed.
Last week, UK lobbying regulator closed investigation into ex Tory MP Ben Howlett
We offered Howlett money to work for a fake Chinese investor. He introduced us to a dozen Labour MPs
Regulator didn't even speak to us. Our system is broken
New, by me: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/we-paid-an...
Big money has bought British politics
75% of Reform’s money has come from three rich white men
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/75-of-refo...
‘British expats, he claimed, were refusing to fill out evacuation forms provided by the British government “just in case it somehow turns into a tax form instead”.’
No notes.
as.ft.com/r/65cf2b43-6...
Ah that’s such a crucial thing to do right now. I think striking that balance is so essential
Yeah think that’s why I developed such a draw to the Balkans
Something really dark when 12 year old comes home from school and says ‘I think world war three is going to start, everyone at school is saying it’
The place names are amazing too. Towns called ‘Murphy’!
Hahaha love it!
Probably the favourite story I’ve done was when I went to Argentina in 2016 to explore my family history - and almost ended up the owner of millions of euros of Pampas farmland!
www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland...
This is basically my family story. My grandfather was born in Argentina then moved back to rural Longford as a child
But I hadn’t realised that the Longford Argentinians were responsible for Peron!
www.rte.ie/news/regiona...
