Joseph Erber

"For the government it’s quite mad to keep using X. It’s active participation in its own destruction and against its own interests. I cannot fathom the logic of doing it. It would be like a Reform government communicating entirely through the Guardian comments section." 👏 @samfr.bsky.social

Interesting that the Lib Dems have quietly changed their official colours from golden yellow to bold orange - they've had signage with this colour for a few years now so that's the way they were going. But I wonder, is it an embrace of 'orange book liberalism' (surely that's out of fashion)?

That amount of glitz and glamour is just so 'untrustworthy'

Just finished listening, it's quite a mournful listen (perhaps it triggered some private reflections of my own) but underlines the above-average hinterland of Starmer, that as I think you allude to hasn't entirely cut through.

Streeting has been v forceful on this for a while, the other week gave a good n/agents interview calling out misuse of our national flags on street furniture. Although he might be seen to be in defensive territory -he has a small majority in his v multiracial seat he preaches an inclusive patriotism

Studio Business Rates There are c. 500 recording studios in the UK. Like Grassroots Music Venues, recording studios are really struggling. Like venues, they require huge investment in a physical premises and are facing inc...

Please sign to help music studios.

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Downtown in tourist-crazy Sóller ('SOL-ya') where the tram squeezes between the cafe tables - close enough that you could reach out and deftly grab someone's empanada. If you were that way inclined.

Powell isn’t from a very different part of the party and she is right to point out where things could be better. But comments made on Any Questions are really hard to come back from and the topic of grooming gangs must not be minimised.

Just voted for Bridget Phillipson in the Lab dep leader contest. Whilst I have issues with the drift at the top of gov, she is her own woman and simply comes across better and has been the lightening rod for some of the most notable achievements like Sure Start v2 & breakfast clubs..

In an attempt to show Gary Neville how wrong he was to suggest that middle aged white men are putting flags up to make a point, some middle aged white men have put flags up outside his hotel to make a point.

Badenoch can promise a cut to stamp duty, but it doesn't really do anything about the affordability of the homes themselves to many..We all hate paying stamp duty but for all the attacks on state spending by Labour (and indeed Reform's golf club Corbynomics) where is the money coming from?

For low-level reasons compared to the utter horror of this..

He was deemed the "Trump Whisperer" but it was very short term-ist thinking to appoint him, that guy has trouble written through him like a stick of Brighton Rock.

As a long-time listener/some-time patreon supporter, I'm sad to see you go, but all things must come to an end. You've often chosen interesting topics such as Adam Curtis's eerie docs! Also, loved how uncompromising you are, even if I've occasionally disagreed. Good luck with future endeavours.

Nigel Farage uses private company to pay less tax on GB News earnings Exclusive: Reform leader’s use of personal services firm is a practice criticised across the political spectrum

This is a huge story.

Don't let him get away with it.

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

Thoughts on Zack Polanski's storming victory. And what it means for Labour, the new left party, and the landscape of English politics.

Thoughts I typed out yesterday about Zack Polanski's impressive leadership victory.

Cultural Snobbery and Double Standards? Musings on Rayner, second homes, and culture

New Substack post, please take a look and subscribe - all free for the time being 👇

Flag wars A product of Brittle Britain

Hi followers! I have just started a Substack, revisiting an urge to write and explore ideas, particularly around politics and music. It's free for now so please feel free to visit, subscribe and get involved in the comments!

Four Labour cabinet ministers earn rental income, analysis finds Housing campaigners say government look like hypocrites, with Rachel Reeves among those renting out properties

The question should be whether they are decent landlords or not. Renting out a property does not amount to a conflict of interest anymore than owning a house, a car, or a bike. Perhaps some now expect MPs to renounce all worldly goods, like monks?

It will be a shambles

It will probably get that scrappy youth vote, the sort of Bristol direct action lot. Sultana is a good performer and really savvy with social media. Corbyn of course has some residue of support albeit ‘momentum’ has dimmed.

Zarah Sultana says she is quitting Labour to start party with Jeremy Corbyn Former Labour leader Corbyn has not yet confirmed his involvement to the BBC.

I mean..it is the natural reaction if you’ve lost the whip. But I’m sorry, those two, just like McSweeney (who is way too RW), do not believe in building a wide enough voting coalition, it’s the unthinking politics of marches and speeches vs the long slog of legislation. www.bbc.com/news/article...

🚀 Public support for electoral reform is the highest it's been since records began

💥 60% now want to change to a fair, proportional voting system... including a majority of supporters of every party

🌹 Chair of @appgfairelections.bsky.social, Labour MP @alexsobel.co.uk, welcomes the news

🧵 1/3

British decline in one story.

Any state which finds itself incapable of managing a project as basic as rolling out a 20th century tech between its biggest cities needs to ask itself some profound questions about what hope it has of managing the technologies of the 21st.

As the government didn't make a 'broad shoulders' arguments and purely a technocratic 'there's no money' - this has become an unnecessary PR disaster, from a government that HAS to succeed (as a committed, active Labour member).

RIP Sly Stone. Another legend (I use the word seriously) who shaped music history, gone.

Sometimes BBC..you can seriously do one.. They did *not* win

Wonderful news. The doom-loop narrative that some of the media would have loved did not play out. Well done @scottishlabour.bsky.social ✊🏼

Thanks for the heads up, great to see some shows like this locally, will try to make 👍🏼