Josh Westerling

I am generally against the graffiti over the tube but more specifically against it on the Bakerloo line, where it jars most heavily with the aesthetic and feel of the line - going through those old stations and feeling like bowling about London on your living room sofa as I saw it once described.

A very useful and timely contribution by Frances on the seeds of a political project that synthesises the democratic and communitarian impulses within the soft left and Blue Labour.

And this is so perfectly observed.

Far have I travelled, much have I seen... Fifty observations from completing the 92.

So much of football and English culture distilled in this.

‘Systemic failure’: fury as tap water in Tunbridge Wells runs dry after outage South East Water faces mounting criticism over latest supply failure

Water you can't drink.

Water boss on 400k, 30% increase from last year. Bonus last year 115k.

Bills up, previous supply issues.

Part-owned by overseas pension funds and investors.

It's beyond shocking. Blood boiling along with the dirty water.

What it takes to save a community lifeline 'I think they just thought we’d calm down and do a petition'

Another great story from @manchestermill.bsky.social on how people saved their local cafe when the ICB decided to close it down.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”

manchestermill.co.uk/what-it-take...

Good example of 'owning unpopularity'

Think this gets at a blunter honesty the govt needs to find, and a need to speak to what people see and feel everyday.

Add in a bit of hope and that's probably where the comms would need to be.

Billy Bonds claret blue army ⚒️

Rest in peace.

Nigel Farage MP on X: "We stand ready to fix Broken Britain. This is my letter to the nation. https://t.co/shUDozZv5D" / X We stand ready to fix Broken Britain. This is my letter to the nation. https://t.co/shUDozZv5D

Imagery in this is pretty telling in who Reform sees as its voters, as is continual reference to small business.

Farage speaking with a register which I've not heard from him before.

x.com/Nigel_Farage...

Opportunity for Mayors with the visitor levy to draw a clear link between that and visible local improvements.

Playgrounds are good, small things that matter for children and their families. Cross-generational 'social' infrastructure.

They'll also be trialling pooling public service budgets in five MSAs alongside working with Greater Manchester on a prevention demonstrator.

Government hopes that the new Office for the Impact Economy will help to crowd further capital into the Pride in Place programme.

I don't think the hypnotits jokes land for this reason

The empty soul of Britain's Palm Springs Sandbanks is England's most expensive neighbourhood • But at what cost? • A paradise built on imported sand

Really great piece that gets across what the economy, social life (or lack of it), and disparity actually feels like dispatch-media.com/the-empty-so...

NEW! How should Labour respond to the two key issues to voters of the economy and immigration and what are the electoral stakes this week of the budget?

Read on for our answer...

@nprcoxford.bsky.social @jrf-uk.bsky.social

And whilst I do not think Polanski is a Mamdaniesque communicator, he impresses because he at least gets the new media environment and how to operate within it.

What’s underwritten is his attitude to attack and criticism - he takes both lightly - which makes him an evasive political opponent.

On the Greens, clear No.10 and Lab more generally alert to the threat but I do not think fully understand the depth of discontent in its modern urban heartlands and how the vote could collapse.

Richard Feynman once wrote about "Cargo Cult Science" - "they follow all the apparent precepts and forms, but they're missing something essential, because the planes don't land." I wonder if we currently have a Cargo Cult model of messaging and media management in British politics

But within the leadership campaign itself part of his appeal was that he was seen as someone who could appeal to more moderate voters so it's a different dynamic

Three criteria I think are important, sure there are more:

1. Clarity of worldview - everything else basically flows from this.
2. Communicative ability - attentional and other forms.
3. Visibly path to an electoral coalition - ability to appeal to left flank new for more recent contests.

In a future leadership contest Labour MPs + members will need to value candidates ability at attentional politics. The way it'll be covered will put more emphasis on broadcast ability and what the lobby think/deems acceptable. Not that these are totally unimportant but certainly less so than before.

Bright and cold winter's morning listening to England taking wickets in Australia 🙏

Burnham's Today interview bringing this out. Focus on growth in every place and more local deliberation around asylum policy.

The strands may also differ in approaching the common good, through imposition or deliberation for example.

This may then translate into how they approach the party/other parties (scope for disagreement, cooperation).

I don't think the two are mutually exclusive - more compelling when combined.

I'd see Mahmood as more sovereigntist, Burnham as more pluralist.

On the economy, the pluralist strand would be interested in dispersing economic power out from London as well as it being exercised democratically from the centre.

On borders, pluralists might look at ways to open up that debate.

Think Julian Coman is right to identify Mahmood and Burnham as representing two different democratising tendencies in Labour. But the examples he picks (borders + bond markets) actually inadvertently highlight where there's overlap on sovereignty.

There are differences.

Great to see No.10 finally owning the news agenda

Welcome news that the Chancellor is gearing up to invest in children & their futures by fully removing the two child limit. When families hit hard times they should be able to rely on Universal Credit.

It is also the most cost effective way to get child poverty falling this parliament.