Jim Pickard

I have questions

good morning

Keir Starmer criticised over stance on US-Israel strikes on Iran UK prime minister has adopted a much more ambivalent approach than other western allies

Lord Peter Ricketts, former head of the Foreign Office:

“If you’re going to attack a country you have to show it is in self-defence and that there is some kind of imminent threat. You can’t make that case here…An indifference to international law is dangerous.”

www.ft.com/content/b988...

brilliantly sceptical analysis as always from @gideonrachman.bsky.social on Trump’s big military gamble

www.ft.com/content/4371...

So do I

I think their ephemeral nature is what makes them so special

I love magnolia season

Wife of Starmer’s comms chief had direct knowledge of Labour Together’s investigation into journalists Tory and SNP chiefs call for Labour minister Simons to ‘come clean’ as we reveal new details of PR firm’s campaign to discredit journalists

Wow. Josh Simons has resigned as govt minister

Follows weeks of reporting by Democracy for Sale and others about how he paid PR firm to smear journalists investigating Labour Together

Huge thanks to all our supporters. Couldn’t have done it without you
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/starmer-al...

At least with the Iraq war, they prepared a dossier

The real threat to democracy doesn't come from 'family voting'. It comes from the losing side refusing go accept they've lost

No doubt Tulsi Gabbard is drafting her resignation letter as we speak.

🚨 WATCH: Raw footage captures the exact moment an explosion rocks near the U.S. naval base in Bahrain#Iran #USA #Bahrain #USNavy #MiddleEast #BreakingNews #israel

US and Israel launch ‘massive’ strikes on Iran as Trump calls for regime change US president urges Iranians to ‘take over your government’

Donald Trump called on Iranians to overthrow their government as the US and Israel launched air strikes in what the president described as a “massive and ongoing operation” against the Islamic regime on Saturday morning

www.ft.com/content/2fb3...

Look, I don't know if this is true... I just want it to be

I reckon you can pretty accurately carbon date the folk on here who's first thought on seeing this is "Westland"

pigeon

Private Eye very good this week on Fleet St hindsight

MPs were also talking about helicopters 40 years ago today

Rachel Reeves to sign off £1bn Leonardo helicopter contract Chancellor wants to ensure that UK defence spending protects jobs and investment, say Treasury officials

exclusive:

Rachel Reeves will on Friday sign off a £1bn defence contract that will be crucial for the survival of Britain’s last military helicopter manufacturing site in Yeovil

www.ft.com/content/a915...

someone made this argument? with a straight face?

you would never guess from this that Labour got 15 times as many votes as the Tories in this (otherwise disastrous) election

someone on Sky News just pointed out that Labour/Tories/Lib Dems took total of 27% in Gorton

while Reform/Green (aka "fringe parties") took over 70%

thanks very much, appreciate it!

interesting that new Green MP Hannah Spencer talks almost entirely about public services, cost of living, NHS, the grind of making ends meet....

and hardly ever mentions ecological/environmental issues....

this is the pivot that scares Labour the most

note how the Tories and Libs Dems weren’t even on the pitch in Gorton

Green Party got 47% in the Gorton & Denton by-election

their previous highest by-election result anywhere, ever, was just 10%

EU’s anti-fraud agency set to investigate Peter Mandelson Probe into former commissioner for trade is expected to be wide-ranging

Exclusive

The European Commission has requested that the EU’s anti-fraud agency investigate Lord Peter Mandelson’s actions while he was serving in Brussels as the British commissioner for trade between 2004 and 2008. 

www.ft.com/content/85b9...

EU’s anti-fraud agency set to investigate Peter Mandelson Probe into former commissioner for trade is expected to be wide-ranging

Exclusive

The European Commission has requested that the EU’s anti-fraud agency investigate Lord Peter Mandelson’s actions while he was serving in Brussels as the British commissioner for trade between 2004 and 2008. 

www.ft.com/content/85b9...

How will British history remember this political scandal? Fresh revelations can initially seem bigger than past indiscretions, from Partygate to MPs’ expenses

an incredible 391 MPs and peers had to pay back expenses

and 7 went to jail

this is why this still feels like the high watermark of 21st century my UK political scandal

(for now)

My column today:

www.ft.com/content/8c5e...

How will British history remember this political scandal? Fresh revelations can initially seem bigger than past indiscretions, from Partygate to MPs’ expenses

an incredible 391 MPs and peers had to pay back expenses

and 7 went to jail

this is why this still feels like the high watermark of 21st century my UK political scandal

(for now)

My column today:

www.ft.com/content/8c5e...