Ben Quinn

Survivors of Ireland’s mother and baby homes start to have benefits cut in UK after accepting compensation Exclusive: Campaigners urge Keir Starmer to back ‘Philomena’s Law’ to protect payments for up to 13,000 survivors living in Britain

Survivors of Ireland’s mother & baby homes start having benefits cut in UK after accepting Irish state compensation

Exc. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

Oof! Almost an embarrassing defeat there for Italy against one of the minnows #sixnations

And @survation.bsky.social

Most Reform members believe non-white UK citizens born abroad should be forced or encouraged to leave, poll finds Nigel Farage’s attempts to appeal to centre-ground voters may cause tension in his party, according to Hope Not Hate

54% of Reform members believe non-white UK citizens born abroad should be forced or encouraged to leave
- first public poll of members of Nigel Farage’s party

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

Labour MPs demand Starmer change direction after humiliating byelection loss The Green candidate, Hannah Spencer, overturned a 13,000 Labour majority to win the Gorton and Denton seat

First time since 1945 that neither Labour / Tories finished 1st or 2nd in a by election

The old world is dying, & the new world struggles to be born etc
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

UK far right lines up behind Rupert Lowe in challenge to Reform MP who fell out with Nigel Farage and has backing of Elon Musk launches anti-immigration party in Great Yarmouth

Made a trip to Great Yarmouth to hear Rupert Lowe launch his new national party
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Risky.. Starmer might be in China but he still has a phone

David Lammy standing in at PMQs describing Tory MPs defecting to Reform as “the most disgraceful” transfer saga since Sol Campbell left Spurs

Now bigger than Sinn Fein, but smaller than the SNP
“.. in this interregnum a great variety of morbid symptoms appear”

Tories criticised over claim Braverman defected to Reform after ‘mental health’ issues Statement, since withdrawn, followed ex-minister becoming third Conservative MP to join Farage’s party in just over a week

Suella Braverman arrives ‘home’ after leaving ‘a party of left leaning social democrats’
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Suella Braverman has joined Nigel Farage on stage at a reform event
“I feel like I’ve come home ..”

Indeed. The comfort blanket of one’s online echo chamber of choice can be hard habit to kick

‘Enough already’: Jenrick’s defection gets mixed reception from Reform members Some supporters are concerned about the number of Conservatives being welcomed by their party, and fear it could alienate voters

Reform grassroots on Jenrick:
Generally positive/minority annoyed

Farage: “I’m teaching [Zia Yusuf] forgiveness”
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Robert Jenrick launches his leadership campaign at Reform HQ

And, after a hug from Lee Anderson, Jenrick is finally on the podium in a packed Reform UK room

A false start for the political history books ..

There will be a Labour defection next week says Farage, as we continue to wait

Waiting for … Jenrick

Nadia Zahawi defects to Reform

Ok, Mayor of London is just trolling him now ..

Greenland's energy minister is to come to Westminster next week to make a direct appeal for support from British MPs in the face of Trump's threats to annex the territory

Nigel Farage unveils former Tory councillor Laila Cunningham as the Reform London mayoral candidate

(Not a surprise)

Regime change

Leading UK far-right activist spoke at Russian extreme nationalist event Exclusive: Patriotic Alternative’s Mark Collett addressed forum along with ideologue described as ‘Putin’s brain’

Exc.
British far-right activist spoke at Russian extreme nationalist event convened by Putin linked oligarch

www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

Start of year predictions are usually a mug’s game

..but Roger Boyes called it
#maduro

!? How does that happen
‘We’ve accidentally joined a Stiff Little Fingers tribute outfit’

Same vibes from the Red Brigades

JD is right. City’s totally lost

Memorable 📖 this year

Number of people who say Britons must be born in UK is rising, study shows Exclusive: Research finds ‘worrying’ surge in support for hard-right narratives on national identity

The rise of ethno-nationalism?

Number of people who believe “Britishness” is something you are born with almost doubles in two years
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025... @ecourea.bsky.social Exc