David Clark

That’s true, but Italy used to be in the France/Germany column. In fact, they were often singled out as the archetypal stagnant ‘old Europe’ economy. It’s a big change, so I’m interested to know what’s behind it.

I never once saw or heard it used internally within the Foreign Office in four years there as special adviser.

True. Hopefully most Americans will now realise it.

I see people are already panic buying petrol. One local petrol station already out of supply. What is America getting for this chaos?

This should be the end of illusion as far as the Special Relationship goes.

He almost said it yesterday, didn’t he? MAGA c’est moi! MAGA increasingly doesn’t see it that way, it seems.

US strikes on Iran triggered by Israel’s plan to launch attack, Rubio says Democrats disturbed by rationale that Trump ordered pre-emptive strikes out of concern about Tehran retaliation

This is such an odd thing to admit to. It makes the US look weak and will almost certainly accelerate MAGA’s shift towards an overtly hostile attitude to Israel. How can you say ‘America First’, then get dragged into a military quagmire by Netanyahu?
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

On this issue, Trump is more traditional GOP than MAGA, which is becoming openly anti-Israeli and and even anti-Semitic. The open rift with Tucker Carlson and presumably Steve Bannon etc. is interesting.

Rubio is now saying they were bounced into it by Israel, which makes them look incredibly weak. The accidental theory is certainly the only one that works best given what is likely to be the high domestic cost ahead of the midterms. Can’t be rationalised as a considered step.

I think that’s true. If they don’t get regime change, what’s their ‘mission accomplished’ moment that allows them to call an end to it?

There are far more controllable and less risky distractions he could have organised.

I’ve yet to see anyone provide a coherent rationale for why Trump is attacking Iran, and specifically why now. It doesn’t even make sense according to warped MAGA logic or Trump’s own political interests ahead of the midterm elections, since it’s going to hurt the US economy. It’s a total mystery.

And the winner is….. Heart of Midlothian. ❤️🍾

Their dominance has been corrosive, for themselves as much as anyone. They’ve been hollowed out.

Nice to see the Greatest Living Scotsman at Tynecastle today, sporting a maroon tie, indeed. 🙌

The progress of Hearts is just relentless now. Real Duracell Bunny stuff. Now seven points clear at the top with nine games left. ❤️🙌

Who do they think will be impressed by this? It doesn’t impress racists. Everyone else is disgusted. It literally makes no sense.

I at least credit McSweeney with having a viewpoint, rancid thought it is. I don’t think Starmer is independently capable even of that.

McSweeney may have gone, but this response shows that his ugly, bovine style of politics remains the guiding spirit of Starmer’s leadership. No class, no humility, no regret - full steam ahead to the next defeat. Nothing will change until Starmer goes.

The most urgent political task of this era is to unite Europe. England’s refusal to accept that fact means that Scotland must pursue it as an independent country. The Union is a trivial consideration by comparison.

Can anyone explain what part of this is “racially aggravated”? That Palestine should be free? That genocide should be stopped? That Churchill was a Zionist? Or that he was a war criminal? This is another piece of Met Police overreach that will never reach court because it’s bollocks.

I think Burnham would have walked it. I’ve seen much more spectacular by-election results over the last 50 years - all of them ‘breaking the mould’. In reality, there’s a gradual, long-term decline in two-party politics, punctuated be events like this.

A humiliating defeat for Labour for which Starmer should take personal responsibility. He made this a referendum on himself when he blocked the only candidate capable of winning. He must go. More importantly, Labour needs to ditch his policy of deliberately antagonising the party’s own supporters.

This is too much fun.

I’m reading another book about the Nazi era, which again reiterates the role that supposed democrats played in normalising Hitler and accommodating Germany to his emerging dictatorship. The BBC is now guilty of the same moral cowardice in a total betrayal of its public service mission.

I don’t doubt it. He has a salary to justify.

I take your point about the risks of a rule change, but sometimes it’s needed. The back pass rule in 1992 launched an era of attractive football.

Everything you say is true. I don’t blame Arsenal or any team for doing what works within the rules and I don’t even think this is the worst example of the negative trend in tactics. The point of my original tweet is that football is becoming significantly less interesting to watch as a result.

Well, your bio doesn’t tell me much, but your post defending Thomas Partey certainly does.