Yasmin Ali

The majority opposed to Brexit has reached eight million Ministers need courage to keep it that way

Remainers outnumber Leavers now by a majority of two million.

‘We are told that it would be undemocratic to overturn the 2016 referendum result. After almost ten years, that requires a belief that the votes of the dead count for more than the views of the young.’
open.substack.com/pub/kellnerp...

Perhaps, certainly for the core of his party (I think they’ve just had to dismiss a ReFuk council leader for no worse). But the magic support level that can get them over the 30% needed to scrape into power may be repelled by some of this. Especially potential female voters.

I’ll never forget the look of hatred Nigel Farage had for me at school, simply for existing The Reform UK leader doubts people can recall their abuse from years ago. I’ve never forgotten his – it felt malicious

‘I’ll never forget the look of hatred he had for me, seemingly simply for existing. Without knowing my name but just looking at me with what appeared to be no appreciation of my humanity and simply because of how I looked.’
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Visual thinking: the strategy that could help you spot misinformation and manipulated images We are entering an era where seeing is no longer believing.

‘This strategy doesn’t guarantee “truth.” It cultivates habits of mind that resist manipulation: curiosity, evidence-based reasoning and tolerance for ambiguity.’
theconversation.com/visual-think...

Why economic insecurity – not immigration – should be Labour’s top electoral priority Feelings of economic insecurity serve as a signal of poor government performance.

It’s not immigration, stupid….
theconversation.com/why-economic...

Coming soon to Liverpool…

GB News urged to cut ties with contributor accused of racism Rightwing activist claimed Commons deputy speaker Nusrat Ghani should be barred because she was born in Pakistan

Pity they didn’t find a Tory front bencher to defend their colleague & call this out.
‘Liam Walker, an Oxfordshire Conservative councillor, responded on X by saying: “Lucy is a racist. No broadcaster should put this racist on TV to spread her despicable hatred.”’
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...

Just listened with mounting irritation to Kemi B on Political Thinking with Nick Robinson. Turned off half way through as she got onto her odd theological beliefs. She certainly does politics, but thinking seems an alien concept to her.

Nigel Farage’s alleged teenage comments are a distraction from the damage of his politics Reports of such appalling behaviour – and Farage’s reaction – give us an insight into the leader of the UK’s rising far-right party.

‘Public figures cross the line before denying intent or pretending they are “just asking questions”. This strategy allows them to make their ideas enter the mainstream public discourse, while facing few real risks of repercussion or accountability.’
theconversation.com/nigel-farage...

Kinnock voice - "I’ll tell you what happens with impossible promises. You start with far-fetched resolutions....and you end up in the grotesque chaos of a Labour government, a *Labour* government, rejecting visas for homeless 8 yr olds trying to joing their parents"

I wince every time I hear Kemi. That brittle veneer of self-confidence barely shields her empty core. How long can she keep this up? How long will her party let her go on embarrassing herself?

Want!

Watching Victoria Derbyshire interview Harriet Baldwin is like watching Wittgenstein trying to interrogate a squirrel.

Crypto hoarders dump tokens as shares tumble ‘Digital asset treasury’ craze sours amid $1tn rout in cryptocurrency market

"95 per cent of digital asset treasuries “will go to zero”.

on.ft.com/3XDj9v7 Crypto hoarders dump tokens as shares tumble

Fascinating. They end with speculation that technological change now is a challenge to nation states. I’d add the climate crisis to that.
theconversation.com/the-real-rea...

Goodnight!

The original plan was to have devolved government in Scotland and Wales, subject to a vote, then to roll out regional devolution in the English regions starting with the NE. That referendum was defeated by a clever right wing campaign led by an unknown Dominic Cummings. The whole plan was dropped.

Join us! Devolving growth: What are the challenges and opportunities for new strategic authorities?

This event will bring together an expert panel to explore how new strategic authorities can deliver local economic growth.
🎟️
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/devolv...

Great new job going at IfG - check out all the details below!

BBC finds its happy place inflicting latest round of self-harm | John Crace Chair Samir Shah is a picture of misery before MPs while Robbie Gibb proves the master of deflection

‘There had been no boardroom takeover of the BBC by the right. It was just the right were the only people who could be trusted to run the corporation.’
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...?

Samir Shah at the Select Committee looked like a rabbit in the headlights.

Next to him Robbie Gibb looked like the fox behind the wheel.

Flagship? Very clearly!
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/24/r...

YouTube video by Film Trailer Channel The Harder They Come (1972) Trailer | Jimmy Cliff | Janet Bartley

RIP Jimmy Cliff
youtu.be/_sXLFEkfvGE?...

A Sivanandan spoke the truth for many Brits of colour when he coined the phrase, “We are here because you were there”. That’s why we identify with the name of the project that resulted in us, rather than the sub-state nations that were greedy participants in the imperial project.

It’s because all our lives those who choose to be demonstrative about their Englishness use it openly and explicitly as an ‘ethnic’, blood & soil label to exclude us. The exception is in sport. Whereas the Union flag has been claimed over decades by prominent athletes of colour.

My serious point, which I made flippantly, is that there was a curious public relief in the early part of the pandemic response, once government started actually to do something, which showed a longing for firm, even stern, leadership. It wasn’t what we got, of course.

Covid? Did people ‘enjoy’ the comforting experience of Chris Whitty telling us to stay at home, the PM showing us how to wash our hands? Communal weekly pan-bashing? Furlough?

‘Gill…also enlisted four other European Parliament lawmakers …three Britons and one German, to give interviews to 112 Ukraine, a TV channel owned by an associate of Medvedchuk, with Voloshyn describing his work as "outstanding", London's Old Bailey court was told.’
www.reuters.com/world/uk/for...