"While undertaking perhaps the most serious and fraught US military operation in two decades, the administration has delivered anything but clarity."

Read more analysis: https://cnn.it/46AUj3O

Four U.S. soldiers have tragically fallen in Donald Trump's reckless, chaotic war with Iran.

California salutes the courage and enduring sacrifice of our service members and their loved ones.

But our Commander in Chief? Don't worry, he's focused on what really matters: himself.

Lib Dem Leader Ed Davey:

"Tax exiles like Isabel Oakeshott and washed up old footballers who mock ordinary people who stay in the UK and pay our taxes... As we protect them, it's only right for tax exiles to start paying taxes to fund our armed forces, just like the rest of us".

When in fact it's reform voters who are much more likely not to work, than your green or labour voter.

Depressing as it is to accept, people are no cleverer or less gullible now than they were when snake oil was an actual thing.

Reform win a seat: The true Volk have spoken and we all must listen.

Greens win a seat: Early reports that Muslims may have ‘voted’ (an ancient Islamic practice designed to steal elections). How severely should the franchise be limited in response?

Christopher who? In May, a party founded eight years ago, with no record in national government and only eight MPs, will fight elections in Wales and Scotland, and for control of councils across England, with every chance of winning many of them. British politics is being reshaped by Reform UK. This is a result of Nigel Farage's personality and of Christopher Harborne's money - £9m, from a fortune amassed largely through cryptocurrency investments. The party would not be able to field candidates, run social media operations or door-to-door campaigns if it weren't for the Harborne war chest. There is a template for crypto-funded campaigning - in the US, where it is viewed as having led to securing crypto-friendly legislation and sweetheart deals to enrich crypto charlatans and undermine transparency and accountability in politics. Reform threatens to destroy the Conservatives as a party of government and divide communities, increasingly along ethnic lines and with overtly racist arguments. It also poses the most serious threat to Keir Starmer's government, Harborne lives in Thailand and owns a 12% stake in the Tether stablecoin. Little else is known about this intensely private man. Yet he can influence the course of politics, seemingly without either much of a business or life in the UK. It's a lot like overseas interference in British democracy. Didn't someone once say: "Take back control"?

From yesterday's Observer.

OK, the Gorton and Denton by-election, I have some thoughts!

Let's take a look at some of the FACTS and burst a few of the more ridiculous takes doing the rounds

But first up, can we acknowledge just what bad losers Reform are?!🤣

Right, let's get started...

🧵 1/

That seems like very good news. Is there data on whether this affects transplant outcomes?

Absolutely hilarious 😆 So predictable

No Ukip election petition in Oldham in 2015.
No Brexit Party election petition in Peterborough in 2019
nor Reform in Rochdale 2024.
Nor Gorton/Denton

Electoral integrity should be taken v seriously. Shouting fraud while never producing any evidence does not do that.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-poli...

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🌼 Dydd Gŵyl Dewi hapus i chi gan bawb yn Newyddion S4C

If I were a head of state, I would think setting a precedent that assassination is a legitimate tool of state competition would be unwise

First paragraph contradicts the next two 🤔

FACT OF THE DAY. 28 February 1953. Francis Crick and James Watson announced to friends that they had determined the chemical structure of DNA. They were later criticised for failing to fully acknowledge the important contribution of Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins to their research.

Venezuela was also a weekend. Same reasoning?

It is remarkable isn't it? Inconceivable in (any?) other Western democracies to use this as a cynical political tool to win elections.

Which Swedish billionaire?

For a party that ostensibly wants to be popularist, they either:

(a) have no idea what's popular with their target electorate, or,

(b) think their target electorate is too stupid to understand the implications of their policies.

Reform UK plans to scrap Renters' Rights Act spark fury Reform UK has pledged to scrap the Renters' Rights Act if the party secures power. It has angered renters waiting for no-fault eviction ban.

Reform plans to rip up Renters’ Rights Act after tenants wait years for no-fault evictions ban

I also really appreciated part of the Reform pitch to struggling, working voters who rent, explicitly being "we're going to crush you, completely."

McSweeneyesque genius.

I like him being called Niggle Farage... a slight but persistent annoyance

Together at the polling booth?
That's my understanding of what's being described.

How is it resolved? In the case of elderly or infirm voters, do they just not get to vote at the polling station?

Which candidate did you support, Sun?

So this is incidences of more than 1 person being at a booth at the same time? Someone showing or telling the other where to put their X?

Thanks for replying. I had seen those screenshots, but I still don't know *precisely* what was observed? "Collusion" between family members at the polling station??

Yes I'm not sure I understand this either. Is there a more specific description of what happened? I'm envisaging relatives at different booths calling across the polling station to each other 😁

That's good. That's very good. 😁👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽