Jon

‘We defeated the parties of billionaire donors’: Hannah Spencer’s victory speech ‘We don’t have to fight dirty to fight for change,’ says Green party’s new MP after Gorton and Denton byelection win

Hannah Spencer’s victory speech is remarkable. And what's depressing is that nobody in Labour would or should say anything different.

Starmer's just not communicating effectively enough. Burnham would have won the seat.

share.google/uFfO8Zr1ToBi...

I have to say, having followed your posts here for a while, that I was rather surprised on first read!!!!

This is a defining moment for Starmer. One country bombing another - no matter how odious its regime - without approval under international law can never be acceptable.

With its attacks on Iran, the USA has its eye off the ball when it comes to its NATO commitments at a time of seriously heightened tension.

Putin must be grinning from ear to ear pondering what to do in the next few days in the Baltics or Poland. I dread to think...

I've visited Tehran, Qom and Isfahan of the five cities the US has just attacked. Isfahan is a World Heritage Site andd is so incredibly beautiful.

Ordinary Iranians are the loveliest, most welcoming people you could wish to meet. I so hope not too many of them are hurt or killed in these bombings.

The Iranian regime is appalling.

But were I from the USA, I'd be demanding to know what direct threat Iran posed to my country.

Because it appears that they've just gone to war with Iran with no legal justification, on behalf of Israel.

And that appears to make the USA more of a target, not less.

Omg I read that as
definitely not "punching someone"
rather than
definitely "not punching someone"

!!

Such a privilege to see the very first performance of "One Day: The Musical" @lyceumedinburgh.bsky.social . So lucky to notice it was on opposite my hotel, and to find that there was one unsold ticket.

The whole thing is brilliant, but Jamie Muscato and Sharon Rose are sensational as the leads.

I think it would be amazing from any seat in the house! It's absolutely brilliant.

It's sensational.

Same from here!

Excited for the second half!

What's the view like down there?

Absolutely adored the first half up here in the Circle!

On the basis of the first half of the first preview, I confidently predict that the musical adaptation of "One Day" is going to win every Olivier going when it gets to the West End.

I just noticed that it's on at the theatre opposite my Hotel room. And they had one ticket left.

Had to be done...

Labour MP Ian Byrne: "The lines from the PM and Cabinet today essentially labelling the Green Party as extremist is appalling, desperate and frankly embarrassing.

"It also makes very clear that the leadership has zero understanding of where it has been going wrong."

So there's a theatre opposite my hotel.

Tonight's the first night of the musical of "One Day", a book I've always thought would be too sad to read.

The lead singer of Deacon Blue is performing the music.

There was one seat left. For £25.

Felt like fate was dragging me across the street!

My last seven nights have been in Skopje, London, home, Birmingham, Bristol, home and Edinburgh.

I travel a lot. But even by my standards, this has been ridiculous.

The east coast main line between Durham and Edinburgh has to be one of the most beautiful stretches of railway in the world, especially on a clear sunny day like today.

And a damned fine breakfast too!

Train just went through Grantham. Always annoys me when I notice.

Easy to overlook that the by-election result was a disaster for the Tories, who only managed 607 votes compared to Reform's 10,578. Badenoch clearly doesn't resonate with voters on the right.

Reform UK councillors just approved West Northamptonshire 2025-26 budget😔

✅ 4.95% Council Tax rise

🅿️ Free weekend parking in Northampton scrapped

🌳 Charities/voluntary groups now charged for green spaces

♿️ Free Blue Badge parking axed- Northampton

♻️ Garden waste charges up ⬆️

Hillary Clinton’s fire and fury opening statement to the House Oversight Committee.

After the disaster of Brexit and 14 years of Tory mismanagement, 48% of the electorate still want to vote for two parties that are a long way to the right. I despair.

"I found that Mr Hitler to be perfectly charming."

Actually, the King quite literally is above the law.

It seems pretty clear, tbh.

He wasn't arrested for involvement in the abuse of women by Epstein.

He was arrested for misconduct in public office, as was Andrew last week. Totally different.

In what way is it no longer true?

So many men abused women. The only person prosecuted in relation to the abuse is a woman. That seems to be the bigger issue here.