Atul Hatwal

Part of the rationale for such a crazy Tory line (beyond Kemi believing it) is that they're petrified of more MPs defecting so they're going hard on their far right creds. Which then perpetuates the Mini-Me Reform act making it much harder to eat into Reform's vote...or hold on to their MPs

A senior Danish guy in the Social Democrats said to me that Denmark does not think of itself as a multicultural country whereas Britain does, which makes our situation very different.

"It’s close in Denton and Gorton, but Labour’s still in the game" Really good dispatch from the front by Kev Meagher (he spent, several hours canvassing yesterday). TL;DR It's there to be won labour-uncut.co.uk/2026/02/23/i...

"It’s close in Denton and Gorton, but Labour’s still in the game" Really good dispatch from the front by Kev Meagher (he spent, several hours canvassing yesterday). TL;DR It's there to be won labour-uncut.co.uk/2026/02/23/i...

Is there...is there a garden? For £5m, any like grass or outside space that isn't tarmac driveway? I see in the details a garden room, but philosophically, can there be a garden room, when there seems to be no garden

This is so sad. For those that know him, Tim Carter's illness has returned and he's very ill. If you venture over to the other place, his family are reading out messages to him x.com/forwardnotba...

I wondered about this. Greens will obvs have known who 5 Pillars are. Why do it now, having not done it earlier in the campaign? Maybe because pull in Gorton for Muslim vote isn't what they want, so guard rails down

5 Pillars are absolutely rancid, and you have to assume that the very online people around @zackpolanski.bsky.social knew who they were when arranging this. Polanski himself is usually quick to react to any badmouthing on here, but not this time, so what of it?

The Green Party has shared a a video interview with 5 Pillars. It features the leader, Zack Polanski, Deputy Leader Mothin Ali and Gorton & Denton candidate Hannah Spencer

"5 Pillars" runs a Podcast called "Blood Brothers", which has hosted some of Britain's most notorious neo-Nazis & far right activists, like Nick Griffin (BNP), Mark Collett (Patriotic Alternative) & Jayda Fransen (ex-Britain First), to rant about Jews.
Now the Greens are cosying up to them.

Ah, times change. When I started at the Commons, 1st day 1994, admiring stories told by old hands about wily Scottish MP who'd have an annual 'fire'/'flood' in the constit office, casework backlog would all be lost (94 nat disaster just happened). "If it was important they'll get back in touch"

Was the standard in the commentary for Jonty Rhodes for years, every time he did one of his amazing catches

TL;DR the principle of making sure you're not being unfairly targeted is fine. The practice of flamming up a poor piece of work that doesn't find anything, less so

I think it's legit for any org, to understand the priors of someone that attacks them, esp if that org is in a contentious campaign (as long as no law broken). That the conclusions here seem duff is the same as biased media reportung and reflects badly on those who tried to pretend otherwise

Lot of truth to this

Finally. When someone says something obviously racist they are called out as a racist without any tortured both-sidesing or legitimate-concerning. Good job @annaturley.bsky.social

Could Starmer be entering his Theoden phase. Wormtongue booted, cobwebs cleared away, ride out to meet the enemy? I know, unlikely, but you can hope

This guy can get in the bin

Hobby horse of mine is that we'll see similar in the world of substacks. Multiple combine, covering different subjects but with a common sensibility, to create...a newspaper

I'd endorse this. Was talking to some Portfolio Managers yesterday and this is very much consensus. Paradox is, to rapidly shift these priors, someone like Rayner (applies equally to Burnham) might have to be even more orthodox in short term

In fairness, I do know why he didn't go for a deal. He's getting drek advice (and following it) which involves the political equivalent of walking slowly into machine gun fire while humming Rule Britannia

(2/2) Rayner will know the level of poison that will be poured on her by the media if she takes the crown. Being (genuinely) central to No.10 decision-making via a deal, big portfolio, patronage for her people etc would surely have been attractive. Might still be

For the life of me I cannot understand why Starmer didn't try do a Major-Heseltine deal with Rayner months ago (obvs would have involved actually including her in decisions and listening to her) Has been his best path for stable govt since last Autumn at least. Prob too late now (1/2)

And even with the Whips' feedback, there's little faith anything positive flows through to Cab or Number 10. It's a one-way ratchet, only bad things flow up to the higher powers and resonate from the Whips, little that's good

V true. Also: the absence of any proper performance feedback. Beyond a note from a Cab member or a smile from someone important in the lobby/tea room, there's zilch. Anyone who's worked in any normal workplace would be appalled and is why so many MPs spin around in their own heads and go mad

Just stupid from every possible perspective: policy wise and politically.

The proposals appear designed to be watered down - but even then I am unsure they get through a hostile PLP.

So you're likely to get at least 2 sets of u-turn headlines, entirely undercutting the political point

I’ve written this lengthy FT analysis overnight about the multiple multi-thousand pound Epstein payments to Mandelson’s husband

these particular paragraphs are worth reading slowly

www.ft.com/content/608a...

This is such an interesting piece viewed from a UK Labour perspective. Such familiar narrative beats as the left divides and sub-divides, but with unfamiliar names and locations. Is there a comparable US reference point to the People's Front of Judea?

The Gorton and Denton by-election: a tale of two Manchesters? Unpopular incumbent + fragmented opposition + unusual seat = unpredictable contest

New Swingometer! The Gorton and Denton By-election: A tale of Two Manchesters

open.substack.com/pub/swingome...

Saw it in 23, then again in 24 when it was apparently a real (as in he wanted a seat), saw a little last year about how David M would have helped the grip things (around the time of the Liz Lloyd/Downing St policy unit tensions). In fairness that latter one only half qualifies