Naomi Smith

This is an excellent discussion between two people who really seem to know their subjects. Highly recommended.

Labour must include PR in its new Bill, otherwise it's only representation for SOME of the people - West Country Voices The government’s Representation of the People Bill, introduced on 12 February, has been hailed as the biggest expansion of democratic participation in a generation. Cleaner political finance rules and...

"While votes at 16 is a genuinely historic step, how motivated will young voters feel when, for so many, their vote will almost certainly change nothing?

The most powerful thing we could do to engage all voters is to give them a system in which their votes actually matter."

Well said 👇

Whilst 1 in 5 trust Reform UK most to deliver the kind of change they think Britain needs, twice as many (2 in 5) think they would be most likely to deliver the kind of change the country does not need.

You cannot talk like this about any other minority in America.

And if it was any other president’s adviser who said something like this about any other minority, it’d be the instant end of their presidency.

Reform UK is in big trouble – which means it will fight dirtier than ever The Gorton and Denton results should encourage the government to seriously look at introducing an alternative vote syste

Accusations of cheating and sectarianism show that Reform UK pose a danger to our democracy, even in defeat.

https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/green-victory-labour-reform-david-aaronovitch-uk-politics-b2928907.html

Clip from BBC Politics North:

A GP describes how #LongCovid ended her career after she needed a wheelchair within a year of contracting the virus.

She says patients are being forgotten by politicians and the NHS as the last dedicated clinic in the area prepares to close.

One of the best foreign policy podcasts around - do subscribe if you want proper insight from experts rather than just political commentators about what's happening in the world and how it might affect us.

I do struggle to understand Shabana Mahmood: if this was what she came into politics to do, why was it the Labour Party that attracted her? Throughout most of the last 20 years, the Conservatives would've been a much more obvious fit.

If it's not, why's she doing it so zealously?

But it's not permission for intercepting missiles - which we were already doing - it's permission for blowing up launch sites. The offensive/defensive distinction is very blurry.

We know how this plays out. Mass demonstrations, increased terrorist activity, inflation, interest rate freezes/hikes, and a total failure to plan properly for regime change.

IRAN EMERGENCY EPISODE WITH CHARLIE GAMMELL Podcast Episode · Behind The Lines with Arthur Snell · 2 March · 47m

🚨🚨Iran emergency episode with Charlie Gammell🚨🚨

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/b...

🚨🚨Just editing an emergency edition of #BehindtheLines on #Iran with Charlie Gammell. It'll be in your podcast apps by 4am. Don't miss it!🚨🚨

We know how this plays out. Mass demonstrations, increased terrorist activity, inflation, interest rate freezes/hikes, and a total failure to plan properly for regime change.

Starmer's ability to find the exact sweetspot which pisses off everyone is extraordinary. He's a savant.

Informed, intelligent and witty. A treat. It’s raining so listen to this instead.

What can work on asylum is cooperation on routes for returns. Only policy to stop boats: returns to Albania

Mahmood reforms "from Denmark" are a cut+paste copy of Priti Patel's 2022 asylum bill (temp protection for 30 months) before Braverman banned asylum claims, to deal with "pull factors"

But we aren’t talking about hard left. We are talking soft left. We are talking about not shitting on immigrants. Not punching down on welfare recipients. Not avoiding a windfall tax on energy companies.

Sunday School: One thing after another Podcast Episode · Quiet Riot · 1 March · 1h 1m

“There's a blockage somewhere. It sounds that we need a plumber.” @mrkennycampbell.bsky.social 😆

From Quiet Riot: Sunday School: One thing after another, 1 Mar 2026
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/q...
This material may be protected by copyright.

My original post meaning, doing the same thing over & expecting a different result is the definition of madness. They need to change not deliver the change they wrongly identify progressives want/will accept. Because too much of it is what they think rw voters want from them.

Starmer’s reaction on the airwaves yesterday was disastrous and sounded like he was angry with voters. Mahmood doubling down on draconian immigration plans in the morning was similarly tin eared. And so when Wes says we must deliver change appears to be change progressives don’t want.

Sunday School: One thing after another Podcast Episode · Quiet Riot · 1 March · 1h 1m

“I am one of the last holdouts when it comes to insisting on giving the government credit when it does things well… But I just thought Starmer's reaction the next morning was catastrophic. If I had scripted it to go worse, it couldn't.” @sturdyalex.bsky.social 👏

Sunday School: One thing after another Podcast Episode · Quiet Riot · 1 March · 1h 1m

🆕 Sunday School: One thing after another 😱

💥 Iran ... is there a plan for after the chaos?
🗳️ Labour ... is there a strategy beyond denial?

With @sturdyalex.bsky.social & @mrkennycampbell.bsky.social.

#Gorton&Denton

🍏 podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/q...

🎧 open.spotify.com/episode/6gdk...

"You cannot bring democracy by aerial bombardment. The sort of regime change that includes no preparation before, no help during, and no plan for after, is basically just rolling a dice, hoping for sixes."

‘We’re going into a dark place’: Brit awards artists voice alarm over Reform UK’s rise CMAT, Wolf Alice, Wet Leg, Self Esteem and Loyle Carner say musicians should not shy away from politics – with several warning of ‘scary times’ as the far right gains ground Artists including CMAT, Wet Leg, Loyle Carner, Wolf Alice and Self Esteem expressed concern about the rise of Reform UK on the Brit awards red carpet, saying artists should feel empowered to be political. CMAT, nominated for international artist of the year at the ceremony in Manchester, said she was “not a big fan of anyone trying to argue that art is not a political place”. Continue reading...

‘We’re going into a dark place’: Brit awards artists voice alarm over Reform UK’s rise

I think about this Tony Benn speech much more than I used to

The ‘Board of Peace’ started World War 3 so fast.

Evening.

The definition of madness

One to save to photos and share freely with all the MAGA folk:

Israel reporting they also killed Mojtaba Khamenei, Ali's son, who was considered a potential successor.