John Crace

‘Where’s Nige?’ Reform leader skips Commons statement on Ukraine, leaving Tice to face pile-on | John Crace With one former MEP jailed for taking Russian bribes, Reform UK was under the spotlight – so no better time for its leader to make a swift exit

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

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

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Who could possibly have predicted Boris would be an unsuitable PM during Covid?

Familiarity breeds contempt as Shabana does her double act Even Reform MPs failed to show up to hear the home secretary talk about migration, their specialist subject

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

‘I thought the grownups were back in charge!’: John Crace on how Labour shattered his expectations After 14 years of Tory rule, the Guardian’s parliamentary sketch writer thought he had seen it all. Westminster would surely tick along nicely once Keir Starmer’s party took over. How wrong he was ...

'I thought the grownups were back in charge!'

@mrjohncrace.bsky.social on how Labour shattered his expectations: theguardian.com/politics/2025/nov/19/john-crace-on-how-labour-shattered-his-expectations

Crace's newest column collection, The Bonfire of the Insanities, is out now 🔥

A guttural groan in an energy-free zone: sullen resignation haunts PMQs Usually raucous backbenchers snoozed through the session as Keir and Kemi’s exchanges descended into a slanging match

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

‘I thought the grownups were back in charge!’: John Crace on how Labour shattered his expectations After 14 years of Tory rule, the Guardian’s parliamentary sketch writer thought he had seen it all. Westminster would surely tick along nicely once Keir Starmer’s party took over. How wrong he was ...

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Tories and Reform spout imaginary numbers as they fight for attention | John Crace Back-of-an envelope calculations by Kemi Badenoch, Mel Stride and Nigel Farage are nothing but political fever dreams

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Shabana Mahmood puts the signs up: Britain is full. No blacks, no dogs, no Irish We had always given sanctuary to those who needed it, she said, only now we would kick them out as soon as possible

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

@mrjohncrace.bsky.social Thank you for a great session in Manchester tonight. It was very good to see you in person and you managed to be both amusing and sobering at the same time!

Government urged to take control of assisted dying bill as peers warned 900-plus amendments could sink it - www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...

BBC5: The new BBC channel devoted solely to programmes about the BBC

Keir clubs himself with the lead pipe in a Downing Street game of No Cluedo | John Crace The prime minister’s short term memory is shot to pieces. Just who could be behind these dastardly briefings?

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Keir Starmer and his team mount a leadership challenge … to himself | John Crace It’s as if everyone at No 10 has had a collective breakdown, an act of self-harm on an unimaginable scale

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Be fun if the BBC chose to counter sue Trump for £1bn also for defrauding the public

Maybe the BBC can learn a thing or two about fake news from Trump | John Crace The broadcaster didn’t make a very good job of its untruth – possibly because it hasn’t had as much practice

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Weekend listening fun: who's the Horriblest Hun in "1917"? @mrjohncrace.bsky.social has thoughts.
champ.ly/UXbU2ZOP

Why doesn’t Lammy just bring in a new policy of accidentally jailing people? | John Crace Justice secretary seemed to be the only person not being released, as he hid from questions about latest prison mishaps

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

‘I love his cleverness, his wit, and his heart.' Nigella Lawson

The Bonfire of the Insanities lights up a new chapter of governmental absurdity with mordant wit and caustic humour, from the inimitable @mrjohncrace.bsky.social. Out today 🔥 linktr.ee/BonfireoftheInsanities 🔥

Miscounting to six costs Tory stand-in his gotcha against poppy-shock Lammy | John Crace Plucked from obscurity, James Cartlidge messed up his maths while his opposite number had forgotten his politics 101

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Reeves wants to talk about the budget, but she’s taken a vow of white noise | John Crace It must be tough overseeing Schrödinger’s economy, fixing the foundations while also failing to fix them

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

If you don’t laugh, you’ll cry. The perfect gift for anyone in perpetual despair at Westminster’s shenanigans. The Bonfire of the Insanities is the new collection from beloved columnist, @mrjohncrace.bsky.social. Out this week 🔥

Order a signed copy: guardianbookshop.com/the-bonfire-...

Nige is no longer laughing at himself as he ‘performs’ yet another big speech | John Crace Reform leader is trying to make it as a mainstream politician – which involves contradicting himself and gaslighting voters

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

One potential factor in X radicalisation/racism which shouldn’t be ignored is the financial incentive to be outrageous/widely-shared. Rupert Lowe - whose payments we know as he has to declare them - can clear £5,000 a month in X payments.

IWM Podcast Live Festival Immerse yourself in the world of history and storytelling at IWM Podcast Live. This one-of-a-kind event offers a day of live podcast recordings exploring stories from over a century of war and conflict in the iconic IWM London. Whether you’re a history buff or a podcast aficionado IWM Podcast Live...

If you love history and podcasts, join us TOMORROW at the Imperial War Museum's Podcast Festival! We'll be there discussing 1917 with the Guardian's @mrjohncrace.bsky.social , alongside loads of other terrific podcasts. champ.ly/4M5A37Jd

Kemi Badenoch smiles from the stump as she heads towards oblivion | John Crace The relaxed demeanour of the Tory leader suggests she is just relieved that things aren’t worse than they could be

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Farage reclaims centre stage as Reform’s Sarah Pochin keeps the world at bay Nige suffers through lacklustre PMQs to seize the spotlight with drive-by demand to get further away from Europe

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Reform wheels out Danny Kruger, the ‘brains’ of Nigel Farage’s operation | John Crace A man with no experience of government is to prepare the party … to govern. What could possibly go wrong?

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

'''The Tories keep saying we flip-flop', Stamer squeaked. 'So maybe the best thing we can do is to flip-flip. At least that shows we're being consistent.'''

The Bonfire of the Insanities from @mrjohncrace.bsky.social is out soon. Pre-order a signed copy here: guardianbookshop.com/the-bonfire-...

Nige thinks Pochin’s comments were ugly and unpleasant. But he agrees with them | John Crace Reform is no place for racists, and every party has its bad apples. But the benchmark seems to be higher at Farage’s party

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...