Tony Cross

I'm still of an opinion there should be a Book Prize - let's call it Booker 50 - which rewards the book from 50 years ago that has stood the test of time. I think it takes at least that long for a book to really establish its worth.

This sounds fascinating. The only value I can see in being incredibly wealthy is being able to buy all the books you want and being able to afford the shelves to put them on. (Oh, and giving money to good causes.)

Luke Akehurst is a despicable shit. One of the few joys in the collapse of the Labour Party is knowing that smug cunt will lose his seat.

So, the Paedo Republic and the Israeli govt are going to arm the Kurds so that they can do the dying on their behalf whilst destabilising Iran for...years. And that isn't going to piss of Turkey in any way? Or Iraq?

Sorry, can't feel very sorry for a transphobe when her husband gets arrested.

They've learned nothing from the last thirty years. All this does is de-stabilise a country (which the Israeli govt likes even though I don't see how that makes them safer) and leave a vacuum into which even worse people can rush. I hope there is a hell for all these terrible shits to suffer in.

I'm not a fan of Starmer's but listening to Badenoch I think I'd rather he was PM than her at this point because we'd be properly involved in bombing Iran if she or Farage were in charge.

Israel is targeting critical infrastructure and police stations- these targets don’t pose security threat but are about reducing state capacity.

Israeli government has also threatened to assassinate the next head of state in Iran. This is apparently also fine but I suspect if Iran said 'we'll assassinate Netanyahu' all hell would break loose. Once again the rules for the Israel govt and armed forces are different, e.g. they can have nukes

The IDF has now decided to expand into Lebanon, including as it says here the entire city of Tyre. They'll probably start settling it illegally because a long dead God promised land to them a long time ago. At this point the Israeli government can do what it likes though.

I started reading The Remembered Soldier by Anjet Daanje, translated by David McKay. It's on the International Booker Prize Longlist for 2026. I finished the first chapter, which is beautifully written.

War! What is it good for! Absolutely...oh, keeping corrupt old white men out of prison. It's pretty good for that.

Nick Robinson is a terrible interviewer. Has been for a long time. Only ever looking for a gotcha, never properly challenging his interviewees - especially the fash ones. It's all too comfy.

Labour drop to 4th in the polls. That might be the result of their response to being drubbed at a by-election being to send their Home Secretary out dressed like some dystopian fascist dictator to announce that refugee status is now time limited.

The UN needs to move to Geneva.

Farage just copies Trump's rhetoric on everything. He's an American, not a British politician. He hates integration with Europe but would suck Trump's mushroomy cock if he was asked.

Enjoy the latest @smershpod.com on Independence Day. I was wondering if @johnrain.co.uk had heard the BBC Radio 'Independence Day UK' starring Colin Baker (amongst others), which helps explains why the British pilots end up where they are.

America spent decades lecturing the world on being the greatest democracy in the world and how its Constitution was fabulous and the whole political class - bar a handful of people - surrendered to a mad King in less than a year. You had a revolution to stop this kind of thing 250 years ago.

Listening to a paedo President lecturing a British PM on anything is offensive beyond belief. The fact that Americans - or not enough Americans - seem bothered their President is a rapist and a paedophile is a indictment of a whole country. Especially those in it who claim to be Christians.

The British government's obsession with AI is so stupid and it'll fuck us badly when the AI bubble bursts. But not quite as much as the US I suspect.

Trump has showed how delusional people are who think Britain can survive outside the EU.

So that Iran v USA game in the World Cup? That’s going to happen?

To be honest with a handful of exceptions most football is dull to watch for most of a game. This is even more true if your team isn’t involved. You’re rewarded for the boredom by the occasional moments of spectacular joy.

The way I’ve always thought of it is that everyone and everything has a history and taking the study of that seriously often opens up new insights. Like all those social history of Britain books that never seemed to notice sport or television for years.

I finished Saladin Ahmed's 'Throne of the Crescent Mood' this lunchtime. Not saying much as we're going to discuss it as part of our reading group but it is nice to see a setting for fantasy that isn't Northern European. (Which is on me for slipping out of the fantasy reading habit for 20+ years.)

I have never known a government with such a large majority that is so frightened of doing anything unless it is something that will alienate its core vote. I'm looking forward to the massacre in May in Scotland, Wales, and council elections and hearing the Home Secretary announce concentration camps

Creating a power vacuum in a large nation state is always a recipe for a happy ending.

(Read that it the most dripping sarcastic tone of voice you can apply.)

Breaking News: Shabana Mahmood is going to show how hardcore she is on immigration, despite the defeat in a by-election, by deporting her own parents and then herself.

The question, as always, with America/Israel aiming for regimen change is do you have a plan? Because Israel seems to be killing opposition politicians. Perhaps because Israel thinks a chaotic mess in Iran is better for them. I'd argue that is madness.

This. The desire for Starmer to behave like The Prime Minister in Love Actually takes no account of the realities of dealing with a Mad King from a position of post-Brexit diplomatic isolation.