Best Of

I’m not alone in my consuming Starmer-phobia

“I have worked with, and written about, politicians for more than 35 years. Of all the prime ministers who’ve been in power in that time, I’ve admired a few, agreed with some, disliked others and disagreed with many.

“But no matter what their party, as a rule I’ve thought these men and women deserved credit for going into politics. At its heart it is a noble profession, despite the opprobrium it attracts.

“I’ve always respected the fact that they held the highest elected office in the land, from Harold Wilson (PM when I was born in 1964) onwards – even if Liz Truss pushed that respect to its limits.

“Sir Keir Starmer is my 13th prime minister. And for the first time, I do not merely disagree with the head of government, but despise him.”

It goes on. And on

Stephen Pollard, Daily Mail

I hold no candle for Starmer. I was dissing him before the election. But I think that says more about Pollard than it does about Starmer.

The British right have reacted very badly to the general election result. There's been no introspection about how and why they failed in government. About why they deserved the crushing result at GE2024. About what went so very wrong that they made Liz Truss Prime Minister.

Jumping off the deep end and competing with each other as to who can despise Starmer more is simply a way to avoid facing these uncomfortable questions. It is pathetic.

Ive been entertaining myself with the shortest first class steps from Jimmy Anderson to WG Grace in first class cricket so im going to bore you with it

Jimmy played with
Alec Stewart Who played with and against
Ian Botham who played with
Brian Close (Somerset 1976) who played against
Bob Wyatt (MCC vs Yorkshire 1949) who played with
Wilfred Rhodes (Gower xi vs touring Australians 1930) who's first test was
WG Graces last test

I think that's the shortest route between the Goats

Very good!

It would be interesting to do a political Kevin Bacon on this

"X was in a Cabinet with X who was in a Cabinet with Gladastone/Disraeli/Pitt/Wellington"

Identifying big leaps is key to that. Obviously Churchill will be a key leap he gets you to Asquith and then Gladstone, the route back to Churchill goes through Ken Clarke I guess and somene In The 1980s cabinet that gets us to the pre 1966 cabinet?

Gladstone also had an enormously long political career, a minister in 1841, still prime minister in 1894!

So you could probably get back to the 18th century fairly quickly

Jeremy Corbyn joined the Labour Party in 1965 - a year before we won the World Cup - and he's still an MP today. Amazing to contemplate such longevity. He's probably been to more political meetings than anybody in history.

"He's probably been to more political meetings than anybody in history."

And that's just in the last three months.