Best Of

It's been 14 mins and Andy Burnham still hasn't published part II, this is why he isn't fit to be an MP and the NEC were right to block him.

I am disappointed by today’s NEC decision and concerned about its potential impact on the important elections ahead of us.

To whoever is Labour’s candidate and to our members in Manchester and Tameside: you will have my full support and I will be there whenever you need me.

1/2

https://x.com/AndyBurnhamGM/status/2015480192093831340

Just appeared now


Tomorrow I return with full focus to my role as Mayor of GM, defending everything we have built in our city-region over many years.

I decided to put myself forward to prevent the divisive politics of Reform from damaging that. We are stronger together and let’s stay that way. 💪🏻

..

I also have anecdotal evidence of USians looking to move to more welcoming countries.

Similarly, anyone in the UK with a mixed race family who doesn't have a backup plan for what happens if a) Reform win and b) start getting a bit too excitable is a fool.

It's a great shame that Sir National Security risk has seen fit to legitimise these sorts of sentiments about Reform amongst his dwindling band of imbecile supporters. It will cause a great deal of distress to many people, and will delude many others that things like cancelled elections are an acceptable tactic in the face of this completely unevidenced 'racist threat'. It'll get very nasty before the Labour Party is finally flushed.

Reform have talked about emulating ICE, who have been taking US citizens into detention. Reform politicians routinely question whether Black and Asian people are appropriately loyal to the UK. I have paid no attention to the PM's comments in this area but I can see where Reform is heading and as part of a mixed race family I am of course concerned and wondering about a plan B. I agree that anyone who isn't is complacent in the extreme.

Both Reform and the Tories have spoken of there being a UK version of ICE - the need for such an organisation if 600,000 are to be deported is not an ideological position, it is a simple statement of fact.

Rear Admiral Dr Chris Parry has questioned specific figures' loyalty to the UK - a review of his Twitter feed when this was last discussed shows he has said the same things about people of white British extraction in the same timeframe. On the slightly more significant opposite column in the ledger than one man's Tweets, Reform's 'second in command' is a Muslim of Asian heritage. Its London Mayoral candidate is a Muslim of Egyptian heritage.

Labour's current strategy is one of deligitimising Reform as an electoral option. It has already sanctioned the delaying of elections to counter this 'threat' and it can only get uglier as the gloves come off.

Maybe it will be fine. But maybe isn't good enough when it comes to the safety of my family.

My half-Thai granddaughter wants to come and work here for a few months later this year. Finishes (Bangkok) school in June, off to an Aussie uni in February 2027. Her elder sister hd no problems doing that.
But you're making me wonder! Would she do better going to her Norwegian relatives?

This year is fine.

It is when we become Faragistan that the problems begin.

On that subject, this from Reform's Laila Cunningham is a bit of a headscratcher.

https://bsky.app/profile/nick-pettigrew.bsky.social/post/3mdatlmsqxc23

Obviously copied from King Trump himself, but even weirder.

Incredible line up for this Saudi real estate conference: Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, Richard Branson, Tucker Carlson and Piers Morgan.

https://x.com/rega_ksa/status/2014697827733999907

The Saudis just changed the law to allow foreigners to buy property.

It’s going to be as crazy as the original Dubai property boom from a couple of decades ago.

Buyer beware on the early projects though. There will be those that make millions, and those that either go bust or deliver well short of the sales pitch.

Remember that anyone ‘famous’ who appears in advertising is getting a free house out of it.

Special excusions to chop-chop square where beheadings can be watched after prayers every Friday. Only intending property buyers to apply. No time-wasters and dreamers

Think of the opportunities - if you are up for making adverts for Union Carbide, why not adverts to be projected on the sides of buildings round the beheading sites?

"Wilkinson Sword - for a smooth shave" ?

How's this for a slogan for the next real estate development:

"A stones throw from execution square"

A closer development was cancelled due to government cuts.