Best Of

Rachel Reeves beat Rishi Sunak at chess in Davos at 1am this morning
https://x.com/PolitlcsUK/status/2014379649342550137?s=20

...and then they snogged. With actual tongues!

("Love Actually 2", written by Richard Curtis, coming to you Xmas 2026)

Go on. It would be nice to have 2 PBers with a Bad Sex award.

"...Trembling, Sunak reached up to unstrap her bra. "Cool!" thought Sunak: "I'm close to touching a boob! For the second time!". then he paused. "What's wrong?" said Reeves. "I'm worried this is outside my experiental set" he said, then paused again, bit his lip, then added "If only there was a Spectator writer with an implausibly large number of lovers who could advise". He flipped open his phone and pressed a button. "Hi. Yes, it's Rishi. You know how you owe me a favour after that drug charge? With the chickens and the suspenders? Yes, Farmer Savage was very cooperative, wasn't he? Well now it's payback..." and took the notepad out of his pyjama pocket and scribbled down notes. Reeves sighed and went to make herself a sandwich as the notes piled up..."

Rachel Reeves beat Rishi Sunak at chess in Davos at 1am this morning
https://x.com/PolitlcsUK/status/2014379649342550137?s=20

...and then they snogged. With actual tongues!

("Love Actually 2", written by Richard Curtis, coming to you Xmas 2026)

Go on. It would be nice to have 2 PBers with a Bad Sex award.

"...Trembling, Sunak reached up to unstrap her bra. "Cool!" thought Sunak: "I'm close to touching a boob! For the second time!". then he paused. "What's wrong?" said Reeves. "I'm worried this is outside my experiental set" he said, then paused again, bit his lip, then added "If only there was a Spectator writer with an implausibly large number of lovers who could advise". He flipped open his phone and pressed a button. "Hi. Yes, it's Rishi. You know how you owe me a favour after that drug charge? With the chickens and the suspenders? Yes, Farmer Savage was very cooperative, wasn't he? Well now it's payback..." and took the notepad out of his pyjama pocket and scribbled down notes. Reeves sighed and went to make herself a sandwich as the notes piled up..."

Surely a Tech Bro takes out his remarkable in a situation like that?

https://x.com/meganekenyon/status/2014378798343499918

Speculation already mounting that Zack Polanski could stand in the upcoming by-election in Gorton and Denton.

Would make sense if Burnham is barred from running. Greens are polling on 24% there currently, behind Labour on 29% and Reform on 27%. Considering national polling, wouldn’t be surprised if some progressive voters who would have backed Burnham, back Polanski when the time comes.

Would be worth doing even if Burnham does not run? Maybe he loses, but still a good profile and there's not really an expectation Greens would win in such a situation so no harm to his reputation (which is doing pretty well right now), and if Burnham did run and he still beat the great Labour hope, think of the blow to Labour morale?

Burnham would win it easily but
if Polanski stands and Burnham is not allowed to could split the left of centre vote and let Reform win instead

It will demonstrate how organised a not Reform candidate can be - especially when it's a none of the above option.

If Burnham doesn't stand it will be essential that the Green Party get a poll demonstrating that it's only them that can beat Reform... As that poll is usually the catalyst for the rest of the vote to swing in the correct direction.

A danger for Starmer is that egregiously blocking Burnham turns this into a Reform/Green contest, with Labour squeezed out and him getting the blame. Not ideal. Probably better off letting Burnham get on with it.

Why would Starmer care about the Greens gaining one more seat if he survives?

Zack (Who is from Manchester) just put out this PPB.

https://bsky.app/profile/greenparty.org.uk/post/3mczv2ixlhq2i

If I were Starmer, I would be worried about him more than Burnham.