I sense some of the Badenoch haters will slowly come round
👀 David Cameron has been regularly helping Kemi Badenoch with PMQs prep, I’m told
He’s been partly credited with her improved performance... and has encouraged her to reject parts of the Conservatives’ record in power, which obviously includes his stint as PM
No 10 is *not disputing* extraordinary claim in @spectator that Rachel Reeves is blocking defence funding because of the MoD’s poor record on ‘gender parity’ issues. Asked twice, the PM’s spokesman declines to comment on ‘speculation’…
Possibly need more data on that. It might make sense, or it might be a head-banger of which gender makes the best soldiers/volunteers in greater numbers.
We aren't quite at the point where remote controlled warfare makes boots on the ground obsolete.
For decades, Germany blocked every attempt to build European defense without America. Merz reversed course after concluding Trump was ready to abandon Ukraine.
...Trump: "It all began with, if you want to know the truth, Greenland. We want Greenland. They don't want to give it to us and I said, OK, bye bye."
Sikorski, Poland's vice-premier, posted the video with one word: "Noted."..
But we have so far to go. This is the report from the Ukrainian command yesterday:
"According to updated information, a total of 104 combat engagements have taken place since the start of this day. Today, the enemy launched one missile strike using two missiles, carried out 51 airstrikes, and dropped 186 guided bombs. Additionally, they deployed 6,213 kamikaze drones and fired 2,737 rounds at populated areas and our troops’ positions."
So 1 not particularly remarkable day. 6,213 kamikaze drones used, 2737 rounds used, 186 guided bombs. This is what is needed to fight a modern war. Obviously we don't yet have the drones but how many days would our forces be able to stay in the field? Very, very few I fear.
Britain aims to supply Ukraine with 120,000 drones this year, which is about 330 per day. It's more than I would have guessed.
It's 3% of Ukraine's drone production for last year, so we could say it would supply about 3% of the soldiers in the field. The Ukrainian armed forces has ~900k active personnel, of which 3% is about 27,000. I would be surprised if Britain could deploy 27,000 soldiers, airmen and sailors in the event of a Russian invasion of NATO territory, so it actually looks like Britain can produce enough drones to supply its currently deployable military strength.
So you could argue that Britain does have the drones, or at least as many as its shrunken military could use.
I sense some of the Badenoch haters will slowly come round
👀 David Cameron has been regularly helping Kemi Badenoch with PMQs prep, I’m told
He’s been partly credited with her improved performance... and has encouraged her to reject parts of the Conservatives’ record in power, which obviously includes his stint as PM
Wes Streeting is sitting on a very small majority of just over 500 and for that reason it’s very risky for him to become leader .
I think he’s done a decent job as Health Secretary and is a good communicator but that small majority really counts against him .
The thing is that by mid-May, we shall have constituency projections based on the locals that will doubtless conclude that all the contenders as well as Starmer himself are facing the electoral toaster.
For decades, Germany blocked every attempt to build European defense without America. Merz reversed course after concluding Trump was ready to abandon Ukraine.
...Trump: "It all began with, if you want to know the truth, Greenland. We want Greenland. They don't want to give it to us and I said, OK, bye bye."
Sikorski, Poland's vice-premier, posted the video with one word: "Noted."..
But we have so far to go. This is the report from the Ukrainian command yesterday:
"According to updated information, a total of 104 combat engagements have taken place since the start of this day. Today, the enemy launched one missile strike using two missiles, carried out 51 airstrikes, and dropped 186 guided bombs. Additionally, they deployed 6,213 kamikaze drones and fired 2,737 rounds at populated areas and our troops’ positions."
So 1 not particularly remarkable day. 6,213 kamikaze drones used, 2737 rounds used, 186 guided bombs. This is what is needed to fight a modern war. Obviously we don't yet have the drones but how many days would our forces be able to stay in the field? Very, very few I fear.
Britain aims to supply Ukraine with 120,000 drones this year, which is about 330 per day. It's more than I would have guessed.
It's 3% of Ukraine's drone production for last year, so we could say it would supply about 3% of the soldiers in the field. The Ukrainian armed forces has ~900k active personnel, of which 3% is about 27,000. I would be surprised if Britain could deploy 27,000 soldiers, airmen and sailors in the event of a Russian invasion of NATO territory, so it actually looks like Britain can produce enough drones to supply its currently deployable military strength.
So you could argue that Britain does have the drones, or at least as many as its shrunken military could use.
It’s actually about which drones.
Strangely, the U.K. is concentrating on the more complex, higher value ones.
As opposed to the ones that are built from consumer grade parts.
For decades, Germany blocked every attempt to build European defense without America. Merz reversed course after concluding Trump was ready to abandon Ukraine.
For decades, Germany blocked every attempt to build European defense without America. Merz reversed course after concluding Trump was ready to abandon Ukraine.
...Trump: "It all began with, if you want to know the truth, Greenland. We want Greenland. They don't want to give it to us and I said, OK, bye bye."
Sikorski, Poland's vice-premier, posted the video with one word: "Noted."..
But we have so far to go. This is the report from the Ukrainian command yesterday:
"According to updated information, a total of 104 combat engagements have taken place since the start of this day. Today, the enemy launched one missile strike using two missiles, carried out 51 airstrikes, and dropped 186 guided bombs. Additionally, they deployed 6,213 kamikaze drones and fired 2,737 rounds at populated areas and our troops’ positions."
So 1 not particularly remarkable day. 6,213 kamikaze drones used, 2737 rounds used, 186 guided bombs. This is what is needed to fight a modern war. Obviously we don't yet have the drones but how many days would our forces be able to stay in the field? Very, very few I fear.
Britain aims to supply Ukraine with 120,000 drones this year, which is about 330 per day. It's more than I would have guessed.
It's 3% of Ukraine's drone production for last year, so we could say it would supply about 3% of the soldiers in the field. The Ukrainian armed forces has ~900k active personnel, of which 3% is about 27,000. I would be surprised if Britain could deploy 27,000 soldiers, airmen and sailors in the event of a Russian invasion of NATO territory, so it actually looks like Britain can produce enough drones to supply its currently deployable military strength.
So you could argue that Britain does have the drones, or at least as many as its shrunken military could use.
It’s actually about which drones.
Strangely, the U.K. is concentrating on the more complex, higher value ones.
As opposed to the ones that are built from consumer grade parts.
So it’s not toy drones with grenades attached.
It's a mix. The UK-Ukraine joint done production started with the relatively cheap interceptor drones.
For decades, Germany blocked every attempt to build European defense without America. Merz reversed course after concluding Trump was ready to abandon Ukraine.
...Trump: "It all began with, if you want to know the truth, Greenland. We want Greenland. They don't want to give it to us and I said, OK, bye bye."
Sikorski, Poland's vice-premier, posted the video with one word: "Noted."..
But we have so far to go. This is the report from the Ukrainian command yesterday:
"According to updated information, a total of 104 combat engagements have taken place since the start of this day. Today, the enemy launched one missile strike using two missiles, carried out 51 airstrikes, and dropped 186 guided bombs. Additionally, they deployed 6,213 kamikaze drones and fired 2,737 rounds at populated areas and our troops’ positions."
So 1 not particularly remarkable day. 6,213 kamikaze drones used, 2737 rounds used, 186 guided bombs. This is what is needed to fight a modern war. Obviously we don't yet have the drones but how many days would our forces be able to stay in the field? Very, very few I fear.
Britain aims to supply Ukraine with 120,000 drones this year, which is about 330 per day. It's more than I would have guessed.
It's 3% of Ukraine's drone production for last year, so we could say it would supply about 3% of the soldiers in the field. The Ukrainian armed forces has ~900k active personnel, of which 3% is about 27,000. I would be surprised if Britain could deploy 27,000 soldiers, airmen and sailors in the event of a Russian invasion of NATO territory, so it actually looks like Britain can produce enough drones to supply its currently deployable military strength.
So you could argue that Britain does have the drones, or at least as many as its shrunken military could use.
I think the correlation with troop numbers is meaningless and becoming more so. 120k a year is 328 a day compared to the 6k+ that Russia is currently using. That is roughly 5%. So we would need to increase our drone production between 10 and 20 times.
Like I've being saying most Brits ain't got a scooby about the disruption coming.
Britain preparing for food shortages as Iran war bites
Secret government analysis sets out ‘worst-case scenario’ whereby a lack of critical carbon dioxide supplies would hit farming and the hospitality sector
Britain could face shortages of chicken, pork and other supermarket goods this summer if the war in Iran continues, a secret government analysis has found.
Officials have drawn up contingency plans for a “reasonable worst-case scenario” amid fears that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz will lead to shortages of carbon dioxide, which is critical to the food industry.
Senior officials — including from No 10, the Treasury and Ministry of Defence — have secretly rehearsed scenarios looking at the potential impact on British industry in an event codenamed “Exercise Turnstone”.
The Times has been told the reasonable worst-case scenario prepared for the session, run by the government’s emergency committee, Cobra, was set in June 2026 and assumed that the strait had not reopened and a permanent peace deal had not been reached.
Farming and hospitality would likely be hit earliest and hardest, given CO2 is used to help increase the shelf life of food such as salad, packaged meats and baked goods.
CO2 is used in the process of slaughtering nearly all pigs and more than two thirds of chickens and the sector is not thought to have much by way of surplus supplies. While the government does have stockpiles, this was said to not be a long-term solution.
Breweries would also be hit because the gas is used to make drinks fizzy. Concerns were raised about the shortages coinciding with the Fifa World Cup, which begins on June 11.
While there are not expected to be critical food supply shortages, officials expect there could be a lack of product variety in shops. Officials discussed unease that the impact would be highly visible and risk undermining wider government campaigns stressing security of supplies in other areas.
Officials plan to prioritise healthcare and civil nuclear disruption, believing that a collapse in CO2 supplies could cause a risk to life through a lack of dry ice to cool blood supplies, organs and vaccines, as well as to Britain’s national electricity supply.
Yes and no. This very report says "...there are not expected to be critical food supply shortages...". We have become used, over the last few years, to not having the same availability of produce as before Brexit (for a number of reasons). This would be more of the same. Until the threat becomes petrol rationing (unlikely in the UK) or serious disruption to MRI's (lack of liquid helium is a major worry) then I think most people will shrug, grumble and KBO.
I've been able to get precisely the same products post Brexit as pre Brexit.
I haven't seen this mentioned today. Does anyone know any details about this? Are the SNP proposing to pay the difference between the market price and the maximum price, or should residents of Scotland anticipate shortages as suppliers sell food where they can get the market price for it?
The head of the International Energy Agency has warned that Europe has about six weeks of jet fuel left.
And Brits will think that means petrol for their cars will run out soon leading to an actual shortage.
Apparently we have a shit load of benzene (unleaded E10) kerosene based products not so much. If aviation fuel runs out diesel won't be too far behind.
For decades, Germany blocked every attempt to build European defense without America. Merz reversed course after concluding Trump was ready to abandon Ukraine.
...Trump: "It all began with, if you want to know the truth, Greenland. We want Greenland. They don't want to give it to us and I said, OK, bye bye."
Sikorski, Poland's vice-premier, posted the video with one word: "Noted."..
But we have so far to go. This is the report from the Ukrainian command yesterday:
"According to updated information, a total of 104 combat engagements have taken place since the start of this day. Today, the enemy launched one missile strike using two missiles, carried out 51 airstrikes, and dropped 186 guided bombs. Additionally, they deployed 6,213 kamikaze drones and fired 2,737 rounds at populated areas and our troops’ positions."
So 1 not particularly remarkable day. 6,213 kamikaze drones used, 2737 rounds used, 186 guided bombs. This is what is needed to fight a modern war. Obviously we don't yet have the drones but how many days would our forces be able to stay in the field? Very, very few I fear.
Britain aims to supply Ukraine with 120,000 drones this year, which is about 330 per day. It's more than I would have guessed.
It's 3% of Ukraine's drone production for last year, so we could say it would supply about 3% of the soldiers in the field. The Ukrainian armed forces has ~900k active personnel, of which 3% is about 27,000. I would be surprised if Britain could deploy 27,000 soldiers, airmen and sailors in the event of a Russian invasion of NATO territory, so it actually looks like Britain can produce enough drones to supply its currently deployable military strength.
So you could argue that Britain does have the drones, or at least as many as its shrunken military could use.
I think the correlation with troop numbers is meaningless and becoming more so. 120k a year is 328 a day compared to the 6k+ that Russia is currently using. That is roughly 5%. So we would need to increase our drone production between 10 and 20 times.
I think it's a mistake to think that Britain would only need drones in the future. It will be drones and everything else.
Ukraine are still building themselves self-propelled artillery and armoured vehicles, for example.
Domestic politics seems so mundane at the moment. The country is crying out for a leader or anyone who points in a different direction. This was written two months ago and everything in it happened.....
You want a leader? Someone women want and men want to be? The ultimate gentleman spy? Irresistible to women, deadly to his enemies, a legend in his own time?
For decades, Germany blocked every attempt to build European defense without America. Merz reversed course after concluding Trump was ready to abandon Ukraine.
...Trump: "It all began with, if you want to know the truth, Greenland. We want Greenland. They don't want to give it to us and I said, OK, bye bye."
Sikorski, Poland's vice-premier, posted the video with one word: "Noted."..
But we have so far to go. This is the report from the Ukrainian command yesterday:
"According to updated information, a total of 104 combat engagements have taken place since the start of this day. Today, the enemy launched one missile strike using two missiles, carried out 51 airstrikes, and dropped 186 guided bombs. Additionally, they deployed 6,213 kamikaze drones and fired 2,737 rounds at populated areas and our troops’ positions."
So 1 not particularly remarkable day. 6,213 kamikaze drones used, 2737 rounds used, 186 guided bombs. This is what is needed to fight a modern war. Obviously we don't yet have the drones but how many days would our forces be able to stay in the field? Very, very few I fear.
Britain aims to supply Ukraine with 120,000 drones this year, which is about 330 per day. It's more than I would have guessed.
It's 3% of Ukraine's drone production for last year, so we could say it would supply about 3% of the soldiers in the field. The Ukrainian armed forces has ~900k active personnel, of which 3% is about 27,000. I would be surprised if Britain could deploy 27,000 soldiers, airmen and sailors in the event of a Russian invasion of NATO territory, so it actually looks like Britain can produce enough drones to supply its currently deployable military strength.
So you could argue that Britain does have the drones, or at least as many as its shrunken military could use.
I think the correlation with troop numbers is meaningless and becoming more so. 120k a year is 328 a day compared to the 6k+ that Russia is currently using. That is roughly 5%. So we would need to increase our drone production between 10 and 20 times.
I think it's a mistake to think that Britain would only need drones in the future. It will be drones and everything else.
Ukraine are still building themselves self-propelled artillery and armoured vehicles, for example.
It’s also a mistake to think the next war will be like Ukraine. That’s the definition of fighting the last war. Yes, there have been some major innovations and battlefield shifts, but the danger is that being too focused on the future being like Ukraine (a wide-front, infantry heavy, ground based conflict) then gives us blind spots about other things. We need to survey all conflicts and learn lessons from all of them, big or small.
Remember when in the noughties all the talk was of asymmetrical warfare, guerrilla tactics, decentralised command and control? We forgot about full frontal warfare, yet the Georgian and first Ukraine wars could have given hints. Then we got Ukraine. And the rise of cheap infantry drones was already hinted at in the second Nagorno Karabakh war.
But now the Iran conflict is about, for want of a better word, economic WMD. For which the Houthis had already given hints.
I haven't seen this mentioned today. Does anyone know any details about this? Are the SNP proposing to pay the difference between the market price and the maximum price, or should residents of Scotland anticipate shortages as suppliers sell food where they can get the market price for it?
Ah, okay, so it only relates to the lowest-quality bread, etc. So it sounds like a supermarket could sell a dozen loaves of really shite SNP-bread a day, while selling all their other bread at whatever price they like.
No shortages, then, but a completely pointless policy.
Wes Streeting is sitting on a very small majority of just over 500 and for that reason it’s very risky for him to become leader .
I think he’s done a decent job as Health Secretary and is a good communicator but that small majority really counts against him .
Why should that be an issue?
It’s a factor that Labour MPs will take into account . Otherwise you could be in danger of the leader and in this case the PM losing their seat at the GE . It will also turn into media circus as there will be a huge push by the other parties to unseat him . It could become a huge distraction during a campaign and affect their overall vote share .
Historically party leaders have come from constituencies where they have a good majority .
I haven't seen this mentioned today. Does anyone know any details about this? Are the SNP proposing to pay the difference between the market price and the maximum price, or should residents of Scotland anticipate shortages as suppliers sell food where they can get the market price for it?
Sadly our political masters lack an understanding of basic economics.
For decades, Germany blocked every attempt to build European defense without America. Merz reversed course after concluding Trump was ready to abandon Ukraine.
...Trump: "It all began with, if you want to know the truth, Greenland. We want Greenland. They don't want to give it to us and I said, OK, bye bye."
Sikorski, Poland's vice-premier, posted the video with one word: "Noted."..
But we have so far to go. This is the report from the Ukrainian command yesterday:
"According to updated information, a total of 104 combat engagements have taken place since the start of this day. Today, the enemy launched one missile strike using two missiles, carried out 51 airstrikes, and dropped 186 guided bombs. Additionally, they deployed 6,213 kamikaze drones and fired 2,737 rounds at populated areas and our troops’ positions."
So 1 not particularly remarkable day. 6,213 kamikaze drones used, 2737 rounds used, 186 guided bombs. This is what is needed to fight a modern war. Obviously we don't yet have the drones but how many days would our forces be able to stay in the field? Very, very few I fear.
Britain aims to supply Ukraine with 120,000 drones this year, which is about 330 per day. It's more than I would have guessed.
It's 3% of Ukraine's drone production for last year, so we could say it would supply about 3% of the soldiers in the field. The Ukrainian armed forces has ~900k active personnel, of which 3% is about 27,000. I would be surprised if Britain could deploy 27,000 soldiers, airmen and sailors in the event of a Russian invasion of NATO territory, so it actually looks like Britain can produce enough drones to supply its currently deployable military strength.
So you could argue that Britain does have the drones, or at least as many as its shrunken military could use.
I think the correlation with troop numbers is meaningless and becoming more so. 120k a year is 328 a day compared to the 6k+ that Russia is currently using. That is roughly 5%. So we would need to increase our drone production between 10 and 20 times.
I think it's a mistake to think that Britain would only need drones in the future. It will be drones and everything else.
Ukraine are still building themselves self-propelled artillery and armoured vehicles, for example.
It’s also a mistake to think the next war will be like Ukraine. That’s the definition of fighting the last war. Yes, there have been some major innovations and battlefield shifts, but the danger is that being too focused on the future being like Ukraine (a wide-front, infantry heavy, ground based conflict) then gives us blind spots about other things. We need to survey all conflicts and learn lessons from all of them, big or small.
Remember when in the noughties all the talk was of asymmetrical warfare, guerrilla tactics, decentralised command and control? We forgot about full frontal warfare, yet the Georgian and first Ukraine wars could have given hints. Then we got Ukraine. And the rise of cheap infantry drones was already hinted at in the second Nagorno Karabakh war.
But now the Iran conflict is about, for want of a better word, economic WMD. For which the Houthis had already given hints.
Right, and if the next big military technology innovation is an effective means of defending advancing forces from drone attack, then suddenly your drone regiment trained on FPV drones isn't as shit-hot as you thought.
The head of the International Energy Agency has warned that Europe has about six weeks of jet fuel left.
And is it zero supply after that or constrained supply ?
It'll be constrained. But I shouldn't imagine Jet 2 to Málaga will be a priority.
I dunno. I’d suspect the major package holiday routes would be prioritised for the supply where the carriers can get it. Whether there might be consolidation/fewer flights a day and offers to rebook/defer is another question but I doubt they’ll want to forego those entirely.
The unprofitable routes to regional/more niche destinations are surely the ones that will be targeted before that.
And long haul, particularly to Asia, might be another question.
Your best bet might be to go on holiday to places near major airfreight distribution hubs.
The head of the International Energy Agency has warned that Europe has about six weeks of jet fuel left.
Friends of mine are really worried about whether they'll be able to get away on holiday. I'd be more concerned I wouldn't be able to get back.
For me it would be a plus if, after getting out of this country, I couldn't get back.
That's how they feel, but I'd be more concerned about earning the money to keep up the rent etc. How long are the landlords supposed to wait for you to turn up & start earning again? Or how do you get a job in your holiday destination where you don't speak the language?
If they bring in rationing wrt the number of flights each person can take it wouldn't bother me that much since I usually only fly 2 or 3 times a year, and sometimes less.
If they bring in rationing wrt the number of flights each person can take it wouldn't bother me that much since I usually only fly 2 or 3 times a year, and sometimes less.
Wes Streeting is sitting on a very small majority of just over 500 and for that reason it’s very risky for him to become leader .
I think he’s done a decent job as Health Secretary and is a good communicator but that small majority really counts against him .
Why should that be an issue?
Because no-one thinks labour will get that national vote share that they got in 2024 and thus assuming uniform swing he would be Wes Streeting XMP.
It's not unusual for political parties not to worry about issues that won't cause an impact until after the next election.
If Labour decided they Streeting as leader would maximise the number of Labour MPs they won at the next general election then I don't think a post-election leadership contest would be a major stumbling block.
Does each flower represent a stabbing or a mugging?
The flowers are watered from the impotent tears of Twitter users called UK Dave with a union flag inreir profile picture who talk about Londonstan but have never left Rochdale/Moscow.
Wes Streeting is sitting on a very small majority of just over 500 and for that reason it’s very risky for him to become leader .
I think he’s done a decent job as Health Secretary and is a good communicator but that small majority really counts against him .
Why should that be an issue?
Because no-one thinks labour will get that national vote share that they got in 2024 and thus assuming uniform swing he would be Wes Streeting XMP.
It's not unusual for political parties not to worry about issues that won't cause an impact until after the next election.
If Labour decided they Streeting as leader would maximise the number of Labour MPs they won at the next general election then I don't think a post-election leadership contest would be a major stumbling block.
I think Streeting might be pretty pissed off to win an election (nationally) but be unable to carry on as PM as he lost his seat.
Does each flower represent a stabbing or a mugging?
The flowers are watered from the impotent tears of Twitter users called UK Dave with a union flag inreir profile picture who talk about Londonstan but have never left Rochdale/Moscow.
Photo was taken in the English Garden at Regent's Park.
Wes Streeting is sitting on a very small majority of just over 500 and for that reason it’s very risky for him to become leader .
I think he’s done a decent job as Health Secretary and is a good communicator but that small majority really counts against him .
Why should that be an issue?
Because no-one thinks labour will get that national vote share that they got in 2024 and thus assuming uniform swing he would be Wes Streeting XMP.
It's not unusual for political parties not to worry about issues that won't cause an impact until after the next election.
If Labour decided they Streeting as leader would maximise the number of Labour MPs they won at the next general election then I don't think a post-election leadership contest would be a major stumbling block.
I think Streeting might be pretty pissed off to win an election (nationally) but be unable to carry on as PM as he lost his seat.
Well it would increase his pension etc, would it not?
Wes Streeting is sitting on a very small majority of just over 500 and for that reason it’s very risky for him to become leader .
I think he’s done a decent job as Health Secretary and is a good communicator but that small majority really counts against him .
Why should that be an issue?
Because no-one thinks labour will get that national vote share that they got in 2024 and thus assuming uniform swing he would be Wes Streeting XMP.
It's not unusual for political parties not to worry about issues that won't cause an impact until after the next election.
If Labour decided they Streeting as leader would maximise the number of Labour MPs they won at the next general election then I don't think a post-election leadership contest would be a major stumbling block.
I think Streeting might be pretty pissed off to win an election (nationally) but be unable to carry on as PM as he lost his seat.
I am sure he would, but that would be his problem, not Labour's, and the longer that Labour continue to fail in government, the more likely their best hope at the next election is to be a strong opposition, rather than continuing in government.
No 10 is *not disputing* extraordinary claim in @spectator that Rachel Reeves is blocking defence funding because of the MoD’s poor record on ‘gender parity’ issues. Asked twice, the PM’s spokesman declines to comment on ‘speculation’…
[gets up from my seat] [goes to window] [opens window] [shouts "HOLY F***ING F***! WHAT THE ACTUAL F***! MAKE IT STOP!"] [sits down]
David Lammy turned on the Prime Minister as allies revealed he had warned against appointing Lord Mandelson as the ambassador to the US.
The Telegraph understands that Mr Lammy, who was the foreign secretary at the time, favoured extending the term of Dame Karen Pierce as ambassador on the basis that she was seen as well-connected with Donald Trump’s inner circle.
David Lammy turned on the Prime Minister as allies revealed he had warned against appointing Lord Mandelson as the ambassador to the US.
The Telegraph understands that Mr Lammy, who was the foreign secretary at the time, favoured extending the term of Dame Karen Pierce as ambassador on the basis that she was seen as well-connected with Donald Trump’s inner circle.
I see Lammy has his briefing in early...
Can't believe Barton (The Sir Humphrey in charge at the time) would have made or advised such a political decision at the time tbh, so that leaves just one man....
And what is your conclusion of the recent polling and focus groups? Champagne out for Kemi?
Not really, the Tories and Labour are going to be walloped senseless in May but not as badly as previously expected.
Tories must be favourites for next election?
As the great Eastern philosopher said - its too early to tell. Genuinely. The lesson of history tells us that if the governing party is a long way behind in the polls they won't go early, so 2029 is likely, short of some significant changes. And after less than two years in office opinion polling can be very very different from the final outcome. Look at 1981 for instance. For example Ipsos, in October 1981 had this:
Tory 27% Labour 31% Liberal 14% Alliance 26%
As we all now how 1983 ended up. Tory 42.4% Labour 27.6 % Alliance 25.4%
The polling back then is interesting.
Early 1982 there was no sign that the Tories would soon be climbing steadily back to the 40's again. Now some will point to the Falklands, but in truth other things were happening too. The Thatcher boom was starting, people were starting to feel the benefits, albeit unevenly and slowly. And Labour were nowhere, with plenty of division. And add in the alliance, peaking at the turn of the year. Its hard not to look at Reform and imagine a similar progression for them this electoral cycle. Looking like sweeping to power being reduced to picking up a handful of seats.
So can labour do a Thatcher? I think they are trying to be competent and have some decent minister. Mahmood and Streeting I have a lot of time for and Darren Jones, gaffe about the boats aside. But I don't think Starmer ever really grasped the nettle. Gifted a huge majority he seems terrified to take really big direction of the nation changing decisions. Its a shame, because he has, or certainly had, the chance.
But essentially beware anyone who tells you that they KNOW what will happen at the next election.
Remarkable tale of a Conservative/Labour/UKIP/Conservative/Reform politician
First he was a Tory councillor, before switching to Labour. Then came a stint in Ukip, followed by a return to the Conservatives that ended in ignominy amid a row over trees. And now, the much-travelled Richard Bingley is representing Reform.
If Bingley is elected to Thurrock council in Essex on 7 May, it will represent something of a resurrection for the man with a case for being Britain’s most ideologically free-ranging politician, coming three years after he quit as leader of another council – Plymouth.
Bingley, then in his second stint as a Tory, resigned after the authority cut down 110 mature trees in the centre of the city under the cover of darkness, having fenced them off and deployed security guards.
Is this at all unusual? I thought there were quite a number like that from the "crusty careerist" demographic.
We did this before - what about Councillor Alan Amos? When I brought him up before several people mentioned similars or even more exotic station clocks.
Alan Thomas Amos (born 10 November 1952) is a British politician who sat as Conservative Member of Parliament for Hexham from 1987 to 1992.
After serving as a Labour Party Councillor for both Tower Hamlets and Worcester, he defected back to the Conservatives and was elected as a Conservative member on both Worcester City Council and Worcestershire County Council. He later resigned from the Conservatives and was re-elected as a member of Reform UK in the 2025 Worcestershire County Council election. *
I'd say that Bingley is an ultimate self-server. His main achievement was cutting down 110 trees on Armada Way in Plymouth in the middle of the night when he was Council Leader in 2023. I'm sure some remember.
There does seem to have been a tactical conversion to Faragism around 2014, but 2014 Faragism is relatively central imo in the 2023 to present Conservative Party.
Comments
👀 David Cameron has been regularly helping Kemi Badenoch with PMQs prep, I’m told
He’s been partly credited with her improved performance... and has encouraged her to reject parts of the Conservatives’ record in power, which obviously includes his stint as PM
More nuggets 👇
https://x.com/los_fisher/status/2044699015116140568?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q
We aren't quite at the point where remote controlled warfare makes boots on the ground obsolete.
It's 3% of Ukraine's drone production for last year, so we could say it would supply about 3% of the soldiers in the field. The Ukrainian armed forces has ~900k active personnel, of which 3% is about 27,000. I would be surprised if Britain could deploy 27,000 soldiers, airmen and sailors in the event of a Russian invasion of NATO territory, so it actually looks like Britain can produce enough drones to supply its currently deployable military strength.
So you could argue that Britain does have the drones, or at least as many as its shrunken military could use.
https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/david-cameron-kemi-badenoch-pmqs-bflrddbfz
I think he’s done a decent job as Health Secretary and is a good communicator but that small majority really counts against him .
Strangely, the U.K. is concentrating on the more complex, higher value ones.
As opposed to the ones that are built from consumer grade parts.
So it’s not toy drones with grenades attached.
Gordon Brown - "No more boom and bust!" somehow become "No more Tory boom and bust".
Darren Jones - "The boats are full of mostly women and children."
There has been no drop in availability.
Ukraine are still building themselves self-propelled artillery and armoured vehicles, for example.
American villain = Don
Remember when in the noughties all the talk was of asymmetrical warfare, guerrilla tactics, decentralised command and control? We forgot about full frontal warfare, yet the Georgian and first Ukraine wars could have given hints. Then we got Ukraine. And the rise of cheap infantry drones was already hinted at in the second Nagorno Karabakh war.
But now the Iran conflict is about, for want of a better word, economic WMD. For which the Houthis had already given hints.
No shortages, then, but a completely pointless policy.
Historically party leaders have come from constituencies where they have a good majority .
If Labour decided they Streeting as leader would maximise the number of Labour MPs they won at the next general election then I don't think a post-election leadership contest would be a major stumbling block.
Former Arsenal and Liverpool goalkeeper Alex Manninger has died in a road accident.
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Former Democratic Rising Star Justin Fairfax And Wife Dead In Murder-Suicide
Guardian investigation uncovers decision by UK security officials to deny clearance before Mandelson took up role as US ambassador
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/apr/16/revealed-mandelson-failed-vetting-but-foreign-office-overruled-decision?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/02/07/lammy-turns-on-starmer-over-mandelson/
David Lammy turned on the Prime Minister as allies revealed he had warned against appointing Lord Mandelson as the ambassador to the US.
The Telegraph understands that Mr Lammy, who was the foreign secretary at the time, favoured extending the term of Dame Karen Pierce as ambassador on the basis that she was seen as well-connected with Donald Trump’s inner circle.
Can't believe Barton (The Sir Humphrey in charge at the time) would have made or advised such a political decision at the time tbh, so that leaves just one man....
Tory 27%
Labour 31%
Liberal 14%
Alliance 26%
As we all now how 1983 ended up.
Tory 42.4%
Labour 27.6 %
Alliance 25.4%
The polling back then is interesting.
Early 1982 there was no sign that the Tories would soon be climbing steadily back to the 40's again. Now some will point to the Falklands, but in truth other things were happening too. The Thatcher boom was starting, people were starting to feel the benefits, albeit unevenly and slowly. And Labour were nowhere, with plenty of division. And add in the alliance, peaking at the turn of the year. Its hard not to look at Reform and imagine a similar progression for them this electoral cycle. Looking like sweeping to power being reduced to picking up a handful of seats.
So can labour do a Thatcher? I think they are trying to be competent and have some decent minister. Mahmood and Streeting I have a lot of time for and Darren Jones, gaffe about the boats aside. But I don't think Starmer ever really grasped the nettle. Gifted a huge majority he seems terrified to take really big direction of the nation changing decisions. Its a shame, because he has, or certainly had, the chance.
But essentially beware anyone who tells you that they KNOW what will happen at the next election.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HK5MYCNLGs
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