Will Hutton @williamnhutton · 47m A masterclass today in how to do politics in 2025 from Wes Streeting - at least the equal if not better than Farage or Polanski. Great humour: streetwise: serious intent: and deadly. He has sunk Morgan McSweeney who will know who did the leak. Every Labour MP will take note.
I have no particular idea why - but I really shy away from him, instinctually. He comes across 'fine', but... maybe he reminds me of someone. Maybe it's the easy media manner. But I'd never for vote a Labour party led by him. It's like that way you just wouldn't sit next to that guy on the train or bus. Inexplicable but you can't help the feeling.
He has something of the Kray twins about him.
I don't think that's fair, the Kray twins had an air of "your face's about to slashed open" about them, I don't think you could level that at any current MP.
The race of the left to defend 'our BBC' (a lot of unintentional truth in that designation) is a bit like those undead dragon things in Lord of the Rings fleeing back to help Suaron when they drop the ring in the volcano.
It's pretty much exactly what would happen if the BBC were deeply biased toward the left and a hyperpartisan left wing crowd were afraid of losing that finger on the scales.
These people deserve their current panic, because most of them are bad faith debators who think that throwing up some chaff about 'Farage on Question Time again' is enough to make it appear that there's an argument about bias on both sides. There isn't, and there never has been.
I've mulled on this kind of thing before on here, how the 'establishment' went, over a couple of generations, from being centre-right patrician - health & safety was a military moustached man with a clipboard, the BBC had Lord Reith, - to being centre-left know better - diversity prominent in HR departments, a metropolitan BBC, health & safety a lass with an interesting hairstyle. Maybe even the old 10k becoming the nu 10k.
Farage is on Question Time too much and most of the political staff are ex-Tories but culturally it is still the centre-left, myself included, that feel affinity to the institution, that is true.
If I look it up there was some murmur of the death of establishment about a decade back, but that was framed differently and I don't know if anyone has any specific book recommendations on this key post-war tale. If anyone wishes to @ me anything of interest that explains this specific phenomenon, I'd be very interested.
As I pointedout yesterday Farage is on QT a lot less often than people think. The last time was December 2024. He is the 6th highest appearing guest and equal 4th highest in rate of appearances per year. Averaging 1.5 times per year.
“Farage is not on QT a lot. He’s only the fourth equal highest,” is not the winning argument you appear to think it is. It seems to me that your data proved he is on QT rather a lot. In fact, more than almost anyone else.
Leader of party with next to sweet FA MPs over the last 2 decade has fourth highest number of appearances... You'd be entitled to feel hard done by if you were a leader of SNP, DUP, Ulster Unionists, Sinn Fein, Plaid Cymru...
Not really The guests appearing most have been Ken Clarke, Shirley Williams, Ming Csmpbell and Muchael Heseltine. Notice anything about them? At a time when the country was pretty evenly split on the major question of the EU, Farage was pretty much the only figure being invited on regularly who represented the Eurosceptic side.
And none of the other parties you mention are national parties as far as the whole of the UK is concerned. When QT is held in Scotland or Wales they generally have Scottish and Weksh guests
The film Everest is on BBC right now, someone has walked across the screen wearing a Dole/Kemp '96 shirt. back in the day when a US presidential candidate was a youthful 73 years old.
23 years separated him and Clinton, and he ran for VP 20 years prior in 1976
The race of the left to defend 'our BBC' (a lot of unintentional truth in that designation) is a bit like those undead dragon things in Lord of the Rings fleeing back to help Suaron when they drop the ring in the volcano.
It's pretty much exactly what would happen if the BBC were deeply biased toward the left and a hyperpartisan left wing crowd were afraid of losing that finger on the scales.
These people deserve their current panic, because most of them are bad faith debators who think that throwing up some chaff about 'Farage on Question Time again' is enough to make it appear that there's an argument about bias on both sides. There isn't, and there never has been.
I've mulled on this kind of thing before on here, how the 'establishment' went, over a couple of generations, from being centre-right patrician - health & safety was a military moustached man with a clipboard, the BBC had Lord Reith, - to being centre-left know better - diversity prominent in HR departments, a metropolitan BBC, health & safety a lass with an interesting hairstyle. Maybe even the old 10k becoming the nu 10k.
Farage is on Question Time too much and most of the political staff are ex-Tories but culturally it is still the centre-left, myself included, that feel affinity to the institution, that is true.
If I look it up there was some murmur of the death of establishment about a decade back, but that was framed differently and I don't know if anyone has any specific book recommendations on this key post-war tale. If anyone wishes to @ me anything of interest that explains this specific phenomenon, I'd be very interested.
As I pointedout yesterday Farage is on QT a lot less often than people think. The last time was December 2024. He is the 6th highest appearing guest and equal 4th highest in rate of appearances per year. Averaging 1.5 times per year.
“Farage is not on QT a lot. He’s only the fourth equal highest,” is not the winning argument you appear to think it is. It seems to me that your data proved he is on QT rather a lot. In fact, more than almost anyone else.
For the man who represented and carried the torch for the most important political question of the last 20 years, just over once a year is not exactly regular. And especially when the same critics are trying to claim that these appearances skewed the public perception of the debate. I mean how weak does the pro-EU argument have to be that Farage appearing on a one hour topical debate programme once every 9 months is enough to crucially influence the public perception?
The race of the left to defend 'our BBC' (a lot of unintentional truth in that designation) is a bit like those undead dragon things in Lord of the Rings fleeing back to help Suaron when they drop the ring in the volcano.
It's pretty much exactly what would happen if the BBC were deeply biased toward the left and a hyperpartisan left wing crowd were afraid of losing that finger on the scales.
These people deserve their current panic, because most of them are bad faith debators who think that throwing up some chaff about 'Farage on Question Time again' is enough to make it appear that there's an argument about bias on both sides. There isn't, and there never has been.
I've mulled on this kind of thing before on here, how the 'establishment' went, over a couple of generations, from being centre-right patrician - health & safety was a military moustached man with a clipboard, the BBC had Lord Reith, - to being centre-left know better - diversity prominent in HR departments, a metropolitan BBC, health & safety a lass with an interesting hairstyle. Maybe even the old 10k becoming the nu 10k.
Farage is on Question Time too much and most of the political staff are ex-Tories but culturally it is still the centre-left, myself included, that feel affinity to the institution, that is true.
If I look it up there was some murmur of the death of establishment about a decade back, but that was framed differently and I don't know if anyone has any specific book recommendations on this key post-war tale. If anyone wishes to @ me anything of interest that explains this specific phenomenon, I'd be very interested.
As I pointedout yesterday Farage is on QT a lot less often than people think. The last time was December 2024. He is the 6th highest appearing guest and equal 4th highest in rate of appearances per year. Averaging 1.5 times per year.
“Farage is not on QT a lot. He’s only the fourth equal highest,” is not the winning argument you appear to think it is. It seems to me that your data proved he is on QT rather a lot. In fact, more than almost anyone else.
Doesn't that just reflect that he's leading the party that's miles ahead in the polls, backed up by real world election results, and is also willing to come on QT? Starmer and Kemmi could probably be on a lot too, but they send stooge of the week instead.
If you look at it by party representation, rather than particular individuals, Labour and the Tories are miles ahead of everyone else, despite Reform being the UK's most popular party by a whopping margin.
So the suggestion that Farage being on is bias is complete bollocks, and the real question is why are the Tories and Labour so over-represented.
Nearly 30 degrees in French Pyrénées today apparently.
Wild for November.
Back in UK we have cold weather coming next week it seems. Single figures in day time.
18 and misty here in Laguna Beach.
North end of Main Beach?
Shaws Cove is where I tend to hang out when I am on the west coast
Yes North end of main beach. The murky weather has given way to a spectacular red sunset over Catalina Island (I’m now wandering in Newport beach) which I’d post but I’ve done my one for the day.
At least one bit of good news: nobody in the US I’m talking to is mentioning Starmer, Reeves, the budget or the BBC stuff. Too busy talking Trump.
Has anyone watched Series 1 of Traitors Australia? Just finished watching episode 12 out of 12, and there was something rather strange about the way one of the contestants was featured during the series.
Nearly 30 degrees in French Pyrénées today apparently.
Wild for November.
Back in UK we have cold weather coming next week it seems. Single figures in day time.
18 and misty here in Laguna Beach.
North end of Main Beach?
Shaws Cove is where I tend to hang out when I am on the west coast
Yes North end of main beach. The murky weather has given way to a spectacular red sunset over Catalina Island (I’m now wandering in Newport beach) which I’d post but I’ve done my one for the day.
At least one bit of good news: nobody in the US I’m talking to is mentioning Starmer, Reeves, the budget or the BBC stuff. Too busy talking Trump.
I'm also in the US and I agree. My current host is too busy working about his Hispanic American citizen wife being snatched off the street and disappearing into a gulag forever. Other friends of mine have mentioned National Guard troops on the streets, the sky high cost of groceries, the Middle East and Trump's apparent senility more. Starmer is too bland and uninteresting and the BBC stuff is about item #738 in Trump's list of atrocities or triumphs, depending on your political view, to make it onto the average American's radar at the moment.
Nearly 30 degrees in French Pyrénées today apparently.
Wild for November.
Back in UK we have cold weather coming next week it seems. Single figures in day time.
18 and misty here in Laguna Beach.
North end of Main Beach?
Shaws Cove is where I tend to hang out when I am on the west coast
Yes North end of main beach. The murky weather has given way to a spectacular red sunset over Catalina Island (I’m now wandering in Newport beach) which I’d post but I’ve done my one for the day.
At least one bit of good news: nobody in the US I’m talking to is mentioning Starmer, Reeves, the budget or the BBC stuff. Too busy talking Trump.
I'm also in the US and I agree. My current host is too busy working about his Hispanic American citizen wife being snatched off the street and disappearing into a gulag forever. Other friends of mine have mentioned National Guard troops on the streets, the sky high cost of groceries, the Middle East and Trump's apparent senility more. Starmer is too bland and uninteresting and the BBC stuff is about item #738 in Trump's list of atrocities or triumphs, depending on your political view, to make it onto the average American's radar at the moment.
My funniest political moment was discussing Trump 2.0 with a (pretty strongly Trump supporting) colleague who’s a first generation Indian immigrant to Texas. Funny but also oddly insightful.
He was berating the fact that the recent surge in illegal migration was spoiling things for all the hard working illegal (or undocumented as they call it) migrants doing their bit for the American dream, paying their taxes and making the country great. His friend had been snatched by ICE and sent back to somewhere in Central America and he was a bit annoyed at this. He wished Trump’s lot would ease up a bit. But in no way did this change his preference for Trump, largely based on “no more wars” and stopping supporting Ukraine.
Then in San Francisco I had 2 evenings with what turned out to be dyed in the wool Dems who think Trump is ridiculous and an outrage. Also Indian first gen immigrants.
But the reassuring thing? None of them seem to take it too seriously. We feel a long way from civil war here. But perhaps that’s because I’m mixing with relatively rich people who don’t care that deeply.
One more thought for tonight on the troubled BBC: the Beeb has just brought us celebrity traitors, apparently the first non-sports programme in over a decade that’s had Gen Z viewers tuning in to live TV in large numbers. So it’s still got it, when it can be arsed.
Has anyone watched Series 1 of Traitors Australia? Just finished watching episode 12 out of 12, and there was something rather strange about the way one of the contestants was featured during the series.
This may help
https://www.reYebbut,it has no faithful in it...ddit.com/r/TheTraitors/comments/1ktwblf/why_does_the_traitors_australia_feel_so_off_the/
I believe they've just started a new UK series - set in Downing Street.
The BBC abandoned impartiality years ago. A reckoning for the Covid lockdowns is overdue
... the IMF estimates the total cost of the UK government’s Covid-19 measures was £410 billion, or £6,067 per person.
This partly accounts for why the British economy is in such a parlous state and why Rachel Reeves has so little room for manoeuvre. For instance, the main reason she can’t borrow more to plug the hole in the public finances is because we maxed out the country’s credit card during the pandemic, with public sector net debt ballooning from £1.8 billion at the end of March 2020 to £2.35 billion by March 2022. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/11/12/bbc-covid-ruin-before-davie-prescott-dossier/ (£££)
Reeves has no money left because we got the Covid response wrong and it was all Boris'sthe government's the BBC's fault.
The BBC abandoned impartiality years ago. A reckoning for the Covid lockdowns is overdue
... the IMF estimates the total cost of the UK government’s Covid-19 measures was £410 billion, or £6,067 per person.
This partly accounts for why the British economy is in such a parlous state and why Rachel Reeves has so little room for manoeuvre. For instance, the main reason she can’t borrow more to plug the hole in the public finances is because we maxed out the country’s credit card during the pandemic, with public sector net debt ballooning from £1.8 billion at the end of March 2020 to £2.35 billion by March 2022. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/11/12/bbc-covid-ruin-before-davie-prescott-dossier/ (£££)
Reeves has no money left because we got the Covid response wrong and it was all Boris'sthe government's the BBC's fault.
The BBC abandoned impartiality years ago. A reckoning for the Covid lockdowns is overdue
... the IMF estimates the total cost of the UK government’s Covid-19 measures was £410 billion, or £6,067 per person.
This partly accounts for why the British economy is in such a parlous state and why Rachel Reeves has so little room for manoeuvre. For instance, the main reason she can’t borrow more to plug the hole in the public finances is because we maxed out the country’s credit card during the pandemic, with public sector net debt ballooning from £1.8 billion at the end of March 2020 to £2.35 billion by March 2022. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/11/12/bbc-covid-ruin-before-davie-prescott-dossier/ (£££)
Reeves has no money left because we got the Covid response wrong and it was all Boris'sthe government's the BBC's fault.
If public sector net debt was £2.3bn, we wouldn’t be in the big mess in the first place.
Comments
Please do not be shit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybvQf5gs0ZM
And none of the other parties you mention are national parties as far as the whole of the UK is concerned. When QT is held in Scotland or Wales they generally have Scottish and Weksh guests
The film Everest is on BBC right now, someone has walked across the screen wearing a Dole/Kemp '96 shirt. back in the day when a US presidential candidate was a youthful 73 years old.
23 years separated him and Clinton, and he ran for VP 20 years prior in 1976
Starmer and Kemmi could probably be on a lot too, but they send stooge of the week instead.
If you look at it by party representation, rather than particular individuals, Labour and the Tories are miles ahead of everyone else, despite Reform being the UK's most popular party by a whopping margin.
So the suggestion that Farage being on is bias is complete bollocks, and the real question is why are the Tories and Labour so over-represented.
At least one bit of good news: nobody in the US I’m talking to is mentioning Starmer, Reeves, the budget or the BBC stuff. Too busy talking Trump.
https://www.gelliottmorris.com/p/you-should-quit-social-media-for
(Except for PB, obvs)
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/11/12/business/last-penny-minted
https://www.gambling.com/authors/paul-krishnamurty
https://bsky.app/profile/paulmotty.bsky.social
He was berating the fact that the recent surge in illegal migration was spoiling things for all the hard working illegal (or undocumented as they call it) migrants doing their bit for the American dream, paying their taxes and making the country great. His friend had been snatched by ICE and sent back to somewhere in Central America and he was a bit annoyed at this. He wished Trump’s lot would ease up a bit. But in no way did this change his preference for Trump, largely based on “no more wars” and stopping supporting Ukraine.
Then in San Francisco I had 2 evenings with what turned out to be dyed in the wool Dems who think Trump is ridiculous and an outrage. Also Indian first gen immigrants.
But the reassuring thing? None of them seem to take it too seriously. We feel a long way from civil war here. But perhaps that’s because I’m mixing with relatively rich people who don’t care that deeply.
... the IMF estimates the total cost of the UK government’s Covid-19 measures was £410 billion, or £6,067 per person.
This partly accounts for why the British economy is in such a parlous state and why Rachel Reeves has so little room for manoeuvre. For instance, the main reason she can’t borrow more to plug the hole in the public finances is because we maxed out the country’s credit card during the pandemic, with public sector net debt ballooning from £1.8 billion at the end of March 2020 to £2.35 billion by March 2022.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/11/12/bbc-covid-ruin-before-davie-prescott-dossier/ (£££)
Reeves has no money left because we got the Covid response wrong and it was all
Boris'sthe government'sthe BBC's fault.Surely that must be an error?
Telegraph sub-editor needs a maths lesson.
ONS says that PSND is £20.246bn at end of September.
https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/governmentpublicsectorandtaxes/publicsectorfinance