The Guardian has published their top 100 novels of all time, entries 21 to 100. Embarassingly I think I've read 6 and a half of them, with Midnight's Children being the half. The 6 are White Teeth, Half of a Yellow Sun, Never Let Me Go, Disgrace, Frankenstein, The Remains of the Day.
3. I have a shelf full of books I want to read before I'd get to their list.
It depresses me a bit to think how short life is in relation to the number of books one could read.
Of making many books there is no end. (Eccles 12:12)
Very true. My wife has just informed me she has read 26, and that most of them weren't worth the bother.
Same for me., I've read about 25-30 of these, and most of them are meh
Honourable exceptions:
Catch 22 - genuine genius
Master and Margarita - wow
A Farewell to Arms - searing
The Rings of Saturn - haunting
The Leopard - enriching
Lolita - magical use of English
None of them are Bravo Two Zero by Andy McNabb, which gets better on every read
I think I've read nine of them.
The Road (though I barely remember it) Disgrace Lolita The Remains Of The Day The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie A Farewell To Arms The Line Of Beauty (which felt very proto Cameron) The End Of The Affair The Talented Mr Ripley
I've probably started at least half and given up on them.
More interesting is to wonder which ones you can guarantee being in the top 20.
Middlemarch War and Peace Anna Karenina 1984 Pride and Prejudice Ulysses Remembrance Of Time Passed The Great Gatsby Moby Dick
If Calvin & Hobbes: Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons isn't in the top 20, I'm really gonna kick off.
The Guardian has published their top 100 novels of all time, entries 21 to 100. Embarassingly I think I've read 6 and a half of them, with Midnight's Children being the half. The 6 are White Teeth, Half of a Yellow Sun, Never Let Me Go, Disgrace, Frankenstein, The Remains of the Day.
3. I have a shelf full of books I want to read before I'd get to their list.
It depresses me a bit to think how short life is in relation to the number of books one could read.
Of making many books there is no end. (Eccles 12:12)
Very true. My wife has just informed me she has read 26, and that most of them weren't worth the bother.
Same for me., I've read about 25-30 of these, and most of them are meh
Honourable exceptions:
Catch 22 - genuine genius
Master and Margarita - wow
A Farewell to Arms - searing
The Rings of Saturn - haunting
The Leopard - enriching
Lolita - magical use of English
Disgrace, The Brothers Karamazov, Things Fall Apart, Crime and Punishment, Heart of Darkness, Don Quixote all deserve their place on the list amongst the ones that I have read.
I found Nervous Conditions a bit of a slog but enjoyed it at the end. I count Midnights Children as part of my "gave up after 20 pages list. Rushdies style just annoys me.
I've read all of those - apart from Don Quixote - and they didn't touch me at all. Indeed I can barely remember them, apart from thinking "what is this fucking shit" at the end of Disgrace, and throwing it across a room
Apocalypse Now is a billion times more memorable than Heart of Darkness, as a work of art
Yes, I am not surprised that they didn't touch you at all.
Devastating. I will do my best to recover, somewhat blooded and shuddering, from this brutal, searing and profound intellectual demolition job, delivered by a retired GP in Leicester
I've read one of that list. Catch 22.
Generally with books - or film, or telly - my view is if it isn't true and it isn't funny, what's the point? Though I will make an exception for crime fiction and some science fiction.
Don't give me that shit about fiction revealing a deeper truth. It doesn't. It reveals the prejudices of one author. You get to the end of it and think "but that didn't actually happen".
Hmmm... Do you take the same approach to TV, films and theatre?
Yes. I watch almost nothing fictional which isn't either funny or detectivr fiction, and therefore a puzzle of some sort.
Sonia Sodha @soniasodha · 24m This is what I made the case for in my column earlier for the Times. If Burnham wins against Farage in Makerfield that gives him more claim to be able to lead Labour than topping any ballot of members could, and running a full leadership contest would look self-indulgent.
The Guardian has published their top 100 novels of all time, entries 21 to 100. Embarassingly I think I've read 6 and a half of them, with Midnight's Children being the half. The 6 are White Teeth, Half of a Yellow Sun, Never Let Me Go, Disgrace, Frankenstein, The Remains of the Day.
3. I have a shelf full of books I want to read before I'd get to their list.
It depresses me a bit to think how short life is in relation to the number of books one could read.
Of making many books there is no end. (Eccles 12:12)
Very true. My wife has just informed me she has read 26, and that most of them weren't worth the bother.
Same for me., I've read about 25-30 of these, and most of them are meh
Honourable exceptions:
Catch 22 - genuine genius
Master and Margarita - wow
A Farewell to Arms - searing
The Rings of Saturn - haunting
The Leopard - enriching
Lolita - magical use of English
None of them are Bravo Two Zero by Andy McNabb, which gets better on every read
I think I've read nine of them.
The Road (though I barely remember it) Disgrace Lolita The Remains Of The Day The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie A Farewell To Arms The Line Of Beauty (which felt very proto Cameron) The End Of The Affair The Talented Mr Ripley
I've probably started at least half and given up on them.
More interesting is to wonder which ones you can guarantee being in the top 20.
Middlemarch War and Peace Anna Karenina 1984 Pride and Prejudice Ulysses Remembrance Of Time Passed The Great Gatsby Moby Dick
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is very clever, the way her personality is revealed bit by bit over the course of the whole book. I found it quite startling, which is always a nice quality in a book.
The Guardian has published their top 100 novels of all time, entries 21 to 100. Embarassingly I think I've read 6 and a half of them, with Midnight's Children being the half. The 6 are White Teeth, Half of a Yellow Sun, Never Let Me Go, Disgrace, Frankenstein, The Remains of the Day.
3. I have a shelf full of books I want to read before I'd get to their list.
It depresses me a bit to think how short life is in relation to the number of books one could read.
Of making many books there is no end. (Eccles 12:12)
Very true. My wife has just informed me she has read 26, and that most of them weren't worth the bother.
Same for me., I've read about 25-30 of these, and most of them are meh
Honourable exceptions:
Catch 22 - genuine genius
Master and Margarita - wow
A Farewell to Arms - searing
The Rings of Saturn - haunting
The Leopard - enriching
Lolita - magical use of English
None of them are Bravo Two Zero by Andy McNabb, which gets better on every read
I think I've read nine of them.
The Road (though I barely remember it) Disgrace Lolita The Remains Of The Day The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie A Farewell To Arms The Line Of Beauty (which felt very proto Cameron) The End Of The Affair The Talented Mr Ripley
I've probably started at least half and given up on them.
More interesting is to wonder which ones you can guarantee being in the top 20.
Middlemarch War and Peace Anna Karenina 1984 Pride and Prejudice Ulysses Remembrance Of Time Passed The Great Gatsby Moby Dick
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is very clever, the way her personality is revealed bit by bit over the course of the whole book. I found it quite startling, which is always a nice quality in a book.
I read it the other week. I then read The Girls Of Slender Means which I have to say has stayed with me more.
Their recent rankings of Shakespeare plays put Henry IV parts 1 and 2 at the top.
I'd have expected the Guardian to rank Henry V the best Shakespeare play.
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'
Admittedly it was just Michael Billington's list but it was more idiosyncratic than I would have expected from him - particularly as I often had similar thoughts as him when we reviewed the same productions.
The Guardian has published their top 100 novels of all time, entries 21 to 100. Embarassingly I think I've read 6 and a half of them, with Midnight's Children being the half. The 6 are White Teeth, Half of a Yellow Sun, Never Let Me Go, Disgrace, Frankenstein, The Remains of the Day.
3. I have a shelf full of books I want to read before I'd get to their list.
It depresses me a bit to think how short life is in relation to the number of books one could read.
Of making many books there is no end. (Eccles 12:12)
Very true. My wife has just informed me she has read 26, and that most of them weren't worth the bother.
Same for me., I've read about 25-30 of these, and most of them are meh
Honourable exceptions:
Catch 22 - genuine genius
Master and Margarita - wow
A Farewell to Arms - searing
The Rings of Saturn - haunting
The Leopard - enriching
Lolita - magical use of English
None of them are Bravo Two Zero by Andy McNabb, which gets better on every read
I think I've read nine of them.
The Road (though I barely remember it) Disgrace Lolita The Remains Of The Day The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie A Farewell To Arms The Line Of Beauty (which felt very proto Cameron) The End Of The Affair The Talented Mr Ripley
I've probably started at least half and given up on them.
More interesting is to wonder which ones you can guarantee being in the top 20.
Middlemarch War and Peace Anna Karenina 1984 Pride and Prejudice Ulysses Remembrance Of Time Passed The Great Gatsby Moby Dick
Me? Three: Catch-22, TLHOD, Great Expectations (the latter in school, I think?).
Their recent rankings of Shakespeare plays put Henry IV parts 1 and 2 at the top.
I'd have expected the Guardian to rank Henry V the best Shakespeare play.
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'
Admittedly it was just Michael Billington's list but it was more idiosyncratic than I would have expected from him - particularly as I often had similar thoughts as him when we reviewed the same productions.
The Henry IV ranking isn't particularly odd, even if you disagree with it.
The Guardian has published their top 100 novels of all time, entries 21 to 100. Embarassingly I think I've read 6 and a half of them, with Midnight's Children being the half. The 6 are White Teeth, Half of a Yellow Sun, Never Let Me Go, Disgrace, Frankenstein, The Remains of the Day.
3. I have a shelf full of books I want to read before I'd get to their list.
It depresses me a bit to think how short life is in relation to the number of books one could read.
Of making many books there is no end. (Eccles 12:12)
Very true. My wife has just informed me she has read 26, and that most of them weren't worth the bother.
Same for me., I've read about 25-30 of these, and most of them are meh
Honourable exceptions:
Catch 22 - genuine genius
Master and Margarita - wow
A Farewell to Arms - searing
The Rings of Saturn - haunting
The Leopard - enriching
Lolita - magical use of English
None of them are Bravo Two Zero by Andy McNabb, which gets better on every read
I think I've read nine of them.
The Road (though I barely remember it) Disgrace Lolita The Remains Of The Day The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie A Farewell To Arms The Line Of Beauty (which felt very proto Cameron) The End Of The Affair The Talented Mr Ripley
I've probably started at least half and given up on them.
More interesting is to wonder which ones you can guarantee being in the top 20.
Middlemarch War and Peace Anna Karenina 1984 Pride and Prejudice Ulysses Remembrance Of Time Passed The Great Gatsby Moby Dick
Me? Three: Catch-22, TLHOD, Great Expectations (the latter in school, I think?).
I hope "Crime and Punishment" is in the top 20.
Oooh, and possibly "Midnight's Children" if the abridged Readers' Digest version (anybody remember them?) counts
As well as the main entrance, you used to be able to take a sneaky way out of there to come out by the bus interchange, but they closed it off a good few years ago. Shame.
The Guardian has published their top 100 novels of all time, entries 21 to 100. Embarassingly I think I've read 6 and a half of them, with Midnight's Children being the half. The 6 are White Teeth, Half of a Yellow Sun, Never Let Me Go, Disgrace, Frankenstein, The Remains of the Day.
3. I have a shelf full of books I want to read before I'd get to their list.
It depresses me a bit to think how short life is in relation to the number of books one could read.
Of making many books there is no end. (Eccles 12:12)
Very true. My wife has just informed me she has read 26, and that most of them weren't worth the bother.
Same for me., I've read about 25-30 of these, and most of them are meh
Honourable exceptions:
Catch 22 - genuine genius
Master and Margarita - wow
A Farewell to Arms - searing
The Rings of Saturn - haunting
The Leopard - enriching
Lolita - magical use of English
None of them are Bravo Two Zero by Andy McNabb, which gets better on every read
I think I've read nine of them.
The Road (though I barely remember it) Disgrace Lolita The Remains Of The Day The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie A Farewell To Arms The Line Of Beauty (which felt very proto Cameron) The End Of The Affair The Talented Mr Ripley
I've probably started at least half and given up on them.
More interesting is to wonder which ones you can guarantee being in the top 20.
Middlemarch War and Peace Anna Karenina 1984 Pride and Prejudice Ulysses Remembrance Of Time Passed The Great Gatsby Moby Dick
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is very clever, the way her personality is revealed bit by bit over the course of the whole book. I found it quite startling, which is always a nice quality in a book.
I read it the other week. I then read The Girls Of Slender Means which I have to say has stayed with me more.
Their recent rankings of Shakespeare plays put Henry IV parts 1 and 2 at the top.
I'd have expected the Guardian to rank Henry V the best Shakespeare play.
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'
Admittedly it was just Michael Billington's list but it was more idiosyncratic than I would have expected from him - particularly as I often had similar thoughts as him when we reviewed the same productions.
The Henry IV ranking isn't particularly odd, even if you disagree with it.
I have seen all bar 3 of the plays and I wouldn't put those two in the top half.
Yes, Falstaff is a memorable character but that isn't enough for me. I did cut both plays into one when I directed them. That reduced the longeurs and repetitions. It did work but I still wouldn't rank them highly.
Sonia Sodha @soniasodha · 24m This is what I made the case for in my column earlier for the Times. If Burnham wins against Farage in Makerfield that gives him more claim to be able to lead Labour than topping any ballot of members could, and running a full leadership contest would look self-indulgent.
If these Left-wing clowns do defenestrate Starmer, it'll be a completely undemocratic fraud on voters. And the nation will clamour for an early election…
If these Left-wing clowns do defenestrate Starmer, it'll be a completely undemocratic fraud on voters. And the nation will clamour for an early election…
"...and then they'll appoint Liz Truss, then when that doesn't work out they'll appoint Rishi Sunak, and, and, and...can I have my job back please? I liked being PM..."
I don't think she is necessarily suggesting that Starmer isn't a very poor Prime Minister so much as were it not for the nation having imposed economic sanctions upon itself and a poor Prime Minister would not have been quite so hamstrung by the circumstances Starmer found himself in.
One of Starmer's huge weaknesses was he found himself unable to spell out the catastrophe of Brexit and just went along with it. Weak, weak, weak!
Their recent rankings of Shakespeare plays put Henry IV parts 1 and 2 at the top.
I'd have expected the Guardian to rank Henry V the best Shakespeare play.
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'
Admittedly it was just Michael Billington's list but it was more idiosyncratic than I would have expected from him - particularly as I often had similar thoughts as him when we reviewed the same productions.
The Henry IV ranking isn't particularly odd, even if you disagree with it.
I have seen all bar 3 of the plays and I wouldn't put those two in the top half.
Yes, Falstaff is a memorable character but that isn't enough for me. I did cut both plays into one when I directed them. That reduced the longeurs and repetitions. It did work but I still wouldn't rank them highly.
We'll have to agree to disagree. You might equally say (as did Michael Pennington, who played the role) that Lear doesn't make much sense. I think there's far more in the Henry plays than you give them credit for.
Their recent rankings of Shakespeare plays put Henry IV parts 1 and 2 at the top.
The baiting of the clicks.
Listicles, Adrian Chiles, "you be the judge", late middle-aged wank fodder "how we do it"... FFS Guardian journalists get to vote for their editor and they voted for Viner and to become a free sample of RED magazine.
Their recent rankings of Shakespeare plays put Henry IV parts 1 and 2 at the top.
The baiting of the clicks.
Listicles, Adrian Chiles, "you be the judge", late middle-aged wank fodder "how we do it"... FFS Guardian journalists get to vote for their editor and they voted for Viner and to become a free sample of RED magazine.
Top 10 annoying clickbait Guardian articles! Number #5 will SURPRISE you!
This is a strange (housing, theory of everything) detail. ..Andrew Langdon KC, defending, said Burns had experienced a difficult childhood due to her family being made homeless and living in a series of temporary accommodation.
Langdon said that despite both of Burns’s parents being teachers, the teenager had stopped attending full-time education at 14...
How South Korea Cut Stroke Deaths by More Than 80% The country’s fight against cardiovascular disease provides a blueprint for the world https://tomfrieden.substack.com/p/how-south-korea-cut-stroke-deaths lIn 1990, stroke killed South Koreans at a rate of 248 per 100,000. By 2023, that rate had fallen to 32. That’s an 87 percent drop. A generation ago, only about one in twenty Korean adults with high blood pressure, which is still the world’s biggest killer, had it under control. Today, six in ten do...
"Britain | Britain’s worst ambassador How Tommy Robinson gained extraordinary influence The far-right influencer’s world is closer than you might think" (£)
Starmer knowingly appointed a security risk to one of the highest diplomatic posts the nation has an gave him privileged access to classified information. Mandelson literally sold state secrets to Epstein and has a lot of dodgy links to China and Russia. That is an unforgiving lapse in judgement. Boris being ambushed with cake pales in comparison to the amount of damage someone like Mandelson has done and could continue to do in the position he was appointed to.
The cake business wasn’t the issue. This is pushed as a means to suggest the poor thing was so badly treated . The cake didn’t bring him down it was all the other stuff happening under his watch .
But the point is that Boris didn't actually go to any of those parties, at least that's what was discovered from actual evidence. The only thing that happened when Boris was actually there was the cake thing. And even then Boris actually resigned. So you know he took accountability for that. When has Starmer taken accountability for his failures?
I’m not defending Starmer but I just don’t hate him. I loathe Johnson for a variety of reasons and he was a national embarrassment. Sunak I thought was pretty decent , May believed in public service , the less said about Truss the better!
Good morning.
What I so dislike about Starmer is that he and his Government reneged on many, some would say most, of their manifesto and certainly virtually every precept of the Labour movement. They postured at being right-wing tough tories, including the execrable Rachel-from-Accounts, whilst all the while managing to shit on business. It's quite staggering how inept AND unfair AND dishonest they have managed to be. And Starmer has a deeply unpleasant habit of shafting anyone and everyone, whilst failing to own up to his own mistakes, lying through his teeth, and not helping his cause by droning on in monotonous platitudes.
That is why I have been seething with him and them for the past 2 years, and hence my venom about Wes Streeting which @Sunil_Prasannan misquoted back at me (slightly infelicitously if I may say). Labour were elected on an already feeble share of the vote but there's a reason why that has all-but-halved now in the opinion polls. People like me are fuming at what has happened. If you vote Labour you do at least expect to get something approximating to it, not a Tory-Lite actually Tory-Shite version.
Remember: unlike many people on this forum I voted Labour last time, which probably also explains things. In fact I wasn't just fuming. I was deeply embarrassed that I could have been so fooled by these shysters. I'm still not done with my anger at them.
I'd rather have a wolf than a wolf in sheep's clothing
Back to Burnham. He's the only reason I would ever consider voting Labour again. I like the guy a lot. He might just bring me back on board, especially if that stops Farage-Badenoch.
Starmer knowingly appointed a security risk to one of the highest diplomatic posts the nation has an gave him privileged access to classified information. Mandelson literally sold state secrets to Epstein and has a lot of dodgy links to China and Russia. That is an unforgiving lapse in judgement. Boris being ambushed with cake pales in comparison to the amount of damage someone like Mandelson has done and could continue to do in the position he was appointed to.
The cake business wasn’t the issue. This is pushed as a means to suggest the poor thing was so badly treated . The cake didn’t bring him down it was all the other stuff happening under his watch .
But the point is that Boris didn't actually go to any of those parties, at least that's what was discovered from actual evidence. The only thing that happened when Boris was actually there was the cake thing. And even then Boris actually resigned. So you know he took accountability for that. When has Starmer taken accountability for his failures?
I’m not defending Starmer but I just don’t hate him. I loathe Johnson for a variety of reasons and he was a national embarrassment. Sunak I thought was pretty decent , May believed in public service , the less said about Truss the better!
Good morning.
What I so dislike about Starmer is that he and his Government reneged on many, some would say most, of their manifesto and certainly virtually every precept of the Labour movement. They postured at being right-wing tough tories, including the execrable Rachel-from-Accounts, whilst all the while managing to shit on business. It's quite staggering how inept AND unfair AND dishonest they have managed to be. And Starmer has a deeply unpleasant habit of shafting anyone and everyone, whilst failing to own up to his own mistakes, lying through his teeth, and not helping his cause by droning on in monotonous platitudes.
That is why I have been seething with him and them for the past 2 years, and hence my venom about Wes Streeting which @Sunil_Prasannan misquoted back at me (slightly infelicitously if I may say). Labour were elected on an already feeble share of the vote but there's a reason why that has all-but-halved now in the opinion polls. People like me are fuming at what has happened. If you vote Labour you do at least expect to get something approximating to it, not a Tory-Lite actually Tory-Shite version.
Remember: unlike many people on this forum I voted Labour last time, which probably also explains things. In fact I wasn't just fuming. I was deeply embarrassed that I could have been so fooled by these shysters. I'm still not done with my anger at them.
I'd rather have a wolf than a wolf in sheep's clothing
Back to Burnham. He's the only reason I would ever consider voting Labour again. I like the guy a lot. He might just bring me back on board, especially if that stops Farage-Badenoch.
So, what you're saying is that clothing matters to you?
And just because a wolf chose to wear the garb of a sheep would make you treat it differently.
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 47m Reform supporters getting a little angry. Not sure why. Journalists were briefed today Reform had 50 activists out in Makerfield. I think that was a complete lie. But I’m happy to be proved wrong if someone will provide evidence.
The £800m skyscraper deal casting a shadow over Burnham’s leadership bid Mayor accused of unfairly subsidising ‘luxury’ high-rise flats dominating Manchester’s skyline https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/f2d0f13eed02409a
Gift link so no paywall.
It wouldn't be northern politics without a property scandal. The Telegraph is taking up arms against Andy Burnham.
Starmer knowingly appointed a security risk to one of the highest diplomatic posts the nation has an gave him privileged access to classified information. Mandelson literally sold state secrets to Epstein and has a lot of dodgy links to China and Russia. That is an unforgiving lapse in judgement. Boris being ambushed with cake pales in comparison to the amount of damage someone like Mandelson has done and could continue to do in the position he was appointed to.
The cake business wasn’t the issue. This is pushed as a means to suggest the poor thing was so badly treated . The cake didn’t bring him down it was all the other stuff happening under his watch .
But the point is that Boris didn't actually go to any of those parties, at least that's what was discovered from actual evidence. The only thing that happened when Boris was actually there was the cake thing. And even then Boris actually resigned. So you know he took accountability for that. When has Starmer taken accountability for his failures?
I’m not defending Starmer but I just don’t hate him. I loathe Johnson for a variety of reasons and he was a national embarrassment. Sunak I thought was pretty decent , May believed in public service , the less said about Truss the better!
Good morning.
What I so dislike about Starmer is that he and his Government reneged on many, some would say most, of their manifesto and certainly virtually every precept of the Labour movement. They postured at being right-wing tough tories, including the execrable Rachel-from-Accounts, whilst all the while managing to shit on business. It's quite staggering how inept AND unfair AND dishonest they have managed to be. And Starmer has a deeply unpleasant habit of shafting anyone and everyone, whilst failing to own up to his own mistakes, lying through his teeth, and not helping his cause by droning on in monotonous platitudes.
That is why I have been seething with him and them for the past 2 years, and hence my venom about Wes Streeting which @Sunil_Prasannan misquoted back at me (slightly infelicitously if I may say). Labour were elected on an already feeble share of the vote but there's a reason why that has all-but-halved now in the opinion polls. People like me are fuming at what has happened. If you vote Labour you do at least expect to get something approximating to it, not a Tory-Lite actually Tory-Shite version.
Remember: unlike many people on this forum I voted Labour last time, which probably also explains things. In fact I wasn't just fuming. I was deeply embarrassed that I could have been so fooled by these shysters. I'm still not done with my anger at them.
I'd rather have a wolf than a wolf in sheep's clothing
Back to Burnham. He's the only reason I would ever consider voting Labour again. I like the guy a lot. He might just bring me back on board, especially if that stops Farage-Badenoch.
So, what you're saying is that clothing matters to you?
And just because a wolf chose to wear the garb of a sheep would make you treat it differently.
Well, shame on you.
😉
Your sartorialism reminds me that I really must go and see Devil Wears Prada 2. I loved the first one so much that I've held back until now for fear of ruining the original.
If Burnham wins it strongly suggests a 10 year Labour government.
I would suggest that depends very much on what he then does as PM. Much like Starmer, people may find the reality of a Burnham Government very different from the expectation.
People are definitely projecting a lot of hopes and dreams onto Burnham just as they did in 2024 with Starmer and 2017 with Corbyn. Might be a good idea to wait and see what he's like as PM (if he wins the by election).
There's a very real possibility he becomes Labour's Liz Truss, mortgage rates spike and public opinion sours on him very quickly. Just the fear of him becoming PM has sent our debt yields to the highest in the G7 once again.
If he funds spending with high tax though (and Burnham has promised a land tax, wealth tax and to put the top income tax rate back up to 50%) he will have balanced the books better than Truss. Truss cut tax but not spending so ended up with huge borrowing plans which the markets won't forgive
Breaking Labour's manifesto pledge not to raise taxes will be extremely unpopular. Unless he calls an election to get a new mandate he is still bound to the 2024 manifesto. There's no easy path to having a massive spending splurge that the left wingers are all demanding so either he disappoints them and becomes unpopular, he raises taxes on working people which makes him deeply unpopular or he borrows from money markets and risks precipitating a meltdown.
There's no easy choices for whoever the PM is and all of the options have got clear downsides and risks.
Yes but electorally he can get away with just raising tax on the rich, high earners and wealthy which is where Burnham would focus his tax rises
That's not going to raise a lot of money though which brings us back to either having to tell left wingers they can't have mega benefits rises and public sector payrises or risking a sovereign debt crisis by borrowing the difference. Burnham is already seen with a lot of suspicion by investors and a hint that he's going to borrow to splurge will have alarm bells ringing.
Borrowing for investment, on the other hand, may be OK, especially if OBR (and Treasury) accounting and modelling rules are changed. This is what Burnham has done to revive Manchester.
Sir Keir Starmer is expected to approve an £18 billion increase in defence spending as he faces a battle for political survival
Jonathan Powell, the national security adviser, has written to Starmer in recent weeks warning him that Britain would struggle to maintain its position on the world stage without a significant increase in spending, The Times understands
He warned that the armed forces could not afford the jets, munitions and advanced technology that Britain needs to fight a future war without a significant increase to the budget
Dame Antonia Romeo, the cabinet secretary, is also understood to have pushed for a big increase in spending
The prime minister is expected to approve the spending boost as soon as next week, bringing an end to months of delays and internal rows, amid concerns in the Treasury that it would be unaffordable
It is unclear how the increase in spending will be funded, although a Whitehall source insisted it would be “fully affordable”
How are we going to pay for that?
If Lefties worried about trivial details like that, they wouldn't be Lefties.
The Magic Money Tree will always come to the rescue.
Umm the righties were in power while the national debt ballooned out of control
Not true. Labour were in power during the financial crisis when the national debt started its remorseless upward climb.
Although if you're saying that the crypto-lefty high tax and spend policies under Cameron, May and Johnson failed to get Labour's debt mess under control, I won't contradict you.
Two councillors who were suspended by Reform UK have resigned from the party. Durham County Council deputy leader Darren Grimes said councillors Kenny Hope and Andrew Harrison had been suspended pending internal investigations. But he claimed it would be inappropriate to comment on why the pair had been suspended while investigations were ongoing.
On Friday, both councillors said they had since quit the party and they would continue in their roles as independents.
Sonia Sodha @soniasodha · 24m This is what I made the case for in my column earlier for the Times. If Burnham wins against Farage in Makerfield that gives him more claim to be able to lead Labour than topping any ballot of members could, and running a full leadership contest would look self-indulgent.
The Labour Party seem to rather like leadership coronations so I suspect that will happen (if Burnham wins the by election). This could backfire if he proves to be a disappointment (see Gordon Brown).
Streeting and Rayner have both, I think, already calculated they’ll get plum jobs out of Burnham in return for their support and it’s easier to play for that then it is to launch leadership campaigns of their own. Streeting would be a relatively uncontroversial choice for FS, for instance. I think Rayner would be happy with her old jobs back with perhaps a higher profile emphasis on housing/devolution which appear to be big Burnham priorities.
The Guardian has published their top 100 novels of all time, entries 21 to 100. Embarassingly I think I've read 6 and a half of them, with Midnight's Children being the half. The 6 are White Teeth, Half of a Yellow Sun, Never Let Me Go, Disgrace, Frankenstein, The Remains of the Day.
3. I have a shelf full of books I want to read before I'd get to their list.
It depresses me a bit to think how short life is in relation to the number of books one could read.
Of making many books there is no end. (Eccles 12:12)
Very true. My wife has just informed me she has read 26, and that most of them weren't worth the bother.
Same for me., I've read about 25-30 of these, and most of them are meh
Honourable exceptions:
Catch 22 - genuine genius
Master and Margarita - wow
A Farewell to Arms - searing
The Rings of Saturn - haunting
The Leopard - enriching
Lolita - magical use of English
None of them are Bravo Two Zero by Andy McNabb, which gets better on every read
I think I've read nine of them.
The Road (though I barely remember it) Disgrace Lolita The Remains Of The Day The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie A Farewell To Arms The Line Of Beauty (which felt very proto Cameron) The End Of The Affair The Talented Mr Ripley
I've probably started at least half and given up on them.
More interesting is to wonder which ones you can guarantee being in the top 20.
Middlemarch War and Peace Anna Karenina 1984 Pride and Prejudice Ulysses Remembrance Of Time Passed The Great Gatsby Moby Dick
Me? Three: Catch-22, TLHOD, Great Expectations (the latter in school, I think?).
The £800m skyscraper deal casting a shadow over Burnham’s leadership bid Mayor accused of unfairly subsidising ‘luxury’ high-rise flats dominating Manchester’s skyline https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/f2d0f13eed02409a
Gift link so no paywall.
It wouldn't be northern politics without a property scandal. The Telegraph is taking up arms against Andy Burnham.
So if I read this correctly the court has already ruled that the loans were fine and the complainant is full of shit, and the "row" consists of him appealing.
Sonia Sodha @soniasodha · 24m This is what I made the case for in my column earlier for the Times. If Burnham wins against Farage in Makerfield that gives him more claim to be able to lead Labour than topping any ballot of members could, and running a full leadership contest would look self-indulgent.
The Labour Party seem to rather like leadership coronations so I suspect that will happen (if Burnham wins the by election). This could backfire if he proves to be a disappointment (see Gordon Brown).
Streeting and Rayner have both, I think, already calculated they’ll get plum jobs out of Burnham in return for their support and it’s easier to play for that then it is to launch leadership campaigns of their own. Streeting would be a relatively uncontroversial choice for FS, for instance. I think Rayner would be happy with her old jobs back with perhaps a higher profile emphasis on housing/devolution which appear to be big Burnham priorities.
Perhaps, although Streeting already had what in Labour circles is the plum job of Health Secretary, and Starmer had hinted Rayner could return once the stamp duty problem was cleared up, so what was all the fuss about? Could it be Team Burnham creating the impression of a fait accompli?
The Guardian has published their top 100 novels of all time, entries 21 to 100. Embarassingly I think I've read 6 and a half of them, with Midnight's Children being the half. The 6 are White Teeth, Half of a Yellow Sun, Never Let Me Go, Disgrace, Frankenstein, The Remains of the Day.
Sonia Sodha @soniasodha · 24m This is what I made the case for in my column earlier for the Times. If Burnham wins against Farage in Makerfield that gives him more claim to be able to lead Labour than topping any ballot of members could, and running a full leadership contest would look self-indulgent.
The Labour Party seem to rather like leadership coronations so I suspect that will happen (if Burnham wins the by election). This could backfire if he proves to be a disappointment (see Gordon Brown).
Streeting and Rayner have both, I think, already calculated they’ll get plum jobs out of Burnham in return for their support and it’s easier to play for that then it is to launch leadership campaigns of their own. Streeting would be a relatively uncontroversial choice for FS, for instance. I think Rayner would be happy with her old jobs back with perhaps a higher profile emphasis on housing/devolution which appear to be big Burnham priorities.
Streeting has, I suspect, calculated that his popularity with colleagues, already not that great, is now somewhat lower?
The Guardian has published their top 100 novels of all time, entries 21 to 100. Embarassingly I think I've read 6 and a half of them, with Midnight's Children being the half. The 6 are White Teeth, Half of a Yellow Sun, Never Let Me Go, Disgrace, Frankenstein, The Remains of the Day.
3. I have a shelf full of books I want to read before I'd get to their list.
It depresses me a bit to think how short life is in relation to the number of books one could read.
Of making many books there is no end. (Eccles 12:12)
Very true. My wife has just informed me she has read 26, and that most of them weren't worth the bother.
Same for me., I've read about 25-30 of these, and most of them are meh
Honourable exceptions:
Catch 22 - genuine genius
Master and Margarita - wow
A Farewell to Arms - searing
The Rings of Saturn - haunting
The Leopard - enriching
Lolita - magical use of English
Disgrace, The Brothers Karamazov, Things Fall Apart, Crime and Punishment, Heart of Darkness, Don Quixote all deserve their place on the list amongst the ones that I have read.
I found Nervous Conditions a bit of a slog but enjoyed it at the end. I count Midnights Children as part of my "gave up after 20 pages list. Rushdies style just annoys me.
I've read all of those - apart from Don Quixote - and they didn't touch me at all. Indeed I can barely remember them, apart from thinking "what is this fucking shit" at the end of Disgrace, and throwing it across a room
Apocalypse Now is a billion times more memorable than Heart of Darkness, as a work of art
Yes, I am not surprised that they didn't touch you at all.
Devastating. I will do my best to recover, somewhat blooded and shuddering, from this brutal, searing and profound intellectual demolition job, delivered by a retired GP in Leicester
I've read one of that list. Catch 22.
Generally with books - or film, or telly - my view is if it isn't true and it isn't funny, what's the point? Though I will make an exception for crime fiction and some science fiction.
Don't give me that shit about fiction revealing a deeper truth. It doesn't. It reveals the prejudices of one author. You get to the end of it and think "but that didn't actually happen".
Hmmm... Do you take the same approach to TV, films and theatre?
Yes. I watch almost nothing fictional which isn't either funny or detectivr fiction, and therefore a puzzle of some sort.
That is a bit unusual. I know quite a few people, all men as it happens, who never read fiction but all of them enjoy fiction on film and TV at least.
I can’t think of a single female friend who doesn’t read fiction though.
Well it sounds like the consensus is I should give catch 22 a go!
Catch 22 is quite dull if you don't ‘get it’ – and I didn't. But I've not heard it recommended for some years now and think perhaps Hitchhiker's Guide series captured that market for subsequent generations.
So finally the day has come, the culmination of a politicised competition involving death threats, accusations of corruption and dark forces trying to influence the result.
The £800m skyscraper deal casting a shadow over Burnham’s leadership bid Mayor accused of unfairly subsidising ‘luxury’ high-rise flats dominating Manchester’s skyline https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/f2d0f13eed02409a
Gift link so no paywall.
It wouldn't be northern politics without a property scandal. The Telegraph is taking up arms against Andy Burnham.
So if I read this correctly the court has already ruled that the loans were fine and the complainant is full of shit, and the "row" consists of him appealing.
Yes. Legally anyway. Politically? It depends if using council money to build luxury flats is what people thought they had voted for and if other parties want to run with it at the by-election.
Mind you, at least Manchester got something – unlike other councils whose property speculation left them skint.
The £800m skyscraper deal casting a shadow over Burnham’s leadership bid Mayor accused of unfairly subsidising ‘luxury’ high-rise flats dominating Manchester’s skyline https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/f2d0f13eed02409a
Gift link so no paywall.
It wouldn't be northern politics without a property scandal. The Telegraph is taking up arms against Andy Burnham.
So if I read this correctly the court has already ruled that the loans were fine and the complainant is full of shit, and the "row" consists of him appealing.
It does seem odd to award two-thirds of a regeneration fund to one private developer though
Sonia Sodha @soniasodha · 24m This is what I made the case for in my column earlier for the Times. If Burnham wins against Farage in Makerfield that gives him more claim to be able to lead Labour than topping any ballot of members could, and running a full leadership contest would look self-indulgent.
The Labour Party seem to rather like leadership coronations so I suspect that will happen (if Burnham wins the by election). This could backfire if he proves to be a disappointment (see Gordon Brown).
Streeting and Rayner have both, I think, already calculated they’ll get plum jobs out of Burnham in return for their support and it’s easier to play for that then it is to launch leadership campaigns of their own. Streeting would be a relatively uncontroversial choice for FS, for instance. I think Rayner would be happy with her old jobs back with perhaps a higher profile emphasis on housing/devolution which appear to be big Burnham priorities.
Can I please remind everyone that unless Starmer actually resigns there is no coronation.
Well it sounds like the consensus is I should give catch 22 a go!
Catch 22 is quite dull if you don't ‘get it’ – and I didn't. But I've not heard it recommended for some years now and think perhaps Hitchhiker's Guide series captured that market for subsequent generations.
No way. Catch-22: brilliant novel; Hitchhikers Guide: great fun.
"Britain | Britain’s worst ambassador How Tommy Robinson gained extraordinary influence The far-right influencer’s world is closer than you might think" (£)
Sonia Sodha @soniasodha · 24m This is what I made the case for in my column earlier for the Times. If Burnham wins against Farage in Makerfield that gives him more claim to be able to lead Labour than topping any ballot of members could, and running a full leadership contest would look self-indulgent.
The Labour Party seem to rather like leadership coronations so I suspect that will happen (if Burnham wins the by election). This could backfire if he proves to be a disappointment (see Gordon Brown).
Streeting and Rayner have both, I think, already calculated they’ll get plum jobs out of Burnham in return for their support and it’s easier to play for that then it is to launch leadership campaigns of their own. Streeting would be a relatively uncontroversial choice for FS, for instance. I think Rayner would be happy with her old jobs back with perhaps a higher profile emphasis on housing/devolution which appear to be big Burnham priorities.
Can I please remind everyone that unless Starmer actually resigns there is no coronation.
If Burnham wins the by-election, and I think he will, Starmer will resign because his cabinet will force him out à la Truss or Johnson.
The £800m skyscraper deal casting a shadow over Burnham’s leadership bid Mayor accused of unfairly subsidising ‘luxury’ high-rise flats dominating Manchester’s skyline https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/f2d0f13eed02409a
Gift link so no paywall.
It wouldn't be northern politics without a property scandal. The Telegraph is taking up arms against Andy Burnham.
So if I read this correctly the court has already ruled that the loans were fine and the complainant is full of shit, and the "row" consists of him appealing.
Yes. Legally anyway. Politically? It depends if using council money to build luxury flats is what people thought they had voted for and if other parties want to run with it at the by-election.
Mind you, at least Manchester got something – unlike other councils whose property speculation left them skint.
Londoners are thinking 600k for a 3 bed apartment is affordable housing...
So finally the day has come, the culmination of a politicised competition involving death threats, accusations of corruption and dark forces trying to influence the result.
Coincidentally Eurovision is also on.
There's me thinking you were talking of Celtic vs Hearts.
Finland seems to be the overwhelming favourite so the "Bad each way" strategy looks the way to go, and I think there are some options in both the top 5 and top 10 markets. There are always some surprises in these, and from the betting perspective would include Serbia, Norway, Poland and UK. Norway in particular had a good song, and the Serbian Death Metal will be popular.
Sonia Sodha @soniasodha · 24m This is what I made the case for in my column earlier for the Times. If Burnham wins against Farage in Makerfield that gives him more claim to be able to lead Labour than topping any ballot of members could, and running a full leadership contest would look self-indulgent.
The Labour Party seem to rather like leadership coronations so I suspect that will happen (if Burnham wins the by election). This could backfire if he proves to be a disappointment (see Gordon Brown).
Streeting and Rayner have both, I think, already calculated they’ll get plum jobs out of Burnham in return for their support and it’s easier to play for that then it is to launch leadership campaigns of their own. Streeting would be a relatively uncontroversial choice for FS, for instance. I think Rayner would be happy with her old jobs back with perhaps a higher profile emphasis on housing/devolution which appear to be big Burnham priorities.
Can I please remind everyone that unless Starmer actually resigns there is no coronation.
If Burnham wins the by-election, and I think he will, Starmer will resign because his cabinet will force him out à la Truss or Johnson.
I agree. I think he has bent to the inevitable now. If you look at him now he is a completely diminished figure - he doesn’t have the power base to force a challenge anymore.
The £800m skyscraper deal casting a shadow over Burnham’s leadership bid Mayor accused of unfairly subsidising ‘luxury’ high-rise flats dominating Manchester’s skyline https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/f2d0f13eed02409a
Gift link so no paywall.
It wouldn't be northern politics without a property scandal. The Telegraph is taking up arms against Andy Burnham.
So if I read this correctly the court has already ruled that the loans were fine and the complainant is full of shit, and the "row" consists of him appealing.
Yes. Legally anyway. Politically? It depends if using council money to build luxury flats is what people thought they had voted for and if other parties want to run with it at the by-election.
Mind you, at least Manchester got something – unlike other councils whose property speculation left them skint.
Londoners are thinking 600k for a 3 bed apartment is affordable housing...
Article will only boost Burnham - shows how much the Torygraph right fear him.
Sonia Sodha @soniasodha · 24m This is what I made the case for in my column earlier for the Times. If Burnham wins against Farage in Makerfield that gives him more claim to be able to lead Labour than topping any ballot of members could, and running a full leadership contest would look self-indulgent.
The Labour Party seem to rather like leadership coronations so I suspect that will happen (if Burnham wins the by election). This could backfire if he proves to be a disappointment (see Gordon Brown).
Streeting and Rayner have both, I think, already calculated they’ll get plum jobs out of Burnham in return for their support and it’s easier to play for that then it is to launch leadership campaigns of their own. Streeting would be a relatively uncontroversial choice for FS, for instance. I think Rayner would be happy with her old jobs back with perhaps a higher profile emphasis on housing/devolution which appear to be big Burnham priorities.
Can I please remind everyone that unless Starmer actually resigns there is no coronation.
I think this is all being orchestrated. The moves are too smooth, and Starmer is part of the plan.
Sonia Sodha @soniasodha · 24m This is what I made the case for in my column earlier for the Times. If Burnham wins against Farage in Makerfield that gives him more claim to be able to lead Labour than topping any ballot of members could, and running a full leadership contest would look self-indulgent.
The Labour Party seem to rather like leadership coronations so I suspect that will happen (if Burnham wins the by election). This could backfire if he proves to be a disappointment (see Gordon Brown).
Streeting and Rayner have both, I think, already calculated they’ll get plum jobs out of Burnham in return for their support and it’s easier to play for that then it is to launch leadership campaigns of their own. Streeting would be a relatively uncontroversial choice for FS, for instance. I think Rayner would be happy with her old jobs back with perhaps a higher profile emphasis on housing/devolution which appear to be big Burnham priorities.
Can I please remind everyone that unless Starmer actually resigns there is no coronation.
If Burnham wins the by-election, and I think he will, Starmer will resign because his cabinet will force him out à la Truss or Johnson.
So finally the day has come, the culmination of a politicised competition involving death threats, accusations of corruption and dark forces trying to influence the result.
Coincidentally Eurovision is also on.
There's me thinking you were talking of Celtic vs Hearts.
Finland seems to be the overwhelming favourite so the "Bad each way" strategy looks the way to go, and I think there are some options in both the top 5 and top 10 markets. There are always some surprises in these, and from the betting perspectivr would include Serbia, Norway, Poland and UK. Norway in particular had a good song, and the Serbian Death Metal will be popular.
Eurovision isn’t really my thing, does the Israeli entry have any objective merit or is that a silly question? The UK entrant highlighted on BBC news seemed a bit of a knob. I see Simon Schama is doing maudlin rts about the Israeli entrant; a sad decline in a once serious person.
So finally the day has come, the culmination of a politicised competition involving death threats, accusations of corruption and dark forces trying to influence the result.
Coincidentally Eurovision is also on.
There's me thinking you were talking of Celtic vs Hearts.
Finland seems to be the overwhelming favourite so the "Bad each way" strategy looks the way to go, and I think there are some options in both the top 5 and top 10 markets. There are always some surprises in these, and from the betting perspectivr would include Serbia, Norway, Poland and UK. Norway in particular had a good song, and the Serbian Death Metal will be popular.
Eurovision isn’t really my thing, does the Israeli entry have any objective merit or is that a silly question? The UK entrant highlighted on BBC news seemed a bit of a knob. I see Simon Schama is doing maudlin rts about the Israeli entrant; a sad decline in a once serious person.
I didn't think much of the Israeli song, but they did a phenomenal astrotufing of the vote last year. The system has changed somewhat but is still vulnerable to that.
So finally the day has come, the culmination of a politicised competition involving death threats, accusations of corruption and dark forces trying to influence the result.
Coincidentally Eurovision is also on.
There's me thinking you were talking of Celtic vs Hearts.
Finland seems to be the overwhelming favourite so the "Bad each way" strategy looks the way to go, and I think there are some options in both the top 5 and top 10 markets. There are always some surprises in these, and from the betting perspectivr would include Serbia, Norway, Poland and UK. Norway in particular had a good song, and the Serbian Death Metal will be popular.
Eurovision isn’t really my thing, does the Israeli entry have any objective merit or is that a silly question? The UK entrant highlighted on BBC news seemed a bit of a knob. I see Simon Schama is doing maudlin rts about the Israeli entrant; a sad decline in a once serious person.
I didn't think much of the Israeli song, but they did a phenomenal astrotufing of the vote last year. The system has changed somewhat but is still vulnerable to that.
Any Competition headed "Euro" that has entrants from Israel and Australia cannot be treated seriously.
Any Competiton that allows Isreal to enter under the current political circumstances should be treated with utter contempt.
As for the UK, whilst i thought last years was an exceptionally good song,very well performed, this years is outrageously bad, what do I know, it might well win. After all our Government may have hired 10,000 Call Centre Staff around the globe to vote for it, it clearly works for some!
Glad to see Lord of the Flies doesn’t get a mention.
LOL. Beloved at 2. Only in the Guardian!
And predictably, the list misses Richardson's Clarissa. Despite being c. 1,700 pages long and an espistolary novel (both explain why people haven't read it), it is imo the greatest novel in the English language.
So finally the day has come, the culmination of a politicised competition involving death threats, accusations of corruption and dark forces trying to influence the result.
Coincidentally Eurovision is also on.
There's me thinking you were talking of Celtic vs Hearts.
Finland seems to be the overwhelming favourite so the "Bad each way" strategy looks the way to go, and I think there are some options in both the top 5 and top 10 markets. There are always some surprises in these, and from the betting perspective would include Serbia, Norway, Poland and UK. Norway in particular had a good song, and the Serbian Death Metal will be popular.
Finland are playing themselves this year, rather than being Swedish, which might help?
So finally the day has come, the culmination of a politicised competition involving death threats, accusations of corruption and dark forces trying to influence the result.
Coincidentally Eurovision is also on.
There's me thinking you were talking of Celtic vs Hearts.
Finland seems to be the overwhelming favourite so the "Bad each way" strategy looks the way to go, and I think there are some options in both the top 5 and top 10 markets. There are always some surprises in these, and from the betting perspective would include Serbia, Norway, Poland and UK. Norway in particular had a good song, and the Serbian Death Metal will be popular.
WELCOME TO MOLDOVA!
There will be no justice unless Moldova wins with what is clearly the perfect Eurovision song.
Glad to see Lord of the Flies doesn’t get a mention.
LOL. Beloved at 2. Only in the Guardian!
And predictably, the list misses Richardson's Clarissa. Despite being c. 1,700 pages long and an espistolary novel (both explain why people haven't read it), it is imo the greatest novel in the English language.
Moby bloody Dick though. The biggest so what book ever.
And I know it's a syllabus book. But the absence of To Kill A Mocking Bird. Seriously!
The £800m skyscraper deal casting a shadow over Burnham’s leadership bid Mayor accused of unfairly subsidising ‘luxury’ high-rise flats dominating Manchester’s skyline https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/f2d0f13eed02409a
Gift link so no paywall.
It wouldn't be northern politics without a property scandal. The Telegraph is taking up arms against Andy Burnham.
So if I read this correctly the court has already ruled that the loans were fine and the complainant is full of shit, and the "row" consists of him appealing.
It's the Telegraph - while ppl continue to take it seriously is beyond me.
So finally the day has come, the culmination of a politicised competition involving death threats, accusations of corruption and dark forces trying to influence the result.
Coincidentally Eurovision is also on.
There's me thinking you were talking of Celtic vs Hearts.
Finland seems to be the overwhelming favourite so the "Bad each way" strategy looks the way to go, and I think there are some options in both the top 5 and top 10 markets. There are always some surprises in these, and from the betting perspectivr would include Serbia, Norway, Poland and UK. Norway in particular had a good song, and the Serbian Death Metal will be popular.
Eurovision isn’t really my thing, does the Israeli entry have any objective merit or is that a silly question? The UK entrant highlighted on BBC news seemed a bit of a knob. I see Simon Schama is doing maudlin rts about the Israeli entrant; a sad decline in a once serious person.
I didn't think much of the Israeli song, but they did a phenomenal astrotufing of the vote last year. The system has changed somewhat but is still vulnerable to that.
Any Competition headed "Euro" that has entrants from Israel and Australia cannot be treated seriously.
Any Competiton that allows Isreal to enter under the current political circumstances should be treated with utter contempt.
As for the UK, whilst i thought last years was an exceptionally good song,very well performed, this years is outrageously bad, what do I know, it might well win. After all our Government may have hired 10,000 Call Centre Staff around the globe to vote for it, it clearly works for some!
Nil Points for me I will boycott it!
I am a big fan. The Austrian hosts just ooze Eurotrash.
Glad to see Lord of the Flies doesn’t get a mention.
LOL. Beloved at 2. Only in the Guardian!
And predictably, the list misses Richardson's Clarissa. Despite being c. 1,700 pages long and an espistolary novel (both explain why people haven't read it), it is imo the greatest novel in the English language.
Moby bloody Dick though. The biggest so what book ever.
And I know it's a syllabus book. But the absence of To Kill A Mocking Bird. Seriously!
fun thing for me about Moby Dick is spotting how wrong some of the science-y parts are.
Glad to see Lord of the Flies doesn’t get a mention.
LOL. Beloved at 2. Only in the Guardian!
And predictably, the list misses Richardson's Clarissa. Despite being c. 1,700 pages long and an espistolary novel (both explain why people haven't read it), it is imo the greatest novel in the English language.
Moby bloody Dick though. The biggest so what book ever.
And I know it's a syllabus book. But the absence of To Kill A Mocking Bird. Seriously!
They're having a whale of a time trolling everyone, and will be laughing at the Finch of it.
Sonia Sodha @soniasodha · 24m This is what I made the case for in my column earlier for the Times. If Burnham wins against Farage in Makerfield that gives him more claim to be able to lead Labour than topping any ballot of members could, and running a full leadership contest would look self-indulgent.
The Labour Party seem to rather like leadership coronations so I suspect that will happen (if Burnham wins the by election). This could backfire if he proves to be a disappointment (see Gordon Brown).
Streeting and Rayner have both, I think, already calculated they’ll get plum jobs out of Burnham in return for their support and it’s easier to play for that then it is to launch leadership campaigns of their own. Streeting would be a relatively uncontroversial choice for FS, for instance. I think Rayner would be happy with her old jobs back with perhaps a higher profile emphasis on housing/devolution which appear to be big Burnham priorities.
Can I please remind everyone that unless Starmer actually resigns there is no coronation.
I think this is all being orchestrated. The moves are too smooth, and Starmer is part of the plan.
The voters in Makerfield have a chance to piss on Burnham's parade.
And there will be plenty of disgruntled party members if it becomes a Westminster stitch-up.
Glad to see Lord of the Flies doesn’t get a mention.
LOL. Beloved at 2. Only in the Guardian!
And predictably, the list misses Richardson's Clarissa. Despite being c. 1,700 pages long and an espistolary novel (both explain why people haven't read it), it is imo the greatest novel in the English language.
Moby bloody Dick though. The biggest so what book ever.
And I know it's a syllabus book. But the absence of To Kill A Mocking Bird. Seriously!
They're having a whale of a time trolling everyone, and will be laughing at the Finch of it.
Well it sounds like the consensus is I should give catch 22 a go!
Catch 22 is quite dull if you don't ‘get it’ – and I didn't. But I've not heard it recommended for some years now and think perhaps Hitchhiker's Guide series captured that market for subsequent generations.
No way. Catch-22: brilliant novel; Hitchhikers Guide: great fun.
But Catch-22 is on a completely different level.
I thought that some of it was just stupid and over the top.
Sonia Sodha @soniasodha · 24m This is what I made the case for in my column earlier for the Times. If Burnham wins against Farage in Makerfield that gives him more claim to be able to lead Labour than topping any ballot of members could, and running a full leadership contest would look self-indulgent.
The Labour Party seem to rather like leadership coronations so I suspect that will happen (if Burnham wins the by election). This could backfire if he proves to be a disappointment (see Gordon Brown).
Streeting and Rayner have both, I think, already calculated they’ll get plum jobs out of Burnham in return for their support and it’s easier to play for that then it is to launch leadership campaigns of their own. Streeting would be a relatively uncontroversial choice for FS, for instance. I think Rayner would be happy with her old jobs back with perhaps a higher profile emphasis on housing/devolution which appear to be big Burnham priorities.
Can I please remind everyone that unless Starmer actually resigns there is no coronation.
I think this is all being orchestrated. The moves are too smooth, and Starmer is part of the plan.
The voters in Makerfield have a chance to piss on Burnham's parade.
And there will be plenty of disgruntled party members if it becomes a Westminster stitch-up.
His success will lie in how much he seems to be running against the PM's record and therefore be a way of getting rid of him. People will need to feel they are biffing the PM by voting for Burnham. That's a delicate and tricky balancing act.
So finally the day has come, the culmination of a politicised competition involving death threats, accusations of corruption and dark forces trying to influence the result.
Coincidentally Eurovision is also on.
There's me thinking you were talking of Celtic vs Hearts.
Finland seems to be the overwhelming favourite so the "Bad each way" strategy looks the way to go, and I think there are some options in both the top 5 and top 10 markets. There are always some surprises in these, and from the betting perspective would include Serbia, Norway, Poland and UK. Norway in particular had a good song, and the Serbian Death Metal will be popular.
WELCOME TO MOLDOVA!
There will be no justice unless Moldova wins with what is clearly the perfect Eurovision song.
So finally the day has come, the culmination of a politicised competition involving death threats, accusations of corruption and dark forces trying to influence the result.
Coincidentally Eurovision is also on.
There's me thinking you were talking of Celtic vs Hearts.
Finland seems to be the overwhelming favourite so the "Bad each way" strategy looks the way to go, and I think there are some options in both the top 5 and top 10 markets. There are always some surprises in these, and from the betting perspective would include Serbia, Norway, Poland and UK. Norway in particular had a good song, and the Serbian Death Metal will be popular.
WELCOME TO MOLDOVA!
There will be no justice unless Moldova wins with what is clearly the perfect Eurovision song.
Moldova rarely grabs world attention, so Eurovision is their chance. And they go with a patriotic Moldovan rap, but entertainingly bonkers.
Romania go the full BDSM, Lithuania the Seventh Seal look, Serbia the Death Metal, Greece the Game Boy and Norway the 70's porn star aesthetic. Something for everyone.
Sonia Sodha @soniasodha · 24m This is what I made the case for in my column earlier for the Times. If Burnham wins against Farage in Makerfield that gives him more claim to be able to lead Labour than topping any ballot of members could, and running a full leadership contest would look self-indulgent.
The Labour Party seem to rather like leadership coronations so I suspect that will happen (if Burnham wins the by election). This could backfire if he proves to be a disappointment (see Gordon Brown).
Streeting and Rayner have both, I think, already calculated they’ll get plum jobs out of Burnham in return for their support and it’s easier to play for that then it is to launch leadership campaigns of their own. Streeting would be a relatively uncontroversial choice for FS, for instance. I think Rayner would be happy with her old jobs back with perhaps a higher profile emphasis on housing/devolution which appear to be big Burnham priorities.
Can I please remind everyone that unless Starmer actually resigns there is no coronation.
I think this is all being orchestrated. The moves are too smooth, and Starmer is part of the plan.
The voters in Makerfield have a chance to piss on Burnham's parade.
And there will be plenty of disgruntled party members if it becomes a Westminster stitch-up.
His success will lie in how much he seems to be running against the PM's record and therefore be a way of getting rid of him. People will need to feel they are biffing the PM by voting for Burnham. That's a delicate and tricky balancing act.
A Labour win in Makerfield would be a poke-in-the-eye for Starmer but a Reform win would be a poke-in-the-eye for both Starmer and Burnham, and an opportunity for Streeting
Well it sounds like the consensus is I should give catch 22 a go!
Catch 22 is quite dull if you don't ‘get it’ – and I didn't. But I've not heard it recommended for some years now and think perhaps Hitchhiker's Guide series captured that market for subsequent generations.
No way. Catch-22: brilliant novel; Hitchhikers Guide: great fun.
But Catch-22 is on a completely different level.
I thought that some of it was just stupid and over the top.
A good idea that could have been better executed.
A bit harsh - some it was very prescient... babel fish for example.
Sonia Sodha @soniasodha · 24m This is what I made the case for in my column earlier for the Times. If Burnham wins against Farage in Makerfield that gives him more claim to be able to lead Labour than topping any ballot of members could, and running a full leadership contest would look self-indulgent.
The Labour Party seem to rather like leadership coronations so I suspect that will happen (if Burnham wins the by election). This could backfire if he proves to be a disappointment (see Gordon Brown).
Streeting and Rayner have both, I think, already calculated they’ll get plum jobs out of Burnham in return for their support and it’s easier to play for that then it is to launch leadership campaigns of their own. Streeting would be a relatively uncontroversial choice for FS, for instance. I think Rayner would be happy with her old jobs back with perhaps a higher profile emphasis on housing/devolution which appear to be big Burnham priorities.
Not if Burnham actually wants progress on housing. Rayner was pretty lamentable getting anything done on that when in office.
Sonia Sodha @soniasodha · 24m This is what I made the case for in my column earlier for the Times. If Burnham wins against Farage in Makerfield that gives him more claim to be able to lead Labour than topping any ballot of members could, and running a full leadership contest would look self-indulgent.
The Labour Party seem to rather like leadership coronations so I suspect that will happen (if Burnham wins the by election). This could backfire if he proves to be a disappointment (see Gordon Brown).
Streeting and Rayner have both, I think, already calculated they’ll get plum jobs out of Burnham in return for their support and it’s easier to play for that then it is to launch leadership campaigns of their own. Streeting would be a relatively uncontroversial choice for FS, for instance. I think Rayner would be happy with her old jobs back with perhaps a higher profile emphasis on housing/devolution which appear to be big Burnham priorities.
Can I please remind everyone that unless Starmer actually resigns there is no coronation.
I think this is all being orchestrated. The moves are too smooth, and Starmer is part of the plan.
The voters in Makerfield have a chance to piss on Burnham's parade.
And there will be plenty of disgruntled party members if it becomes a Westminster stitch-up.
His success will lie in how much he seems to be running against the PM's record and therefore be a way of getting rid of him. People will need to feel they are biffing the PM by voting for Burnham. That's a delicate and tricky balancing act.
A Labour win in Makerfield would be a poke-in-the-eye for Starmer but a Reform win would be a poke-in-the-eye for both Starmer and Burnham, and an opportunity for Streeting
An opportunity for Rayner too.
What she's saying in public and thinking in private may not be fully aligned.
Well it sounds like the consensus is I should give catch 22 a go!
Catch 22 is quite dull if you don't ‘get it’ – and I didn't. But I've not heard it recommended for some years now and think perhaps Hitchhiker's Guide series captured that market for subsequent generations.
No way. Catch-22: brilliant novel; Hitchhikers Guide: great fun.
But Catch-22 is on a completely different level.
I thought that some of it was just stupid and over the top.
A good idea that could have been better executed.
A bit harsh - some it was very prescient... babel fish for example.
Glad to see Lord of the Flies doesn’t get a mention.
LOL. Beloved at 2. Only in the Guardian!
And predictably, the list misses Richardson's Clarissa. Despite being c. 1,700 pages long and an espistolary novel (both explain why people haven't read it), it is imo the greatest novel in the English language.
Moby bloody Dick though. The biggest so what book ever.
And I know it's a syllabus book. But the absence of To Kill A Mocking Bird. Seriously!
Bloody hell yes. To Kill a Mockingbird ought to have been in the top 20 imo.
Sonia Sodha @soniasodha · 24m This is what I made the case for in my column earlier for the Times. If Burnham wins against Farage in Makerfield that gives him more claim to be able to lead Labour than topping any ballot of members could, and running a full leadership contest would look self-indulgent.
The Labour Party seem to rather like leadership coronations so I suspect that will happen (if Burnham wins the by election). This could backfire if he proves to be a disappointment (see Gordon Brown).
Streeting and Rayner have both, I think, already calculated they’ll get plum jobs out of Burnham in return for their support and it’s easier to play for that then it is to launch leadership campaigns of their own. Streeting would be a relatively uncontroversial choice for FS, for instance. I think Rayner would be happy with her old jobs back with perhaps a higher profile emphasis on housing/devolution which appear to be big Burnham priorities.
Not if Burnham actually wants progress on housing. Rayner was pretty lamentable getting anything done on that when in office.
Rayner and Streeting will pick up two of CoE, FS and HS imo. Got to be part of the deal shirley?
Sonia Sodha @soniasodha · 24m This is what I made the case for in my column earlier for the Times. If Burnham wins against Farage in Makerfield that gives him more claim to be able to lead Labour than topping any ballot of members could, and running a full leadership contest would look self-indulgent.
The Labour Party seem to rather like leadership coronations so I suspect that will happen (if Burnham wins the by election). This could backfire if he proves to be a disappointment (see Gordon Brown).
Streeting and Rayner have both, I think, already calculated they’ll get plum jobs out of Burnham in return for their support and it’s easier to play for that then it is to launch leadership campaigns of their own. Streeting would be a relatively uncontroversial choice for FS, for instance. I think Rayner would be happy with her old jobs back with perhaps a higher profile emphasis on housing/devolution which appear to be big Burnham priorities.
Can I please remind everyone that unless Starmer actually resigns there is no coronation.
I think this is all being orchestrated. The moves are too smooth, and Starmer is part of the plan.
The voters in Makerfield have a chance to piss on Burnham's parade.
And there will be plenty of disgruntled party members if it becomes a Westminster stitch-up.
His success will lie in how much he seems to be running against the PM's record and therefore be a way of getting rid of him. People will need to feel they are biffing the PM by voting for Burnham. That's a delicate and tricky balancing act.
There’s a solid anti-Reform block and Burnham is the clear, leading anti-Reform candidate.
Glad to see Lord of the Flies doesn’t get a mention.
Interesting choice of Austen - I would rate Emma higher than the ones they picked.
I'm surprised nothing by Gaskell makes the cut - North and South is possibly the defining work looking at the poor in Victorian society, although I think I actually prefer Mary Barton.
Personally, I would given a spot somewhere on the list to Erskine Childers "The Riddle of the Sands" - a very significant novel for its foreshadowing of WW1, back in 1903.
Glad to see Lord of the Flies doesn’t get a mention.
Interesting choice of Austen - I would rate Emma higher than the ones they picked.
I'm surprised nothing by Gaskell makes the cut - North and South is possibly the defining work looking at the poor in Victorian society, although I think I actually prefer Mary Barton.
Personally, I would given a spot somewhere on the list to Erskine Childers "The Riddle of the Sands" - a very significant novel for its foreshadowing of WW1, back in 1903.
Not remotely interested in Eurovision, but I do have fond memories of when Neighbours had Delta Goodrem, Holly Valance, and Madeleine West in the cast at the same time.
Comments
Their recent rankings of Shakespeare plays put Henry IV parts 1 and 2 at the top.
Sonia Sodha
@soniasodha
·
24m
This is what I made the case for in my column earlier for the Times. If Burnham wins against Farage in Makerfield that gives him more claim to be able to lead Labour than topping any ballot of members could, and running a full leadership contest would look self-indulgent.
https://x.com/soniasodha/status/2055399537003446317
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'
It might not last but it’s surely something.
I hope "Crime and Punishment" is in the top 20.
Yes, Falstaff is a memorable character but that isn't enough for me. I did cut both plays into one when I directed them. That reduced the longeurs and repetitions. It did work but I still wouldn't rank them highly.
If these Left-wing clowns do defenestrate Starmer, it'll be a completely undemocratic fraud on voters. And the nation will clamour for an early election…
Streeting didn't have the numbers and if he does now he's still nailed on to lose to any of the others apart from Al Carns.
One of Starmer's huge weaknesses was he found himself unable to spell out the catastrophe of Brexit and just went along with it. Weak, weak, weak!
You might equally say (as did Michael Pennington, who played the role) that Lear doesn't make much sense.
I think there's far more in the Henry plays than you give them credit for.
Anyway, it's time to sleep.
Quota, just outside Broadway.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/may/15/neo-nazi-obsessed-teen-jailed-for-trying-to-kill-kurdish-man-in-bristol-with-axe
This is a strange (housing, theory of everything) detail.
..Andrew Langdon KC, defending, said Burns had experienced a difficult childhood due to her family being made homeless and living in a series of temporary accommodation.
Langdon said that despite both of Burns’s parents being teachers, the teenager had stopped attending full-time education at 14...
https://conservativehome.com/2026/05/11/david-gauke-cannons-to-the-right-of-them-cannons-to-the-left-labours-dilemma-is-also-that-of-the-tories/
How South Korea Cut Stroke Deaths by More Than 80%
The country’s fight against cardiovascular disease provides a blueprint for the world
https://tomfrieden.substack.com/p/how-south-korea-cut-stroke-deaths
lIn 1990, stroke killed South Koreans at a rate of 248 per 100,000. By 2023, that rate had fallen to 32. That’s an 87 percent drop. A generation ago, only about one in twenty Korean adults with high blood pressure, which is still the world’s biggest killer, had it under control. Today, six in ten do...
How Tommy Robinson gained extraordinary influence
The far-right influencer’s world is closer than you might think" (£)
https://www.economist.com/britain/2026/05/14/how-tommy-robinson-gained-extraordinary-influence
What I so dislike about Starmer is that he and his Government reneged on many, some would say most, of their manifesto and certainly virtually every precept of the Labour movement. They postured at being right-wing tough tories, including the execrable Rachel-from-Accounts, whilst all the while managing to shit on business. It's quite staggering how inept AND unfair AND dishonest they have managed to be. And Starmer has a deeply unpleasant habit of shafting anyone and everyone, whilst failing to own up to his own mistakes, lying through his teeth, and not helping his cause by droning on in monotonous platitudes.
That is why I have been seething with him and them for the past 2 years, and hence my venom about Wes Streeting which @Sunil_Prasannan misquoted back at me (slightly infelicitously if I may say). Labour were elected on an already feeble share of the vote but there's a reason why that has all-but-halved now in the opinion polls. People like me are fuming at what has happened. If you vote Labour you do at least expect to get something approximating to it, not a Tory-Lite actually Tory-Shite version.
Remember: unlike many people on this forum I voted Labour last time, which probably also explains things. In fact I wasn't just fuming. I was deeply embarrassed that I could have been so fooled by these shysters. I'm still not done with my anger at them.
I'd rather have a wolf than a wolf in sheep's clothing
Back to Burnham. He's the only reason I would ever consider voting Labour again. I like the guy a lot. He might just bring me back on board, especially if that stops Farage-Badenoch.
And just because a wolf chose to wear the garb of a sheep would make you treat it differently.
Well, shame on you.
Mayor accused of unfairly subsidising ‘luxury’ high-rise flats dominating Manchester’s skyline
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/f2d0f13eed02409a
Gift link so no paywall.
It wouldn't be northern politics without a property scandal. The Telegraph is taking up arms against Andy Burnham.
Your sartorialism reminds me that I really must go and see Devil Wears Prada 2. I loved the first one so much that I've held back until now for fear of ruining the original.
Although if you're saying that the crypto-lefty high tax and spend policies under Cameron, May and Johnson failed to get Labour's debt mess under control, I won't contradict you.
Cross-party committee, chaired by Labour peer, says Government has no authority to withhold documents from Parliament
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/05/15/no-10-refuses-release-mandelson-vetting-files/ (£££)
The next tranche of Mandelson documents will be issued after the recess.
The ISC has condemned the use of WhatsApp and similar for government business as there is no audit trail and there is a security risk.
Oh sod it, here's the gift link:-
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/279272313b72a211
Two councillors who were suspended by Reform UK have resigned from the party.
Durham County Council deputy leader Darren Grimes said councillors Kenny Hope and Andrew Harrison had been suspended pending internal investigations. But he claimed it would be inappropriate to comment on why the pair had been suspended while investigations were ongoing.
On Friday, both councillors said they had since quit the party and they would continue in their roles as independents.
Streeting and Rayner have both, I think, already calculated they’ll get plum jobs out of Burnham in return for their support and it’s easier to play for that then it is to launch leadership campaigns of their own. Streeting would be a relatively uncontroversial choice for FS, for instance. I think Rayner would be happy with her old jobs back with perhaps a higher profile emphasis on housing/devolution which appear to be big Burnham priorities.
The full list is here:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/ng-interactive/2026/may/12/the-100-best-novels-of-all-time?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
I am now on 13, so lots to read.
I can’t think of a single female friend who doesn’t read fiction though.
Coincidentally Eurovision is also on.
Mind you, at least Manchester got something – unlike other councils whose property speculation left them skint.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/ng-interactive/2026/may/12/the-100-best-novels-of-all-time
Lord of the Rings is a big miss though.
Glad to see Lord of the Flies doesn’t get a mention.
But Catch-22 is on a completely different level.
Finland seems to be the overwhelming favourite so the "Bad each way" strategy looks the way to go, and I think there are some options in both the top 5 and top 10 markets. There are always some surprises in these, and from the betting perspective would include Serbia, Norway, Poland and UK. Norway in particular had a good song, and the Serbian Death Metal will be popular.
I see Simon Schama is doing maudlin rts about the Israeli entrant; a sad decline in a once serious person.
Any Competiton that allows Isreal to enter under the current political circumstances should be treated with utter contempt.
As for the UK, whilst i thought last years was an exceptionally good song,very well performed, this years is outrageously bad, what do I know, it might well win. After all our Government may have hired 10,000 Call Centre Staff around the globe to vote for it, it clearly works for some!
Nil Points for me I will boycott it!
And predictably, the list misses Richardson's Clarissa. Despite being c. 1,700 pages long and an espistolary novel (both explain why people haven't read it), it is imo the greatest novel in the English language.
The guy on R4 tipped Australia to win
There will be no justice unless Moldova wins with what is clearly the perfect Eurovision song.
And I know it's a syllabus book. But the absence of To Kill A Mocking Bird. Seriously!
And there will be plenty of disgruntled party members if it becomes a Westminster stitch-up.
A good idea that could have been better executed.
Romania go the full BDSM, Lithuania the Seventh Seal look, Serbia the Death Metal, Greece the Game Boy and Norway the 70's porn star aesthetic. Something for everyone.
Trump phones going viral again. £59m raised in deposits after launch a year ago, with "no supply guaranteed" in the small print.
Now he's tripping over his feet to "start deliveries". What are the odds that they are "Made in America" as promised?
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EbLYAXhLJVw
Rayner was pretty lamentable getting anything done on that when in office.
What she's saying in public and thinking in private may not be fully aligned.
I'm surprised nothing by Gaskell makes the cut - North and South is possibly the defining work looking at the poor in Victorian society, although I think I actually prefer Mary Barton.
Personally, I would given a spot somewhere on the list to Erskine Childers "The Riddle of the Sands" - a very significant novel for its foreshadowing of WW1, back in 1903.
Not remotely interested in Eurovision, but I do have fond memories of when Neighbours had Delta Goodrem, Holly Valance, and Madeleine West in the cast at the same time.