And there's an elegant debate club game here as well. Many of the things Kirk said were, written down in isolation, debatable. A lot of the repulsiveness of his stated views comes from them all … (View Post)

How much of that is because Metro Mayor is an easier job, so it's easier to look good doing it? (It's why stealthily not-quite forcing Mayors on everywhere, and giving them a decent wodge o… (View Post)

It highlights how difficult the problem is, and how deeply rooted it is. Without getting too nostalgic, programmes like the BBC’s Generation Game once pulled in millions every Saturday night, giving … (View Post)

And the same was true of those on the Opposition benches. Even when they were wrong (Foot, say) or a bit mad (Benn), they were people of substance. I think you've pointed out before that people … (View Post)

Apart from being a faster talker than Starmer (which is pretty much everyone) and not having been in government recently (gives you clean hands, sure, but is otherwise a downside), what exactly is Bu… (View Post)