Your regular reminder: If the Russians stop fighting, the war ends. If the Ukrainians stop fighting, their land will be occupied, their leaders will be killed, their history and language will be erased, their children will be kidnapped to serve Russia.

Riddle me this. If somebody donates £36 million to a political party and £5 million to its leader, how is the £5 million not political? Asking for a parliamentary standards commissioner.

Reform’s electoral record at parliamentary by-elections: win by five votes when the previous Labour MP had literally decked one of his constituents. Lose. Lose. Lose. Lose. Lose. Beat a novelty candidate with no ground game while doing worse than the Tories in the same seat in 2019.

Secondly I have never ever thought the words “Ed Miliband” in well over a decade of coveting English devolution, despite him having a northern seat. That feels telling

Couldn’t agree more with this. Almost every recent big debate is enhanced by understanding theology and religion: AI, the Iran war, populism, immigration, Israel-Gaza, work v welfare, even devolution and housing. We devalue theology and RS at our peril. www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2026...

Is there trouble ahead for religious education?

Chine McDonald unpacks the state of theology and religious education in the UK. TRS is more than just a ‘soft’ conversation 09/07/2026

theosthinktank.co.uk

If you haven’t listened, the latest series of Reading our Times from @theosthinktank.bsky.social is worth your time. Timely conversations about immigration, identity & Christian nationalism with experts. As ever @nickebs.bsky.social is a measured, incisive host. podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/r...

Reading Our Times

Philosophy Podcast · Updated weekly · Reading Our Times is the podcast that explores the books and the ideas that are shaping us today. It is hosted by Nick Spencer, Senior Fellow at the think tank, T...

podcasts.apple.com

This is remarkable.

Thatcher: “if they attack one personally, it means they have not a single political argument left.” The kinds of people we elect matters. Badenoch herself attests to that by invoking “spiteful” as an ad hominem attack, and others by noting that her performance was vindictive and graceless.

Bridget Phillipson MP@bphillipsonmp.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Kemi lost her head at PMQs - and afterwards too. It's not the first time. She's compared me to a Gestapo officer. I wonder what it is about a working class woman driving record investment in state schools by ending private schools' tax breaks that the Tories hate so much.

I know he’s talented but surely even Burnham couldn’t do those two jobs at once

If he doesn’t win something soon, I wonder whether Nigel Farage will retire to spend more time with other people’s money.

We need leaders who can spell out what's happening clearly and with force.

Really enjoyed this reflective piece on the Steven Bartlett self-optimisation debate from @chinemcdonald.bsky.social @theosthinktank.bsky.social: www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2026... #DiaryofaCEO #StevenBartlett

Steven Bartlett and the myth of relentless self–optimisation

Chine McDonald explores the recent backlash against our cultural obsession with self–optimisation. Can we resist the pull of productivity? 04/06/2026

theosthinktank.co.uk

good thread on where the centre right has gone - would also add that the '10-'24 centre-right people have mostly left politics now, as many were always going to do as politics is quite generational, but there just isn't a new generation of post-Cameroons willing to pick up those fights

John Oxley@joxley.jmoxley.co.uk · 4mo ago

So to explain, rather than excuse, this, I think there are a few things going on. Some structural, some attitudinal, some just moral cowardice. 🧵

Henry Nowak’s father’s words outside court, who is probably the person we most need to hear from today.

oh great yeah, we did need another one of those

And as a side note, it is a really good thing this is happening - the best thing to come out of Blair’s intervention would be a proper debate on substance in the party.

If you're still trying to figure it out after a decade that might be a clue....

Most of us are used to listening to our conscience. But what is it and where does it come from? Come and join my short course at City Lit (@citylit.bsky.social) on Sat 6 June to explore insights on #conscience from #philosophy to #psychology to #neuroscience. 💡 www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/hist...

BBC bigging up Reform UK and saying congrats to them and stuff! With not even a third of the councils in and a lot of debate still on where we're to land! Quality of coverage very poor and runs on rails: 'Reform triumph' was decided on weeks ago. Pitiful.

from Fraser Nelson:

extremely good, this one

Stephen Bush@stephenkb.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Today's newsletter. Cheery topic!

I’m not a #BBC conspiracy theorist and I usually defend them, but I find it very odd that we’ve not seen a word from them reporting this, or Farage’s Cameos yesterday, or Tice’s alleged tax avoidance on Monday. If it had been three Labour frontbenchers…

The Guardian@theguardian.com · 6mo ago

Lee Anderson filmed paid-for Cameo videos at parliament in possible rules breach

Important data about Gorton & Denton from @bwalker.uk. 1. Only around 5% of Lab 2024 voters switched to Reform vs 36% to Greens. 2. No evidence of support for Reform among under 35s (sub 10%) - it's all over 55s 3. Progressives were undecided til last minute www.newstatesman.com/politics/pol...

The rise of the undecided voter

Exclusive polling shows how late the Gorton and Denton by-election was decided

newstatesman.com

“the changes would ensure additional or replacement keys were only issued with permission from the person staying in the room” I can’t get my head round this not being the case already! Until now an abuser would’ve been able to get access to a DV victim’s room?! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Travelodge changes policy after attacker given victim's hotel key

The woman was attacked by Kyran Smith, who was given a key to her hotel room by staff.

bbc.co.uk

It's almost like being fabulously rich doesn't make you happy or well adjusted. It's almost like it makes you sad and lonely. And leaves you forever casting about for scapegoats to offset your deep self-loathing. Thank you Jim Ratcliffe and Elon Musk for these important life lessons.

Today, on Holocaust Memorial Day, we will remember the 6 million Jews killed by the Nazis and their collaborators during the Holocaust.

Teddies and a letter from mum - devastating remnants of lives stolen by Nazis

mirror.co.uk

NEW: Suella Braverman has defected to Reform UK, shocking the many people who were sure that she had already.

Bluesky idea: if people who didn't agree with you change their opinions so that they do agree with you, why not be happy that you are making progress - rather than complaining that they are "only just catching up"?