Hugh Osborne
@available4panto.bsky.social
Actor/playwright, waiting for both acting agent and literary agent to get on #BlueSky so I can link to them
The only good thing about this whole debacle is that it has given us a brief respite from all those "Fair do's to Kemi Badenoch, she's really starting to find her feet as an increasingly politically supple party leader" takes www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Kemi Badenoch gives former neo-Nazi advisory role after he withdraws as Tory candidate
Joshua Bonehill-Paine says Conservative leader has asked him to work with party’s culture and integration commission
theguardian.com
Well we all wondered if the opposition parties would recapture the agenda while Burnham was on holiday and it does look like Kemi Badenoch’s Conservatives will manage to do that for a crucial third day
Jessica Elgot@jessicaelgot.bsky.social · 15h agoFormer neo-Nazi activist withdraws... But Badenoch now offers him advisor role. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Brilliant letter from Stuart Thompson to Jeremy Clarkson about his comments that benefit claimants should write weekly thank you letters to tax payers detailing how they spend their benefits each week.
It’s disgusting for the Conservatives to ask Jewish groups to meet their ex-neo-Nazi candidate, presumably in the hope he will charm them and they’ll offer their blessing. They should not expect Jewish people to sanitise this appalling choice. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Tories offer Jewish groups meeting with ex neo-Nazi activist candidate
Joshua Bonehill-Paine was jailed over neo-Nazi activism, but has been selected to stand in a new Somerset Council seat in 2027.
bbc.co.uk
I don’t understand why some commentators seem to think Badenoch is doing well as leader, when everything I see her do fits exactly this description. Sorry, she just comes across as very stupid
Dorian Lynskey@dorianlynskey.bsky.social · 24h agoBadenoch represents double-down conservatism. Never apologise or moderate. Insult your opponents. Patronise journalists when challenged. Contradict yourself, lie, whatever it takes, but never back down. And that's how you end up creating an extremely avoidable Tory antisemitism scandal overnight
Where are Kemi Badenoch's colleagues in all this? Surely *somebody* must have warned her that backing a rootin' tootin' Sieg Heil salutin' fully-fledged Neo-Nazi who did jail time for harassment of a Jewish MP wasn't the hill to die on? (And I really think this could be the hill she dies on.)
Good morning Bluesky ☀️ My grandad told me he saw the Titanic - from the outset he warned all the people that the ship would sink, but nobody listened to him. He knew he was right and didn't give up. He warned them again & again, until eventually they kicked him out of the cinema.
PETER FALK making his debut as ‘Lt. Columbo’ in 1968’s “Prescription: Murder”.
Very much looking forward tomorrow, when Count Binface holds out an olive branch to Nigel Farage
Farage knows the secret of comedy is timing www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Farage admission over timing of Reform leadership talks raises fresh doubts over £5m gift
Nigel Farage admits he discussed returning as Reform leader months before election, appearing to undermine previous claims
theguardian.com
Farage says Lowe is making him out as the bad guy. Lowe says Farage is an outright liar. But they are prepared to work together. 🤦 Fundamentally unserious, and fringier than Claudia Winkleman in a flapper dress appearing at an Edinburgh venue in August. www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
Restore leader accuses Farage of ‘outright lying’ over pact offer but says his party ‘remains open’ – UK politics live
Rupert Lowe says no talks have taken place after the Reform UK leader said he was ‘open to conversation’ on some sort of electoral deal
theguardian.com
More nonsense from Farage and Reform, designed to evoke partial memories of WW2 from people who can't remember WW2. I'm convinced the opening credits of Dad's Army are the most pernicious infographic the UK has ever seen. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Former navy officer criticises Reform plan to use military to stop small boats
Retired commander says policy lacks substance as party accused of trying to distract from Nigel Farage’s scandals
theguardian.com
"Nigel Farage Funder George Cottrell's Accountant Co-Invested With Russia-Linked Indicted Cocaine Trafficker" Not quite up there with the News of the World's iconic " Nudist Welfare Man's Model Wife Fell For the Chinese Hypnotist From The Co-op Bacon Factory" But marks for effort
Byline Times@bylinetimes.bsky.social · 3d ago🔴 NEW Nigel Farage Funder George Cottrell’s Accountant Co-Invested With Russia-Linked Indicted Cocaine Trafficker By @nafeez.bsky.social Read below. ↓
🔴 NEW Nigel Farage Funder George Cottrell’s Accountant Co-Invested With Russia-Linked Indicted Cocaine Trafficker By @nafeez.bsky.social Read below. ↓
Nigel Farage Funder George Cottrell's Accountant Co-Invested With Russia-Linked Indicted Cocaine Trafficker
The accountancy firm that administers George Cottrell’s Montenegro company, has invested in a property development with the alleged ringleader of the country’s largest money laundering cartel
bylinetimes.com
More nonsense from Farage and Reform, designed to evoke partial memories of WW2 from people who can't remember WW2. I'm convinced the opening credits of Dad's Army are the most pernicious infographic the UK has ever seen. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Former navy officer criticises Reform plan to use military to stop small boats
Retired commander says policy lacks substance as party accused of trying to distract from Nigel Farage’s scandals
theguardian.com
"Get me a clanger for the 9 o'clock news!"
Seth Masket@smotus.bsky.social · 4d agoNow THAT's a headline
Reform given six-figure donation by firm that received £67m loans from unnamed sources - The Observer apple.news/AikBTBECnRH-...
Reform given six-figure donation by firm that received £67m loans from unnamed sources — The Observer
Nigel Farage’s party is facing questions about the lack of transparency over £100,000 in funds donated by a management consultancy
apple.news
Turn failing water firms into not-for-profit cooperatives, MPs and mayors tell PM. Issues: Corporate debt would be transferred to co-ops. Co-ops would borrow for investment at commercial rates, not govt rates. High debt and debt servicing cost, higher bills. Need public ownership.
Turn failing water firms into not-for-profit cooperatives, MPs and mayors tell PM
Labour politicians say mutualised model puts public in control without adding debt to government’s balance sheet
theguardian.com
Am I the only one to notice that NIGEL FARAGE REFORM UK is an anagram of OH SHIT IVE REALLY FUCKED THIS UP HAVENT I?
Laura Phillips@lauraphillips.bsky.social · 4d ago@gabrielpogrund.bsky.social: ‘EXCLUSIVE Nigel Farage struck secret deal for return as Reform leader months before election — challenging claim he wasn't involved in politics so didn't need to report gifts. In May 24 he showed deal to treasurer, who tonight acknowledged its existence’
Nigel Farage has denied strong rumours that his temporary disappearance from the political scene is the result of filming his episode of the TV series "Who Do You Think You Are?".
Am I the only one to notice that NIGEL FARAGE REFORM UK is an anagram of OH SHIT IVE REALLY FUCKED THIS UP HAVENT I?
Laura Phillips@lauraphillips.bsky.social · 4d ago@gabrielpogrund.bsky.social: ‘EXCLUSIVE Nigel Farage struck secret deal for return as Reform leader months before election — challenging claim he wasn't involved in politics so didn't need to report gifts. In May 24 he showed deal to treasurer, who tonight acknowledged its existence’
@gabrielpogrund.bsky.social: ‘EXCLUSIVE Nigel Farage struck secret deal for return as Reform leader months before election — challenging claim he wasn't involved in politics so didn't need to report gifts. In May 24 he showed deal to treasurer, who tonight acknowledged its existence’
Nigel Farage struck Reform comeback deal long before election
Supervised by the convicted fraudster George Cottrell, the agreement undermines Farage’s claim about when he decided to return to politics
thetimes.com
With Labour winning the Manchester mayoral election, the final piece of the transition from Starmer to Burnham has been successfully accomplished. The whole process was done very effectively without the division, defeats and chaos and that many predicted. Labour, I barely recognise you.
Both practically and psychologically coming 5th in GM a bad result for the Conservatives. In manchester focus groups heard from a series of voters who liked Badenoch but thought party had blown it in office, simply unwilling to look at the Tories yet after Partygate/mini budget/migration failures.
Can you imagine how much of a story it would have been if Reform had won the Manchester mayoral contest. And for a while it looked not only possible but in some ways probable looking at the polls a few months back. And yet they were trounced. They got nowhere near. That should be a big story.
Except they're not heading to the UK, 48,000 of them have already voluntarily returned to Morocco. Confected rage from the Mail.
Gr. Manchester result (+/- vs May local elections): 🔴 Lab: 47% ( +24 ) ➡️ Ref: 21% ( -10 ) 🟢 Grn: 12% ( -7 ) ⚫️ Res: 9% ( +9 ) 🔵 Con: 8% ( -3 ) 🟠 Lib: 3% ( -7 ) In May's local elections, Labour lost to Reform across the region by a 7pt margin. Tonight they WON by 26pts. x.com/LeftieStats/...
