@marciles.bsky.social With the investment in the club not being available to strengthen the first team - are we just very short on the money required to be competitive in the market or is it just a case of having to wait for transfer chains to kick into gear? Or a bit of both?
Predictably the freeze on the early release scheme burns Burnham because the only possible change would be pitting serious crimes against each other. And that’s what we’ve got. Nobody has a magic new prisons wand and I question whether he was wise to raise hopes of victims and their families.
It’s rare that pop songs get stuck in my head these days. But minibar by Gracie Abrams is stuck there solid. I’m not sure a more perfect pop tune exists.
I find it interesting that the narrative of ‘clearly it’s not that simple and is dangerous nonsense’ forming round Reform’s channel crossing policy. And it has happened without any political opponent really saying anything about it.
Glad someone senior from the sector is pushing back. Labour MPs need to understand the serious real anger from graduates and the people who produce them. And the dangerous financial situation they have allowed to fester, or indeed worsened, in one of Britain’s leading sectors.
Labour has harmed universities as much as Trump, London School of Economics head says
LSE vice-chancellor Larry Kramer points to domestic student fees freeze, international student limits and rise in employers’ national insurance
ft.com
Bev Craig's first preference share is four points higher than Labour won in the 2024 general election
Impressive win for Lab - well ahead of the polling. Nearly didn’t need second round. Disappointing for Reform and Greens. Restore performance remarkable for a party that’s just months old - might have harmed Reform? But Lab would have won comfortably even without them.
Election Maps UK@electionmaps.uk · 5d agoGreater Manchester Mayoral By-Election Result: 🌹 Craig | LAB: 47.2% ➡️ Astley | RFM: 21.0% 🌍 Coggins | GRN: 12.2% ◼️ West | RES: 8.7% 🌳 Eckersley | CON: 7.7% 🔶 Kilpatrick | LDM: 2.2% 🙋 Farmer | Ind: 0.6% 2nd Round: 🌹 Craig | LAB: 66.3% ➡️ Astley | RFM: 33.7% Labour HOLD.
The count in GM has become somewhat farcical. It’s gone 6 and still no announcement of first preference count. Madness. And nobody seems to have any idea what is going on. I think we are on the third ‘announcement soon’ klaxon.
The count in Wigan apparently holding up a result in the GM mayoral election. Didn’t know binface was standing……
One of the biggest ever shakeups in the organisation of English government which could well herald a major political economy turning point. Sort of surprised it’s not on more news website front pages.
Getting to walk to vote on a sunny day is still a great pleasure!
Burnham is surging, Farage is tanking...
Luke Tryl@luketryl.bsky.social · 7d agoLatest leader approvals 🌹Burnham bumps up to +19, 8 higher than Keir’s high of 11. 🌳Badenoch down slightly to break even 🔶Davey drops back to -11 💚Polanski is at -24 ➡️Farage drops to another low, by far his lowest since the election at -32
I don’t know if Andy Burnham can do the ‘policy’ stuff. But his ability to discuss issues in a way that makes him sound like someone you might bump into in the street - is remarkable imo. He is not scared of an argument or moral leadership at all.
But anyway that’s why the PM sounded quite baffled by it being presented as his policy yesterday. Because it isn’t. It’s a report lobbying for this change.
Our polling of Greater Manchester ahead of Thursday’s by-election shows Bev Craig holding a clear lead. First preference results: 🌹 LAB 39% ⏩ REF 19% 🟢 GREEN 14% 🌳 CON 12% 🔶 LIB DEM 8% 🔵 RESTORE 8% ⚪️ IND 1% N = 1,003 | Fieldwork 11-23/7
NEW: Westminster Voting Intention LAB 26% (+1) RFM 24% (-2) CON 21% (+2) GRN 10% (+2) LD 10% (=) SNP 3% (=) RB 2% (+1) PC 2% (=) OTH 3% (-3) F/w 25-27 July 2026. Changes vs 24/07/2026
Andy Burnham is the Dylan of politics. He’s arrived with a curated folksy not always entirely accurate, backstory of a whimsical journey to build a public persona. Then done his comfy folk covers album (buses, pubs). Now he’s freewheelin’ his way through major policy. Wait till he goes electric..
Indeed. It’s just not that deep, you shouldn’t call for your political opponents to be killed, even as an “edgy” joke.
James Austin@jamesdaustin.bsky.social · last wk.There is also the fact that this lad turned up to the Green party's big fundraising rave on Sunday wearing a explicit call for the murder of a political opponent... ... and not only did no one see the issue, they chose to photo him and use his image to promote it. The issues go further than Zack
Honoured to become Chair of the Labour Party. I joined our party as a teenager and saw first hand the difference a Labour government makes. I'll work with members to build the election-winning machine that sees off Reform for good and secures a second Labour term.
My column in tomorrow's paper: Labour now have a leader who gives good advert. This is good for them, but the broader change it represents, much less so:
Burnham and the problem of politics by social media
The old tightly regulated party broadcast model is dead — for better and for worse
ft.com
July and August should be about Test cricket not the fabricated Hundred.
Our latest voting intention sees cross over. Labour move ahead by 4. Their first lead since March 2025 & highest share since Nov 24 🌹 LAB 28% (+4) ⏩ REF 24% (-2) 🌳 CON 22% (nc) 🔶 LIB DEM 12% (+1) 🟢 GREEN 8% (-3) 🟡 SNP 2% (nc) N = 2061| Dates 24-27/7| Change w 22/7
I dare anyone to listen to Musk’s interview with the economist and tell me that AI doesn’t need significant regulation that currently doesn’t exist. Musk is many things but he knows more about this than most. We are walking straight into the end of civilisation.
At both the Telegraph and NS had to navigate the hurt feelings of some politicians about things that those publications had done, sometimes 20 years in the past. Now loads of politicians will merrily post away on a website whose owner regularly endorses the idea they, personally, should be killed.
It was always evident that Starmer’s team briefed far too much (and very obviously counter-productively), and this subsequent behaviour is simply bearing that out.
And how do people feel, in contrast, about Keir Starmer no longer being Prime Minister, Good is the biggest word, followed by Happy and relived, though a smaller number say sad and indifferent.
How do Brits say they feel about Andy Burnham becoming Prime Minister. The top word is hopeful, followed by good and optimistic, though others aren't sure or are indifferent. A smaller number say worried.
Am struck from focus groups this week how much the lack of lectern for Burnham’s No10 speech has cut through and as a Starmer contrast, psychologically seems to have landed as bolder/removing a barrier.
