Patrick Maguire
patrickmaguire.bsky.social
Patrick Maguire
@patrickmaguire.bsky.social
28K followers 80 following 190 posts
Chief political commentator, The Times
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I've joined Substack to share more thoughts on my reading, writing and thoughts on the history that helps explain our political moment. Subscribe here, if you like.

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What I'm reading and writing
Welcome to my Substack
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State comprehensive actually, great guess, you muppet 👍🏻
Reposted by Patrick Maguire
A podcast intro that is actually funny!

@patrickmaguire.bsky.social sings I Think We're Alone Now at Maggie Thatcher’s 100th birthday to explain Kemi’s position at conference.

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
Badenoch woos WhatsApp plotters
Podcast Episode · The State of It · 08/10/2025 · 37m
podcasts.apple.com
Start taking the Beano if you don't like it pal
Morgan McSweeney:
- broke contact with “dismissive” Mandelson on Tuesday
- resolved he should be sacked on after PMQs on Wednesday
- then went to Brussels that evening
- by the time he returned, his longtime friend and mentor was gone

Full story in today’s Times: www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
I love the presumably unconscious Wodehouse tribute here. Cosy Moments cannot be muzzled!
Reposted by Patrick Maguire
Don't think I'm being overly precious to say not enough made of the booing of the minute's silence for Jota. TNT coverage seemed desperate to move on and be able to talk about how wonderful and deserving the Palace fans were. Yes, I know, a minority etc.
It was literally the founding principle of the NHS after all…
Reposted by Patrick Maguire
The central issue for parties now is fairness. For Labour that means cost of living, good public services, social justice. But Farage has defined it on crime, immigration, welfare bills and voters being played for mugs. And right now he is winning that fight
www.ft.com/content/e153...
EXC: Ministers and civil servants are deliberately misleading the public with “false” and “unfounded” briefings about the Hillsborough Law, Andy Burnham tells The Times

KC who wrote draft bill says officials are seeking to “subvert and destroy the entire process”

www.thetimes.com/article/a220...
Andy Burnham: Officials misleading public over Hillsborough Law
The mayor of Greater Manchester accused parts of Whitehall of making ‘false’ and ‘unfounded’ claims about legislation to stop state cover-ups
www.thetimes.com
Is Keir Starmer planning a progressive pivot?

He made a class-conscious speech to cabinet last week.

But the justice secretary asked whether Labour could really claim to represent the working class...

...and then his policy chief sketched out a tougher direction of travel.
Column in this morning's Times:
- How four MPs ended up without the Labour whip – and why No 10 wanted more
- Shabana tells Keir: no point having a working class cabinet the working class hate
- Liz Lloyd tells cabinet: social cohesion under threat due to migration

www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...
Keir Starmer doesn’t yet have whip hand over his MPs
A tough autumn awaits when Keir Starmer will need new powers of persuasion to sell the vision he’s beginning to articulate
www.thetimes.com
Reposted by Patrick Maguire
Danger is welfare rows + winter fuel and coming rows on SEND etc recreates sense of chaos voters thought they’d got rid of with the Tories. Damaging in two ways 1. Annoys exhausted electorate 2. Derisks Reform - people think (fairly or not) if current lot already chaotic how bad can Reform be.