Peter Walker
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peterwalker99.bsky.social
Peter Walker
@peterwalker99.bsky.social
46K followers 650 following 2.4K posts
Guardian senior political correspondent. New book, Stress tested, out now: https://tinyurl.com/mhn82a7m
Email: [email protected] Secure email if needed: [email protected]
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peterwalker99.bsky.social
Can’t believe I have *one* day off and I miss this.
January 15, 2026 at 11:11 AM
Reposted by Peter Walker
rafaelbehr.bsky.social
When the interior ministry declares its militia to be above the law in terms that equate dissent with treason there really isn’t any question of whether or not we are looking at an authoritarian regime.
Department of Homeland Security post on X affirming immunity for ICE agents under all circumstances
January 14, 2026 at 4:05 PM
peterwalker99.bsky.social
I mean, it feels to me like it's mainly a case of waiting till enough time passes, but what do I know.
The spin doctor tasked with guiding Prince William to the throne
January 14, 2026 at 2:14 PM
peterwalker99.bsky.social
This is from yesterday but I've only just seen it and it's pretty extraordinary. Rachel Maclean, Tory peer who was an MP and minister alongside Nadhim Zahawi, and was until recently a key aide to Kemi Badenoch, saying he was:

• Universally disliked
• Never in his constituency
• Can't be trusted.
Daming statements from Zahawi's former Stratford on Avon colleagues tell the full story. Nobody wanted him back because no-one liked him and his tax fiddling reputation was seriously damaging. As his former constituency neighbour it was obvious he never worked or even visited his constituency. As ever this defection is all about him. He realised he had no route back as a Conservative MP or a Peer. Our party under new leadership values hard work, honesty and most of all Conservative values. He doesn't embody a single one. Statements below: Nadhim Zahawi’s decision to join Reform UK is self serving and a kick in the teeth for loyal local Conservative party members who supported his re-selection in 2023 when every single member of the then Conservative cabinet at Stratford District Council wanted him to step down”. Says Cllr Daren Pemberton, leader of the Conservative group on Stratford District Council. Daren went on “He has clearly been on a journey that has taken him both physically and politically away from the values and focus of Stratford Conservatives, which are to make peoples lives better through opportunity and aspiration, individual freedom and responsibility, sound finances, and delivering world class local services that meet residents needs” Nadhim Zahawi’s political influence and relevance is long behind him and from here on Reform UK in Stratford District will be personified by Nadhim Zahawi which will make it absolutely clear to local voters what they will get with Reform UK….self, self, self. and, the Chairman's: South Warwickshire Conservative Association regrets the decision of the former Member of Parliament for Stratford-on-Avon to leave the Conservative Party. Political parties are built on shared values, commitment and service, and we are disappointed to see that he can no longer feels that he can support Conservative party values. We are also surprised by the timing of his decision when confidence and support for the Conservative’s message and leadership is growing again; both nationally and locally in Stratford District. Under new leadership, the Conservative Party is once again setting out an authentically Conservative direction: focused on responsibility, opportunity, sound management of public finances, and genuine service to local residents and the nation as a whole. We remain confident that our renewed sense of purpose will continue to resonate with voters in the Stratford-on-Avon constituency and across the country.
January 13, 2026 at 5:43 PM
peterwalker99.bsky.social
There's a fantastically fussy sign which has gone up in parliament advising visitors how to "safely access and egress the estate". Egress?! I have not knowingly egressed from anywhere, whether safely or unsafely.
January 13, 2026 at 3:54 PM
peterwalker99.bsky.social
At health questions in the Commons, an MP just asked about the idea of seeking to "turbocharge NHS dentistry", which doesn't sound like a very safe idea.
January 13, 2026 at 12:37 PM
peterwalker99.bsky.social
Ed Davey is making his big kicking-off-the-new-year speech in London, with - as you can see - a focus on the NHS. Can he seize some attention amid all the chaos and the endless focus on Reform?
January 13, 2026 at 10:31 AM
peterwalker99.bsky.social
Amid yet another day off what=the-hell news, this really is almost beyond belief: the chair of the US Federal Reserve releasing a video statement stating that he is being threatened with concocted criminal charges because he won't set the interest rates the president wants to see.
January 12, 2026 at 2:49 PM
peterwalker99.bsky.social
Ah.
pippacrerar.bsky.social Pippa Crerar @pippacrerar.bsky.social · 3d
❤️‍🔥Tory sources confirm that Nadhim Zahawi made approaches to senior members of Kemi Badenoch's team about getting a peerage just weeks before defecting to Reform UK - but was turned down.
January 12, 2026 at 2:35 PM
peterwalker99.bsky.social
New version of Nigel Farage's defence against multiple claims of school-era racism and antisemitism - Farage tells a press conference that the accusations are "meaningless", because claims of racism are now so common. This is slightly different from last week's "fantasies".
January 12, 2026 at 12:17 PM
Reposted by Peter Walker
jamesdaustin.bsky.social
Kemi, this is just a population density map
January 12, 2026 at 8:01 AM
peterwalker99.bsky.social
Robert Jenrick's views increasingly give the impression that he's just reading out the "for you" feed on X.
Jenrick: Police are giving in to Islamists Shadow justice secretary warns Britain faces ‘the fight of our generation’ against extremists He said that unless the rise of Islamist extremism was addressed, there would be “the ubiquity of Sharia courts, cousin marriage, hate preachers in mosques (enjoying charitable status), rampant anti-Semitism.” “Our Government is happy to ban trail hunting, but won’t touch non-stun slaughter for halal meat. Our foreign policy will be increasingly dictated by Islamism, rather than by any traditional understanding of British interests. Women’s rights will be further undermined. Our country will be a more threatening and violent place,” he said
January 9, 2026 at 5:34 PM
peterwalker99.bsky.social
NEW: Liz Kendall, the technology secretary, says Ofcom would have the "full backing" of government if it opted to block access to X in the UK (but it's a decision for Ofcom)
I think the images being produced are despicable and abhorrent, and sexualising images of children is one of the worst crimes imaginable. And I think it is insulting to say that you can still access this service if you pay for it. So, Ofcom should use the full powers of the law that Parliament has given it. X needs to get a grip and get this material down. And I would remind them that in the Online Safety Act, there are backstop powers to block access to services if they refuse to comply with the law for people in the UK. And if Ofcom decides to use those powers, they would have the full backing of the government.
January 9, 2026 at 3:39 PM
peterwalker99.bsky.social
The Liberal Democrats have called on Reform MPs, including Nigel Farage, to donate the "tainted" money they receive from X to charities helping victims of sexual abuse.

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Lib Dems call on Reform MPs to donate income from X to charity amid Grok row
Exclusive: party says Nigel Farage and colleagues receiving ‘tainted money’ for their posts on Elon Musk’s platform
www.theguardian.com
January 9, 2026 at 2:52 PM
peterwalker99.bsky.social
If you missed this about David Bowie's childhood home being opened to the public, I *love" that the photo of Little Richard, which he kept with him his whole life, is going back on the same spot on the same bedroom wall where he first stuck it aged 10 or 11.

www.theguardian.com/music/2026/j...
David Bowie’s childhood home to open to public after 1960s restoration
South London house to feature never-before-seen archival items and creative workshops for young people
www.theguardian.com
January 9, 2026 at 12:42 PM
peterwalker99.bsky.social
Scathing words from No 10 on X making the Grok image tool available only to paying users: “That simply turns an AI feature that allows the creation of unlawful images into a premium service. It's not a solution. In fact, it's insulting to victims of misogyny and sexual violence."
January 9, 2026 at 12:13 PM
peterwalker99.bsky.social
According to David Frost, a road casualty toll which involves an average of 80+ people *every single day* either dying or suffering injuries which could change their life forever is an "utter non-problem".
David Frost Car-hating Labour must stop the nonsense. Britain’s roads are among the world’s safest Fatal accidents are now so low that every further reduction will come at steadily increasing cost So obviously our Government has just launched a strategy, with the usual panoply of targets, plans and indicators, to deal with this utter non-problem. It’s obvious make-work for the transport minister, for the department’s civil servants, and for all the lobbyists and vested interests who hate cars and want to stop people moving around.
January 9, 2026 at 11:11 AM
peterwalker99.bsky.social
Any government officials thinking, 'Well, this gets us in the clear over X' should perhaps be reminded that it's still a cesspool of racism, antisemitism and misogyny, and is owned by a far-right ethno-nationalist who openly calls for civil conflict in the UK.

www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Grok turns off image generator for most users after outcry over sexualised AI imagery
Editing function to be limited to paying subscribers after X threatened with fines and regulatory action
www.theguardian.com
January 9, 2026 at 10:20 AM
peterwalker99.bsky.social
From me: Labour MPs who were worried about business rates on pubs are glad this latest U-turn has come quickly - but they would still rather such political bear traps were avoided in the first place.

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Labour’s swift pubs U-turn shows government learning – and repeating Treasury mistakes
Revolt among MPs was resolved quickly, yet it echoes pattern of making decisions without proper consultation
www.theguardian.com
January 8, 2026 at 7:07 PM
peterwalker99.bsky.social
There are now 34 school contemporaries of Nigel Farage who describe alleged racist and antisemitic actions by him. If this was connected to alleged historic criminality, you'd have to think it would be enough evidence to try for a prosecution.

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
‘Go back home’: Farage schoolmate accounts bring total alleging racist behaviour to 34
Exclusive: Dulwich college contemporaries say Reform leader often used antisemitic language and racial epithets
www.theguardian.com
January 8, 2026 at 3:57 PM
Reposted by Peter Walker
andrewsparrowgdn.bsky.social
Louise Haigh says government should quit X because child sexual abuse imagery making its use 'unconscionable', @peterwalker99.bsky.social reports - www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
Former minister says government should quit X over child sexual abuse imagery – UK politics live
Louise Haigh says use of Elon Musk’s social media platform ‘unconscionable’ amid proliferation of abuse imagery
www.theguardian.com
January 8, 2026 at 12:24 PM
peterwalker99.bsky.social
Very much off the point of this article, but I do enjoy the way some newspapers have stretched the definition of "midlife". I mean, Fiona off Traitors *might* live to be 124, but the demographic odds are against her.
Judith Woods Traitors has taught us that we ignore midlife women at our peril The uncloaking of the 62-year-old Fiona as the Secret Traitor is a triumph for women of a certain age
January 8, 2026 at 10:23 AM
peterwalker99.bsky.social
NEW: Commons women & equalities committee says it will stop using X. Chair Sarah Owen says given preventing violence against women and girls is among its key areas, “X is not an appropriate platform to be using for our communications”. Ministers next?

www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Commons women and equalities committee to stop using X amid AI-altered images row
Exclusive: Move follows outcry over use of Grok to digitally remove clothing from images of women and children
www.theguardian.com
January 7, 2026 at 4:02 PM
peterwalker99.bsky.social
Kemi Badenoch’s spokesperson has said that the shadow attorney general Lord Wolfson has recused himself from any legal advice over Ukraine or Russia because he is representing Roman Abramovich - which would include anything about the deployment of UK troops. That’s a bit awkward.
January 7, 2026 at 1:28 PM
peterwalker99.bsky.social
After Kemi Badenoch says Keir Starmer should call for an emergency Nato meeting over Greenland, Starmer makes the point that when he attended the Nato summit in June, Badenoch said at the time that he should have missed it to be at PMQs instead.
January 7, 2026 at 12:10 PM