John Rentoul
@rentouljohn.bsky.social
Chief political commentator, The Independent, and visiting professor, the Strand Group, King's College London
Pinned
This cowardly Budget marks the death of New Labour
At a stroke the chancellor has junked the sensible principles that made New Labour great and buried them beneath an eye-watering bill for welfare that has set the party back decades, writes John Rento...
www.independent.co.uk
This cowardly Budget marks the death of New Labour www.independent.co.uk/voices/old-n...
New immigration and asylum numbers point in different directions www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
New immigration and asylum numbers point in different directions
The numbers claiming refugee status have increased while net immigration is down. John Rentoul tries to make sense of the figures
www.independent.co.uk
November 28, 2025 at 7:55 AM
New immigration and asylum numbers point in different directions www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
The View from Westminster newsletter has gone out. Free sign-up here www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
November 27, 2025 at 6:09 PM
The View from Westminster newsletter has gone out. Free sign-up here www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
This cowardly Budget marks the death of New Labour www.independent.co.uk/voices/old-n...
This cowardly Budget marks the death of New Labour
At a stroke the chancellor has junked the sensible principles that made New Labour great and buried them beneath an eye-watering bill for welfare that has set the party back decades, writes John Rento...
www.independent.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 3:03 PM
This cowardly Budget marks the death of New Labour www.independent.co.uk/voices/old-n...
Gaza ‘family’ claim fails – @joshuarozenberg.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/rozenber...
Gaza ‘family’ claim fails
The right to family life applies only to core members, not adult siblings
open.substack.com
November 27, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Gaza ‘family’ claim fails – @joshuarozenberg.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/rozenber...
Reposted by John Rentoul
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November 26, 2025 at 7:22 PM
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Reposted by John Rentoul
Rachel Reeves has put party before country – and they will hate her for it www.independent.co.uk/voices/rache...
Reeves has put party before country – and they will hate her for it
The chancellor bought off Labour backbenchers at the price of alienating voters further, and a few little giveaways will not keep a furious public at bay for long, writes John Rentoul
www.independent.co.uk
November 26, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Rachel Reeves has put party before country – and they will hate her for it www.independent.co.uk/voices/rache...
Reposted by John Rentoul
A bigger point made of the same theme by @ianleslie.bsky.social: Mamdani wins by being “cheerful and friendly” www.ian-leslie.com/p/how-to-pus...
How To Push Back With a Smile
Maybe We Can Learn Something From Mamdani After All
www.ian-leslie.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:10 AM
A bigger point made of the same theme by @ianleslie.bsky.social: Mamdani wins by being “cheerful and friendly” www.ian-leslie.com/p/how-to-pus...
Reposted by John Rentoul
Kemi Badenoch in snappy comeback shock. thecritic.co.uk/gall...
November 26, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Kemi Badenoch in snappy comeback shock. thecritic.co.uk/gall...
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November 26, 2025 at 7:22 PM
The Commons Confidential newsletter has gone out to subscribers. Sign up here
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The View from Westminster newsletter has gone out. Free sign-up here www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
November 26, 2025 at 6:12 PM
The View from Westminster newsletter has gone out. Free sign-up here www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
Rachel Reeves has put party before country – and they will hate her for it www.independent.co.uk/voices/rache...
Reeves has put party before country – and they will hate her for it
The chancellor bought off Labour backbenchers at the price of alienating voters further, and a few little giveaways will not keep a furious public at bay for long, writes John Rentoul
www.independent.co.uk
November 26, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Rachel Reeves has put party before country – and they will hate her for it www.independent.co.uk/voices/rache...
Reposted by John Rentoul
Simply go the the Springer site for the book, and enter discount code "BGE25", and you'll get 25% off the definitive guide to last year's general election - with many lessons for the current mess we are in. Here's the website:
link.springer.com/book/9783031...
link.springer.com/book/9783031...
link.springer.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Simply go the the Springer site for the book, and enter discount code "BGE25", and you'll get 25% off the definitive guide to last year's general election - with many lessons for the current mess we are in. Here's the website:
link.springer.com/book/9783031...
link.springer.com/book/9783031...
Not getting any better for the PM,according to Ailbhe Rea open.substack.com/pub/saturday...
November 26, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Not getting any better for the PM,according to Ailbhe Rea open.substack.com/pub/saturday...
Reposted by John Rentoul
Keir Starmer’s schoolboy ‘6-7’ gag shows he does have a human side after all! www.independent.co.uk/voices/keir-...
Keir Starmer’s schoolboy ‘6-7’ gag shows he does have a human side after all!
For many months, the prime minister has seemed a distant politician. His visit to a primary school, where he was told off by a teacher for joining in a TikTok meme with pupils, revealed a rare glimpse...
www.independent.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Keir Starmer’s schoolboy ‘6-7’ gag shows he does have a human side after all! www.independent.co.uk/voices/keir-...
The View from Westminster newsletter has gone out. Free sign-up here www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
November 25, 2025 at 6:08 PM
The View from Westminster newsletter has gone out. Free sign-up here www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
Keir Starmer’s schoolboy ‘6-7’ gag shows he does have a human side after all! www.independent.co.uk/voices/keir-...
Keir Starmer’s schoolboy ‘6-7’ gag shows he does have a human side after all!
For many months, the prime minister has seemed a distant politician. His visit to a primary school, where he was told off by a teacher for joining in a TikTok meme with pupils, revealed a rare glimpse...
www.independent.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Keir Starmer’s schoolboy ‘6-7’ gag shows he does have a human side after all! www.independent.co.uk/voices/keir-...
Reposted by John Rentoul
Involvement of party memberships in leader elections has been a disaster from the start. Probably the single biggest factor in our national decline over the last two decades
November 25, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Involvement of party memberships in leader elections has been a disaster from the start. Probably the single biggest factor in our national decline over the last two decades
Good attempt by Labour Dashboard to estimate deputy leader votes by Labour members vs trade unionists: Phillipson probably won low-turnout TU vote sites.google.com/view/labourd...
Labour Dashboard
Labour Dashboard - A Helpful Aggregator
sites.google.com
November 25, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Good attempt by Labour Dashboard to estimate deputy leader votes by Labour members vs trade unionists: Phillipson probably won low-turnout TU vote sites.google.com/view/labourd...
Reposted by John Rentoul
Huge admirer of Robert Tombs, but he does make a fool of himself re Blair (this is the cover of today’s i paper)
November 24, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Huge admirer of Robert Tombs, but he does make a fool of himself re Blair (this is the cover of today’s i paper)
The View from Westminster newsletter has gone out. Free sign-up here www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
November 24, 2025 at 6:09 PM
The View from Westminster newsletter has gone out. Free sign-up here www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
Huge admirer of Robert Tombs, but he does make a fool of himself re Blair (this is the cover of today’s i paper)
November 24, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Huge admirer of Robert Tombs, but he does make a fool of himself re Blair (this is the cover of today’s i paper)
Reposted by John Rentoul
This is "Grove Road, Bow" by Harold Steggles that is undated but I suspect that it comes from c.1930/31. Recent research has revealed that this was actually a view from the Malmsbury Road School (where some of the art classes were held) down Guerin Street: (map from National Library of Scotland).
November 24, 2025 at 9:43 AM
This is "Grove Road, Bow" by Harold Steggles that is undated but I suspect that it comes from c.1930/31. Recent research has revealed that this was actually a view from the Malmsbury Road School (where some of the art classes were held) down Guerin Street: (map from National Library of Scotland).
Reposted by John Rentoul
I have read Zack Polanski's interview with Laura K. Good grief docs.google.com/document/d/1...
November 23, 2025 at 8:20 PM
I have read Zack Polanski's interview with Laura K. Good grief docs.google.com/document/d/1...
I have read Zack Polanski's interview with Laura K. Good grief docs.google.com/document/d/1...
November 23, 2025 at 8:20 PM
I have read Zack Polanski's interview with Laura K. Good grief docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Reposted by John Rentoul
Half of members, 54%, said that there should be a new Labour leader in place before the next general election
November 23, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Half of members, 54%, said that there should be a new Labour leader in place before the next general election