Mark Wallace
@wallaceme.bsky.social
Chief Executive of Total Politics Group. Writer, broadcaster, media CEO. Publisher of PoliticsHome, The House magazine, Holyrood magazine, The Parliament magazine, Civil Service World, ConservativeHome and more. Columnist for the i paper. Never a dull day.
I admire this. And I’m also grateful that I can rebrand what was previously “predictably ordering the same thing if it’s on the menu” as “I have reviewed over 50 sticky toffee puddings”.
“I’ve reviewed over 50 sticky toffee puddings” is an incredibly powerful way to begin a video
February 11, 2026 at 11:14 PM
I admire this. And I’m also grateful that I can rebrand what was previously “predictably ordering the same thing if it’s on the menu” as “I have reviewed over 50 sticky toffee puddings”.
Reposted by Mark Wallace
All of those measures suggest this wasn’t flam - a Purnell putsch or a Hazel Blears “rock the boat” brooch - but a genuinely serious problem.
February 11, 2026 at 8:13 PM
All of those measures suggest this wasn’t flam - a Purnell putsch or a Hazel Blears “rock the boat” brooch - but a genuinely serious problem.
Reposted by Mark Wallace
I respect Mark a great deal, but I think the three key Qs on this one are 1) was the PM’s position truly at risk?; 2) having survived, was the issue serious and real enough that he is he materially weakened?; 3) “does this really matter to people in Little Snoring?”. The answer to all three is yes.
February 11, 2026 at 8:09 PM
I respect Mark a great deal, but I think the three key Qs on this one are 1) was the PM’s position truly at risk?; 2) having survived, was the issue serious and real enough that he is he materially weakened?; 3) “does this really matter to people in Little Snoring?”. The answer to all three is yes.
Reposted by Mark Wallace
Thoughtful and, I think, largely correct.
Did our feral political press pack call time on Starmer prematurely? Accusations are flying . markurban.substack.com/p/did-the-lo...
Did the Lobby Misread the Starmer Story?
Our political press can be an asset or liability
markurban.substack.com
February 11, 2026 at 7:50 PM
Thoughtful and, I think, largely correct.
For all those who’ve wondered “What level is Rory Stewart at karate?”, finally there is an answer.
February 11, 2026 at 8:04 PM
For all those who’ve wondered “What level is Rory Stewart at karate?”, finally there is an answer.
Reposted by Mark Wallace
Not everyone who jumps a turnstile causes problems on the system, but those antisocial behaviors often begin by jumping the turnstile.
Given the current state of the 'L' network, Chicago should be looking into modernizing our fare controls.
Given the current state of the 'L' network, Chicago should be looking into modernizing our fare controls.
San Francisco’s new anti-fare-dodging gates haven’t just increased revenues, they’ve dramatically reduced vandalism and the cost of maintaining the network
February 11, 2026 at 5:13 PM
Not everyone who jumps a turnstile causes problems on the system, but those antisocial behaviors often begin by jumping the turnstile.
Given the current state of the 'L' network, Chicago should be looking into modernizing our fare controls.
Given the current state of the 'L' network, Chicago should be looking into modernizing our fare controls.
Reposted by Mark Wallace
Saw some enforcement on the tube today. Good actually!
San Francisco’s new anti-fare-dodging gates haven’t just increased revenues, they’ve dramatically reduced vandalism and the cost of maintaining the network
February 11, 2026 at 4:00 PM
Saw some enforcement on the tube today. Good actually!
Appreciate the post not being an attack on me, thank you. But we absolutely should stigmatise vandalism.
Making transit free and destigmatizing "vandalism" is better than whatever the fuck this is.
(Not an attack on the OP)
(Not an attack on the OP)
San Francisco’s new anti-fare-dodging gates haven’t just increased revenues, they’ve dramatically reduced vandalism and the cost of maintaining the network
February 11, 2026 at 4:11 PM
Appreciate the post not being an attack on me, thank you. But we absolutely should stigmatise vandalism.
Reposted by Mark Wallace
Antisocial behaviour is largely the result of a small number of reprobates, who can be stopped
San Francisco’s new anti-fare-dodging gates haven’t just increased revenues, they’ve dramatically reduced vandalism and the cost of maintaining the network
February 11, 2026 at 3:57 PM
Antisocial behaviour is largely the result of a small number of reprobates, who can be stopped
Absolutely ridiculous - both that the Supreme Court should be ruling on this at all, and that it has ruled that oat milk can't be called oat milk.
Oatly banned from using word ‘milk’ to market plant-based products in UK
Oatly banned from using word ‘milk’ to market plant-based products in UK
Supreme court makes ruling after Swedish firm’s long-running battle with trade association Dairy UK
*
Business live – latest updates
The Swedish-based drinks manufacturer Oatly has been banned from using the word “milk” to market its plant-based products, after a ruling by the UK supreme court.
The alt-milk manufacturer has been in a long-running legal battle with the trade association Dairy UK after Oatly trademarked phrases associated with the dairy sector. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
February 11, 2026 at 3:41 PM
Absolutely ridiculous - both that the Supreme Court should be ruling on this at all, and that it has ruled that oat milk can't be called oat milk.
Reposted by Mark Wallace
Making the tiny minority of antisocial users obey the rules is good...
San Francisco’s new anti-fare-dodging gates haven’t just increased revenues, they’ve dramatically reduced vandalism and the cost of maintaining the network
February 10, 2026 at 11:06 AM
Making the tiny minority of antisocial users obey the rules is good...
San Francisco’s new anti-fare-dodging gates haven’t just increased revenues, they’ve dramatically reduced vandalism and the cost of maintaining the network
February 10, 2026 at 10:46 AM
San Francisco’s new anti-fare-dodging gates haven’t just increased revenues, they’ve dramatically reduced vandalism and the cost of maintaining the network
Is there a reason we’re ignoring the obvious incentive for people to join a party, which is that they think a leadership contest is coming and they hope to have a vote in it?
This morning I am still seeing people post to say they are joining Labour to support the PM.
The media's attempts to oust our PM have failed.
He is gaining support and comes out of this episode stronger than before.
Keep the momentum going! Keep posting support.
1/2
The media's attempts to oust our PM have failed.
He is gaining support and comes out of this episode stronger than before.
Keep the momentum going! Keep posting support.
1/2
February 10, 2026 at 10:42 AM
Is there a reason we’re ignoring the obvious incentive for people to join a party, which is that they think a leadership contest is coming and they hope to have a vote in it?
Reposted by Mark Wallace
Getting really tired of "this is all a media concoction"...
Starmer has the lowest approval rating of any PM in history bar Truss. Senior ministers are openly and unsubtly positioning. His Chief of Staff, Director of Comms and Cab Sec have all resigned on the same day.
I mean come on...
Starmer has the lowest approval rating of any PM in history bar Truss. Senior ministers are openly and unsubtly positioning. His Chief of Staff, Director of Comms and Cab Sec have all resigned on the same day.
I mean come on...
February 9, 2026 at 10:32 PM
Getting really tired of "this is all a media concoction"...
Starmer has the lowest approval rating of any PM in history bar Truss. Senior ministers are openly and unsubtly positioning. His Chief of Staff, Director of Comms and Cab Sec have all resigned on the same day.
I mean come on...
Starmer has the lowest approval rating of any PM in history bar Truss. Senior ministers are openly and unsubtly positioning. His Chief of Staff, Director of Comms and Cab Sec have all resigned on the same day.
I mean come on...
Similarly, the high chance of reading an article titled something like “Why is everyone so sad?” then turning the page to read another article titled something like “People aren’t drinking/having sex/consuming caffeine/eating sugar any more”.
starting to feel like there's a direct relationship between the growing obsession with lifestyle hygeine (no drinking, no caffeine, no sex, obsessive working out and looksmaxxing) and the inability to meaningful moral stands on issues of actual import
Cafes across the U.S. are embracing the low- and no-caffeine lifestyle, with options that are a far cry from dusty tea bags and rewarmed decaf. nyti.ms/3XKlqoj
February 9, 2026 at 7:38 PM
Similarly, the high chance of reading an article titled something like “Why is everyone so sad?” then turning the page to read another article titled something like “People aren’t drinking/having sex/consuming caffeine/eating sugar any more”.
High praise from the great @jim.londoncentric.media for No Second Chances by @morganj0nes.bsky.social. Get your copy here: amzn.to/4aoA36y
February 9, 2026 at 5:23 PM
High praise from the great @jim.londoncentric.media for No Second Chances by @morganj0nes.bsky.social. Get your copy here: amzn.to/4aoA36y
Reposted by Mark Wallace
This sums it up perfectly- such a good read and can’t really add much more to Jim’s take here! Congrats @morganj0nes.bsky.social
Don’t tend to read political books but enjoyed @morganj0nes.bsky.social on 2nd referendum. No big show off explanations you normally get about “how clever we were inside the campaign”. More an anthropology study of the weirdness of FBPE and a two years of Twitter-driven national psychosis.
February 7, 2026 at 11:57 AM
This sums it up perfectly- such a good read and can’t really add much more to Jim’s take here! Congrats @morganj0nes.bsky.social
Please stop trying to delete important archives.
The Ministry of Justice has ordered data analysis company Courtsdesk to delete its large archive of court records, which it believes has been used by more than 1,500 journalists from 39 media organisations www.thetimes.com/uk/law/artic...
February 9, 2026 at 5:19 PM
Please stop trying to delete important archives.
Reposted by Mark Wallace
🚨Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar has called for Keir Starmer to resign as Prime Minister, saying "the distraction needs to end and the leadership in Downing Street has to change"
"The situation in Downing Street is not good enough"
"The situation in Downing Street is not good enough"
Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar Calls For Keir Starmer To Resign
Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar has called for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign.
www.politicshome.com
February 9, 2026 at 2:40 PM
🚨Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar has called for Keir Starmer to resign as Prime Minister, saying "the distraction needs to end and the leadership in Downing Street has to change"
"The situation in Downing Street is not good enough"
"The situation in Downing Street is not good enough"
Reposted by Mark Wallace
A source close to Corbyn has warned ‘Your Party’ will not survive unless his supporters win power within it, as voting opens today for members to elect the leadership
Corbyn's 'The Many' and Sultana's ‘Grassroots Left’ are battling for control of key positions, reports @siennarodgers.bsky.social
Corbyn's 'The Many' and Sultana's ‘Grassroots Left’ are battling for control of key positions, reports @siennarodgers.bsky.social
Survival Of ‘Your Party’ At Stake As Leadership Voting Opens
A source close to Jeremy Corbyn has said ‘Your Party’ will not survive unless his supporters win power within it, as voting opens today for members...
www.politicshome.com
February 9, 2026 at 4:46 PM
A source close to Corbyn has warned ‘Your Party’ will not survive unless his supporters win power within it, as voting opens today for members to elect the leadership
Corbyn's 'The Many' and Sultana's ‘Grassroots Left’ are battling for control of key positions, reports @siennarodgers.bsky.social
Corbyn's 'The Many' and Sultana's ‘Grassroots Left’ are battling for control of key positions, reports @siennarodgers.bsky.social
Reposted by Mark Wallace
Just read the article and wished I hadn't wasted my time. Saying thank you is a common courtesy that is one defining British custom that is definitely a "hill to die on".
February 9, 2026 at 11:08 AM
Just read the article and wished I hadn't wasted my time. Saying thank you is a common courtesy that is one defining British custom that is definitely a "hill to die on".
Reposted by Mark Wallace
I would simply have a sports match which is more interesting than the ads and the half-time show.
February 9, 2026 at 2:08 AM
I would simply have a sports match which is more interesting than the ads and the half-time show.
Britain has 99 problems, but polite people who say thank you ain’t one.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The hill I will die on: Britons love saying thank you – I think we should ban the phrase | Sangeeta Pillai
Really, what is the point of this endless conversational back and forth? Step out of the loop, and change your life, says author Sangeeta Pillai
www.theguardian.com
February 9, 2026 at 10:07 AM
Britain has 99 problems, but polite people who say thank you ain’t one.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...