Adam Bienkov
@adambienkov.bsky.social
Political Editor of Byline Times and Online Editor of BylineTimes.com. Lobby journalist in the House of Commons. 📩[email protected]
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https://www.adambienkov.co.uk
Subscribe to my Substack ⬇️
https://www.adambienkov.co.uk
I mean why stop here? Why not just ban anyone who wasn't born here from having any recognisable family or community connections whatsoever?
November 24, 2025 at 11:08 PM
I mean why stop here? Why not just ban anyone who wasn't born here from having any recognisable family or community connections whatsoever?
Was trying to work out in which way Shabana Mahmood, an otherwise pretty unremarkable politician, could possibly be described as a "luminous golden star" who "dazzles like a blue-white supernova" and then I realised, its simply a willingness to be a bit more cruel to immigrants
November 24, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Was trying to work out in which way Shabana Mahmood, an otherwise pretty unremarkable politician, could possibly be described as a "luminous golden star" who "dazzles like a blue-white supernova" and then I realised, its simply a willingness to be a bit more cruel to immigrants
Still can't quite believe that "I only said 'gas the Jews' in a non-hurtful way" was the strategy Nigel Farage opted to go for
November 24, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Still can't quite believe that "I only said 'gas the Jews' in a non-hurtful way" was the strategy Nigel Farage opted to go for
Asked again and again whether he ever racially abused his fellow pupils, as 20 people at his old school have now said he did, Nigel Farage will only say that he never did so in a "hurtful way" or "with intent"
November 24, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Asked again and again whether he ever racially abused his fellow pupils, as 20 people at his old school have now said he did, Nigel Farage will only say that he never did so in a "hurtful way" or "with intent"
Here was Robbie Gibb's "hugely impartial" take on the BBC, before he joined the board, as written in the Daily Mail
November 24, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Here was Robbie Gibb's "hugely impartial" take on the BBC, before he joined the board, as written in the Daily Mail
The economy has not been pretty since you've been in charge", Laura Kuennsberg tells Heidi Alexander.
So was it a bed of roses before that then?
So was it a bed of roses before that then?
November 23, 2025 at 9:23 AM
The economy has not been pretty since you've been in charge", Laura Kuennsberg tells Heidi Alexander.
So was it a bed of roses before that then?
So was it a bed of roses before that then?
54% of Labour members say Keir Starmer should go before the general election, with more than half saying either Burnham or Rayner should replace him
November 23, 2025 at 8:32 AM
54% of Labour members say Keir Starmer should go before the general election, with more than half saying either Burnham or Rayner should replace him
So the line is that he wasn't getting paid for any of this
November 22, 2025 at 5:33 PM
So the line is that he wasn't getting paid for any of this
More than half of ethnic minority Brits say the England flag has now become a racist symbol, with Brits of all colours now tending to say the raising of the flag is mostly about expressing anti-migrant, or anti ethnic-minority sentiment
November 21, 2025 at 9:54 AM
More than half of ethnic minority Brits say the England flag has now become a racist symbol, with Brits of all colours now tending to say the raising of the flag is mostly about expressing anti-migrant, or anti ethnic-minority sentiment
The Covid Inquiry finds that if Boris Johnson had called the first lockdown even one week earlier then it could have saved at least 20,000 lives.
Here's a quick reminder of what Johnson was actually doing during those weeks
Here's a quick reminder of what Johnson was actually doing during those weeks
November 20, 2025 at 4:55 PM
The Covid Inquiry finds that if Boris Johnson had called the first lockdown even one week earlier then it could have saved at least 20,000 lives.
Here's a quick reminder of what Johnson was actually doing during those weeks
Here's a quick reminder of what Johnson was actually doing during those weeks
After another week of banging on about immigration, Keir Starmer's ratings fall to their lowest ever level.
At what point do Labour strategists start to think that maybe this isn't quite the winning strategy they believed?
At what point do Labour strategists start to think that maybe this isn't quite the winning strategy they believed?
November 20, 2025 at 9:59 AM
After another week of banging on about immigration, Keir Starmer's ratings fall to their lowest ever level.
At what point do Labour strategists start to think that maybe this isn't quite the winning strategy they believed?
At what point do Labour strategists start to think that maybe this isn't quite the winning strategy they believed?
A reminder that the Daily Express' last editor but one, apologised for its "anti-immigrant" coverage which he said had meant "I just couldn't sleep" at night.
No such sleepless nights for his successor then
No such sleepless nights for his successor then
November 19, 2025 at 4:02 PM
A reminder that the Daily Express' last editor but one, apologised for its "anti-immigrant" coverage which he said had meant "I just couldn't sleep" at night.
No such sleepless nights for his successor then
No such sleepless nights for his successor then
We must copy Denmark Social Democrats' hardline anti-asylum measures in order to win back voters' trust, says Shabana Mahmood.
Meanwhile in Denmark:
Meanwhile in Denmark:
November 19, 2025 at 11:27 AM
We must copy Denmark Social Democrats' hardline anti-asylum measures in order to win back voters' trust, says Shabana Mahmood.
Meanwhile in Denmark:
Meanwhile in Denmark:
Did Labour MPs ever imagine that they would be ending the first period of their first government in more than 14 years with their own Home Secretary feeling the need to publicly deny that she plans to defect to Reform?
November 19, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Did Labour MPs ever imagine that they would be ending the first period of their first government in more than 14 years with their own Home Secretary feeling the need to publicly deny that she plans to defect to Reform?
I swear a lot of the Government's problems would be solved by just taking themselves off of Twitter
November 19, 2025 at 11:00 AM
I swear a lot of the Government's problems would be solved by just taking themselves off of Twitter
Keir Starmer's spokesman insisted on Monday that "clearly these changes will not be retrospective" for those already granted asylum, as Reform have been demanding.
Now we learn they will be
inews.co.uk/news/politic...
Now we learn they will be
inews.co.uk/news/politic...
November 19, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Keir Starmer's spokesman insisted on Monday that "clearly these changes will not be retrospective" for those already granted asylum, as Reform have been demanding.
Now we learn they will be
inews.co.uk/news/politic...
Now we learn they will be
inews.co.uk/news/politic...
Sometimes you just have to murder and dismember a critical journalist. Things happen!
November 18, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Sometimes you just have to murder and dismember a critical journalist. Things happen!
As well as just being factually wrong - Tommy Robinson and the far right are quite literally cheering Shabana Mahmood on right now - I'm also reminded of Dan's former role as a pro-migration lobbyist.
Whatever pays best I guess
Whatever pays best I guess
November 18, 2025 at 1:37 PM
As well as just being factually wrong - Tommy Robinson and the far right are quite literally cheering Shabana Mahmood on right now - I'm also reminded of Dan's former role as a pro-migration lobbyist.
Whatever pays best I guess
Whatever pays best I guess
Kemi Badenoch seems to think she has to run the entire Conservative party by herself.
Elbowed Chris Philp out of responding to Shabana Mahmood yesterday, now treating her Shadow Chancellor like he doesn't even exist
Elbowed Chris Philp out of responding to Shabana Mahmood yesterday, now treating her Shadow Chancellor like he doesn't even exist
November 18, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Kemi Badenoch seems to think she has to run the entire Conservative party by herself.
Elbowed Chris Philp out of responding to Shabana Mahmood yesterday, now treating her Shadow Chancellor like he doesn't even exist
Elbowed Chris Philp out of responding to Shabana Mahmood yesterday, now treating her Shadow Chancellor like he doesn't even exist
In 2020 Keir Starmer and Alf Dubs urged the then Conservative Government to restore their commitment to family reunion for child refugees, saying there was a “moral argument” to protect desperately vulnerable young people.
Five years later Dubs condemns Starmer for doing the complete opposite
Five years later Dubs condemns Starmer for doing the complete opposite
November 18, 2025 at 10:49 AM
In 2020 Keir Starmer and Alf Dubs urged the then Conservative Government to restore their commitment to family reunion for child refugees, saying there was a “moral argument” to protect desperately vulnerable young people.
Five years later Dubs condemns Starmer for doing the complete opposite
Five years later Dubs condemns Starmer for doing the complete opposite
Six months ago, before Keir Starmer's "island of strangers" speech, the Greens were polling at 9%
November 18, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Six months ago, before Keir Starmer's "island of strangers" speech, the Greens were polling at 9%
Today has been a massive victory for anti-migrant voices.
Not only is Labour doing 90% of what they want, but they're also making it much easier for them to get the remaining 10% later
Not only is Labour doing 90% of what they want, but they're also making it much easier for them to get the remaining 10% later
November 17, 2025 at 10:49 PM
Today has been a massive victory for anti-migrant voices.
Not only is Labour doing 90% of what they want, but they're also making it much easier for them to get the remaining 10% later
Not only is Labour doing 90% of what they want, but they're also making it much easier for them to get the remaining 10% later
Labour MP Brian Leishman: "The Government has surrendered to... the vile rhetoric of Reform. Does the Home Secretary not see that removing the legal obligation to support asylum seekers who will be otherwise destitute, is as far away from Labour Party principles and values as we can get?"
November 17, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Labour MP Brian Leishman: "The Government has surrendered to... the vile rhetoric of Reform. Does the Home Secretary not see that removing the legal obligation to support asylum seekers who will be otherwise destitute, is as far away from Labour Party principles and values as we can get?"
Labour MP Steve Witherden tells Shabana Mahmood that her plans to make refugees wait 20 years to apply for permanent status is "deeply concerning"
"Our government should lead with compassion and fairness, not forcing some of the most vulnerable in our society to live in limbo for two decades"
"Our government should lead with compassion and fairness, not forcing some of the most vulnerable in our society to live in limbo for two decades"
November 17, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Labour MP Steve Witherden tells Shabana Mahmood that her plans to make refugees wait 20 years to apply for permanent status is "deeply concerning"
"Our government should lead with compassion and fairness, not forcing some of the most vulnerable in our society to live in limbo for two decades"
"Our government should lead with compassion and fairness, not forcing some of the most vulnerable in our society to live in limbo for two decades"