Doug
@redandriveting.bsky.social
Their other big problem of course is their various stupid attempts at spending cuts, the most toxic of which you said was a great idea!
December 8, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Their other big problem of course is their various stupid attempts at spending cuts, the most toxic of which you said was a great idea!
If there was a button called "economic liberalism" which immediately brought back pre-GFC growth levels, I'm sure someone would press it. But the government's real problem is that growth has been stagnant since 08, and this has forced them to raise taxes to pay for improved public services
December 8, 2025 at 7:03 PM
If there was a button called "economic liberalism" which immediately brought back pre-GFC growth levels, I'm sure someone would press it. But the government's real problem is that growth has been stagnant since 08, and this has forced them to raise taxes to pay for improved public services
I don't remember Starmer ever having a plan to govern
September 25, 2025 at 10:13 AM
I don't remember Starmer ever having a plan to govern
Starmer loyalists want to risk a Reform government because they have some esoteric beef with Andy Burnham tracing back to 2016. It's quite absurd
September 25, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Starmer loyalists want to risk a Reform government because they have some esoteric beef with Andy Burnham tracing back to 2016. It's quite absurd
Having a deeply incompetent and uncharismatic leader is quite a drag on a political party's fortunes! The Government faces a lot of challenges and a high cost for failure, which is why the Labour Party should attempt to put its best foot forward.
September 25, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Having a deeply incompetent and uncharismatic leader is quite a drag on a political party's fortunes! The Government faces a lot of challenges and a high cost for failure, which is why the Labour Party should attempt to put its best foot forward.
A couple weeks ago I had a conversation with a (somewhat) senior Labour right figure who was at peace with Rayner taking over but abhorred the prospect of Andy Burnham, even after it was pointed out the latter is much more popular than the former
September 11, 2025 at 4:12 PM
A couple weeks ago I had a conversation with a (somewhat) senior Labour right figure who was at peace with Rayner taking over but abhorred the prospect of Andy Burnham, even after it was pointed out the latter is much more popular than the former
It doesn't benefit the Labour Party in anyway, but it does benefit some internal factions for a temporary period of time. So who's to say whether it's good or bad?
September 5, 2025 at 1:00 PM
It doesn't benefit the Labour Party in anyway, but it does benefit some internal factions for a temporary period of time. So who's to say whether it's good or bad?
The use of pensioners at the Palestine Action protest was also a great tactic to make the ban look ridiculous by forcing Ministers to defend charging kind elderly people with terror offences. They clearly made sure those arrested were especially sympathetic and non-threatening
August 14, 2025 at 3:19 PM
The use of pensioners at the Palestine Action protest was also a great tactic to make the ban look ridiculous by forcing Ministers to defend charging kind elderly people with terror offences. They clearly made sure those arrested were especially sympathetic and non-threatening
If Iran is now actively pursuing nuclear weapons, which is not proven by any means, it would obviously be the result of the United States ripping up the agreement it made to prevent that. And it would be in their rational self-interest. It's important to remember that this war was preventable
June 19, 2025 at 12:53 PM
If Iran is now actively pursuing nuclear weapons, which is not proven by any means, it would obviously be the result of the United States ripping up the agreement it made to prevent that. And it would be in their rational self-interest. It's important to remember that this war was preventable
I obviously do not like the Islamic Republic of Iran. But this is a war where the primary dispute is something where one side has repeatedly shown a willingness to settle via negotiation and diplomacy, and the other side has repeatedly attempted to wreck that diplomacy.
June 19, 2025 at 12:48 PM
I obviously do not like the Islamic Republic of Iran. But this is a war where the primary dispute is something where one side has repeatedly shown a willingness to settle via negotiation and diplomacy, and the other side has repeatedly attempted to wreck that diplomacy.
Regardless, this war has been caused by Israel working to sabotage diplomacy at every turn, both in ripping up the JCPOA and now attempting to destroy Trump's negotiations. No need to handwave a clear pattern of aggressive, destabilising behaviour
June 19, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Regardless, this war has been caused by Israel working to sabotage diplomacy at every turn, both in ripping up the JCPOA and now attempting to destroy Trump's negotiations. No need to handwave a clear pattern of aggressive, destabilising behaviour
I doubt Tulsi Gabbard would choose to leak to CNN if she wanted to influence the rest of the administration. I also doubt that CNN would publish this if it's Gabbard's insistence alone, given their close alignment with the traditionalist foreign policy blob and the Israel lobby
June 19, 2025 at 12:10 PM
I doubt Tulsi Gabbard would choose to leak to CNN if she wanted to influence the rest of the administration. I also doubt that CNN would publish this if it's Gabbard's insistence alone, given their close alignment with the traditionalist foreign policy blob and the Israel lobby
Not that it's a consensus view that Iran is close to nuclear weapons or actively pursuing them anyway edition.cnn.com/2025/06/17/p...
Israel says Iran was racing toward a nuclear weapon. US intel says it was years away | CNN Politics
When Israel launched its series of strikes against Iran last week, it also issued a number of dire warnings about the country’s nuclear program, suggesting Iran was fast approaching a point of no retu...
edition.cnn.com
June 19, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Not that it's a consensus view that Iran is close to nuclear weapons or actively pursuing them anyway edition.cnn.com/2025/06/17/p...
Maybe Israel shouldn't have successfully lobbied to destroy the international agreement which prevented Iran from getting nuclear weapons
June 19, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Maybe Israel shouldn't have successfully lobbied to destroy the international agreement which prevented Iran from getting nuclear weapons
Politics is never explicitly discussed in the series but I think The Final Reckoning shows the dangers of nuclear proliferation in a way that the Labour leadership would dismiss as CND propaganda
May 27, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Politics is never explicitly discussed in the series but I think The Final Reckoning shows the dangers of nuclear proliferation in a way that the Labour leadership would dismiss as CND propaganda
Yes, though Labour clearly sees Reform's position on Ukraine as a liability rather than an asset. Akehurst is particularly worried that a "progressive alliance" strategy means having to adopt an antagonistic approach on Trump, Israel and the wider arms industry (his no. 1 policy interest)
May 20, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Yes, though Labour clearly sees Reform's position on Ukraine as a liability rather than an asset. Akehurst is particularly worried that a "progressive alliance" strategy means having to adopt an antagonistic approach on Trump, Israel and the wider arms industry (his no. 1 policy interest)
With Akehurst, it's not just that he dismisses the threat of left-liberal voters turning against Labour, it's that he actively prefers a party which fights on Reform's territory than one than acquiesces to the left on foreign policy and defence issues
May 20, 2025 at 2:41 PM
With Akehurst, it's not just that he dismisses the threat of left-liberal voters turning against Labour, it's that he actively prefers a party which fights on Reform's territory than one than acquiesces to the left on foreign policy and defence issues
Unfortunately for Labour there already is a more respectable nativist party to Reform UK, it's called the Conservative Party and it's doing worse than ever.
May 16, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Unfortunately for Labour there already is a more respectable nativist party to Reform UK, it's called the Conservative Party and it's doing worse than ever.
The BNP was destroyed by the rise of a more respectable nativist party in the form of UKIP, but that's not a lesson anyone in Labour wants to hear.
May 16, 2025 at 1:54 PM
The BNP was destroyed by the rise of a more respectable nativist party in the form of UKIP, but that's not a lesson anyone in Labour wants to hear.
The example used is IDS winning over Clarke. IDS was only five votes behind Clarke on the final ballot, with Portillo's 50 supporters to be released. You would expect IDS to either win among MPs, like Hague did, or come exceedingly close. The Tory right is not a political force imposed on by members
April 1, 2025 at 1:16 PM
The example used is IDS winning over Clarke. IDS was only five votes behind Clarke on the final ballot, with Portillo's 50 supporters to be released. You would expect IDS to either win among MPs, like Hague did, or come exceedingly close. The Tory right is not a political force imposed on by members
MPs gave members the choice of Badenoch vs Jenrick
April 1, 2025 at 11:03 AM
MPs gave members the choice of Badenoch vs Jenrick
The piece delving into his decision-making process makes it seem like a lazy choice after his previous difficult production
December 17, 2024 at 8:25 PM
The piece delving into his decision-making process makes it seem like a lazy choice after his previous difficult production