Russell Elliott
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Russell Elliott
@russell-elliott.bsky.social
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Reposted by Russell Elliott
randomvariable.co.uk
If I was press officer of the Labour Party, I'd say this headline was less than ideal.
February 10, 2026 at 10:10 PM
Reposted by Russell Elliott
gerryhassan.bsky.social
Why is it wrong for Labour to challenge the failed economic & social orthodoxies of the past 45 years? Yes they have little room for manoeuvre; they cannot overtax working people & have to aid growth & rising living standards. But the UK has a bust economic model & social contract.
rentouljohn.bsky.social John Rentoul @rentouljohn.bsky.social · 5h
The party will be authentic but wrong
February 10, 2026 at 10:38 PM
Reposted by Russell Elliott
flyingrodent.bsky.social
Mel’s Times colleagues are being very forthright about just how bad this likely to get for the Labour right, as basically every awful thing they’ve said and done for decades is dragged into the light and the lads are pulled in to justify it in live, possibly televised sessions.
Wes bottles it and Labour's left grabs the steering wheel The of lt The State of It > • 6m 贝 Listen to what Labour ministers and MPs are saying about their colleagues in a week of chaos in Westminster. The prime minister thought it was all over for him this weekend, but a scrambled rearguard action has left him looking stronger than he has for some time. But to survive, Keir Starmer may now have no choice but to move leftwards. And there's much worse to come when the Mandelson files are released. Meanwhile, has Wes Streeting missed his moment to challenge the prime minister? Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times If you thought last week was bad, dear listener, if you thought that that was tricky, what is coming down the track is really, really damaging. So I will set that out both in the immediate term, which is at some point, possibly this week, Lord Mandelson will be interviewed under caution by the police. Now, that in itself isn't a problem. What the problem is, is what follows, because Scotland Yard will then allow the government to release the due diligence cabinet office report that Keir Starmer saw before he decided to appoint the friend of a paedophile as our man in Washington. So that is going to be a very damaging moment. It will lay out in black and white what Keir Starmer knew. It will also show that he only asked three questions of Lord Mandelson before waving that appointment through. So that is a moment of huge tension to come. And then much more broadly is this insane operation which is going on in the Cabinet Office where they are trawling through hundreds of thousands of emails or private WhatsApps, you name it, to get them ready for publication because the government has, in a kind of moment of sheer madness last week because the political pressure got to them, they have agreed to publish everything that was sent to Mandelson unless there are exemptions on national security grounds or on international relations. Not even on grounds of irrelevance, which is interesting, right? It's remarkable. They're just going to release everything. And that is a ticking bomb underneath the entire Labour Party. Wes Streeting has tried to get ahead of that by putting out his messages, but they are just the beginning. There are suggestions that Tim Allen's departure, who was a close friend of Mandelson, is directly linked to those messages. So that is going to be really damaging and destabilizing. Now, it's going to take time for them to come out, but there is a broad commitment to do so. You've got the Intelligence and Security Committee, which is a body of MPs and peers, which is now charged with overseeing that process. So the government doesn't actually have control over what is published and what isn't. That decision is being taken by that committee. And it's just, I've never seen anything like it in politics. It will make the Epstein files look kind of relatively abbreviated. Marginal for British. It's the Mandelson files and the scale of it. I'm told that they are looking back at messages that go back to 2001, when Mandelson was still in government serving as Northern Ireland secretary. We are talking about 25 years plus of internal government messages and then all of the WhatsApp messages. I don't think people have really looked at how bad this could be.
February 10, 2026 at 10:43 PM
Reposted by Russell Elliott
davidrvetter.bsky.social
"A modern-day concentration camp ... People have been killed by the staff here." Irish citizen Seamus Culleton has been in ICE detention since September, despite having a valid work permit and his own business in the US.
February 10, 2026 at 10:09 AM
Reposted by Russell Elliott
jackinpogform.bsky.social
Lol. Lmao.
Wes Streeting Streeting still ready to challenge Starmer despite show of unity, allies say Health secretary poised to make leadership bid after May local elections to pre-empt a potential challenge from rival Rayner, MPs close to him say
February 10, 2026 at 9:07 PM
Reposted by Russell Elliott
rosesbloom24.bsky.social
“People are simply making valid observations about your tactics, which are un-American and outright fascist."

“I have a simple suggestion. If you don’t want to be called a fascist regime or a secret police, then stop acting like one.” - Rep. Dan Goldman

www.huffpost.com/entry/ice-di...
ICE Director Upset About Being Called ‘Fascist’ Gets Revolutionary Advice: Stop Being Fascist
“People are simply making valid observations about your tactics, which are ... outright fascist," Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) told the ICE director.
www.huffpost.com
February 10, 2026 at 8:39 PM
Reposted by Russell Elliott
skwawkbox.org
Australian police break spine of anti-genocide granny to protect war criminal...
Australian police break spine of anti-genocide granny to protect war criminal
Australian police beat a 69 year old woman at an anti-genocide protest so badly that they've broken her spine in FOUR places
www.thecanary.co
February 10, 2026 at 9:53 PM
Reposted by Russell Elliott
jacobinmag.bsky.social
The 2006 “Day Without an Immigrant” mobilized millions and killed a draconian anti-immigrant bill.

With ICE waging war on immigrant communities, the playbook for a mass strike already exists — we just have to study it.
The Blueprint for a Nationwide Immigrant Strike
The 2006 “Day Without an Immigrant” mobilized millions and killed a draconian anti-immigrant bill. With ICE waging war on immigrant communities, the playbook for a mass strike already exists — we just have to study it.
jacobin.com
February 10, 2026 at 8:29 PM
Reposted by Russell Elliott
flyingrodent.bsky.social
Bombing and invading another country and kidnapping its leader, while cutting a deal with his successor that you’ll stop impounding their oil tankers if you agree to feed genocide Disneyland and help to starve Cuba? That’s the power of Freedom
Air Canada suspends Cuba flights as island set to run out of jet fuel Air Canada said on Monday it is suspending flights to Cuba, which warned it was running... Venezuela is shipping its first crude cargo to Israel since 2020, marking a sharp shift in oil flows after Nicolas Maduro's capture. Recent sales have gone to India, Spain, the US and now Israel
February 10, 2026 at 9:04 PM
Reposted by Russell Elliott
jacobinmag.bsky.social
Zohran Mamdani’s endorsement of Gov. Kathy Hochul doesn’t sit well with some on the Left.

But Mamdani can’t succeed without delivering for working-class New Yorkers and can’t deliver without navigating difficult terrain with centrists like her.
Kathy Hochul Is a Good Problem for Zohran Mamdani to Have
Zohran Mamdani’s endorsement of Gov. Kathy Hochul doesn’t sit well with some on the Left. But Mamdani can’t succeed without delivering for working-class New Yorkers and can’t deliver without navigating difficult terrain with centrists like her.
jacobin.com
February 10, 2026 at 6:29 PM
Reposted by Russell Elliott
georgemonbiot.bsky.social
"Yes, Gordon Brown had and retains some great qualities, and did much good. But he is also a remarkable escapologist. Almost everyone appears to have forgotten how his PFI programme planted a timebomb in public services. Almost everyone appears to have forgotten his crucial role in the Iraq war."
February 10, 2026 at 6:30 PM
Reposted by Russell Elliott
georgemonbiot.bsky.social
Peter Mandelson's official role in Gordon Brown's government was actually not that far away from his unauthorised dealings with Jeffrey Epstein. This week's column digs up some inconvenient truths and suggests the problem is much deeper than we're told.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
There is a lot of convenient amnesia about Peter Mandelson’s New Labour days. Let’s jog some memories | George Monbiot
Yes, he betrayed the national interest in his dealings with Jeffrey Epstein – but also in his sanctioned role as enabler of corporate power, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
www.theguardian.com
February 10, 2026 at 6:22 PM
Reposted by Russell Elliott
gerryhassan.bsky.social
Keir Starmer's 'mandate' is built on sand & the distortions of FPTP. Labour's 2024 victory was based on a mere 33.8% of the UK vote & increase of 1.6% & actual fall of 561,928 votes compared to 2019. Labour won because the Tories lost seven million votes.
news.sky.com/story/politi...
Politics latest: Starmer's ex-communications chief apologises for past association with paedophile councillor
Sir Keir Starmer's former communications chief Lord Matthew Doyle has apologised for his past association with a paedophile councillor and said he will not be taking the Labour whip.
news.sky.com
February 10, 2026 at 6:19 PM
Reposted by Russell Elliott
flyingrodent.bsky.social
In 2017
navalairhistory.com Matthew Willis (Naval Air History) @navalairhistory.com · 9h
1 Matt Doyle was another of the regular supper club attendees with McSweeney, Streeting and Mandelson

2 He was appointed Starmer's comms director and elevated to the peerage by Starmer *after* he campaigned for the convicted paedophile Sean Morton in 2017
the-independent.com The Independent @the-independent.com · 10h
BREAKING | Starmer’s paedophile-linked peer and former comms chief quits Labour Party

trib.al/B3DT9BW
February 10, 2026 at 5:55 PM
Reposted by Russell Elliott
owenjones.bsky.social
If we had a functioning media in this country, political journalists would ask Wes Streeting:

"Given you long ago concluded Israel is committing war crimes, does that not mean you must think your government is facilitating war crimes?"

They'd specifically note F-35 components.
February 10, 2026 at 3:52 PM
Reposted by Russell Elliott
gerryhassan.bsky.social
Is the top piece under the alias "My dog" really an Adrian Chiles column and his response to the Mandelson-Epstein scandal?
heldutson.bsky.social Helen @heldutson.bsky.social · 15h
Something compelled me to make this
February 10, 2026 at 4:33 PM
Reposted by Russell Elliott
iandunt.bsky.social
Starmer is in the death zone - there's only one way to save him inews.co.uk/opinion/star...
Starmer is in the death zone - there's only one way to save him
He's battered, mortally wounded, bleeding out - but also getting back on his feet
inews.co.uk
February 10, 2026 at 4:51 PM
Reposted by Russell Elliott
weownit.org.uk
🎯Spot on from Lord Sikka.

Thames Water's collapsing, South East Water can't manage its own supply, and the bosses of the private companies are trying to find loopholes in the law so they can pay themselves bonuses.

We need public ownership for water.
Public ownership of water is the only way to deliver security, efficiency, investment and value for money
37 years of privatisation has been a disaster
leftfootforward.org
February 10, 2026 at 4:52 PM
Reposted by Russell Elliott
gerryhassan.bsky.social
Does Dominic Cummings really believe that UK politics is a choice as Labour & Tories implode between:
"a Reform clownshow or a red-green-yellow-troon-loon-ScotNat-Hamas coalition clownshow?"
dominiccummings.substack.com/p/regime-cha...
Regime Change 2026-29: results from a market research project
Voters greatly UNDER-estimate the scale of immigration. NHS? Net Zero? Farage? Starmer? Cost of living? Welfare? Debt?
dominiccummings.substack.com
February 10, 2026 at 4:54 PM
Reposted by Russell Elliott
compassoffice.bsky.social
McSweeney is the symptom of a deeper malaise within the Labour Party.

One that will not dissipate until they can fundamentally rethink what they’re there to do and how they’re going to achieve it.

🎙️Director Neal Lawson for BBC Radio 4
February 10, 2026 at 4:56 PM
Reposted by Russell Elliott
goodlawproject.org
No, not the paedophile you're thinking of. A different one.
February 10, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Reposted by Russell Elliott
owenjones.bsky.social
Why was this concealed from the British public?
February 10, 2026 at 5:23 PM
Reposted by Russell Elliott
willhaycardiff.bsky.social
This is Reform MS Laura Anne Jones inside the Welsh Parliament railing against a decision by a Bangor Uni student society to ban Reform from a debate.

It is worth noting that Ms Anne Jones has previously repeatedly declined requests for interviews with journalists.
February 10, 2026 at 3:24 PM
russell-elliott.bsky.social
grassrootsleft.org/candidates/
Our Candidates - Grassroots Left
Meet the Grassroots Left candidates fighting for maximum member democracy across all regions.
grassrootsleft.org
February 10, 2026 at 3:21 PM
Reposted by Russell Elliott
petergeoghegan.bsky.social
🔴 Investigation opened into PR firm's work investigating journalists and sources for Labour Together

PRCA has launched a probe into APCO Worldwide following Democracy for Sale's reporting

Now will Cabinet minister Josh Simons explain himself?

democracyforsale.substack.com/p/pr-firm-pr...
PR firm probed over Labour Together investigating journalists
Investigation into APCO Worldwide deepens questions for Cabinet Office minister Josh Simons
democracyforsale.substack.com
February 10, 2026 at 9:44 AM