Unbelievable. The PM who left everything on the field to get one of two meaningful Macron reforms through now drops it for “stability”! This half-done reform is France’s last hold on its rating. This reflex political cowardice is why 🇫🇷 is where it is today leparisien.fr/politique/il...

They’ll be back once they recognise that they and Reform are one movement … open.substack.com/pub/twentyfo...

It’s one party … open.substack.com/pub/twentyfo...

The Blueskyers reacting with shock to this news haven’t noticed two things that have been going on for years. 1. The realignment of Le Pen, Wilders, and Robinson as defenders of Jews. 2. Amichai Chikli trolling so hard that he is fine with the Emmanuel Goldsteining of Soros.

A memo back to "Anonymous", the author of 'What did we learn over our summer holidays?'

substack.com/profile/1051...

Fair point but it was a tap-in after Blair dribbled the pitch.

Pure Burnham game-playing. He advocates a return to the EU then says it won’t come “anytime soon” but got the headline and intra-left wedge issue he wanted. Media - let’s hold Labour figures’ feet to the fire on something doable and meaningful (Rejoin EEA) and make this a real debate.

✍️"Tell me lies ..." - my new www.242.news post on Farage, Starmer, Mandelson and Labour's silent Remain-ultras.

twentyfourtwo.substack.com/p/tell-me-lies

Just Reform “effecting change”.

So Thomas Fazi has migrated from MMT leftism to the Orbanist forint?

Spoken like a true and committed Roman Catholic.

He is the definition of the stopped clock.

Mayor Claire Ward wins today’s bullshit bingo 🥇

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

All The President's Men, Three Days of the Condor, The Candidate, The Natural ... all-time favourites, which meant somehow I thought Robert Redford couldn't die.

I wasn’t in favour of Andy Burnham till now.

One move and the Irish crooner gets it!

Hallelujah. Note that anyone who has anything good to say about him is or was in a position of great wealth (like his “best pal”) or great power. A Labour economist once told me “Peter thinks I’m a clerk”. No fourth act please.

Mandelson denied *profiting from the friendship*, insisting: “We didn't do any business together".

What a sophist. Dave Epstein from South Croydon wouldn't have got a one-page birthday card.

Like everyone Mandy ever charmed or bullied, Cole missed the faint.

www.thesun.co.uk/news/3664234...

The @financialtimes.com political, economics, and leisure editors have let themselves be spun. This isn't a "powerful" policymaking body. Communications specialists Tim Allan, Morgan McSweeney, Katie Martin and Ben Nunn aren't on this board for their economic policy expertise.

I find the clockwork predictability oddly comforting. Night follows day. Germany wins at football. Where there’s an attentive sponsor with $600m, there’s Peter Mandelson www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic...

🔊Podcast: 'Proof of concept' - in this @newbooksnetwork.bsky.social and www.242.news interview, I talk to @benstanley.eu and @stanleysbill.bsky.social about Poland’s unfinished illiberal revolution and their book 'Good Change' @stanfordpress.bsky.social: twentyfourtwo.substack.com/p/podcast-pr...

Remember this @thetimes.com splash?

Just when I thought I was out, Niall Ferguson pulls me back in again: substack.com/profile/1051...

On Saturday morning, I was on the Northern Line northbound at London Bridge when I heard a scream, the incoming train stopped suddenly, and there was a person under the train. Everyone was evacuated from the station. Since then, I’ve seen and heard nothing. Was anyone else there? Is the person okay?