Melmo

@donmcgowan tbh I think this is the sort of thing the public are sick of, it's all the games and 'maneuvering' going on feels like it's a game to the media & political classes and they get into a frenzy when these things happen, meanwhile, we're all struggling to pay our bills etc

The UK media were played yesterday. Starmer laid them out to dry and made them look ridiculous. From Sam Coates to Lewis Goodall, Laura K and Robert Peston, they were fished-in by the Labour comms team and left on the hook, wriggling in the sunshine. It has to be said, this was one of the smartest moves I've seen from the Labour PR team since they came to power. If you didn't hear/see — around lunchtime yesterday, Anas Sarwar, Labour's leader in Scotland 'let slip' to a journo at the Times — Geri Scott, that he was planning to hold a presser that would call for Keir Starmer to step down. This spread like political wildfire throughout the rank and file of establishment broadcasters and political editors, to the point that they were unable to contain their palpable excitement — they all took to the air waves to explain to us why Starmer was now a dead man walking. See some posts below for examples, but I'm going to pick on Lewis Goodall for a second. I was listening to LBC after the 'news' broke about Sarwar and Shelagh Fogarty brought in Lewis to discuss the bombshell breaking story. There was such a sense of excitement between the two presenters with Goodall speaking, at length, about how this would be the 'fatal blow' to the Prime Minister and could spark an avalanche of cabinet level resignations. Even at that point I felt slightly embarrassed at the desperation in their voices. Anyway, the press conference came and went — Sarwar was asked afterwards if he'd told the Prime Minister about his speech, to which he told us, “yes, we spoke this morning, and we strongly disagreed”. Oops! Have you spotted the fatal flaw in his plan yet? About an hour or so after the speech, tweets began to appear from the cabinet, Lammy first then Rayner, Darren Jones etc. etc. Even serial plotter [allegedly] Wes Streeting put forward his full throated support for Keir Starmer. It then became clear to me what had happened. Starmer and his team had realised that Anas Sarwar was about to throw him under the bus, but they manoeuvred it into a political master stroke. By holding his MPs back until after the presser, one by one they made Sarwar's treachery starker and starker. Each tweet that dropped reinforced Starmer's position and pushed the Scottish Labour leader further and further into the wilderness until he was left stranded on an ice floe that was floating away from shore, desperately pleading for help. By employing some patience and some serious political nous — the likes of which we have not seen to date — Starmer allowed the media to bay for his blood and then have to climb down. He made his adversary in Scotland look like a prized turnip. And … he shored up his own position at a meeting of the PLP last night. Now, I've been as critical of Starmer as plenty of people, but this … this was his shrewdest move, so far. As my old dad used to say: he's not as stupid as he's glaikit looking. A quick special mention has to go out to ITV's political editor, Robert Peston, who took to Twitter after the dust had settled to explain to us all why it was a bad thing that Starmer's team had rallied around him. 🤦‍♂️ Patience is key.

@Nigel_Farage @TimesRadio Probably the laziest MP in the UK, always skiving

Rather than sit in the Commons and be abused by a failing Prime Minister without any right of reply, I will join @TimesRadio live from 12pm to give my analysis.

@KemiBadenoch this is incredibly funny coming from a tory

“We don't need to increase taxes further... it’s now on us", Rachel Reeves said last year, after hiking taxes by £40bn. If she breaks that promise today, the Government will have lost what little credibility it had left. Nobody should ever trust them again.

@EdwardJDavey An apology is nowhere near enough, we need individuals arrested and held to account

The news that a national lockdown could have been avoided is shattering. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone who lost loved ones during the pandemic. Kemi Badenoch should apologise on behalf of the Conservative Party. This tragedy must never be repeated.

@ZackPolanski I've just joined - thanks for being a genuine alternative!

This surge is now absolutely phenomenal. 110,000 members. That's +5000 in the last 24 hours alone! Join.greenparty.org.uk

@MartinSLewis the people who caused climate change should pay for it, EG the oil companies, big business etc.

Today’s Poll: Would u agree to 3% extra council tax to help tackle climate change inc energy-efficient housing, improved air quality and flood defences. Pre-pandemic a council proposed a referendum on this, I polled then (link in replies), this is to see if views have changed.

@ByDonkeys Please repost this - it's very relevant atm

It’s more important than ever to know exactly who Farage is 👇

@NiallHarbison Oh this is so sad but not a surprise I guess. Thank you for looking after her and making a difference in her beautiful life

@monisha_rajesh Done, I hope she goes way past the target and can use it for something fun - she deserves it xx

I don’t know if anyone saw this horrific story of Rose, a young carer forced to repay £2000? She’s been looking after her mum since she was EIGHT, and has set up a crowdfund to help clear the debt but has ZERO donations. Can we help Rose?? crowdfunder.co.uk/p/young-carer-…

@Wimbledon I’d really like to see Berrettini do well after all the injuries and setbacks he’s had

Name one player who will surprise us at The Championships 2025... #Wimbledon

@geolojosh_ WE’RE NOT COMPLAINING! we’re bloody loving it because we only have about 5 days a year like this. Also it is not humid rn

I can’t believe they haven’t all been sick? #raceacrosstheworld

@NoContextBrits Crisp flavours

Name something Britain does better than any other country.

@CharlotteCGill if we don't support people to have children we'll need more immigration and I've a feeling you won't like that either

A lot of people in their 20s to 30s can’t afford to have children. Why should they pay for other people’s?

@gunsnrosesgirl3 Swimming

What's a basic skill you're shocked some adults still don't know?

@g_gosden Frog faced fascist

Describe this man in just three words

@Indianataxpros @GarbageHuman24 Why wouldn’t a 43 year old man want her???

@GarbageHuman24 A 50 year old divorced guy would probably love someone like her. She may just be too picky. 🤷‍♀️

@FBAwayDays Yes I went there to see Bristol Rovers get beat by Tranmere in the football league trophy final in 1990

The old Wembley Stadium... what a ground… 😍 Were you lucky enough to see a game there?

@mdnaswims Probably the best 30 minutes of tv ever

@MarkLabbett The questions are definitely harder than they used to be, if you watch old episodes the contestants regularly score above 5 in the cashbuilder and 20+ in the final chase, that’s quite rare now

I think this is the first time ever all four have gone low #TheChase