Abu Dhabi Owl

@Peston I am sure you are aware, Robert, the praetorians were well known for acting on behalf of a usurper if they thought he was better for them…. 🤔

The praetorian guard around the prime minister, who have been urging him not to quit, are the Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the attorney general Richard Hermer, the Housing Secretary Steve Reed and - no longer on the payroll - Morgan McSweeney. Or so a minister tells me. I asked Downing St for a comment. None forthcoming

@LBC @NickFerrariLBC @darrenpjones The PM’s speech, as we know, was about self preservation. It was targeted in the main at his own MP”s and NOT the electorate and that tells you all you need to know about the man.

'Nigel Farage promised people that Brexit would improve their lives - that turned out to be completely false.' @NickFerrariLBC asks why Keir Starmer called the Reform leader 'a grifter'. @DarrenPJones says he must be held to account.

@Peston Reminiscent of King Charles I. And we all know how that ended up!

Very senior minister tells me the prime minister is “going to fight” and “let’s see where we end up”

It’s now all about West Streeting, the health secretary, who has made clear he both wants to be the UK’s next prime minister, but also does not want to be the first mover in an attempted coup against the prime minister. His difficulty is that many of those MPs calling for the PM to go are his supporters. His team insist that they are doing so without his instructions, but few in parliament regard that as either credible or relevant. One of those who would support him told me: “too many of his people have been marched up a hill, that he will have to launch a bid if Keir doesn’t go.” The prime minister told the cabinet just now he will not set out a timetable for his departure. He said: “The Labour Party has a process for challenging a leader and that has not been triggered.” He might have added “I’m looking at you Wes.” For Streeting this is a bit of a nightmare. If he does challenge Starmer he may lose and wreck his political career. And if he doesn’t challenge Starmer in a formal contest, he may alienate his supporters, who have stuck their heads above the parapet at great potential cost to their political futures, and that may fatally damage his leadership prospects forever. It’s Streeting’s moment in history. How will he shape it?

@Peston It’s the same old platitudes, regurgitated in a different order, isn’t it?

Apparently it’s all going to be ok

@BethRigby Same old platitudes, I’m afraid.

Starmer clearly knows what is at stake here and really trying to show some personal emotion & some passion. Says of working people: “I am fighting for them, we are fighting for them, I am their PM and this it their government”

@mikegardner_wb LET ME BE CLEAR

Let’s get our word bingo cards ready for Starmer’s 43rd relaunch speech tomorrow. Mine has these: Toolmaker Change Renewal Fixing the foundations 14 years £22 billion black hole Far right Division Reform Farage Not our war Brexit Breakfast clubs Lifting children out of poverty

@mikegardner_wb RESET

@Peston what’s the betting we hear that dreadful expression “re-set” in the coming days from Starmer. He has had two previous “re-sets” as far as I can remember.

@JohnHann04 Totally agree

Sometimes you’ve just got to admit you got it wrong. And in this I’m starting to think I was wrong. Slowly but surely Kemi Badenoch is impressing me. This is by NO means an endorsement of the Tories, but she has become an impressive, articulate and increasingly strong leader of her party and the last few days has proved that..she currently has the lowest disapproval rating (none of them are in the positive) of ALL the party leaders. What are your thoughts, had she surprised all of you as well?

Next Prime Minister anyone?

Come on, Kemi's dynamite Her light is shining oh so bright Dispatch box destroyer Gets Starmer flipped Kemi's the next Prime Minister Tonight, you've been tipped.

@KemiBadenoch On a beach in the Philippines!

How has this not been brought up? I also understand she has been embroiled in a vote rigging scandal? #TikTok vm.tiktok.com/ZNRpjgjab/

@GrantSRivers I suppose since his career has finished he’s nothing else to do - he needs to find a new hobby …. Perhaps giving similar “banter” to Tyson Fury ?!

He’s still going on… 😴 #ImACeleb #DavidHaye

@davidhaye @imacelebrity @adamthomas21 Get over it, Pal

I’m a celebrity 2026 caused a stir! My take on the winner, and the soft public validating weak behaviour. Shout out to the stunning Sun Valley Cyprus 💥😎💥

@PhilMyers53 Starmer has shown himself to be at best, utterly incompetent and probably worse, a pedophile apologist. And the rest are so low level it is embarrassing - a complete shambles is what we have now and far worse than the what came latterly (sunak) with the Tories

We've been played. The Mandelson saga was blown out of all proportion purely for political purposes. His appointment was a mistake, but for goodness sake, banner headlines for 10 days has everything to do with propaganda + nothing to do with an error of judgement #FightTheRight

@Peston Come off it Robert , are you really buying this? Utter tosh! And even if true makes Lammy and Starmer look utterly incompetent … surely they have to go, never mind some underling!

I have just been informed that the former foreign secretary, now deputy prime minister, David Lammy, only found out that Mandelson failed developed vetting - and that Olly Robbins over-ruled the vetting fail - today!!!

Downing Street says neither the PM or the then foreign secretary David Lammy knew that Peter Mandelson failed security vetting to be US ambassador till a few days ago. Sources say they are incandescent that they were not told. The clear implication is that the permanent under secretary at the foreign office Olly Robbins over-ruled the vetting recommendation and never told ministers. If that is right, and no official is denying that, it is impossible to see how he keeps his job

Well, I think we can safely say Labour have now well and truly outdone the Tories on this one. Well done, I guess. 🙄

@UTDAlex8 John Harkes

Name one American who has played in the Premier League. IMPOSSIBLE