Cllr John Cope

Westminster Voting Intention: RFM: 25% (-5) CON: 22% (+3) LAB: 21% (+1) GRN: 13% (+1) LDM: 12% (=) SNP: 2% (=) Via @Moreincommon_, 10-13 Apr. Changes w/ 2-7 Apr.

Sky reporting Labour are planning £3.5bn of cuts to Defence this year - extraordinary, with war on two fronts. Of course, lifting the 2 child benefit cap has cost Labour circa £3bn. Politics is always about what you prioritise.

A reporter asked Nancy Pelosi why Trump posted himself as Jesus. Her response: “You should ask a psychiatrist. It needs diagnosis, not conversation.”

EXCLUSIVE: Reform-led Leicestershire County Council is planning to roll out a county-wide scheme to impose 20 mph speed limits across much of the county, a move that a council source has described to me as "ludicrous." A council source within the Reform administration has revealed plans to create hundreds of 20 mph speed zones across Leicestershire, following a pilot scheme in Ashby town centre that cost more than £9,000 to implement, according to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request I have seen. I have been told by a source at Reform Party HQ that Dan Harrison has been given permission to proceed as he sees fit in Leicestershire, provided he retains the backing of his Reform group of councillors. However, a second Reform source has disclosed that six group councillors have already voiced strong opposition to the "ludicrous" plans. One council source warned that implementing these proposals could cost hundreds of thousands of pounds — money the council does not have. It is understood that planning for the project will begin in the coming weeks, if Dan Harrison survives a vote on his leadership of the council on 13th May.

Reform is getting rather boring now. There is little in the way of serious policy or substance, and much of their social media seems focused on attacking Conservatives. What they do offer feels vague and nowhere near as bold as Kemi Badenoch’s programme.

Trump is having a mental health episode right now. He’s been posting on social media all night. He posted at: 9:49pm (Ai Jesus photo) 9:50pm (Trump tower on moon) 10:10pm (dumb meme) 10:32pm (news clip) 10:53pm (news clip) 12:43am (announcing Hormuz blockade) 2:35am (article about Biden) 2:36am (article on naval blockade) 2:37am (article on Rep. Swalwell) 2:37am (posted the same article about Biden again) 2:38am (article on his ballroom) 4:10am (article on Iran) He’s not sleeping, he’s pretending to be Jesus, and he’s posting all night. He’s not well.

Always a tweet

They paid handsomely for their positions.

Very, very important speech today by @KemiBadenoch at the @LondonDefConf. This is what sets her apart from all the other UK party leaders. "The mirror that [Trump] is holding up to Europe and that we find so uncomfortable to look in is showing us that without the United States, we cannot properly defend ourselves."

Reform UK donor linked to sanctioned Iranian conglomerate #Echobox=1775853710" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">thetimes.com/uk/politics/ar…

Trump has just lost a war to Iran. I would liken it to the Suez débâcle except that, at Suez, Britain successfully swept Egyptian resistance aside. We were defeated by Eisenhower’s hostility, not Nasser’s tanks. This time, the US just flat out lost - and the world is vastly worse off for it.

'Straight-talker' Kemi is now most popular party leader, poll reveals as she surpasses Nigel Farage in approval ratings trib.al/5Tq9wk4

Kemi Badenoch: Britain is not broken — stop the negativity #Echobox=1775334114" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">thetimes.com/uk/politics/ar…

🚨"Reform doesn't do defence. They don't have a spokesperson. When we've debated defence in the Commons, there's no Reform MP. They're off doing TikTok videos." Mark Francois brands Nigel Farage just as "dangerous" as Keir Starmer for Britain's defence. @PhilipIngMBE

NEW: Reform’s Scotland press officer, Amanda Crawford, has quit her role with the party citing concerns she wasn’t being allowed to do her job properly. Quite a start to their campaign.

Same energy.

Voter: "I want to vote for a set of completely uncosted spending plans, fronted up by a charlatan with a cavalier approach to Putin and national security." Pollster: "Right-wing or left-wing?" Voter: "I'm not bothered."

German Chancellor Merz: “The Greens strongly advocate for equality and women’s rights, but suddenly fall silent when it comes to discussing the image and role of women in some Islamic societies and openly addressing the realities that exist there.”

@CllrPerrin @CCACllrs Remember to check it's a porch, not a front door 🙃

Thankfully more shine 🌞than rain ☔ today. Let's hope it lasts.

A quarter of a century as a career politician, and the only thing Nigel has shown real consistency on is grift.