Daniel
@danielblaney.bsky.social
CND, Jeremy Corbyn, Diane Abbott, any transport mode but planes and cars. Surrey Cricket and a bit of law in my spare time.
Am told Eluned Morgan, First Minister of Wales, is going to follow Anas Sarwar in calling for the PM to stand down;
Also that there will be "Scottish MP ministerial resignations" afterwards
Ministers saying it's the end game...
Also that there will be "Scottish MP ministerial resignations" afterwards
Ministers saying it's the end game...
February 9, 2026 at 2:09 PM
Reposted by Daniel
I also note he says that he decided to "resign from the government."
I wasn't aware that political appointees in No. 10 were members of the government...
I wasn't aware that political appointees in No. 10 were members of the government...
February 8, 2026 at 3:00 PM
I also note he says that he decided to "resign from the government."
I wasn't aware that political appointees in No. 10 were members of the government...
I wasn't aware that political appointees in No. 10 were members of the government...
Reposted by Daniel
The idea that Starmer was unaware Mandleson was dodgy because his protege forgot to mention it is pathetic.
www.ft.com/content/af75...
www.ft.com/content/af75...
Morgan McSweeney resigns as Downing Street chief of staff
Exit of Mandelson protégé comes as Sir Keir Starmer seeks to stave off leadership speculation
www.ft.com
February 8, 2026 at 2:32 PM
The idea that Starmer was unaware Mandleson was dodgy because his protege forgot to mention it is pathetic.
www.ft.com/content/af75...
www.ft.com/content/af75...
Reposted by Daniel
Advisers advise, politicians decide.
It might be the right decision, but it won't ease the pressure on Keir Starmer
inews.co.uk/news/politic...
It might be the right decision, but it won't ease the pressure on Keir Starmer
inews.co.uk/news/politic...
Keir Starmer's chief of staff Morgan McSweeney resigns
PM's top aide faced mounting criticism from Labour MPs over his part in appointing Peter Mandelson as US ambassador
inews.co.uk
February 8, 2026 at 2:42 PM
Advisers advise, politicians decide.
It might be the right decision, but it won't ease the pressure on Keir Starmer
inews.co.uk/news/politic...
It might be the right decision, but it won't ease the pressure on Keir Starmer
inews.co.uk/news/politic...
Reposted by Daniel
Morgan McSweeney’s resignation is the right measure but let’s remember the old adage: Advisers advise but ministers decide. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Morgan McSweeney resigns as Keir Starmer’s chief of staff
Longtime aide who masterminded landslide 2024 election win departs Downing Street after Mandelson revelations
www.theguardian.com
February 8, 2026 at 2:48 PM
Morgan McSweeney’s resignation is the right measure but let’s remember the old adage: Advisers advise but ministers decide. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Daniel
If as @lucympowell.bsky.social claims Labour is so concerned about Reform winning, they could consider:
1. Running their most popular candidate
2. Sack everyone connected to Mandelson
3. Stop copying Reform's policies
4. Address voters problems
5. Introduce PR
Otherwise see you at the count.
1. Running their most popular candidate
2. Sack everyone connected to Mandelson
3. Stop copying Reform's policies
4. Address voters problems
5. Introduce PR
Otherwise see you at the count.
February 6, 2026 at 9:40 PM
If as @lucympowell.bsky.social claims Labour is so concerned about Reform winning, they could consider:
1. Running their most popular candidate
2. Sack everyone connected to Mandelson
3. Stop copying Reform's policies
4. Address voters problems
5. Introduce PR
Otherwise see you at the count.
1. Running their most popular candidate
2. Sack everyone connected to Mandelson
3. Stop copying Reform's policies
4. Address voters problems
5. Introduce PR
Otherwise see you at the count.
Reposted by Daniel
Quite funny that Starmer's allies are waking up to this point now …
Cuts to Winter Fuel… not in the manifesto
Disability benefit cuts… not in there either
Cutting jury trials… also not there
Digital ID… no mention
Raising employers NI… nope
Freezing tax threholds… nah
Contracts with Palantir… no
Cuts to Winter Fuel… not in the manifesto
Disability benefit cuts… not in there either
Cutting jury trials… also not there
Digital ID… no mention
Raising employers NI… nope
Freezing tax threholds… nah
Contracts with Palantir… no
February 6, 2026 at 4:58 PM
Quite funny that Starmer's allies are waking up to this point now …
Cuts to Winter Fuel… not in the manifesto
Disability benefit cuts… not in there either
Cutting jury trials… also not there
Digital ID… no mention
Raising employers NI… nope
Freezing tax threholds… nah
Contracts with Palantir… no
Cuts to Winter Fuel… not in the manifesto
Disability benefit cuts… not in there either
Cutting jury trials… also not there
Digital ID… no mention
Raising employers NI… nope
Freezing tax threholds… nah
Contracts with Palantir… no
Reposted by Daniel
yup
I'm not going to kick off if you're dual posting, but is this still the first Political Scandal that has broken on Bluesky rather than Xitter?
February 5, 2026 at 3:25 PM
yup
Reposted by Daniel
To have a huge, HUGE scandal around Mandelson and then decide the next leader should be someone who resigned over dodgy financial stuff and still isn't straight with the taxman seems... eccentric.
In our exc tonight -
How cabinet minsters viewed govt amendment as a mistake
How Angela Rayner brokered the deal to save government from defeat - again
“If Ange ran tonight she’d get the numbers,” says one MP.
How cabinet minsters viewed govt amendment as a mistake
How Angela Rayner brokered the deal to save government from defeat - again
“If Ange ran tonight she’d get the numbers,” says one MP.
Our story tonight
“We need all the poison to come out.”
Labour MPs have warned that Keir Starmer’s days as prime minister are numbered after a day of fury over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador despite his friendship with Jeffery Epstein.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
“We need all the poison to come out.”
Labour MPs have warned that Keir Starmer’s days as prime minister are numbered after a day of fury over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador despite his friendship with Jeffery Epstein.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
February 4, 2026 at 9:14 PM
To have a huge, HUGE scandal around Mandelson and then decide the next leader should be someone who resigned over dodgy financial stuff and still isn't straight with the taxman seems... eccentric.
Reposted by Daniel
Labour’s leadership brought Mandelson in and clung to him because of a shared political project. The Mandelson crisis is a crisis of that project.
By me:
modernleft.substack.com/p/the-mandel...
By me:
modernleft.substack.com/p/the-mandel...
February 4, 2026 at 7:53 PM
Labour’s leadership brought Mandelson in and clung to him because of a shared political project. The Mandelson crisis is a crisis of that project.
By me:
modernleft.substack.com/p/the-mandel...
By me:
modernleft.substack.com/p/the-mandel...
Reposted by Daniel
Traffic signals are motor traffic engineering devices for managing motor traffic.
They have no value for human-powered and human scale transport.
This is why some Dutch cities pull them out when they clear out the motor traffic!
They have no value for human-powered and human scale transport.
This is why some Dutch cities pull them out when they clear out the motor traffic!
"Cycle traffic at peak times exceed[s] cars. Despite this, signal timings remain set around motor traffic speeds"
Lime bike boss proposes adjusting traffic lights "to reward safe cyclists" - Cycling News | Bike Reviews | road.cc
The policy director of Lime Bikes in the UK has called on Transport for London to retime their traffic lights to enable smoother, less disruptive journeys on two wheels.Writing in MyLondon, Hal Steven...
road.cc
February 4, 2026 at 5:58 PM
Traffic signals are motor traffic engineering devices for managing motor traffic.
They have no value for human-powered and human scale transport.
This is why some Dutch cities pull them out when they clear out the motor traffic!
They have no value for human-powered and human scale transport.
This is why some Dutch cities pull them out when they clear out the motor traffic!
Reposted by Daniel
Not even burglars, let alone terrorists.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Palestine Action protesters not guilty of defence firm burglary
The group are cleared of aggravated burglary over a raid at an Elbit Systems warehouse.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 4, 2026 at 2:15 PM
Not even burglars, let alone terrorists.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Daniel
BREAKING: NO CONVICTIONS AS VERDICTS COME IN FOR FILTON24 TRIAL
After 8 days of deliberation, the jury have not convicted Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, Ellie (Leona) Kamio, Fatema Zainab Rajwani, Zoe Rogers and Jordan Devlin on any charge.
Defend Our Juries comment to follow.
After 8 days of deliberation, the jury have not convicted Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, Ellie (Leona) Kamio, Fatema Zainab Rajwani, Zoe Rogers and Jordan Devlin on any charge.
Defend Our Juries comment to follow.
February 4, 2026 at 12:47 PM
BREAKING: NO CONVICTIONS AS VERDICTS COME IN FOR FILTON24 TRIAL
After 8 days of deliberation, the jury have not convicted Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, Ellie (Leona) Kamio, Fatema Zainab Rajwani, Zoe Rogers and Jordan Devlin on any charge.
Defend Our Juries comment to follow.
After 8 days of deliberation, the jury have not convicted Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, Ellie (Leona) Kamio, Fatema Zainab Rajwani, Zoe Rogers and Jordan Devlin on any charge.
Defend Our Juries comment to follow.
Reposted by Daniel
and no I haven't put the Mandelson-Epstein-Reinaldo scoop on twitter
we journalists *can* make Bluesky the place to break news
we journalists *can* make Bluesky the place to break news
January 30, 2026 at 6:03 PM
and no I haven't put the Mandelson-Epstein-Reinaldo scoop on twitter
we journalists *can* make Bluesky the place to break news
we journalists *can* make Bluesky the place to break news
Reposted by Daniel
We are deeply saddened by the passing of Councillor Waseem Zaffar. A stalwart advocate for clean air, social justice and children’s health, Waseem was a true supporter of us and our Birmingham work with Kirsten and Maya. Our thoughts are with his wife, children and family.
February 1, 2026 at 11:19 AM
We are deeply saddened by the passing of Councillor Waseem Zaffar. A stalwart advocate for clean air, social justice and children’s health, Waseem was a true supporter of us and our Birmingham work with Kirsten and Maya. Our thoughts are with his wife, children and family.
Reposted by Daniel
If you take a breath of Birmingham's air today, give a thought to Waseem Zaffar, an all too rare example of a local politician willing to tackle the problem of car dominance.
Our city is greatly diminished by Councillor Zaffar’s shocking passing.
Our city is greatly diminished by Councillor Zaffar’s shocking passing.
Our thoughts are with Councillor Zaffar’s family and friends following the sad news of his passing. He was a major force for good, enabling and advocating for bold transport and clean air policy.
January 31, 2026 at 8:25 AM
If you take a breath of Birmingham's air today, give a thought to Waseem Zaffar, an all too rare example of a local politician willing to tackle the problem of car dominance.
Our city is greatly diminished by Councillor Zaffar’s shocking passing.
Our city is greatly diminished by Councillor Zaffar’s shocking passing.
Reposted by Daniel
Just how much more appalling news needs to come out about Peter Mandelson before the Labour leadership finally kicks him out of the party?
February 1, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Just how much more appalling news needs to come out about Peter Mandelson before the Labour leadership finally kicks him out of the party?
Reposted by Daniel
You had Peter Mandelson on one side, and Jeremy Corbyn on the other. It was as simple as that.
February 1, 2026 at 7:27 PM
You had Peter Mandelson on one side, and Jeremy Corbyn on the other. It was as simple as that.
Reposted by Daniel
Oh, and
4. Despite the demand for proportional representation from Labour members, Starmer won't change
our ridiculous First Past the Post system. So he's in no position to blame anyone for "splitting the vote".
share.google/buxD1tZ5BfKk...
4. Despite the demand for proportional representation from Labour members, Starmer won't change
our ridiculous First Past the Post system. So he's in no position to blame anyone for "splitting the vote".
share.google/buxD1tZ5BfKk...
January 30, 2026 at 3:55 PM
Oh, and
4. Despite the demand for proportional representation from Labour members, Starmer won't change
our ridiculous First Past the Post system. So he's in no position to blame anyone for "splitting the vote".
share.google/buxD1tZ5BfKk...
4. Despite the demand for proportional representation from Labour members, Starmer won't change
our ridiculous First Past the Post system. So he's in no position to blame anyone for "splitting the vote".
share.google/buxD1tZ5BfKk...
Awful government
As we've said all along, the Lower Thames Crossing is taking away much needed money from bus services and local streets.
Now the Dartford Crossing is being privatised £120m/year is being gifted to private operators.
Latest scandal reported in The Times:
thetimes.com/business/com...
Now the Dartford Crossing is being privatised £120m/year is being gifted to private operators.
Latest scandal reported in The Times:
thetimes.com/business/com...
Taxpayer to lose £120m a year in Thames tunnel deal
Revenues from the existing Dartford Crossing tolls are to be handed to a private operator in perpetuity to provide cashflow to the Lower Thames Crossing project
thetimes.com
January 27, 2026 at 10:05 AM
Awful government
Reposted by Daniel
Is this the same Steve Reed who was the council leader of Lambeth and resigned that position three days after entering the Commons in a by-election?
Housing secretary Steve Reed's message to Andy Burnham for trying to leave his mayoral job.
“Voters have a right to expect that if they elect a politician to a job, that they will serve out the full term for the job that they have elected them to do.”
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/labour...
“Voters have a right to expect that if they elect a politician to a job, that they will serve out the full term for the job that they have elected them to do.”
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/labour...
'A Gift To Nigel Farage': Labour Civil War Deepens Over Decision To Block Burnham's MP Bid
More than 50 MPs and peers sign letter urging Keir Starmer to think again.
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk
January 27, 2026 at 9:06 AM
Is this the same Steve Reed who was the council leader of Lambeth and resigned that position three days after entering the Commons in a by-election?
Reposted by Daniel
The problem is not capacity. The problem is who gets the capacity. TfL increasingly seem unable to understand that giving 20% more signal capacity to buses mixed in with other traffic doesn't mean 20% faster buses, but 20% more people driving. They have to do much more to separate modes...
TfL "unveils ambitious 5 year plan to cut congestion & transform London’s road network for the future" (see tfl-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/tfl-unv...). We think there's some good news, but far too much bad news in this plan, that talks a lot about speeding up buses, but may not do that... 1/10
TfL unveils ambitious five-year plan to cut congestion and transform London’s road network for the future
PN-146
TfL launches ‘London on the move’, the first-ever London network-wide strategy spanning all of London’s highway network
The plan will see the rollout of cutting-edge new technology, new bus ...
tfl-newsroom.prgloo.com
January 26, 2026 at 6:31 PM
The problem is not capacity. The problem is who gets the capacity. TfL increasingly seem unable to understand that giving 20% more signal capacity to buses mixed in with other traffic doesn't mean 20% faster buses, but 20% more people driving. They have to do much more to separate modes...
Apparently this is actually a Labour MP, and not a brilliant parody account of one. Still hilarious though.
The quick & clear decision of Labour’s NEC means we can move on from the damaging, introspection & psychodrama of the last week.
Let’s pull together behind whoever is selected and come together to beat Reform and then focus on vital elections in May.
Let’s pull together behind whoever is selected and come together to beat Reform and then focus on vital elections in May.
January 25, 2026 at 7:08 PM
Apparently this is actually a Labour MP, and not a brilliant parody account of one. Still hilarious though.
Reposted by Daniel
Starmer is standing in the ideal glass house to criticise others for not sticking to their word 🤣
Starmer is understood to have said Burnham should be blocked from standing in Gorton and Denton because he had promised to serve a full term as Manchester mayor
Read more: trib.al/JHYi6Yq
Read more: trib.al/JHYi6Yq
January 25, 2026 at 6:35 PM
Starmer is standing in the ideal glass house to criticise others for not sticking to their word 🤣
Reposted by Daniel
Andy Burnham won't be allowed to stand in Gorton and Denton.
This means it is the Green Party who will take the seat.
Vote for them if you don't want Fuhrer Farage ruling over you.
This means it is the Green Party who will take the seat.
Vote for them if you don't want Fuhrer Farage ruling over you.
January 25, 2026 at 4:45 PM
Andy Burnham won't be allowed to stand in Gorton and Denton.
This means it is the Green Party who will take the seat.
Vote for them if you don't want Fuhrer Farage ruling over you.
This means it is the Green Party who will take the seat.
Vote for them if you don't want Fuhrer Farage ruling over you.