David Osland
@davidosland.bsky.social
Forty-year veteran of British leftwing politics. Not the opinions of any publication for which I write.
The Mandelson scandal will probably topple Starmer. That must be the first time he's ever done anything positive for the Labour Party.
February 6, 2026 at 4:45 PM
The Mandelson scandal will probably topple Starmer. That must be the first time he's ever done anything positive for the Labour Party.
At a single stroke, Lord Mandelson has completely destroyed his hard-won reputation for honesty. Tragic.
February 5, 2026 at 1:15 PM
At a single stroke, Lord Mandelson has completely destroyed his hard-won reputation for honesty. Tragic.
Supporters of the House of Lords should tell us why Lord Mandelson, Baroness Mone, Lord Houchen, Lord Lebedev and Baroness Owen deserve to be unelected lawmakers for the rest of their lives
February 3, 2026 at 10:23 AM
Supporters of the House of Lords should tell us why Lord Mandelson, Baroness Mone, Lord Houchen, Lord Lebedev and Baroness Owen deserve to be unelected lawmakers for the rest of their lives
To rewrite the words of the great Barry Manilow, Mandy came and he took without giving
February 3, 2026 at 10:13 AM
To rewrite the words of the great Barry Manilow, Mandy came and he took without giving
Britain must be the only country in the world where politicians get more stick for mispronouncing Epstein's surname than for making use of his services
February 3, 2026 at 9:58 AM
Britain must be the only country in the world where politicians get more stick for mispronouncing Epstein's surname than for making use of his services
Springsteen's anti-Trump song is probably better than any anti-Springsteen song Trump will ever write
January 31, 2026 at 6:41 PM
Springsteen's anti-Trump song is probably better than any anti-Springsteen song Trump will ever write
The Daily Mail describes Sarah Ferguson as 'homeless'. If I see her begging outside the local shopping centre, I'll probably bung her a couple of quid.
January 31, 2026 at 1:12 PM
The Daily Mail describes Sarah Ferguson as 'homeless'. If I see her begging outside the local shopping centre, I'll probably bung her a couple of quid.
What Lee Anderson hasn't pointed out yet is that in 1930s the Daily Mail supported the British Union of Fascists and in the 2020s the Daily Mail supports Reform UK
January 31, 2026 at 12:23 PM
What Lee Anderson hasn't pointed out yet is that in 1930s the Daily Mail supported the British Union of Fascists and in the 2020s the Daily Mail supports Reform UK
The big difference between fraudulent covid loans and student loans is that fraudulent covid loans are happily written off
January 31, 2026 at 11:47 AM
The big difference between fraudulent covid loans and student loans is that fraudulent covid loans are happily written off
If VAT on private school fees is 'class war', what's the right term for 8% compound interest on student loans?
January 31, 2026 at 11:27 AM
If VAT on private school fees is 'class war', what's the right term for 8% compound interest on student loans?
Suella Braverman announced her defection to Reform at a rally for veterans this morning. Maybe she also used the speech to condemn Trump's slur that the audience were cowards in Afghanistan and it just hasn't been reported.
January 26, 2026 at 1:32 PM
Suella Braverman announced her defection to Reform at a rally for veterans this morning. Maybe she also used the speech to condemn Trump's slur that the audience were cowards in Afghanistan and it just hasn't been reported.
We absolutely don't need the Chinese embassy tapping British citizens' phone calls. We've already got the Daily Mail doing that for us, thank you.
January 26, 2026 at 1:10 PM
We absolutely don't need the Chinese embassy tapping British citizens' phone calls. We've already got the Daily Mail doing that for us, thank you.
Suella Braverman remains the only home secretary ever to be sacked for inciting fascist violence
January 26, 2026 at 12:57 PM
Suella Braverman remains the only home secretary ever to be sacked for inciting fascist violence
Imagine the media reaction if Corbyn had blocked a potential leadership rival from seeking a by-election nomination
January 25, 2026 at 11:18 PM
Imagine the media reaction if Corbyn had blocked a potential leadership rival from seeking a by-election nomination
It's a good job Nigel Farage didn't inadvertently overclaim a fiver on Universal Credit, because he'd really be in trouble then
January 25, 2026 at 11:06 AM
It's a good job Nigel Farage didn't inadvertently overclaim a fiver on Universal Credit, because he'd really be in trouble then
Apart from anything else, blocking Burnham would make Starmer look petty. Heaven forfend.
January 25, 2026 at 10:56 AM
Apart from anything else, blocking Burnham would make Starmer look petty. Heaven forfend.
Nigel Farage attended Davos as an adviser to an Iranian billionaire. Doesn't get much more anti-establishment than that, right?
January 24, 2026 at 5:13 PM
Nigel Farage attended Davos as an adviser to an Iranian billionaire. Doesn't get much more anti-establishment than that, right?
Donald Trump dodged conscription. He's the last person who should be talking about 'stepping back from the frontline'.
January 23, 2026 at 1:23 PM
Donald Trump dodged conscription. He's the last person who should be talking about 'stepping back from the frontline'.
I've seen a Labour MP I once got stoned with when we student activists in the 1980s look straight into a television camera and swear he'd never smoked cannabis in his life. The level of hypocrisy over drug decriminalisation is off the charts.
January 22, 2026 at 10:37 AM
I've seen a Labour MP I once got stoned with when we student activists in the 1980s look straight into a television camera and swear he'd never smoked cannabis in his life. The level of hypocrisy over drug decriminalisation is off the charts.
The £380,000 in extra-parliamentary earnings that Nigel Farage somehow forgot to declare is fifteen times the average salary in Claction
January 22, 2026 at 10:26 AM
The £380,000 in extra-parliamentary earnings that Nigel Farage somehow forgot to declare is fifteen times the average salary in Claction
I'd rather Britain had wind farms than depend on the US, Russia and Saudi Arabia for oil
January 22, 2026 at 10:08 AM
I'd rather Britain had wind farms than depend on the US, Russia and Saudi Arabia for oil
Clacton is one of Britain's poorest places, represented in parliament by one of Britain's richest MPs
January 21, 2026 at 10:29 AM
Clacton is one of Britain's poorest places, represented in parliament by one of Britain's richest MPs
It doesn't matter what Trump and Rubio said about the Chagos deal seven months ago. All that counts is what side of bed Trump got out of this morning.
January 20, 2026 at 9:26 PM
It doesn't matter what Trump and Rubio said about the Chagos deal seven months ago. All that counts is what side of bed Trump got out of this morning.
This year marks the 250th anniversary of US independence from Britain. I'm hoping it will also mark the start of British independence from the US.
January 20, 2026 at 9:21 PM
This year marks the 250th anniversary of US independence from Britain. I'm hoping it will also mark the start of British independence from the US.
After Anschluss with Greenland, Trump will presumably give an assurance that he has no futher territorial demands on Europe. But look what happened last time.
January 20, 2026 at 8:56 PM
After Anschluss with Greenland, Trump will presumably give an assurance that he has no futher territorial demands on Europe. But look what happened last time.