If, as seems likely at this stage, to use the technical terminology, Labour gets its arse handed to them by Reform at the next election, it will not be the fault of voters who moved to more progressive parties, or the media, it's all on Labour and their own rhetoric and policies. No-one else. 21/

As another ex government lawyer, I agree. It’s so frustrating that, despite sympathetic noises, the current government hasn’t legislated to put in place guardrails eg on Lords & other appointments, conduct and ethics, conflicts of interest etc. And hasn’t really tackled over/use of secondary legn

I suspect that somewhere - in Tufton St or elsewhere - there is now a spreadsheet of all the Henry VIII clauses with proposals with what can be done with them.

It's truly shocking that Starmer is not proudly defending the HRA and the ECHR. The Right will always attack him over his historical support so he needs to stand by what he used to believe in.

There have always been Trumps, as there have always been Johnsons and Farages. None are particularly complex or interesting characters. What needs understanding is how the barriers that shut them out have collapsed, and why - in the case of the first two - established parties have knelt before them.

Which novel?

Did the second half of this come out and I missed it?

Daily Mail: "Ban this stuff!"

Organised Crime: "Yes, please! Ban This Stuff!"