The president of Colombia has endorsed his old friend Jeremy Corbyn and Your Party. Get it on the pamphlets…
President since 2022 Gustavo Petro is known in South America for his former membership of murderous communist guerilla organisation M-19. His disapproval rating is currently sitting at around 60% – higher even than Starmer…
Corbyn has long expressed admiration for Petro. In a tweet Petro says Jezza is a “friend of Colombian progressivism” and of a Your Party victory: “Humanity needs that result.” Unfortunately there are some issues with Petro’s endorsement:
Este resultado le daría la victoria en Reino Unido a Jeremy Corbin, amigo personal del progresismo colombiano, y su partido “Su Fiesta” seguido del Partido laborista, los conservadores de últimas.
La humanidad necesita ese resultado. pic.twitter.com/NhbanFzyyE
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) August 7, 2025
The president has confused a poll in Starmer’s constituency with voting intention for the whole of Westminster. He also refers to Your Party as “Su Fiesta.” Guido reckons even non-Spanish speaking co-conspirators can work out what’s gone wrong there. Did they not do much literacy work in the guerrilla camp?
Keir Starmer has called the Israeli security cabinet’s plan to take full control of Gaza City “wrong” and insisted Netanyahu should “reconsider immediately“. Net Zero Minister Miatta Fahnbulleh has used the same line on the broadcasting round this morning…
Starmer said:
“The Israeli Government’s decision to further escalate its offensive in Gaza is wrong, and we urge it to reconsider immediately. This action will do nothing to bring an end to this conflict or to help secure the release of the hostages. It will only bring more bloodshed.
Every day the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens and hostages taken by Hamas are being held in appalling and inhuman conditions. What we need is a ceasefire, a surge in humanitarian aid, the release of all hostages by Hamas and a negotiated solution. Hamas can play no part in the future of Gaza and must leave as well as disarm.
Together with our allies, we are working on a long-term plan to secure peace in the region as part of a two-state solution, and ultimately achieve a brighter future for Palestinians and Israelis.
But without both sides engaging in good faith in negotiations, that prospect is vanishing before our eyes. Our message is clear: a diplomatic solution is possible, but both parties must step away from the path of destruction.”
Starmer’s plan to recognise Palestine as a state by September is inching closer…
Just hours before Rushanara Ali resigned as homelessness minister, her loyal colleague Rachel Reeves was on the airwaves defending her actions and even insisting she “[didn’t] understand” the scrutiny. Has the Chancellor read her own party’s Renters’ Rights Bill?
Reeves said:
“I don’t know the details, but Rushanara Ali seems to have done everything in accordance with the law, and I really don’t understand why the Conservatives are calling for that.”
Of course Rachel Reeves herself also happens to be a landlord now. It might be worth her brushing up on her own party’s legislation if she’s still struggling this morning…
Rushanara Ali has resigned as Minister for Homelessness and Democracy after allegedly evicting her tenants before quickly listing her East London property again at a higher rate, which would breach the terms of Labour’s incoming Renters’ Rights Bill. She has written to Keir Starmer this evening, claiming she didn’t want to be a “distraction”…
“Further to recent reporting, I wanted to make it clear that at all times I have followed all relevant legal requirements. I believe I took my responsibilities and duties seriously, and the facts demonstrate this. However, it is clear that continuing in my role will be a distraction from the ambitious work of the government. I have therefore decided to resign from my Ministerial position.”
Read the exchange of letters between Ali and Starmer below. Starmer’s letter is much shorter…
Continue reading “Rushanara Ali Resigns as Homelessness Minister”
The civil servant free ice cream vans are being towed. Couldn’t just put some cones around them?
A co-conspirator pointed out that according to the number plate of one of them they are not road legal – they are registered under a Statutory Off Road Notification. They have no business on the road let alone in central London…
Guido pointed this out to DSIT, which is backing the digital expo the scoop vans were advertising, and was told “we’ll look into that.” They are apparently run by a private company. One hour later the vans are being towed away on trailers. Some frosty phone calls taking place this evening no doubt…
Jon Sopel’s unannounced leave of absence from Bluesky has now reached an astonishing five months. He last posted on 7 March at 10:13am. At the time of going to pixel, that was around 3,678 hours ago…
By contrast, Sopel has shared ten posts on X in the last week, despite warning his devastated followers of his exit from the platform last November. Admittedly he promised to “call by occasionally”. His understanding of “occasionally” is clearly different to everyone else’s…
Speaking at his speech on how to achieve “progressive capitalism” Wes Streeting fired a dig and Andy Burnham:
“Bond markets are not bond villains and fiscal rules matter.”