Michael Ellis has clocked in an early contender for picture of the day, as the Cabinet announced they’ve gifted a music box to the Queen for her Platinum Jubilee. The announcement – accompanied with snaps of Michael Ellis showing it off to the Cabinet like an excited child at Christmas – sets out the box was handmade entirely in Britain, plays Handel’s Messiah when opened, and is Downing Street staircase yellow on the outside with portraits of the country’s post-1952 PMs. The inside lid features each cabinet minister’s name.

A Downing Street spokesperson has said the gift was organised – quelle surprise – by Parliament’s royal fan boy Michael Ellis, who’s also been in charge of fundraising for Parliament’s Jubilee gift. Guido has confirmed every member of the Cabinet stumped up a whopping £200 per head, meaning the 31-strong contributors paid some £6,200 for the gift. Guido’s sure Her Majesty will use it every day…

Blair should feel proud that he more than any other British politician manages to get so many excited and involved in politics. In 2003 a million marched against Iraq, and almost 20 years later one million have once again signalled they’re prepared to protest against Tony Blair. This time over his knighthood…

A Change.Org petition, originally set up to have Blair’s Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, has been renamed as a “Rally against Tony Blair’s Knighthood ‘honour'”. 1,159,529 users are signed up to it. 

“His policies have touched most of our lives in some way and it is almost always negative. 

And now, on 13th June, he will be awarded one of this nation’s highest Honours by Her Majesty the Queen.”

“On Monday, 13th June, a gathering of like-minded people is to be held in Windsor, where Tony Blair and the world’s press can witness precisely what the people of this country think about this award. Where people can stand up and be seen by the world’s press voicing their feelings and sending our message that we do not consent to this ill-deserved award.”

The protest near Windsor Castle is officially organised by Stop the War, who are yet to march on the Russian Embassy. What are the chances the protest also has a significant republican element?

Starmer’s rebranding of himself and the Labour Party as flag waving patriots who, like their lost Red Wall voters, “love their Queen and country”, has hit some authenticity issues. Guido has got hold of a video of him smirking about how he supports abolishing the monarchy, despite being made a Queens Counsel. He’s not such a loyal leader of Her Majesty’s Most Loyal Opposition, after all…

The 2005 interview following the McLibel case shows Sir Keir smugly boasting about his long-held republican views. Sir Keir, reflecting modestly on his other achievements, brags “I also got made a Queen’s Counsel, which is odd since I often used to propose the abolition of the monarchy” before smirking.  After last night’s Guardian leak this might pacify his left-wing opponents a bit, though it won’t go down so well in Bishop Auckland or Ashfield…

UPDATE: Owen Jones et al are blabbering on about the past tense of “I often used to propose the abolition of the monarchy”. That strictly reads as he used to propose the abolition, now he does not. Doesn’t necessarily mean Starmer has changed his mind, just his campaigning priorities. As he embarks on his patriotic makeover, it is reasonable to ask; is that a tactical change or has he truly converted to the merits of a constitutional monarchy? If so, what was it about becoming a knight of the realm that converted him?