@jamesmoules
Freelance journalist covering politics and foreign affairs • ✍️ The i Paper, PoliticsHome, Byline Times, Foreign Policy, Big Issue, Telegraph, New Statesman & more • Moules rhymes with roles, not rules • DM for email/WhatsApp/Signal • Views own etc.
After near-total dominance of the political scene for the first year of his term, Trump has seen increased resistance to his agenda in recent weeks.
My latest for @theipaper.com here ⬇️
inews.co.uk/news/world/t...
Meanwhile, Spain's massive investment in renewables is paying dividends now: with prices for Spanish industry and consumers low and stable compared with other European economies.
www.ft.com/content/ac77...
I think this is wrong, and that Corbyn and McDonnell speak to quite different parts of the radical left on foreign policy - see for instance their wildly divergent views on Russia/Ukraine, or China/Hong Kong
I think this is broadly correct. Polanski doesn’t have a serious, thought-through defence policy - given the contradiction of wanting less US dependence while opposing defence spending increases - but he very clearly isn’t a Corbynite on foreign affairs (even if many of his members are).
EXCL: The partner of a sitting Labour MP is understood to be among three people who have been arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of spying for China.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
You would expect Kemi Badenoch to raise Iran and Trump at PMQs, and if so, you'd expect Keir Starmer to be relatively happy with that. Starmer's stance seems fairly tuned into voter opinion on this, whereas yoking yourself politically to a plan-free, goal-vague, timetable-lacking war is a risk.
So many "can you come and speak..." invitations fade into silence when mention that you do actually need to be paid for the work you do in order to survive
Ukraine's expertise is an asset
The ongoing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East have both had pretty substantial impacts on the global economy. But if the South China Sea or the Taiwan Strait ignited, we’d be on a whole other level of disruption.
It cannot be stated strongly enough just how cataclysmic a Chinese invasion of Taiwan would be to the global economy. And it’s not just the chips we’d have to worry about. The Taiwan Strait is one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes - which would be heavily disrupted by military activity.
Trump expects America’s allies to behave as vassals and tributaries, rather than partners and friends.
And the problem with his approach is it will not only erode Western security alliances, but it will also weaken America’s own global influence as a result.
Whatever you think the response to Iranian missiles be fired on British citizens and British allies in the Gulf should be, I don't think that 'it might hurt Labour electorally' should be part of your answer.
Really interesting stuff from @dmk1793.bsky.social to which I'd want to add the context of an unforgiving international political economy in which there is no easy way for government to significantly accelerate growth, making tough trade offs unavoidable.
A reminder: Matt Goodwin lost heavily in spite of an almost total lack of tactical voting, not because of it.
The combined Green/Labour vote was 66%, versus 28.7% for Reform.
If Labour and the Greens split the vote 50/50 – a total coordination fail – he'd have finished third, not second.
Absolutely. Thinking that using big words and flowery language = good writing is a hallmark of amateurs and wannabes.
Obviously I’m just reading tea leaves here, but if Britain ever rejoins the EU, I think there’s a strong chance it would happen under a centre-right government.
There's a big gap in British politics for a Gaullist/Americosceptic right.
Remember that famous clip where Christopher Hitchens challenges Charlton Heston to list all the countries bordering Iraq on the spot?
Perhaps hedge fund managers considering moving to Dubai should have to do something similar as an entry test…
There we go, France will increase its nuclear arsenal, intensify nuclear weapons cooperation with the UK, develop share frameworks with Germany and other EU partners.
NEW: MoD assessment is that the drone attack on Akrotiri base in Cyprus last night was launched before the PM’s statement - ie was not a retaliation for it.
A new “security threat” was declared at the United Kingdom’s Akrotiri air force base in Cyprus shortly after midday on Monday, while the village of Akrotiri was also evacuated, the Cyprus Mail has learned.
cyprus-mail.com/2026/03/02/n...
It’s a well-trodden path for parties under FPTP to support changing the voting system until they find it works rather well for them.
Justin Trudeau went into the 2015 Canadian election promising electoral reform. But eleven years and three further elections later, Canada still uses FPTP.
Speaking as a journalist, easily half of the aggressive emails and comments I’ve had over the years have come from people failing to make this distinction.
From an ex-Hungarian MP @dailytelegraphnews.bsky.social, on April elections:
"The question is whether those who write the rules, distribute the money, count the votes, and announce the results will be willing to tolerate a world where they are no longer in power"
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03...
Operation stop acting like Scandinavia is a socialist utopia just because they have good maternity pay
Labour as a whole would do well to accept the reality of what its average voter now looks like.
It would, in fact, make sense that a party which puts “working people” (in the broadest sense) at its heart would now largely represent white collar professionals, given the shape of Britain’s economy.
Completely agreed. Too many people in Labour remain profoundly nostalgic about what they think the party’s voter coalition should look like - and to their detriment.
If this proves true, it’s nothing short of seismic news.
"Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was assassinated in an Israeli strike on Tehran, with his body found under the rubble caused by an Israeli airstrike, senior Israeli officials were informed on Saturday evening." www.jpost.com/middle-east/...
