I do think the more relevant / better bit of my question was about whether the person who wants to be education secretary sends her children to state school
22.02.2026 09:27
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I do think the more relevant / better bit of my question was about whether the person who wants to be education secretary sends her children to state school
Yeah I can see that, and I think it would have been a valid response to my q.
I do think it’s relevant that a party that’s courting the working class vote has a cabinet (so far) entirely comprised of ppl in the 7% of the population that went to private school, most of whom are extremely wealthy.
FT exclusive:
“The US state department is set to fund Maga-aligned think-tanks and charities across Europe to disseminate Washington’s policy positions and challenge perceived threats to free speech.”
via @annasophiegross.bsky.social and colleagues
NEW: Wes Streeting has issued a private ultimatum to pharmaceutical companies to accept the government’s latest offer on drug pricing by Friday or he will publicly end the talks, raising the stakes in negotiations over how much the NHS should pay for treatments. With @hannahkuchler.bsky.social
NEW: Several councils run by Reform UK have resisted efforts by the party’s Elon Musk-style “Doge” unit to access personal and commercially sensitive data, slowing the progress of the highly controversial cost-cutting drive.
www.ft.com/content/2019...
A supercomputer at Edinburgh university is set to receive £750mn as part of Wednesday’s spending review, reversing a contentious decision to suspend funding made in the early days of Sir Keir Starmer’s government
Scoop via @annasophiegross.bsky.social
www.ft.com/content/b1e9...
SCOOP: A supercomputer at Edinburgh university is set to receive £750mn as part of Wednesday’s spending review, reversing a contentious decision to suspend funding made in the early days of Sir Keir Starmer’s government.
www.ft.com/content/b1e9...
NEW: Ministers are considering a softening of their contentious welfare reforms that could allow up to 200,000 people to keep their disability benefits, as the government seeks to stave off a backbench rebellion.
NEW: England’s drug approval body has resisted pressure from pharmaceutical companies to loosen its process for recommending drugs and is pressing instead for the NHS to speed up the rollout of approved medicines.
W/ @hannahkuchler.bsky.social
www.ft.com/content/4aa1...
This is a great piece by @annasophiegross.bsky.social, who is dead right about Labour's messaging.
But it would seem that the economic arrangements that have served politicians - and many voters - well for decades are no longer fit for purpose.
But what comes next?
on.ft.com/3ReNrRA
NEW: Border security tsar Martin Hewitt told me slashing small boat crossings by half over the next three years would count as a success.
He said "there will always be people who seek to move" but denied that cracking down on people smuggling was as futile as the War on Drugs.
NEW: Senior figures around Reform UK have drawn up plans for a think-tank called RESOLUTE 1850 that aims to attract Maga donors from America, according to a 17-slide presentation leaked to me
TWO SLIDES BELOW
Excellent piece by @annasophiegross.bsky.social and @amyborrett.ft.com:
It was great to chat about welfare, the NHS and whether Keir Starmer has betrayed the left on this episode of Political Fix!
great story by @annasophiegross.bsky.social
... Jeremy Hosking, one of Reform's biggest backers over the years, extends an invite ... 4/5
..net zero policies stoked tensions... 3/5
...there have been discussions amongst some former officials about forming an alternative to Reform... 2/5
NEW: Elon Musk has expressed an interest in backing an alternative to Reform UK, following a spat that erupted last week between Nigel Farage and Rupert Lowe, sources tell me 1/5
Very reassuring to see traditional conservatives like Jeb Bush and David Cameron getting their priorities straight in these dangerous times. Oh wait. www.ft.com/content/9fab...
Lord Cameron of Greensill is becoming an adviser to Jeb Bush’s private equity firm
Story from @annasophiegross.bsky.social, @cynthiao.bsky.social & @antoinegara.bsky.social
on.ft.com/3QMvJVh
Superb chart.
So - I've actually led Ebola outbreak response at USAID.
This is bunk from Elon. They have laid off most of the experts, they're bankrupting most of the partner orgs, have withdrawn from WHO, and muzzled CDC.
What's left is a fig-leaf effort to cover their asses politically.
NEW: Nigel Farage’s personal media company made £1.25mn in profits last year bolstered by his lucrative gig on I'm a Celebrity.
The MPs' register of interests shows that Farage has been paid £265,000 for his work presenting on GB News since July, roughly £38,000 a month.
www.ft.com/content/42c5...
NEW: Wes Streeting plans to ask employers to invest in vaccinations and medical check-ups for staff as he looks to reduce ballooning government spending on hospital care.
Full story : www.ft.com/content/8acd...
NEW: Nigel Farage has given up ownership of Reform UK and created a new structure for his rightwing political outfit, according to corporate filings, as he seeks to professionalise the party ahead of local elections in May.
Full story here: www.ft.com/content/527b...
NEW: Two former employees of Reform UK party have filed legal complaints against the party in a row over money they say the party owes them.
Reform flatly denies the money is owed, claiming the contracts were 'forged'.
Full story here: www.ft.com/content/072e...
