Reform offers an acceleration of 'centrist' decline - more austerity for the many and tax cuts for the few.
The Greens are offering a break with this failure - and that's why (despite the smears) they're surging in support.
This article's thesis is that the rise of the Greens and the rise of Reform are symbiotic
But the rise of both is in a symbiotic relationship not with each other but with a 'centrism' that has been failing for years
The leader writers of The Economist are has clueless as the leaders of Lab & Con
"Reform blames scrounging migrants. The Greens blame the rich" - to the Economist those two points are equally bad
And what does the Economist offer to boost growth? Failed 'centrism' - welfare cuts and planning deregulation
It is precisely this failing 'centrism' is fuelling the rise of both
Those first few responses got a chuckle out of me.
This article was amended on 5 March 2026. An earlier version said low-skilled workers would “receive immediate access to welfare and social housing” if Labour did not make them wait longer to apply for settlement. In fact, settlement status only gives people the eligibility to apply for welfare and social housing, it does not give them instant or automatic access to such benefits. This has been clarified. From breaking news to huge investigative proje
Guardian has now [after my complaint] corrected Mahmood's deliberate & incendiary false claim settlement gives immigrants "immediate access to welfare and social housing".
Good for Gdn but embarrassing/shameful that Home Secretary deliberately misled the public for political gain like this.
Your regular reminder than a large majority of voters - and overwhelming majority of Labour voters - favour giving settled migrants access to the welfare state after five years or less. The Home Secretary is not reforming rules in line with public opinion. She is doing the opposite.
Reform fury as someone else wins by Our By-election Editor Tim Shipsink The losing candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election, Matt Goodwhinge, has demanded an immediate re-run of the election on the grounds that he lost comprehensively to someone else. "It's totally unfair and rigged," said Goodwhinge. "I shouldn't be required to sit there and suck it up, just because I lost." Mr Goodwhine continued, *I can't believe that all those voters I demonised failed to back me. Especially after I was endorsed by Tommy Robinson and ten million Russian bots on X. "We have clear evidence of family voting, where people voted in order for me to stop deporting their families." Mr Badloser concluded. "I'm the victim of colour prejudice. They didn't vote for me simply because I'm not green." Reform leader Mr Farage, speaking from a sun lounger on a rock near the Chagos Islands said, "It's a tragedy that the people of Manchester won't see Matt in Westminster, but my constituents don't see me in Clacton either." PLUMBER DEFEATS MATT GOODWIN Photo of Hannah Spencer with speech bubble saying… I've stopped the cock
Beautiful from Private Eye on the massive toddler-tantrum that Matt Goodwin and Reform are having, because they got whooped in Gorton and Denton.
In 2015, then Mayor of Newham Robin Wales was found to have "breached the members' Code of Conduct by failing to treat a member of the public with respect"
In 2018, Labour members deselected him.
drive.google.com/file/d/0B5fY...
This is how to do it. Actual grownup behaviour
YouGov polling shows UK public support for US attacks on Iran at 28% - with 49% opposed. Among Labour supporters that falls to 18% support and 63% oppose.
Only 32% of the UK public think UK bases should be used, with 50% opposed. Among Labour supporters that falls to 24% support with 59% opposed.
YouGov polling shows UK public support for US attacks on Iran at 28% - with 49% opposed. Among Labour supporters that falls to 18% support and 63% oppose.
Only 32% of the UK public think UK bases should be used, with 50% opposed. Among Labour supporters that falls to 24% support with 59% opposed.
OBR forecasts higher unemployment in 2026 than forecast in November (yellow line)
"There remains considerable uncertainty around the timing and level of the peak in the unemployment forecast."
#SpringStatement
Probably the key phrase in the OBR Outlook:
"Conflict in the Middle East, which escalated as we were finalising this document, could have very significant impacts on the global and UK economies."
#SpringStatement
The Chancellor criticises Tory and Reform for saying they would reinstate the 2-child cap and tells the latter:
“If you import failed Tory politicians, you import failed Tory policies too”
#SpringStatement
“The promise that we changed”, Rachel Reeves says.
Before correcting herself to “the change that we promised”
Freudian slip
#SpringStatement
Very true.
MPs' staff been offered 3.5% this year. MPs 5%.
Surely can't be right.
Yes, that is very welcome
Caerphilly and Gorton & Denton highlight ceiling on Reform support in real life votes too
Update: Greens ahead of Labour again and in 2nd on 21% in new YouGov poll:
RefUK 23% (-1)
GRN 21% (+4)
LAB 16%(-2)
CON 16%(-2)
LDEM 14%(nc)
Wonder how many low paid public sector workers will get an inflation busting 5% pay rise this year ..?
And what the Government will say about workers who demand 5%?
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Every time Nigel Farage's parties have lost an election he has blamed it on "cheating" by ethnic minorities and every time he receives huge amounts of media attention for doing so.
The only problem? No evidence of cheating is ever found
bylinetimes.com/2026/03/02/n...
"We want people to integrate", they say
"So we're making it harder for that to happen", they legislate.
It's not just Starmer that needs to go ...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
Hartlepool Labour councillors threaten to quit party after meeting Steve Reed
Guardian reports: Reed said the government would not “reward councils for having high numbers of children in care” and then “dismissed” the discussion by saying: “That’s life.”
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
Update: Lord Ashcroft polls now has the Greens on 19%
Ref: 22% (-3)
Con: 20% (-1)
Grn: 19% (+1)
Lab: 17% (-1)
Lib: 11% (=)
Fieldwork 19-23 Feb
Yes indeed, in 2007
And only six Labour MPs voted against Theresa May's immigration act that led to the Windrush scandal ...
The Labour right when journalists are surprised at them punching down ...
Hmm, when needing votes in her constituency, but strangely not in power ...
She's never been aligned with the left of the party, so b) much more likely
He did not exist
It feels like a few people are beginning to wake up to the true nature of the Labour right.
This is not new. They've always treated migrants, disabled people, unemployed people, as expendable for political ends.
It's not new.
Hartlepool Labour councillors threaten to quit party after meeting Steve Reed
Guardian reports: Reed said the government would not “reward councils for having high numbers of children in care” and then “dismissed” the discussion by saying: “That’s life.”
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
