THE DICTATORS is published on 5 Sept. I recruited 64 contributors to write about 64 different dictators from ancient times to the present.
Preorder your signed copy now.
Here are all 64...
Pisistratus - Rene Lavanchy
Alexander the Great - Matthew
If FIFA kick Poland out of the World Cup for refusing to play Russia, and allow Russia through on a bye, all other nations should make clear they won't play in Qatar.
Priti Patel's performance at the despatch box today was dispiriting to say the very least - refusing to answer perfectly reasonable questions and just insulting opposition MPs. It was an affront to Parliament.
I've been in isolation for 67 days in Kent. I could have driven 158 miles to my house in Norfolk, where in theory I would be safer. I didn't, because the rules apply to me too. The arrogance of "I don't care how it looks" is what riles me. 'Don't do as I do' is rarely a good look
I find it hilarious that some people seem to think that on the first day that Britain is wholly outside the EU it is wholly wrong and inappropriate to have
@Nigel_Farage
on my programme. They can get stuffed.
Today is the 25th anniversary of the day I met my partner, John. A day that will live in infamy!
We've been through a lot together but we've never had a row and our love for each other remains undiminished by the passage of time.
Enough with the confected outrage about Sue Gray. When I was a publisher I had many dealings with her. I and everyone she has ever worked with regard her as a woman of total integrity. Exactly the sort of person who'd make a fantastic chief of staff. Starmer has made a good appt.
The Guardian's front page SAGE story is a perfect illustration of why the public's trust in the media has collapsed.
I mean perish the thought that the PM's chief advisor should want to inform himself and report back. He sat in on a meeting. It's his job. FFS.
If Matt Hancock announces that the 100,000 test figure has been reached (and I have no idea if it has), I can assure you as clear as night follows day, that people will allege that he's fiddled the figures. Just watch.
Urinating next to PC Keith Palmer's statue was a disgusting thing to do. But to send the man to prison for 14 days shows all that is wrong with our justice system and why our prisons are full. He's not a danger to society and there are other ways of doling out serious punishment.
What a disgusting speech. And she seriously thinks she has a chance of leading the Conservative Party. Not while I have a breath left in my body. Moderate Conservatives need to stand up and be counted. This will not stand.
Suella Braverman’s speech in Washington this evening contains a blistering attack on pro-LGBT Tories.
She says the pride (progress) flag has been flown on govt buildings as if marking “occupied territory”, accusing Tory colleagues of supporting a “horrible political campaign”
Truly shameful, Nigel. These are indeed dark days for Europe. You're right on that. But there is only one man to blame here, Putin. Not Nato. Not the EU. Putin. I find it astonishing that you blame everyone else for this invasion, but don't utter a word of condemnation for Putin.
Well, I was wrong. Putin has gone much further than I thought he would.
A consequence of EU and NATO expansion, which came to a head in 2014. It made no sense to poke the Russian bear with a stick.
These are dark days for Europe.
So the Guardian has a flawed attempt at bringing down
@RobertJenrick
for taking essential medicines to his parents, then the Mail has a go, insinuating he's visiting a second home when it's actually his family's main home. What an utter disgrace these so-called "journalists" are.
Tory MP repeatedly touches up men: WHIP SUSPENDED
Tory MP can't get flight back from Moldova and misses Confidence vote: WHIP WITHDRAWN
There is no natural justice here.
How is it that our public service broadcaster refuses to carry any of the PM's address to the nation, on a night that is of huge significance to the future of our country?
And Sky News has two Remainers outside No 10 reviewing the papers. Quite astonishing.
Whoever put Sunak out in the rain needs to consider whether they're in the right job. The optics of a PM being drenched while being drowned out by THINGS CAN ONLY GET BETTER are about as bad as it gets.
No, Joy, what speaks volumes is your willingness to trot out any old crap you're given as a line to take. Am I, or
@JuliaHB1
or
@montie
or
@iainmartin1
"left wing critics"? No, we're able to think for ourselves. And we call out bullshit when we see it. Isn't that your job?
I was hoping today to see a Prime Minister taking responsibility & being genuinely apologetic. I should have known better. What we got was a Prime Minister who threw insults at Keir Starmer about Jimmy Savile and accused Labour frontbenchers of drug taking. What an utter disgrace
Every journalist/columnist/commentator in the broadcast and print media needs to look themselves in the mirror (including me) and answer this question: how have I contributed to the fact that I am less trusted than the people I am supposed to hold to account?
New polling for
@SkyNews
shows really low levels of trust in journalists among the public.
- 72% don't trust newspapers on the issue of Coronavirus, just 17% do
- 64% don't trust TV journalists on the issue of Coronavirus, just 24% do
It really doesn't matter whether anyone believes the target was met or not.
NB.
1. Prof Newton says the way things are counted hasn't changed.
2. A week ago 28k tests were done. Whether you think 122k or 73k were done yesterday, everyone working on this deserves praise.
Boris Johnson is getting the tone all wrong in PMQs today. Keir Starmer is going out of his way to be supportive and is asking perfectly reasonable questions. Party political grandstanding is not what the general public wants at the moment. Nor is bluster.
You utter wassock. You won nothing, apart from a reputation for extremism. Your lack of contrition is an insult to all the diehard Labour voters who shunned you and the Labour MPs who lost their seats almost entirely because of you. It. Is. Your. Fault. Own up to it.
This is not a protest against racism.
This thuggish lawlessness seeks to create division, attacking our British Police force which serves to protect and keep ALL communities safe.
As someone from an ethnic minority background - this is Not. In. My. Name.
I joined the Conservative Party in 1978. I believe I am like a lot of people - socially liberal, fiscally conservative. I let my Tory membership lapse in 2010 as I didn't feel I should be party political on the radio.
I have never felt less Conservative than I do tonight.
This is an absolute lie. I shouted at no one, as the producer will confirm. In fact, as I was about to leave she profusely apologised. I really thought better of you than this, but clearly I was wrong. You're actually prepared to lie to protect your own failings. Sad.
In 11 years on
@LBC
I have never publicly called out a fellow presenter. But I can't stand by while this sort of irresponsible and dangerous propaganda is spread by someone who ought to know better. Shame on you, Maajid. Shame. On. You. Boosters Save Lives. Scientific Fact.
Here's the question to which I'd like an answer.
Pfizer have reported 25 cases of bloodclotting in 11 million vaccinations.
Astrazeneca have reported 28 cases in 10 million.
What is the logic of suspending one without the other? That's a question they won't answer.
You are absolutely right. Which is why I won’t follow the crowd on this. The highest court in the land has made a unanimous decision and those that criticise it should be careful what they wish for.
I listened to
@mrjamesob
’s opening monologue about the Boris/Leeds/Jack/Punch/Fake News stuff this morning. I’d love not to have to say this, but I agreed with virtually every word. A very dark day for media reporting and political honesty.
The absolute state of this scene.
Martha Hancock being harassed by soulless photographers outside her home at the behest of national editors foaming for a hint of emotional distress.
Develop a soul the lot of you and leave her alone.
The sneering face of the left. They hate private charity and just cannot accept that the state can’t do everything. I’m not laughing at anyone. I’m raising awareness of homelessness and have raised £25k for homeless charities. So f**k you.
This is almost the most disgusting thing I've seen with my own eyes.
@lbc
having a charitable laugh at the austerity homeless. Britain is broken.
#VoteLabour
to stop the foxnews-isation of Britain. Go home Iain, pay your taxes and hope others can stay warm. 😢
I see BLMUK have removed the 'defund the Police' part of their policy platform on their GoFundMe page. The 'Abolish capitalism' bit still remains.
Everyone can support the slogan 'Black Lives Matter', but I do not and will never support an organisation which is proto-Marxist.
Text from a mate: "A friend just asked when I'm coming to visit, and another told me he's got his haircut. When I declined the first one cos you're not allowed and queried whether the second was allowed, both independently said if D Cummings can do it so can they."
In the last 2 years I’ve been described as a mask and lockdown zealot. I supported the new face mask regulations when the new variant appeared.
But…
I can’t support the announcement today. A total overreaction. Unnecessary blow to hospitality.I will still go to work as usual.
Just reading about the Polish chef Luckasz who attacked the terrorist with a tusk. Bravery personified. He should be first in line for an award in the Honours List.
It seems Dawn needs some SRE lessons.
I was born with a penis. That makes me male.
My sisters were born with a vagina. That makes them female.
Happy to help.
Some news. This afternoon I tripped at the top of an escalator at Charing X Tube. I was taken by ambulance to St Thomas’s. I have a badly broken hip. Replacement op scheduled for Monday. Superb care from all here. In the immortal words of Britney Spears: Oops I Did It Again!
I really wish that for once, Fiona Bruce would just shut up and let panellists speak. This programme is an utter shambles at the moment and it’s down to one person. Why does no one at the BBC do anything about it?
Had hip replacement & all is well! Went in at 8.45am & woke up at 12. Pain has disappeared. So happy & relieved! What a top hospital this is. So many nice messages from friends & complete strangers, it’s all a bit overwhelming! PS 5 hours after the op they’ve got me on my feet!
Failing to challenge someone in an interview is not a crime. The worst thing Darren Grimes was guilty of was naivety. Somebody in the Met is clearly out to get Darren. They failed to over Brexit so they're now trying it on with this. Disgraceful.
I was about to watch this on iPlayer. I don't think I'll bother now.
Nothing wrong with being a Labour activist but for a serious current affairs programme to interiew them to the exclusion of anyone else is, well, an interesting editorial decision.
Every single interviewee on
#Panorama
last night was a pro-Labour activist before the pandemic. Every single one. It was a party political broadcast on behalf of the Labour Party.
So let me get this straight. This so-called Government of National Unity would only include Remainers, with nobody representing the 17.4 million people who voted to do what all those who would be in this government have tried to thwart for three years. Way to go.
When I got wind of the Russell Brand accusations on Fri morning I predicted his defence would be that this is a MSM attack on a free thinker. No. What it is is a brilliant piece of investigative journalism into someone who many always suspected was an utter sleazeball.
So as well as there being no Liberal Democrats, or Leavers in this Question Time audience, there appear to be bugger all Tories there either.
I imagine Daniel Blake may make an appearance soon.
Kudos to whichever Momentum branch that managed to pack the audience!
The pictures this evening of police officers manhandling peaceful women bring shame on the
@metpoliceuk
. There has to be consistency in policing protests. They allow violent protests to go ahead with little consequence, yet in this case they pick on peaceful women. Outrageous.
The only way Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn will agree is if she bows to staying in the Customs Union. This means the trade policy of the word's 5th largest economy will be controlled by 27 countries in whose interests it is to come to trade agreements to benefit them not us. Mad.
If the briefing from Number Ten re the phone call between the PM and Merkel is in any way accurate, this amounts to the EU attempting to effectively annex Northern Ireland. I would not be surprised if it didn’t provoke the UK to call an end to the talks, maybe even today.
What a foul piece of work this guy is. Looking forward to The Guardian and the Mirror disassociating themselves from him and never offering him work again in the future.
No Boris Johnson, you do *not* have a “powerful people’s mandate” for your miserable Brexit deal
A majority of people voted for parties which opposed that deal and were pledging to put it back to the people in a second referendum
Just been out for a walk, having spent three days at home seeing no one. Stopped in at my local corner shop in Pembury. Full shelves, including sanitiser and loo roll and acres of food. Use your local independent store! You know it makes sense.
Given that Ursula Von der Leyen's endorsement was 52-48, I wonder whether MEPs really knew what they were voting for, or whether they feel they have been lied to. Perhaps there needs to be a confirmatory vote...
I'm supposed to be up at 5.20am to do
@GMB
with
@Jacqui_Smith1
. But my brain is buzzing after being part of what must have been for the viewer one of the worst examples of political "debate" on a TV show in living memory. I genuinely considered walking out at one stage.
Individuals with a cervix are now recommended to start cervical cancers screening at 25 and continue through age 65, with HPV testing every five years as the preferred method of testing, according to a new guideline released by the American Cancer Society
This means the EU could extend it by ten years and the British Prime Minister would have to agree. Any MP that votes for this is potentially voting for semi-permanent EU membership. Saves them revoking Article 50 I suppose, which is what they really want. Utterly disgraceful.
This part of the Brexit extension bill is v. significant.
It states the EU can choose the length of the extension - without a limit - and the Prime Minister must agree to it:
Spent the whole evening replying to the 350 emails I have had since Question Time. Never had such a response to anything like this before. And 6,000 extras Twitter followers in two days. Welcome to you all!
The world is going slowly mad. People calling for
@NicolaSturgeon
to resign over momentarily forgetting to put a mask on need to give themselves a good shake.
There should be some top level resignations and firings at the Electiral Commission after this. They knowingly and spitefully put a totally innocent 20 year old through two years of hell. He can now get on with his life in the knowledge that his reputation is unblemished.
So they want to abolish capitalism, & the Police and appear not to believe Israel has a right to exist.
I wonder if they have ever considered the fact that many black people whose lives matter also vote Conservative, believe in Capitalism & the Police's right to enforce the law.
As Israel moves forward with the annexation of the West Bank, and mainstream British politics is gagged of the right to critique Zionism, and Israel’s settler colonial pursuits, we loudly and clearly stand beside our Palestinian comrades.
FREE PALESTINE.
Love how Ukrainians have been getting creative with road signs to confuse the advancing Russians They repainted all the destinations on this one - it reads ‘The Hague’, ‘The Hague’ and ‘The Hague’. War crimes trials await.
Another day, another attack on Astrazeneca and the United Kingdom by the EU, in the shape of Ursula Von Der Leyen.
Don't know why I am surprised. Blaming others for her/their own failures and shortcomings.
This lack of graciousness is one reason you lost. A better reply might have been: "I disagree with
@MPIainDS
on everything but I would like to extend my congratulations to him on this honour." I know how painful electoral defeat is, but this is no way to react.
Iain Duncan Smith is going to be knighted. Knighted! After all the pain, poverty and hunger his policies have caused. Knighted! After running a campaign filled with lies and misinformation, + with a known Islamophobe at its heart. Knighted!!!The system is truly morally bankrupt.
Message to
@Nigel_Farage
You're saying that the curve is flattening so we can start lifting lockdown now.
Wrong.
You might as well say that the parachute has slowed our rate of descent so we can take it off now.
I think not.
Can I just point out some facts to those who seem to think the LibDems won?
* The Brexit Party came top in 9 of 12 regions
* It got the most votes - 32%.
* It got the most seats - 29.
* It came top in 90% of council areas in Eng/Wales
What part of that don't some people get?
More stories today about the PM not doing an interview with Jeremy Vine. Little said about Jeremy Corbyn refusing to do a phone-in with either LBC or 5 Live. Corbyn hasn't done a live interview with any LBC presenter since he's been leader. Quite an insult to our 2.7 m listeners.
The block button has had a lot of use this evening. Sad that people can't talk about immigration without resorting to the lowest common denominator. Also a pity that our Home Secretary is encouraging them.
In 2007 I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Ever since then I have struggled to keep my blood sugars under control. For the first time my 7 day average blood sugars are within the bounds of where they are supposed to me. You have no idea the sense of achievement I feel.
4/4 While the BBC pretends there was little violence...
* Bike hurled at a police horse
* Winston Churchill statue defaced
* The freer of slaves, Abraham Lincoln's statue defaced
* On D Day the Cenotaph defaced
* Bottles and missiles thrown at police
Nothing can excuse this.
I presume there will be a follow up Tweet apologising for your outrageous remarks in the Commons which directly provoked these appalling scenes. You should immediately go to the House and make a statement apologising. It's the right thing to do. Do. The. Right. Thing.
The behaviour directed at the Leader of the Opposition tonight is absolutely disgraceful. All forms of harassment of our elected representatives are completely unacceptable.
I thank the police for responding swiftly.
Both David Cameron and Theresa May personally phoned each Tory MP who lost their seats in 2015 and 2017 to apologise and commiserate.
Question: Is there a single defeated Labour MP who has received such a call from Jeremy Corbyn?
What a morally bankrupt organisation
@amnesty
has become. They eulogise the memory of a man who kidnapped 19-year-old Moshe Tamam and held him hostage for 2 days, then gouged out his eyes, castrated him, mutilated his body, and finally shot him in the chest and dumped his body.
The death in custody of Walid Daqqa, a 62-year-old Palestinian writer who was the longest-serving Palestinian prisoner in Israeli jails after 38 years of imprisonment, is a cruel reminder of Israel’s disregard for Palestinians’ right to life ⬇️
It's 20 November 1940 and we cross over to Downing Street for the Press conf.
Mr Churchill, can you please tell us when the war is going to end? You said last week that this is the end of the beginning. Can you please assure the public when the beginning of the end will be?
What an embarrassing clusterfuckingshambles. Eminently predictable and yet more shame heaped onto this country by a government that couldn't run a fucking whelk stall if it was given a year's supply of sodding whelks. FFS bring in some adults who know what they're doing.
BREAKING: The first deportation flight due to take asylum seekers to Rwanda will not be taking off tonight following a series of last-minute legal appeals, the Home Office has confirmed.
📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube
Yes, Black Lives Matter. But this sort of wanton abuse of a British hero will not win a single person over to the cause of those who are rightly fighting against discrimination. It needs to stop, and stop now.
Given the BBC has banned its employees from defending
@jessbrammar
against misogynistic & unfair attacks, especially from the Mail, let me do so. Most political journos have "views". The key is if those views dictate their journalism. In my ecperience, she's a total professional.
Seriously, this is a joke. If we're in an energy crisis then it makes sense to run an information campaign on how to use less energy. What sort of person can be "Ideologically opposed" to common sense?
Exclusive:
No 10 has blocked a public information campaign encouraging people to save energy
Jacob Rees-Mogg signed off plans for campaign with potential £15m budget in recent days
No 10 rejected it today amid claims Truss is ideologically opposed
PM: Boris, did you really say ‘fuck business?’
BJ: Yes I did, Prime Minister. But let me explain...
PM: Not interested. You’re sacked.
That’s how the conversation ought to go. It won’t, of course, but it ought to. Enough is enough.
As the winners of this evening’s sports personality of the year awards were elected by democratic vote, do you think that Gary Lineker will demand another vote until the public get the correct result? He could call it a People’s Vote!