If I was the prime minister being told about a pensioner riding the bus all day to minimise heating bills at home I would perhaps not respond first by boasting that I introduced the freedom pass allowing her on the bus for as long as she likes
Winchester College fees in 1995: £12,270. Winchester College fees in 2024: £49,152. if they'd gone up with inflation it'd be £24,000. But sure it's VAT that's going to force "selection by wallet"!!
After very poor result for Conservatives in Cumberland, local Tory leader John Mallinson tells BBC: it’s partygate, but it’s not just partygate... I just don’t feel people any longer have the confidence that their prime minister can be relied upon to tell the truth.
Charles Walker on the BBC: "It is utterly appalling, I’m livid. I really shouldn’t say this but I hope those people that put Truss in No 10, I hope it it was worth it for the ministerial red box ... Because the damage they have done to our parliamentary party is extraordinary."
On Downing Street’s non response to Guardian and Mirror story on Cummings, and source quotes arising elsewhere claiming all fine: we first went to them asking for comment on claims he went to Durham more than six weeks ago. We’ve been back since. They’ve refused to comment.
Of niche interest: for us and the great
@matthew_weaver
, working with
@DailyMirror
and
@PippaCrerar
on this has been an entirely collaborative, effective process, good for readers and public interest, and best possible insulation against spurious claims of fake news. It works.
Video of Morehouse College's graduating class being told by commencement speaker Robert F Smith that he's paying off their student loans (re
@aoc
tweet), which is just extremely cheering to watch - the way what's just happened spreads through them
New from me: students recruited by
@toadmeister
’s Free Speech Union for campaign accuse him/organisers of astroturfing and say they were discouraged from... speaking freely
Imagine arriving at Chequers to find breakfast is cold pizza. May comes down puffing on a fag in a dressing gown, to be honest lads quite a heavy night, let's do it at 12 yeah, I'll be down in a bit, hang out, there's a pool
Shapps' defence of Cummings today rested on claim 'they didn’t then move around from there'. Robin Lees, a retired teacher, says they did. Later, Cummings was allegedly seen in the area again - when he was well. What is justification for that trip given childcare not relevant?
Every time I look at this photo I lose my mind slightly more. It's typed, but he's been told to look pensively/nobly out of the window while holding a pen. IS HE TRYING TO REMEMBER HOW TO SPELL HIS NAME
Here’s a story about how the inbetweeners’
@James_Buckley
became the most-booked act on Cameo *in the world*, making 10,000 videos in nine months at a rate of 37 a day. This turned out to be much more heartwarming than I expected!
Prince Harry wanted £35,000 costs from Associated Newspapers for the drafting of 1,100 statement read out in court today. Quite good linage. Judge called it "manifestly disproportionate" and awarded £2,500.
@alexjpollard
tbf there was a brilliant pullquote among your review if only it had been pruned a little. Taylor is tacitly acknowledging your point about the value of editing!!
167 journalists of colour sign letter saying the Society of Editors' statement that there's no racism in the British media is 'laughable', Guardian and FT eds
@KathViner
and
@khalafroula
also disagree, and board member says 'tone deaf':
Just to be clear, *even if* the daytrip to Barnard Castle was outside of the 14 day period, it is still an absolutely clear breach of the government's guidelines, and it hasn't been denied at any point.
Instagram now awash with influencers putting stuff out about how they’re actually working really hard in Dubai, live there, have a boyfriend who must be there, etc. This is not going down that well. By me and
@matthew_weaver
:
.
@JenniferMerode
reveals that group led by
@DanielJHannan
ordered to pay back about €500k EU funds including, eg, €250k on three-day luxury resort event in Miami for largely US audience that hardly mentioned the EU
And, in a complainy day, the Daily Mail has written to Viacom over "indefensible" use of "contained images which had been doctored or presented as headlines when they were not" to suggest racist coverage.
.
@HuffPostUK
is closing its uk news operation, leaving 16 of 29 editorial staff facing prospect of redundancy. editor in chief
@jessbrammar
one of those at risk. Every mother in the editorial team is on the list:
Four days since a Society of Editors meeting closed with agreement on a statement to set out new position on racism in the media after last week's controversy - and still no statement, even though it was expected to be written same night. Silence is now pretty deafening.
This thread grossly misrepresents a journalist asking a question and awaiting an answer. The story hasn’t been published. It’s reasonable and universal journalistic practice to ask questions and decide whether to publish a story based on the response!
A sad insight into how some journalists operate...On Wednesday, I shared our positive, well-received cross-party video to increase vaccine confidence in the midst of so much disinformation. Last night we heard great news about the Novavax Vaccine which I’ve been trialling 🙂..1/8
The whole Newsnight interview with
@faizashaheen
is worth watching. Just shockingly unfair, vindictive treatment for a woman who would have been an exceptional MP and has worked so hard for so long.
“Honestly I’m so shocked right now, to be treated this badly”
Faiza Shaheen, who was set to stand for Labour, describes hearing that her candidacy had been pulled over liking a series of Tweets which she claims Labour said would frustrate its campaign
#Newsnight
Susanna Reid's discussion of Piers Morgan's exit - 'he is without doubt an outspoken, challenging, opinionated disruptive broadcaster' - makes me think of my mother's advice on how to appear to compliment parents on an unusual looking infant: "Now that's a baby"
Worth noting that in Musk's not wholly convincing apology he praises an article which describes Chiang Rai as a "known hot spot for... child prostitution" and drops the hypothetical "unless Musk had private information". Not sure I'd be mollified if I were Unsworth.
@adamchavez
As this well-written article suggests, my words were spoken in anger after Mr. Unsworth said several untruths & suggested I engage in a sexual act with the mini-sub, which had been built as an act of kindness & according to specifications from the dive team leader.
New statement from Society of Editors board: "Our statement on Meghan and Harry... did not reflect what we all know: there is a lot of work to be done in the media to improve diversity and inclusion. We will reflect on the reaction.. and work towards being part of the solution.”
I know broadly it's unedifying to be sour about people winning awards, but giving Mac a fellowship at the Press Awards seems pretty gross, to be honest.
Exclusive from
@guardian
and
@dailymirror
: New witnesses cast doubt on Cummings' lockdown claims.
Retired teacher saw him in castle town when supposedly isolating at parents' place.
Also seen walking among bluebells nr Durham after went back to London.
Latest on Society of Editors row: after open letter from journalists of colour deploring claim no racism in UK press, board is split over a new statement and wording of a possible apology, with some members said to be deeply angry the initial statement was issued. Story soon...
If you wondered what the Duke and Duchess of Sussex think about the row that ensued this week over whether the British press had a diversity problem, here's your answer: a launch donation to a charity which "exists to improve socio-economic diversity within the media"
Story soon. But his position clearly became untenable after the withdrawal of host Charlene White and a number of nominees for press awards. Some on board already thought he had to go.
Remains a mystery why Harry and Meghan would feel pessimistic of their chances of getting this to happen within the next 26 years if they followed the usual protocol
Some factories in Leicester stayed open despite lockdown and forced staff in. In one factory 15/80 workers were sick and working. PHE finds evidence garment factory workers were a major vector of transmission.
Without Cummings there to pollute his kind and gentle ways Boris will become the liberal hero and champion of the voiceless that we have known to be his true self all along, day seven
Caroline Flack’s mum Christine spoke incredibly powerfully about media treatment of her daughter at event ahead of new doc. It’s pretty incredible how much of coverage of this has just... left out what she said about press which seemed totally central
"This whole affair is inexcusable… it is a pitiful reflection on the Conservative parliamentary party at every level. And it reflects really badly obviously on the government of the day."
Amid quite a lot of misleading both-sidesy commentary and coverage of the Armistice Day disorder, today’s First Edition with
@TownsendMark
goes through what we know about who was responsible. (By an overwhelming and unambiguous margin, the far right.)
incredible details herein, particularly: 'The men, aged 40-50, and women, aged 23-25, were refused permission to enter France and ordered by police to fly back to the UK.'
Jack Merritt's dad,
@butwhatifitsall
, writes that his son would be 'livid' at how his death has been used to further 'an agenda of hate': 'He lived and breathed fire in his pursuit of a better world for all humanity, particularly those most in need.'
After 3+ years as deputy national editor I’m turning off the firehose of the news inbox at the end of today. I have a week off before a new job (still here) reporting and writing and I’m as excited as it’s possible to be when not allowed into a pub.
It is extremely fun to see politicians enthusiastically posing the kind of gotcha questions to each other that they routinely view as below the belt when they get them from journalists
Exclusive by
@jimwaterson
demolishes BBC claim that complaint only about Munchetty.
Original complaint: "Blatant bias from both presenters", calls Walker "very unprofessional".
Editorial standards chief: "we haven't had complaint about Walker's role".
I really don't get the denial of police talking to family. Cops on the record. Did Cummings not check with his dad? Or did he just think Durham Constabulary would lie down and take it when he called them liars?
Lobby walks out after no 10 tries to ban selected reporters. "Reporters on the invited list were asked to stand on one side of a rug in the foyer of No 10, while those not allowed in were asked by security to stand on the other side"
Grant Shapps is talking about Dominic Cummings' movements as if they're as mysterious and unknowable as the migration patterns of an obscure and extinct breed of jellyfish
FT editor
@khalafroula
disagrees with the Society of Editors' view:"There is work to be done across all sectors in the UK to call out and challenge racism. The media has a critical role to play, and editors must ensure our newsrooms and coverage reflect the societies we live in."
Reasonable and fair to ask for an explanation which is why Downing Street stonewalled questions starting six weeks ago and continuing when we sought an explanation last night
It’s reasonable and fair to ask for an explanation on this. And it has been provided: two parents with Coronavirus, were anxiously taking care of their young child. Those now seeking to politicise it should take a long hard look in the mirror.
the lowkey best bit of this is the guy asking him 'how should we move forward from here' like he's a scholar of ukrainian history on the ezra klein show
'I believe whatever he felt that he did, he had the right to do.'
'I had to leave my chair I'll be honest with you, it cut me really deep.'
@LiamPayne
reacts to the dramatic moment Will Smith hit comedian Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars for making a joke about his wife.
The only question is why he consistently thinks it’s better to overpromise and underdeliver, and does he think he owes an apology to those whose warnings he sneered at time and again
I agree for the most part with
@OwenJones84
, but I regret that he’s provided cover for a variant on the ‘journalists tell you how they did in their gcses’ genre
It is quite staggering to see anyone - quite a few people! - try to colour the natural and widespread revulsion at the Field incident as a byproduct of the liberal outrage machine, performative wokeness, etc. If that footage doesn’t appal you there’s a bit of your brain missing.
When he says 'the media was told that it was wrong and reported it anyway', what he means is 'we refused to comment in a meaningful way at any point before publication'
Really enjoyed talking to
@francis_scarr
about what he's learned from watching 500 hours of Russian state TV, and how the messaging has changed. Features gifs, if my geriatric milenniality wasn't obvious enough
sign up here
Seeing the hugely deserving winner of the literary prize your mum founded in your late dad’s name be so overjoyed to win it is a pretty effective way to lose your shit completely on public transport, if anyone is interested
The response of our
#RSLChristopherBland
Prize winner this year brought a tear to the eye of all the
@RSLiterature
team. Huge huge congratulations
@mamaktrue
Michele Kirsch on your £10,000 win🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 We're so happy for you
I hope someone's keeping a list of pundits and presenters decrying this so that we can check it against pundits and presenters setting out their wild excitement as they come to you live from the North London Weapons vs the Turin Thunder in that all important ninth place playoff
Writing was the joy of my dad’s last years. He was v aware of how hard it is for older writers to find audience, and how much harder it would’ve been for him if he wasn’t well-off. So v chuffed about the RSL Christopher Bland prize for older debut writers:
I am leaving China for
#APEC2017
in Vietnam.
@FLOTUS
Melania is staying behind to see the zoo, and of course, the Great WALL of China before going to Alaska to greet our AMAZING troops.
Here's the shocking story of how Lynton Crosby's firm has secretly built an unbranded disinformation network via Facebook on behalf of clients from Saudi Arabia to Zimbabwe, by
@jimwaterson
Spoke to
@NeilDotObrien
,
@s8mb
and
@StuartJRitchie
about Anti-Virus, the website they and other volunteers created to counter claims made by Young, Pearson and their smiley-faced fellow travellers.