Almost everyone who entered Ceuta yesterday has now returned to Morocco.
It is not possible to travel from Ceuta or Melilla to mainland Spain without presenting identification at a police checkpoint. The integrity of the Schengen area is fully guaranteed.
I will accept Nigel Farage’s request to be appointed Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead.
It is a farce and a desperate distraction, and the people of Clacton deserve better.
But if he wants to spend the summer arguing with a bin, I won't stop him.
If Keir Starmer does resign, history will look back on his reign and scratch its head as to why the hell he was so hated.
On paper, he's probably delivered more to working British people in such a short time than any PM for decades.
After inheriting an absolute mess: NHS waiting lists fallen. Worker's rights improved. Rail operators nationalised. Improved relations with EU and improved UK's global reputation. Removed non-dom tax status. Halved childcare costs. Boosted state pensions. Lowest homicide rate in 50 years. Lifted 550k children out of poverty. Immigration vastly reduced.
We are in the age of billionaire funded misinformation, whose sole purpose is to topple democratically elected leaders, and insert leadership that favours the wealthy elites over the working people. Looks like the game plan is working...
PM Starmer has made mistakes.
But the media has to accept some responsibility for what is claimed to be the public's extreme dislike towards him.
From the very start the media hounded him.
All coverage was negative.
The media is a powerful influencer.
Sometimes irresponsibly so.
The media feeding frenzy today - in particular - has been a disgrace. Egging on Labour MPs in some sort of bid for chaos/excitement/column inches/podcast stats. This isn’t a game or a spectator sport. It’s the running of our country. Shameful.
Keir Starmer has been a disappointment, but anyone calling him 'Britain's Worst Ever Prime Minister' in a world where Liz Truss & Boris Johnson exist must have been kicked in the head by a horse
Our media fixation with Keir Starmer is becoming a literal drag on the country now.
As I write this, I can already see the replies forming below, accusing me of being a Labour shill etc. but, believe it or not, I am not.
Maybe it's worth setting this out — I have no party affiliation. None. I'm not 'on the right' … but that's as far as it goes.
There are policies and people that I admire across the Lib Dems, Greens and Labour. Conversely, there are policies and people I am vehemently against within each of those parties as well.
There are some decent Conservatives left but fewer and fewer in frontline politics and I can have excellent discussions with those moderate Tories that remain.
Where my line in the sand is drawn though, as I'm sure you're all aware, is the far-right. Reform UK and Restore Britain. I have no common ground with their populism — I see through the propaganda.
This doesn't mean that I think every member of Reform UK is a bad person, far from it, but I cannot rationalise their top-line bravado into credible politics.
So, with all that being said, I think the witch-hunt of Keir Starmer is distracting the public from some far more serious crises.
Since the very day Starmer took office, there has been an onslaught from the media; desperation to try and topple him and his principal team. This played out successfully with Angela Rayner, and they have been vicious and relentless pursuing Rachel Reeves.
I listened to Paul Brand on LBC at the weekend continuously comparing Starmer to Boris Johnson in terms of sleaze.
Have we collectively lost our minds? There is no other Prime Minister in history that compares to Johnson for scandal.
The elephant in the room — Peter Mandelson.
But is it really an elephant still? Clearly, Starmer should never have brought the Prince of Darkness into his team, that was a madness and severe failing of judgement. One for which he has accepted responsibility and apologised on multiple occasions.
The vetting process appears to be, pretty much, a non-story, despite what Dan Hodges and GB News are shovelling out.
So … we should be moving on. Shouldn't we?
Kemi Badenoch and her famously robust judgement felt not yesterday, and spent more of her diminishing political currency by pushing Starmer with six questions at PMQs on the subject. She was met with a well briefed lawyer, that, in all honesty, made her look a bit silly for continuing her defeated line of questioning.
While this continues to dominate the headlines, other far more crucial issues are being missed — we're going to run low on fuel soon, the cost of living is about to skyrocket, holidays will be cancelled imminently.
But mainly ... the cost of living is about to skyrocket.
We saw in yesterday's inflation rise that food is already moving upward, if Trump's ludicrous war in Iran continues, then we're all going to suffer the consequences.
Surely, this is a far more pressing matter? One in which the government should be fully engaged in order to help protect the public — it's number one duty.
It is very telling that Reform UK are spending very little time on the Starmer issue. They sent Lee Anderson out to raise this issue, for goodness’ sake. LEE ANDERSON.
Farage is hyper focused on the local elections, safe in the knowledge that the media is obsessing over Keir Starmer, once again. He's making hay while the S*n shines on Labour.
Jeez! This went on a bit, sorry, but it feels critical to me. We are being led around by the nose by the legacy media outlets. They smell blood in the water, but I really don't think the story is there. Not yet.
And while the sharks circle, Reform UK are flying under the radar, ready to swoop on the local elections [sorry for the weird mixed metaphors — it's early!].
Have a lovely sunny day. 🌞
The President of the United States is threatening to commit war crimes and wipe out a "whole civilization" — all because he started a disastrous war of his own making and had no plan and no strategy for how to end it.
This is abhorrent, and the American people do not support this.
Trump's recklessness is needlessly putting our brave service members in harm's way, destroying America's global standing, and making life even more unaffordable for the American people.
We must all stand against this and oppose funding this illegal war of choice.
The threat of NATO’s break-up, easing sanctions on Russia, a massive energy crisis in Europe, halting aid for Ukraine and blocking the loan for Kyiv by Orbán - it all looks like Putin’s dream plan.