Shaun Gunner

CEO of @TolkienSociety, Conservative Leader on @ArunDistrict, ex-@MankindCharity Chair, FRSA, bibliophile, Lego builder, gamer and good egg.

[Shaun Gunner @ShaunGunner]

@Islablonde I have no idea what daroo is and never heard of it before. Sorry!

[Michael Crick @MichaelLCrick]

In almost any other household, if a man suddenly parked a brand new £125,000 motorhome in the driveway - and acquired other new vehicles - his wife would ask where on earth he got the money from.

[Shaun Gunner @ShaunGunner]

@J_D_89 Unfortunately, outlets like The Guardian in recent years have sometimes taken against Tolkien because there are people on the right, who they do not like, who also like Tolkien.

[Shaun Gunner @ShaunGunner]

@JoeTwyman New provision in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026, which received Royal Assent a fortnight ago.

[Shaun Gunner @ShaunGunner]

@kevinhollinrake @CCACllrs Absolutely the right call. Thank you.

[Kevin Schofield @KevinASchofield]

@tompeck Starmer and Darren Jones off to Norfolk owl sanctuary for the afternoon.

[Shaun Gunner @ShaunGunner]

Agree with this. One of the reasons the Conservatives went through leaders was they had a greater sense of loyalty to the party than the leader. Different dynamic

[Steve Akehurst @SteveAkehurst]

Slightly underrated dynamic here: a lot of Labour members have an instinctive loyalty to the leader.

There is a really good chance Starmer wins a leadership contest against Streeting very comfortably (and frankly against anyone, Burnham excepted probably)

[Shaun Gunner @ShaunGunner]

@gilescoren @GreggsOfficial The one I find strange, in my local Greggs, is you must verbally confirm that sausage rolls are meat sausage rolls. Even though they label the product "sausage roll" they now seem to insist you call it a "meat sausage roll" when ordering.

[Shaun Gunner @ShaunGunner]

Labour MPs - even those who want the PM to stay - all seem to agree that the "scale of change" isn't enough. How has it taken them 2 years after the election to work this out, when it was clear before the election that incremental managerialism was exactly the plan?

[Shaun Gunner @ShaunGunner]

There's only one way to resolve this political mess

[Sonia Sodha @soniasodha]

This means Starmer is complicit in any chaos that follows, despite what he says. If he had any self-awareness he’d agree a timetable to go with the Cabinet on condition they agree a unity ticket to succeed him. He has agency in this but he’s putting his own self interest first.

[J.K. Rowling @jk_rowling]

Sprinting away would also be acceptable.

[Calgie @christiancalgie]

Til debt do us part

[Dan Swords @dan__swords]

Tonight Harlow delivered the most historic local election result in UK history.

The Conservatives were defending 6 out of the 11 seats up for election. Reform said they would win all 11.

The Conservatives won all 11 - with record turnout and majorities.

Phenomenal.

[Shaun Gunner @ShaunGunner]

He's not done it that privately, has he? 👀

[Steven Swinford @Steven_Swinford]

EXCLUSIVE with @patrickkmaguire and @Geri_E_L_Scott

Ed Miliband has privately suggested to Sir Keir Starmer that he should consider setting out a timeline for his departure amid concerns he will be forced out of No 10 in the wake of the election results, The Times has been told

Two sources familiar with the discussion said that the energy secretary and former Labour leader made the suggestion during a private meeting with the prime minister about a fortnight ago

While Miliband remains supportive of Starmer he is concerned that Labour will descend into a bitter and damaging leadership contest in the wake of the elections, which are expected to be disastrous for Starmer

Angela Rayner, the former deputy prime minister, and Wes Streeting, the health secretary, are both said to have the support of the 81 Labour MPs needed to trigger a contest. Rayner is considering making a move despite the fact she has not been cleared by HM Revenue & Customs over her tax affairs

Miliband is viewed by allies as a “kingmaker” to a potential run for the leadership by Andy Burnham. Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, is understood to have told supporters in recent days that a backbench MP is willing to stand down as soon as this weekend to facilitate his return to Westminster

Miliband will join cabinet loyalists in backing Starmer this weekend, but he has significant concerns about the risk of Labour descending into a civil war and the damage it would do to the party and the government unless the prime minister sets a timeline for his departure

He is understood to have raised his concerns during a private discussion with Starmer during which the two men talked about the aftermath of the elections

A spokesman for Miliband would not comment on “private conversations” but said: “We do not accept this account.” He did not dispute that the discussion had taken place and declined to say how the accounts differed.

“Ed has always supported the prime minister and continues to do so as he delivers on his mandate for change,” the spokesman said.

Burnham has told several Labour MPs on Merseyside and in Greater Manchester that a backbencher is willing to resign their seat to facilitate his comeback. Those who have spoken to the mayor said an announcement could be made as soon as Saturday

https://t.co/RjfzS6Pkmt

[Shaun Gunner @ShaunGunner]

@SouthernRailUK Hi Kristy - so the map is wrong?

[Shaun Gunner @ShaunGunner]

@SouthernRailUK Are Arun Valley line trains impacted? This map suggests they are but National Rail website doesn't say that they are?

Also, what exactly is the incident?

[The Royal Family @RoyalFamily]

The King and Queen are joined by members of The Royal Family to remember the life of Queen Elizabeth II.

[Shaun Gunner @ShaunGunner]

Does @UKLabour still think that Amber Rudd did "the right thing" in resigning over inadvertently misleading parliament?