Christopher Whittaker

socialist. christian. politics/lit/theology/cinema @UKLabour member | @unitetheunion | he/him

[Tribune @tribunemagazine]

The resignations of John Healey and Al Carns are a cynical attempt to make higher military spending the defining priority of Britain’s next government — whatever the cost to welfare, public services and living standards. https://t.co/PdnLWwmrf8

[Jessica Elgot @jessicaelgot]

A decade-long project to bring water and energy into public control will lie at the heart of Andy Burnham’s agenda should he become prime minister, according to sources close to the Greater Manchester mayor.

Exc from @kiranstacey

https://t.co/XrgR14cEOh

[Luke Tryl @LukeTryl]

One thing is clear from this poll and our focus groups were it not for Burnham’s personal vote this race wouldn’t even be close. Starmer’s approval is -48 in the seat, Burnham’s is +7, an extraordinary gap and that Burnham is positive at all in this anti politics era is something

[caroline wheeler @cazjwheeler]

New: Morgan McSweeney is back advising the Prime Minister – four months after he resigned over his role in the Mandelson scandal.
The former No 10 chief of staff is advising Sir Keir Starmer in his moment of greatest peril, multiple government and Whitehall sources told The i Paper.
McSweeney is helping the Prime Minister and has “never really gone away”, one minister said.
“He has been on the end of the phone 24/7,” one source said. “He has been wargaming a leadership contest and believes Keir still has a chance if there are three or more [challengers] in the contest. He has been working out how the votes could go. It’s mad.”

Exclusive with Richard Vaughn

[Christopher Whittaker @chrisinspired]

RT @siennamarla: Andrew Marr reports that Peter Kyle has asked whether he'd be able to stay in post while supporting another leadership can…

[Tom @tomwhx]

"He is the Prime Minister that is fit FOR THE MOMENT"

Straight out of The Thick of It!

[steve richards @steverichards14]

The senior defence source doesn’t explain where the huge amount of additional spending they seek will come from.. or why a country that cannot build a high speed railway should be top of the NATO spenders on defence..an area where much money has been spent wastefully in the past

[Feargal Sharkey @Feargal_Sharkey]

"Feargal Sharkey brands '£100billion' cost of nationalising water 'nonsense'."

And that is because it is nonsense, pure unadulterated, made up nonsense.

https://t.co/ReGvCOqqOm

[Trades Union Congress @The_TUC]

Bills are going up - so are bank profits.

Increasing the bank surcharge tax would pay for a cut to energy bills up to £559 a year.

It's time to redistribute wealth.

[UNISON - UK's largest union @unisontheunion]

📢🏛️ "Care workers look after our loved ones every day. Taking care of carers means taking care of everyone."

Outside No.10, @AndreaEganGS joined migrant care workers to call on the government to rethink plans to make them wait 15 years to settle in the UK.

#FairVisasNow

[Vicky Spratt @Victoria_Spratt]

Crucial reporting from Anoosh

If you want to understand the breakdown of Britain’s political status quo, look at housing

[BBC Newsnight @BBCNewsnight]

“What you’re seeing is a race based pogrom, we are seeing men going door to door asking to 'get the foreigners out' based exclusively on the colour of their skin.”

SDLP leader Claire Hannah criticises the unrest taking place in Belfast.

#Newsnight

[Saul Staniforth @SaulStaniforth]

.@Taj_Ali1 "I spoke to a Muslim woman last night who lives in Belfast who said that she knows of a dozen families, mostly Muslim, whose homes had been targeted.. its very important to make clear that this is planned violence, targeted violence against ethnic minority communities"

[Ash Sarkar @AyoCaesar]

Crime is now being viewed through an entirely racialised lens – but only when the perpetrators aren't white.

When Chas Corrigan stabbed a Saudi student to death, or Paul Doyle mowed down Liverpool fans, white people didn't have to fear being a target of collective retaliation.

[Clive Lewis MP @labourlewis]

When we've lost control of the basics of life - water, housing, energy - it's clear the system is not working.

Governments are being forced to spend more and more money tackling the day-to-day failings of this failed economic model.

The solution? More investment and public control over those basics of life.

I spoke about this on Peston last night.

[Jessica Elgot @jessicaelgot]

This site has become almost unusable because of how many different fake images there are of Farage beating up Andrew Bailey - never seen anything this number... it's like every second post!

[Luke Tryl @LukeTryl]

Matches what we've found in our focus groups - voters split on Burnham vs Kenyon but united in their personal dislike of Starmer. So much so some have been in position of liking Burnham, but feeling unable to vote Labour because of Starmer, despite fact Burnham might oust him.

[Trades Union Congress @The_TUC]

You voted against scrapping zero hour contracts.

You voted against banning fire and rehire.

You voted against day one sick pay for workers.

You said the minimum wage was too high for young people.

Reform politicians openly say they don't like trade unions.

You will always put the interests of your offshore crypto billionaire donors ahead of workers.

[Prem Sikka @premnsikka]

Tory legacy

England social housing lists ‘would take 119 years to clear at current building rate’.

1.3m households waiting, 12198 built.

Govts prevented councils from building social homes to support private developers, push people into private renting.
https://t.co/hJwNvb7BXM

[Henry Bushnell @HenryBushnell]

Gianni Infantino, 2025: "It’s important to clarify this. There is a lot of misconception out there. Everyone will be welcome in Canada, Mexico and the United States for the FIFA World Cup next year."

FIFA today: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 👉 🇺🇸

https://t.co/ee9AL6ZANG