Felix Forbes

Broadcast journalist & producer | Jane & Fi @TimesRadio | [email protected] | personal: fpdforbes(at)

[Felix Forbes @fpdforbes]

Probably a good moment to say I'm now freelance and very much available for work (email in the bio).

Examples of work are below:
https://t.co/t1ESg6BOBK

Here for your TV, radio & other news needs!

[John Healey @JohnHealey_MP]

My letter to the Prime Minister

[Josh Simons @joshsimonsmp]

For decades, Westminster has overseen the managed decline of towns like mine. We have talked big, then acted small, stuck in a politics of incrementalism that cannot meet the moment. We have lost the trust of those our party was built to serve.

It is my unwavering belief that nothing short of urgent, radical, courageous reform will make a difference. That must start with a change in leadership.

Today, I am putting the people I represent and the country I love first and will be resigning as MP for Makerfield. I am standing aside so that Andy Burnham can return to his home, fight to re-enter Parliament, and if elected, drive the change our country is crying out for.

This has not been an easy decision. This is my family’s home, where only a few weeks ago, doctors and nurses at Wigan Infirmary saved our newborn son’s life.

But we all must make choices and in recent days I found myself with a difficult one: defend the status quo or step forward and act. I have made my choice.

I am in politics because politics is how you change lives for the better. My party has one last chance to do that: deliver for the people and places I represent, drive economic growth, secure our borders, reform our state and politics, and change a status quo that is not working.

That is the fight. I believe Andy is the one to lead it.

[Steven Swinford @Steven_Swinford]

More ministers are going over the top

Jess Phillips, the safeguarding minister and a friend of Wes Streeting, has gone as @BethRigby reveals

'I want a Labour government to work and I will strive as I always have for its success and popularity, but I'm not seeing the change I think I, and the country expect, and so cannot continue to serve as a minister under the current leadership'

She says that Labour is not 'grasping this opportunity with the gusto that's needed'

My colleague @breeallegretti revealed at the weekend that ministers were having discussions over the weekend about 'going kamikaze'... we're expecting more to follow this afternoon

[Kitty Donaldson @kitty_donaldson]

EXC: A govt source tells me:

"Keir said in Cabinet that he won’t discuss the elections or his leadership, and that he will only speak to cabinet ministers about that individually. Then after the meeting he refused to see Cabinet ministers individually."

[James Woolcock @James_Woolcock]

5.78 is the highest yield in the 21st century for the UK

[David Weigel @daveweigel]

The most popular set of views these days is 1) I don’t trust the legacy media 2) I completely trust and will build a new personal philosophy around any vertical video I see.

[Lucy Fisher @LOS_Fisher]

🚨 EXC: Britain’s ambassador to US has said that America’s only ‘special relationship’ is ‘probably Israel’

Christian Turner also said Keir Starmer was ‘clearly on the ropes’ earlier this year, & predicts Labour will ‘remove him’ if the party does ‘v badly’ in May elections

[christinalamb @christinalamb]

I never thought I would say this but the blue flak jackets that are meant to protect journalists reporting war are now putting targets on our backs https://t.co/pBbcNtxT0d

[Phil Stewart @phildstewart]

SCOOP! Internal Pentagon email details options to punish NATO allies who the US believes failed to support it in Iran war operations. Will post a link to my story later but US official says the options include:
    * Suspending Spain from NATO alliance.
    * Reassessing US diplomatic support for European "imperial possessions," to include Britain's claim to the Falkland Islands near Argentina
    * Suspending "difficult" countries from important or prestigious positions at NATO
    * No option to close U.S. bases in the email
    * No option for withdrawing U.S. from the alliance in the email

[Sam Coates Sky @SamCoatesSky]

🔥NEW - buried in the bundle of documents from the Humble Address

Keir Starmer was advised by the cabinet secretary Simon Case to do security clearance BEFORE appointment but ignored the suggestion.

Case said (If you want a political appointment) "you should give us the name of the person you would like to appoint and we will develop a plan for them to acquire the necessary security clearances and do due diligence on any potential Conflicts of Interest or other issues of which you should be aware *before* confirming you choice"

Which feels quite material .....

[Felix Forbes @fpdforbes]

Butler: "Keir Starmer was correct in informing Parliament that the proper procedures had been followed. But actually, he doesn't appear to have known what the proper procedures were"

[Felix Forbes @fpdforbes]

Former Cabinet Secretary Lord Butler tells @TimesRadio that Olly Robbins "has been done a grave injustice" and is "a first class civil servant who was doing what the government wanted at the Foreign Office", saying the episode is "close to being a disaster."

[Felix Forbes @fpdforbes]

Butler says the announcement of Mandelson as US ambassador put Robbins in an "impossible position" & if he'd raised the vetting issue then "the Prime Minister would have had to revoke the clearance and revoke the appointment on the grounds that he was a security risk".

[OSINTtechnical @Osinttechnical]

Iran has cut off direct communications with the U.S. over Trump’s “civilization will die” threat this morning. -WSJ

[OSINTtechnical @Osinttechnical]

Iran’s Parliament speaker appears to deny that he is involved in negotiations with the US:

“No negotiations have been held with the US, and fakenews is used to manipulate the financial and oil markets and escape the quagmire in which the US and Israel are trapped.”

[@DukeStJournal @DukeStJournal]

per @BarakRavid, this is who Israeli officials hoped would head an Iranian delegation in ceasefire negotiations

[Felix Forbes @fpdforbes]

Wonder if whoever designed this Labour leaflet considered voters might resent the adrenaline spike of opening the door and thinking they'd got a penalty charge.

[Faisal Islam @faisalislam]

Not great.

The UK gas price has gone up another 40% this morning… the per thermal price is now 150p… which does get to the sustained painful levels though not the actual peak seen in Russia- Ukraine crisis.

For reference the OBR assumption at the moment likely to be confirmed today is just 75p.

If sustained, a big if, Julys energy price cap would be problematic.

[Roya Nikkhah @RoyaNikkhah]

BREAKING - Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested by the police on suspicion of misconduct in a public office

[Jessica Elgot @jessicaelgot]

A ringing endorsement here