TOON TUESDAY #78

Andy Davey of The Daily Telegraph has been on good form and dominates this week's selection, which includes Red Rachel's looming budget, Labour's Caerphilly car crash, the election of Lucy Powell and the scandal of asylum hotels...

Andy Davey for The Daily Telegraph

Ben Jennings for The Guardian

Andy Davey for The Daily Telegraph

Matt Pritchett for The Daily Telegraph

Peter Brookes for The Times

Nicola Jennings for The Guardian

Andy Davey for The Sunday Telegraph

Nick Newman for The Sunday Times

Andy Davey for The Daily Telegraph

Andy Davey for The Daily Telegraph

Morten Morland for The Sunday Times

Andy Davey for The Daily Telegraph

Matt Pritchett for The Daily Telegraph

MEME MONDAY #58

The national rape gang inquiry was very much a prominent feature last week.  Karl wasn't too well, after coming down with one of the many viruses floating around.  He got going again by the weekend and we will be concentrating on digital IDs again this week, seeing as Starmer is really pushing hard on them at the moment.  We are urging everyone to contact their local MP about the issue, especially if they are a Labour or Tory MP who hasn't spoken out on the issue.

We can do this!

Mon 20 Oct - 342 shares

Mon 20 Oct - 12 shares

Tue 21 Oct - 331 shares

Wed 22 Oct - 104 shares

Thu 23 Oct - 97 shares

Fri 24 Oct - 141 shares

Fri 24 Oct - 37 shares. Make no mistake, any inquiry will declare that
most paedophiles in the UK are white males, just as the last inquiry did
under the Tories. This is a gaslighting tactic to distract from the fact
that Pakistani men are far more likely to be engaged in rape gangs
per capita

Sat 25 Oct - 40 shares. The release of this particular individual at this
moment in time was incredibly suspect, even more so given the testimony of a
delivery driver who was present during the release. The driver claims that
rather than flee, the migrant repeatedly went back to the reception to ask
staff where he was supposed to go

Sat 25 Oct - 207 shares

Sat 25 Oct - 84 shares

Sun 26 Oct - 198 shares

Sun 26 Oct - 96 shares. Jamie was previously most notable for a dreadful
media interview in which he struggled to coherently explain Labour's Brexit
position.  He left the party after being deselected at the end of his term as
North of Tyne metro mayor. It's important that we get across to everyone that
opposition to digital ID is a non-partisan issue that unites the political spectrum

Two Facebook Stories graced our pages last week...

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BOATWATCH #33

The autumn wind down continued last week with just three boats being intercepted, all of which occurred on Wednesday.  Storm Benjamin arrived the following day, ensuring another quiet few days.  

The trajectory of this year's running total is now deviating from the previous record high of 2022.  There is still plenty of time for 2025 to surpass that record, but there would need to be some significant pick-ups between now and the end of the year.  It would, of course, be damaging for Starmer if his first full year in office ends up breaking all previous records.

Total = 220 (down 270 from previous week)

DOG WHISTLE BESTS LEGO HEAD

An awkward embrace as Lucy Powell is elected deputy leader

In an absolutely woeful contest, Lucy Powell has emerged victorious over Bridget Williamson in the fight to succeed Angela Rayner as Labour's deputy leader.  Less than 17 per cent of Labour members and affiliates could muster the enthusiasm to cast a vote, with Powell receiving 87,407 votes against Williamson's 73,506.  The poor turnout is in stark contrast to the last deputy leadership election, in which Rayner stormed to victory on an almost 60 per cent turnout.

A lot has happened since the 2020 election and while Rayner did not publicly rock Starmer's boat too much, it's unclear whether her successor will be similarly brought to heel.  Like Rayner, Powell is another Greater Manchester MP on the soft left of the party, and her victory was definitely not what Starmer wanted.  His much preferred option was rising star Phillipson, who - as a centrist like him - could have steadied his sinking ship.

Instead, it's the woman he sacked as Commons Leader less than two months ago.  Powell was reportedly not best pleased with her dismissal, which should have happened four months earlier when she made her disgusting remarks about rape gangs.  However, Starmer stood by her during that controversy, something that will now haunt both of them as they reluctantly team up.

The deputy election outcome is another dagger in a long list of mostly self-inflicted wounds for Starmer.  Time will tell as to how much damage Powell can inflict on his position.  She already has a rocky relationship with his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, and as a close ally of Andy Burnham, she potentially has another motive for undermining Starmer.  Her position on digital IDs is unclear, with many on the left of the party opposed to the non-manifesto policy.  It could be another future flashpoint, with passage through the Commons by no means guaranteed at this point.

The election itself may have been uninspiring, but the result is further proof that the party remains divided.  With Powell back in the sphere of influence, that division could grow exponentially.

David Lammy remains the deputy PM, which is a separate post to that of deputy leader and is appointed by the PM as opposed to the membership.

BY-ELECTIONS 23.10.25

Plaid Cymru have taken the Senedd seat of Caerphilly in a crucial indicator of how next May's Senedd elections could pan out.

Labour's red wall in south Wales has never fallen, not even in the 2019 Brexit election that saw many seats in the red wall across northern England turn Tory blue.  However, recent council by-elections had seen Reform taking several Labour seats in the Valleys that make up the sturdiest red wall of all.

Reform were also expected to take the Senedd seat of Caerphilly on Thursday, but polls and bookmakers called it wrong.  The most recent poll conducted in the constituency found Reform leading on 42 per cent, closely followed by Plaid Cymru on 38 per cent.  Labour were way back on just 12 per cent.  Bookies put even more faith in Reform gaining this seat, making them odds on favourites, considerably ahead of Plaid, but miles in front of Labour who were languishing way back on 33-1.

It would have been a colossal victory for Reform, having previously finished last in 2021 with less than two per cent of the vote.  They still surged past every other party in this by-election - except for one.  Plaid Cymru emerged victorious with a fairly comfortable margin over Reform of 3,848.  Labour finished a distant third, as predicted, but they will take solace in the fact that their left-wing comrades in Plaid were the victors and not the dreaded Reform.

Labour had held Caerphilly since the dawn of what was then known as the Welsh Assembly.  Its first AM (now termed MS) was Ron Davies, the leader of Welsh Labour who led the charge for devolution back in the late 90s, before an infamous incident on Clapham Common in London brought him down in disgrace.

The most recent MS for Caerphilly was Hefin David, who was found dead in a suspected suicide two months ago.  In the 2021 Senedd election he secured Labour's biggest ever majority in the constituency, which has now been overturned by the fake nationalists of Plaid Cymru.  And check out that huge swing from Labour to Reform...

Caerphilly, Senedd

Lindsay Whittle (Pld) 15,961 (47.4%) +19.0%

Llŷr Powell (Ref) 12,113 (36.0%) +34.2%

Richard Tunnicliffe (Lab) 3,713 (11.0%) -34.9%

Gareth Potter (Con) 690 (2.0%) -15.3%

Gareth Hughes (Grn) 516 (1.5%) New

Steven Aicheler (LDm) 497 (1.5%) -1.2%

Anthony Cook (Gwd) 117 (0.3%) New

Roger Quilliam (UKIP) 79 (0.2%) New

Previous result

Hefin David (Lab) 13,289 (46.0%) +10.7%

Delyth Jewell (Pld) 8,211 (28.4%) -1.1%

Steven Mayfield (Con) 5,013 (17.3%) +8.4%

Stephen Jones (AbAs) 1,119 (3.9%) New

Steven Aicheler (LDm) 787 (2.7%) +1.3%

Tim Price (Ref) 495 (1.7%) New

There were also seven council contests taking place on Thursday, with Labour defending two seats - one each in south Birmingham and Colchester, Essex.  They were defeated in Birmingham by the Lib Dems, who were very much in the ascendancy overall.  The Moseley ward was previously contested for two seats, which is why the vote shares look a little off.  It is very much a left-leaning 'progressive' ward, which is why Reform and the Tories were nowhere to be seen.

Labour managed to cling on in Colchester, holding off a Lib Dem challenge, but saw their vote share plummet.  The Labour vote share was down in every seat contested, with the exception of Glastonbury in Somerset, where they were newcomers.

Reform made a gain in Portsmouth at the hands of an outgoing independent, garnering more than five times the vote of the second placed Tories.  Overall, Reformers would probably be disheartened by this election night, but the truth is that they are still taking the electoral landscape by storm.  From the other six council seats contested, they finished second in four at the first time of asking.

The Tories held a seat in Cambridgeshire, but lost a seat to the Lib Dems in Somerset.  The Lib Dems really were the success story of these council by-elections, gaining three and holding another.  There is still little evidence of a Green bounce, as per opinion polling, although they did marginally increase their vote share in three of five seats contested.

Moseley, Birmingham City Council

LDm: 1,634 (34.7%) -11.9%

Lab: 1,149 (24.4%) -14.1%

Ind: 923 (19.6%) New

Grn: 474 (10.1%) +1.5%

Ref: 345 (7.3%) New

Con: 101 (2.4%) -4.1%

Ind: 80 (1.7%) New

LDm GAIN from Lab

New Town & Christ Church, Colchester City Council

Lab: 800 (29.7%) -27.6%

LDm: 657 (24.4%) +12.1%

Ref: 600 (22.3%) New

Grn: 401 (14.9%) +5.3%

Con: 200 (7.4%) -8.9%

Ind: 38 (1.4%) -3.1%

Lab HOLD

Whittlesey North West, Fenland District Council

Con: 483 (47.5%) -9.8%

Ref: 346 (34.1%) New

Ind: 127 (12.5%) New

Lab: 60 (5.9%) -16.2%

Con HOLD

Paulsgrove, Portsmouth City Council

Ref: 1,770 (64.2%) New

Con: 311 (11.3%) -4.0%

Lab: 289 (10.5%) -4.1%

LDm: 239 (8.7%) +5.7%

Grn: 143 (5.3%) +1.9%

Ref GAIN from Ind

Glastonbury, Somerset Council

LDm: 882 (36.4%) -0.7%

Ref: 523 (21.6%) New

Con: 506 (20.9%) -9.7%

Grn: 480 (19.8%) -7.5%

Lab: 35 (1.4%) New

LDm HOLD

Dunster, Somerset Council

LDm: 1142 (49.6%) +8.4%

Ref: 666 (28.9%) New

Con: 449 (19.5%) -22.8%

Lab: 44 (1.9%) -4.2%

LDm GAIN from Con

Milton & Tamarside, Torridge District Council

LDm: 428 (37.5%) New

Ref: 355 (31.1%) New

Con: 191 (16.7%) New

Ind: 101 (8.8%) New

Grn: 67 (5.9%) -23.9%

LDm GAIN from Ind

Abbreviations

Pld = Plaid Cymru

Ref = Reform UK

Lab = Labour

Con = Conservative

Grn = Green

LDm = Liberal Democrat

Gwd = Gwlad

UKIP = United Kingdom Independence Party

AbAs = Abolish the Welsh Assembly

Ind = Independent

WOKE WEDNESDAYS #47

It seems that every sinew of British life is now infiltrated by the Marxist war on speech, on and off dry land.  As an island nation, we are naturally at home on the waves, albeit our trawlers are now inhabited by 'fisherpeople' as opposed to 'fishermen' according to the likes of the BBC.  While the workers scoff at such bizarre gender-neutral language, the disease of politically correct speech is now being extended to sailing in all its forms of leisure pursuits.

New guidelines from the Royal Yachting Association - which boasts Princess Anne as its president - have declared that certain sailing terms are potentially offensive to women and so-called 'non-binary' people.  Use of 'man overboard' is now problematic, and should be replaced with the much longer 'person in water' - an extra two syllables which could cost valuable seconds in response time when someone is drowning.  Just as long as no-one is offended, eh?

The term 'sportsmanship' is also deemed potentially offensive, as is 'seaman' and 'seamanship', which should be replaced with 'deckhand', 'deck work' or 'boat handling'.  

The guide states:

"Some language in sailing and boating environments might not value or represent people who identify as female or prefer gender-neutral terms.  For a long time, some terminology focussed on the male perspective to being involved in sailing and boating.  As the representation of people identifying as female or non-binary has increased within our sport and recreation, it’s important that the language that we use honours and values them too."

The RYA is not just responsible for yachting, but all manner of leisurely sailing vessels - everything from paddle boards and kayaks upwards.  Perhaps they can apply it to migrant boats too, despite the fact there is little chance of anything other than a man going overboard!

Last week's Lenny Henry meme generated 252 comments and 60 shares on Facebook.

TOON TUESDAY #77

This week we begin with the Chinese spy scandal, which gently morphs into Reeves' looming budget before ending on a standalone Shabana Mahmood toon...

Steve Bright for The Sun

Peter Brookes for The Times

Chris Riddell for The Observer

Andy Davey for The Daily Telegraph

Matt Pritchett for The Daily Telegraph

Dave Brown for The Independent

Matt Pritchett for The Daily Telegraph

Ben Jennings for The Guardian

Matt Pritchett for the Daily Telegraph

Dave Brown for The Independent

Andy Davey for The Daily Telegraph

Graeme Bandeira for The Northern Agenda

Morten Morland for The Times

BRASS NECK BABY KILLERS

Labour's Andy MacNae and Michelle Welsh

Last week was 'Baby Loss Awareness Week', which has been held in the UK for more than 20 years.  To coincide with the event, a debate on baby loss was held in the House of Commons last Monday.

Opening the debate was its co-sponsor, the member for Rossendale and Darwen - Andy MacNae.  During his almost 15 minute speech, the Labour MP detailed the tragic death of his own baby daughter who passed away just five days into her life.

MacNae was followed later by another co-sponsor of the debate, the Labour member for Sherwood Forest.  Michelle Welsh launched into a tirade against healthcare professionals who she accused of treating her with 'utter contempt' during the birth of her son.  A verbal assault on the saintly NHS is not something one would normally associate with the socialists, but Michelle clearly wanted to show she had skin in the game.

Welsh was followed by her Labour comrade Luke Charters (York Outer), who described her as an 'inspirational mum'.  Various MPs joined the debate, including Labour's Fleur Anderson (Putney), Sharon Hodgson (Washington and Gateshead South), Jess Asato (Lowestoft), Olivia Blake (Sheffield Hallam), Richard Burgon (Leeds East), Nadia Whittome (Nottingham East), Samantha Niblett (South Derbyshire), Lizzi Collinge (Morecambe and Lunesdale), Sarah Smith (Hyndburn), Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Clapham and Brixton Hill), Amanda Hack (North West Leicestershire), Jo White (Bassetlaw), Adam Thompson (Erewash), Amanda Martin (Portsmouth North), Dave Robertson (Lichfield) and Sean Woodcock (Banbury).

Now all these MPs have something in common - asides from the despicable party to which they belong - they all voted in favour of a certain amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill four months ago.  Yes, that's right, despite all their posturing and hand-wringing about the lost lives of babies - each and every one of them voted FOR the decriminalisation of abortion up to birth.

The two Labour co-sponsors of this three hour debate voted to kill babies.  Their 17 party comrades who spoke during the debate voted to kill babies.  MacNae voted to legalise the murder of children five days younger than his own departed child.  Please spare us your crocodile tears.

MEME MONDAY #57

Digital IDs, peace in Gaza and political footballs were among the themes for last week's 15 efforts from our very own meme making legend...

Mon 13 Oct - 86 shares

Mon 13 Oct - 344 shares

Tue 14 Oct - 565 shares

Wed 15 Oct - 556 shares

Wed 15 Oct - 64 shares. Poor Greta. With the wicked Orange Man having persuaded
the Israelis to stop their assault on Gaza, whatever will she turn her hand to next...

Thu 16 Oct - 37 shares. DUP MP Sammy Wilson backs the cash campaign

Thu 16 Oct - 84 shares. A Leeds United player refused to observe
the latest kneeling exercise, while the fans roundly booed his team
mates and the opposition. Like the very first player to make a stand,
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is of mixed race descent. Will a white
player ever have the guts to stand?

Fri 17 Oct - 28 shares

Fri 17 Oct - 213 shares

Fri 17 Oct - 53 shares. Reform are currently odds on favourites with
all the major bookies to take the Senedd seat of Caerphilly in this
Thursday's by-election. Labour, the defending party, are seen as a
distant third behind Plaid

Sat 18 Oct - 285 shares

Sat 18 Oct - 42 shares. The backlash against Gary continued on Saturday when
three protesters temporarily halted a Salford City match wearing 'Gary Neville
is a traitor' t-shirts. One of them tried to plant a Cross of St George in the centre
circle! Neville co-owns the club

Sat 18 Oct - 72 shares

Sun 19 Oct - 3,075 shares. A massive response to this, but alas, there were a
handful of despicable comments from the usual suspects. Pleased to report that
the 66 laughing emojis were absolutely dwarfed by more than 13,000 positive
reactions

Sun 19 Oct - 134 shares

Just a couple of Facebook Stories last week, including a bluntly worded reprisal to the perennially offended...

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