I hate how it makes me lose the will. The only way, I have found, is to push it into 'windows' of time and to keep going to my gym. I'd have gone mad without that.

Goodness me. Our worst was them not having Mum's diagnosis (or necessary meds) from the one and the same hospital so I marched in with it all every time she was admitted and had a meeting each time. It is all so much better now she is in a home (except her bank account...)

That's huge, Miranda. I promise wine...

You watch every poor pensioner try to take money out and move it, and every time, the person behind the counter tries to convince them to keep it in Nationwide, open a new account :-(. They're only doing their jobs but....sigh.

Yep! Something bigger here too. 'The system' can take seamlessly and ruthlessly, harvest our data, send us endless marketing, manipulate the hell out of people to get money. But doesn't serve or protect. The same people in Nationwide have to try to sell products in every relevant transaction.

It’s such a gigantic waste of precious time, both practically but also because it drains me of my usual positivity for solving things. I barely recognise myself at times!

No, definitely not. that’s just ignoring all other factors, which would be …. Strange.

Thwarted again today with the simple task of setting up my Mum’s care home payments. Online = computer says no. That took months. In person = totally inconsistent information. Today, need special ID…never before. You’d think Nationwide could do this.

Genuine question - how does it distract? There is no expectation (in my mind anyway) that one party has to dominate the bloc. It’s a concept widely applied in multi party systems where parties’ ceilings vary, of course, though maybe some people have taken the concept to mean something it doesn’t?

Or they’re effective, but shouldn’t be misunderstood / exaggerated/ misapplied.

It’s mad that we’re all saying, ‘look! A job!’ However, look! A job! There are many amazing people on the job market. Good luck…

Turnout might be the more important insight from this by-election,with the caveat that yesterday was a London seat. But has been higher where the fights are high stakes elections between two blocs - left versus Reform. One to watch …

Yes

Only four?

Their polling has dropped very significantly lately.

If you want to consider the counterfactual outcome for the Greens, just look at their recent decline in opinion polls. It would always have been tough for them in H & St Pancras, but it was plausible and it would have been a huge boost.

Holborn and St Pancras: 1. Yes, good for Labour. But not a usual 'mid-term' moment but a honeymoon. Will it last? 2. Greens could have won, Polanski could be an MP. They have done themselves real harm. 3. Doesn't show Burnham's *strategy* working - uniting the left. Other seats much better tests.

Reform have been ahead in the polls for a long time, winning elections repeatedly where the Tories have gone backwards, and are still ahead of the Tories in polls even while they struggle. So…. They’re basically the opposition to people out there. No-one watches PMQs!