From the latest applications to the Electoral Commission. One of these is not like the others.

Fire and non-fire ofc.

Reviewer no.2: "The author fails to fully develop the distinction between blocs and blocks, as admirably set out in my own 'The important of the letter K in political strategy, 2025-2026'."

Looking forward to your journal article, "Fragmented blocks and fragile ceilings: the limitations of physical metaphors in political strategy 2016-2026".

Labour’s recovery in by-elections continues.

Are you a proper liberal democrat until you have voted in an internal Liberal Democrat STV election with 72 candidates?

I think that is a facet of our wider culture rather than something special to politics?

“Winning here” starts by “showing up”

Around 300 people work at the INEOS acetyls plants at Saltend in Hull, with some 4,000 more jobs across the Humber supply chain reported to depend on them. Dave McCobb, Lib Dem peer, has challenged the Government to step in and restart all three plants.

Phew! It has avoided cuts.

I wonder if there's also a broader stylistic change as I was struck when recently finally reading Mike Brearley's excellent book on leadership how little there is in the way of theories, lists, acronyms to remember things etc. Just a narrative weaving in plenty of insight.

... to lean into traditional Labour territory (fighting unemployment). Of course events post-election worked out rather differently...

When I visited the Nova music festival site, the impact of October 7th hit home. Three years on, the violence continues, and we have seen an appalling rise in antisemitism here and around the world. We must stand with the Jewish community, stamp out antisemitism, and work for a lasting peace.

Could it be you? New vacancy listed on Lib Dem website: Campaigns Organiser (Liverpool Lib Dems)

I wonder if austerity has cut the page count in the pads; do you know how many pages yours came with?

Do some people get extra big paperclips? I want to know!

Everything about the two mailshots seems to me under-optimised for response rates. But on the other hand, perhaps there is proper data and subtle brilliance behind a 25 page free notepad in a very official brown envelope that made me think 'HMRC wants something from me'?