Wrote about Britain's lust for compo and the idea that no-one can ever be left worse off

This excellent discussion had the power to shock even me — and I have been lamenting the disarmament of Britain for years. ⁦⁦Shashank Joshi⁩ on good form. Money quote: “the British Army could just about take control of a market town on a good day.” bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0…

Our Britain correspondent Georgia Banjo was part of this episode discussing the Assisted Dying Bill

Hatzolah is made up of Jewish volunteers supporting the local community - *all* the community. They are the best of the best and this is painful and very worrying indeed.

This is so touching. Bravo to the phone company.

Donald Trump’s approval rating has sunk to Joe Biden’s lowest point economist.com/graphic-detail… from The Economist

On the front lines, Russian soldiers pay officers to stay alive economist.com/europe/2026/04…

🚨BBC appoint Rebecca Keating as new Editor of Today programme BBC Radio 4 Today bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/20…

The economist ❚ ❚ 🤙 weekly edition is published: Donald Trump is the war's biggest loser economist.com/leaders/2026/0…

I'm delighted that The Economist Insider is featured in the New York Times. A great write-up of our expanded video offering. See how we’re lifting the veil on our newsroom—and providing new ways for our subscribers to consume our journalism nytimes.com/2026/04/13/bus…

No10’s account is incredible. I held Developed Vetting for nearly ten years and spent three years at the heart of the Cabinet Office. I have never heard of a Developed Vetting denial being overruled. Here’s why…🧵

So we are expected to believe a senior civil servant went against SECURITY advice not ensuring everyone in a country mile was “comfortable” especially Ministers, and no-one in No10 knew.More sign off used to be required for a visit to a train station for a jr minister #Mandelson

It’s clear that No10’s strategy is to make the FCDO Perm Sec the scapegoat. There is ZERO chance that someone who’d just been appointed would risk their entire career by NOT telling the FS about the vetting. Perhaps verbally rather than in writing, but he would have been told!

Ironically, in view of today’s news, I’m currently painting a view of #Horseguards with Olly Robbins office bang in the middle of it….perhaps I should call it “sunshine over the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office”

The Mandelson saga could be fatal for Sir Keir Starmer economist.com/britain/2026/0…

In an odd way, in his treatment of civil servants Sir Keir has started to resemble Idi Amin, the Ugandan dictator, at the end of the “Last King Of Scotland” The myth of “ungovernable” Britain economist.com/britain/2026/0… from The Economist

🇺🇸 Some personal news. I've had the privilege of serving as defence editor at The Economist for eight years, through the Afghan withdrawal, invasion of Ukraine & Mid East wars. This summer I'm moving to DC to take over as our Washington bureau chief. Should be a nice quiet beat.

Blistering - and beautifully-written - Patrick Maguire column >>> Cabinet knows that Keir Starmer is done for thetimes.com/article/8d388f…

The Economist: America prepares for the midterms #TomorrowsPapersToday