Seems a 'Gavin & Stacey' Christmas special wasn't enough for culture news. 'The Split' is one of my favourite dramas of recent years - each series aired during an important/memorable time personally so delighted to hear about another instalment.

As if there wasn't enough news today ... beyond superb to hear.

Saluting Nick Robinson for hosting 'Today' after co-anchoring Radio 4 & 5 Live's overnight election show for six hours with just a 40 minute break in the middle. Stellar work.

Thurrock an infamous three way marginal in 2015 when the Tories, Labour and UKIP were separated by under 1,000 votes. The Tories also won by 92 votes in 2010 and 345 in 2017.

Remains fascinating that some #LocalElections2024 results still won't be known by the time of the Sunday morning political shows. Wikipedia pages and live blogs on permanent update for the next 72 hours.

Excellent that BBC Radio 4/BBC Radio 5 Live began their election programme with ‘Arthur’s Theme.’ (Yes, early night not going entirely to plan - though Diet Coke out of bounds until tomorrow.)

Long term followers (to whom I am eternally grateful) may recall my rather overindulgent culinary consumption last year. A far healthier choice of food awaits this time round as I get (in theory) an early night ahead of tomorrow's shenanigans - two Diet Cokes have been purchased.

In the latest edition of London Influence (POLITICO’s weekly newsletter on lobbying, money and campaigns), I spoke to Portland’s Tom Rayner, Jade and Vashti Miller about their report analysing 30 Labour PPCs to watch - dubbed ‘Starmer’s Stars.’
politico.eu/newsletter/pol…

Really gets to the nub of the issue.

Perhaps a reason why Street gave this response to the Sunday Times when asked to express enthusiasm for Sunak:

'There is a long pause. “I don’t even know what you’re getting at,” he eventually splutters.'

thetimes.co.uk/article/andy-s…

Ready and raring.

🛀 IN PLAYBOOK PM TONIGHT ...

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Latest in SNP crisis

🧵 And postcard from Burnley where Gaza is on the local elections ballot paper

🫧 Read online and subscribe (for free) here: politico.eu/newsletter/lon…

Recently committed the ultimate grammar faux pas — use of a split infinitive.

If John Swinney becomes Scottish First Minister, the SNP will have had four leaders since 1990 — the year Margaret Thatcher stepped down as Prime Minister.

My POLITICOEurope piece on how Humza Yousaf's tenure as Scottish First Minister stands up against other short serving leaders, using an, erm, alternative type of measurement to compare their duration in office.

politico.eu/article/scotla…

Following Humza Yousaf's resignation, Andrew McDonald and yours truly have run through who could replace him as Scottish First Minister, facing the unenviable tasks of leading a minority government and a looming Westminster election.

politico.eu/article/humza-…

John Swinney would follow Alex Salmond in leading the SNP over two separate periods ... though Salmond took a four year pause between his two leadership stints (1990-2000, 2004-2014). For Swinney, it will have been, erm, a 20 year break (2000-2004, 2024-?).

I celebrated Ed Balls Day (if you know, you know) by penning this weekend's Sunday Crunch, looking ahead to the imminent local elections, analysing Dan Poulter's defection to Labour and the ongoing saga north of the border. Plenty, as ever, to write about.
politico.eu/newsletter/sun…

Tory star Kemi Badenoch blasts David Cameron’s Brexit ‘dereliction of duty’

Noah Keate via POLITICOEurope

politico.eu/article/kemi-b…

Hmmm ... interesting list choices. Amazed 'SOS' (ABBA's best song) is at no 15 while 'Thank You For The Music' (lovely but not remarkable) gets third place. 'One of Us' surely deserves higher than 21 while 'Knowing Me, Knowing You' sadly doesn't deserve a top 10 spot.