Move along. Nothing to see here.

+The big political news of the moment is Starmer’s reshuffle of his government’s ministers. It’s not exactly clear how this reshuffle business works. Is it like poker, where inscrutability is the key talent, making sure nobody knows what you’ve got—and then being forced to reveal you’ve actually got bugger-all in your hand? Or is it like asking a set of Tarot cards to tell all about particular choices? Which appointment comes with a dark hooded cloak and scythe? Reshuffling the pack of course leaves you with basically the same cards, and so far as Starmer’s first big reshuffle is concerned it will have no impact whatsoever on the public’s dire perception of this government. Reshuffles are rarely seen as a sign of strength or renewal, least of all when the same old faces sit around the Cabinet table albeit in different seats. Who’s up and who’s down? The public couldn’t care less. But I am left wondering about David Lammy’s kind of demotion to the position of Deputy Prime Minister. As we know, this is a non-job. Angela Rayner combined it with being minister for housing, etc., etc. So what’s going on here? The only explanation I can think of is that Starmer wants Lammy—Vice President J.D. Vance’s bosom British pal—to devote more time to that role, in anticipation of Vance’s promotion to the White House (could be sooner than you think, you never know). Or maybe—just as credible a thought—Starmer thought Lammy was a complete waste of space, a view which has to be widely shared..
 
+I wonder if our revered Ambassador to the United States, Lord Whatisname will find time to read an article in the current issue of Byline Times entitled ‘Jeffrey Epstein’s Russian Tech Maidens’ which examines the late pervert’s Russian connections. As we know, our revered senior ‘diplomat’ also nurtured Russian connections. It begs the question what did Mandy know about his friend’s risky Rusky business dealings? And with Epstein’s vague background scenery to Trump, has that made Mandy the perfect appointment to Washington? We may never know. When the Financial Times asked Mandy about his relationship with Epstein, he simply said ’Fuck off.’ It seems that ever since the mainstream media has chosen to look elsewhere.