This is Northumberland Calling 8.5.26
The Dire for Labour, the Conservative are not dead yet but Reform surges edition
Hello America (especially Central Ohio), this is Northumberland calling.
Yesterday saw the local elections in certain areas of the UK. Tomorrow or in the next few days we find out what Starmer intends to do. He says that he is not going anywhere. Currently the results are trickling in.
Reform has had an excellent night, and the Conservatives thus far have had a solid one, performing better than expected in the south of England. The Greens after the antisemitic row have been muted. Perhaps people do care more about their bin collections and pot holes than Gaza… I suspect Polanski (the Walter Mitty of UK politics with his fantasy CV – some have called him Walter Titty) will be offed sooner rather than later such has been his poor performance. Some are openly speculating at an Islamist will replace him as the entryism within the Greens is that rife.
The Labour heartlands in the North East and North West look increasingly likely to go Reform. My husband who has been taking the train to Middlesborough (the price of diesel has risen significantly) reports that there is a forest of ragged St George flags in back gardens of the area around Sunderland. For a long time, the North East voter was taken for granted because they didn’t like the Tories. They are socially conservative, small p patriotic, can be insular but with big hearts and the Labour grandees have neglected them. Morgan MacSweeney Despite his penchant for losing his phone may have had a point about not moving to the left of the party.
The BBC coverage is good for elections but they are doing their tally in a strange way which doesn’t take account of the Independents so it looks like the Conservatives and Labour have lost more than they actually have. Many defected during the election cycle (for example Conservative to Reform) basically. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c1428pev1n0t
I will say that Kemi Badenoch has been demonstrating moral clarity and showing how leadership is done re the question of antisemitism. She had no hesitation in saying ‘I am the Right’ in response to a heckler. This is a wide ranging interview of hers on the subject with the Jewish Chronicle. https://www.thejc.com/news/politics/exclusive-labours-middle-east-policy-let-antisemites-use-antizionism-as-a-cover-claims-badenoch-dvjugn3a
I thought this op ed from Allister Heath was good about antizionism being totalitarian conspiracy theory writ large. It has become a huge problem in the UK in ways that I find incomprehensible – possibly because I grew up in the US and know many Jewish people, counting several as good friends. It is just worrisome as I do know how the 1920s and 1930s went. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/05/06/antizionism-totalitarian-conspiracy-theory-rotting-west/ or https://archive.ph/zISla
Because the Conservatives have retaken control of Westminster council, it is possible that the pro-Palestinian marches will be curtailed as the council does have to give permission…Khan’s reign of error might be ending…
Police Scotland are apparently ‘assessing’ what happened to the actress Dame Maureen Lipman. Pro-Palestine campaigners depicted her as a devil. Lipman is actively pro-Isreal and has been preforming in a play in Aberdeen. I hope the police decide to act against the antisemitism on display as they would do for any other racial hatred. https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/maureen-lipman-devils-horn-allegra-mr60pz5sf or https://archive.ph/usP0E
This article on Rubio and what he might do re: running for the US presidency was interesting, partly for the phrase of ‘Charles Lindbergh Isolationists’ in the Republican party. Lindeberg was an antisemite and also believed that US military was not strong enough to take on Germany. (I did my research back when I wrote a manuscript about Natlie Wales Latham, the woman who founded Bundles for Britain and who really helped shift public opinion towards Britain). I don’t think the Republican party is tending towards antisemitism (it never has – Lindbergh’s speech where he revealed this was a huge millstone around the Isolationist cause), and I don’t think anyone thinks the US military is too weak. But I do think the America First want to the government to concentrate on promoting American interests rather than humanitarian police work (I can’t see the US intervening in Mali for example even if the Islamists take over as Russia exits. Nor should it imho). But given what has happened in the UK, including police at polling stations in Jewish areas, and remarks by certain prominent hard Right media types in the US, I worry about growing antisemitism. https://www.thetimes.com/us/news-today/article/marco-rubio-president-dj-wvlzj68v6 or https://archive.ph/9T974
Because Philipson has failed to lay the EHRC guidance before Parliament and many companies think they can rely on this as defence (hint they can’t), many policies regarding toilets and single sex spaces remain unchanged despite the UK Supreme Court ruling from over a year ago. Philipson has promised to lay the guidance after the elections… https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/05/08/city-firms-still-allow-trans-staff-to-use-womens-toilets/ or https://archive.ph/0gMi6
A schoolgirls is taking her local council to court in Scotland for failing to install the court mandated single sex lavatories at school, even though this was ordered over a year ago. https://www.thetimes.com/article/ad5d1052-530e-4542-8d0f-dee3384d3ad1?shareToken=bd4d54c1428dc0a6991106dec7174917
The BMA finally reviewed Cass and realized that it was sound methodology and have accepted the 32 recommendations but also think doctors should have the freedom to prescribe Puberty Blockers (a sop to certain members). The BMA is a union. https://www.thetimes.com/uk/healthcare/article/bma-cass-review-gender-children-puberty-blockers-v2scqtcb3 or https://archive.ph/1Uu6Z
Singapore has also changed its stance, citing Cass as an influence.
Here:
The blossom is out and I have been planting out the beet root and French beans. The broad beans are coming up. The bees are building in strength. Birds are busy nesting. The starlings have returned to the hole they use under the sun room.
Paddy had a quiet week. No rabbits caught. In fact I think he has made friends with them…
I have been writing.
I have no plans to put a paywall on. If you want to buy one of my books to reward me, fabulous. I believe they are good escapist reads, historical romance set in a wide variety of eras such as Rome, Viking and Regency. ‘Simply enchanting’ according to Romance Readers’ Reviews about A Christmas Wedding Wager. ‘Everybody loves Styles’ Vikings’ said the Romantic Times. My Regency set Beauty tames Beast with a governess heroine, Impoverished Miss, Convenient Wife has gone on to Kindle Unlimited in the US https://mybook.to/ImpoverishedMiss
Please subscribe if you like what I write. I look forward to seeing you in the comments.
Go Kemi!
Hello Northumberland! Good to see You again this fine Friday.
That was a great article about Kemi. As was the article by Allister Heath.
I feel for Dame Maureen Lipman.
That was an interesting article about Marco Rubio.
Phillipson is atrocious, as always. More power to the girl suing the Scottish school.
Better late than never for the BMA. Better never for the puberty blockers. Good for Singapore.
Glad to see the signs of spring in Your neighborhood. And Paddy and Hercules look great, as always. Wishing You good luck on the writing and, as always, TY Michelle.