The faction supporting the TSSA rail union’s deeply unpopular general secretary Maryam Eslamdoust has called police to remove the union’s president from the chair of its annual conference. Former TSSA assistant general secretary broke the news on his social media feeds:

Unbelievably, the @TSSAunion Executive Committee has tried to remove the President from Annual Conference in contravention of the Rules, and he has refused to leave the chair. So the Police have been called!!!

— Steve Coe (@stevecoe1057) June 13, 2026

When police refused to intervene in a civil dispute, the rail union then found a pretext to suspend Adam Wilson and prevent him carrying out his duties as president and chair:

The 2026 conference began after the long-delayed close of the 2025 conference, which Eslamdoust and her supporters ordered abandoned to avoid announcing Wilson’s win as president — and to prevent a no-confidence motion against Eslamdoust by outraged members. TSSA only admitted months later that Wilson had won the presidential election.

Even before conference 2026 began, alleged management manoeuvres were underway. The conference venue was changed, followed by an announcement that members would not be able to attend because of lack of capacity:

But that was only the start. As the 2025 conference was finally declared over, the rail union announced that the venue it had communicated to members for the 2026 conference had been changed — only two hours before the start. Coe called this “incompetence”, but in context others might disagree:

Incompetence knows no bounds at @TSSAunion! 2 hours before Annual Conference starts, it has been announced that the venue for the conference is NOT the one on the agenda or other info to delegates.

This follows yesterday’s 140 minute late start to the online conference!!!

— Steve Coe (@stevecoe1057) June 13, 2026

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Rail Union — Years of worker and member revolt

The latest scandal follow years of anti-democratic manoeuvres by the Eslamdoust regime against her opponents, who have reacted with outrage to her attacks on their democracy and on the union’s workers. TSSA staff have repeatedly gone on strike over Eslamdoust’s conduct and accused her of crossing their picket line. Her behaviour has already seen her lose a number of no-confidence votes. One branch summarised her record in a January 2026 demand for her to be suspended from her role:

Since the election of Maryam Eslamdoust:

• Illegitimate closure of Women in Focus the TSSA self-organising group for women that was central in exposing the sexual harassment of the previous leadership
• Suspension in breach of process of three leading TSSA activists, one of whom remains suspended without a hearing for more than 20 months.
• Created dispute with TSSA staff resulting in two industrial action ballots strike and now continuous action short of strike action
• Created an intolerable environment for staff which has been demonstrated by GMB survey and horrendously high rates of sickness of the staff
• Denial of any democratic challenges that presided over a disastrous annual conference in 2024
• Withholding the election results for President and Treasurer in May 2025 on the basis of an investigation into the conduct of that election. An investigation that has never had an outcome and it remains unjustified why the vote has not been counted.
• Creating a trumped-up allegation against President candidate Duncan Bates that he was a train driver when he was not to exclude him from the President election and EC seat.
• Creating a further spurious allegation against Duncan Bates following his successful subsequent election onto the EC from which he remains suspended
• Refusal to hear any appeal from members or branches at TSSA Conference 2025 in breach of rules.
• Presided over the sabotage of TSSA conference 2025 leaving about half of the conference business unheard.
• Cancelling of the reconvened conference in November 2025 and providing no alternative dates
• Removed representative credentials from 4 London Underground Management representatives without a fair process and with no consideration of the impact for the representation of our members
•  Refusal to respond to the vast majority of democratic challenges submitted by individual members, branches, divisional councils, representative groups or indeed union trustees.

With the denial of any form of democratic process or the ability for any candidate to be allowed to stand that may challenge the leadership control we have no option other than to publicly call for the investigation and suspension of the General Secretary

Eslamdoust then de-recognised TSSA staff’s workplace union, the GMB when it refused to prioritise her over its members — a move that any union leader would condemn from an employer.

The apparent efforts of Eslamdoust and her supporters to thwart efforts for justice and redress have seen the TSSA’s reputation trashed and both members and staff rising up in disgust. Now those efforts appear to have collapsed a third conference in a row into chaos.

TSSA has not responded to a Skwawkbox media enquiry since 2024.

Featured image via Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

By Skwawkbox

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New satellite images reveal that Iran’s strike successfully hit a US AR-327 Early-warning Radar system at Jabal ad Dukhan in Bahrain.

Confirmed hit at Jabal al-Dukhan Long Range Radar site, Bahrain.

*found a photo of the hill on a hiking website, matches the cropped image of smoke on the mountain. https://t.co/Q8SbembFPu pic.twitter.com/AlmT2Tdxhc

— MenchOsint (@MenchOsint) June 11, 2026

The imagery shows that Iran completely destroyed the radar site in its attack on June 11.

Iran published satellite images of the confirmed drone/missile strike against the US AR-327 Early-warning Radar system in Bahrain.

The radar is capable of tracking ~470 km away https://t.co/QTUA3xmVDP pic.twitter.com/L2mbkekthF

— Arya Yadeghaar (Backup) (@AryJeayBackup) June 13, 2026

This came after Iran said it had targeted & hit the US 5th Fleet in Bahrain with various drones.

The drones attacked the communication antennas & radar facilities of the 5th Fleet’s Patriot system.

The early-warning radar site was capable of tracking targets up to 470km away and cost the US upwards of $40m.

Iran — Ending US colonialism

Iran has focused on hitting US targets in West Asia since the US and Israel launched their illegal attacks on Iran in early March. So far, it has destroyed several very costly radar systems. This severely depletes the US’s ability to detect missiles in the region.

Iran also published satellite images of a confirmed strike on a 1000-ASR Early-Warning Radar system at the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait. The strikes completely destroyed the radar system.

Iran also published satellite images of a confirmed missile/drone strike on a 1000-ASR Early-Warning Radar system at the Ali Al Salem Air Base, in Kuwait.

The radar system has been destroyed. https://t.co/eGuKYAzV8P pic.twitter.com/kXm5WyraRM

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— Arya Yadeghaar (Backup) (@AryJeayBackup) June 13, 2026

Obviously, the US claimed it intercepted all of these missiles. But Trump’s main personality trait is lying.

The US claimed all these missiles were intercepted https://t.co/uIumc9MrXM

— Borzou Daragahi (@borzou) June 13, 2026

It’s a shame the early warning systems didn’t, erm, warn the US they were about to be obliterated?

Iran also targeted the Al-Azraq airbase in Jordan with 12 long-range ballistic missiles.

BREAKING:

Iran struck a US military base in Jordan with a long-range ballistic missile.

Satellite imagery from february showed that more than 60 US aircraft were deployed at the base, including 30 F-35 stealth fighters and 36 F-15 fighter jets. pic.twitter.com/9ZTuYzVqCw

— Current Report (@Currentreport1) June 11, 2026

Satellite imagery from February showed over 60 US military aircraft were stationed at that base. This included 30 F-35 stealth fighters and 36 F-15 fighters.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard announced it had directly struck the Muwaffaq Salti military base in Jordan.

The base housed US F-35 fighter jets. pic.twitter.com/ZGKQK61t3s

— Aleksey The Great (@aleksthgrt) June 10, 2026

Iran has also targeted two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. This was in retaliation for several waves of US attacks, along with Bahrain’s Sheikh Isa airbase and Kuwait’s Ahmad Al-Jaber airbases.

The US’s Central Command announced further strikes on “multiple targets” inside Iran.

The US bombed Qeshm Island as well as the ports of Sirik, Jask and Bandar Abbas. It also destroyed two water reservoirs, cutting off water to 20,000 people, and damaged a telecommunications tower.

The US military said the strikes were at President Donald Trump’s “direction” and:

in response to Iran’s unwarranted and continued aggression.

This completely ignores the fact that the only reason Iran is firing at US targets is that the US illegally attacked Iran, alongside Israel, back in March. The US seems to forget that Iran has the right to defend itself against illegal attacks.

Consequences

As of March 2, it was reported that Iran had already destroyed around $2 billion worth of US military equipment.

This included an AN/FPS-132 early-warning radar system at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, valued at $1.1 billion.

Since then, the US has lost several radar sites and several aircraft, meaning that the cost will be far higher.

Iran has done more this year to end US colonialism in three and a half months than the rest of the world has ever done.

Whether it’s his ties to Epstein, raping children, or bombing sovereign nations, Trump has always believed he is above the law. However, Iran is now proving that the US will not continue to get away with its longstanding colonial traditions without serious and expensive consequences.

Feature image via X

By HG

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The fifth minute of stoppage time in the match between Qatar and Switzerland was not just the moment Boualem Khoukhi scored the equaliser; it might have been the birth of a new chapter for the Qatari national team in the World Cup.

The 1-1 draw gave “Al Annabi” their first point in the history of their World Cup participations, but the impact of this result goes far beyond the scoreline. The current tournament structure offers teams a path to qualification not only by finishing in the top two spots but also by competing as one of the best third-placed teams.

For long stretches, it appeared the Qatari team was headed toward another loss against a dominant Swiss side that controlled possession and threatened the Qatari goal with dozens of attempts. Yet, the match found a different hero.

Goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada stood firm against the Swiss offensive surge, delivering one of the most remarkable individual performances of the tournament so far. By saving eight dangerous shots, he kept his team in the game until the very end. It was no surprise when he was named Man of the Match, making him the first Qatari player to achieve this honour in World Cup history.

Qatar — a historic result

While Qatari fans celebrated the historic result, the European press was more focused on what they saw as a missed opportunity for Switzerland. Despite registering 26 shots on goal, the Swiss managed to score only once, leaving them with a draw that failed to reflect their dominance on the pitch.

However, football is rarely decided by statistics alone. While Switzerland left the stadium lamenting two dropped points, Qatar walked away with a single point that could prove invaluable as the tournament unfolds.

This result is particularly significant given the new 2026 World Cup format. Securing a point against one of the group’s strongest competitors could prove decisive for qualification, whether the team advances via second place or as one of the top third-placed sides.

Beyond the complex math, the Qatari national team emerged from this encounter with three clear victories: their first-ever World Cup point, their first-ever Man of the Match recipient, and the proven ability to compete against opponents with vastly more World Cup experience.

Qatar’s draw with Switzerland today may be viewed as a positive result, but only the coming days will determine whether this point is merely a footnote in the record books or the start of a journey toward Qatar’s first-ever qualification for the World Cup knockout stages.

Featured image via Fran Santiago/Getty Images

By Alaa Shamali

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Palestine did not need a team in the 2026 World Cup to be present in the spotlight.

From the very first days of the tournament, held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the Palestinian cause emerged as one of the most visible topics in the public sphere surrounding the World Cup. It was seen through flags waving at public events, protests accompanying the matches, and chants of solidarity shared across social media platforms, transforming into a parallel narrative to the world’s biggest football event.

As the eyes of billions of viewers turn to the pitch, fans and activists have seized the immense media momentum of the tournament to keep Palestine in the global spotlight, reaffirming that football, as it has always been, is inseparable from the issues that occupy global public opinion.

Outside the stadiums: The Palestinian flag leads the way

If the matches are the main event inside the stadiums, the Palestinian flag has been one of the most prominent symbols outside them.

In Mexico City, at the start of the tournament, activists organised a solidarity event near the Azteca Stadium, where they formed a human Palestinian flag in a scene that drew attention and went viral across media and social platforms, becoming one of the first images associated with the World Cup outside the sporting arena.

The Palestinian presence was not limited to Mexico; it also moved to Canada, where the city of Toronto saw protests demanding that FIFA take a stance regarding Israel, while Palestinian flags fluttered among participants who seized the global event to highlight the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.

Photos and videos of participants wearing pro-Palestine slogans also spread, turning the protests into one of the most discussed issues on the fringes of the tournament during its opening days, reflecting the activists’ determination to use the global interest in the World Cup to deliver their messages to an audience watching from various continents.

Palestine — From fan zones to stadium chants

Palestine’s presence was not confined to protest events; it extended to the fan gatherings surrounding the matches.

During fan activities related to the Qatar vs. Switzerland match, social media platforms circulated clips and images of Qatari fans raising Palestinian flags and chanting in support of Palestine. The scene repeated itself during the fan activities accompanying the Morocco vs. Brazil match, where the Palestinian flag appeared among Moroccan fans who were keen to highlight the cause around the tournament.

The most widely shared moment came from fans of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the match against Canada, after footage of chants supporting Palestine by Bosnian fans went viral, an image that reflected the widening circle of solidarity to include fans from outside the Arab world, reaffirming the status that the Palestinian cause still holds among large sections of sports fans around the world.

A message beyond football

Between the flags fluttering in the streets, the chants echoing in fan gatherings, and the protests surrounding the matches, it appears that Palestine has once again succeeded in imposing its presence on the margins of the world’s largest sporting event.

For many fans and activists, the World Cup represents not just a football tournament, but a global platform that captures the attention of billions, making it an opportunity to keep humanitarian issues in the spotlight of international interest.

These scenes served as a message from fans who chose to use the world’s biggest sporting platform to confirm that the Palestinian cause remains present in the global consciousness, and that the war in Gaza has failed to silence the voices demanding justice or to obscure the suffering of Palestinians from the world’s view.

Despite Palestine’s absence from the list of participating teams, it was strongly present in the World Cup’s public scene, through flags, chants, and messages of solidarity that confirmed that some issues can cross borders and reach the world’s biggest sporting stages.

Featured image via LeftVoice

By Alaa Shamali

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EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey — During the World Cup, FIFA officials, law enforcement agencies and transit planners across New York and New Jersey will be keeping an eye on things from a constellation of command centers and control rooms.

The sites — spread from Miami to Trenton, New Jersey to Brooklyn — will house a small army of public officials ready to respond to whatever pops up during eight matches being played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The number of distinct command or operations centers that will be in use is almost comical: The New Jersey State Police, the New York Police Department, multiple transit and transportation agencies in New York and New Jersey, Amtrak and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey all have their own spot on the map to work out of. Some these are permanent control rooms where officials are used to working in front of huge screens to monitor video and data feeds. Others are temporary or specific to the tournament: There’s an operations center near the entrance to MetLife Stadium that the host committee and others are using and FIFA has an operations center in Miami.

But each has a distinct function and some will be staffed by officials from other agencies to help with coordination. During the World Cup, a command center in Trenton is the big dog.

“At the end of the day, though, they all report in to the larger command center, which is the ACC, the area command center, which looks at the overall region, the impacts to the region for any events, the asset allocation at different sites,” said Lt. Col. David Sierotowicz, the deputy superintendent of the New Jersey State Police and World Cup incident commander.

Before the first match here on Saturday, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill paid a visit to officials at an operations center on an elevated platform in the MetLife parking lot. After Brazil and Morocco battled to a draw and the sun had set, one of her top transit advisers could still be seen looking out over winnowing crowds boarding buses and trains to go home.

And for at least part of the summer there will be yet another command center: Over July 4 weekend, when President Donald Trump is expected in town for a massive parade of warships and a military airshow, there will be a popup command center run by the federal government at Jacob Javits Center in Manhattan.

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On 4 June, Israel’s Supreme Court ordered the government to lift the ban on International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) visits to Palestinian detainees. It had been in place since 7 October 2023, and affected all those held in Israeli occupation prisons and military detention facilities.

Israeli occupation’s ban on ICRC visits to Palestinian detainees is to be reinstated

The court found there was no legal basis to justify the continued restriction. It claimed the “Israeli” government’s ban on ICRC visits violated both “Israeli” law and international humanitarian law.

The decision was made following a petition by various human rights organisations. They had challenged the occupation’s decision to block all ICRC visits, and withhold information from it about Palestinian detainees. This was the first time in 50 years that these visits were prevented from taking place.

The ICRC visits detainees during armed conflicts. It assesses detention conditions, meets prisoners privately and organises contact with families. Palestinian prisoners are currently enduring the worst conditions ever known in Israeli occupation detention facilities. So these visits are essential for their welfare, and also provide one of the few forms of independent oversight available.

But it took the occupation’s Supreme Court more than two years to overturn the ban

But why did it take the occupation’s Supreme Court two and a half years to decide that the ban on ICRC visits was illegal?

Palestinian lawyer, Khaled Mahajna posts on X:

The “National Security Committee” in the Knesset has moved swiftly against the Supreme Court’s decision. It has now voted to approve, for its first reading, a bill to ban members of the ICRC from visiting Palestinian prisoners.

Judicial rulings are used to improve “Israel’s” image, and Knesset has moved to legislate the ICRC visit ban

The Committee chairperson, Tzvika Foghel, spoke at the opening of the debate in the Knesset.

He said:

Preventing visits to terrorists in prisons is part of the war, and we will prevail in that as well.

David Bavli, Ben-Gvir’s adviser, said:

The Red Cross is not a neutral organization, and our opposition to its visits is very clear….There are now thousands of terrorists who are effectively ticking time bombs. They are familiar with the High Court ruling and intend to use it. Once the Red Cross enters, prisoners will make false claims. This would create an insane situation that we have no way of handling.

The Palestinian Commission of Detainees’ Affairs, and the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society (PPS), have released a statement about these recent developments. They question the effectiveness of the occupation’s judicial decisions. The PPS say judicial rulings such as this are just for show. They are used to “improve the image of the Israel’s legal system” in the eyes of the international community. But at the same time, legislation is passed that entrenches the occupation’s violations and provides them with legal cover.

International silence and lack of accountability when it comes to “Israel’s” crimes threaten the credibility of the whole human rights system

The Commission and the PPS warn about the absence of international accountability. They claim it encourages the criminal Zionist regime to escalate its violent crimes against Palestinians. Silence prevails, while the genocide and starvation in Gaza continue and “Israel” systematically tortures, neglects, and even kills Palestinian detainees. The credibility and effectiveness of the international human rights system are also at stake, due to the weakening respect for international law standards.

The Israeli occupation’s policies, and the violations associated with them, are far-reaching in nature, and extend far beyond Palestinians. Around the world, human rights defenders and those in solidarity with Palestine are also affected.

The occupation’s actions in the occupied Palestinian territory threaten the global human rights framework, because it erodes all respect for international law. The Zionist regime systematically ignores binding UN resolutions and international court rulings, with impunity. This signals to other countries that they can also restrict humanitarian aid, target civilian infrastructure, or commit any other war crimes, without consequence. Preferential treatment for the terrorist state needs to end, as the double standards also threaten the credibility of the entire human rights system.

According to the PPS, as of 10 June 2026, there are approximately 9,500 Palestinian detainees. 3,324 are held without charge or trial. There are 95 female prisoners, nearly 360 children, and 1,316 detainees from Gaza, classified by Israeli occupation authorities as “unlawful combatants.”

By Charlie Jaay

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DALLAS — The Trump administration has elevated dozens of more complex World Cup visa decisions to senior leadership as officials try to balance FIFA commitments with national security concerns.

In an interview Sunday, White House World Cup task force Executive Director Andrew Giuliani said many high-profile or complicated visa cases have ultimately reached his desk for a final determination.

“Dozens, I would say dozens,” Giuliani said when asked how many edge cases had required senior-level review. He also suggested that some applicants who might otherwise face difficulties entering the country have received additional consideration because of U.S. commitments tied to hosting the World Cup.

“That’s part of the contract the U.S. government signed with FIFA,” Giuliani said.

In light of President Donald Trump’s tough border policies, these details provide a glimpse into the administration’s process of reviewing visas ahead of the largest World Cup tournament in history — a task that’s involved the State Department, Department of Homeland Security and the White House World Cup task force to keep the process moving.

Giuliani defended the decision to deny entry to Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, saying it was made by Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin.

While declining to discuss specific intelligence, he said Artan had been communicating with “bad actors” shortly before he was scheduled to travel to the U.S.

Giuliani had conversations with FIFA about Artan’s case because the Somali is one of the organization’s referees.

“We talked about it, obviously, right? I mean, it’s one of their referees,” Giuliani said.

“There are some things we can’t talk about,” Giuliani said. “We want all those players and coaches to come to the United States of America, and officials and referees, as long as they’re not communicating and coordinating with bad actors.”

Giuliani emphasized that the overwhelming majority of players, coaches, referees and officials have received visas without issue.

Still, Giuliani said the administration’s red line remains national security. Referencing broader concerns about individuals linked to terrorist organizations, he said the World Cup would not serve as a justification for admitting people deemed security risks.

“The first thing that is so key to this tournament being successful is the national security of the country,” Giuliani said. “We’re not going to let the World Cup be the excuse.”

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Haiti has the highest level of perceived corruption of any country taking part in the World Cup, with Norway and New Zealand scoring lowest (something New Zealand might have to get used to!). These figures came from Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index.

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It’s not just football versus soccer. Britain and America share a language and deep historical ties, but their political systems are an ocean apart.

That could be good news for President Donald Trump.

As Republicans in the United States search for clues about the political mood ahead of November’s crucial midterm elections, a parliamentary by-election in Makerfield, England, is demanding attention. It’s not just that the special election could kick off a chain of events ending in Keir Starmer being ousted as prime minister — the contest itself serves as an early test of whether the anti-incumbent anger that upended Western democracies in 2024 remains a potent force.

But a new analysis of POLITICO Poll results suggests British and American voters respond to that political frustration in different ways. While cynicism about politics is widespread and persistent in both countries, British voters, with an array of political parties across the ideological spectrum, are willing to abandon their party in search of an alternative.

American voters, by contrast, remain largely constrained by the two-party system — limiting just how far they can go in channeling their frustrations.

In the U.K., just half of those who voted for Starmer’s center-left Labour Party in 2024 plan to vote the same way in the next election, according to the survey conducted by Public First from May 8 to May 11.

Meanwhile, strong majorities of Americans — including 75 percent of Trump 2024 voters and 86 percent of voters who backed former Vice President Kamala Harris — plan to stick with their party, underscoring just how little voter movement there tends to be in the U.S.

“We have a far, far more fluid system, I think, even than in the U.S., so people will switch parties,” said Mark Shanahan, an associate professor of political engagement at University of Surrey in Guildford, England.

That could be a saving grace for Trump and the GOP as they brace for a midterm landscape more difficult than initially expected, a change fueled in large part by voters’ persistent economic anxieties. It’s easier for the British voters who elected Starmer in 2024 to move to a different party in the country’s multiparty system, but disaffected Trump voters have no real choice.

Trump’s rise to the White House in 2016 was powered by a coalition that included independents, disengaged voters and Americans who felt alienated from the political establishment. They helped him again in 2024.

Republicans trying to stave off a difficult midterms have since warned that the biggest danger for the party in November is not that those voters suddenly defect, but that they become disillusioned enough to simply not vote. It’s a turnout election, strategists and candidates from both parties keep saying, that will likely come down to whether Trump voters show up for the party even when he’s not on the ballot.

What they’re less worried about is Democrats finding a way to move large numbers of persuadable, frustrated Republican voters back into the fold, or to pick up steadfast partisans. That’s true even as voters keep making clear that they’re looking for change.

The POLITICO Poll reveals just how deep the sense of cynicism and pessimism runs among voters in both countries. In the U.S., 71 percent of adults say politicians only look out for themselves, including 79 percent of those who backed Harris in 2024 and 71 percent who voted for Trump.

There are similar frustrations in the U.K., where majorities of voters blame the politicians — not the system — for the country’s current political problems. In a poll conducted earlier this month by London-based Public First, a 45 percent plurality of U.K. adults say that the country keeps changing prime ministers because none of them are any good.

But the analysis from Public First finds an important distinction in how voters in the two countries channel their frustration at the ballot box. British voters appear much more willing to cross party lines.

In the U.K., the Labour Party rode to power in part by tapping into the support from cynical voters. But two years later, the Labour Party is hemorrhaging supporters. Fewer than half — 49 percent — of those who voted with the Labour Party in 2024 plan to do so again, while 13 percent plan to vote for the Green Party to its left and 13 percent for leading hard-right party Reform U.K., while the rest are divided among other parties or unsure according to The POLITICO Poll.

“What we are seeing, particularly since Brexit over in the U.K., is a dissatisfaction in what was never formally a two-party system, but had been a de facto two-party system pretty much since 1916,” said Shanahan.

The Conservative Party — the Tories, the party of Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher that battled with Labour for a century — has fallen out of favor, losing support to Nigel Farage’s Reform U.K. party. That break is similar to the MAGA vs. traditional Republican split in the United States — but the two-party American system forces the GOP to stay together in an at-times tense coalition on the right, while British voters can simply switch from Conservative to Reform.

That also spells trouble on the left for Starmer, whose popularity has plummeted and who is eager to quash an internal revolt that could eventually lead to his ouster. The Makerfield by-election on Thursday will determine whether Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester and Starmer’s chief internal rival, is elected as Labour’s representative in Parliament, giving him the chance to challenge Starmer for the party leadership and potentially replace him as prime minister.

“As the electoral politics of the U.K. fragments, it can only take a few thousand cynical voters in each of a few hundred constituencies to switch a majority to a devastating defeat,” said Seb Wride, head of polling at Public First, POLITICO’s polling partner. “This is how, in 2024, Labour got into government with fewer votes than it got in 2019, and why most election modelling would now say they’ve lost that majority as quickly as they gained it.”

The POLITICO Poll in June found 64 percent of U.K. adults say they don’t trust Starmer and, in a separate question, 62 percent say he is not someone who keeps his promises. Labour suffered massive losses in last month’s elections, prompting the calls from Starmer’s own MPs for him to be replaced.

But as Starmer stares down that threat — fueled by some of the very voters who elected him into office in the first place — the challenges before Trump and the GOP are much different.

In the U.S., even the most cynical and disaffected voters still tend to stick with their party identities. Even among non-MAGA Republicans — the conservatives least loyal to the president, who do not self-identify with his MAGA movement and ideology — highly cynical voters are just as likely to stick with the GOP in the midterms as less cynical voters are, according to Public First.

“In the U.K., voters who are dissatisfied with the main party tend to have a third or even fourth option. In the U.S., they have one alternative, or the option to not show up,” Wride said.

Poll after poll shows early signs of Trump’s 2024 coalition fracturing, on issues including the cost of living and the Iran war, but when faced with the prospect of choosing between one main party on the left and one on the right, voters tend to hold their noses and pick the same one they have before.

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In April 2026, we learned that Nigel Farage had failed to declare a £5m ‘gift’ from a foreign-based crypto billionaire. Ever since then, the man has been doing everything he can to avoid media scrutiny. And now, motormouth Nigel Farage – the man who built a career out of taking every media appearance offered – has decided to become a f*cking blogger:

When are you going to write an essay about the £5m? https://t.co/AYE6vIUx9k

— Reform Party UK Exposed (@reformexposed) June 14, 2026

Farage — Man of words

The first thing to note about Farage’s essay is that it’s 35,000 words long. This is a third the length of a good-sized novel. And as such, we’re going to hazard a guess that Farage did not in fact write it himself.

When we learned Farage was going to become an essayist, we immediately thought ‘are his supporters going to read this?‘. When we saw the word count, it became obvious the answer is ‘no’.

The theme of the first essay he’s pretended to write is ‘white people are the real oppressed group today‘. We’re going to hold our hands up and admit we won’t be reading it, because why should we? If Farage has opted out of defending his ideas, we’re opting out of reading them.

If he’d like to agree to an interview, however, we’d be happy to read his ghost-written whinge-fest from back to front. The price would be that we in turn get to ask him about the £5m ‘gift’.

Running scared

While Farage has said he’s doing all this to avoid ‘distortions’, others have argued Farage is seeking to avoid people calling out his own distortions:

Farage says his new theme of racial politics will now be pushed in his own Substack.

The idea, it seems, is to avoid scrutiny by anyone who may point out his carefully-crafted misrepresentations.https://t.co/k6ejc34BJW https://t.co/QXsBtYt0jv

— Fraser Nelson (@FraserNelson) June 13, 2026

There’s clearly one thing that’s distorted in all this, anyway, and it’s Farage’s mind if he thinks he can run for PM while hiding behind a laptop in some dingy Westminster office.

Featured image via Twitter

By Willem Moore

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