Politics
Lord Ashcroft: Where are the Conservative voters on Brexit ten years on and are they changing their minds?
Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC is an international businessman, philanthropist, author and pollster. For more information on his work, visit lordashcroft.com
Earlier this month I explored whether or not it was in Labour’s interests to promise a referendum on rejoining the EU. Here we look at the other side of the coin: Brexit and the Conservatives.
After an election defeat, a party has to show it has listened and learned. To admit no errors would be to suggest it has learned nothing. But a party which trashes its own record across the board looks either unserious or unprincipled. Where does Brexit fit in?
My most recent poll asked if life in Britain over the last few years had been better, worse or about the same than it would have been if we were still in the EU. On the left, the view is clear: around eight in ten Labour, Lib Dem and Green voters say “worse”. On the right, the view is more nuanced, as we see from the chart below.
Reform voters are twice as likely to think that Brexit has changed the UK for the better than for the worse, and the balance of opinion among their current supporters matches the balance of opinion among its 2024 voter base. The Conservatives, however, have seen a shift. Their 2024 voters divided evenly, but those currently leaning towards the party tend to think that leaving has made things worse.
Voters hovering between the Tories and Reform incline slightly towards thinking Brexit has been beneficial (and fewer than one in five think it has made things worse). However, those who are undecided between the Conservatives and a party other than Reform are decidedly negative about the effects of Brexit. These groups are roughly the same size, and the Conservative will need to win over both in order to recover electorally.
As well as being divided on this question, the potential Conservative voting coalition includes significant numbers of both leavers and remainers. In fact, the Tories are the only party to draw support from both sides of the Brexit divide. The risk associated with a reopening of the EU debate is clear.
What may be less clear is the potential benefit.
In a fragmented five-party landscape, there is an increasing tendency for leaders to tell their core voters exactly what they want to hear, even if in places it is self-contradictory. Pleasing some of the people all of the time is not a realistic prospectus for governing Britain in the 2020s. Badenoch has the opportunity to position the Conservatives as a party for both sides of the Brexit divide and one that is capable of governing in a united interest, rather than for a small sectional interest. If this sounds woolly, Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan were able simultaneously to broaden their electoral base and pursue an unapologetically conservative agenda.
Our political map helps tell the story. Bubble sizes are proportional to the size of the relevant voter group, and the closer bubbles are, the more similar the respective groups of voters. In the party colours, we have the locations of current support for the five largest parties. The other bubbles represent combinations of attitudes of particular relevance to the Conservatives.
There is a group of 2016 leave voters who so regret Brexit that they would vote to rejoin the EU. However, they are close to the centre of the political map and a long distance from any of the party bubbles. This suggests both that these people have little in common in the way of political outlook beyond their view of Brexit, and that they will be hard for any party to target. In other words, there is little mileage in trying to build an electoral coalition around Bregret.
We also asked whether three potential conditions associated with readmittance to the EU (joining the Euro, joining the Schengen area, and paying a higher membership fee than before) would be acceptable or unacceptable. We can see the position of the bubbles showing current likely Conservative voters who would consider all three unacceptable and those who would consider at least one condition acceptable. The the bubbles are similar sizes, demonstrating that the Conservative voter base is close to evenly divided on the issue (55 per cent of current Conservative voters would reject all three conditions, whereas 45 per cent would accept at least one). But they are also very close to the overall Conservative bubble, suggesting that the two groups have a lot of common political ground outside the Brexit debate.
The bitterest and most damaging political divides are those where there is clear distance between both sides on the map (as happened in 2019 with Labour’s red wall voters in the bottom right quadrant and its metropolitan remainers in the top left).
Advocates of rejoining argue that there is a settled consensus that Brexit was a mistake. But in the previous piece, we demonstrated that despite the headline landslide 23-point lead for rejoin in a hypothetical referendum, when questions of detail about the terms of rejoining are considered, the lead shrinks considerably. That is not to say that rejoin winning a referendum is implausible or even improbable: it is merely not inevitable. Questioning the details of any plan to rejoin does not open up Pandora’s Box for the Conservatives: their voters may disagree about these conditions, but it is not a polarising disagreement which risks tearing their electoral coalition apart.
Another important group is people who, while they might not like Brexit, are even less keen on the division and instability they believe would follow from reopening the debate. We asked people whether we should accept that Brexit has happened and try to make the best of it, or whether we should accept that Brexit has failed and try to rejoin at least some aspects of the EU. We can therefore examine two further groups: those who voted to remain in 2016 and now agree the UK should accept Brexit, and those who would vote to rejoin in a hypothetical referendum but nonetheless agree that the UK should accept Brexit. The first group is adjacent to the Conservatives on the political map, suggesting that they share a similar outlook on other political questions. The latter group lands in the top left quadrant, equidistant from Labour and the Conservatives on the political map; they occupy similar territory to the centrist voters we wrote about in April.
This means the Conservatives do not have to reject Brexit to appeal to the swing voters towards the “12 o’clock” position on the political map. The argument that Brexit is last decade’s issue, and the UK needs to move on rather than reopening old wounds, already resonates with them. It is an argument which is easy to make and easy to understand. Given the low ranking of Brexit in people’s list of issues, proponents of rejoin face an uphill battle. Badenoch would be well-advised not to let them take even one step up that hill.
Addressing the issues which voters rank as most important – the cost of living, immigration and healthcare – will mean tackling some emotive issues. Any serious attempt to do so entails grappling with things like social care, the UK’s national debt and low productivity. These have remained unresolved for a reason. (Indeed, they were still issues while the UK was in the EU). A future government seeking to make progress in these areas would have to make tough decisions and persuade a cynical public that they are necessary. It would have to get difficult legislation through a parliament where many MPs will have wafer-thin majorities and the government itself may well be relying on other parties. This would take a great deal of political skill, strong leadership, careful policy development and persuasive advocacy – divisive distractions like relitigating Brexit would hardly help.
What, then, should Badenoch say and do about Brexit?
The armoury of contemporary politicians is replete with silver bullets, but easy answers won’t do and the voters know it. Deciding to leave the EU presented opportunities and challenges. As a country we have to seize those opportunities and rise to those challenges. That means hard work and a government prepared to make tough choices for the long term. Just as Brexit was never the answer to every problem in 2016, it is not the cause of every problem in 2026. It is time to move on and move forward.
Full data tables at LordAshcroftPolls.com
The post Lord Ashcroft: Where are the Conservative voters on Brexit ten years on and are they changing their minds? appeared first on Conservative Home.
We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, HuffPost UK may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.
Summer is tough. You spend it wafting through markets, reading under a parasol, and sipping on Aperol spritzes surrounded by the most stunning views you’ve ever seen. And then you come back to your drab home.
Whether you’ve been travelling this summer and caught the nonna-maxxing bug, or want to bring a taste of the mediterranean into your house, there is plenty of home inspo out there to start making your home feel like a sun-splashed terrazzo.
To help splash your interiors and exteriors with a taste of the Riviera, we asked interior designer Benji Lewis what to look for when creating Mediterranean-inspired decor, and found touches of furniture and home accessories to shop now.
“When I think of Mediterranean decor, it’s not just colour that comes to mind, texture also plays a key part,” Lewis explains. “I’d look at natural textures like ceramic, raffia and linen accessories.”
“Look for things with a glamorous touch of the Riviera about them, for example a Matisse type motif,” Lewis adds.
“I think we all enjoy the thought of warm Continental sunset evenings in some pretty coastal taverna,” Lewis says. “Rattan stools are perfect for conjuring memories like that.”
“The quickest win for a relaxed feel is a stripe,” says Lewis. Look for striped tablecloths, cushions, and even lampshades to bring a touch of Mediterranean to your tablescape.
“Embrace tones and hues normally associated with the mediterranean climates, watermelon pink, sunset orange, complemented by yellow, cobalt blue and rich emerald green brings those holiday vibes,” Lewis suggests.
“I also think interiors are leaning towards fresher, cleaner whites, layered with pattern and texture.
“Ultimately, we want our homes to feel uplifting, relaxed and full of warmth, capturing that sense of happiness and escapism we associate with holidays and the mediterranean.”
We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, HuffPost UK may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.
When your kids have sensitive skin and are prone to allergies, finding the right sunscreen can feel like an absolute minefield.
I know because I’ve been there. I’ve tried many over the years – from brands such as Childs Farm, Nivea and Ambre Solaire (among others!) – but while they might’ve worked for one of my kids at any given point, unfortunately they never seemed to work for both.
After my youngest had a reaction to a popular children’s sun cream earlier this year, I swiftly realised I needed to do a bit more research into the best sunscreens for sensitive, young skin.
Thankfully, around the same time, HuffPost UK spoke to Dr Bisola Laguda, paediatric dermatologist and spokesperson for the Skin Health Alliance, about what exactly makes a good children’s sunscreen.
Some of these factors include:
- A SPF of 50 or over,
- ‘Broad spectrum’ protection,
- Water resistant,
- Fragrance-free,
- Opting for mineral sunscreen if they have sensitive skin.
On that last note, Dr Laguda said: “The mineral contents – often zinc oxide or titanium dioxide – sit on top of the skin and reflect the UV rays. This is often a more preferable option over chemical sunscreens, which penetrate the skin and absorb the rays, leading to potential irritation.”
After looking into sunscreens with zinc oxide in them (and realising very few UK drug stores stock them), I came across Blue Lizard, an Aussie brand whose offering is a little more expensive than your usual drug store sunscreen – but, in my opinion, is worth every penny.
Amazon
Blue Lizard Mineral Sunscreen
Finally, a sunscreen that doesn’t bring my kids out in itchy rashes!
At £21 a tube, it’s not cheap. But the five-star reviews swayed me. “Best suncream I’ve ever bought. Kids’ skin is protected and it doesn’t seem to interfere with eczema and dry skin. My go-to,” said one Amazon shopper.
“Our little one does not mind having this put on and there seems to be no irritation to skin or eyes,” added another, marvelling at the ‘smart cap technology’ which turns the bottle cap blue in harmful UV light – a handy reminder you need to top up your skin protection.
I bought a bottle off Amazon a few months back and am about to make my second purchase (we went abroad and have tackled multiple heatwaves with it so it’s been used non-stop).
I’m pleased to report that in those few months, neither of my children have experienced itchy rashes or skin sensitivity as a result of wearing it. Nor have they had sunburn (despite spending a fair bit of time in the pool and on the beach when we went to Italy).
The cream is easy to apply and isn’t too greasy. It changes my kids’ skin colour ever-so-slightly – but, for the sun protection offered, it’s a fair trade-off.
With extreme heat and sunshine forecast this week, I’d definitely recommend this sunscreen if you’re in the market for something for sensitive skin.
In fact, I’m going to go and buy some right now (before I forget).
Andy Burnham faced some good-natured teasing from opposition MPs as he was sworn in as the Makerfield MP on Monday afternoon.
The former Greater Manchester mayor won the north-west by-election last Thursday with more than 55% of the vote.
He is now widely expected to be the next prime minister after Keir Starmer’s resignation on Monday morning.
While there is still plenty of time for other MPs to join the subsequent leadership contest, Burnham is the only one to have publicly stepped forward so far.
Even Ex-health secretary Wes Streeting, who had promised to enter any leadership race, withdrew and backed Burnham on Monday.
All eyes were on the Makerfield MP’s swearing-in ceremony as a result.
When his name was announced in the Commons, Labour MPs cheered delightedly, but opposition MPs quipped, “Who?” and “Rome is saved.”
One joked, “he’s not the Messiah!”, to which Burnham replied, “naughty boy”.
Another MP on the opposition benches made a comment about “turning water into wine” while Burnham signed his paperwork.
He smiled, and then shook the hand of Commons Speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, before leaving the Chamber.
Burnham stood as the Labour candidate for Makerfield after Josh Simons stood aside in May to give the party’s most popular politician a chance to get into No.10.
Burnham was first elected as the Labour MP for Leigh in 2001 and went on to serve in both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s governments.
He ran in two Labour leadership races, first in 2010 and then in 2015, but lost both and ran to be Greater Manchester mayor instead.
Burnham started to be seen as a leadership rival to Starmer last September during the Labour Party conference, despite not being an MP at the time.
However as the government continued to decline in the opinion polls and the prime minister was criticised for conducting too many U-turns and for a flurry of scandals within his top team, Burnham’s popularity continued to grow.
He is widely expected to win any leadership race or effectively face a “coronation” if he runs uncontested.
Starmer’s successor will be the UK’s seventh prime minister from the last decade.
After his swearing in, Burnham went to Westminster Hall to pose for photos with the rest of the Parliamentary Labour Party.
He appeared jubiliant while surrounded by his supportive peers after nine years away from the Commons.
Dan Kitwood via Getty Images
Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.
Andrew Rannells is opening up about a past romance that not only involved a fellow celeb but also his role in one of the most popular shows of the last decade.
During a recent episode of The Daily Beast’s Obsessed podcast, the former Girls star — who played Elijah Krantz, Hannah’s gay ex-boyfriend from college and later roommate throughout the show’s six-season run — revealed that he once had a “very brief” relationship with Anderson Cooper in his mid-20s.
This experience, he claimed, ultimately went on to inspire a storyline for his character in the Lena Dunham-created comedy.
“I told Lena and [co-showrunner] Jenni Konner a story about when I was 25 that I had dated Anderson Cooper, and I told them about the experience and what that was like, and then it became the story that Elijah had in the series,” he claimed.
The storyline in question emerges in Girls’ penultimate season, when Elijah starts dating an older, successful news anchor named Dill Harcourt, played by Corey Stoll.
Much like Andrew’s real-life tryst with Anderson Cooper, however, Elijah and Dill’s relationship proved to be short-lived.
Their romance came to an end in the season five finale after Dill turned down Elijah’s proposal to be his boyfriend, telling him he’s looking for “someone less aimless”.
Even so, Andrew told Obsessed host that Lena found his fling with the CNN broadcaster compelling enough to build the Dill character around it.
“When I told them that, they were like, ‘Oh, that’s a fun story’,” the Grammy winner said.
During Girls’ run, there was speculation about the real-life inspiration behind Dill, but no one involved with the show ever officially confirmed any connection.
When Corey Stoll was asked in a 2016 interview with Queerty whether Dill had been modelled after Anderson Cooper, he declined to draw any parallels.
“I don’t know,” he insisted. “I was playing Dill Harcourt. I did not base this character on anybody.”
Similarly, Andrew initially pushed back against theories linking Dill to his one-time lover while discussing Elijah and Dill’s breakup episode with Elle that same year.
“I think the general idea that he’s this powerful, you know, adult, is what’s important,” the Tony nominee explained.
“For my money, his job could have been any number of things. It just represents that he’s very much from the outside of these characters’ world.”
He continued: “When we shot that party sequence from Sunday’s episode, it was in this beautiful apartment, in beautiful clothes — it’s probably the best I’ve ever been dressed on the show — and it felt very foreign, like all of a sudden we were shooting this completely different show, because we were in this very grown-up situation. That’s what Dill represents.”
Meanwhile, the New York Post asked self-proclaimed Girls fan Anderson whether he believed Lena had based the character of Dill on him, but the former 60 Minutes host mentioned another media figure instead.
“I just met Lena Dunham at Sundance, and she didn’t mention anything to me, but I’d be flattered,” he told the outlet in 2016.
“Wait — is that the guy Andrew Rannells’ [character] is dating? I thought he was more of a [Bill] O’Reilly character. I’m a friend of Andrew’s. I should ask him.”
We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, HuffPost UK may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.
When you think of sex toys, you most likely think of pastel vibrators and dildos for women. But, news flash: sex toys aren’t just for people with vulvas.
Despite the unfortunate fact that two in five men have never used a pleasure device, there is actually a booming male sex toy market. And I’m making it my mission to normalise sex toys for men.
For too long, sex has been painted as something that should only happen between two people – preferably a man and a woman – and involving penetrative penis-in-vagina sex.
But it’s 2026, people! We’ve moved on from boring and restrictive ideals about sex – or at least, it’s about time we did, because there is so much pleasure to be had from experimenting with sensations we’ve never experienced before.
So whether you’re a complete newbie to the male sex toy market, or a practiced masturbator (what a label) I’ve asked the experts what you should look for in a male sex toy, and rounded up the best to shop now.
Best male sex toys at a glance:
What are the types of sex toys for men?
“Sex toys for men can vary based on needs and desires, with many becoming more upgraded as the market changes,” according to Tim Lagman, resident sex expert at pjur.
Just as there are plenty of different types of sex toys for women, there are also a variety of male sex toys, including:
- Masturbators
- Strokers
- Suction sex toys
- Prostate massagers
- Butt plugs and anal beads
- Cock rings
- Couples’ sex toys
- Penis pumps
- Penis extenders
- App-controlled sex toys
What to look for when buying a sex toys for men
Now, that list might sound a little intimidating, and let’s be clear: this isn’t to say that you need one of each kind of male sex toy. Rather, it’s important to recognise that there are so many ways of getting off, and all you need do is find what kind of sex toy appeals to you, according to Todd Baratz, in-house expert for #LUBELIFE.
“Instead of asking what the best toy is I’d encourage people to ask, ‘What experience am I looking for?’” he recommends. “Consider whether you’re curious about trying something new, looking for more intense or different sensations, or interested in hands-free pleasure, prostate play, or enhancing partnered intimacy. The best toy isn’t necessarily the most popular one, and the answers to those questions will most likely guide you better than whatever happens to be trending online at the moment.”
Other things to consider include:
Material
“Look for body-safe materials that are made of high-quality silicone, ABS plastic, stainless steel, or glass from reputable manufacturers,” says Lagman. “Make sure the toys are easy to clean, as difficult cleaning may damage the toy more quickly over time.”
Keep it simple
“Beginner toy users may want to look for simpler products before investing in advanced devices,” Lagman adds. “Noise level can also be considered depending on your living situation.”
Lube compatibility
“Compatibility with lube is another factor to take into consideration so your toys last longer,” he says. Most sex toys are compatible with water-based lube, but stainless steel and glass sex toys might be better used with silicone sex toy, as it lasts longer, which can be great for anal play especially.
Budget
“More expensive doesn’t always mean better,” Lagman explains. To help you find your ideal sex toy, we’ve rounded up 13 of the best male sex toys across a range of price points, for beginners and expert sex toy users alike.
The best male sex toys to shop in 2026
30% off
Best for stamina training
Can we talk about something real quick? Why is it normal to train your muscles in the gym, but not train your sexual stamina? Thankfully, we’re living in an age where it’s becoming more normalised to see sexual wellness as a part of our overall wellbeing, which is why we’re glad that LELO has created a male masturbator that’s as focused on your pleasure today as it is your pleasure in 10 years. Filled with real-time AI sensors, this masturbator adjusts its vibration intensity to the speed you’re moving your hand at to help train your orgasm stamina. More men under 40 are experiencing erectile dysfunction than ever, so this toy also helps you manage the strength of your erection and rgasms with a guided Kegel programme via the app.
Best for blowjob sensations
I don’t know if you’ve heard, but we’re in a real dating crisis. If you’re not getting laid – or even if you are – Bellesa has created this suction masturbator that mimics the sensations of really great head. As well as stroking the length of your shaft, it has four suction modes that, when loaded with water-based lube, get as close to a proper blowjob as you will have been in a while. It might be on the larger side, but it’ll also make an incredible add-on during partnered sex, especially if you’re bottoming – just saying.
Best non-vibrating stroker
Maybe you come quickly, or vibrations simply aren’t your thing. Either way, here’s some good news: non-vibrating toys exist. This one from Tenga looks kind of unassuming, but once the hard packaging is cracked open, it reveals a soft TPE penis stroker that’s filled with lumps and bumps for sensations against your shaft that are simply eggcellent. It’s also single use, making it ideal for when you’re travelling, or if you’re a beginner looking to experiment with sensations.
Best for new sensations
If you’ve already mastered regular masturbators, you might be expecting something new and exciting from your sex toys. This one from Arcwave introduces a sensation you won’t get from a lover: rotating suction stimulation across your entire shaft to have you spinning into another world. As well as four control modes, and pressure-sensitive buttons to adjust its intensity in the moment, you can also sync this masturbator with the KooSync app to grant control of your pleasure to a long-distance lover or use it in tandem with interactive video content.
Best weighted anal beads
Whether you’re new to anal, or a complete aficionado, anal beads are the ideal toy to thrust you into a new dimension. This set from Satisfyer has three equally sized beads, so you can decide how much you can take, and each is filled with a weighted ball for extra stimulation as it slides against your P-spot. It comes with a strong suction cup, so you can stick it to any surface if you’re playing by yourself, and is also harness-compatible, so you can also use it as an anal dildo with a partner. Yum.
53% off
Best blowjob machine
Long distance lovers, listen up! Lovense has found a way to create sex toys that are seamlessly controlled from anywhere in the world, whether that’s by a partner, or a stranger through the ‘roulette’ feature on its app. This machine is intended to be propped against a surface using the attached clamp, and can be powered using the Lovense app for completely personalised hands-free blowjobs. If having a serious piece of gear sounds a little intimidating, don’t worry! The sleeve has a super realistic feeling, according to reviewers, and you can even choose from an entry that mimics an anus or vagina, depending on your preferences.
53% off
Best app-controlled butt plug
A message to any sex toy companies reading this: let’s normalise having different sizes of our products. Lovense has truly got it right, as this butt plug comes in four different sizes for you to choose on based on your experience. Like all Lovense products, it can be controlled via the app, which also lets you sync it to your choice of erotic content, music, or even with a partner’s Lovense toy. That wide base means it’s plenty safe to use, and it comes with unlimited vibration modes so you’ll be busy for, well, the foreseeable.
30% off
Most versatile cock ring
Here’s some sex ed for you, fellas: eight in 10 women can’t orgasm from penetration alone. That’s right, you can’t just rely on sticking it in to give her a good time, which is why clitoral stimulation – both as foreplay and throughout the main event – is non-negotiable. Hence why we’re big fans of this toy from Satisfyer, which can be used both as a finger vibrator, by slipping the handle over your digits to rub against her C-spot, or as a cock ring to turn your thing-a-ling into her new favourite sex toy.
25% off
Best prostate massager overall
Let’s get one thing straight: prostate play has nothing (repeat: NOTHING) to do with your sexuality. Just like people with vulvas have an internal and external erogenous zone, so do people with penises. In fact, prostate play can result in even more pleasure – and who doesn’t want that? This massager is designed to give you two kinds of stimulation all at once, with a shaft that sits against your prostate and another that stretches across your perineum to make its six vibration settings almost inescapable. Hand over the motion-controlled remote to your partner for a an added element of unpredictability. Thrilling!
Best affordable prostate massager
Okay, not everyone can afford to splash out £100+ on a prostate massager at a moment’s notice, so this one from Bellesa makes a more affordable alternative. That curved end equals more powerful stimulation against your P-spot, and it has 10 vibration modes to play with via the dinky remote.
Best couples’ toy
We all need an excuse to reconnect (in this economy!) so if you and your lover are looking for one, this duo will give you all the reasons you could ever need to come together – literally. Using car sensor technology, the clit vibrator vibrates more intensely the closer the cock ring gets to it – I’ll leave you to picture that one for yourself. Plus, you can change the setting so that the vibrations increase the faster you move, or even to respond to the sound of you clapping. Silly!
15% off
Best fleshlight
Whether you have a penis or not, you’d have to have lived under a rock to have not heard of Fleshlight. Perhaps the most famous male sex toy company of them all, it’s a classic for a reason: it makes high-quality, realistic-feeling strokers that are easy to clean and look discreet. This one could easily be mistaken for a water bottle on your bedside table, but is in fact a bump-filled stroker that gives the sensation of sucking, without the need for charging – because who has time for that?
29% off
Best penis pump
Looking for gains… down there? Penis pumps can temporarily increase the size of your schlong by placing it inside a vacuum. This one comes with a vagina opening, for a thrill while you do it, and comes with three suction intensities to choose from, depending how much you want to boost your boner. Just make sure to layer up plenty of water-based lube and not use it for more than 10 minutes per day.
How to use sex toys for men
Now you’ve got a shiny new toy to play with, you might be wondering how exactly to put it to work.
If you’re feeling intimidated by your new bedmate, or simply want to brush up on your sex toy etiquette, we’ve asked Tim Lagman and Todd Baratz for their tips on using male sex toys.
Lube up
“Reducing friction can help increase pleasure, so using lube like pjur Aqua can intensify sensations while nourishing the skin, and combining it with a pleasure gel like pjur MAN Lust can add tingling sensations further enhancing the experience,” explains Lagman.
Take it slow
“Slow down more than you think you need to,” Baratz recommends. “Most people are conditioned to treat masturbation as something to get through quickly, but pleasure tends to expand when you give yourself time to actually experience it.”
Get curious
“Experiment with different speeds and pressures, and pay attention to what your body is telling you,” Baratz adds. “Don’t be afraid to get curious and take your time, focusing on exploring sensation rather than racing toward the finish line. Also, keep in mind that pleasure is more than just the physical.”
What are the male sex toy trends in 2026?
As we’ve already alluded to, there has been a slow but steady shift towards men using sex toys in 2026.
Sexual wellness
This includes men increasingly using sex toys as part of their wellness routines, according to Lagman.
“This trend can be seen in toy development, such as smart technology and app connectivity,” he says.
“People want their toys tailored for them instead of a one-size-fits-all. There is also a shift away from traditional, anatomical designs and toys are made to look more like wellness devices. Because of this, toys are also being marketed as tools for body awareness and stress relief.”
Connection
“Men are giving themselves more permission to explore pleasure without attaching so much meaning or judgment to it,” Baratz adds.
“There’s growing curiosity around body awareness, and understanding pleasure as something worth investing in rather than something to rush through.”
Prostate play
“We are also seeing more beginner-friendly options for prostate exploration as anal pleasure becomes less taboo for men,” Lagman notes.
The Boroughs star Denis O’Hare has voiced his disappointment following the news that Netflix will not be giving the fantasy drama a second season.
While it was popular with both critics and viewers, it was reported last week that the streamer was pulling the plug on The Boroughs after just one season.
Over the weekend, the American Horror Story actor lamented this decision, telling his Instagram followers: “I’m just thinking about the fact that Netflix cancelled The Boroughs, and how really bummed I am, because it was such a great show.
“People really seem to love it. I’ve been astounded [by] how many people have come up to me and talked about how much they liked the show – and not just, you know, old people, but anybody, people in their 30s and 40s, with kids. Everyone seemed to find something to relate to.”
Denis then pointed out there were “still a couple of days before the end of Emmy voting”, imploring anyone eligible to “just vote for The Boroughs” in every possible category to “stick it to Netflix” and “let them know they made a mistake”.
“I think it would be sweet revenge,” he enthused. “Anyway, I love the show, I miss it and… whatever.”
Days earlier, Denis’ co-star Geena Davis shared similar disappointment over the decision not to renew The Boroughs.
“I don’t know what happened,” she told The Hollywood Reporter. “I think it’s probably rare for a show to not get picked up and to have it announced that it’s not being picked up while it’s still in the top 10.”
Showrunner Jeffrey Addiss previously teased that he and the creative team had “ideas” for keeping The Boroughs running, and had planned for it to run for three seasons in total.
The first – and now, regrettably, only – season of The Boroughs is currently streaming on Netflix.
I never used to wash my jeans inside out, until I met my other half who – it turns out – knows quite a lot about laundry. He was adamant that jeans (and indeed many items of clothing) should be washed inside out.
But I never really understood why. It turns out I’m not the only one.
In a question submitted to The Guardian recent, reader Paul Williams asked: “Why does my wife make me turn my jeans inside out before they go in the wash? She doesn’t know either.”
There were 44 responses from other readers, at the time of writing, including this gem: “In Malaysia, I learnt to turn washing inside out to dry so that the hot sun could really get to any damp loving bugs lurking in the thicker seams.”
Another person said they’d assumed it was to stop the zips rubbing against, or catching on, other garments.
Why should you wash jeans inside out?
It’s actually to do with preserving the look of your jeans, according to Levi’s.
The denim brand advises to always turn jeans inside out before putting them in the washing machine.
“This simple (but usually neglected) step protects the outer colour from fading and minimises direct contact with chemicals and detergents,” the brand explained.
“This step is especially important for dark-wash and black jeans that are more prone to colour loss or transfer.”
Similarly, Guardian reader ‘rigoletto’ explained: “Denim is yarn dyed in such a way that the colour is only on the surface of the yarn. The dye particles are vulnerable to abrasion, which is why the fabric goes white at the stress points, where the original colour of the yarn starts to show through.
“Washing inside out reduces the chance of abrasion against the drum of the machine and premature fading.”
Any other tips for washing jeans?
Yes! Levi’s suggested we should be washing jeans after roughly 10 wears, “unless they are visibly dirty or start to smell”.
Consumer watchdog Which? puts it at six to 10 wears.
When you go to wash your jeans, make sure all the zips and buttons are done up (to help maintain shape and prevent snagging) and use a mild detergent, avoiding fabric softeners (which can “leave a residue” on denim) where possible.
The best temperature to wash on is the coolest one, as higher temperatures can shrink your jeans and result in colour loss.
Much of the south is in the grips of another heatwave, with temperatures set to hit highs of 37°C this week.
In southeast Wales, temperatures are expected to reach 35°C, while eastern areas are set to see a toasty 33°C.
As a result, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a series of red, amber and yellow heat health alerts.
The Met Office has also issued a rare red extreme heat warning for parts of central and southern England and Wales, running from Monday to Thursday evening.
It is likely the current highest temperature on record for June (35.6°C recorded in Southampton in June 1976) will be broken.
While school leaders scramble to make the school day more comfortable for pupils – relaxing uniform rules, encouraging kids to stay hydrated and wear sun hats, and keeping them in the shade or indoors for the hottest parts of the day – some parents (and teachers) will likely be wondering whether there’s a temperature threshold where children might need to remain home instead.
When is it too hot to go to school?
As it stands, there’s no maximum threshold set where it would be deemed too hot to go to school.
A blog post from the UK government in 2025 said: “During hot weather, we don’t normally advise schools to close. This is because school attendance is the best way for pupils to learn and reach their potential, and hot weather can usually be managed safely.”
But the same guidance suggests that using fans at temperatures above 35°C “may not prevent heat-related illness and could worsen dehydration”.
Some UK schools do not have sufficient cooling measures in place.
On 22 June, a handful of schools in the west of England confirmed to the BBC they’d be finishing lessons early, around lunchtime, as a result of the heat.
What are the health risks to kids?
The Met Office’s red heat alert has warned of “population-wide averse health effects” which are not limited to those most vulnerable to extreme heat and can lead to “serious illness or danger to life”.
Children are more vulnerable to the effects of heat stress as they “sweat less per kilogram than adults and have a higher metabolism, which means they get hot quicker”, according to Unicef.
They’re also outdoors a lot more – playing, running around and engaging in sports – which puts them more at risk for heat exposure.
Young children are also at risk of dehydration as they won’t always remember to drink lots of water, which can be dangerous to health.
Should the UK set a heat threshold for schools?
Some organisations are calling for one – or at the very least, better cooling systems so children can go to school safely when it is hot.
In May 2026, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) published a report urging the UK government to improve infrastructure for “better cooling” as the climate heats up.
The frequency and intensity of heatwaves has increased worldwide and Met Office projections suggest hot spells will become more frequent in the UK, especially the south east.
As a result, the CCC called for investment in cooling – including air conditioning, heat pumps and green shading – across key public services. This would include schools and nurseries.
It also said there should be a “national maximum temperature” for workplaces to protect workers’ safety and incentivise the deployment of cooling systems.
The National Education Union (NEU) has said that “because of the nature of the way in which education staff work, and the presence of children, a maximum indoor working temperature of 26°C is appropriate”. This week’s temperatures will far exceed that.
On 22 June, it called for urgent funding to make schools safe in the hot weather.
“A funding injection could be used implement adaptations, including air conditioning, which will make them more resilient to extreme heat,” it shared on social media.
The NEU also suggested that when a red alert is issued for extreme heat, “school and college employers must ensure that an immediate, additional risk assessment is carried out and the control measures indicated are enacted, which could include full or partial closure of the site”.
Did you know flight attendants aren’t just being nice when they greet you on a plane?
Nope – they’re also reportedly checking your fitness to help in an emergency, and sometimes eyeing up your luggage or sobriety levels.
And on the flip side, staff aren’t being mean when they tell you you can’t return to a plane to get something you’ve left behind, either. There are some pretty important reasons behind the decision.
Amanda Parker, a travel expert at Netflights, has shared that’s not the only sneakily strategic decision hiding in plain, or should I say plane (teehee), sight either.
“Passengers may not realise how important it is that aircraft are painted white,” she said.
So, why are planes white?
The first, and perhaps most obvious, reason is that white paint reflects sunlight.
This helps to keep the aircraft’s surface and cabin cooler, and protect the structure from heat-related damage, Parker said.
But the hue also “helps reduce the risk of bird strikes, as birds can spot white aircraft more easily against the sky or ground, allowing them to avoid collisions,” the expert continued.
“Darker colours reduce contrast and make planes less visible to birds, increasing the likelihood of impact.”
Then, there’s the fact that damage shows up better on white paint than it might on other shades.
“Regular inspections are critical for flight safety. Cracks, dents, oil leaks, and other damage are often darker than the white paint, making them easier to detect and address quickly, helping boost maintenance efficiency and keep passengers safer,” Parker stated.
Any other reasons?
“Aircraft paints are specialised and expensive, requiring large volumes up to 3,600 litres of paint for a jumbo jet like the Airbus A380. Because white is the most commonly used colour, it is also the least expensive and lightest paint option,” Parker shared.
“Using lighter paint reduces aircraft weight, which lowers fuel consumption and operating costs.”
On top of that, white paint fades less than coloured ones. And seeing as “repainting grounds the aircraft for up to two weeks and can cost between £150,000 to £300,000, airlines prefer white paint because it maintains its look for longer and saves money”.
Not since Miranda Priestly’s The Devil Wears Prada speech about cerulean have I realised the importance of a simple colour…
So he’s gone. Keir Starmer has resigned. The adults are out of the room. He waltzed into Downing St two years ago to the effusive gushing of the liberal commentariat, and now he’s slinking out. He and his slack-jawed media cheerleaders promised us an era of blissful if boring stability. What they gave us were riots, division, betrayal after betrayal, and an unprecedented assault on the ancient liberties of our nation. The lesson of the Starmer epoch? Never trust a technocrat.
Few tears will flow over the death of his insipid premiership. He’ll be remembered as the human-rights lawyer who took a cudgel to the sacred right of trial by jury. The self-styled worshipper of competence who was staggeringly incompetent. The man with the great work ethic who often switched off for the whole weekend, leaving ministers stumped and the nation leaderless. The ‘details man’ who didn’t even know Peter Mandelson had failed his vetting to become our ambassador to the US. Starmer was a mirage. A hologram of competence operated by an army of the inept.
It pays to look back on the media fawning that followed his electoral victory in July 2024. There was an explosion of onanistic glee in Britain’s moneyed quarters. ‘Keir Starmer has turbo-charged my arousal levels’, said Caitlin Moran of The Times. She claimed ‘every middle-aged woman’ she knew had felt ‘kind of fruity’ upon watching Sir Keir go into Downing St. Other sad centrists wanted less to be fucked by Sir Keir than sedated by him. They made a holy virtue of his dullness. They prayed he would Make Britain Boring Again. He ‘embodies the politics of boring’, said one giddy scribe, which is just what ‘mayhem-weary’ Britain needs. After the Brexit wars, the Boris years and the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Liz Truss era, we’ve had enough of ‘fireworks and political circus’, declared the BBC – now is the time for ‘vague, even boring [politics]’.
It was extraordinary the extent to which they sacralised Starmer’s blandless. His very lack of charisma was fetishised as a virtue. ‘Haven’t we had enough of charismatic leaders?’, asked one columnist. Surely what we need now is ‘someone who will manage the government in a cool and calm way’. Sir Keir’s ‘dull ordinariness’ is the best weapon we have against the ‘unchained forces of mayhem’ in British politics, said Politico. And there it was, the brutal truth about why they fell at the feet of this adenoidal personality void – they believed, they prayed, that his sheer greyness would smother the fires of dissent lit by Brexit and the broader populist thirst for a realigned, reimagined politics.
The Starmer project, at root, was a bloodless coup of bureaucratic vengeance. It was the institutionalisation of boredom as an antidote to the spirit of Brexit. The chattering classes swooned over Starmer’s lifeless, flavourless style because it was such sweet relief from the unpredictable passions of the little people. It was technocracy summed up: politics as fire extinguisher, designed less to represent the people than to tame them, less to heed our angry demands than to bury them under a slagheap of managerialism. The great hope of Starmer’s high-status backers was that he would ‘lower the temperature’.
It wasn’t long before this illiberal crusade to sanitise public life crashed against the shores of reality. The first problem was Starmer’s own shortcomings. Having won the General Election on just 33.7 per cent of the vote, he lacked moral authority. It was said by some that he won on the basis of four words: ‘I am not them.’ But that was the problem. Not being the Tories was not enough. His was a victory by default, driven more by public exhaustion after 14 years of Tory misrule than by public enthusiasm for this celebrated lacker of charisma. From Day 1, the favoured bore of the priestly class struggled to connect with your average unboring Brit.
Then there was the fact that Mr Competent was not so competent. He was rarely across his brief. He u-turned constantly. His administration lurched from scandal to scandal, from Angela Rayner’s tax idiocy to that whole installing of a pervert’s buddy as US ambassador. Starmer was a staggeringly incurious prime minister. His was a ‘passive premiership’, as that gobsmacking Sunday Times feature described it in March. People were often struck by the ‘unnatural, overwhelming silence’ in Downing St as the PM and his equally grey minions got on with things ‘wordlessly behind closed doors’. Let the fall of Starmer be a lesson to the Western elites: managerialism might be fine for a smalltown bank but it is death itself in a realm where argument, contestation, morality and noise ought to be the norm.
But the larger problem for limp, damp Starmerism was that it was so catastrophically at odds with public sentiment. You see, people didn’t want to be sedated. They didn’t want to be tranquilised into an infantile state by the halfwits and dullards of Westminster. They didn’t want to see the grey slaying of what media snobs called ‘the unchained forces of mayhem’ but which we called democracy.
So, far from being a ‘haven of peace and stability’, Starmer’s Britain became a hotbed of social conflict. There were the Southport riots, the Southampton riots, the Belfast riots. There was furious disagreement over two-tier policing and identity politics. The England flag was hoisted across the land in defiance of the haughty Europeanism and oikophobia of the Starmer classes. The rape-gang scandal bubbled up from under the crude lid of censorship forced on it for so long. Fury over our broken borders exploded into street protests. Starmer came to be hated. He became the most unpopular PM on record. At times the loathing felt almost unfair. But having been hailed by the lanyard classes as the technocratic saviour of a nation that had fallen to the forces of ‘mayhem’ (ie, public opinion), it was inevitable that hating Starmer would become the bread and butter of those of a populist persuasion.
Everything Starmer did was about ‘lowering the temperature’ of the public. His rule laid bare the calculated authoritarianism of a ruling class that considers management of the masses to be the highest goal of public life. From his attack on trial by jury to his mad insistence on bringing in a new definition of ‘Islamophobia’ to his allergic reaction to the public fury over Henry Nowak, he was always driven by a patrician impulse to subdue the popular will. To neutralise political contestation itself in order that the mythical competence of his kind might enjoy free rein. All the civil unrest we’ve seen these past two years – some of it democratic, some of it violent and ugly – is best understood as a fuming reaction against the rule of the boring and its black dream of public disenfranchisement.
And now we have the prospect of prime minister Andy Burnham, the man who edged Starmer out of Downing St with his victory in the Makerfield by-election last week. The elites want Burnham to do what Starmer failed to: quell the ‘mayhem’ of Britain’s resurgent democratic spirit. Only where they thought Starmer’s dearth of charisma might achieve that, now they hope Burnham’s much-hyped charisma will. They’ve tried boring us into submission, now they’ll try Burnhaming us into submission. They’ve learned nothing. Ten years since Brexit and we’re still lumbered with an expert class that is breathtakingly dumb.
Brendan O’Neill is spiked’s chief political writer and host of the spiked podcast, The Brendan O’Neill Show. Subscribe to the podcast here. His latest book – After the Pogrom: 7 October, Israel and the Crisis of Civilisation – is available to order on Amazon UK and Amazon US now. And find Brendan on Instagram: @burntoakboy.
Architects convert their own offices into housing
Solana Foundation and Toss Bank Sign MOU to Rebuild Korean Remittance Rails
5 Interior Designer-Approved Tricks To Bring The Mediterranean Into Your Home
-
Fashion3 days agoWeekend Open Thread: Miami – Corporette.com
-
Tech6 days agoThe Adder At The Heart Of Intel’s 8087 FPU
-
Entertainment2 days agoRenter of Home in Anne Heche Crash Denies Settlement With Son
-
Business2 days agoSoccer-U.S. defends Iran World Cup travel restrictions, says discussions ongoing
-
Business3 days agoWall Street Week Ahead: Investors see Micron earnings as pulse check of AI rally momentum
-
Politics4 days agoBBC Reporter Discusses Cross Party Criticism Of Trumps Iran Deal
-
Crypto World3 days agoHIVE shares jump as $220M AI deal speeds Bitcoin mining pivot
-
Crypto World2 days agoJake Chervinsky accuses CME of protecting derivatives monopoly
-
Crypto World2 days agoCan Charles Hoskinson Really Rescue Cardano?
-
Sports4 days agoFIFA World Cup 2026: Canada beat 9-men Qatar 6-0 to register first ever win | FIFA World Cup 2026
-
Business2 days agoMHP SE 2026 Q1 – Results – Earnings Call Presentation (OTCMKTS:MHPSY) 2026-06-20
-
Business4 days agoBrexit cost 6% of UK economy, Bank of England company data suggests
-
Crypto World4 days agoAnthropic’s Dario Amodei Urged AI Unity at G7, Even as US Banned His Models
-
Politics2 days agoAndy Burnham and the meaning of Makerfield
-
Tech4 hours agoMicrosoft accidentally kills epic Outlook email threads
-
Crypto World7 days agoRobinhood opens AI-powered trading to all users, sending HOOD stock past $100
-
Tech5 days agoWeeks Of In-The-Field Testing And A Verdict
-
Tech4 days agoAdobe adds its AI assistant to Premiere, Illustrator and InDesign
-
Tech1 day agoSignal’s Meredith Whittaker says AI chatbots ‘are not your friends’ and calls Copilot agents a backdoor
-
Crypto World4 days agoIren (IREN) Stock Surges on Jefferies Buy Rating: AI Infrastructure Play Gains Momentum
You must be logged in to post a comment Login