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Politics

Madonna’s Danceteria Lyrics: Who Is Everyone Mentioned In The Confessions II Song?

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Martin Burgoyne pictured in 1985

It’s a very exciting time to be a Madonna fan.

Not only has the Queen of Pop’s latest release Confessions II got some of the most glowing reviews in her 40-year career, she’s just topped the UK albums chart for the first time since 2012.

What’s more, Confessions II cut Danceteria has also become her first solo top 40 single on this side of the Atlantic, proving people are still up for hearing from the trail-blazing star even four decades into her career.

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Hype around Danceteria was strong even before its release, after it was prominently featured in Madonna’s Confessions II short film, in a star-studded sequence featuring a host of A-list cameos.

Danceteria itself also namechecks a host of key figures from Madonna’s past, who she used to rub shoulders with at the titular nightclub before shooting to fame in the early 80s. Some of them were friends of hers from back in the day, some went on to achieve huge success in their art form, and some are even still in Madonna’s life all these years later.

With Danceteria quickly becoming one of Madonna’s most talked-about songs in years, we’re running through some of its lyrics with a quick guide to everyone who gets a mention in the song…

‘Meet this boy called Martin Burgoyne, he’s my best friend, he’s my Boy Toy…’

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Martin Burgoyne pictured in 1985
Martin Burgoyne pictured in 1985

Patrick McMullan/Getty Images

A visual artist who was a pivotal part of the downtown art scene in 80s New York, Martin Burgoyne befriended a young Madonna at Danceteria and later became her roommate.

The two worked together numerous times in the early years of her career, and after years of friendship, he eventually became one of the first people in her life to die from AIDS-related causes.

During the final stages of his life, Madonna paid for Martin’s medical bills, as well as an apartment for him that meant he could be nearer St. Vincent’s Hospital, where he received his treatment.

She later paid tribute to him on her Erotica album track In This Life, and in 2023, when Madonna turned her song Live To Tell into a memorial to those who died in the AIDS crisis, Martin’s face was the first projected onto the stage.

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“He was really cute: blond curly hair, earrings up his ears, plaid golf shorts, Doc Martens, black frames, and a white t-shirt with a sweater vest over it,” Madonna told Interview magazine earlier this year, while recalling their first meeting.

“He’s like, ‘You look lost’. And I was. He said, ‘Come with me. I’ll get you in’. And he just crashed to the front of the line.”

She added: “Everybody knew him. He said hi to everybody. The doorman opened the velvet rope. He brought me in and my whole life changed.”

‘Cut to the front, there’s Haoui Montaug…’

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(L-R) Haoui Montaug, Chi Chi Valenti, and Johnny Dynellat pictured in 1987
(L-R) Haoui Montaug, Chi Chi Valenti, and Johnny Dynellat pictured in 1987

Patrick McMullan/Getty Images

Haoui Montaug ran the door at several iconic New York clubs, including the Tunnel, Studio 54 and, of course, Danceteria.

At Danceteria, he was also in charge of the club night No Entiendes, where Madonna performed her debut single Everybody back in 1983 (he can be seen introducing her at the beginning of the video below).

In the early 90s, after being diagnosed with AIDS, Haoui held what became known as a “suicide party” to say goodbye to his loved ones (including Madonna, who is reported to have attended over the phone) before taking his own life the following morning.

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‘Get on the elevator, I run into Debi Mazar…’

Debi Mazar and Madonna together in the early 1990s
Debi Mazar and Madonna together in the early 1990s

DMI/The LIFE Picture Collection/Shutterstock

Debi Mazar is an actor, TV personality and life-long friend of Madonna’s, having previously appeared in the music videos for hits like Papa Don’t Preach, True Blue and Music.

The two also met at Danceteria, where Debi used to work on the lift (as mentioned by Madonna in her lyrics).

As the singer put it to Interview magazine: “[Debi] was 16 when she was working there and lying about her age. She was going to the Wilfred Academy of Hair & Beauty Culture and we hit it off right away.

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“She used to put the elevator on hold, like press the emergency button, and come out and dance with me.”

Madonna added: “She had the most incredible looks all the time. Her face was beat. Her hair was done. I kept going, ‘Damn, girl, how do you look so good? I have three pieces of clothing and I don’t even know how to do my makeup’.”

Madonna and Debi Mazar in the former's Confessions II film
Madonna and Debi Mazar in the former’s Confessions II film

Debi also described Madonna as her best friend during an interview with Watch What Happens Live in the early 2010s.

Since her Danceteria days, Debi’s screen credits have included everything from the films Goodfellas, Empire Records and Malcolm X to the popular TV series L.A. Law, Entourage, Ugly Betty and Younger, plus lending her voice to Maria Latore in the Grand Theft Auto games.

Notably, she’s also the only person name-checked in Danceteria to also appear in its accompanying visual.

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‘Then I see Mark Kamins is the DJ, he’s the DJ, hide the cocaine…’

Mark Kamins DJing in April 1990
Mark Kamins DJing in April 1990

Steve Eichner via Getty Images

As you can probably guess, Mark Kamins was one of the DJs at Danceteria at its heyday, who helped Madonna out majorly by playing a demo of her song Everybody, which eventually became her debut single, during a night out.

In Interview last month, Madonna claimed she specifically used to go to Danceteria in an attempt to “butter up” the DJ, with whom she’d briefly go on to work in the first years of her pre-fame career.

As she put it: “He saw me as a complete stalker. Someone would say, ‘There’s Mark Kamins’, and I’d go sit next to him and say, ‘Hey, I know you’re the DJ here and I’ve been working on this music and I’d love to get a chance to play it for you if it’s possible’.

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“He was cute and I was turning on the charm as much as I could, and he’d be like, ‘Do you know how many people bother me about wanting to play me their demos?’. He left, but I kept harassing him. I just kept coming back.”

She continued: “Eventually I ended up in a bathroom with Mark Kamins, and I saw him snorting coke. He’s dead now. I can say that.

“He was a wonderful guy, but he did a lot of things people did in the ’80s that they shouldn’t have done. You know what I’m talking about […] So anyway, I brought him some coke in the bathroom, took him in the stalls, me and Debi […] So anyway, we made out, we did a little blow, and then he agreed to listen to my demo.”

‘There’s Fab 5 Freddy…’

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Fab 5 Freddy at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2017
Fab 5 Freddy at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2017

Like many of the people name-checked in Danceteria, Fab 5 Freddy was a burgeoning artist in the era Madonna’s hit is set, at that time mostly dabbling in large-scale graffiti art.

He is now considered a pioneer in the hip-hop scene, and was previously name-checked in Blondie’s Rapture “rap” back in 1981, too, before putting together the film Wild Style and going on to become a VJ for MTV’s flagship hip-hop show.

‘…and Basquiat…’

Jean-Michel Basquiat in 1985
Jean-Michel Basquiat in 1985

Jean-Michel Basquiat is among the most influential artists of the 20th century, rising up through the New York graffiti scene before turning his hand more to painting in his own signature style.

He and Madonna dated in 1982, at a time they were both on the cusp of a breakthrough in their professional careers, though the future Queen of Pop said that his continued use of hard drugs was what ultimately led to the end of their relationship.

“He wouldn’t stop doing heroin,” she told Howard Stern decades later, adding: “He was an amazing man and deeply talented. I loved him.”

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Madonna claimed that after their split, he made her return two paintings of his that he’d once gifted her, which she later learned he’d destroyed with black paint.

In 1988, he died of a heroin overdose at the age of 27.

‘…Keith Haring…’

Keith Haring, Sandra Bernhard and Madonna in the late 80s
Keith Haring, Sandra Bernhard and Madonna in the late 80s

Artist and activist Keith Haring’s distinct drawing style is immediately recognisable, and has been referenced in Madonna’s career dating all the way back to her Borderline video in 1984.

His work incorporated heavy themes including issues around race, drug misuse and the AIDS crisis, and is recognisable by its colourful and uniquely-shaped drawings of people and animals.

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Keith died as a result of complications from AIDS in 1990. In 2023, he was also among the figures included in Madonna’s tribute to those lost in the AIDS epidemic on her Celebration world tour.

‘…and Kenny Scharf…’

Kenny Scharf in 2022
Kenny Scharf in 2022

Marc Patrick/BFA.com/Shutterstock

Another artist who came up with Madonna in her Danceteria days was Kenny Scharf, known for his distinctive style that sends up middle-class American iconography, often incorporating cartoon characters from his youth, like the Flintstones and Jetsons.

Still active today, he has turned his hand to various artforms over the years, including sculpture, video and even fashion, and was the subject of the 2020 documentary Kenny Scharf: When Worlds Collide.

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‘Everyone came from Shafrazi – Sha-fra-zi, to the beat…’

Tony Shafrazi outside his gallery in 1981
Tony Shafrazi outside his gallery in 1981

Allan Tannenbaum via Getty Images

Art dealer Tony Shafrazi opened up his own gallery in the late 1970s, which quickly became a key space in the downtown art scene.

The Tony Shafrazi Gallery and Danceteria were both known as a hub for artists of that era (including many of them named in Madonna’s latest hit), eventually closing in 2014.

In more recent years, Shafrazi has become a more divisive figure in the art world due to his vocal support for Donald Trump.

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‘There’s Maripol…’

Maripol and Madonna in 2005
Maripol and Madonna in 2005

Patrick McMullan via Getty Image

French fashion designer and stylist Maripol was an important figure in the early years of Madonna’s career, helping put together the image that would make her a global superstar.

Most notably, she styled the future chart-topper on her first two album covers, as well as in the music videos for hits Burning Up and Like A Virgin, as well as her inaugural tour, The Virgin Tour.

Outside of her work with Madonna, she’s also collaborated with musicians like Cher, Grace Jones, Sir Elton John and Blondie’s Deborah Harry.

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‘…and a guy named Fred’

Alright, you’ve got us there.

Danceteria actually name-checks three different “Freds”, including the aforementioned Fab 5 Freddy and The B-52s’ frontman Fred Schneider, but quite who the mysterious “guy named Fred” is supposed to be is up for debate.

One contender suggested by fans on Reddit is the photographer Fred Seidman, who took Madonna’s pictures for the New York paper The Village Voice years before she made it big.

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‘There’s Rock Steady Crew and Crazy Legs…’

Crazy Legs of the Rock Steady Crew pictured in 2007
Crazy Legs of the Rock Steady Crew pictured in 2007

During Madonna’s time partying at Danceteria, breakdancing was still very much on the come-up, with one of the artform’s most popular troupes being the Rock Steady Crew.

Their leader was Richard Colón, better known to fans as “Crazy Legs”, whose distinct moves made him one of breakdancing’s most influential figures.

‘Nile Rodgers…’

Nile Rodgers on stage in 2024
Nile Rodgers on stage in 2024

The co-founder of Chic was instrumental in some of the band’s biggest hits, including Everybody Dance, I Want Your Love and Le Freak.

While Nile Rodgers and Madonna moved in the same circles at Danceteria, interestingly, they wouldn’t work together until she’d already broken through, and he produced some of the biggest hits from her second album, most notably Material Girl, Like A Virgin and Dress You Up.

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Still a huge figure in the pop music sphere, Nile Rodgers has quite literally worked with everyone, from Diana Ross, David Bowie and Duran Duran to Mariah Carey, Beyoncé and Lady Gaga. He and Chic are still staples on the festival scene, too.

‘…and David Byrne’

David Byrne on stage in April 2026
David Byrne on stage in April 2026

Most of us will know David Byrne best as the guitarist and lead vocalist of the avant-garde rock group Talking Heads, whose biggest hits include Once In A Lifetime, Burning Down The House and Psycho Killer.

Like Madonna, David Byrne is very much still making music, releasing his most recent album in 2025, in collaboration with Ghost Train Orchestra.

He’s also an Oscar winner thanks to his work on the score of the 1987 film The Last Emperor.

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‘…the B-52s had money to burn’

Fred Schneider and Kate Pierson of The B-52s performing together in 2008
Fred Schneider and Kate Pierson of The B-52s performing together in 2008

Of course, the B-52s had their breakthrough a few years after Madonna with their seminal floor-filler Love Shack.

Quite why Madonna says they “had money to burn” in their Danceteria days remains to be seen, but at least frontman Fred Schneider appeared to see the funny side of it all.

‘Lounge Lizards had so much style…’

The Lounge Lizards performing in London in 1981
The Lounge Lizards performing in London in 1981

David Corio via Getty Images

Saxophonist John Lurie co-founded the band Lounge Lizards in the late 1970s, merging elements of jazz with other popular genres from that time, including punk, new wave and other avant-garde music.

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Much like Madonna herself, the Lounge Lizards would often perform at Danceteria as well as frequenting it as patrons.

‘Lower East Side, take a walk on the wild side…’

Lou Reed on stage in 1990
Lou Reed on stage in 1990

Although she doesn’t reference him by name, Madonna’s “take a walk on the wild side” here nods to Lou Reed’s similarly-named hit.

To drive her point home, she then launches into the “do do do” section of Take A Walk On The Wild Side, which is why the late Lou Reed is also named as a co-writer on Danceteria.

Lou, of course, is a true icon of the music world, first coming up as a member of The Velvet Underground, before enjoying decades of solo success.

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He died in 2013 at the age of 71, and continue to record and tour even in his final years.

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Farage speculates Ann Widdecombe death was ‘premeditated murder’

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Nigel Farage laying a wreath in a field

Nigel Farage laying a wreath in a field

Nigel Farage has speculated that Ann Widdecombe was the victim of “premeditated murder”. He’s attracting controversy for the statement; especially because he also said ‘it doesn’t pay to speculate’ at this time:

Speculation

On 10 July, Joe Glenton reported the following of Widdecombe:

A 26-year-old white male suspect has been arrested after former Tory minister and Reform UK politician Ann Widdecombe was found dead. She was an MP for over two decades and was known for her far-right and homophobic views.

The police have since released the suspect. It wasn’t speculation to report on the above, though, because it was reported by the police that they’d made the arrest. The following from Farage, however, is most certainly speculation:

From what I make out, this was premeditated murder. Whether it was politically motivated, whether it was someone with a grudge. I don’t think it pays at this time to speculate

We understand the 24-hour news cycle encourages this sort of thing from media figures. Take this from Mike Graham, for instance, who was a presenter on TalkTV until they sacked him over a racist social media post:

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Generally, it’s understood that politicians should hold themselves to a higher standard. We’re not sure anyone would expect this from Farage, of course, given his many ongoing scandals, but still.

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As Ben Kentish noted in a tweet:

Devon and Cornwall Police: “We have made the active decision not to release further information…Releasing such information prematurely could compromise ongoing enquiries and may prejudice future investigative opportunities.”

Nigel Farage: “The car went onto the drive at approximately 12.30pm on Wednesday.”

Farage is openly just engaging in theorising too, saying:

One theory doing the rounds is that it was a burglary gone wrong. But a car went onto the drive at approximately 12.25-12.30 on Wednesday. She had done one interview in the morning… She was due to do another one at 1pm. So if you were a burglar, would you literally drive your car onto someone’s drive?

Farage and his big mouth

Farage is making it increasingly clear that he’s not fit to hold higher office. Whether it’s the many donation scandals or his loose lips, the man simply cannot behave himself. And while we’re often in favour of a little anarchic behaviour, that’s not the case when said behaviour solely benefits billionaire backers and dodgy donors.

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Featured image via the Canary

By Willem Moore

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Deranged Israel-first senator Graham dies after visit to Ukraine arms factory

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Lindsey Graham

Lindsey Graham

Rabidly Israel-first US senator Lindsey Graham has died aged 71. His office described his death as coming after a “brief and sudden” illness.

Graham was one of the more unhinged US politicians, even among Trump supporters. Irredeemably Israel-first, he even threatened a US invasion of the International Criminal Court over its arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu.

Lindsey Graham — Shameless genocider

Graham was a shameless supporter of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, though he would never have admitted it is a genocide. His comments make clear he had no concern whatsoever for Israel’s hundreds of thousands of Palestinian victims:

“I am with Israel. Do whatever the hell you have to do.”

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“Level the place.”

“Do in Gaza what we did in Tokyo and Berlin.”

Lindsey Graham had just visited a Ukrainian killer-drone factory, where he had toured weapons the manufacturer has developed to try to protect Israel from Iranian ‘Shahed’ drones and other retaliation.

Graham’s fellow Israel-firster, 84-year-old Senate leader Mitch McConnell, is also believed to have died. However, his office appears to be delaying confirming the death, potentially for political reasons. McConnell’s sheet-covered body was reportedly rolled “without urgency” into an ambulance late last week.

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Muslim humanitarian Omar Suleiman responded to news of Graham’s death by wishing him an eternity of what he helped inflict on Gaza:

Bye Lindsey. May you live an eternity in ruins for the ruins you helped create in Gaza. Ameen

Featured image via the Canary

By Skwawkbox

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Police Urge Caution Over Ann Widdecombe Alleged Murder Motive

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Police Urge Caution Over Ann Widdecombe Alleged Murder Motive

Police have urged the public not to speculative on the “motive” behind Ann Widdecombe’s alleged murder.

The former Conservative minister, and later Reform UK spokeswoman, was found dead at her home in Haytor on Dartmoor at about 11.40am on Thursday after sustaining serious injuries.

A 28-year-old white British man was arrested on suspicion of murder in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, shortly after 9pm on Saturday.

At a police briefing on Sunday, assistant chief constable Matt Longman, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said: “At this point, there is still no information to suggest that this is a terrorism-related incident and at this point we are not looking for anyone else in connection with this murder.

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“At this stage, there is nothing to suggest that it was politically-motivated.”

He said detectives “remain open-minded about the potential motive” and stressed it is not believed there is any threat to the wider public.

The officer added: “We are aware of online and public speculation, particularly with regards to motive.

“Again, I urge people not to share or engage with that speculation – it’s unhelpful, it doesn’t aid our investigation, and particularly, it’s distressing to the family and friends of Miss Widdecombe.”

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Speaking as he laid a wreath outside Widdecombe’s home on Saturday, Reform leader Nigel Farage said: “From what I make out, this was premeditated murder.

“Whether it was politically motivated, whether it was someone with a grudge. I don’t think it pays at this time to speculate.”

It has also emerged that Reform MPs are being given round the clock security protection following Widdecombe’s death.

Meanwhile, Reform’s home affairs spokesman, Zia Yusuf, accused parliamentary authorities of not caring about the safety of the party’s MPs.

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In a post on X, he said: “The state is providing no protection whatsoever.

“In fact, based on what I have seen in the last 48 hours, none of the government, the Speaker nor the police care at all about the security of Reform MPs.

“Several of our MPs have written to the above in recent months about distressing, escalating security concerns, asking for help. Their correspondence was not even replied to. I will let you draw your own conclusions from this.”

But independent MP Rosie Duffield replied: “Every single sitting MP is entitled to security provided by the House of Commons. This also covers our outside engagements.”

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The Commons Speaker’s office has been approached for comment.

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.

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Fraudster made undeclared donations to Reform UK

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Nigel Farage and George Cottrell of Reform UK

Nigel Farage and George Cottrell of Reform UK

Mainstream outlets have been shining a light on Reform UK and Nigel Farage’s finances over the past month. Last week, this saw the Times covering the criminal aristocrat ‘Posh George’ Cottrell, who was providing Farage with various benefits in the runup to the 2024 election. Now, the Times are reporting Cottrell may also have made undisclosed donations to Reform UK:

Posh George

Farage has multiple ongoing scandals right now, including:

The controversies for Farage multiplied over the past week, with the following hitting mainstream attention:

There’s also this:

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Oh, and this isn’t a scandal per se, but it came out that Posh George refers to Farage as ‘daddy’. Make of that what you will.

Reform UK — Undeclared

In the latest on the Posh George affair, the Times are reporting:

George Cottrell used his own money to cover office costs totalling thousands of pounds for Reform after the last election and as recently as last year, sources have told Insight.

The crypto-gambler repeatedly used his personal bank card to buy computer tools and software to be used by the party’s staff. However, none of the donations were declared to the Electoral Commission as required by legislation.

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A party can be fined for failing to disclose such support under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, which stipulates that a donation includes money, goods or services given free or at a discount exceeding £500 in value.

Posh George is a convicted fraudster, and may not have been a permissible donor at the time that he made some of the above donations. This is because Cottrell is a tax resident of Montenegro; the base of the crypto-gambling platform he’s involved with. While he is on the list of registered overseas voters, he’s only been on said since last December.

Reform UK describes Cottrell as a volunteer. Contrary to this, the Times are now reporting that Cottrell has been intimately involved with the party:

However, Insight can now reveal that as well as buying office equipment for the party, Cottrell has long had personal access to Farage’s party email and had his own desk next to the leader’s private office at party headquarters at Millbank, Westminster.

Additionally:

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The insiders said he sat either with Farage in his personal office at headquarters or in a quad of desks in a room directly next to it, and claim he was involved in political and fundraising matters at the very highest level.

Mainstream attention

Because of how the right of reply process works, Reform UK knew this raft of stories were coming out. As such, this may explain Farage’s big by-election stunt. It’s unclear why the Reform leader felt a need to step down from his Clacton seat only to run in the race to reclaim it. Such a move could have worked as a distraction; it’s just failing to do so because there are too many scandals to distract from.

We should note we’re using phrases like ‘mainstream attention’ for a reason, and it’s that independent journalists have been covering this stuff for years. As Don McGowan of No Holds Barred Pod said:

Carole Cadwalladr speculated that her reporting was ignored for the following reasons:

Reported while female.

Didn’t work for a right-wing newspaper.

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Dismissed & ridiculed by men who did.

Gaslit for a decade.

Sued through the courts.

But I’m not the loser here.

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This decade of denial has caused Britain irreparable harm.

This isn’t to say the establishment media and their considerable resources aren’t unearthing new information; it’s to say this stuff would have come out years ago if the will had been there.

Reform’s undisclosed money is piling up

If Nigel Farage had a penny for every ongoing scandal, he’d have enough money to stop taking undisclosed lump sums from foreign-based crypto billionaires. Well, maybe not that much, but only because the lump sums in question have been in the millions.

Things aren’t looking good for Reform UK, anyway, as even their voters are noticing the stench of corruption:

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We’re not sure how much longer this can go on for, but we doubt it’s all the way to 2029 electoral success.

Featured image via the Canary

By Willem Moore

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Messi turned walking into the deadliest weapon in modern football

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Messi

Messi

A viewer watching Lionel Messi for the first time might think the Argentine captain has drifted out of the match. He avoids constant pressing and chasing.

Instead, he spends long periods walking or standing to watch his surroundings. This approach defies the high-tempo, continuous pressure demands of modern football.

But behind this image that suggests calmness lies one of the most complex tactical ideas in the game. Walking is no longer just about conserving energy.

It is now part of his philosophy for managing the game. He reads the play carefully before deciding when to act.

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This economy of movement allows him to wait for the critical moment where he can make a decisive impact.

FIFA tracking data, featured in a report by The Athletic, shows that Messi walked for 64% of his time during the World Cup.

This was the highest percentage among all outfield players in the tournament. He spent roughly 25% of his time standing or moving very little.

He ran for only 8.6% of the time, compared to the 23% tournament average.

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Despite these numbers, the Argentine captain was not far from impact. By the end of the Round of 16, he was a joint-top scorer with eight goals.

He created 15 clear scoring chances and ranked third in touches within the attacking third. He also received the ball 97 times between the opponent’s midfield and defensive lines.

This high rate confirms that low movement does not equate to low effectiveness.

The information gathering phase

In traditional football, walking is seen as being absent from the match events, but Messi deals with it in a completely different way.

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When he appears detached from play, he is busy reading defender movements. He monitors gaps between lines to identify players out of position and spaces that will open up later.

Pep Guardiola once noted that Messi spends the match’s opening minutes observing everything. He draws a mental map of opponent movements before he begins exploiting their weaknesses.

Once the ball reaches him, he has already formed a complete picture of everyone’s locations, making the decision-making faster than the defenders’ own reactions.

This philosophy explains why he runs sparingly. He avoids wasting energy chasing the ball, saving it instead for moments when an attack becomes a genuine scoring opportunity.

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Many used to explain Messi’s genius by his technical abilities or dribbling skills, but the experiences of the best defenders in the world reveal another side of his superiority.

Raphaël Varane has faced Messi over twenty times. He notes that the hardest part of marking him is not his dribbling, but his positioning where defenders are unsure who should cover him.

He moves calmly between lines into a “gray zone.” Center-backs hesitate to step out, midfielders don’t advance to mark him, and fullbacks refuse to leave their positions.

During these few seconds of hesitation, Messi has already received the ball and started the attack that is difficult to stop.

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Former defender William Gallas believes man-to-man marking Messi is a gift. A defender leaving their position simply grants Messi’s teammates the space they need.

Conserving energy

At thirty-nine, Messi no longer has the explosive speed of his early Barcelona days. Instead, he manages his physical effort differently.

Tournament data shows that 71% of his sprints occur in the attacking third. Another 21% end inside the penalty area. He only runs when scoring chances are high.

Every sprint is a calculated decision rather than raw physical effort. Running has become his tool for finishing attacks, not for building them from the start.

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This style imposes extra burdens on his teammates, especially during pressing and ball recovery. However, the team seems fully convinced of this trade-off.

Pablo Zabaleta, of the FIFA Technical Study Group, says teammates run more to preserve their captain’s energy. They know his genius can decide a match in a single moment.

That’s why his teammates do not see his lack of running as a burden, but rather as an investment in the player most capable of making the difference.

Messi — Redefining greatness

Modern football long associated the best player with running, pressing, and covering space. Messi presents a completely different model.

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Greatness, in his case, is not measured by the number of kilometers he covers, but by the quality of the moment he chooses to move. He doesn’t win matches with a multitude of steps, but with the precision of the single step that changes everything.

Therefore, he might seem, in the eyes of many, outside the match atmosphere, while in reality, he is the player most occupied with the match.

He observes, analyzes, and redraws everyone’s positions in his mind, waiting for the moment to pounce on the appropriate space.

Lionel Messi has turned walking into a smart tactical weapon. This proves that speed of thought is more valuable than foot speed. The calmest player often has the greatest influence.

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Featured image via the Canary

By Alaa Shamali

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Sources allege Palestinian Authority hospitals are treating members of Israeli occupation backed anti-Hamas armed groups

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Palestinian Authority

Palestinian Authority

According to Quds News Network, sources claim the Palestinian Authority (PA) has begun providing medical treatment for members of armed groups in Gaza accused of collaborating with “Israel” — admitting them to hospitals in the occupied West Bank.

Palestinian Authority treats collaborators with “Israel” in its hospitals

This follows the Zionist regime’s refusal to receive wounded members of these militia groups at hospitals inside “Israel.” Instead, the Palestinian sources claim the PA coordinated the collaborators’ transfer to hospitals under its administration, where they received medical care and logistical support.

One of the wounded fighters, who is identified only by the initials “S.D.,” was reportedly admitted to a hospital in Ramallah under the alias “Ahmed.” He suffered a severe head injury, including a fractured skull. The sources say he is affiliated with the militia group led by Ghassan al-Dahini. This operates in the Rafah area of the southern Gaza Strip. The individual is said to have been wounded during an ambush carried out by resistance security forces in Gaza. It resulted in multiple members of the group being killed or injured.

Anti-Hamas militia members use aliases in hospital but PA aware of this

A senior Palestinian Authority official is said to have coordinated the patient’s admission to the hospital. Dozens of wounded individuals linked to these anti-Hamas militias have been received by hospitals and hotels across the occupied West Bank. The sources claim that many of these have been registered under false identities rather than their legal names. And this practice has taken place with the prior knowledge of officials within the PA.

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According to analysis by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), at least five “Israeli”-backed armed groups have become increasingly active since late 2025. They mainly operate from occupation-controlled areas near the “Yellow Line.”

These groups have taken part in armed confrontations with Hamas-affiliated security forces. They have also carried out targeted assassinations of Hamas police and senior security officials, and detained members of Hamas. Civilians known to have collaborated with the resistance have also been abducted and killed by these militias.

Israeli occupation supports these militias

The occupation’s wider strategy is to support local groups that can challenge Hamas. It also aims to reduce the need for Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on the ground. So “Israel” provides support for these anti-Hamas militias, by giving them weapons, intelligence, logistics, training, and operational protection.

The aim of the Zionist regime is to weaken Hamas’ control by backing rival groups. But ACLED argues “Israel’s” continued empowerment of anti-Hamas groups increases divisions among Palestinians. It also makes clashes between Palestinian groups more likely. This will make it much more difficult for a single, united Palestinian leadership to emerge in Gaza.

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By Charlie Jaay

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Mothin Ali calls Burnham a ‘coward’ over Gaza genocide stance

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Andy Burnham of Labour and Mothin Ali of the Green Party

Andy Burnham of Labour and Mothin Ali of the Green Party

On 9 July, Andy Burnham issued a statement regarding ‘Labour’s stance on Gaza‘. In it, our incoming PM refused to call Israel’s actions a genocide, and did little to differentiate his position from that of Keir Starmer. Accordingly, Canary writer Joe Glenton described the statement as “milquetoast sop“. And he wasn’t the only one to notice Burnham is trying to pull the wool over our eyes:

The “coward” Burnham

His Gaza statement included the following line:

I have been absolutely appalled by what I’ve seen and read about the destruction of Gaza. There’s increasing evidence that war crimes appear to have been committed.

And also this:

There must be accountability for the depth of the suffering the people of Gaza have experienced. Ultimately, however, it must be for the international courts to determine, rather than politicians.

There’s clearly a double standard here; one which suggests Burnham will ultimately fail to deliver on opposing Israel:

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This is no surprise, of course, as we’ve been reporting:

It’s also the case that Burnham and his key appointees are in the foreign influence operation known as ‘Labour Friends of Israel’. As Ranjan Balakumaran reported for the Canary:

Andy Burnham has spent years crafting a specific public myth. He is the ‘King of the North,’ the casual jacket-wearing, anti-Westminster populist who promised to smash the Whitehall bubble, reverse decades of devastating de-industrialization, and bring failing water utilities back under public control.

​But as he prepares to enter Downing Street as Prime Minister, the mask has officially slipped. Burnham has handed the keys of Number 10 to his new Chief of Staff, James Purnell—the ex-chair of Labour Friends of Israel, a former BBC executive, and the CEO of Flint Global, an elite corporate lobbying outfit that protects private water companies from state takeovers and was recently sold to a private equity firm notorious for price-gouging the NHS.

Speaking out

In full, Mothin Ali said:

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[Andy Burnham] is a coward.

He apologised for the position this Labour Government has taken on Palestine but He won’t call it a Genocide, he hides behind international law.
He won’t commit to Sanctioning Israel.

He won’t commit the British government to stop sharing intelligence and resources with Israel and he won’t commit the RAF To stop doing spy flights over Gaza.

What he forgets is the minute you suspect a genocide we have an obligation to take steps and save lives.

Just like he forgets that Greater Manchester doesn’t just mean growth in the centre but for every community that feels left behind, like Wigan, like Rochdale, like Bolton. All our communities should to be protected.

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That’s why we need [Greater Manchester mayor candidate Geraldine Coggins] and that’s the difference she will make.

Ali isn’t the only Green speaking out either:

Prepare to be disappointed

This isn’t the only instance of Burnham trying to dupe voters:

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As we reported on 30 June:

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When Andy Burnham unveiled his plan to run in the Makerfield by-election, the establishment media claimed he would renationalise utilities. Because we actually listened to what he was saying, we knew this wasn’t the case, and we pointed it out. Burnham himself disagreed with our assessment that he had no plan to end the privatisation nightmare. Now, Burnham has made it clear; his Labour government will not offer anything besides half measures:

Under Keir Starmer, voters got little besides cold gruel. Andy Burnham has run Starmer’s slop through the microwave for 30 seconds, but it’s still not warm, and it’s still f*cking gruel.

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ITV’s Clarke’s post-match interviews epitomise awful UK media

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ITV

ITV

ITV sports hack Gabriel Clarke has rightly been lambasted for his appalling interviews after England beat Norway to reach the World Cup semi-finals.

The match followed the pattern of recent England performances: a frustrating, lacklustre performance rescued by moments of brilliance from, mostly, Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane. England manager Thomas Tuchel, while happy to get through and praising Bellingham’s performance his team’s mentality, was correctly dissatisfied with the latest repeat. Tuchel felt that England “made life hard for [ourselves]”.

ITV Clarke’s wind-up

And he had no patience for Clarke’s wind-up:

Clarke then moved on to try to bait Bellingham, England’s star player on the night, appearing to want to drive a wedge between player and manager:

Fans weren’t slow to pick up on the ploy:

And many called Clarke a “troublemaker” all too typical of UK ‘mainstream’ media, who should be removed because of it:

‘Get rid’

Some asked readers to take steps toward achieving it by complaining to the broadcaster:

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The theme of ‘stirring division’ came up repeatedly:

S***-stirrer

Some thought Clarke felt aggrieved by Tuchel’s dismissiveness of his nonsense and was trying to get payback:

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Some pointed out how Clarke could easily have relayed positives from the Tuchel interview to Bellingham but chose to emphasise the negative:

Others agreed and essentially believed Clarke was doing it for clicks:

And Clarke was accused of tarnishing one of English football’s greatest moments:

Tuchel, by contrast, was praised for his directness and not trying to gloss over the improvements needed:

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As this commenter suggests, if the FA wants to get through the semi-final – let alone win the World Cup – it should keep Clarke well away from its squad and management:

But Clarke did serve one useful purpose: shining a spotlight on the general awfulness of UK ‘MSM’. If only UK people would wake up as a whole to that in politics as well, we might not be living in an authoritarian dystopia.

Featured image via Twitter

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Experts Say You Should Wash Your Hands After Touching These Common Items

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The germiest surface is one you tap every day to check out at the grocery store or coffee shop.

Every day, we use our hands to pick up packages, hug friends, make calls – and touch disease-carrying germs.

“Most gastrointestinal and respiratory infections spread when contaminated hands touch your eyes, nose or mouth,” said Dr. Supriya Rao, a gastroenterologist.

Spraying our hands immediately with hand sanitiser can make all the difference in whether you get a cold the following week.

But first, you need to know which surfaces carry the most germs. The grossest surfaces are never quite what we think. Here are the three biggest culprits most people overlook, according to germ experts:

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1. Pin pads

The germiest surface is one you tap every day to check out at the grocery store or coffee shop.

Ekaterina Demidova / Getty Images

The germiest surface is one you tap every day to check out at the grocery store or coffee shop.

Every time you check out a purchase at the supermarket or coffee shop, you are likely tapping a pin pad on a payment terminal to check out what you bought. But this surface has been touched dozens of times by other grimy hands.

Out of all the many items we touch on an everyday basis, microbiologist Jason Tetro, aka “The Germ Guy,” said, pin pads are the most unsuspecting germ carrier.

“In order for you to get the pin number inputted, you have to put pressure, and the pressure is enough to really leave behind a large amount of microbes from your hand,” Tetro said.

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“And then there’s such a high turnover that anybody who may not have washed their hands or washed their hands properly” is going to leave germs on that pin pad, he said.

Tetro cited flu and COVID viruses, in addition to salmonella, if someone touched raw meats beforehand, as the big risks of what you can get from a pin pad.

Because a pin pad requires focused pressure, it is a surface “where you’re going to have the greatest threat for transmitting any kind of pathogen,” Tetro said.

2. Trolley handles

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Beyond pin pads, consider the unsuspecting surface of a trolley handle. Both Tetro and Rao said the handles in a grocery cart were common culprits for carrying germs.

“It is the one thing that people will overlook more than anything else, because they don’t think about it, because they’re too focused on purchasing” food, Tetro said.

Since the handle is an easy way to transfer viruses, “people will probably end up having a sore throat, or maybe a cold” from touching a germ-filled grocery-cart handle without sanitising their hands after use, Tetro said.

3. Phones

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Disinfect your hands if you have been tapping on your phone a lot.

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Disinfect your hands if you have been tapping on your phone a lot.

For many of us, our phone is attached to us at all times, and picking up germs wherever we go.

“You take it everywhere with you – the grocery store, the bathroom, the airplane, the gym. It’s always with you. And how often do you actually clean it?” Rao said. For Rao, a phone was the dirtiest surface people touch that should make them wash their hands.

Make a point to regularly clean your hands before using your phone. “Ideally people should have clean hands before using their phone and should try and sanitize their phone several times a week,” Rao said.

Until you get a chance to wash your hands, you can also simply use hand sanitiser – if you do it properly. “It usually kills enough, so that you don’t have a chance of getting exposure or sick from what happens to be on your hands,” Tetro said. But he noted that many people don’t use hand sanitiser right, so here’s a quick refresher.

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Hand sanitisers often use ethanol to kill germs. And to get the most out of these germ-killers, you should keep your hands damp for 15 seconds after spraying. “A lot of people will just put it on and rub as hard as they can, and will be done in three or four seconds,” Tetro said. But let the hand sanitiser sit on your hands for 15 seconds before letting your hands dry.

Sanitising your hands after touching these three everyday surfaces is a small intervention that can make a big difference in whether you get sick this year.

Every time people report not knowing where they got a cold from, Tetro said he will ask, “Did you use a pin pad? Did you touch your face after you touched the pin pad?” If you did, then you know what to blame.

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Laura Kuenssberg Criticises Nadhim Zahawi Over Farage Claim

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Laura Kuenssberg Criticises Nadhim Zahawi Over Farage Claim

Laura Kuenssberg slapped down Reform’s Nadhim Zahawi after he claimed Nigel Farage is the victim of a Westminster “pile-on”.

The BBC presenter told the former Tory minister “this is scrutiny” as she pointed out other politicians seeking to become prime minister have faced the same.

The pair clashed in the wake of Farage’s decision to quit as MP for Clacton to trigger a by-election in the seat, which he won at the 2024 general election.

He said he was the victim of a “witch-hunt” as parliament’s standards watchdog probes a £5 million gift he did not declare from a Thailand-based crypto billionaire shortly before he ran to be an MP.

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Appearing on Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, Zahawi – who quit the Conservatives to join Reform in January – said: “What Nigel has done is the right thing because it’s up to the people of Clacton to back him or sack him.

“My experience is that Westminster, either through a co-ordinated attack on Reform or otherwise, is a pile-on to stop Nigel, to stop Reform.”

But Kuenssberg told him: “You know this is exactly the kind of scrutiny that happens to anyone that wants to become prime minister, whether it’s a gift of millions of pounds or the field that Keir Starmer had for his mother’s donkey. This is scrutiny.”

Zahawi then said parliament’s standards committee, half of which is made up of members of the public, is “a kangaroo court of MPs who are all anti-Nigel”.

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“The best scrutiny is the people of Clacton, because ultimately they will judge Nigel and they will judge the Reform Party,” he said.

“I think, at the moment, there is a co-ordinated attack on Nigel, on Reform.”

The decision to spark the by-election has backfired on Farage, however.

Labour, the Tories, the Lib Dems, the Greens and Restore Britain have all refused to stand candidates, leaving the Reform leader facing a straight fight with Count Binface.

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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.

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