9 d. ago Resisting Faragism offers the Lib Dems a rare clarity of purpose | Rafael Behr

Ed Davey’s rallying cry in defence of moderate, liberal Britain might give some coherence to a party with a reputation for opportunismIn the polarised climate of British politics, irritation with Liberal Democrats is one of the few things that Labour and Tory MPs have in common. Parliament’s two biggest parties see each other as arch enemies – status that affords some mutual respect. The Lib Dems are treated more like pests, ideological shapeshifters, wheedling their way into voters’ affections, burrowing into local politics. If allowed to nest in a constituency, they are notoriously hard to shift.Kemi Badenoch has a severe infestation in her back yard. Of the 72 seats currently held by Ed Davey’s party, 60 were taken from Conservatives. The former seats of three Tory prime ministers – David Cameron, Theresa May and Boris Johnson – are now represented by Lib Dem MPs. That pattern was repeated in this year’s local elections, when the Lib Dems gained 163 seats almost entirely at the T...

Politics

1 week ago Bruce Willis’ daughter Scout posts rare photo amid father’s dementia diagnosis

Bruce shares Scout with his ex-wife, Demi Moore

Culture

2 w. ago Bruce Willis, 70, is seen in rare smiling photo with his daughters amid dementia struggle

The patriarch looked carefree as he smiled in the rare social media image. 'Belated tidings from a summer of wonder,' wrote Scout in her Instagram caption.

Culture

2 w. ago Keir Starmer is betting everything on an America that doesn’t exist any more | Rafael Behr

Cosying up to Trump is an all-in gamble. Britain should be building better relations with more reliable allies closer to homeInterpreters are not required for visiting US heads of state, but that doesn’t mean Donald Trump and Keir Starmer will speak the same language this week. The UK prime minister will practise the art of tactful diplomacy emphasising mutual advantage and historical alliance. Most of the words in that sentence mean nothing to a president who is fluent only in self-interest.Given the likelihood of miscommunication between two men from such different political cultures – the showbiz demagogue and the lawyer technocrat – relations have been remarkably friendly and, in Downing Street’s estimation, fruitful.Rafael Behr is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Starmer should beware: in this volatile age, no majority and no leader is secure for long | Rafael Behr

Labour’s massive election victory already feels long ago. The PM needs to build a new electoral alliance – and quicklySign up for our new weekly newsletter Matters of Opinion, where our columnists and writers will reflect on what they’ve been debating, thinking about, reading and moreKeir Starmer doesn’t see himself as the leader of a coalition government. With 399 MPs and a working majority of 156, why should he?One reason is that those numbers mark a high tide of anti-Tory feeling that receded as soon as Rishi Sunak’s rotten administration was swept away. Voters from diverse places with disparate grievances embraced Starmer’s promise of change, often uncertain what it meant in practice. They needed reasons to be glad of the choice they had made and haven’t found them. Support for the government has tanked as a result.Rafael Behr is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

Politics

4 w. ago While Starmer struggles with a broken system in Westminster, real power keeps leaking elsewhere | Rafael Behr

Far from No 10, Nigel Farage has been amassing power in the sprawling, networked space where 21st-century politics happensSign up for our new weekly newsletter Matters of Opinion, where our columnists and writers will reflect on what they’ve been debating, thinking about, reading and moreWith a buzz of activity in parliament and mandatory back-to-school metaphors, a new political season opens in Westminster, but is that where politics really happens? Yes, in terms of people making policy and law in buildings that are world-famous for that purpose, the SW1 postcode is where it is at.But the heart of the machine beats with a weak pulse. The UK state is heavily centralised by the standards of most democracies, yet the people at the centre don’t feel powerful. Ministers can’t enforce bin collections in remote areas or call a halt to Middle East wars but they are made to feel answerable for all that is ill in the world, from hyperlocal to geopolitical.Rafael Behr is a Guardian columnist ...

Politics