The Labour Party has already gone through the process of selecting a candidate for that seat. If she’d defected before that had happened she could have put herself forward for reselection (and there’s a different process for that), but that ship has long sailed. The candidate is the candidate, and it’s not her.

Quits at the next election. Always an important distinction. No by-election this time, alas.

The Government has abdicated its duties; for the they who once upon a time handed out military command, high civil office, legions — everything, now restrains themselves and anxiously hopes for just two things: meat and crumpets.

• Juvenal, 100 AD (mostly)

Argh, Microsoft Store? One of the very few stores which remains doggedly impossible to get games running on Linux. Boo to you, Prime Gaming.

You know, I don’t think I’ve ever heard an American say “Gen Z” before, and it literally never occured to me that they were pronouncing it “Gen Zee”. Obvious now you mention it, but I’ve just been assuming that every time I see it written down it’s “Gen Zed” by default.

Really interesting arcticle breaking down which groups have moved and where, and providing a bit of depth to the discussion around changing demographics.

An interesting take-away is the fact that the electorate is much “swingier” than it ever has been in the past, with a far greater number of people willing to consider switching their vote compared to historic elections. That makes things a lot more volatile than previously, and explains some of the break-neck changes we’ve seen in recent years (Labour gains in 2017, Tory majority in 2019, potential Labour landslide in 2024).

Sadly not. The Male Political Haircuts Twitter account is a fan, though.

Are you the woman dreaming of a beautiful new ideal home?

Boring answer for me: I’m a local councillor and activist, so I’ve been in the paper more times than is strictly good for me. I’ve pointed at potholes and glowered at empty shops and stood freeze-framed in the act of handing over petitions and all the other classics.

The burden of local fame can be overwhelming.

Funny you should say that. Someone had bought me The Book of Dust vol.1 ages ago, and it had been sitting on my bookshelf unread for exactly that reason. About a year ago I finally convinced myself to re-read the HDM trilogy so that I could finally get on and read it!

HDM held up decently well with adult eyes. It’s still a very emotive, well-paced and convincingly plotted read, although there were parts that made me raise my eyebrows in a way I undoubtedly didn’t as a younger reader, and the third book perhaps didn’t hold up quite as well as I remembered. But all in all I greatly enjoyed the revisit, and like I said I really enjoyed La Belle Sauvage (which is a pretty weird and trippy book in a way, but a very enjoyable trip all the same).