Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 29/09/2026And will he fund a receptionist to answer the phone at RAF Fairford? 152
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Will Chancellor John Healey find the missing money that caused defence secretary John Healey to resign? And is there an alternative that provides national security without fuelling ever spiralling demands from the defence lobby? Me for @theleaduk.bsky.social - national.thelead.uk/p/the-lead-u...national.thelead.ukThe Lead Untangles: Defence spendingAs the Chancellor gave a hint of what may be in the budget, has he squared the ongoing pressures over funding the military which triggered him to resign under the previous prime minister? 042
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 10/09/2026Why are England and Wales outliers in western Europe for sending so many people to prison? Me for @theleaduk.bsky.social - open.substack.com/pub/theleadu...open.substack.comThe Lead Untangles: The prisons crisisAdult men’s prisons across the UK are essentially full, but early release is a tricky issue - as Andy Burnham has already found 023
Reposted by Kevin GopalGeorge Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 01/09/2026Officially, the water industry in England is regulated. Practically, it's unregulated. There's no difference between what it does under the eye of the Environment Agency and what it would do if the EA did not exist. The EA is completely useless, by design. www.theguardian.com/business/202...theguardian.comDry weather sewage discharges soar as water companies face scrutinyExclusive: 7,280 suspected illegal spills in rivers and sea recorded in first five months of 2026 9824421018
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 30/08/2026Envy you the Ramones. Would have loved to see Jefferson Airplane. How were Starship? 110
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 30/08/2026From your list have seen Springsteen, John Martyn (many times), Richard Thompson (a few times), Van Morrison and the Rolling Stones 010
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 30/08/2026Loud, very late on and a bit all over the place tbh. Knebworth 79. Think Jimmy Page's drug habit was getting on top of him. But still utterly thrilling for a 15yo blessed with kind liberal parents who let us go camp for the weekend. Led Zep & Hawkwind probably the only 'rock' bands I listen to still 010
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 30/08/2026Led Zepellin John Martyn The Three Johns Here and Now Curtis Mayfield Gillian Welch Burning Spear The Roches Crazy P Gil Scott Heron 210
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 31/07/2026Burnham's been aware of that since at least 2017. Shame there was nothing on it today - www.bigissuenorth.com/features/201... 010
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 31/07/2026Me for The Lead this week. How much difference will the reforms make when the vast majority of planning decisions are already delegated to officers? 031
Reposted by Kevin GopalChris Dillow @chrisdillow.bsky.social · 28/07/2026If this had been policy in the 70s (as it partly was), towns would have produced lots of mining engineers & metallurgists just before pits & steelworks closed. As the yanks say, you should skate to where the puck's going, not to where it is. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...theguardian.comBurnham to tell schools in England to adapt teaching to local business needsPM wants curriculums for students aged 14 and above to be more responsive to local jobs market 1023783
Reposted by Kevin Gopalflyingrodent @flyingrodent.bsky.social · 28/07/2026We gave the Americans a gajillion pounds so we could use these wonky fuck-up robots. What are we going to do, *not* use them for cruelty to foreigners? Insane 212234
Reposted by Kevin GopalPaul Lewis @paullewismoney.bsky.social · 27/07/2026This is very troubling. Protesters not prosecuted as terrorists as prosecutors feared they would not have been convicted. So charged with criminal damage. Guilty. And now CPS wants them sentenced as terrorists. bit.ly/4x5xiRf What is happening to our sense of justice? 510766
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 26/07/2026I looked at why @zackpolanski.bsky.social, @neweconomics.bsky.social and others support rent controls in a piece for @theleaduk.bsky.social earlier this month - national.thelead.uk/p/the-lead-u...national.thelead.ukThe Lead Untangles: Rent controlsWith Andy Burnham almost certain to become the next Prime Minister, campaigners are demanding rent controls 131
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 23/07/2026Good for farmers that wool prices are bouncing back - www.fwi.co.uk/business/mar... 110
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 23/07/2026Great pic but sad the fleece ends up in the bins. 110
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 18/07/2026Me for The Lead this week. Thanks to all who spoke to me. 001
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 14/07/2026You really can never give these people enough. Been talking to EU migrants who've paid to upgrade from settled status tocitizenship precisely for fear settled status might be removed from then. Now Spectator would remove that. 110
Reposted by Kevin GopalThe Onion @theonion.com · 13/07/2026Baby Can Already Tell Crib He’s In Going To Be Recalled theonion.com/baby-can-already-tell-… 11103775
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 10/07/2026My first ever day at a test match - a good way to start. 010
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 10/07/2026Who lines up alongside with the Greens in support of rent controls – and who is against? Me for @theleaduk.bsky.social this week – national.thelead.uk/p/the-lead-u...national.thelead.ukThe Lead Untangles: Rent controlsWith Andy Burnham almost certain to become the next Prime Minister, campaigners are demanding rent controls 000
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 28/06/2026Told his dressing room "reasons can wait". If there are "reasons'" ECB in trouble. You'd think he had another year in him on form and fitness, even if his batting had declined 000
Reposted by Kevin GopalKevin Mitchell @kevinmitchell50.bsky.social · 28/06/2026BREAKING: Stokes retiring from international cricket - announced while he’s still bowling! Weird. 141
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 28/06/2026The Mill tests the journalist exemption in GDPR and it works - manchestermill.co.uk/a-dish-best-se… @manchestermill.bsky.socialmanchestermill.co.uk 001
Reposted by Kevin GopalDan Davies @dsquareddigest.bsky.social · 21/06/2026It really is noticeable that there are a lot fewer England flags up everywhere than there were in the last World Cup, presumably because nobody wants to be mistaken for those clowns who were putting them up everywhere for no good reason last year. 1524629
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 22/06/2026Burnham: It is 'important that this process is conducted in an orderly and responsible way. I will put myself forward as part of this process'. 000
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 07/06/2026Fibbing about your preferences to market researchers in the street was an old fave. 100
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 01/06/2026Mandelson and Robbins both urging the deleting of things. 000
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 01/06/2026Mandelson will not be familiar with the Nolan Principles, believes Corin Robertson. 😂 000
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 01/06/2026Mandelson to McSweeney. “I’ve just had this exchange with*** by whatsapp. I don’t know why Karen decided to email everyone last night… Please ignore – and if you can do it discreetly, delete!” 000
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 01/06/202613-03-25. From Ailsa Terry to Mandelson and McSweeney. “Thank you Peter. On the back of the email you mention, Olly has been clear about the need to delete all traffic on this.” 000
Reposted by Kevin GopalAdam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 01/06/2026References to Palantir have been redacted from the Mandelson files on the grounds that they would be "prejudicial to UK national security or international relations" 54748424
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 27/05/2026'But I got away with "hand of history". They'll love "less as a rupture than a reckoning". Put it in.' 000
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 17/05/2026Also doesn't seem to fully grasp that Burnham doesn't run the city council. 110
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 16/05/2026Pronunciations heard in last 24 hours: 'Mackerfield', 'Mekkerfield', 'Makefield'. 100
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 14/05/2026Resulting from an IRL conversation with @crumpsalljamie.bsky.social earlier today 021
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 14/05/2026Think they're still smarting cos they believe Labour elected the wrong Miliband in 2010. 010
Reposted by Kevin GopalJoshi Herrmann @joshih.bsky.social · 02/05/2026Shabana Mahmood’s special advisor threatened us with an injunction and two different lawsuits last night in an attempt to block this story linking her to a notorious vote rigging case. I think it’s strongly in the public interest. So here it is. www.birminghamdispatch.co.uk/exclusive-sh...birminghamdispatch.co.ukExclusive: Shabana Mahmood’s postal ballot was investigated in a 2004 vote-rigging scandal in BirminghamThe future home secretary submitted two postal ballot documents with very different signatures 6246139
Kevin Gopal @kevingopal.bsky.social · 28/04/2026Sad news that Beverley Martyn has died - johnmartyn.com/news/beverley/johnmartyn.comBeverley - John MartynIt is with profund sadness, that we announce that Beverley... 100
Reposted by Kevin GopalDan Davies @dsquareddigest.bsky.social · 17/04/2026If I was Starmer it would be getting me through the day. In tough meetings I would be thinking "at least I've got the Mandelson compromat file to read this weekend". What kind of person has that kind of document and doesn't read it? No friend of mine for sure. 5574
Reposted by Kevin GopalRobert Smith @bondhack.ft.com · 09/04/2026Hall of fame FT correction 8867201243