Mark Wallace

Great excitement as the Total Politics office Bake Off is back for a new season. Today’s entries are salted chocolate cookies and Black Forest gateau brownies.

For the first time, I have been moved to write a letter to Country Life about their exclusive piece by Nigel Molesworth.

In an effort to make this even more meta than it already was, TfL have wrongly claimed this is a fake flyposter, it’s turned out to be real, and they’ve deleted the claim.

For goodness’ sake

An unlikely place to see a “banned” book: for sale in Waterstones. #BigClue

Really struggling to warm to Mo on #GBBO. It doesn’t even seem like he particularly wants to be there. Perhaps the mopiest Baker Off contestant since Ruby Tandoh?

It’s arrived! The latest addition to my political merch/tat collection. #BirminghamTapestry #cpc26

Our magazine @thehousemag.bsky.social is 50 this year! I’ve spent some time digging through the archives to piece together its history www.politicshome.com/thehouse/art...

Not now, Rage Virus

Utterly vomitous.

Opinion | 'The US President loves a deal. Russia's leader knows how to exploit that,' writes Mark Wallace trib.al/bVCQjyH

The New Statesman now comparing Sally Rooney to Salman Rushdie is a good illustration of the wildly out of hand egotism at play in all this.

Wait, a New Josh?? #thearchers @dumteedum.bsky.social @allaboutthearchers.bsky.social

Astonishing cope here. PISA doesn't measure rote learning, it is not based on the English curriculum. It relies heavily on comprehension and applying knowledge to a new context.

Riots reach Durham (sorry)

Hard to have a negotiation when everyone there is on the Russian side.

Reminds me of a friend who suggested the slogan for 2026 Tory Conference might productively be “Bring back shame”.

Bracing for the enormous recalculation of national wealth that’s going to come when the ONS decide to include the value of all the carrier bags under your stairs and the Gü ramekins at the back of the kitchen cupboard.

"If you're a researcher interested in Conservative history, policy development or political strategy, please consider applying for the 2026 award. Applications are open until 30 November 2026 and require only a one-page proposal" Applications can be sent to heritage@theconservativefoundation.co.uk"

Dahlia from the garden. My wife is very green-fingered!

Cheap, plentiful, secure energy is the foundation stone of everything. Without it, we will keep losing out.

London (Lime Bine jousting) and Paris (riots), a tale of two cities.

Officially the worst Craig David cover ever.

She’s gone! Scaramucci Inflation is now A Thing.

Asked by Sky News about Britain rejoining the EU, the Czech Prime Minister unhelpfully (for Rejoiners) says the quiet bit out loud.

This is still an option and should still happen. Particularly now Trump is treating with Putin and angling to get these funds under his control. Pack it up, send it to Kyiv and let the Ukrainians make highly efficient use of it in a good cause. #makerussiapay

The head of Charity Commission says harassment of RNLI volunteers by protesters has forced stations to close and normalises violence in public debate

I think you can disagree (as I do) with the proscription itself, but still agree with the point made here. S.15 of the Terrorism Act 2000 would appear to apply (or is at least a risk). Whether you divert royalties to fund a proscribed organisation is a choice. bsky.app/profile/wall...