The Joy of Six 1517

"In 2026 our vote share in inner London boroughs was the worst since 1978. We aren’t running any inner London boroughs. We are only even the main opposition party in one, Brent. This isn’t just a London, or a city, problem though. Our 2026 local election vote share of 14 per cent is worse than in the coalition year of 2011 – and our lowest in 8 years." Rob Blackie argues that if the Lib Dems are again to appeal to young voters we must march towards the sound of gunfire.

Jason Cobb says the Starmer project was born in Lambeth and foundered just as Labour lost its grip on that borough.

Sadiq Khan talks to Byline Times: "I think what we have now is an outrage economy. And this outrage economy is built on a division dividend. You can call it 'decline porn', and you have people and companies profiting from poison and division. So I recognise I'm clickbait. I recognise that I’m being monetised. But also London is being monetised in this outrage economy."

"In England and its colonies, no one was burnt at the stake during witch hunts: not at Pendle, not at Salem and not under the campaigns of the 'witchfinder general', Matthew Hopkins. The image of the burning witch is powerful, but in this context, it is largely a myth." But, reveals Stephanie Brown, women were burnt for defying their husbands.

Daniela Rosenow on the efforts to recover the stories of the Egyptians who helped discover the tomb of Tutankhamun.

"Strip away the film’s showy excess, and this is why The Omen is such a compelling tale. A man who lost his only son must choose whether to kill his only son? It’s positively fiendish." Ruth Bushi marks the 50th anniversary of the film's release.