It is increasingly preposterous to produce a countdown of the five most popular posts when the previous month only saw six or seven, but I do have a taste for the absurd. Here's what did the business in October.
1. Evading the Simple Fact
2. The Clear Blue Water Strategy
3. Undercover in Reform
4. John Healey's Little Budget
5. Local Council By-Elections October 2026
Up at October's top is my piece looking at the attacks being made on Zack Polanski and the Green Party in the aftermath of their coming second in Keir Starmer's old seat. What these reveal is a deal of complacency from a media and Labour establishment who want to see the Greens written off. In at two were my views on Kemi Badenoch's speech to the Conservative Party. I watch these things so you don't have to. This reiterated a strategic pivot back towards treating Labour as their primary opponent, largely thanks to the Tories taking the media view that Reform are a busted flush. You wouldn't think the two parties are level pegging in the polls. Third was ITV's undercover investigation of repellent and racist views in Reform. A confirmation of what most people already knew, but it might help toxify them for the Farage-curious. Following up were a few small reflections on John Healey's equally limited budget. One for fixing the small things, but not without political cost. And lastly there is the round up of council by-elections. The first time in Reform's history that they ended a month with a net loss of seats.
What's going on in November? There are a couple of drafts bubbling under, so we'll see if energy/motivation is up to it.
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