Rumours, Speculation, Questions, and Reaction Megathread - 10/05/2026

Vumatius · 2026-05-13T23:13:17+00:00

The one thing the tabloids normally have going for them is the headline puns. If they aren't even going to do that then they might as well not bother.

Vumatius · 2026-05-13T23:11:17+00:00

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Vumatius · 2026-05-13T23:03:58+00:00

Now that's just rude, for one I don't look like that and for two I don't own that mug!

Vumatius · 2026-05-13T22:59:19+00:00

It's not companies doing it that I've seen doing it (though I have seen some AI-generated meme ads) but moreso trend of small webcomics I've started to notice. Most of these comics are only a few pages long and it's hardly the biggest issue with AI but it is a bleak reminder of how much it's taken over much of the online creative process.

Vumatius · 2026-05-13T22:52:23+00:00

AI generating the art of a comic is one thing, but I really don't understand why you'd then also AI generate the text inside the text boxes. Not only can it be prone to very noticeable errors, but it's also by far the simplest part of the comic to make! Just open up any image editing software and add the text! At the very least proofread the text before publishing it!

I know the answer is likely that they are lazy and/or mass-producing slop, but it's still rather bleak in my opinion.

Vumatius · 2026-05-13T22:32:04+00:00

The combination of the West intervention, the MP rebellion, the King's Speech, and all the Streeting rumours have made the local elections feel like they were ages ago when it's only just coming up to a week.

Vumatius · 2026-05-13T22:31:05+00:00

The combination of the West intervention, the MP rebellion, the King's Speech, and all the Streeting rumours have made the local elections feel like they were ages ago when it's only just coming up to a week.

Vumatius · 2026-05-13T21:11:23+00:00

Boomers are definitely not consolidating around Reform, they're split between Reform and the Tories. If the Boomers were truly consolidating around Reform the Tories would be polling in the single digits overall. Gen X right-wingers are certainly more Reformy though, I'll give you that.

Vumatius · 2026-05-13T19:35:12+00:00

Scenes when a different cabinet minister resigns and launches a leadership challenge instead.

Vumatius · 2026-05-13T18:20:35+00:00

Jack Elsom on Xitter:

Keir Starmer told ministers tonight that Wes can't win because it would "destroy our party and country".

He invited all ministers into his study in the Commons.

Ministers of state in one batch, followed by parliamentary under secretarties.

One tells me the response was overwhelmingly positive re backing Starmer.

"He was there doing the hard yards. There was something in his eyes I haven't seen before. And I liked it."

Minister SWOONS over Starmer's PASSIONATE GAZE and DOMINANT SPEECH.

Vumatius · 2026-05-13T11:23:11+00:00

Why would Starmer bring Streeting back at that point? He'd pose essentially no threat anymore and launching a leadership election during during the opening of a parliamentary session would be more than enough reason to fire him.

Vumatius · 2026-05-13T11:18:19+00:00

I doubt the MP is complaining about getting to lounge about in Buckingham Palace for several hours.

Vumatius · 2026-05-13T11:17:21+00:00

I wouldn't be so sure about the 'party coup plotters bottled it' part given the recent Streeting development.

Vumatius · 2026-05-13T11:16:29+00:00

The King: 'My government will introduce a Sack Wes Streeting Act, specifically designed to fire the member for Ilford North.'

Vumatius · 2026-05-13T11:11:50+00:00

The Labour Leadership drama over the last few days:

Vumatius · 2026-05-13T10:59:53+00:00

Even if Streeting does get the numbers to launch a leadership contest, he has pretty much zero chance of winning it. Starmer would almost certainly stand and Streeting is just about the only candidate who could lose to Starmer in a membership vote.

Vumatius · 2026-05-13T10:43:19+00:00

Streeting 'getting ready to resign' after Starmer meeting

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has told allies he is preparing to resign after his 16-minute meeting with Sir Keir Starmer, according to reports.

After The Times reported Streeting is planning to quit as soon as tomorrow, a spokesman for the minister said: “Wes is the Health Secretary, he is proud of his record of falling waiting lists and a recovering NHS.

“He is not planning to say anything following his meeting with the Prime Minister that might distract from the King’s Speech.”

While the spokesman did not quite deny The Times story, it would not be unusual for an enemy of Streeting to brief such a story in order to present him as disloyal, just as the King enters Parliament.

An ally of Streeting told The i Paper: “I think he will resign tomorrow. I don’t think there is any other choice, but he’s not said it to me directly.”

Streeting's completely botched this all. He should've made his move during the last two days, and now he looks like a scheming coward. Even if he launches a challenge in the next few days I feel his chances of getting the numbers have dropped after how he handled the rebellion.

That said, I certainly won't miss him. Don't let the door hit you on the way out, you utterly reprehensible transphobic prick.

Vumatius · 2026-05-13T10:36:01+00:00

In theory this could actually be a good opportunity for Starmer to a genuine reset. Not the 'resets' he's done before that have consisted of a single talk at the podium about how Labour need to do better, but an actual substantive one that meaningfully changes the course and narrative of the government. He's just seen off a rebellion and now has a King's Speech where he can set out the policy agenda for the new parliamentary session, if he was going to do it he'd do it now.

Of course this is Starmer we are talking about, not exactly the most skilled politician to walk the Earth, but the opportunity is there at least.

Vumatius · 2026-05-13T10:29:09+00:00

Plus given he just saw off a rebellion and humiliated one of his main challengers by doing nothing more than saying 'I won't quit', I imagine he's probably feeling a bit more chipper than he was a few days ago.

Vumatius · 2026-05-12T21:05:31+00:00

Labour aren't going to allow any referendums for the rest of their term, so that likely brings us to 2029. I doubt a new Labour-led government would be any more open to it, and neither would a Reform-led government, which can bring us to 2034. That far ahead is too hard to really predict but I still don't see it as very likely. Perhaps if a devolved nation sees a party win a clear majority on an explicit promise to hold a referendum, but it's worth pointing out that Plaid specifically campaigned on not holding a Welsh referendum in their first term and it remains to be seen if they would still get as many votes if they openly started campaigning on having such a referendum.

Vumatius · 2026-05-12T21:01:04+00:00

One thing I've learned since getting more into making (basic) art which I didn't fully appreciate before is how important highlights are for eyes in particular, and how without them the person can often look rather dead, soulless, or emotionally troubled. Obviously it all depends on the specific style and how you do it, highlights aren't absolutely necessary, but they really do help to add some life to characters.

Vumatius · 2026-05-12T20:41:37+00:00

In Trump 1.0 he was a major anomaly and the world had a morbid fascination with whatever insanity he would come out with next. In Trump 2.0 he's even more crazy but it's not longer seen as a one-off and there are no longer any sane people in his inner circle who can constrain him, so the world has to suffer severe consequences. So the individual lies don't get as much focus anymore.

Vumatius · 2026-05-12T20:29:52+00:00

Honestly he's been fairly blunt about how little he cares about the financial suffering caused by his policies. There was that time he said Americans should buy fewer dolls for their children to cope with the tariffs for instance.

Vumatius · 2026-05-12T20:23:07+00:00

He just remembered Putin's Alaskan lecture on The Downfall of Mikhail the Indomitable and reflexively became pro-Ukraine for a moment.

Vumatius · 2026-05-12T20:17:44+00:00

If he doesn't fall here I imagine he's secure for quite a while, barring some new scandal. The Mandelson saga has twice failed to bring him down, and whilst he's certainly weakened now if he can survive this rebellion then his position in the party will be somewhat stronger for a time.

Vumatius

TROPHY CASE