Zack Polanski was supposed to be electoral kryptonite. Only in broken Britain would such a fanatical fruitcake emerge as a party leader, the right-wing press would say – a sign, if you needed one, that we have all taken leave of our senses. And yet, as Alan Rusbridger writes, as Polanski's Green Party candidate for Gorton and Denton, Hannah Spencer, romped home, it shows that Farageism – bleak, negative, despairing, demonising – isn't the only game in town. "The early conventional wisdom was that Matt Goodwin – who has good teeth, if only he'd smile more – would walk it. And then the Wokies bit back. Ouch."
This Greenquake is certainly a cause of concern for Starmer. Had he allowed Andy Burnham to stand, would things look so bleak for Labour? Probably not. Does Westminster and Starmer's Labour look and feel a long way from concerns on the ground in Greater Manchester? Yes, absolutely. But beware of lumping the North into one amorphous mass. It's complicated, says Katie Rosseinsky, who writes on what you should also know about Hannah Spencer. One this is certain, Starmer needs to get a good story, or his next chapter isn't going to have a happy ending, and if he isn't able to tell it, who will asks John Rentoul?
Whether it is the traditional two-party system or the institution of monarchy, hardly a day goes by without the established order of things being challenged. As preparations are underway for a historic royal visit to Washington, could this be the riskiest royal visit in history? Happening amidst the fallout from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest, the divisions of Trump's America, and the threat of a brutal Times Square advertising campaign directed at the King should he go, the jeopardy is mounting. In his piece this week, Alex Hannaford looks at how a moment of diplomacy could turn into an uncomfortable confrontation over power and accountability.
Meanwhile, Jon Sopel looks at the Clinton-Maxwell triangle that spells more trouble for the Democrats than Trump. Will the release of the next tranche of Epstein files change that? Read his analysis here.
But back to the North and to more positive news. Warrington-born Adolescence star Owen Cooper is already the toast of Hollywood, with a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award under his belt at the age of 16. As the show looks to win big at this evening's SAG Awards, we talk to his drama teacher about how his success is inspiring a new cohort of northern actors — young working-class lads who are often the focus for more negative headlines. It is a wonderful and hopeful dispatch; I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
We're all looking for small pleasures in these difficult days which is why chef Ryan Riley is determined to serve up recipes for comfort and joy – check his exclusive collection here. And if you're looking for a good drink to go with your dinner, Rosamund Hall is on hand with her brilliant expert and easy-to-remember advice to ensure you never make a mistake buying wine again.
Until next weekend!
Victoria Harper
Executive Editor
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