Daily Politics from the New Statesman “Another chapter in the farce that is HS2” | Will and Anoosh’s weekly round up
Mar 28, 2026
A stolen phone and disappearing WhatsApps that complicate accountability in Westminster. A clash over council tax claims and debates about local government funding. Ridiculous HS2 cost-cutting ideas like slowing trains get roasted. Political fundraising and culture-war arguments mingle with talk of high-profile arrests and oddly apt names in the news.
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Stolen Phone Likely Destroyed Key WhatsApps
- Morgan McSweeney's stolen phone is unlikely to be recovered and may have deleted WhatsApp conversations because many Westminster figures use disappearing messages.
- Police treated the theft as routine (wrong street given), reflecting low phone-recovery rates and standard police practice of not prioritising such cases.
Enable Motion Locks And App Passwords On Phones
- Politicians should enable phone security features like motion-triggered auto-locks and app-specific locks to reduce exposure when devices are snatched unlocked.
- Will Dunn recommends turning on individual app locks and anti-theft settings because unlocked snatches are especially valuable to attackers.
Party Pledges Clash With Council Tax Reality
- Kemi Badenoch and other parties promised lower council tax but many councils are raising it, sometimes to the legal maximum above inflation.
- West Sussex raised council tax by 4.99% (above inflation) and ministers framed promises as comparative rather than absolute cuts.