Jimmy Kimmel on Trump: ‘His list of threats is now longer than Kash Patel’s bar tab’
Late-night hosts discussed the Trump administration’s confusing messaging about the war in Iran and why fruit-flavoured vapes have suddenly become a Republican priority,On Jimmy Kimmel Live! the host spoke about the conflict in Iran and how the strait of Hormuz is still to be reopened,While Trump claims that the US is close to a deal, Kimmel said it was “still very much in flux, as in what the flux are we doing over there?”Trump has been issuing more threats this week, which led Kimmel to joke that “his list of threats is now longer than Kash Patel’s bar tab”,It’s meant that gas prices are still sky high, with California experiencing the highest in the country,This week will also see Marco Rubio being sent to “make nice” with the pope including asking him “why God didn’t answer his prayers for smaller ears”.
Kimmel also said “he’s hoping to get the pope down to five commandments”.He then spoke about a pre-Mother’s Day event, where Melania Trump made comments about her husband’s empathy that led to both of them laughing at the same time.“I really feel like I brought those two back together,” he said.This week Trump has also been in a “reported beef” with Marty Makary, the head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).The president has been “angrily bullying” him over the approval of fruit-flavoured vapes, which is important for “young Maga”.
Kimmel called it “as noble a cause as there is”.On The Late Show, Stephen Colbert spoke about the US “closing in on an end to the war” although reports suggested this week that an Iranian official called the terms an “American wishlist and not a reality”.At a press briefing this week, Marco Rubio claimed that Operation Epic Fury is over and now it’s being transitioned to Project Freedom, yet that was then halted after one day.Colbert said it was all “living up to the Trump family motto: when the going gets tough, bye, bitch”.He then spoke about the $1bn that will allegedly be going towards Trump’s ballroom from taxpayers.
Colbert called it all “bullshit” as despite Trump having “one unwavering promise” that the money would come from donors, this is now not the case.“To lie that blatantly takes a lot of balls and he still hasn’t built the room to store them,” he joked.This week has also seen RFK Jr try to change FDA rules to allow minors to use tanning beds.Colbert said it “comes as no surprise from someone who looks so hickory smoked”.He also spoke about the push to approve fruit-flavoured vapes for adults and, like many, claimed that this would ultimately be used more by children.
“Those kids need something to take the edge off after a couple of hours in the tanning booth,” he said.On Late Night, Seth Meyers called the situation with Iran “confusing and unclear” and also spoke about the problems with Trump and his cronies using the word “war”.They have been “desperate to avoid” using the word as it would make the invasion illegal as it was not officially approved by Congress.While Trump has often used the word “war”, he’s also been using “other dumber euphemisms”, such as “excursion” and “skirmish”.But “sometimes he gets tripped up on his own bullshit” and goes back to saying “war” or “mini-war”, to which Meyers said there is “no such thing”.
The attempt to rebrand it as Project Freedom had Meyers joke that “they’re treating the war like it’s HBO”.He also looked at Trump’s confusing social media posts this year and asked: “How can you expect to get an outcome when no one knows what outcome you want?”Meyers said that “Trump can’t hold one position for even a day” and is “still trying to bullshit his way out of it”.
‘Hold the line’: Burnham tells allies in parliament he still has options to return
Andy Burnham has told Labour MPs they should hold the line and that he has options to return to parliament after several seats identified by his allies failed to materialise.Two seats that backers of the Greater Manchester mayor had described as “nailed on” as recently as Monday night are now out of contention after the MPs concerned got cold feet.Burnham spoke to a number of MPs by phone on Tuesday and assured them that he still intended to seek an imminent return to parliament.The Guardian was told by two MPs on Wednesday that Jeff Smith, who represents Manchester Withington, an affluent suburb of the city, was in talks about stepping aside for Burnham, but his friends denied it. Asked whether he was about to make way, Smith told the Press Association he was not
‘It’s more incrementalism’: Starmer’s safe king’s speech fails to quell mutiny
For Keir Starmer’s Labour critics, his second king’s speech, in which the government set out what it would do in parliament over the next 12 to 18 months, was a crystallisation of everything that was wrong with the prime minister’s strategy.Over 34 bills and three draft ones, Starmer set out a programme he said would “make this country stronger and fairer”. But the package, which included limiting trial by jury, reshaping the NHS and moving the country closer to the EU, fell short of what some in the prime minister’s party feel is needed to win back voters’ trust.“Most of this is incrementalism,” said one Labour MP. “This sums up where we have gone wrong in the first two years in government
Starmer has ‘full confidence’ in Streeting despite health secretary’s allies saying he is planning to resign – as it happened
Downing Street has now confirmed that Wes Streeting is still health secretary. The PM’s spokesperson told reporters the prime minister has “full confidence” in the health secretary.Allies of Wes Streeting have said he is preparing to stand down as health secretary amid deep frustration with Keir Starmer’s leadership, and could mount a formal challenge for the leadership as early as Thursday.Keir Starmer has put long-promised changes to education, health and the courts at the heart of his agenda for the next year, as the embattled prime minister looks to prove he can enact the scale of change being demanded by Labour MPs and voters. There were 37 bills in the speech
Labour politicians should put the country before their party | Letters
As an active and loyal Labour member, I am infuriated by what is happening within the party (Burnham allies warn against quick ‘coronation’ of Streeting if Starmer quits, 12 May). The ongoing circus about the leadership is a terrible distraction from the numerous global and national issues that the government and the prime minister should be focused on. But the most infuriating aspect of the entire shambles is the relentless speculation and briefings from so-called “allies” of Andy Burham.No Labour member has an innate right to be selected as a parliamentary candidate. The assertion that a sitting Labour MP should give up the seat voters elected them to, necessitating a byelection so that Burnham can run, then assuming that he would automatically retain the seat, is arrogance beyond belief
Labour lost the vote of small business owners like me | Letter
Your report (Reform wins across northern England overturn decades of Labour control, 8 May) touched on Labour losing support among small business owners. I wanted to offer the perspective of a small independent business owner who has traditionally supported Labour.Labour’s poor local election results may reflect a growing frustration among small business owners who no longer feel recognised as “working people”. In hospitality, hair and beauty, retail and trades, there are thousands upon thousands of us keeping local economies alive while taking home increasingly modest incomes ourselves.Last year, our small independent restaurant in Margate turned over roughly £350,000
King’s speech might be the last word on Starmer as reluctant monarch does his duty | John Crace
The king looked fed up. His attempts to throw a sickie had come to nothing. Did the government really want to go ahead with the state opening? Apparently it did. Would it be OK if he phoned it in? He fancied a day working from palace. It wouldn’t be OK
Milka maker milked shoppers over size of chocolate bars, German court rules
Global oil inventories falling at record pace amid Iran war; US producer price inflation hits four-year high – as it happened
Nissan ponders building cars for Chinese rivals at Sunderland plant
Lab testing group Intertek to back £10.6bn takeover by Swedish firm EQT
UK housebuilder Vistry warns of ‘significantly’ lower profits amid Iran war uncertainty
How new owner became all powerful in ‘high stakes’ attempt to revive former WH Smith chain