Happy publication day to Simon Kuper and Stefan Szymanski!

SOCCERNOMICS – dubbed the ‘Freakonomics for football’ – has been fully revised and updated ahead of the 2022 World Cup. Out now!

hyperurl.co/soccernomics

I think much higher probability of UK undergoing anti-Tory backlash

Stick him in uniform and send him to the front?

Another example of public response to idiot racism versus Sunak

Totally agree with Jeremy Cliffe: the remarkable thing is how little backlash there has been in the UK against first nonwhite leader. Anti-Tory feeling is much stronger than anti-'Indian' feeling. Of course you can find the odd moron spewing racism versus Sunak but v rare

‘If Socrates returned to earth, I like to think he’d start dialoguing on Twitter, probably in English for global reach’ — Simon Kuper on why Twitter still rules (despite everything) on.ft.com/3TuyvOA

It's been a very stable regime so far

Just feeling sad for the 200,000 Tory members around the world, from Walsall to Vladivostok, who have been denied their ancient democratic right to choose the prime minister

If you happen to be looking for a book that explains how power works in the UK in 240 pages, we're now on our fifth Oxford Tory prime minister in six years #Chums profilebooks.com/work/chums/

With the economy crumbling, the ruling Politburo turned in desperation to a young reformer. But the population, tired of queues and shortages, had had enough of the Party's promised utopia. Even senior Party officials secretly no longer believed in it. The regime was doomed

theguardian.com/football/blog/…

'Almost every ‘hack’ was in it chiefly for themselves,' writes Simon Kuper in 'Chums'—a book that provides all the essentials to understanding the currently jostling amongst the rank-and-file of the Tory party for the leadership position.

‘If Socrates returned to earth, I like to think he’d start dialoguing on Twitter, probably in English for global reach’ — Simon Kuper on why Twitter still rules (despite everything) on.ft.com/3MTOd3a

I know you've seen this appeal before. Sorry - but you'll benefit too. Huthyfa is a top Iraqi football artist living in Baghdad. He needs money for medical reasons. Do commission him to draw your chosen player, club or match moment. Xmas gift idea. DM him or [email protected].

‘If Socrates returned to earth, I like to think he’d start dialoguing on Twitter, probably in English for global reach’ — Simon Kuper on why he still ❤️ Twitter on.ft.com/3yWtbvm

Me @ft in praise of Twitter - the best ideas and information exchange in history

Never nice to have a new colleague who writes about the same sort of stuff as you who's as good as Stephen Bush. It's like being an old-school early 1990s' Arsenal forward when the club suddenly sign this bloke Dennis Bergkamp ft.com/content/178a01…