Thatcher

William Tully Brown, a Navajo Code Talker has died aged 96. Apparently three have died in the last month, leaving a final four alive.

Michael Spicer, MP for West Worcestershire (1974-2010) and Chairman of the 1922 Committee (2001-2010), has died aged 76. After retiring from the Commons he served in the Lords.

The second graph is really stupid because the Conservative literature literally said "How to show you want a Brexit deal delivered as soon as possible - Vote Conservative". How on earth is that not explicitly leave? Fair enough it's not on the Faragesque hard Brexit spectrum, but it's still clearly a vote for leave. Labour is the only party with a genuinely ambiguous policy. Although not according to the Liberal Democrats. According to the Lib Dems Brexit won 58% of the vote so by their own measure they miserably failed (see below). We can all manipulate random results adding and subtracting here there and everywhere to suit whatever narrative we like best. Only a third of the country voted in these elections, perhaps those who thought we should've left by now boycotted them? Shall we just add all those on to the leave bloc too? At the Six Nations if New Zealand win shall we just add up the points of England, Wales and Ireland and claim a victory anyway? People wonder how the fuck we voted leave in the first place and the answer is right before us when people's voices and votes are ignored. I think the results yesterday tell us nothing other than the fact the country remains divided, Brexit is still popular and remaining in the EU is popular. Pretty evenly split, although you must be deranged to think you can extrapolate future referendums or general elections on the back on EU election results. If that were the case surely we would've had Nigel Farage as PM in 2015.

And peace.

Paul Flynn has died and there will therefore be a by-election in Newport West, almost certainly timed with the local elections in May. Perhaps more after the four resignations tomorrow morning from the Labour backbenchers. Edit: The Sun, BBC obituary.

Pegi Young, the ex-wife of Neil Young, has died aged 66. Edit: Daily Express, Daily Mail obituaries.

Sir Hew Hamilton-Dalrymple, 10th Baronet, died on Boxing Day aged 92.

What a life - RIP. Also, perhaps the first peer to go viral.

Richard Baker, BBC newsreader from 1954 to 1982, has died aged 93.

Dead.

Pyotr (Petya) Verzilov, political dissident, activist and spokesman of Pussy Riot who was involved in the pitch invasion, has been poisoned in Moscow and is in a critical condition.

And the President of the Donetsk Republic murdered in a bomb attack the other week. A cynic may note all three territories with separatist movements and Russian involvement.

President Dodon of Moldova has been injured in a car accident and is currently hospitalised, condition unknown but not thought to be too serious.

He was a very heavy drinker and addicted to purple drank back in 2012 when he was 20, so I guess he's always had problems with substance abuse and I don't think it was much of a secret that he took the break up with Ariana badly. Ariana's newly released album had a couple of songs that were about Mac and the breakup, whilst the rest of them were about her new fiancé and that probably messed him up a bit and this appears to be the result. It's tragic because he's so young, but given his history and personal life not a super shock. As for rap artists next year the only one I'd suggest is Lil Wayne who keeps having trouble with purple drank despite it repeatedly giving him seizures, anyone else would just be a bit of a risky punt.

Joan Ryan, Labour MP for Enfield North and Chair of the Labour Friends of Israel has lost a confidence vote by her CLP. The route forward is unsure, but a potential by-election could be on the cards down the line. Gavin Shuker has lost a vote of confidence by his CLP in Luton South.