I have posted today my Christmas Eve poem. Tomorrow at 8 pm GB News will be screening a reading by Jacob Rees Mogg of my Christmas story this year. Tune in to watch it. I will also post the text of it.
Feel free to send in what is on your mind as some of you usually do regardless of my topic of the day.
December 24, 2025
Many thanks for you continuing with your daily postings John, always and insightful and interesting read.
Wishing you and your family a very merry Christmas and all the best for 2026.
December 24, 2025
All the best to you and your family at this special time if year
There is precious little to celebrate after the last 16 years of mismanagement. As the Starmerfuhrer will likely ban future Christian celebrations we’d better make the most of it.
Thieves is doing her best to destroy the hospitality industry which should gain her three voted from her chosen cohort. MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE
December 24, 2025
Agreed !!
December 24, 2025
Well said – I’m sure that goes for 99% of the readers.
December 24, 2025
Good morning Sir John and I wish you and yours a very merry Christmas and a great 2026.
I look forward to your maiden speech in The Lord’s. Any idea when that might be?
Reply. I am awaiting a date to be introduced into the Lords.
December 24, 2025
I wish you well in the Lords but by my estimates we have at most circa 20 sensible MPs from 650 in Parliament and about 50 peers from 820 odd. One more voice of reason will be very welcome but hard to make much headway I suspect.
A welcome half U turn on Farmers (and small business IHT the threshold up to £2.5 M each). The BBC on radio 4 PM reported on this for quite some time yesterday but so incompetent are their reporters they did not even mention small business where they also U turned (they have not u-turned on AIM shares). Sensible countries have no IHT, Osborne and Cameron 16+ years back promised us £1 million each but he lied and kept it at £325k now worth more like £200k. Surely if we are to have the hugely damaging IHT tax it should be neutral as to which assets are held and not rig the market! £2.5 M each threshold it is about $10 million in the US and sensible countries have no IHT.
December 24, 2025
Merry Christmas one and all.
December 24, 2025
Regardless of Russian denials, their economy appears to be close to collapse. Russia’s total gold and foreign exchange reserves is a closely guarded state secret in Moscow, but Russia is having to pay China for dual-use military components in gold bullion and also from India in oil.
Before 2025, the Central Bank of Russia never sold it’s gold to commercial market participants. But with the country’s National Welfare Fund seeing it’s liquid assets decline from $115bn in 2022 to $50bn in 2025 – and the fund’s gold holdings falling 57% from 406 tons to 174 tons – the Russian central bank has no choice but to sell off its reserves
Adrian Ash, research director at London-based BullionVault.com said yesterday that this situation represents the emergence of a geopolitical scenario dominated by fear and mistrust between nations, noting that Russia has had to pay for shipments of kamikaze drones from Iran with gold bullion since 2023
Nobody knows what is really going on with Russian foreign currency reserves. But approximately $300 billion in frozen Russian assets is held in Europe and the UK. Russian inflation was reported by the war criminal Putin himself at his recent stage managed “phone-in” at 6% and decreasing. So why are Russian interest rates at 16% ?? Once again, Putin has been caught out lying.
December 24, 2025
If “saveing the world” Gordon Brown’s 395 tonnes of sold gold were held today (late 2025), its value, based on recent record highs, would be around $56 billion (USD) or nearly £40 billion (GBP), a massive increase from the $3.5 billion received, highlighting the huge opportunity cost of selling at a historic low point in the price cycle.
December 24, 2025
This is of course more of a measure of the devaluation of the £ caused by the currency debasement policies of Brown, Cameron, Osborn, May, Boris, the NE, Sunak…works out about 12% PA for 25 years. We should all demand to be paid in grams of gold! So as not to get 12% inflation pay cuts each year! Yet IHT threshold still £325k over roughly the same period. Happy Christmas!
December 24, 2025
Interesting data. Reports also suggest he’s rapidly running our of cannon fodder too. We can but hope he soon takes the peaceful way to end this madness. It might take some sensible generals to prevent the ‘cornered rat’ syndrome.
Merry Christmas Sir John; do take a break and return fully ready to cotinue to figh for freedom!
December 24, 2025
Unfortunately, the Ukranians are running out of soldierstoo. No numbers are published but the casualties will be huge. Say a prayer for them and their families this Christmas and hope we don’t ever suffer the same loss here again.
December 24, 2025
Putin’s military senior staff have also learnt that modern technology has destroyed traditional methods of (Russian) aggression, they have lost vast numbers of all weapons leading to the nonsense claims Europe’s cities will suffer nuclear attacks trying to bully/frighten supporters of Ukraine’s right to sovereignty.
Russia is imploding and Putin is torn between carrying on the vicious war crimes, conning Trump to cease assistance and dealing with unrest and personal risk.
December 24, 2025
@SG. I can’t think he has or particularly wants $US to settle payments. Gold is a good medium for trade, when dollars are risky (inflation, currency collapse, expropriation etc). Meanwhile he has a lot of natural resources the world is buying (even the Europeans), one way or another. I figure in many ways his country is in better shape than ours, particularly if one looks at direction of travel.
December 24, 2025
Russia is also suffering from cheap Chinese imports ruining their businesses – the cost of trying to be pally with President Xi.
Don’t understate how much the country can dig deep when it comes to war though.
What a shame that Putin can’t embrace friendship with the west and prefers hostility. How ready we would all be to welcome Russia in friendly and cooperative trade, if only it wasn’t being run by mobsters.
December 24, 2025
Absolutely right; glasnost nearly got us there. Most Russians are Europeans, we have every reason to be friends but Russia must give up its imperial, outdated ambitions to control a European empire.
December 25, 2025
I also hope the EU gives up its “imperial, outdated ambitions to control a European Empire”. It was PM Cameron, “heir to Blair”, who made a speech in Kazakhstan in 2013 declaring that the EU should extend further into the former USSR and reach from the Atlantic to the Urals.
December 26, 2025
7 Storm Shadows have been shot or brought down by technical means by Russia. More got through to Rostov.
Is Starmer determined to have Oreshnik missiles taking out critical defence infrastructure in the UK?
Putin has warned us.
December 24, 2025
Good morning, and a very Merry Christmas to our kind host and all here on this, Diary.
December 24, 2025
I do not have goodwill towards ALL men this year.
I would like someone to ask Two-Tier-Keir at the first PMQs in the NY how many farmers committed suicide between the announcement of the outrageous Farm IHT 14 months ago and the partial reversal they made yesterday …. when Parliament was no longer sitting so no-one could be questioned.
He, and his Government, disgust me.
December 24, 2025
Two tier Kier surely disgusts all right thinking people, he and Miliband are either totally moronic & deluded or evil or both.
It seems according to the DPP and our judges of appeal that shouting “death, death to the IDF” to millions watching the BBC is entirely legal (insufficient evidence they claim) and yet in relation 31 months in jail for the perfectly pleasant and sensible Lucy Connolly “there is no arguable case that this was at all excessive” say our daft appeal court judges. This for her one far less bad intemperate tweet that she quickly removed, first offence, loads of mitigating factors (she lost a baby due to NHS negligence) and she pleaded guilty early! Plus Lucy Letby cannot even get an appeal. So that is 9 appeal court judges who are surely deluded or evil. How do they find these people?
December 24, 2025
The war on Private School users, energy users, roads users, farmers, small businesses and Non Doms is also evil and counter productive. Add Bridget Philipson and most of the cabinet to the list of the deluded and or evil! Also those who judged that the state can continue to hide the clearly damning Covid “vaccine” – unsafe and ineffective figures! Less victims or their relative are upset by the truth!
December 24, 2025
Nobody has achieved so many suicides by political policy since John Major.
Merry Christmas Donna. It’s Christmas Eve. Don’t let anyone take our politics, religion or traditions.
Peace and goodwill.
December 24, 2025
Indeed we still await any apology from John Major for his moronic ERM fiasco or indeed from him burying the Tories for 3+ terms. Then against Thatcher did not say sorry for making a man who failed nearly all his O levels (other than English and History I think it was) the Chancellor!
December 24, 2025
Amen to that.
December 24, 2025
Indeed, we now have IHT thresholds that can be 40% tax over just £325k or £650k, or £1m or £2.5 or £5m for a couple with an unquoted trading company or farm land. All depends on your investments and personal circumstances what a mad system. Doubtless they will freeze all these limit so as to inflate them away! Lots more parasitic jobs for lawyers and tax planners!
Taxation should be neutral on investment behaviour and structures as far as possible!
December 27, 2025
Lifelogic
If you believe in what our present Chancellor has done, and it remains unaltered, those limits are fixed until 2031.
That is 22 years with no movement.
In our area a one bedroom starter home costs £300,000, so that alone brings you close to the limit for a single person with no kids.
Add on your pension fund, and you are in IHT territory, what an absolute bloody farce.
December 24, 2025
Thank you, Sir John, for your informative, insightful and illuminating commentary each morning. I often say, you are the best PM, Chancellor or Chief of the BOE we never had the privilege of; how I wish the current tripe-hounds who hold those positions would appoint you as Special Advisor but no hope of that.
I do wish you a very happy Christmas and may the events of 2026 be kind to you and your family
December 24, 2025
John,
Merry Christmas to you, and your Family!
Merry Christmas to all the Conservative Family!
My Christmas wish would be to have us remember that we are all in this together, as we re-connect to the British People! Conservatives supporting follow Conservatives, all part of Liberal Mindedness that underpins being British! Something that has got lost along the way!
I am looking forward to your Christmas Eve poem! Tell Jacob RM I said; to give it ‘Loud and Proud’!
Best Regards from POW Ward 4 (1).
RDM.
December 24, 2025
Still reading Raymond Ibrahim’s Sword and Scimitar. It explains everything about the Muslim Rape Gangs in UK, the Islamist terror attacks in UK, Australia and elsewhere and indicates what needs to be done about them, of which neither Albanese nor Starmer are doing. If you haven’t read it, I thoroughly recommend it. Not exactly good Christmas cheer but, I think, essential reading for all politicians and civil servants. As an example of what he says, Ibrahim is interviewed on you tube (i have not seen this ed)
December 24, 2025
Sir John.
Merry Christmas to you and your family and to all other reading this!
December 24, 2025
I am pleased that your annual allegory will be heard by an additional audience Sir John.
It won’t reach those who need to hear it unfortunately but you can but keep on trying.
God speed for the Lords.
December 24, 2025
Well John, inviting us to open up to what is on our minds will ensure a wide range of topics I’m sure.
For me the ongoing attack on our previously established rights by a government fixated on power and control.
I was relieved to see the despicable attack on the farmers and the countryside economy from IHT was being amended. It should be repealed but we are grateful for any progress.
The Net Zero zealotry is being challenged in North America and in the EU with countries finally forcing reality back into the picture. Today I read the IEA have reported fossil fuels will form the backbone of energy use for many decades to come something obvious to all realists, Can we get that message to Ed Miliband? A dose of realism at Christmas would be a great plus for him, he needs it, so do we who are suffering his policy of economic destruction.
Merry Christmas to all let’s hope the New Year brings peace and prosperity to the world.
December 24, 2025
Merry Christmas Sir JR and thanks for keeping this site going.
I was hoping to hear your thoughts on Starmers latest U-turn. The bloke is a prize chump.
December 24, 2025
Mrs T has not been feeling well recently. Unable to get an appointment with our local GP, we were told by reception to “use our eConsult service” which we did. A long online questionaire resulted in “You should call your GP”. Which we did (again) but still no appointments available.
So with Christmas looming, we went private (for the 1st time ever) and got a GP appointment (all booked online) locally with very little effort and at a cost we are fortunate to be able to afford. A chest infection was diagnosed and a prescription issued. Being a ‘private’ prescription, we paid for that too. Hopefully she will be feeling a little better by tommorrow.
Labour don’t want the NHS “Privatised” but runs a health system that forces people to go private
– assuming they can afford to do so. Although Prudence is now heavily taxed in Starmers “progressive” Britain, having some spare cash this Christmas has been essential.
December 24, 2025
Many thanks for setting Christmas on its way with your poem, much awaited!
A very happy Christmas to you and yours!
December 24, 2025
Merry Christmas everyone!
December 24, 2025
Best wishes for Christmas, SJR. We thank you for all the fine work you have done contributing to making the UK better, especially all your fine communications both here and in other media helping inform and guide others. Congratulations also for your forthcoming Membership of the House of Lords.
December 24, 2025
Merry Christmas and a Happy & Prosperous New Year to ‘All’
December 24, 2025
No segregation here – just to ‘All’
December 24, 2025
Great news and a demonstration of sanity
“The Trump administration has banned two Britons and a former European Union commissioner from American soil for curbing free speech.
Imran Ahmed, the chief executive of the Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), a group set up by Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, faces deportation and Clare Melford, who heads the Global Disinformation Index (GDI), will have her US visa revoked.”
December 24, 2025
from the comments section in the Telegraph – ‘It’s an odd world when British people are increasingly reliant on the President of the United States to defend our freedoms and rights against attacks organised by our own government.’
December 24, 2025
The full item is here – https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2025/12/23/trump-bars-boss-of-starmer-linked-charity-from-entering-us/
Don’t miss all the comments, they don’t hide the truth of the disdain shown for this Parliament
December 24, 2025
Banning free speech in order to protect free speech is up their with taxing your way to prosperity.
December 24, 2025
Sir John,
Thank you for writing a daily article, which I know takes hard work and commitment. It is much appreciated by me, and I am sure many others.
Best wishes for a happy Christmas for you and your family, and a prosperous and productive new year.
December 24, 2025
Thanks to our kind host for your blog, and putting up with our comments. Happy Christmas everyone.
December 24, 2025
The dreadful Nigel Farage and Richard Tice’s anti-swans Reform limited company may have peaked – three years too early. Reform has seen severe internal conflicts at Kent County Council, with suspensions and defections leading to a loss of council seats and a public perception of chaos. If Reform can’t even manage a council, how could they manage to run the country?
A YouGov poll carried out on 21/22 December has shown that Reform’s vote share has dropped by three points to 25%, their lowest for more than six months.
Meanwhile, both Labour and the Tories have gained two points, up to 20% and 19% respectively.
The fall in support for Reform appears to have coincided with a spate of bad publicity for Farage, etc ed One of their mayoral candidates suggested deputy prime minister David Lammy should “go home” – Lammy was born in Tottenham.
Reform has faced embarrassment and questions over their Russia links following the conviction of the party’s former Welsh leader Nathan Gill for taking money from Vladimir Putin’s regime. Farage is ( often criticised by his opponents ed) for his pro-Putin utterances and has blamed Ukraine and NATO for “causing the war”
December 24, 2025
Not very Christmassy I’m afraid but possibly very pertinent at the moment.
I found a YouTube that is quite enlightening and well worth watching. I’m sure the MoD will be very aware of this deal but are they listening?
I won’t post a link – just search for:
“Why Poland Bought 1,000 Korean Tanks Instead of German Leopards” (by ‘DefenceEU’)
Regards,
IanT
December 24, 2025
Is it true that the NHS have created a Christmas message for 2025?
Unfortunately you have to wait approximately three years before you can play it.
December 24, 2025
And then you need to pay for the ending.
December 25, 2025
Sorry your message got cancelled.
December 24, 2025
Merry Christmas to you and all your bloggers.
December 24, 2025
Compliments of the Season to all but a Prosperous New Year seems highly unlikely for most. We have a failing government, a failing Civil Service and a swollen, failing public sector none of which is likely to be changed in 2026.
December 24, 2025
Happy Christmas.I hope you all have a pleasant day and spread as much love you can.Forget insults and exasperation and remember all the good things we have been blessed with.xxxx
December 24, 2025
thankyou for all your wise counsel on this blog and GBNews throughout this year.
I have nothing but contempt for the HoL(an example of sheer contempt for democracy)
but whilst it continues to exist I welcome your membership.
Sidney Ingleby