Author | Lightnews

Richard Bourke @richardfbourke.bsky.social · 20h

and you also have to wonder how high their morale is, when the source of their salary payments, should they ever be received, is so unclear.
This is Kerensky and Kornilov level of military/political incompetence.

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Richard Bourke @richardfbourke.bsky.social · 21h

And if I lose my blue tick? Faugh!

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Richard Bourke @richardfbourke.bsky.social · 2d

oh please, feel free to loathe her. But direct your energies to where the power lies. Which in in the case of the Tories appears to be with newspapers proprietors and a bunch of retired, economically insulated, reality-challenged dotards who get to elect the party leader.

Richard Bourke @richardfbourke.bsky.social · 2d

sheltering refugees? Yep, ever since the French Revolution it's been a British value.

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Richard Bourke @richardfbourke.bsky.social · 2d

This is her presenting party policy. Can't punish her for that. Punish the party instead!

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Richard Bourke @richardfbourke.bsky.social · 2d

I believe the marketers call this "brand dilution". Caramel <> Umami.

Richard Bourke @richardfbourke.bsky.social · 3d

hey, at least she was in office a few weeks before saying it. Wotsisname (Reid?) called it unfit for purpose on his 1st day, IIRC.
Must be unpleasant for civil servants in that environment.

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Richard Bourke @richardfbourke.bsky.social · 3d

re the FU button. the day after the referendum, I saw a post from a leaver.
"London, we just pissed on your chips".

Richard Bourke @richardfbourke.bsky.social · 5d

good column. I mean there are so many higher-priority things on the EU's plate. They'd be crazy to open any UK can of worms in addition. Sure, they'll do boring technical things negotiated at staff level, and some bigger things on security cooperation. But they won't let UK be a time-stealer, again.

Richard Bourke @richardfbourke.bsky.social · 6d

though God knows, traffic in London would be way better without parents making the school run.

Richard Bourke @richardfbourke.bsky.social · 6d

Would you wait at traffic lights to make life safer for children walking to school?
It's not meant as an academic question. It's the standard justification ("show a good example") given in Germany to people jay-walking.
Most children here walk to school from age 6. Can't see it happening in London.

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Richard Bourke @richardfbourke.bsky.social · 6d

Members of a political party are, by definition, atypical. In this case you were however ahead of the curve in the wider electorate. It hasn't always been the case.

Richard Bourke @richardfbourke.bsky.social · 6d

there's little anyone can say "undoubtedly" about the next election.
Electoral pacts can change everything, and normally happen near end of the parliamentary term. Brexit Party standing down in conservative seats in 2019 handed the Conservatives victory, for example.
It can happen on the left too

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Richard Bourke @richardfbourke.bsky.social · 6d

Yes (2016 referendum was re-run of 1973, Ireland and Denmark reruns on EU treaty amendments after clarifications provided)
Long in a UK context, short in EU treaty context.
No way the EU is re-running the Brexit psychodrama until EU membership is a non-partisan consensus. And that may never happen.

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Richard Bourke @richardfbourke.bsky.social · 6d

during a clinic stay I got to know some compulsive gamblers. they described the activity of losing money as putting them in a fugue state, preferable to their everyday lives.
Very common among Turkish men, where it often takes the place of alcoholism in German men. But it's even worse.

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Richard Bourke @richardfbourke.bsky.social · 8d

does it even matter? UKR needs US data for targetting of the missiles it can now produce itself. And that is still being provided. So Zelensky must continue to flatter for that purpose in any case. No different from any other European political leader.

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Richard Bourke @richardfbourke.bsky.social · 9d

"told my girl I had to forget her / rather buy me a new carboretor"
Roger Taylor. Great Drummer, great singer. Not such a great Songwriter

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Richard Bourke @richardfbourke.bsky.social · 9d

my God. I just googled "UK immigration system points table". There's a very readable table and explanation at gov.uk . Why not inform voters before asking them for their opinion? What value is there in ordinary voters bloviating?

gov.uk

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Richard Bourke @richardfbourke.bsky.social · 9d

Sad, but not new. This one never made Queen's Greatest Hits
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaEM...

Queen - I'm In Love With My Car (Official Video)

YouTube video by Queen Official

www.youtube.com

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Richard Bourke @richardfbourke.bsky.social · 10d

When I get low about the time I spend on social media, I cheer myself up by thinking "I could be spending my time watching tv-by-the-numbers German series". You can see the plot-twists from space. Might be good if one is delirious, I suppose. (Yes, there are a few exceptions).

Richard Bourke @richardfbourke.bsky.social · 10d

thanks

Richard Bourke @richardfbourke.bsky.social · 10d

sorry if this is a personal question, but do academics have to pay for the books on their subject. I mean, obviously not if you get if from the Uni Library, but these are paperbacks and the Library presumably buys (if they have budget) hardbacks.
Because if this comes out of your earnings, then ...

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Richard Bourke @richardfbourke.bsky.social · 10d

="whatevs"?

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Richard Bourke @richardfbourke.bsky.social · 10d

well you've just sent me down a rabbit-hole of finding Jim Shannon speeches and interventions on youtube. They all look admirable and relevant in fact. (I often disagree with them). So I suppose that was a compliment. Which was a surprise, because most journos like to dump on the DUP.

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Richard Bourke @richardfbourke.bsky.social · 10d

hey, there'll be so many dissatisfied military people prepared to yap off-record to reporters, who no longer have to weigh up the damage to their pentagon access against reporting the story, that coverage will probably improve markedly.
ie: this is going to end badly for Hegseth.

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