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Simon Pease

@simonpease.bsky.social

8.1K followers 2K following 4.3K posts

Former UK diplomat. Neglectful gardener, baker, and maker. There is one planet. We pass through and are supposed to take care of it. Politics, as well as random observations on other stuff. No unsolicited DMs.

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Simon Pease @simonpease.bsky.social · Dec 2

Human beings are capable of believing two things which are mutually contradictory at the same time, without realising it.

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Alex Andreou @sturdyalex.bsky.social · 1h

Imagine being the UK diplomat having to respond to these "concerns" about how intel is handled, knowing that on the other side the people in charge are Kash Patel, Tulsi Gabbard, Pete Hegseth, and Donald Trump.

White House anger over UK spy case fiasco
US warns of damage to shared intelligence
Caroline Wheeler Political Editor
George Grylls
Washington Correspondent
Gabriel Pogrund Whitehall Editor
The White House has warned Sir Keir Starmer that the failure to prosecute two alleged Chinese spies risks undermining the special relationship and could threaten intelligence-sharing between Brit ain and the US.
President Trump is understood to be concerned about the UK's reliability after charges against two Britons accused of spying for Bei jing were dropped. The case against Chris Cash, 30, a former parliamentary researcher, and Christopher Berry, 33, an aca demic, collapsed last month after the government failed to provide evidence that China was a threat to national security.
A senior Trump administration official said: "The United States has been warning allies about the Chi nese threat to our combined national security since Preside Trump first came into office in 2017. The US government exercises mation with foreign governments subject to adversarial coercion and influence. We are especially
careful in jurisdictions where our adversaries can act with impunity." Senior Republicans insisted that
the prosecution go ahead. John Moolenaar, chairman of the House of Representatives' China commit tee, said: "As a target of [Chinese state) espionage, it is my hope that the UK government will not allow this case to falter and will take the steps necessary to ensure a clear message is sent and proper justice is served."
Trump's administration has pre viously warned against allowing a Chinese mega-embassy to be built near London financial centres. The American president is understood to have raised the matter person ally with Starmer.
While the prime minister is sof tening Britain's position on China, Trump reignited his trade war with Beijing on Friday, raising tariffs to 130 per cent after China blocked the export of critical minerals used in the defence and tech industries.

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Simon Pease @simonpease.bsky.social · 1h

She was a joy.

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Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 10h

One of those actors who not only had enormous talent and range but absolutely radiated charisma with it.

A rare and magical thing.

Jonathan Slater @jonathanslater.bsky.social · 11h

RIP

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Simon Pease @simonpease.bsky.social · 1h

I know the feeling.

Simon Pease @simonpease.bsky.social · 10h

Shortie.

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Peter Ricketts @lordrickettsp.bsky.social · 11h

Couldn’t resist this one!

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Simon Pease @simonpease.bsky.social · 10h

Brilliant. Cheap degrees.

Simon Pease @simonpease.bsky.social · 10h

I’m told netball was vicious? I know hockey was.

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Simon Pease @simonpease.bsky.social · 11h

Five yard scrum then. I hated those.

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Alex Hall Hall @alexhh.bsky.social · 17h

Hamas never losing an opportunity to screw things up and risk making life even more miserable for Palestinians.

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Simon Pease @simonpease.bsky.social · 13h

I finally think I may understand a little of French politics. Vive La France!🇫🇷

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Simon Pease @simonpease.bsky.social · 13h

Lovely place. Sat out there at a pavement “café” on several occasions.

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Alexander Clarkson @aphclarkson.bsky.social · 18h

As long as costs spiral upwards to the extent that eating out becomes unaffordable for a family in London then this kind of delivery-based food economy can become the only option for parents when they don't have the time or energy to cook every day

David Klemperer @dmk1793.bsky.social · 22h

Reading @londoncentric.media and reflecting on how everything wrong with Britain can be seen through Deliveroo:
- much of the economy is fraudulent
- people don’t go outside
- workers are underpaid and insecure
- the immigration system is broken
- society is being eroded by Big Tech

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David Henig @davidheniguk.bsky.social · 15h

The Conservatives have "identified" £47 billion in savings rather like I have "identified" the size of the National Lottery jackpot for a given evening, here's a number than in theory could be mine.

Shoddy journalism.

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Simon Pease @simonpease.bsky.social · 1d

Nothing that I can see.

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Peter Ricketts @lordrickettsp.bsky.social · 1d

Unusually I disagree with this @TheEconomist leader on Gaza. Trump’s plan is NOT a ‘radically different vision from the moribund approach under Oslo’. Indeed one of the most striking things about the 20 points is that they move the US towards the classic Oslo vision of the end-state 1/3

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Sarah Murphy @13sarahmurphy.bsky.social · 1d

Yaxley Lennon is a Jenrick fan. Say. No. More.
I hope the gutter that Jenrick has carved out for himself sinks him.

bsky.app/profile/sund...

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 1d

Tommy Robinson is more impressed by Robert Jenrick's support for Koran burning, while shouting "Fuck Islam"
bsky.app/profile/did:...

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 1d

Tommy Robinson has endorsed Robert Jenrick's decision to turn up in person to offer support and solidarity to the asylum seeker Hamit Coskun, who shouted, “Koran is burning”, “Fuck Islam” and “Islam is the religion of terrorism" while burning the Quran.

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Richard Haviland @rfhaviland.bsky.social · 1d

Loch Ainort, the Red Cuillin and a touch of evening light

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Farrukh @implausibleblog.bsky.social · 2d

After pointing out that she's an immigrant Joanna Lumley asks why we don't fix the problems that create asylum seekers and address climate change

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Sarah Murphy @13sarahmurphy.bsky.social · 2d

What the hell does Farage thinks he’s doing, going off to America *again* to maliciously slag off British teachers at some private Christian college, while offering to peddle their courses over here?
What a repulsive, grubby little traitor.

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Nigel Farage accuses teachers of ‘poisoning our kids’ on race issues

Exclusive: Reform UK leader’s remarks at event for private US college criticised as ‘grossly irresponsible’ by NEU leader

www.theguardian.com

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Lost in History 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇪🇺🇺🇦🇨🇦🇩🇰🇬🇱🇵🇦 @devonianmatthew.bsky.social · 2d

"Pro Life"

Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 2d

An artificial heart for children with congenital heart defects was almost finished. Families had waited for years it.

Then, Trump canceled billions in grants for universities — including the grant for this device.

The cruelty is endless. www.npr.org/2025/10/09/n...

This 4-year-old's heart is failing. A federal grant that might help him was canceled

A Cornell University researcher has been developing an artificial heart for children for more than 20 years. Now, his research is on hold and his lab is shut down.

www.npr.org

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Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 2d

Donald Trump is ordering extrajudicial killings of suspected drug smugglers.

He's vilifying his political opponents and threatening to jail them.

His ICE agents are terrorizing immigrants and firing chemical agents at peaceful protestors.

And some people think he deserves a Nobel Peace Prize?

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Simon Pease @simonpease.bsky.social · 2d

Of course, given the pressures on local govt. Finance, they need to collect debt where they can.
But anyone can see this has spiralled out of control.
Those with little suffer, while the wealthy do not.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Grimsby man owed £6k council tax after £100 bill spiralled

The government says it is taking action to protect people from “aggressive collection practices”.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Sharon O'Dea @sharonodea.com · 3d

I see the bros are all over LinkedIn this week, clutching their cappuccinos and defending Revolut’s Nik Storonsky for fucking off to Dubai, arguing we need to tax startup founders less.

Because apparently if we don’t subsidise billionaires, they’ll flee.

a large yacht is docked next to a smaller one

ALT: a large yacht is docked next to a smaller one

media.tenor.com

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Simon Pease @simonpease.bsky.social · 2d

With you 100%