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Reposted by Erwin van der Stap

Dan Sohege @danielsohege.bsky.social · 19d

It's a shame, because normally I've a lot of time and respect for the organisation who put this report together, however in this instance it shows dangers of treating refugee protection as a thought experiment, rather than remembering these are human beings 1/
www.infomigrants.net/en/post/6705...

UK report: Only safe, legal routes can break smugglers' model

A new report by London-based think tank British Future urges the Labour government to expand its UK–France asylum deal, arguing that only a larger 'routes and returns' strategy -- with more safe, regu...

www.infomigrants.net

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Reposted by Erwin van der Stap

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 7h

Restore Britain's convoluted way of calliing for Britain to take no refugees at all.

UK should only ever give refugee status to genuine asylum seekers from neighbouring countries, which, given every one of our neighbours is a safe country "would effectively mean scrapping our whole asylum system"

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Reposted by Erwin van der Stap

Graham Simpson @grahambs.bsky.social · 43m

GBNews predicted Reform would win! Well done @libdems.org.uk

Election Maps UK @electionmaps.uk · 6h

Kenn Valley (Teignbridge) Council By-Election Result:

🔶 LDM: 50.4% (+11.0)
➡️ RFM: 23.1% (New)
🌳 CON: 9.6% (-19.0)
🙋 Ind: 8.2% (New)
🌍 GRN: 5.5% (-13.9)
🌹 LAB: 2.7% (-9.9)
🙋 Ind: 0.5% (New)

Liberal Democrat GAIN from Conservative.
Changes w/ 2023.

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Erwin van der Stap @vanderstap.co.uk · 40m

Almost at a stage where political opponents have to stay clear of 7th floor windows

Erwin van der Stap @vanderstap.co.uk · 9h

Not necessarily. It penalises small businesses that require large footprints, such as manufacturing and warehousing businesses. Why would such businesses arbitrarily pay more tax?

Erwin van der Stap @vanderstap.co.uk · 9h

I agree and look forward to your views this weekend

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Reposted by Erwin van der Stap

Dan Neidle @danneidle.bsky.social · 10h

Who benefits from the abolition of stamp duty land tax?

The first answer: people buying very expensive homes. Average saving for someone buying a £10m+ home is £1.7m. Average saving for someone buying a £250k-£500k home is £5k.

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Reposted by Erwin van der Stap

Auschwitz Memorial @auschwitzmemorial.bsky.social · 10h

9 October 1936 | Dutch Jew, Abraham Alexander Velleman, was born in Zutphen.

He was deported to #Auschwitz from #Westerbork in September 1943. He was murdered in a gas chamber after the arrival selection.
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Gas chambers and crematoria of the Auschwitz camp: https://youtu.be/-A05i25j9Ck

A vintage black and white photo showing a young
boy smiling slightly.

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Reposted by Erwin van der Stap

Sander Schimmelpenninck @schimmelpenninck.bsky.social · 17h

Over Volt en hun terechte weigering met complotdenkers en extreemrechtse influencers in debat te willen. Het normaliseren van extreemrechts is een groter kwaad dan het uitsluiten van leugenaars.

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Reposted by Erwin van der Stap

Auschwitz Memorial @auschwitzmemorial.bsky.social · 13h

9 October 1886 | A Polish woman, Marianna Czapla, was born in Przedbórz.

In #Auschwitz from 1 July 1942.
No. 8122
She perished in the camp on 25 September 1942.
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Women at Auschwitz

Lesson: https://lekcja.auschwitz.org/2022_kobiety_en/
Podcast: https://youtu.be/ijTxtbNlJO8

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Reposted by Erwin van der Stap

Dan Froomkin/Press Watch/Heads Up News @froomkin.bsky.social · 13h

Judge who has been asked to block National Guard deployment in Chicago asks DOJ a key question: What if it's the feds who are provoking the violence, rather than stopping it? DOJ says it doesn't matter.

Jon Seidel @jonseidel.bsky.social · 13h

Perry asks again whether, if the inability to execute the law is b/c of the feds' "own provocation, does that matter under the law?"

Hamilton: "No, if that were true, the fact still remains that we are seeing sustained violence against federal personnel and property in Illinois."

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Erwin van der Stap @vanderstap.co.uk · 9h

So has my mother in law

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Erwin van der Stap @vanderstap.co.uk · 17h

Proud to be Dutch (for once), but yes: loads more work to do.

It'll be much worse for trans people. That's were we need to work even harder.

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Reposted by Erwin van der Stap

BladeoftheSun @bladeofthes.bsky.social · 17h

Charlotte Church sang From the River to the Sea at a fundraising event for Palestinians and now all the usual people are screaming antisemitism and trying to cancel her.

RT if you stand with Charlotte Church and Palestine.

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Erwin van der Stap @vanderstap.co.uk · 17h

Criminal negligence!
(Probably technically not, but I blame Streeting and this govt entirely for these preventable deaths)

Natacha @natacha.bsky.social · 18h

Wes Streeting extended the puberty-blocker ban on 6 November 2024.

Leia died by suicide on 11 November 2024.

17-year-old trans girl's suicide over NHS wait times was preventable says coroner

A 17-year-old trans girl's death by suicide over NHS wait times could have been prevented with swift intervention, a coroner has ruled.

www.thepinknews.com

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Reposted by Erwin van der Stap

Claire's Trans Talks @clairestranstalks.bsky.social · 17h

This is likely a *direct* result of the Labours attacks on trans healthcare.

Streeting should be sacked, and both he and Cass should face criminal proceedings for manslaughter at a minimum.

Natacha @natacha.bsky.social · 18h

Wes Streeting extended the puberty-blocker ban on 6 November 2024.

Leia died by suicide on 11 November 2024.

17-year-old trans girl's suicide over NHS wait times was preventable says coroner

A 17-year-old trans girl's death by suicide over NHS wait times could have been prevented with swift intervention, a coroner has ruled.

www.thepinknews.com

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Reposted by Erwin van der Stap

Peter Stefanovic @peterstefanovic.bsky.social · 23h

NHS could cease to function under Labour’s new visa rules, say nurses

Royal College of Nursing says plan to tighten rules for foreign workers is ‘pandering’ to Reform UK

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

NHS could cease to function under Labour’s new visa rules, say nurses

Exclusive: Royal College of Nursing says plan to tighten rules for foreign workers is ‘pandering’ to Reform UK

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Erwin van der Stap

BladeoftheSun @bladeofthes.bsky.social · 1d

Imagine how high the Green Party would be polling if they got the same 24/7 coverage as Reform.

It would be much higher than Reform.

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Reposted by Erwin van der Stap

Publika.ge @publikage.bsky.social · 1d

Georgia continues to protest.
Day 315

#GeorgiaProtests

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Reposted by Erwin van der Stap

Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 1d

The most frustrating thing about this war is that the US could step in forcefully now with harsh sanctions against Russia and a large military package for Ukraine with ranged weapons as the centrepiece, and the war would end soon with a Russian defeat.

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Reposted by Erwin van der Stap

Mike Galsworthy @mikegalsworthy.bsky.social · 1d

Standing Together (Israeli-Palestinian group) responds to Trump’s Gaza peace plan.

US unveils Gaza peace plan proposing an end to the Israel-Hamas war, hostage releases, and a new path to lasting coexistence

Standing Together responds to Trump’s Gaza peace plan

US unveils Gaza peace plan proposing an end to the Israel-Hamas war, hostage releases, and a new path to lasting coexistence

northeastbylines.co.uk

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Reposted by Erwin van der Stap

The Independent @the-independent.com · 1d

Pastor shot in the head by ICE agents sues Trump administration over First Amendment threats in Chicago

Pastor shot in the head by ICE agents sues over First Amendment threats

www.independent.co.uk

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Reposted by Erwin van der Stap

jimspriggs65.bsky.social @jimspriggs65.bsky.social · 1d

It would be good to see Starmer thoroughly condemning this, and calling out the hate-mongers.

For sure, all anti-semitism is used to try - somehow - to condemn those protesting genocide.

But this? Crickets.

Just like when a Hounslow Imam was stabbed:

www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/2551999...

Imam in hospital after being stabbed in ‘unprovoked’ west London attack

An imam at a west London mosque is in hospital after allegedly being stabbed in an unprovoked attack.

www.thisislocallondon.co.uk

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Reposted by Erwin van der Stap

Dan O'Hara @skeuomorphology.bsky.social · 1d

Shrewbury & Telford NHS Trust reintroducing masks as of today.

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Reposted by Erwin van der Stap

NRC @nrc.nl · 1d

Voor het eerst sprak een Groenlandse premier woensdag het Europees Parlement toe. Sinds de dreigementen van de Amerikaanse president Trump om het eiland in te lijven, zoekt Groenland toenadering tot de Europese Unie.
buff.ly/1aISXYH

De EU heeft Groenland nodig, en andersom. Maar lid worden is premier Nielsen niet van plan

EU-Groenland: Voor het eerst sprak een Groenlandse premier woensdag het Europees Parlement toe. Sinds de dreigementen van de Amerikaanse president Trump om het eiland in te lijven, zoekt Groenland…

www.nrc.nl

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