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Alex Richards @alxrchrds.bsky.social · 5h

In short…
• The EU ‘reset’ a while back
- economic, diplomatic & intl. security reasons
• Making the choice much clearer for the public
- public opinion is now heavily pro-EU/rejoin
• Illegal migration/border control
- Starmer recently said ‘Farage boats’

Alex Richards @alxrchrds.bsky.social · Nov 28

Another encouraging sign that the EU wants closer ties with the UK, especially after Trump’s reelection, and Labour would be wise to fully capitalise on it.

Let me say this as clear as I can:
Fuck Brexit, and fuck Brexiteers.

Keir Starmer to be invited to meet EU leaders to discuss European defence

Significant post-Brexit move comes as Brussels seeks closer ties with UK

www.ft.com

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Alex Richards @alxrchrds.bsky.social · 6h

Starmer is playing the long game, of course.
Suspect the next election is going to be less about a choice between Labour and Reform UK Party Ltd and more akin to a second EU referendum.

Starmer and Reeves are expected to argue that, if it hadn't been for Brexit, this type of downgrade would not have been needed, and to cite official figures suggesting that if Britain had not left the European Union the economy would be about £120 billion bigger by 2035 than current forecasts suggest it will be.
The message is simple: Farage is ultimately to blame as the man who delivered Brexit with
"easy sloganeering" then walked away from the aftermath rather than putting in the hard yards.
Or, to put it another way: Farage, not us, is responsible for putting up your taxes.

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Alex Richards @alxrchrds.bsky.social · 6h

Starmer plays the long game. He’s laying the groundwork for rejoining (or near as makes no difference) in a few years, somehow. The economy and global security are pretty convincing arguments.
Wouldn't be surprised if the plan is to position Labour as the pro-Europe/EU option at the next election.

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Alex Richards @alxrchrds.bsky.social · 6h

Starmer plays the long game. He’s laying the groundwork for rejoining (or near as makes no difference) in a few years, somehow. The economy and global security are pretty convincing arguments.
Wouldn't be surprised if the plan is to position Labour as the pro-Europe/EU option at the next election.

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Alex Richards @alxrchrds.bsky.social · 9h

Nobel Committee chair Jørgen Watne Frydnes said “this committee sits in a room filled with the portraits of all laureates, and that room is filled with both courage and integrity, so we base our decision on the work and will of Alfred Nobel.”

A diplomatic way of saying Trump will never get one.

Nobel committee explain decision after Trump misses out on Peace Prize

www.independent.co.uk

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Alex Richards @alxrchrds.bsky.social · 10h

Likewise. They clearly don’t care.
They think Farage would be good for the media circus, but he actually wouldn't, at all — journalists would be high on Farage’s target list.

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Alex Richards @alxrchrds.bsky.social · 10h

Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Party Ltd controls 12 UK councils, and 8 of them are likely to raise council tax next year.
This is despite their promises to cut ‘waste’ to ‘save a lot of money’ using their Trump & Musk-inspired DOGE team, and where are they now — either DOGE team?
A con. Both of them.

Eight Reform UK councils likely to raise tax next year

Despite Nigel Farage’s promises to cut waste and ‘save a lot of money’, senior officials have now admitted they will likely have to resort to tax rises

www.thetimes.com

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Alex Richards @alxrchrds.bsky.social · 10h

The brilliant @privateeyenews.bsky.social captures British journalists and political commentators in a nutshell over their Nigel Farage and Reform Party UK Ltd obsession.

SHOCK POLL:
NIGEL FARAGE ‘WILL BE PM TOMORROW’

IN an amazing poll conducted by The Pointless Polling Company, it was revealed that voters' intentions may well change over the next three and a half years and at present it's 100 percent impossible to guess what the next government might look like.
However, 99 percent of journalists agree that it would be much more fun if we had an election tomorrow and everybody resigned and everything was chaos and Farage had a go at being PM, just for the hell of it, because it was so much fun when Brexit happened and then the government kept falling every five minutes and we could write endless pieces about (cont. p94)

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Alex Richards @alxrchrds.bsky.social · 11h

Another ‘bad apple’?
How many is that now? I've lost count.

It's the tree that's rotten, producing these ‘bad apples’, and Farage is that tree, which needs to be cut down, root and branch.

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Alex Richards @alxrchrds.bsky.social · 11h

Another ‘bad apple’?
How many is that now? I've lost count.

It's the tree that's rotten, producing these ‘bad apples’, and Farage is that tree, which needs to be cut down, root and branch.

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 14h

Farage insists ex-Reform UK Wales leader convicted of bribery is ‘bad apple’

Farage said he was shocked by Nathan Gill’s admissions relating to pro-Russia statements Nigel Farage has insisted his party’s former leader in Wales who was convicted of taking pro-Russian bribes was a “bad apple” who betrayed him. The Reform UK leader was in Caerphilly campaigning for his candidate in a forthcoming Senedd byelection when he was asked about his links to Nathan Gill. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

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Alex Richards @alxrchrds.bsky.social · 13h

Nice. Are you also going to give him a pair of those stupid ‘Meta glasses’?

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Reposted by Alex Richards

Cold War Steve @coldwarsteve.bsky.social · 15h

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Reposted by Alex Richards

The Associated Press @apnews.com · 1d

Pope Leo XIV has encouraged international news agencies to stand firm as a bulwark against the "ancient art of lying" and manipulation.

Pope urges news agencies to stand as bulwark against lies, manipulation and post-truths

Pope Leo XIV has encouraged international news agencies to stand firm as a bulwark against the “ancient art of lying” and manipulation.

bit.ly

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Reposted by Alex Richards

Reuters @reuters.com · 19h

'When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognize courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist,' the Norwegian Nobel Committee said as it announced Maria Corina Machado as the winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize

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Reposted by Alex Richards

Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 19h

Nobel Peace Prize awarded to María Corina Machado on.ft.com/4nTWp5l

Nobel Peace Prize awarded to María Corina Machado

Win for Venezuela’s main opposition leader dashes the hopes of US President Donald Trump

on.ft.com

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Reposted by Alex Richards

Humanities & Social Sciences @hss.springernature.com · 19h

🧠 It’s #WorldMentalHealthDay!
Mental health touches every part of life. @springernature.com spotlights essential reads that explore mental wellness, stigma, and the future of mental health research. What is one book or insight that changed how you think about #MentalHealth? #GreenRibbon #BookSky

A collage promoting World Mental Health Day featuring book covers. Titles include "Revolutionizing Youth Mental Health with Ethical AI", "Social Determinants of Mental Health", and "Under the Gaze of Global Mental Health".

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Reposted by Alex Richards

Institute for Public Policy Research @ippr.org · 19h

What does it mean to be patriotic?

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Alex Richards @alxrchrds.bsky.social · 1d

Even that Tufton Street shill?
What she's doing on there is anyone's guess.

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Alex Richards @alxrchrds.bsky.social · 1d

This guy lauded Trump as the only option, if I recall correctly.
F’king numbskull.

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Alex Richards @alxrchrds.bsky.social · 1d

Glad to hear this.
I've pretty much given up with #bbcqt, and the BBC doing politics in general.

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Alex Richards @alxrchrds.bsky.social · 1d

Glad to hear this.
I've pretty much given up with #bbcqt, and the BBC doing politics in general.

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Reposted by Alex Richards

Channel 4 News @channel4news.bsky.social · 1d

‘Two state solution only sustainable option’ – former Israeli PM

www.channel4.com/news/two-sta...

‘Two state solution only sustainable option’ – former Israeli PM

We spoke to former Israeli Prime Minister and IDF Chief of Staff, Ehud Barak. He is one of around 600 retired Israeli officials who sent an open letter to Donald Trump in August requesting he put pres...

www.channel4.com

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Alex Richards @alxrchrds.bsky.social · 1d

He hasn't done it. He's told us he's done it.
Peace has to be observed to become reality.
If there is sustained peace, credit is then due.
Furthermore, Starmer and Macron were instrumental in getting Trump to this point.

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Alex Richards @alxrchrds.bsky.social · 1d

The British media landscape is partly responsible for the recent rise in race and religious hate crime in England & Wales.

They all too often give racists like Farage airtime, and in the process legitimise him and his toxic ideology — hence the corroborating polling for Reform UK Party Ltd.

Race and religious hate crime rises in England and Wales, figures suggest

The number of police-recorded race and religious hate crimes have increased in the year to March.

www.bbc.com

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Alex Richards @alxrchrds.bsky.social · 1d

The British media are partly responsible.

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