Ben Coates
@bencoates1.bsky.social
Author - 'THE INVENTION OF AMSTERDAM' out now! (https://amzn.to/2QJx3bh). Writer, aid worker, speechwriter, recovering Tory. Columnist @ADnl; articles NYT, Telegraph, New Statesman, Groene Amsterdammer etc. Buy my new book, it’s good!
Yeah maybe. I have had four beers and am reading it in a pub, so probably not the best judge
February 10, 2026 at 9:46 PM
Yeah maybe. I have had four beers and am reading it in a pub, so probably not the best judge
from AN Wilson’s book on London, which is excellent
February 10, 2026 at 8:23 PM
from AN Wilson’s book on London, which is excellent
on Oswald Mosley, and Brits never voting for fascism
February 10, 2026 at 8:23 PM
on Oswald Mosley, and Brits never voting for fascism
Ik vermoed dat een minister van Volkshuisvesting niet veel invloed zal hebben op het defensiebeleid, ook niet in de ministerraad, dus misschien is dat niet de reden waarom ze de baan heeft gekregen. Maar ja, natuurlijk ben ik waarschijnlijk dom en snap ik niet hoe iets werkt.
February 10, 2026 at 7:34 PM
Ik vermoed dat een minister van Volkshuisvesting niet veel invloed zal hebben op het defensiebeleid, ook niet in de ministerraad, dus misschien is dat niet de reden waarom ze de baan heeft gekregen. Maar ja, natuurlijk ben ik waarschijnlijk dom en snap ik niet hoe iets werkt.
(Context for the confused: his Dutch fiancée won a gold at the Olympics)
February 10, 2026 at 2:45 PM
(Context for the confused: his Dutch fiancée won a gold at the Olympics)
I have to say it is not great to see lots of the Dutch media doing their best to cheerfully promote Jake Paul, a racist scam artist who thinks Covid is a hoax, supports ICE and has been accused of multiple sexual assaults
February 10, 2026 at 2:45 PM
I have to say it is not great to see lots of the Dutch media doing their best to cheerfully promote Jake Paul, a racist scam artist who thinks Covid is a hoax, supports ICE and has been accused of multiple sexual assaults
Leuke theorie, maar kan een minister van Volkshuisvesting echt veel invloed hebben op Defensie? Ze zullen elkaar zelden zien. Ontwikkelingssamenwerking is voor haar logischer dan wonen
February 10, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Leuke theorie, maar kan een minister van Volkshuisvesting echt veel invloed hebben op Defensie? Ze zullen elkaar zelden zien. Ontwikkelingssamenwerking is voor haar logischer dan wonen
Old habits die hard!
February 10, 2026 at 12:56 PM
Old habits die hard!
February 10, 2026 at 12:17 PM
Proportion of adults with a job who work from home:
Finland 22%
Germany 13%
Netherlands 13%
Spain 7%
Poland 5%
Greece 2%
(UK figure was about 5% but pre-Covid)
Finland 22%
Germany 13%
Netherlands 13%
Spain 7%
Poland 5%
Greece 2%
(UK figure was about 5% but pre-Covid)
February 10, 2026 at 12:15 PM
Proportion of adults with a job who work from home:
Finland 22%
Germany 13%
Netherlands 13%
Spain 7%
Poland 5%
Greece 2%
(UK figure was about 5% but pre-Covid)
Finland 22%
Germany 13%
Netherlands 13%
Spain 7%
Poland 5%
Greece 2%
(UK figure was about 5% but pre-Covid)
Yes, very true. The proportion of Dutch workers who work part time is extraordinary, and pushes their number down. But it remains mildly amusing to tell Dutch people they are the laziest workers in Europe.
February 10, 2026 at 12:07 PM
Yes, very true. The proportion of Dutch workers who work part time is extraordinary, and pushes their number down. But it remains mildly amusing to tell Dutch people they are the laziest workers in Europe.
Lazy Dutch need to become more like hardworking Greeks or Italians 🙂
February 10, 2026 at 10:41 AM
Lazy Dutch need to become more like hardworking Greeks or Italians 🙂
I literally do not know a single person who works full time in an office now. Everyone spends part of the week at home, and most work part-time and also spend part of the week at home
Three in five Dutch employees can actually work from home www.dutchnews.nl?p=263411
Three in five Dutch employees can actually work from home - DutchNews.nl
Around 80% of companies in the Netherlands allowed employees to work remotely in 2025, with just over 60% of workers able to make use of the option in practice, new figures from national statistics agency...
www.dutchnews.nl
February 10, 2026 at 10:39 AM
I literally do not know a single person who works full time in an office now. Everyone spends part of the week at home, and most work part-time and also spend part of the week at home
It’s almost as if they never had any real principles at all
a man with long hair and a beard is making a funny face with the word grifft written on his face .
ALT: a man with long hair and a beard is making a funny face with the word grifft written on his face .
media.tenor.com
February 10, 2026 at 9:54 AM
It’s almost as if they never had any real principles at all
An obvious point but it is insanely weird how MAGA/populist people spent years fantsising about Bilderberg conspiracies & the existence of secret paedophile rings and now there is an actual paedophile ring run by the world’s most powerful men they just do not care at all
Secretary Howard Lutnick lied to the country about his ties to Epstein.
Now we learned that they were in business together.
He has no business being our Commerce Secretary.
He should resign.
www.politico.com/live-updates...
Now we learned that they were in business together.
He has no business being our Commerce Secretary.
He should resign.
www.politico.com/live-updates...
Howard Lutnick faces bipartisan calls to resign over latest Epstein revelations
Recently disclosed records suggest a closer relationship than the Commerce secretary previously indicated.
www.politico.com
February 10, 2026 at 9:54 AM
An obvious point but it is insanely weird how MAGA/populist people spent years fantsising about Bilderberg conspiracies & the existence of secret paedophile rings and now there is an actual paedophile ring run by the world’s most powerful men they just do not care at all
My point is not that he’s done great - but that if someone in his position has been unable to make a go of it, I don’t see how Streeting or Burnham or even Farage would do much better. The problems are structural
February 10, 2026 at 8:08 AM
My point is not that he’s done great - but that if someone in his position has been unable to make a go of it, I don’t see how Streeting or Burnham or even Farage would do much better. The problems are structural
I agree his politicial tactics have been dubious - too worried about losing votes to the right rather than wrecking his base. But I’m not sure his biggest problem is delivery - dealt a terrible hand, he has made an ok start at (for example) fixing the NHS, despite global turmoil
February 10, 2026 at 8:08 AM
I agree his politicial tactics have been dubious - too worried about losing votes to the right rather than wrecking his base. But I’m not sure his biggest problem is delivery - dealt a terrible hand, he has made an ok start at (for example) fixing the NHS, despite global turmoil
Starmer made mistakes but his potential demise is nothing to celebrate.
A decent guy with a solid electoral mandate to fix the country- & he could barely hold together a majority and get the bills paid on time.
Between 2016 and 2024 Britain looked ungovernable. The current mess confirms it still is.
A decent guy with a solid electoral mandate to fix the country- & he could barely hold together a majority and get the bills paid on time.
Between 2016 and 2024 Britain looked ungovernable. The current mess confirms it still is.
February 10, 2026 at 7:18 AM
Starmer made mistakes but his potential demise is nothing to celebrate.
A decent guy with a solid electoral mandate to fix the country- & he could barely hold together a majority and get the bills paid on time.
Between 2016 and 2024 Britain looked ungovernable. The current mess confirms it still is.
A decent guy with a solid electoral mandate to fix the country- & he could barely hold together a majority and get the bills paid on time.
Between 2016 and 2024 Britain looked ungovernable. The current mess confirms it still is.
When it comes to beats well I'm a fiend;
I like my sugar with coffee and cream
I like my sugar with coffee and cream
February 9, 2026 at 9:10 PM
When it comes to beats well I'm a fiend;
I like my sugar with coffee and cream
I like my sugar with coffee and cream
Reposted by Ben Coates
Still one of the coolest buildings in Europe
(the Boijmans Depot art gallery in Rotterdam)
(the Boijmans Depot art gallery in Rotterdam)
February 9, 2026 at 11:13 AM
Still one of the coolest buildings in Europe
(the Boijmans Depot art gallery in Rotterdam)
(the Boijmans Depot art gallery in Rotterdam)
Well yeah, that’s the point. It’s shallow short termist reflexive populism and it’s dumb
February 9, 2026 at 7:21 PM
Well yeah, that’s the point. It’s shallow short termist reflexive populism and it’s dumb
You cannot become prime minister with only the support of retired people
February 9, 2026 at 7:05 PM
You cannot become prime minister with only the support of retired people
Reposted by Ben Coates
BREAKING: “in my 24th year of my quest to settle the planet Mars, I have just been informed of a basic fact of celestial mechanics.”
February 9, 2026 at 10:31 AM
BREAKING: “in my 24th year of my quest to settle the planet Mars, I have just been informed of a basic fact of celestial mechanics.”
It’s probably a good way to appeal to a small slice of grumpy retired-middle-manager middle England. But not a great way of competing with Labour and conservatives for mass appeal nationally.
February 9, 2026 at 6:58 PM
It’s probably a good way to appeal to a small slice of grumpy retired-middle-manager middle England. But not a great way of competing with Labour and conservatives for mass appeal nationally.