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!
is it just me or is having a phone conversation in a cafe on speaker, with your iPhone out on the table, just an absolutely deranged Dahmer-level lunatic way to behave? What’s the procedure to get someone committed?
February 11, 2026 at 9:59 AM
is it just me or is having a phone conversation in a cafe on speaker, with your iPhone out on the table, just an absolutely deranged Dahmer-level lunatic way to behave? What’s the procedure to get someone committed?
A 🇳🇱 commission analyzed 1000s of speeches in parliament, and found politicians’ hate speech leads to normalization of it.
“There is a direct correlation. A statement made in Parliament, then printed in a newspaper, then explodes on social media… [for example] when Wilders called Kaag a witch”
“There is a direct correlation. A statement made in Parliament, then printed in a newspaper, then explodes on social media… [for example] when Wilders called Kaag a witch”
February 11, 2026 at 9:35 AM
A 🇳🇱 commission analyzed 1000s of speeches in parliament, and found politicians’ hate speech leads to normalization of it.
“There is a direct correlation. A statement made in Parliament, then printed in a newspaper, then explodes on social media… [for example] when Wilders called Kaag a witch”
“There is a direct correlation. A statement made in Parliament, then printed in a newspaper, then explodes on social media… [for example] when Wilders called Kaag a witch”
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
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
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
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
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.
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)
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.”
“Vote Reform and be forced to go to the office every day again”
I’m not sure they’ve thought this through
I’m not sure they’ve thought this through
BREAKING: Nigel Farage calls for an end to working from home and the focus on work-life balance
"People aren't more productive working from home - it's a load of nonsense”
Whatever you do JUST DON’T VOTE REFORM!
"People aren't more productive working from home - it's a load of nonsense”
Whatever you do JUST DON’T VOTE REFORM!
February 9, 2026 at 6:53 PM
“Vote Reform and be forced to go to the office every day again”
I’m not sure they’ve thought this through
I’m not sure they’ve thought this through
The mandelson scandal is so damaging partly because it confirms lots of people’s worst suspicions about the political elite; things which they’ve always suspected but never seen proved in writing before:
Finance and politics are incestuously intertwined. Politicians spend their careers plotting how
Finance and politics are incestuously intertwined. Politicians spend their careers plotting how
February 9, 2026 at 4:49 PM
The mandelson scandal is so damaging partly because it confirms lots of people’s worst suspicions about the political elite; things which they’ve always suspected but never seen proved in writing before:
Finance and politics are incestuously intertwined. Politicians spend their careers plotting how
Finance and politics are incestuously intertwined. Politicians spend their careers plotting how
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)
Overall I think we are now at 9 female cabinet ministers out of 21 positions named so far, which is not bad. But some parties ratios are woeful - and the Netherlands seems about as close to getting a female prime minister as it does to hosting the Winter Olympics
VVD justice minister David van Weel, asked why only 3 of his party's 9 cabinet members were women, replied: “We selected on quality.”
D66 just appointed the first female lieutenant-general in the Dutch army as housing minister.
The quality's there if you look for it.
www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2026/...
D66 just appointed the first female lieutenant-general in the Dutch army as housing minister.
The quality's there if you look for it.
www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2026/...
Luitenant-generaal Elanor Boekholt-O’Sullivan wordt minister van Volkshuisvesting namens D66
D66 heeft luitenant-generaal bij de Luchtmacht Elanor Boekholt-O’Sullivan voorgedragen als minister van Volkshuisvesting en Ruimtelijke Ordening. Dat meldt de partij maandag op haar website. Boekholt-...
www.nrc.nl
February 9, 2026 at 10:19 AM
Overall I think we are now at 9 female cabinet ministers out of 21 positions named so far, which is not bad. But some parties ratios are woeful - and the Netherlands seems about as close to getting a female prime minister as it does to hosting the Winter Olympics
A helpful summary of 🇳🇱 cabinet posts here, from NOS
VVD runs the treasury, justice, defence, health, infrastructure
D66 gets education, foreign aid, farming, social affairs (and prime minister)
CDA gets foreign affairs and interior affairs, economic affairs
You can see why Yesilgoz is smiling 🤠
VVD runs the treasury, justice, defence, health, infrastructure
D66 gets education, foreign aid, farming, social affairs (and prime minister)
CDA gets foreign affairs and interior affairs, economic affairs
You can see why Yesilgoz is smiling 🤠
February 9, 2026 at 9:06 AM
A helpful summary of 🇳🇱 cabinet posts here, from NOS
VVD runs the treasury, justice, defence, health, infrastructure
D66 gets education, foreign aid, farming, social affairs (and prime minister)
CDA gets foreign affairs and interior affairs, economic affairs
You can see why Yesilgoz is smiling 🤠
VVD runs the treasury, justice, defence, health, infrastructure
D66 gets education, foreign aid, farming, social affairs (and prime minister)
CDA gets foreign affairs and interior affairs, economic affairs
You can see why Yesilgoz is smiling 🤠
My guess is Starmer will survive for now - but not much longer. At this point it’s impossible to see him leading Labour into the next election. One way or another he’s almost certain to be a one term (or half term) PM
February 9, 2026 at 8:05 AM
My guess is Starmer will survive for now - but not much longer. At this point it’s impossible to see him leading Labour into the next election. One way or another he’s almost certain to be a one term (or half term) PM
Reposted by Ben Coates
Really interesting thread on French nuclear power.
France has ended up in a strange position after using some €250bn of tax-payer money to build a fleet of nuclear power stations. Wind and solar power is merrily entering the French power market at prices nuclear production can't match, resulting in huge surpluses of power.
1/
1/
Électricité : un rapport confidentiel d’EDF anticipe une explosion des coûts et des risques
« Le Point » s’est procuré le rapport interne d’EDF sur les conséquences de la modulation de son parc nucléaire pour faire place aux renouvelables. Un document explosif, alors que le gouvernement s’ap...
www.lepoint.fr
February 8, 2026 at 7:20 PM
Really interesting thread on French nuclear power.
dagje Leiden
Always a pleasure
Always a pleasure
February 8, 2026 at 6:42 PM
dagje Leiden
Always a pleasure
Always a pleasure
There’s maybe an interesting dynamic here, where Mark Rutte’s permanent singledom and refusal to talk about his private life (or, if you prefer, refusal to come out of the closet) has actually set a precedent for public disinterest in first husbands/ladies, and made it easier for a gay man to be PM
It’s quite cool how the Netherlands is about to get a gay prime minister and basically no one here cares at all
February 8, 2026 at 8:55 AM
There’s maybe an interesting dynamic here, where Mark Rutte’s permanent singledom and refusal to talk about his private life (or, if you prefer, refusal to come out of the closet) has actually set a precedent for public disinterest in first husbands/ladies, and made it easier for a gay man to be PM
Reposted by Ben Coates
It’s quite cool how the Netherlands is about to get a gay prime minister and basically no one here cares at all
February 7, 2026 at 1:14 PM
It’s quite cool how the Netherlands is about to get a gay prime minister and basically no one here cares at all
Tough call, for the husband of a Latin American immigrant
Dutch king, huge football fan, refuses to say if he'll go to the World Cup in US. I think heads of state/government ministers etcetera might stay away, like at Russia WCup 2018; boycotts by teams extremely unlikely unless Trump actually invades a Euro country www.voetbalprimeur.nl/nieuws/17399...
Koning Willem-Alexander pareert WK-vraag: 'De toekomst is de toekomst'
Koning Willem-Alexander wil zich niet uitspreken over het aanstaande WK in Amerika. Samen met zijn gezin is de koning aanwezig bij de Olympische Spelen in Milaan. Daar krijgt hij de vraag of hij komen...
www.voetbalprimeur.nl
February 7, 2026 at 2:12 PM
Tough call, for the husband of a Latin American immigrant
It’s quite cool how the Netherlands is about to get a gay prime minister and basically no one here cares at all
February 7, 2026 at 1:14 PM
It’s quite cool how the Netherlands is about to get a gay prime minister and basically no one here cares at all
Reposted by Ben Coates
Back in 2015, I completed a middle reader novel and tried to get it published. Didn’t go well.
Things have *not* improved in the industry since then.
Things have *not* improved in the industry since then.
An interesting, rather sad piece about the collapse of the market for cheaper paperback books
“in the US, about 103 million mass market books were sold in 2006, the year before the Kindle was introduced. Last year, readers bought fewer than 18 million of them”
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/b...
“in the US, about 103 million mass market books were sold in 2006, the year before the Kindle was introduced. Last year, readers bought fewer than 18 million of them”
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/b...
So Long to Cheap Books You Could Fit in Your Pocket
www.nytimes.com
February 7, 2026 at 11:32 AM
Back in 2015, I completed a middle reader novel and tried to get it published. Didn’t go well.
Things have *not* improved in the industry since then.
Things have *not* improved in the industry since then.
An interesting, rather sad piece about the collapse of the market for cheaper paperback books
“in the US, about 103 million mass market books were sold in 2006, the year before the Kindle was introduced. Last year, readers bought fewer than 18 million of them”
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/b...
“in the US, about 103 million mass market books were sold in 2006, the year before the Kindle was introduced. Last year, readers bought fewer than 18 million of them”
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/b...
So Long to Cheap Books You Could Fit in Your Pocket
www.nytimes.com
February 7, 2026 at 8:55 AM
An interesting, rather sad piece about the collapse of the market for cheaper paperback books
“in the US, about 103 million mass market books were sold in 2006, the year before the Kindle was introduced. Last year, readers bought fewer than 18 million of them”
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/b...
“in the US, about 103 million mass market books were sold in 2006, the year before the Kindle was introduced. Last year, readers bought fewer than 18 million of them”
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/b...
This should be bigger news
A party which first takes money from Russia and then takes orders from Trump cannot be trusted to act in Britain’s interests
A party which first takes money from Russia and then takes orders from Trump cannot be trusted to act in Britain’s interests
Senior state department official Sarah Rogers travelled to European cities in December and has spoken to key figures in Nigel Farage’s populist Reform UK party about deploying grants to spread ‘American values’. ft.trib.al/Kx8ta8a
February 6, 2026 at 9:41 PM
This should be bigger news
A party which first takes money from Russia and then takes orders from Trump cannot be trusted to act in Britain’s interests
A party which first takes money from Russia and then takes orders from Trump cannot be trusted to act in Britain’s interests