Ed Wilson
@eddwilson.bsky.social
Lefty liberal by temperament, exasperated by experience.
Not strictly qualified for most arguments, but I do read a lot.
Stockport, UK
Not strictly qualified for most arguments, but I do read a lot.
Stockport, UK
"Britain has been gradually slipping down the rankings since 2015, falling from the seventh-placed country to 20th in 2025, with a score of 70 out of 100, down from 71 in last year’s report."
www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2025
#WATO #PoliticsLIve
www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2025
#WATO #PoliticsLIve
Corruption Perceptions Index 2025
The Corruption Perceptions Index 2025 ranks 182 countries by their perceived levels of public sector corruption. Find out the scores and read our analysis.
www.transparency.org
February 10, 2026 at 5:45 PM
We know there's a BBC Persian Service, Evan Davis, because people like you keep quoting it.
And this isn't the first time Lyse Doucet has been into Iran on condition that none of her material is broadcast on that service.
#BBCPM
And this isn't the first time Lyse Doucet has been into Iran on condition that none of her material is broadcast on that service.
#BBCPM
February 10, 2026 at 5:24 PM
We know there's a BBC Persian Service, Evan Davis, because people like you keep quoting it.
And this isn't the first time Lyse Doucet has been into Iran on condition that none of her material is broadcast on that service.
#BBCPM
And this isn't the first time Lyse Doucet has been into Iran on condition that none of her material is broadcast on that service.
#BBCPM
Rep. Delia Ramirez to DHS officials: "I have as much respect for you as I do for the last white men who put on masks to terrorize communities of color. I have no respect for the inheritors of the Klanhood and the slave patrol. Those activities were criminal and so are yours."
February 10, 2026 at 5:22 PM
Starmer nominated [Doyle] for a peerage in December - despite knowing Matthew Doyle campaigned for a councillor... charged with child sex offences... No 10 investigated Mr Doyle's continued support of [a] councillor... charged with possessing and distributing indecent images of children
#R4Today
#R4Today
Former No 10 spin doctor joins House of Lords despite row over links to paedophile | LBC
Sir Keir Starmer nominated his former aide for a peerage in December - despite knowing Matthew Doyle campaigned for a councillor who had been charged with child sex offences
www.lbc.co.uk
February 10, 2026 at 5:20 PM
Who vets the vetters, and who checks where they go next?
February 10, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Who vets the vetters, and who checks where they go next?
Will you then be selling packs of broken egg bits?
February 10, 2026 at 4:55 PM
Will you then be selling packs of broken egg bits?
"perhaps, in an age of kompromat and hybrid warfare, we should vet our politicians as well?"
A fair amount of nonsense has been written and said about the "security vetting" process for Mandelson's appointment. I wrote about what "Developed Vetting" really involves and why it's perfectly possible that it found nothing useful about Mandelson.
arthursnell.substack.com/p/the-vettin...
arthursnell.substack.com/p/the-vettin...
The Vetting Myth
Understanding the realities of Mandelson's pre-appointment checks
arthursnell.substack.com
February 10, 2026 at 4:51 PM
"perhaps, in an age of kompromat and hybrid warfare, we should vet our politicians as well?"
And Trump was worried about the dancing.
February 10, 2026 at 3:08 PM
And Trump was worried about the dancing.
The main thing I want to see is the civil service due diligence report, which the Metropolitan Police seem to be saying would sabotage their investigations. How much of that will actually be seen to consider Epstein?
February 10, 2026 at 3:06 PM
The main thing I want to see is the civil service due diligence report, which the Metropolitan Police seem to be saying would sabotage their investigations. How much of that will actually be seen to consider Epstein?
Indeed. The contract doesn't specify, or allow, an "NHS database". But a malign service provider could always extract the data to produce one. As Musk's DOGE did.
February 10, 2026 at 2:57 PM
Indeed. The contract doesn't specify, or allow, an "NHS database". But a malign service provider could always extract the data to produce one. As Musk's DOGE did.
I can imagine a way to offer my services to a debating society which appears not to like my opinions. Perhaps Sarah Pochin doesn't have the nous or lightness of touch to approach it that way.
#PoliticsLive
#PoliticsLive
February 10, 2026 at 2:51 PM
I can imagine a way to offer my services to a debating society which appears not to like my opinions. Perhaps Sarah Pochin doesn't have the nous or lightness of touch to approach it that way.
#PoliticsLive
#PoliticsLive
The contract specification was to enable access by NHS people to data held in a variety of systems and databases. That was necessary, because the New Labour attempt to standardise systems failed.
Palantir does that stuff. Whether we trust them...
(I'll have to dig through my Twitter archive.)
Palantir does that stuff. Whether we trust them...
(I'll have to dig through my Twitter archive.)
February 10, 2026 at 2:46 PM
The contract specification was to enable access by NHS people to data held in a variety of systems and databases. That was necessary, because the New Labour attempt to standardise systems failed.
Palantir does that stuff. Whether we trust them...
(I'll have to dig through my Twitter archive.)
Palantir does that stuff. Whether we trust them...
(I'll have to dig through my Twitter archive.)
Jake Berry complains that the minimum wage has been increased for younger people.
Did he object when his Conservative colleagues did that?
#PoliticsLive
Did he object when his Conservative colleagues did that?
#PoliticsLive
February 10, 2026 at 2:42 PM
Jake Berry complains that the minimum wage has been increased for younger people.
Did he object when his Conservative colleagues did that?
#PoliticsLive
Did he object when his Conservative colleagues did that?
#PoliticsLive
"Increasing the cost of employment" can be considered relative to
- the current cost of employment is right
- the cost of employment should be zero
The debate should be a bit more intellligent than this.
#PoliticsLive
- the current cost of employment is right
- the cost of employment should be zero
The debate should be a bit more intellligent than this.
#PoliticsLive
February 10, 2026 at 2:39 PM
"Increasing the cost of employment" can be considered relative to
- the current cost of employment is right
- the cost of employment should be zero
The debate should be a bit more intellligent than this.
#PoliticsLive
- the current cost of employment is right
- the cost of employment should be zero
The debate should be a bit more intellligent than this.
#PoliticsLive
Palantir's contract with the NHS was awarded by the Tories, but if there is a break clause with a review this year, that's an opportunity.
#PoliticsLve
#PoliticsLve
£240m. With no tender. Palantir.
I wrote to Wes Streeting last week demanding answers.
Every day without any transparency deepens the scandal.
Palantir out.
I wrote to Wes Streeting last week demanding answers.
Every day without any transparency deepens the scandal.
Palantir out.
Mandelson’s malign influence runs right through the heart of this Government.
Not least in the govt’s NHS data deal with Palantir – a spy-tech firm co-founded by a man who thinks the NHS should be ‘ripped up.’
I've written to Wes Streeting urging him to ditch this dangerous deal.
Not least in the govt’s NHS data deal with Palantir – a spy-tech firm co-founded by a man who thinks the NHS should be ‘ripped up.’
I've written to Wes Streeting urging him to ditch this dangerous deal.
February 10, 2026 at 2:33 PM
Palantir's contract with the NHS was awarded by the Tories, but if there is a break clause with a review this year, that's an opportunity.
#PoliticsLve
#PoliticsLve
Reform is threatening Bangor University over a student society’s decision. The society isn’t Bangor University—but this is a neat preview of how a Reform government would work: public money for supporters only. Trump-style politics, UK edition.
Authoritarian reflex is already working just fine.👇
Authoritarian reflex is already working just fine.👇
February 10, 2026 at 2:24 PM
"The government can’t afford another era where standards are optional, and scrutiny is dismissed as an inconvenience. Trust in politics is already hanging by a thread."
#PoliticsLive
#PoliticsLive
👇My call for urgent reform following the Mandelson scandal.
The system is broken, but here are some ways we can fix it.
The system is broken, but here are some ways we can fix it.
The government must now make ethics reform a top priority
Ethics reform can't be seen as a secondary concern or a nice-to-have. For my party, it is existential – and the government must embrace it.
www.politicshome.com
February 10, 2026 at 2:19 PM
"The government can’t afford another era where standards are optional, and scrutiny is dismissed as an inconvenience. Trust in politics is already hanging by a thread."
#PoliticsLive
#PoliticsLive
The former chair of the UK Conservative party has recommended "finding out from Google" as the way to truth.
You have to work a bit harder than that, Mr Berry.
#PoliticsLive
You have to work a bit harder than that, Mr Berry.
#PoliticsLive
February 10, 2026 at 2:15 PM
The former chair of the UK Conservative party has recommended "finding out from Google" as the way to truth.
You have to work a bit harder than that, Mr Berry.
#PoliticsLive
You have to work a bit harder than that, Mr Berry.
#PoliticsLive
Labour's @johnmcdonnellmp.bsky.social written to General Sec Hollie Ridley for 3rd time calling for independent inquiry into Labour Together
"Keir Starmer yesterday promised a change of culture in the party. This will be an early test of that promise”
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/pr-firm-pr...
"Keir Starmer yesterday promised a change of culture in the party. This will be an early test of that promise”
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/pr-firm-pr...
PR firm probed over Labour Together investigating journalists
Investigation into APCO Worldwide deepens questions for Cabinet Office minister Josh Simons
democracyforsale.substack.com
February 10, 2026 at 2:07 PM
#HalfAnHourBehind
It's a while since I last heard Katy Clark, but she's never been that funny before.
#WATO
It's a while since I last heard Katy Clark, but she's never been that funny before.
#WATO
February 10, 2026 at 1:57 PM
#HalfAnHourBehind
It's a while since I last heard Katy Clark, but she's never been that funny before.
#WATO
It's a while since I last heard Katy Clark, but she's never been that funny before.
#WATO
That continues a worrying trend for the UK over the last decade.
@anticorruption.bsky.social cited record political donations from super‑rich backers, cash‑for‑access politics, aggressive lobbying & shrinking space for protest, journalism & people-powered campaigns the UK's downgrade... 2/3
@anticorruption.bsky.social cited record political donations from super‑rich backers, cash‑for‑access politics, aggressive lobbying & shrinking space for protest, journalism & people-powered campaigns the UK's downgrade... 2/3
February 10, 2026 at 1:30 PM
The cartoon that appeared this week on the front page of France’s most influential national newspaper, Le Monde
Brilliant work by the cartoonist, Guffo.
Brilliant work by the cartoonist, Guffo.
February 10, 2026 at 1:26 PM
Lavrov made a number of statements that clearly illustrate Russia's vision of the current situation
Russia isn’t interested in peace at the moment
"Europe is still trying to dictate its approaches across the Eurasian continent,interfering with natural interactions between Russia&
Russia isn’t interested in peace at the moment
"Europe is still trying to dictate its approaches across the Eurasian continent,interfering with natural interactions between Russia&
February 10, 2026 at 1:25 PM
Yesterday, somebody on BBC News told us that Starmer hasn't got a mission.
Before July 2024 he had five missions, which were then watered down on their website, and have hardly been mentioned since.
#WATO
Before July 2024 he had five missions, which were then watered down on their website, and have hardly been mentioned since.
#WATO
February 10, 2026 at 1:21 PM
Yesterday, somebody on BBC News told us that Starmer hasn't got a mission.
Before July 2024 he had five missions, which were then watered down on their website, and have hardly been mentioned since.
#WATO
Before July 2024 he had five missions, which were then watered down on their website, and have hardly been mentioned since.
#WATO
There's a lot in the Epstein files about organising to stop crypto regulation.
February 10, 2026 at 1:19 PM
There's a lot in the Epstein files about organising to stop crypto regulation.