Mary Wombat
@littlemavis.bsky.social
UK. English. Northern. Old, grumpy, opinionated lefty Yorkshirewoman. Passionate about fairness. Retired scientist, admin person, IT bod, teacher.
Reposted by Mary Wombat
A great deal of ‘welfare’ spending is basically the taxpayer picking up the tab for economic and political failures. I mean, how much of the UK’s welfare spending is basically down to the housing crisis and a decade of minimal wage growth?
There's an advert on his website for a 'Depot Supervisor' that pays £12.75 an hour for shift work.
If he wants to reduce welfare spending maybe he should pay staff enough that they don't need in-work benefits.
If he wants to reduce welfare spending maybe he should pay staff enough that they don't need in-work benefits.
‘Madness’ to increase welfare spending in Budget, says AO World boss
November 26, 2025 at 8:39 AM
A great deal of ‘welfare’ spending is basically the taxpayer picking up the tab for economic and political failures. I mean, how much of the UK’s welfare spending is basically down to the housing crisis and a decade of minimal wage growth?
Good morning Bluesky
November 26, 2025 at 7:29 AM
Good morning Bluesky
We seem to have a habit of pushing punitive policies that cost more than compassionate ones would (like the 2 child limit)
Compassionate asylum policies are not only more humane, but also more cost effective. Instead we have the government pushing some of the most draconian ant-asylum policies in years, increasing the cost of the system at the same time. As @refugeestogether.bsky.social show, there is a better approach.
Britain’s asylum system is costly, chaotic, and uncaring - but it doesn’t have to be.
It’s time for evidence-based policy - fair to refugees, good for Britain. #TogetherWithRefugees
Read the report: togetherwithrefugees.org.uk/welcoming-gr...
It’s time for evidence-based policy - fair to refugees, good for Britain. #TogetherWithRefugees
Read the report: togetherwithrefugees.org.uk/welcoming-gr...
November 25, 2025 at 6:02 PM
We seem to have a habit of pushing punitive policies that cost more than compassionate ones would (like the 2 child limit)
The local busses in our part of town are a mess just now. The one K just caught is showing as 38mins late. It's a circular route & they are supposed to run every 20minutes
November 25, 2025 at 4:54 PM
The local busses in our part of town are a mess just now. The one K just caught is showing as 38mins late. It's a circular route & they are supposed to run every 20minutes
Reposted by Mary Wombat
Mornin you lot. This week's vlog is all about Agents of Secrets and Lies, the first book in the Summer Realm series that I've been working on with @wombat37.bsky.social @purplequeenpub.bsky.social and @lisashambrook.bsky.social with fab cover art from @kiturnix.bsky.social
youtu.be/KvV-MFPLaoM?...
youtu.be/KvV-MFPLaoM?...
Big Book News! 📚
YouTube video by Victoria Pearson
youtu.be
November 24, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Mornin you lot. This week's vlog is all about Agents of Secrets and Lies, the first book in the Summer Realm series that I've been working on with @wombat37.bsky.social @purplequeenpub.bsky.social and @lisashambrook.bsky.social with fab cover art from @kiturnix.bsky.social
youtu.be/KvV-MFPLaoM?...
youtu.be/KvV-MFPLaoM?...
Remind me to add cocoa butter lotion to my shopping list
November 25, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Remind me to add cocoa butter lotion to my shopping list
Reposted by Mary Wombat
I remember being incredibly impressed at just how good Google was in the early days. Streets ahead of competitors. Recommended it to all my students
It's rubbish now in comparison to then
It's rubbish now in comparison to then
Google at its peak was basically the best information retrieval system in human history and they and every competitor decided going from there to “you didn’t want answers you wanted half-assed auto-complete 80%-wrong hallucinations” in a few years was the right idea
November 25, 2025 at 2:43 PM
I remember being incredibly impressed at just how good Google was in the early days. Streets ahead of competitors. Recommended it to all my students
It's rubbish now in comparison to then
It's rubbish now in comparison to then
Reposted by Mary Wombat
Here we go... Look out for the full video of me as my character, Cleaveskull, coming soon. Please repost this with wild abandon, and pre-order the book. Paperback pre-orders should be along before too long.
November 25, 2025 at 9:09 AM
Here we go... Look out for the full video of me as my character, Cleaveskull, coming soon. Please repost this with wild abandon, and pre-order the book. Paperback pre-orders should be along before too long.
"Ms Paul has reportedly admitted that she had overstayed her visa but insisted she was told by her immigration lawyer officials this is commonly forgiven when filing for a spousal green card"
In the current climate why on earth would you risk this?
In the current climate why on earth would you risk this?
ICE arrests, detains British woman with US husband and newborn when she shows up for her green card interview. She’s now in a detention center, separated from her 6-month-old. No criminal record. She had overstayed her visa.
www.lbc.co.uk/article/brit...
www.lbc.co.uk/article/brit...
British mum detained by ICE agents in California as six-month old baby and stunned husband watch on | LBC
Katie Paul, 33, was in the process of applying for a green card when she was ambushed by immigration agents
www.lbc.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 1:01 PM
"Ms Paul has reportedly admitted that she had overstayed her visa but insisted she was told by her immigration lawyer officials this is commonly forgiven when filing for a spousal green card"
In the current climate why on earth would you risk this?
In the current climate why on earth would you risk this?
Why are there so many prominent immigrants, or more often, offspring of immigrants apparently hell bent on stopping anyone else gaining what they have gained in coming here? It seems such a common occurrence from bullies victims becoming bullies to Israel persecuting Palestinians.
Trevor Phillips proposes banning "remittances" (ie: imposing currency/exchange controls on international cash transfers by foreign nationals from Britain). He says this would disincentivise immigration, in a Times piece saying the Home Secretary needs to go [much] further
archive.ph/RlXPj
archive.ph/RlXPj
November 25, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Why are there so many prominent immigrants, or more often, offspring of immigrants apparently hell bent on stopping anyone else gaining what they have gained in coming here? It seems such a common occurrence from bullies victims becoming bullies to Israel persecuting Palestinians.
We've got lots of lovely cheeses & nice crackers for lunch but I still hanker for seriously unhealthy things like pork pies
November 25, 2025 at 12:38 PM
We've got lots of lovely cheeses & nice crackers for lunch but I still hanker for seriously unhealthy things like pork pies
Reposted by Mary Wombat
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
In the town where I grew up there was a pork butchers that sold really great sausage rolls & pasties.
The filling was kind of melded rather than having lumps of veg & meat & was beautifully peppery.
The filling was kind of melded rather than having lumps of veg & meat & was beautifully peppery.
November 25, 2025 at 9:29 AM
In the town where I grew up there was a pork butchers that sold really great sausage rolls & pasties.
The filling was kind of melded rather than having lumps of veg & meat & was beautifully peppery.
The filling was kind of melded rather than having lumps of veg & meat & was beautifully peppery.
I don't usually resort to "It's not fair" but this morning I'm incredibly resentful that awful men like Trump, Putin & Netanyahu are still around while lovely people suffer & decline
November 25, 2025 at 8:55 AM
I don't usually resort to "It's not fair" but this morning I'm incredibly resentful that awful men like Trump, Putin & Netanyahu are still around while lovely people suffer & decline
"Nigel Farage and Tommy Robinson are increasingly espousing Christian ‘values’ "
No they arent. They're pretending to
Danny Kruger may believe this stuff, those two definitely don't
www.theguardian.com/world/commen...
No they arent. They're pretending to
Danny Kruger may believe this stuff, those two definitely don't
www.theguardian.com/world/commen...
Is British politics immune to US-style rightwing Christianity? We’re about to find out | Lamorna Ash
Nigel Farage and Tommy Robinson are increasingly espousing Christian ‘values’, and a wealthy US legal group is becoming influential – this could have dire consequences, says author Lamorna Ash
www.theguardian.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:05 AM
"Nigel Farage and Tommy Robinson are increasingly espousing Christian ‘values’ "
No they arent. They're pretending to
Danny Kruger may believe this stuff, those two definitely don't
www.theguardian.com/world/commen...
No they arent. They're pretending to
Danny Kruger may believe this stuff, those two definitely don't
www.theguardian.com/world/commen...
Good morning Bluesky
November 25, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Good morning Bluesky
I have, had, a marble paper towel holder. It broke. No great loss, I only used it because it used to belong to my MiL.
Question is, what do I do with the bits? Just nung them into the un- recyclable skip at the dump?
Question is, what do I do with the bits? Just nung them into the un- recyclable skip at the dump?
November 24, 2025 at 8:31 PM
I have, had, a marble paper towel holder. It broke. No great loss, I only used it because it used to belong to my MiL.
Question is, what do I do with the bits? Just nung them into the un- recyclable skip at the dump?
Question is, what do I do with the bits? Just nung them into the un- recyclable skip at the dump?
Actually, why do already very rich people want to get even richer? When you already have more clothes, jewellery, houses, cars, yachts than you can actually use, why still crave more? Were these people not hugged enough as children? Weaned too soon? What hole in their lives are they trying to fill?
“You cannot allow the richest people in your society to take a bigger and a bigger and a bigger share in economies with almost no growth and not expect ordinary families to get poorer”
Gary makes it simple. Without a reset on the gap between the wealthy and the rest of us things will only get worse
Gary makes it simple. Without a reset on the gap between the wealthy and the rest of us things will only get worse
November 24, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Actually, why do already very rich people want to get even richer? When you already have more clothes, jewellery, houses, cars, yachts than you can actually use, why still crave more? Were these people not hugged enough as children? Weaned too soon? What hole in their lives are they trying to fill?
Reposted by Mary Wombat
“You cannot allow the richest people in your society to take a bigger and a bigger and a bigger share in economies with almost no growth and not expect ordinary families to get poorer”
Gary makes it simple. Without a reset on the gap between the wealthy and the rest of us things will only get worse
Gary makes it simple. Without a reset on the gap between the wealthy and the rest of us things will only get worse
November 20, 2025 at 2:03 PM
“You cannot allow the richest people in your society to take a bigger and a bigger and a bigger share in economies with almost no growth and not expect ordinary families to get poorer”
Gary makes it simple. Without a reset on the gap between the wealthy and the rest of us things will only get worse
Gary makes it simple. Without a reset on the gap between the wealthy and the rest of us things will only get worse
Reposted by Mary Wombat
Scrapping the two-child limit *is* welfare reform. Defining ‘reform’ solely as ‘cut’ is one reason why it’s proved so difficult
November 23, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Scrapping the two-child limit *is* welfare reform. Defining ‘reform’ solely as ‘cut’ is one reason why it’s proved so difficult
This is a great story but writi g it all in the present tense makes it a rather confusing read
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Hunter syndrome: Boy with rare condition amazes doctors after world-first gene therapy
Oliver has an inherited condition called Hunter syndrome, which causes progressive damage to the body and brain.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 4:43 PM
This is a great story but writi g it all in the present tense makes it a rather confusing read
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Just put Antiques Roadshow on. The first 2 I saw were items worth £10k & £6k. The owners never blinked
Now there's a couple with a collection of miniatures & they are telling the expert exactly who the subjects & artists are. Why have they brought them? Just showing off? A marketing ploy?
Now there's a couple with a collection of miniatures & they are telling the expert exactly who the subjects & artists are. Why have they brought them? Just showing off? A marketing ploy?
November 24, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Just put Antiques Roadshow on. The first 2 I saw were items worth £10k & £6k. The owners never blinked
Now there's a couple with a collection of miniatures & they are telling the expert exactly who the subjects & artists are. Why have they brought them? Just showing off? A marketing ploy?
Now there's a couple with a collection of miniatures & they are telling the expert exactly who the subjects & artists are. Why have they brought them? Just showing off? A marketing ploy?
"Health check" finally achieved at 4th attempt.
Apparently I've shrunk a cm, lost weight & amazingly my blood pressure is within acceptable limits
Apparently I've shrunk a cm, lost weight & amazingly my blood pressure is within acceptable limits
November 24, 2025 at 12:47 PM
"Health check" finally achieved at 4th attempt.
Apparently I've shrunk a cm, lost weight & amazingly my blood pressure is within acceptable limits
Apparently I've shrunk a cm, lost weight & amazingly my blood pressure is within acceptable limits
Sometimes you put a quite innocent word I to the search bar & get some quite grotesque results
November 24, 2025 at 9:18 AM
Sometimes you put a quite innocent word I to the search bar & get some quite grotesque results