Chris Kendall 👊🇪🇺🧶
@ottocr.at
Anglo-Schwäbisch eurocrat | maker of EU foreign policy & spätzle | guerrilla knitter | cross-Channel commuter | was once @ottocrat | currently clean on OPSEC
Pinned
Chris Kendall 👊🇪🇺🧶
@ottocr.at
· Nov 18
In case any recent arrivals are wondering what happened to my long-standing Twitter avatar, here’s why I changed it.
Reposted by Chris Kendall 👊🇪🇺🧶
John Major, "Populism is no longer a fringe problem of a few outlandish politicians. It is now mainstream and professional"
"We should recognise the threat it poses to democracy"
"Democracy has a lot to lose"
"Established political parties need to defeat populism, not copy it"
"We should recognise the threat it poses to democracy"
"Democracy has a lot to lose"
"Established political parties need to defeat populism, not copy it"
November 25, 2025 at 6:41 PM
John Major, "Populism is no longer a fringe problem of a few outlandish politicians. It is now mainstream and professional"
"We should recognise the threat it poses to democracy"
"Democracy has a lot to lose"
"Established political parties need to defeat populism, not copy it"
"We should recognise the threat it poses to democracy"
"Democracy has a lot to lose"
"Established political parties need to defeat populism, not copy it"
Reposted by Chris Kendall 👊🇪🇺🧶
At this rate US politics will end up becoming a proxy war between the EU and Russia
November 25, 2025 at 10:41 PM
At this rate US politics will end up becoming a proxy war between the EU and Russia
So I’ve hesitated to share this but I will. When I was a schoolboy, I said cruel, hurtful, racist things to fellow pupils. By the time I reached sixth form I had matured enough to feel remorse and I apologised to them; they didn’t all accept the apology which is fair enough. 1/2
“I would never ever do it in a hurtful or insulting way”
Nigel Farage responds to allegations of racist behaviour from when he was a teenager at school
@itvnewspolitics.bsky.social
Nigel Farage responds to allegations of racist behaviour from when he was a teenager at school
@itvnewspolitics.bsky.social
November 25, 2025 at 6:25 PM
So I’ve hesitated to share this but I will. When I was a schoolboy, I said cruel, hurtful, racist things to fellow pupils. By the time I reached sixth form I had matured enough to feel remorse and I apologised to them; they didn’t all accept the apology which is fair enough. 1/2
(Boss) Chris do you have a message to share for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women?
(me, on the spot) Uhhh how about “men, shoulder your responsibility”?
(boss) uh no I think it should be gender neutral
… 🫤
(me, on the spot) Uhhh how about “men, shoulder your responsibility”?
(boss) uh no I think it should be gender neutral
… 🫤
November 25, 2025 at 1:09 PM
(Boss) Chris do you have a message to share for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women?
(me, on the spot) Uhhh how about “men, shoulder your responsibility”?
(boss) uh no I think it should be gender neutral
… 🫤
(me, on the spot) Uhhh how about “men, shoulder your responsibility”?
(boss) uh no I think it should be gender neutral
… 🫤
Reposted by Chris Kendall 👊🇪🇺🧶
The BBC makes itself *extremely* hard to love with this stuff. I’ve worked in more than one small newsroom that’s discovered to its immense frustration that the country’s biggest news org has stolen its work with no credit whatsoever.
I guess it’s a compliment that the top story on BBC London’s TV/online output today is a direct lift of a month-old London Centric story? But once again the BBC is consistently the worst news outlet for actually remembering to credit others.
November 25, 2025 at 8:20 AM
The BBC makes itself *extremely* hard to love with this stuff. I’ve worked in more than one small newsroom that’s discovered to its immense frustration that the country’s biggest news org has stolen its work with no credit whatsoever.
I urge you to read this super thread
But, most exciting of all, it’s 110 years since General Sir Eyre Coote faced a charge of improper and indecent conduct after paying schoolboys to allow him to flog them, and then getting them to flog him. And he might have gotten away with it, too, if it hadn’t been for that pesky nurse...
November 25, 2025 at 10:53 AM
I urge you to read this super thread
Reposted by Chris Kendall 👊🇪🇺🧶
I got a request for a digital image of a famous Rococo painting from a person with a very new-agey name. After sending it, she replied, "Can I get a signed copy," to which I responded, "By whom?" She said, "By the artist," and now I'm not sure what to say.
November 25, 2025 at 10:12 AM
I got a request for a digital image of a famous Rococo painting from a person with a very new-agey name. After sending it, she replied, "Can I get a signed copy," to which I responded, "By whom?" She said, "By the artist," and now I'm not sure what to say.
Reposted by Chris Kendall 👊🇪🇺🧶
On the night of November 25, a strike hit the Taganrog-Yuzhny airfield and the Beriev plant in Russia. Telegram channels report that the experimental A-60 laser-weapon aircraft may have been damaged or destroyed.
November 25, 2025 at 10:11 AM
On the night of November 25, a strike hit the Taganrog-Yuzhny airfield and the Beriev plant in Russia. Telegram channels report that the experimental A-60 laser-weapon aircraft may have been damaged or destroyed.
Reposted by Chris Kendall 👊🇪🇺🧶
BREAKING: This is huge news, the EU's equivalent of the 🇺🇸Supreme Court's 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling.
🇪🇺Court of Justice just ruled all 🇪🇺countries must recognise same-sex marriages granted in other member states.
This effectively legalises gay marriage across 🇪🇺
🇪🇺Court of Justice just ruled all 🇪🇺countries must recognise same-sex marriages granted in other member states.
This effectively legalises gay marriage across 🇪🇺
www.reuters.com
November 25, 2025 at 10:10 AM
BREAKING: This is huge news, the EU's equivalent of the 🇺🇸Supreme Court's 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling.
🇪🇺Court of Justice just ruled all 🇪🇺countries must recognise same-sex marriages granted in other member states.
This effectively legalises gay marriage across 🇪🇺
🇪🇺Court of Justice just ruled all 🇪🇺countries must recognise same-sex marriages granted in other member states.
This effectively legalises gay marriage across 🇪🇺
Reposted by Chris Kendall 👊🇪🇺🧶
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
Reposted by Chris Kendall 👊🇪🇺🧶
Still can't quite believe that "I only said 'gas the Jews' in a non-hurtful way" was the strategy Nigel Farage opted to go for
November 24, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Still can't quite believe that "I only said 'gas the Jews' in a non-hurtful way" was the strategy Nigel Farage opted to go for
Year 3 boys get to be actual cavemen 😂🎯
November 25, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Year 3 boys get to be actual cavemen 😂🎯
Reposted by Chris Kendall 👊🇪🇺🧶
i’m not crying you’re crying
xkcd: Fifteen Years
xkcd: Fifteen Years
Fifteen Years
xkcd.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:58 AM
i’m not crying you’re crying
xkcd: Fifteen Years
xkcd: Fifteen Years
Reposted by Chris Kendall 👊🇪🇺🧶
Reposted by Chris Kendall 👊🇪🇺🧶
The idea of Trump assisting in a covert operation is like imagining a llama trying to do brain surgery.
November 25, 2025 at 4:44 AM
The idea of Trump assisting in a covert operation is like imagining a llama trying to do brain surgery.
Reposted by Chris Kendall 👊🇪🇺🧶
We need to talk about this A LOT in Europe. Such a shocking illustration of how we are getting colonized by the Americans. Let's spread this widely so it helps galvanize public opinion.
This story should be covered waaaaayy more than it is.
The US has sanctioned six judges if the international criminal court ICC, because Trump didn’t like them issuing arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant.
www.lemonde.fr/en/internati...
The US has sanctioned six judges if the international criminal court ICC, because Trump didn’t like them issuing arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant.
www.lemonde.fr/en/internati...
Nicolas Guillou, French ICC judge sanctioned by the US: 'You are effectively blacklisted by much of the world's banking system'
Six judges and three prosecutors at the International Criminal Court have been sanctioned by the Trump administration. In an interview with Le Monde, Guillou discusses the impact of these measures on ...
www.lemonde.fr
November 24, 2025 at 9:21 PM
We need to talk about this A LOT in Europe. Such a shocking illustration of how we are getting colonized by the Americans. Let's spread this widely so it helps galvanize public opinion.
Reposted by Chris Kendall 👊🇪🇺🧶
I implore someone, anyone, in the media…
Do your job
And the next time you have Farage on, please ask him directly:
…what were the motivations behind this?
Do your job
And the next time you have Farage on, please ask him directly:
…what were the motivations behind this?
November 24, 2025 at 3:39 PM
I implore someone, anyone, in the media…
Do your job
And the next time you have Farage on, please ask him directly:
…what were the motivations behind this?
Do your job
And the next time you have Farage on, please ask him directly:
…what were the motivations behind this?
Reposted by Chris Kendall 👊🇪🇺🧶
Still reeling from the Stanford report on Brexit. Reduced GDP by up to 8% and investment by as much as 18%. The UK Treasury would have £40 billion more each year if Britain had remained in the EU. Devastating self-immolation.
The Economic Impact of Brexit
Other
siepr.stanford.edu
November 24, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Still reeling from the Stanford report on Brexit. Reduced GDP by up to 8% and investment by as much as 18%. The UK Treasury would have £40 billion more each year if Britain had remained in the EU. Devastating self-immolation.
Reposted by Chris Kendall 👊🇪🇺🧶
The Guardian live blog is a goldmine today if you're a fan of people finding polite and professional ways to ask someone what the fuck they think they're doing.
November 24, 2025 at 4:00 PM
The Guardian live blog is a goldmine today if you're a fan of people finding polite and professional ways to ask someone what the fuck they think they're doing.
Nobody has shared this yet in the Y3 parents’ whatsapp group and I’ll be damned if I’m going to be the one to do it
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Sure, people tell you about sleepless nights. But why does no one mention the hell that is a parent WhatsApp group? | Sean Szeps
You wake up to messages, you go to sleep to messages, you duck into a meeting and come back to 64 unread notes about sunscreen
www.theguardian.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Nobody has shared this yet in the Y3 parents’ whatsapp group and I’ll be damned if I’m going to be the one to do it
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Oof this hits like a train
It’s not all “Why I’m learning Irish” and tonnes of short stories, and the novels that never made it to an agent let alone a publisher on my site.
There’s also factual writing like this. Which took a lot out of me.
timwrite.net/on-being-que...
There’s also factual writing like this. Which took a lot out of me.
timwrite.net/on-being-que...
On being questioned about the death of my child
It was a case of good cop/good cop. I was living in Sydney, Australia the day that my daughter died of a combination of pneumonia, a badly administered anaesthetic following dentistry work and her cer...
timwrite.net
November 24, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Oof this hits like a train
Great article!
just incredibly thrilled to announce that after months and months of uncertainty over the future of the game, and several I have bought Zombies, Run!, the game I co-created and have been making for the past 12 years:
zombiesrungame.com
observer.co.uk/the-critics/...
zombiesrungame.com
observer.co.uk/the-critics/...
I’m a novelist who’s just bought a video games company. Here’s why you should care about games writing | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 10:22 AM
Great article!
Reposted by Chris Kendall 👊🇪🇺🧶
Having Johnson & Cummings in Downing Street when Covid struck was, just like Brexit, an entirely avoidable disaster caused largely by utterly appalling journalism. And now exactly the same clowns, arses & bigots with bylines are rolling out the red carpet for Farage.
www.thetimes.com/article/1b15...
www.thetimes.com/article/1b15...
Covid inquiry live: ‘Inexcusable’ delays under Johnson led to 23,000 deaths
Lockdowns may have been avoided if Boris Johnson’s government had acted faster, damning report finds
www.thetimes.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Having Johnson & Cummings in Downing Street when Covid struck was, just like Brexit, an entirely avoidable disaster caused largely by utterly appalling journalism. And now exactly the same clowns, arses & bigots with bylines are rolling out the red carpet for Farage.
www.thetimes.com/article/1b15...
www.thetimes.com/article/1b15...
Reposted by Chris Kendall 👊🇪🇺🧶
We urgently need to know how many of these accounts have been spreading/amplifying hate, division and instability in Britain. We already know that a foreign actor - Elon Musk - promoted violent overthrow of the government. Has his platform been enabling foreign adversaries to do the same?
This is one of the big accounts boosting Tommy Robinson, Farage and Reform and ‘English Patriots’.
It’s Russian.
It’s Russian.
November 24, 2025 at 10:09 AM
We urgently need to know how many of these accounts have been spreading/amplifying hate, division and instability in Britain. We already know that a foreign actor - Elon Musk - promoted violent overthrow of the government. Has his platform been enabling foreign adversaries to do the same?
Reposted by Chris Kendall 👊🇪🇺🧶
Over at the Daily Telegraph, they're scratching their heads as to why the former mining and steel producinv city of Gliwice in Poland is now 45% more prosperous than Darlington... and why it has new shiny infrastructure... without mentioning EU funds for urban and regional development...
November 24, 2025 at 7:53 AM
Over at the Daily Telegraph, they're scratching their heads as to why the former mining and steel producinv city of Gliwice in Poland is now 45% more prosperous than Darlington... and why it has new shiny infrastructure... without mentioning EU funds for urban and regional development...