Paul Quigley
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paulquigs.bsky.social
Paul Quigley
@paulquigs.bsky.social
Interested in democratic control of wealth and power. Trade-unionist. Urban-sketcher (https://instagram.com/paulquigs?ig). Birdlistener. Industrial/urban/landscape archaeology. Irish genealogy.
As someone who has grown up in England, the union Jack is not part of any history I want to celebrate. It's the flag of Empire, of the subjugation and exploitation of half the world.

@sutrbirmingham.bsky.social
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Birmingham man takes down flags because he says 'people feel unwelcome'
Salman Mirza says he wants to
www.bbc.co.uk
October 13, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Many of us in England only see the raising of these flags as a way to intimate and exclude. And he's right, there is a link between the flags and the racist attacks in the UK ... they're part of a deliberately created hostile environment. The flags aren't welcome
#notinmyname
#standuptoracism
October 5, 2025 at 5:55 PM
This might be a first for me. The alarm call of a mistle thrush.

I'm told that some have said that it sounds like a machine gun or a football rattle (if anyone knows that that is anymore).
September 27, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Reposted by Paul Quigley
Do #Birds Have Language? It Depends on How You Define It.

In the cheeps, trills and tweets of birdsong, scientists find some parallels with human speech. 🐦 🐤

bit.ly/4meCpso
Do Birds Have Language? It Depends on How You Define It.
In the cheeps, trills and tweets of birdsong, scientists find some parallels with human speech.
bit.ly
September 14, 2025 at 7:35 AM
Reposted by Paul Quigley
An extraordinary underestimate of the catastrophic impact of #climate breakdown by 2050

Forget food being a bit more expensive, increasing analysis suggests we will be very lucky to still have a functioning global society and economy

www.theguardian.com/business/202...
‘Climateflation’ could push up UK food prices by more than a third by 2050, report says
Exclusive: Increasingly extreme weather a threat to production and supply chains in Britain and elsewhere
www.theguardian.com
July 28, 2025 at 8:06 AM
July 25, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Reposted by Paul Quigley
Not even 24 hours and 180,000 of you have now signed up.

Billionaires already have three parties fighting for them. It’s time the rest of us had one.

Join us: yourparty.uk
July 25, 2025 at 6:23 AM
Reposted by Paul Quigley
It's time for a new kind of political party - one that belongs to you.

Sign up at yourparty.uk.
July 24, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Reposted by Paul Quigley
The police (wrongly) inform a peaceful protestor that holding a Palestinian flag and signs deploring genocide is an offence under the Terrorism Act. This is the deranged policing environment the government has created.
Police in Canterbury today informed a protestor that the phrase "Israel is committing genocide in Gaza" could be considered a declaration of support for Palestine Action and therefore a terrorism offence.
July 16, 2025 at 6:58 AM
I've just read that "humpback whales participate in the largest communication network on earth - outside of what we have created"

among other facinating stuff in this book by @rebeccagiggs.bsky.social
#nature #bioacoustics #whalesong
July 10, 2025 at 6:45 PM
I support Palastine Action. Any democratic rights we have today in the UK were built on direct action. Protest is not the crime, genocide is
Today, the UK government intends to ban the non-violent protesters Palestine Action as a "terrorist" group, exposing anyone supporting them to terrorism charges. In 2 days, 380,000 people have watched this video on YT alone.
You're going to need a bigger prison.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECkV...
Sharing This Video Could Get You 14 Years in Prison
YouTube video by Double Down News
www.youtube.com
July 3, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Palestine Action is part of Britain’s proud history of protest. Proscribing it is an assault on democracy

| Suresh Grover | The Guardian share.google/VPdqU7NMXj6W...
Palestine Action is part of Britain's proud history of protest. Proscribing it is an assault on democracy | Suresh Grover
Through decades of anti-racist campaigning, I have seen that peaceful, direct action can be the only way to get results, says campaigner Suresh Grover
share.google
June 30, 2025 at 10:30 AM
June 29, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Reposted by Paul Quigley
In 2003, anti-war activists broke into RAF Fairford to stop US bombers heading to Iraq.

Keir Starmer defended their actions and said it was justified to prevent war crimes.

Now his government is banning Palestine Action for doing the same.

The Prime Minister is a hypocrite.
June 22, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Feedback to our local museum:
"What has been most surprising for us tourists has been that British #museums collect other countries' artefacts. What gives you the right to keep them? ... Give the artefacts back"

www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/birmingham-m...
May 25, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Quick sketch yesterday of the canal running through Tardebigge Locks in #Worcestershire.

#pencildrawing #art #illustration #urbansketching #urban_sketchers #urbansketch
May 23, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Reposted by Paul Quigley
Diolch yn fawr (GRMA) to the over 100 Welsh artists who released this statement today. 🙏🏻 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

"Kneecap’s activism is not the story we should focus on, the real story is the slaughter in Gaza and the West Bank."

nation.cymru/culture/over...
May 13, 2025 at 9:17 PM
The creeping commercialisation of almost every part of our lives is behind the widespread growth of inequality. But It's great to know people who are willing to be part of the fightback
Reps from UNISON and Dudley TUC mark their victory this week, as the Council announces that it will keep the management of DB Leisure in public hands.

councilnews.dudley.gov.uk/news/leader-...
#keepdbleisureapublicservice
@unisonwestmids.bsky.social @unison.org.uk @tuc.org.uk
May 5, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Most people expect to hear a knocking sound, but the Great Spotted Woodpecker also has a short 'chip' call. I recorded this one today near my house in the urban West Mids
#birds #birdsong #bioacoustics
www.british-birdsongs.uk/great-spotte...
@ecorecord.bsky.social @bbcwildlifetrust.bsky.social
May 5, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Chuffed to get to 500 followers! Here's Bristol Street and Holloway Circus, #Birmingham UK.

#art #drawing #illustration #urbansketching #urbansketch ##urbansketchers
April 27, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Reposted by Paul Quigley
This week on our blog we are celebrating the archive of Nick Hedges and his pioneering social documentary photography which is currently being displayed at the National Trust Birmingham Back to Backs.

Read more here www.theironroom.wordpress.com
April 21, 2025 at 6:04 PM
"Some campaigners have called for church assets to be seized unless the institution contributes to a state-run redress scheme"

#motherandbabyhomes
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Ireland’s mother-and-baby homes are a stain on the Catholic church - but this latest refusal to atone is a new low | Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett
The reluctance of religious organisations to offer recompense for the lives ruined fits a pattern of denial and evasion, says Guardian columnist Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett
www.theguardian.com
April 17, 2025 at 6:34 PM
I drew what's now called 1 Centenary Square when it was being built as offices for the multinational HSBC. This site has a chequered history, being once home to an iron foundry, a masonic hall, and TV studios.

#drawing #illustration #urbansketch #urbansketchers #urbansketching #art
April 17, 2025 at 5:36 PM