Taffy Osborne
@poppingbubbles.bsky.social
UK & Welsh politics/social policy. Occasional regional broadcaster. Data person at large UK charity.
Reposted by Taffy Osborne
What I really fucking love about Hot Fuzz is that it is a rare piece of artwork that unapologetically defends liberal modernity.
A representative of the impartial, uniform rule of law & depersonalized state beings justice to a lawless, backward community run by a wretched clique of local grandees.
A representative of the impartial, uniform rule of law & depersonalized state beings justice to a lawless, backward community run by a wretched clique of local grandees.
February 16, 2026 at 5:44 AM
What I really fucking love about Hot Fuzz is that it is a rare piece of artwork that unapologetically defends liberal modernity.
A representative of the impartial, uniform rule of law & depersonalized state beings justice to a lawless, backward community run by a wretched clique of local grandees.
A representative of the impartial, uniform rule of law & depersonalized state beings justice to a lawless, backward community run by a wretched clique of local grandees.
Reposted by Taffy Osborne
Hah, Antonia Romeo, an appointment which is about to blow up for reasons in the public domain via a highly unusual, on the record briefing by a permanent secretary? Sorry I am 6 months too early.
February 12, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Hah, Antonia Romeo, an appointment which is about to blow up for reasons in the public domain via a highly unusual, on the record briefing by a permanent secretary? Sorry I am 6 months too early.
So what Marie is saying, reader, is that you should be PM.
lads I don't want anyone to panic but I am writing up quite the scorchio take for tomorrow's newsletter
February 5, 2026 at 1:48 PM
So what Marie is saying, reader, is that you should be PM.
I thought it was mad at the time not to appoint a career diplomat. By appointing a politician, no. 10 owns all the risk and this will be an ongoing disaster for them. Didn't make any difference with Trump either, ultimately as American continues to unravel.
It represents a spectacular failure of the UK’s vetting process that Peter Mandelson managed to be appointed as US ambassador.
This also might have been career-ending for the PM if Mandelson was still in office now. He is very lucky his chief of staff didn’t get his way when he fought to keep him.
This also might have been career-ending for the PM if Mandelson was still in office now. He is very lucky his chief of staff didn’t get his way when he fought to keep him.
I'm not prone to exaggeration but this is probably the biggest scoop I've ever been involved in
Mandelson's partner took £10,000 from Epstein to pay for his osteopath course while Mandelson was de facto UK deputy prime minister, according to new files
more to follow
www.ft.com/content/c950...
Mandelson's partner took £10,000 from Epstein to pay for his osteopath course while Mandelson was de facto UK deputy prime minister, according to new files
more to follow
www.ft.com/content/c950...
January 30, 2026 at 7:46 PM
I thought it was mad at the time not to appoint a career diplomat. By appointing a politician, no. 10 owns all the risk and this will be an ongoing disaster for them. Didn't make any difference with Trump either, ultimately as American continues to unravel.
Not sure I think it looks destructively ambitious. Not sure how I would feel if I lived in Manchester. Probably balances out and he comes away with a tiny bit more name recognition?
Wonder if this is the perfect outcome for Burnham. Keir looks like a scared machine pol. Builds up the Burnham brand- avoid booths by election and leader contest he’s not certain to win while boosting his status as the future King and the demand for him. Becoming leader now is too soon for him. 1/2
Full Labour statement on why Burnham was blocked.
January 25, 2026 at 1:46 PM
Not sure I think it looks destructively ambitious. Not sure how I would feel if I lived in Manchester. Probably balances out and he comes away with a tiny bit more name recognition?
Reposted by Taffy Osborne
And there’s the irony: in the attempt to avoid inserting itself into the argument, a news organisation which fails to distinguish empty statements from evidenced ones is doing exactly that.
You cannot, in 2026, report passively and hope to be truthful.
/ends
You cannot, in 2026, report passively and hope to be truthful.
/ends
January 25, 2026 at 10:21 AM
And there’s the irony: in the attempt to avoid inserting itself into the argument, a news organisation which fails to distinguish empty statements from evidenced ones is doing exactly that.
You cannot, in 2026, report passively and hope to be truthful.
/ends
You cannot, in 2026, report passively and hope to be truthful.
/ends
I mean another accurate verb I might have chosen is "murder" but still it's progress possibly.
It has gotten so bad that the @nytimes.com has stopped using the passive voice to describe the violence.
January 24, 2026 at 10:59 PM
I mean another accurate verb I might have chosen is "murder" but still it's progress possibly.
Reposted by Taffy Osborne
Going to start blocking doomers. Being incorrigible pessimists they’ll have expected it
January 24, 2026 at 8:19 PM
Going to start blocking doomers. Being incorrigible pessimists they’ll have expected it
Reposted by Taffy Osborne
There can be no clearer evidence that the White House remains wedded to a Unipolar world.
January 23, 2026 at 11:37 PM
There can be no clearer evidence that the White House remains wedded to a Unipolar world.
Haven't watched Newsnight for a while but it can actually pretty good still, which is a nice change for BBC news output, which is sadly not what it was as a rule. Loads of actual insight from the really solid panel.
January 22, 2026 at 11:12 PM
Haven't watched Newsnight for a while but it can actually pretty good still, which is a nice change for BBC news output, which is sadly not what it was as a rule. Loads of actual insight from the really solid panel.
Reposted by Taffy Osborne
Bless them, putting 250 on the side is like when 5 year olds tell you they are "5 NEARLY 6"
January 22, 2026 at 11:35 AM
Bless them, putting 250 on the side is like when 5 year olds tell you they are "5 NEARLY 6"
Hahahahaha. Incredible trolling.
😬🤣🔥
"Academy of Fine Arts Vienna extends offer of admissions to Trump: Don't want to be blamed again."
Masterful from the German @theonion.com
Masterful from the German @theonion.com
January 20, 2026 at 11:12 AM
Hahahahaha. Incredible trolling.
This is an incredible story. What a guy.
Holy hell, what an obituary
Renfrew Christie Dies at 76; Sabotaged Racist Regime’s Nuclear Program
www.nytimes.com
January 15, 2026 at 9:26 PM
This is an incredible story. What a guy.
No this is fine. We are there.
a single
officer
officer
BREAKING: The UK is sending a single military officer to Greenland at the request of Denmark to participate in a multi-nation exercise
January 14, 2026 at 10:32 PM
No this is fine. We are there.
Good. This is a much better position.
Starmer considering sending military to Greenland as Trump ratchets up rhetoric
Starmer considering sending military to Greenland as Trump ratchets up rhetoric
Starmer considering sending military to Greenland as Trump ratchets up rhetoric
www.independent.co.uk
January 11, 2026 at 12:52 PM
Good. This is a much better position.
Reposted by Taffy Osborne
Starmer considering sending military to Greenland as Trump ratchets up rhetoric
Starmer considering sending military to Greenland as Trump ratchets up rhetoric
Starmer considering sending military to Greenland as Trump ratchets up rhetoric
www.independent.co.uk
January 11, 2026 at 12:49 PM
Starmer considering sending military to Greenland as Trump ratchets up rhetoric
I know some magicians and this is very clearly the dynamic.
All these videos on social where magicians show their girlfriends tricks are clearly missing the part where the girlfriend glares at them and says "For fuck's sake, Brian, give it a fucking break."
January 10, 2026 at 1:06 PM
I know some magicians and this is very clearly the dynamic.
Reposted by Taffy Osborne
He clearly has a thing about underwater banks.
January 9, 2026 at 5:52 PM
He clearly has a thing about underwater banks.
A low bar but we at least cleared that.
Britain will not help the US invade Greenland, says defence secretary
Britain will not help the US invade Greenland, says defence secretary
Britain will not help the US invade Greenland, says defence secretary
www.independent.co.uk
January 9, 2026 at 10:57 PM
A low bar but we at least cleared that.
Oooh this is a very interesting point.
December 30, 2025 at 12:35 AM
Oooh this is a very interesting point.
Without expressing a view on the substance of this, as someone actually from a farming community, the replies to this comment contain probably the highest ratio of opinion to knowledge I have seen on BlueSky. So many myths about the countryside and rural life digested without question.
Why should I, someone who doesn’t own a family farm nor stand to inherit one, particularly care whether a farm is farmed by a family?
December 27, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Without expressing a view on the substance of this, as someone actually from a farming community, the replies to this comment contain probably the highest ratio of opinion to knowledge I have seen on BlueSky. So many myths about the countryside and rural life digested without question.
I honestly find anyone campaigning here *SO* tedious. Exchanging views for fun or to figure things out absolutely fine, but campaigning here is ineffective anyway, and boring to boot. Really enjoy the politicians on here who actually use this as a discussion platform.
to be clear, it is fine if you just want to dick around! that's what i mostly do on here. but the idea that "you're giving up the fight to influence people by not using X" is belied by the fact that effectively *no one* uses X. and i don't see any of the "use X!" people on tiktok or youtube.
December 15, 2025 at 10:28 PM
I honestly find anyone campaigning here *SO* tedious. Exchanging views for fun or to figure things out absolutely fine, but campaigning here is ineffective anyway, and boring to boot. Really enjoy the politicians on here who actually use this as a discussion platform.
I think this is a good point & probably what was missing from the end of history stuff. The vibe of "there's no alternative to this" didn't account for the "this" needing watering, not necessarily in a Jeffersonian sense.
We should think of political structures as more like gardens than mountains. If they are not properly maintained they disappear. I think we forgot that about liberal democracy.
December 15, 2025 at 12:42 PM
I think this is a good point & probably what was missing from the end of history stuff. The vibe of "there's no alternative to this" didn't account for the "this" needing watering, not necessarily in a Jeffersonian sense.
This is a great point.
It might stop the Greens hitting 30%, but the Greens aren't trying to hit 30%, and they don't need to hit 30% to cause Starmer problems
But there's another issue - it could make people who *do* care about this stuff likelier to try and stop *Labour* at GE29 for fear of govt dependent on the Greens
But there's another issue - it could make people who *do* care about this stuff likelier to try and stop *Labour* at GE29 for fear of govt dependent on the Greens
FWIW, the NATO line worked on Corbyn which is why I suspect that Starmer thinks that it will work on Polanski.
December 7, 2025 at 9:35 PM
This is a great point.