Barry Smith 🔶
@barrysw19.bsky.social
LibDem, Green LibDem, sometime hopeless musician and chess player. Will program computers for money. Following (back) 🔶 LibDems 🔶
Sometimes promoted by the Liberal Democrats, 1 Vincent Square, SW1P 2PN.
Sometimes promoted by the Liberal Democrats, 1 Vincent Square, SW1P 2PN.
US government spending under the last year of Biden (blue) versus the first year of Trump (orange, appropriately). So, that DOGE thing worked out well then...
December 15, 2025 at 7:31 PM
US government spending under the last year of Biden (blue) versus the first year of Trump (orange, appropriately). So, that DOGE thing worked out well then...
"First they came for the Muslims and I did not speak out because I was not a Muslim..."
There has been a strong reaction to the antisemitism allegations levelled at Nigel Farage - except from those you might have expected to condemn it most loudly. My piece for @jewishnews.bsky.social on a strange silence
www.jewishnews.co.uk/jonathan-fre...
www.jewishnews.co.uk/jonathan-fre...
JONATHAN FREEDLAND: Why Britain’s Jewish leaders are silent on Farage’s schoolyard antisemitism
While the Reform UK leader and his allies smear accusers as liars, the Board, JLC and HET remain mute, fearing the wrath of a rising politician
www.jewishnews.co.uk
December 14, 2025 at 8:59 AM
"First they came for the Muslims and I did not speak out because I was not a Muslim..."
Reposted by Barry Smith 🔶
It’s time to chainsaw the Brexit red tape and end the cost of living crisis. Labour MPs should back our plan for a new customs union.
December 8, 2025 at 8:01 PM
It’s time to chainsaw the Brexit red tape and end the cost of living crisis. Labour MPs should back our plan for a new customs union.
I looked at this chess puzzle for about 5 minutes and then got it wrong. I'd love to know why such blindspots exist. #chesspunks
December 13, 2025 at 9:33 AM
I looked at this chess puzzle for about 5 minutes and then got it wrong. I'd love to know why such blindspots exist. #chesspunks
Reposted by Barry Smith 🔶
Just imagine how we would feel if in 4 years time if Nigel Farage became Prime Minister
He has told us what he will do: the biggest attack on immigrants this country has ever seen
We cannot let that happen. Help us stop Reform - join the Lib Dems at www.libdems.org.uk/join-local
He has told us what he will do: the biggest attack on immigrants this country has ever seen
We cannot let that happen. Help us stop Reform - join the Lib Dems at www.libdems.org.uk/join-local
December 13, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Just imagine how we would feel if in 4 years time if Nigel Farage became Prime Minister
He has told us what he will do: the biggest attack on immigrants this country has ever seen
We cannot let that happen. Help us stop Reform - join the Lib Dems at www.libdems.org.uk/join-local
He has told us what he will do: the biggest attack on immigrants this country has ever seen
We cannot let that happen. Help us stop Reform - join the Lib Dems at www.libdems.org.uk/join-local
#IsItOk that a deputy editor at the FT thinks long term investors should try and time their entry into the market?
changing ISA rules to encourage people to invest in shares rather than cash would be a reasonable idea *if* the FTSE wasn’t currently touching a huge all-time high
instead it looks like an attempt to push retail investors into the stock market at (potentially) the worst possible time
instead it looks like an attempt to push retail investors into the stock market at (potentially) the worst possible time
December 6, 2025 at 12:37 PM
#IsItOk that a deputy editor at the FT thinks long term investors should try and time their entry into the market?
Funding Ukraine is a lot cheaper in the long term than not funding Ukraine.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled two options for financing Ukraine over the next two years, as Kyiv approaches an existential cash crunch.
EU unveils 2 options for getting $90 billion to Ukraine in coming years
European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen said that the EU would cover two-thirds of Ukraine's needs over the next two years, which she said amounts to 90 billion euros, leaving the rest to i...
kyivindependent.com
December 3, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Funding Ukraine is a lot cheaper in the long term than not funding Ukraine.
With Labour's changes a band D will pay around 0.3% of value, a £2m mansion around 0.23%, a £5m mansion around 0.19% and Buckingham Palace around 0.0002%. Does it need any more explanation than that of why Labour got it wrong?
December 2, 2025 at 1:11 PM
With Labour's changes a band D will pay around 0.3% of value, a £2m mansion around 0.23%, a £5m mansion around 0.19% and Buckingham Palace around 0.0002%. Does it need any more explanation than that of why Labour got it wrong?
So, higher taxes for electric vehicles, a freeze on fuel duty and new North Sea oil licences. This is a budget from a party that hates the environment. If Ed Milliband had one ounce of integrity he'd resign over this.
November 26, 2025 at 2:24 PM
So, higher taxes for electric vehicles, a freeze on fuel duty and new North Sea oil licences. This is a budget from a party that hates the environment. If Ed Milliband had one ounce of integrity he'd resign over this.
Welcome to the new politics - where Conservative (or Labour) defences are becoming a LibDem/Reform contest.
November 21, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Welcome to the new politics - where Conservative (or Labour) defences are becoming a LibDem/Reform contest.
Are we finally seeing the well deserved demise of #Bitcoin? Even if you think crypto is a good idea there are now much better designed cryptocurrencies than Bitcoin. The sooner Bitcoin fails the better.
November 21, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Are we finally seeing the well deserved demise of #Bitcoin? Even if you think crypto is a good idea there are now much better designed cryptocurrencies than Bitcoin. The sooner Bitcoin fails the better.
The Bitcoin crash is great news for the environment. No-one will spend more on electricity to mine a Bitcoin than the value of that Bitcoin, so the more it falls the less energy gets wasted mining it.
November 20, 2025 at 12:34 AM
The Bitcoin crash is great news for the environment. No-one will spend more on electricity to mine a Bitcoin than the value of that Bitcoin, so the more it falls the less energy gets wasted mining it.
Every generation has to find this out for themselves.
November 17, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Every generation has to find this out for themselves.
Frankly, this is scary. Labour are not great, but they aren't terrible. Numbers like this suggest the country is becoming ungovernable.
November 16, 2025 at 11:21 PM
Frankly, this is scary. Labour are not great, but they aren't terrible. Numbers like this suggest the country is becoming ungovernable.
Can we please stop calling Labour a progressive party now?
This is as bad as anything proposed by Reform.
Leaving refugees in permanent limbo and unable to build a new life in the UK would be a complete abdication of our humanitarian responsibilities
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Leaving refugees in permanent limbo and unable to build a new life in the UK would be a complete abdication of our humanitarian responsibilities
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
UK set to limit refugees to temporary stays
Shabana Mahmood is expected to say the era of permanent protection for refugees is over, in major changes to the UK's asylum and immigration system.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 15, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Can we please stop calling Labour a progressive party now?
China can build us a nuclear reactor in ten years. They can build solar panels with the same output capacity in two weeks.
November 12, 2025 at 12:47 PM
China can build us a nuclear reactor in ten years. They can build solar panels with the same output capacity in two weeks.
How people in the 1980s thought we'd communicate in the future, versus how we actually do.
November 12, 2025 at 7:42 AM
How people in the 1980s thought we'd communicate in the future, versus how we actually do.
Polanski is not a serious politician. Starmer is someone who is trying to do he believes is best for the country. He might not be very good at it, but anyone who wants what's best for the country should at least be willing to work with him.
Green leader says Starmer is ‘not a man I would be willing to work with’
Green leader says Starmer is ‘not a man I would be willing to work with’
Green leader says Starmer is ‘not a man I would be willing to work with’
www.independent.co.uk
November 9, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Polanski is not a serious politician. Starmer is someone who is trying to do he believes is best for the country. He might not be very good at it, but anyone who wants what's best for the country should at least be willing to work with him.
Polls are vanity, elections are sanity.
The Greens can trumpet their poll numbers all they want, but it's the LibDems winning elections.
The Greens can trumpet their poll numbers all they want, but it's the LibDems winning elections.
November 9, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Polls are vanity, elections are sanity.
The Greens can trumpet their poll numbers all they want, but it's the LibDems winning elections.
The Greens can trumpet their poll numbers all they want, but it's the LibDems winning elections.
Fifteen Daily games now without a loss! Kramnik will be along to accuse me of cheating soon. #chesspunks
November 7, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Fifteen Daily games now without a loss! Kramnik will be along to accuse me of cheating soon. #chesspunks
We have to consider the possibility that the pro-natalist movement is exacerbating the problem of low birthrates by turning young men into jerks that young women don't want to go near.
November 7, 2025 at 12:45 PM
We have to consider the possibility that the pro-natalist movement is exacerbating the problem of low birthrates by turning young men into jerks that young women don't want to go near.
The public is more likely to vote for a party that breaks its promises but improves the country than one which presides over decline by sticking to its promises.
November 7, 2025 at 10:37 AM
The public is more likely to vote for a party that breaks its promises but improves the country than one which presides over decline by sticking to its promises.
Yesterday's by-elections results:
SNP GAIN from Labour
Reform UK GAIN from Conservatives
Independent GAINS from Labour
Reform UK GAIN from Independent
Liberal Democrats GAIN from the Green party
...but sure, let's all get excited about the Greens poll numbers.
SNP GAIN from Labour
Reform UK GAIN from Conservatives
Independent GAINS from Labour
Reform UK GAIN from Independent
Liberal Democrats GAIN from the Green party
...but sure, let's all get excited about the Greens poll numbers.
November 7, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Yesterday's by-elections results:
SNP GAIN from Labour
Reform UK GAIN from Conservatives
Independent GAINS from Labour
Reform UK GAIN from Independent
Liberal Democrats GAIN from the Green party
...but sure, let's all get excited about the Greens poll numbers.
SNP GAIN from Labour
Reform UK GAIN from Conservatives
Independent GAINS from Labour
Reform UK GAIN from Independent
Liberal Democrats GAIN from the Green party
...but sure, let's all get excited about the Greens poll numbers.
The solution to the country's problems is simple. A LibDem government which rejoins the EU and changes the voting system to PR so we never have to worry about Farage in No. 10.
Starmer told a closed-doors meeting of Labour MPs that the long-term impact of Tory austerity and a botched Brexit deal "is worse than even we feared".
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
PM issues Budget warning - Brexit and austerity impact 'worse than feared'
The Prime Minister told a behind-closed-doors meeting of Labour MPs the long-term impact of Tory austerity and a botched Brexit deal 'is worse than even we feared'
www.mirror.co.uk
November 4, 2025 at 7:40 AM
The solution to the country's problems is simple. A LibDem government which rejoins the EU and changes the voting system to PR so we never have to worry about Farage in No. 10.
If only there was something we could do. 🙄
November 4, 2025 at 7:31 AM
If only there was something we could do. 🙄