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...
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Hitler's rise to power in the 1930s would not have been possible without the tacit approval of the authorities. The police, military, judiciary and political establishment all tolerated the violence and lawbreaking of the NSDAP and affiliates.
Far-right law-breaking now must not be tolerated.
Far-right law-breaking now must not be tolerated.
October 30, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Hitler's rise to power in the 1930s would not have been possible without the tacit approval of the authorities. The police, military, judiciary and political establishment all tolerated the violence and lawbreaking of the NSDAP and affiliates.
Far-right law-breaking now must not be tolerated.
Far-right law-breaking now must not be tolerated.
So, we now have Reform and the Tories being overtly racist. And we have Labour happily tolerating racism rather than risk upsetting Reform supporters by opposing it.
How did it all change so quickly?
How did it all change so quickly?
October 28, 2025 at 4:10 PM
So, we now have Reform and the Tories being overtly racist. And we have Labour happily tolerating racism rather than risk upsetting Reform supporters by opposing it.
How did it all change so quickly?
How did it all change so quickly?
Still not as cool as striped beetroot.
October 26, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Still not as cool as striped beetroot.
The problem in the chess world is that FIDE is more interested in punishing players for wearing jeans than for year long bullying and defamation campaigns. FIDE is not fit to govern chess and Kramnik is not fit to hold any chess title.
October 22, 2025 at 10:58 PM
The problem in the chess world is that FIDE is more interested in punishing players for wearing jeans than for year long bullying and defamation campaigns. FIDE is not fit to govern chess and Kramnik is not fit to hold any chess title.
Happy Days writers desperately hoping Trump wins the Nobel Peace Prize.
October 9, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Happy Days writers desperately hoping Trump wins the Nobel Peace Prize.
How it started... How it's going
October 9, 2025 at 7:00 AM
How it started... How it's going
Seems about right.
October 9, 2025 at 6:46 AM
Seems about right.
Thanks to Putin the world now has $2,000 anti-air drones capable of bringing down drones or, say, passenger planes if sited anywhere within few miles of an airport.
So, yeah, thanks for that Russia. 🙄
So, yeah, thanks for that Russia. 🙄
October 6, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Thanks to Putin the world now has $2,000 anti-air drones capable of bringing down drones or, say, passenger planes if sited anywhere within few miles of an airport.
So, yeah, thanks for that Russia. 🙄
So, yeah, thanks for that Russia. 🙄
Ukraine currently seems to be destroying about 20% of Russia's oil refining capacity each month. At this rate Russia will cease to function before the end of the year.
October 3, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Ukraine currently seems to be destroying about 20% of Russia's oil refining capacity each month. At this rate Russia will cease to function before the end of the year.
Sorry House of Guinness fans, but stout (porter) was originally a London style of beer.
October 1, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Sorry House of Guinness fans, but stout (porter) was originally a London style of beer.
A fascinating graph - it's clear the LibDems are the natural choice for the professional and managerial groups (especially as Labour seems determine to actively alienate them). There is still huge potential for the LibDems to grow.
September 30, 2025 at 1:20 PM
A fascinating graph - it's clear the LibDems are the natural choice for the professional and managerial groups (especially as Labour seems determine to actively alienate them). There is still huge potential for the LibDems to grow.
Every Prime-Minister wants to leave behind a legacy. RIght now, Keir Starmer's legacy looks like putting Farage in No. 10.
#ProportionalRepresentationNow
#ProportionalRepresentationNow
September 26, 2025 at 6:44 AM
Every Prime-Minister wants to leave behind a legacy. RIght now, Keir Starmer's legacy looks like putting Farage in No. 10.
#ProportionalRepresentationNow
#ProportionalRepresentationNow