John Powers
@clerenlas.bsky.social
Retired. Former university IT director. Tofu-eating wokeratus.
📍Lake District and Edinburgh.
📍Lake District and Edinburgh.
Reposted by John Powers
There is no reason why this should have made me laugh so hard a bit of gas escaped.
November 16, 2025 at 4:04 PM
There is no reason why this should have made me laugh so hard a bit of gas escaped.
Reposted by John Powers
Homan: "I don't think the UK is a friend to this country and friend of the president"
November 14, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Homan: "I don't think the UK is a friend to this country and friend of the president"
Reposted by John Powers
"Any attack on any member of my Cabinet is completely unacceptable," Keir Starmer told PMQs on Wednesday
He also came to the defence of Wes Streeting, who was the subject of hostile briefings by unnamed No 10 sources overnight
@tomscotson.bsky.social reports
He also came to the defence of Wes Streeting, who was the subject of hostile briefings by unnamed No 10 sources overnight
@tomscotson.bsky.social reports
Keir Starmer Says No 10 Briefings Against Wes Streeting Are 'Completely Unacceptable”
Keir Starmer has said any attack on his Cabinet 'is completely unacceptable” and come to the defence of Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
www.politicshome.com
November 12, 2025 at 12:51 PM
"Any attack on any member of my Cabinet is completely unacceptable," Keir Starmer told PMQs on Wednesday
He also came to the defence of Wes Streeting, who was the subject of hostile briefings by unnamed No 10 sources overnight
@tomscotson.bsky.social reports
He also came to the defence of Wes Streeting, who was the subject of hostile briefings by unnamed No 10 sources overnight
@tomscotson.bsky.social reports
Reposted by John Powers
Please let everyone know that prices haven’t fallen they continue to rise by 3% just as they did in January 2025
Here are the cpi numbers
3.0 2.8 2.4 2.3 2.4 2.7 2.7 2.9 3.0
Anyone who says prices are falling is a liar
Here are the cpi numbers
3.0 2.8 2.4 2.3 2.4 2.7 2.7 2.9 3.0
Anyone who says prices are falling is a liar
November 12, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Please let everyone know that prices haven’t fallen they continue to rise by 3% just as they did in January 2025
Here are the cpi numbers
3.0 2.8 2.4 2.3 2.4 2.7 2.7 2.9 3.0
Anyone who says prices are falling is a liar
Here are the cpi numbers
3.0 2.8 2.4 2.3 2.4 2.7 2.7 2.9 3.0
Anyone who says prices are falling is a liar
Reposted by John Powers
🧵/ How far does the public support net zero?
Support: 60%
Oppose: 25%
Net support by party
Green: +81
Lib Dem: +67
Lab: +64
Con: +11
Reform: -44
yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
Support: 60%
Oppose: 25%
Net support by party
Green: +81
Lib Dem: +67
Lab: +64
Con: +11
Reform: -44
yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
November 11, 2025 at 10:43 AM
🧵/ How far does the public support net zero?
Support: 60%
Oppose: 25%
Net support by party
Green: +81
Lib Dem: +67
Lab: +64
Con: +11
Reform: -44
yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
Support: 60%
Oppose: 25%
Net support by party
Green: +81
Lib Dem: +67
Lab: +64
Con: +11
Reform: -44
yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
Reposted by John Powers
Reposted by John Powers
Reform says Kent CC is their "shop window", where the country can see what a Farage gov't would be like.
Well... chaos, suspensions, defections, paralysis, zero "DOGE" savings, tax rises, and a leader making mad-dictator speeches, sounds about right. ~AA
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Well... chaos, suspensions, defections, paralysis, zero "DOGE" savings, tax rises, and a leader making mad-dictator speeches, sounds about right. ~AA
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reform UK suspends another member of Kent county council
Isabella Kemp’s departure means party has lost nine of 57 councillors elected in May, including four after video leak
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Reform says Kent CC is their "shop window", where the country can see what a Farage gov't would be like.
Well... chaos, suspensions, defections, paralysis, zero "DOGE" savings, tax rises, and a leader making mad-dictator speeches, sounds about right. ~AA
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Well... chaos, suspensions, defections, paralysis, zero "DOGE" savings, tax rises, and a leader making mad-dictator speeches, sounds about right. ~AA
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by John Powers
Glad that someone has finally taken responsibility for the appalling assault on democracy that was the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
November 9, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Glad that someone has finally taken responsibility for the appalling assault on democracy that was the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
Reposted by John Powers
the right winger who was appointed to lead the BBC in the hope of appeasing right wingers has been driven out by right wingers for not appeasing right wingers enough and the BBC has the chance to do the funniest thing ever
November 9, 2025 at 6:38 PM
the right winger who was appointed to lead the BBC in the hope of appeasing right wingers has been driven out by right wingers for not appeasing right wingers enough and the BBC has the chance to do the funniest thing ever
Reposted by John Powers
Reposted by John Powers
Reposted by John Powers
🔺NEW: Russia threatens to send hypersonic missiles to Venezuela
Moscow warns that it could arm the Maduro regime with its latest weapons after President Trump steps up US military presence in Caribbean
Moscow warns that it could arm the Maduro regime with its latest weapons after President Trump steps up US military presence in Caribbean
Russia threatens to send hypersonic missiles to Venezuela
Russia threatens to send hypersonic missiles to Venezuela
www.thetimes.com
November 6, 2025 at 4:54 PM
🔺NEW: Russia threatens to send hypersonic missiles to Venezuela
Moscow warns that it could arm the Maduro regime with its latest weapons after President Trump steps up US military presence in Caribbean
Moscow warns that it could arm the Maduro regime with its latest weapons after President Trump steps up US military presence in Caribbean
Reposted by John Powers
A rail worker credited with saving multiple lives during a mass stabbing on a train has been named as Samir Zitouni.
The 48-year-old's actions on the Doncaster to London King's Cross service on Saturday evening were described as "nothing short of heroic".
The 48-year-old's actions on the Doncaster to London King's Cross service on Saturday evening were described as "nothing short of heroic".
Train hero who saved passengers during attack named
The rail worker credited with saving multiple lives is named as Samir Zitouni.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 4, 2025 at 11:36 AM
A rail worker credited with saving multiple lives during a mass stabbing on a train has been named as Samir Zitouni.
The 48-year-old's actions on the Doncaster to London King's Cross service on Saturday evening were described as "nothing short of heroic".
The 48-year-old's actions on the Doncaster to London King's Cross service on Saturday evening were described as "nothing short of heroic".
Reposted by John Powers
A newly appointed Head of Department thanked me for this old Guardian column last week. So I feel duty bound to share it.
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
University administration in permanent revolution? Try masterful inactivity
The only way for academics to cope with the pace of change in universities is to ignore everything
www.theguardian.com
November 3, 2025 at 3:41 PM
A newly appointed Head of Department thanked me for this old Guardian column last week. So I feel duty bound to share it.
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Reposted by John Powers
This FT account of pure thuggishness of Trump representatives posing as diplomats has not appeared in US media anywhere, but is being widely circulated and reported in media in Europe, the UK and the Asia Pacific area. Be sure to read it all.
November 3, 2025 at 2:40 PM
This FT account of pure thuggishness of Trump representatives posing as diplomats has not appeared in US media anywhere, but is being widely circulated and reported in media in Europe, the UK and the Asia Pacific area. Be sure to read it all.
Reposted by John Powers
I am getting a ton of mileage out of this cartoon.
October 31, 2025 at 4:37 PM
I am getting a ton of mileage out of this cartoon.
Reposted by John Powers
NEW Economist/YouGov Oct 24-27
% who approve | disapprove of Trump
U.S. adult citizens 39% | 58% (-19; new low for term)
Last week 39% | 56%
Start of term 49% | 43%
Democrats: 4% | 97%
Republicans: 86% | 12%
18-29: 20% | 75%
65+: 43% | 55%
d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/ec...
% who approve | disapprove of Trump
U.S. adult citizens 39% | 58% (-19; new low for term)
Last week 39% | 56%
Start of term 49% | 43%
Democrats: 4% | 97%
Republicans: 86% | 12%
18-29: 20% | 75%
65+: 43% | 55%
d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/ec...
October 28, 2025 at 1:57 PM
NEW Economist/YouGov Oct 24-27
% who approve | disapprove of Trump
U.S. adult citizens 39% | 58% (-19; new low for term)
Last week 39% | 56%
Start of term 49% | 43%
Democrats: 4% | 97%
Republicans: 86% | 12%
18-29: 20% | 75%
65+: 43% | 55%
d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/ec...
% who approve | disapprove of Trump
U.S. adult citizens 39% | 58% (-19; new low for term)
Last week 39% | 56%
Start of term 49% | 43%
Democrats: 4% | 97%
Republicans: 86% | 12%
18-29: 20% | 75%
65+: 43% | 55%
d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/ec...
Reposted by John Powers
recently discovered that wikipedia volunteers have a hilariously high bar for what constitutes "unusual death"
October 27, 2025 at 12:38 PM
recently discovered that wikipedia volunteers have a hilariously high bar for what constitutes "unusual death"
Reposted by John Powers
I did an event with Anne Applebaum last week and asked her about Trump's weaknesses. The first one she cited was the blatant corruption, self-interest and disregard for ordinary people. Smart authoritarians at least pretend otherwise.
starving over 40 million people right before major holidays + massively upping healthcare costs does strike me as a rather bold move this early in the authoritarian consolidation game for any given fascist regime, but I guess we’ll see what happens
October 27, 2025 at 9:41 AM
I did an event with Anne Applebaum last week and asked her about Trump's weaknesses. The first one she cited was the blatant corruption, self-interest and disregard for ordinary people. Smart authoritarians at least pretend otherwise.
Reposted by John Powers
Very funny - the BFI has acquired the Daily Star's lettuce/Liz Truss video for the national archive, because it is a significant piece of British content that deserves preservation
www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-...
www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-...
Daily Star's 60p Lettuce Liz that lasted longer than Truss immortalised by BFI
The lettuce livestream has been acquired by the British Film Institute’s National Archive as part of a digital collection featuring 400 significant pieces of British online video content
www.dailystar.co.uk
October 25, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Very funny - the BFI has acquired the Daily Star's lettuce/Liz Truss video for the national archive, because it is a significant piece of British content that deserves preservation
www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-...
www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-...
Reposted by John Powers
Yay. Priceless. The right column at the right time. And a gleefully English two fingers to the haters.
October 25, 2025 at 7:38 AM
Yay. Priceless. The right column at the right time. And a gleefully English two fingers to the haters.
Reposted by John Powers
The current line taken by some Conservatives is "We will rip up ILR, something no govt has ever done before, but citizenship is different". Not reassuring. Precedents matter. "We don't abide by rules previously agreed" is the precedent.Once that's set, reassurances on other rules carry little weight
October 22, 2025 at 2:13 PM
The current line taken by some Conservatives is "We will rip up ILR, something no govt has ever done before, but citizenship is different". Not reassuring. Precedents matter. "We don't abide by rules previously agreed" is the precedent.Once that's set, reassurances on other rules carry little weight
Reposted by John Powers
It really is astonishing that anyone bought the argument that Brexit would ‘settle’ the immigration question in the UK. People who made this argument should hang their heads in shame.
October 22, 2025 at 9:27 AM
It really is astonishing that anyone bought the argument that Brexit would ‘settle’ the immigration question in the UK. People who made this argument should hang their heads in shame.