Derek Black
@djm-black.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy
European: Germano-Polish Scot. Christian. Bibliophile. Scientist. House-husband.
🌉 bridged from https://mastodon.scot/@djm_black on the fediverse by https://fed.brid.gy/
🌉 bridged from https://mastodon.scot/@djm_black on the fediverse by https://fed.brid.gy/
Reposted by Derek Black
❌What was sold as a fresh start for UK politics has instead delivered a series of decisions that have left people worse off and faith in Westminster further eroded.
February 11, 2026 at 1:43 PM
❌What was sold as a fresh start for UK politics has instead delivered a series of decisions that have left people worse off and faith in Westminster further eroded.
Reposted by Derek Black
It is so embarrassing that it has taken nearly a decade for a British minister to say this, a statement of the absolute bloody obvious
February 11, 2026 at 7:40 AM
It is so embarrassing that it has taken nearly a decade for a British minister to say this, a statement of the absolute bloody obvious
Reposted by Derek Black
Calling #Edinburgh Higgs Boson fans - there are only a few tickets left for the 2026 Higgs Lecture which will be delivered this year by the wonderful Fabiola Gianotti (and you get to see Higgs' Nobel Medal afterwards).
March 23rd 🎟️: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-higgs-...
March 23rd 🎟️: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-higgs-...
February 10, 2026 at 4:33 PM
Calling #Edinburgh Higgs Boson fans - there are only a few tickets left for the 2026 Higgs Lecture which will be delivered this year by the wonderful Fabiola Gianotti (and you get to see Higgs' Nobel Medal afterwards).
March 23rd 🎟️: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-higgs-...
March 23rd 🎟️: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-higgs-...
Reposted by Derek Black
My latest blog piece, Starmer and Sarwar, the Tweedledum and Tweedledumber of political arrogance, together they've destroyed the Labour party in Scotland.
weegingerdug.wordpress.com/2026/02/10/s...
weegingerdug.wordpress.com/2026/02/10/s...
Starmer and Sarwar, the Tweedledum and Tweedledumber of political arrogance
If you’re having a bad day today, console yourself with the thought that Anas Sarwar is having a much worse day than you are, cue the world’s tiniest violin. Sarwar can’t do anyth…
weegingerdug.wordpress.com
February 10, 2026 at 1:31 PM
My latest blog piece, Starmer and Sarwar, the Tweedledum and Tweedledumber of political arrogance, together they've destroyed the Labour party in Scotland.
weegingerdug.wordpress.com/2026/02/10/s...
weegingerdug.wordpress.com/2026/02/10/s...
Reposted by Derek Black
The European Commission will propose the Single Digital Booking and Ticketing Regulation (#sdbtr) this spring
We know WHY rail ticketing in the EU needs to be fixed
Here I explain the building blocks HOW to do it
https://jonworth.eu/how-to-fix-railway-ticketing-in-the-eu/
We know WHY rail ticketing in the EU needs to be fixed
Here I explain the building blocks HOW to do it
https://jonworth.eu/how-to-fix-railway-ticketing-in-the-eu/
February 10, 2026 at 2:45 PM
The European Commission will propose the Single Digital Booking and Ticketing Regulation (#sdbtr) this spring
We know WHY rail ticketing in the EU needs to be fixed
Here I explain the building blocks HOW to do it
https://jonworth.eu/how-to-fix-railway-ticketing-in-the-eu/
We know WHY rail ticketing in the EU needs to be fixed
Here I explain the building blocks HOW to do it
https://jonworth.eu/how-to-fix-railway-ticketing-in-the-eu/
Reposted by Derek Black
RE: https://mastodon.world/@AaronDavid/116031139149726891
This cartoon had been attached to my glove box for 30 years…. A classic!
This cartoon had been attached to my glove box for 30 years…. A classic!
mastodon.world
February 9, 2026 at 9:16 PM
RE: https://mastodon.world/@AaronDavid/116031139149726891
This cartoon had been attached to my glove box for 30 years…. A classic!
This cartoon had been attached to my glove box for 30 years…. A classic!
Reposted by Derek Black
Also could everyone stop comparing the loss rate of UK Prime Ministers with Italian politics? Despite all its many problems, since 2015 the Italian political scene has been a paragon of stability compared to the chaos enveloping the UK.
February 9, 2026 at 2:26 PM
Also could everyone stop comparing the loss rate of UK Prime Ministers with Italian politics? Despite all its many problems, since 2015 the Italian political scene has been a paragon of stability compared to the chaos enveloping the UK.
Reposted by Derek Black
One of the defining features of Keir Starmer's time in office was his chronic inability to instill any sense of hope
February 9, 2026 at 4:16 PM
One of the defining features of Keir Starmer's time in office was his chronic inability to instill any sense of hope
Reposted by Derek Black
I'm shocked and stunned that yet another of Keir Starmer's many catastrophic errors of judgement has turned out to be someone else's fault. Who knew that Starmer was such a victim.
a man in a suit and tie is sitting in front of a counter and says `` my shocked face '' .
Alt: A stoney faced Steve Carrell from the Office US says: "my shocked face."
media.tenor.com
February 8, 2026 at 5:59 PM
I'm shocked and stunned that yet another of Keir Starmer's many catastrophic errors of judgement has turned out to be someone else's fault. Who knew that Starmer was such a victim.
Reposted by Derek Black
Portugal and Spain are experiencing significant economic growth because of a combination of tourism, immigration and a renewable energy boom, someone tell Farage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-YZeqk8NCQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-YZeqk8NCQ
February 8, 2026 at 8:42 PM
Portugal and Spain are experiencing significant economic growth because of a combination of tourism, immigration and a renewable energy boom, someone tell Farage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-YZeqk8NCQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-YZeqk8NCQ
Reposted by Derek Black
A Labour MP remarks: "Starmer will go down as the worst PM in Labour history ... He’s a coward who refuses to take responsibility for his own actions. He is a moral gravity-well from which neither decency, honesty or integrity can escape. A genuine disaster for this country and the Labour movement.”
February 8, 2026 at 10:13 PM
A Labour MP remarks: "Starmer will go down as the worst PM in Labour history ... He’s a coward who refuses to take responsibility for his own actions. He is a moral gravity-well from which neither decency, honesty or integrity can escape. A genuine disaster for this country and the Labour movement.”
Reposted by Derek Black
It is genuinely barmy that my ten minute minicab ride to Heathrow costs more than my actual flight.
February 9, 2026 at 5:25 AM
It is genuinely barmy that my ten minute minicab ride to Heathrow costs more than my actual flight.
Reposted by Derek Black
The daft thing is that with Proportional Representation there'd be no need for this self-destructive war within Labour. It could split into its component parts - left and right - and people could vote for what they wanted. It's only First-Past-the-Post that forces these irreconcilables together.
February 9, 2026 at 8:51 AM
The daft thing is that with Proportional Representation there'd be no need for this self-destructive war within Labour. It could split into its component parts - left and right - and people could vote for what they wanted. It's only First-Past-the-Post that forces these irreconcilables together.
Reposted by Derek Black
An EV = high-tech computer on wheels — software-defined, upgradable, efficient. ICE = clunky remnant of the combustion era — mechanical, wasteful, capped by physics. One evolves with code & batteries. The other peaked last century. Soon, ICE won’t be a debate -> but something in rear-view mirror.
February 8, 2026 at 10:21 AM
An EV = high-tech computer on wheels — software-defined, upgradable, efficient. ICE = clunky remnant of the combustion era — mechanical, wasteful, capped by physics. One evolves with code & batteries. The other peaked last century. Soon, ICE won’t be a debate -> but something in rear-view mirror.
Reposted by Derek Black
The Epstein files reveal more than depravity, they unmask how the elite operates
https://observer.co.uk/news/columnists/article/the-epstein-files-reveal-more-than-depravity-they-unmask-how-the-elite-operates
Mandelson was part of a cabal that prized wealth and influence. For some, sex was the […]
https://observer.co.uk/news/columnists/article/the-epstein-files-reveal-more-than-depravity-they-unmask-how-the-elite-operates
Mandelson was part of a cabal that prized wealth and influence. For some, sex was the […]
Original post on mastodon.scot
mastodon.scot
February 8, 2026 at 12:10 PM
The Epstein files reveal more than depravity, they unmask how the elite operates
https://observer.co.uk/news/columnists/article/the-epstein-files-reveal-more-than-depravity-they-unmask-how-the-elite-operates
Mandelson was part of a cabal that prized wealth and influence. For some, sex was the […]
https://observer.co.uk/news/columnists/article/the-epstein-files-reveal-more-than-depravity-they-unmask-how-the-elite-operates
Mandelson was part of a cabal that prized wealth and influence. For some, sex was the […]
Reposted by Derek Black
No surprises here. Whether it’s enough to save Starmer remains to be seen www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c7...
McSweeney quits as PM's chief of staff, saying he takes 'full responsibility' for advising Mandelson appointment
Prime Minister Keir Starmer thanks McSweeney for his
www.bbc.co.uk
February 8, 2026 at 3:59 PM
No surprises here. Whether it’s enough to save Starmer remains to be seen www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c7...
Reposted by Derek Black
That @petergeoghegan.bsky.social is onto something here and he's not letting go of it open.substack.com/pub/democrac...
‘Labour Together broke the law’
The think tank that propelled Starmer to power hired private investigators to shut down scrutiny of its dark money - I speak to one of its targets, journalist Paul Holden
open.substack.com
February 7, 2026 at 12:09 PM
That @petergeoghegan.bsky.social is onto something here and he's not letting go of it open.substack.com/pub/democrac...
Reposted by Derek Black
So you can now directly follow posts from my blog / newsletter site here in the Fediverse - it's @news - and it runs from within Ghost
I'll see if this is a useful addition my more regular activity here!
I'll see if this is a useful addition my more regular activity here!
February 7, 2026 at 1:31 AM
So you can now directly follow posts from my blog / newsletter site here in the Fediverse - it's @news - and it runs from within Ghost
I'll see if this is a useful addition my more regular activity here!
I'll see if this is a useful addition my more regular activity here!
Reposted by Derek Black
At last, Musk has chosen the right side. Only took him four years.
February 7, 2026 at 6:50 AM
At last, Musk has chosen the right side. Only took him four years.
Reposted by Derek Black
"Democracy is now back to 1985 levels according to some metrics, with 72 percent of the world’s population now living under autocracy. Russia and China are less free today than 20 years ago. And so is the United States".
-Human Rights Watch, World Report 2026
https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2026
-Human Rights Watch, World Report 2026
https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2026
World Report 2026
World Report 2026, Human Rights Watch’s 36th annual review of human rights practices and trends around the globe, reviews developments in more than 100 countries.
www.hrw.org
February 7, 2026 at 7:27 AM
"Democracy is now back to 1985 levels according to some metrics, with 72 percent of the world’s population now living under autocracy. Russia and China are less free today than 20 years ago. And so is the United States".
-Human Rights Watch, World Report 2026
https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2026
-Human Rights Watch, World Report 2026
https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2026
Reposted by Derek Black
The Met Office say that its weather station near Aberdeen has had 16 days with no sun. It's the longest period of gloom ever recorded in the city.
Here's Balmedie Beach on better days, to help remind you of the that bright yellow disk in the sky thingy.
www.walkhighlands.co.uk/aberdeenshir...
Here's Balmedie Beach on better days, to help remind you of the that bright yellow disk in the sky thingy.
www.walkhighlands.co.uk/aberdeenshir...
February 6, 2026 at 10:33 AM
The Met Office say that its weather station near Aberdeen has had 16 days with no sun. It's the longest period of gloom ever recorded in the city.
Here's Balmedie Beach on better days, to help remind you of the that bright yellow disk in the sky thingy.
www.walkhighlands.co.uk/aberdeenshir...
Here's Balmedie Beach on better days, to help remind you of the that bright yellow disk in the sky thingy.
www.walkhighlands.co.uk/aberdeenshir...
Reposted by Derek Black
💸 Brexit is predicted to have cost the UK economy a staggering 6-8% according to the latest study.
💰 That is equivalent to £180bn - £240bn A YEAR!
📉 And that has left HMRC about £90 billion shorter a year.
🪖 150% greater than the UK's defence budget.
💰 That is equivalent to £180bn - £240bn A YEAR!
📉 And that has left HMRC about £90 billion shorter a year.
🪖 150% greater than the UK's defence budget.
No tub-thumping has died down, how about putting actual Brexit truths on a bus?
Labour's 'red lines' are enabling the enormous economic damage from Brexit to continue. The solution is a no-brainer, if
www.heraldscotland.com
February 6, 2026 at 11:20 AM
💸 Brexit is predicted to have cost the UK economy a staggering 6-8% according to the latest study.
💰 That is equivalent to £180bn - £240bn A YEAR!
📉 And that has left HMRC about £90 billion shorter a year.
🪖 150% greater than the UK's defence budget.
💰 That is equivalent to £180bn - £240bn A YEAR!
📉 And that has left HMRC about £90 billion shorter a year.
🪖 150% greater than the UK's defence budget.
Reposted by Derek Black
Reposted by Derek Black
Yes, four of our last five PMs have been objectively terrible at politics and Johnson was good at politics but terrible at governing.
There's no reason to accept this as normal, though. Much of Starmer and Labour's unpopularity is not misfortune but his own doing. Mandelson was a choice. Consistently pursuing policy positions designed to appeal to people who will not vote for you - and alienating core supporters - is a choice.
Starmer's reported condition - incredibly unpopular, shorn of authority, probably un-reelectable and yet will stagger on for want of an alternative - is just the new normal of how Britain is governed. It was also true for two-thirds of May's premiership, half of Johnson's and all of Sunak's.
February 6, 2026 at 12:42 PM
Yes, four of our last five PMs have been objectively terrible at politics and Johnson was good at politics but terrible at governing.
Reposted by Derek Black
The second edition of my new newsletter is going out Friday at 14:00 CET, analysing the week's railway news
Signup: https://jonworth.eu/tag/newsletter/
In this week's edition: French gadgetbahns, a good week for Polish trains, and some bullshit (or not) about trains from Bulgaria to Greece
Signup: https://jonworth.eu/tag/newsletter/
In this week's edition: French gadgetbahns, a good week for Polish trains, and some bullshit (or not) about trains from Bulgaria to Greece
Newsletter - Jon Worth
My weekly newsletter for subscribers, sent out every Friday at 14:00 CET. Analysis of this week's European and cross border railway news.
jonworth.eu
February 5, 2026 at 11:01 PM
The second edition of my new newsletter is going out Friday at 14:00 CET, analysing the week's railway news
Signup: https://jonworth.eu/tag/newsletter/
In this week's edition: French gadgetbahns, a good week for Polish trains, and some bullshit (or not) about trains from Bulgaria to Greece
Signup: https://jonworth.eu/tag/newsletter/
In this week's edition: French gadgetbahns, a good week for Polish trains, and some bullshit (or not) about trains from Bulgaria to Greece