Bob Owen
@etotheipiadd1.bsky.social
Software Engineer, working for Mozilla on Firefox.
Oh god, maybe there will be an election this year and Farage will win it:
January 2, 2026 at 4:38 PM
Oh god, maybe there will be an election this year and Farage will win it:
Reposted by Bob Owen
NEW
Why can a politician remove citizenship with little or no judicial consideration?
The home secretary has brutal wide-ranging power to deprive British citizens of this most basic of rights
By me at @prospectmagazine.co.uk on Begum and Abd el-Fattah
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/law/th...
Why can a politician remove citizenship with little or no judicial consideration?
The home secretary has brutal wide-ranging power to deprive British citizens of this most basic of rights
By me at @prospectmagazine.co.uk on Begum and Abd el-Fattah
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/law/th...
January 2, 2026 at 11:58 AM
NEW
Why can a politician remove citizenship with little or no judicial consideration?
The home secretary has brutal wide-ranging power to deprive British citizens of this most basic of rights
By me at @prospectmagazine.co.uk on Begum and Abd el-Fattah
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/law/th...
Why can a politician remove citizenship with little or no judicial consideration?
The home secretary has brutal wide-ranging power to deprive British citizens of this most basic of rights
By me at @prospectmagazine.co.uk on Begum and Abd el-Fattah
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/law/th...
Reposted by Bob Owen
Govt is pursuing a major settlement & citizenship reform agenda which Ovenden advocates but ignores.
It boasts Maria will wait 14/15 years for settlement/citizenship not 5/6. Not yet well known. Its taking on legal, ngo opinion, though median public+ esp Labour voters wouldn't say 15 years is fair
It boasts Maria will wait 14/15 years for settlement/citizenship not 5/6. Not yet well known. Its taking on legal, ngo opinion, though median public+ esp Labour voters wouldn't say 15 years is fair
January 2, 2026 at 10:13 AM
Govt is pursuing a major settlement & citizenship reform agenda which Ovenden advocates but ignores.
It boasts Maria will wait 14/15 years for settlement/citizenship not 5/6. Not yet well known. Its taking on legal, ngo opinion, though median public+ esp Labour voters wouldn't say 15 years is fair
It boasts Maria will wait 14/15 years for settlement/citizenship not 5/6. Not yet well known. Its taking on legal, ngo opinion, though median public+ esp Labour voters wouldn't say 15 years is fair
Reposted by Bob Owen
Astonishing that we've been reading right-wing commentary this week about how the UK is too permissive in its grants of nationality. Thank goodness for the work PRCBC and Valdez-Symonds are doing.
Friday briefing: How the Home Office denied a British-born man his citizenship for 15 years
In today’s newsletter: Born in London but he spent years fearing detention and deportation. Olu Sowemimo’s story reveals the hidden consequences of Britain’s nationality system
www.theguardian.com
January 2, 2026 at 8:24 AM
Astonishing that we've been reading right-wing commentary this week about how the UK is too permissive in its grants of nationality. Thank goodness for the work PRCBC and Valdez-Symonds are doing.
Reposted by Bob Owen
400 days of daily #GeorgiaProtests
Persistence is the best we can currently do as a society, but it will pay off.
📷 Mariam Qavshbaia / @publikage.bsky.social
Persistence is the best we can currently do as a society, but it will pay off.
📷 Mariam Qavshbaia / @publikage.bsky.social
January 1, 2026 at 6:15 PM
400 days of daily #GeorgiaProtests
Persistence is the best we can currently do as a society, but it will pay off.
📷 Mariam Qavshbaia / @publikage.bsky.social
Persistence is the best we can currently do as a society, but it will pay off.
📷 Mariam Qavshbaia / @publikage.bsky.social
Reposted by Bob Owen
It's New Year, so time to look back and forward. These are 10 things I think we need to recognise in 2026. It’s a response to what I think are profoundly damaging mistaken assumptions I’ve heard and read from practitioners, journalists, and analysts in 2025. Warning: very long🧵
January 1, 2026 at 4:55 PM
It's New Year, so time to look back and forward. These are 10 things I think we need to recognise in 2026. It’s a response to what I think are profoundly damaging mistaken assumptions I’ve heard and read from practitioners, journalists, and analysts in 2025. Warning: very long🧵
Reposted by Bob Owen
I wrote this yesterday. It’s my message in a bottle from 2025. May it find you where you are xx
open.substack.com/pub/broligar...
open.substack.com/pub/broligar...
On Power
Liminal thoughts from a liminal space, "The Perineum" between Christmas and New Year
open.substack.com
January 1, 2026 at 1:48 PM
I wrote this yesterday. It’s my message in a bottle from 2025. May it find you where you are xx
open.substack.com/pub/broligar...
open.substack.com/pub/broligar...
Reposted by Bob Owen
If you keep telling social liberals to fuck off to impress the Times, don't act all surprised when they actually fuck off.
December 31, 2025 at 10:38 AM
If you keep telling social liberals to fuck off to impress the Times, don't act all surprised when they actually fuck off.
December 31, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Reposted by Bob Owen
“Alaa Abd el-Fattah’s tweets were wrong, but he is no ‘anti-white Islamist’. Why does the British right want you to believe he is?”
Some sense from @naomiaklein.bsky.social
Some sense from @naomiaklein.bsky.social
Alaa Abd el-Fattah’s tweets were wrong, but he is no ‘anti-white Islamist’. Why does the British right want you to believe he is? | Naomi Klein
I have no interest in defending his social media posts, but calls to strip the newly freed activist of British citizenship pile torment on top of torture, says Naomi Klein, Guardian US columnist and c...
www.theguardian.com
December 31, 2025 at 2:00 PM
“Alaa Abd el-Fattah’s tweets were wrong, but he is no ‘anti-white Islamist’. Why does the British right want you to believe he is?”
Some sense from @naomiaklein.bsky.social
Some sense from @naomiaklein.bsky.social
Reposted by Bob Owen
Calls to strip pro-democracy activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah of his British citizenship pile torment on top of torture.
New piece by me on a dangerous and manufactured storm:
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
New piece by me on a dangerous and manufactured storm:
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Alaa Abd el-Fattah’s tweets were wrong, but he is no ‘anti-white Islamist’. Why does the British right want you to believe he is? | Naomi Klein
I have no interest in defending his social media posts, but calls to strip the newly freed activist of British citizenship pile torment on top of torture, says Naomi Klein, Guardian US columnist and c...
www.theguardian.com
December 31, 2025 at 7:37 AM
Calls to strip pro-democracy activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah of his British citizenship pile torment on top of torture.
New piece by me on a dangerous and manufactured storm:
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
New piece by me on a dangerous and manufactured storm:
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Bob Owen
RE Gaza, there is every reason to be pessimistic. Millions will continue to live in tent cities, not just this winter (3rd winter) but also for the next five years - who knows?
As far as Israel is concerned, Gaza will be kept in perpetual limbo, in hope for its complete destruction and depopulation.
As far as Israel is concerned, Gaza will be kept in perpetual limbo, in hope for its complete destruction and depopulation.
December 30, 2025 at 9:55 AM
RE Gaza, there is every reason to be pessimistic. Millions will continue to live in tent cities, not just this winter (3rd winter) but also for the next five years - who knows?
As far as Israel is concerned, Gaza will be kept in perpetual limbo, in hope for its complete destruction and depopulation.
As far as Israel is concerned, Gaza will be kept in perpetual limbo, in hope for its complete destruction and depopulation.
Reposted by Bob Owen
After claiming that Ukraine attacked one of Vladimir Putin’s official residences (Kyiv denies it) what will Moscow do next? One Russian paper today: “The terms of a long-term peace will now depend on the feet of Russian soldiers. Where they step, that’s ours.” #ReadingRussia
"Peace terms now depend on the feet of Russian soldiers. Where they step that's ours": Russian paper
YouTube video by Steve Rosenberg
youtu.be
December 30, 2025 at 9:10 AM
After claiming that Ukraine attacked one of Vladimir Putin’s official residences (Kyiv denies it) what will Moscow do next? One Russian paper today: “The terms of a long-term peace will now depend on the feet of Russian soldiers. Where they step, that’s ours.” #ReadingRussia
Reposted by Bob Owen
Reposted by Bob Owen
A genuinely progressive and liberal govt would act to reverse this trend and entrench citizenship rights given the dangers ahead. I fear the current govt will do the opposite.
December 29, 2025 at 3:12 PM
A genuinely progressive and liberal govt would act to reverse this trend and entrench citizenship rights given the dangers ahead. I fear the current govt will do the opposite.
Reposted by Bob Owen
I've written an end of year substack post about tracking Trump, where we are ending the year and some implications for Europe and for me personally...
christinapagel.substack.com/p/personal-r...
christinapagel.substack.com/p/personal-r...
Personal reflections on a Trumpian 2025
The implications of a year in Trump's new America and why I started tracking Trump - and why I'm not stopping.
christinapagel.substack.com
December 29, 2025 at 3:25 PM
I've written an end of year substack post about tracking Trump, where we are ending the year and some implications for Europe and for me personally...
christinapagel.substack.com/p/personal-r...
christinapagel.substack.com/p/personal-r...
Reposted by Bob Owen
No idea who Laurent Brindeau is, but isn’t this caricature of @zackpolanski.bsky.social in today’s @dailymailpolitics.bsky.social ragingly antisemitic?
December 28, 2025 at 6:42 PM
No idea who Laurent Brindeau is, but isn’t this caricature of @zackpolanski.bsky.social in today’s @dailymailpolitics.bsky.social ragingly antisemitic?
Reposted by Bob Owen
The revocation of citizenship is a fundamental and brutal discretionary power of the state.
One of the more depressing themes in recent judgments is how the courts nod-along and shrug when faced with this brute exercise of fundamental power, rather than subjecting this power to anxious scrutiny.
One of the more depressing themes in recent judgments is how the courts nod-along and shrug when faced with this brute exercise of fundamental power, rather than subjecting this power to anxious scrutiny.
December 29, 2025 at 11:38 AM
The revocation of citizenship is a fundamental and brutal discretionary power of the state.
One of the more depressing themes in recent judgments is how the courts nod-along and shrug when faced with this brute exercise of fundamental power, rather than subjecting this power to anxious scrutiny.
One of the more depressing themes in recent judgments is how the courts nod-along and shrug when faced with this brute exercise of fundamental power, rather than subjecting this power to anxious scrutiny.
Reposted by Bob Owen
I will never regret being part of the movement to free Alaa Abd el-Fattah, or writing the foreword to his extraordinary book, You Have Not Yet Been Defeated.
Read his honest and heartfelt response to those playing politics with his hard-won freedom.
#FreeAlaa Always.
freealaa.net/alaa-response
Read his honest and heartfelt response to those playing politics with his hard-won freedom.
#FreeAlaa Always.
freealaa.net/alaa-response
Statement in response to historic tweets
I am shaken that, just as I am being reunited with my family for the first time in 12 years, several historic tweets of mine have been republished and used to question and attack my integrity and valu...
freealaa.net
December 29, 2025 at 1:24 AM
I will never regret being part of the movement to free Alaa Abd el-Fattah, or writing the foreword to his extraordinary book, You Have Not Yet Been Defeated.
Read his honest and heartfelt response to those playing politics with his hard-won freedom.
#FreeAlaa Always.
freealaa.net/alaa-response
Read his honest and heartfelt response to those playing politics with his hard-won freedom.
#FreeAlaa Always.
freealaa.net/alaa-response
Reposted by Bob Owen
I honestly don’t know how we survive in Georgia.
Groceries are as expensive, or sometimes more expensive as in Western Europe; okay, rent is somewhat cheaper,
but median national monthly salary is about EUR 400.
How do people have children, not to mention all else?..
Groceries are as expensive, or sometimes more expensive as in Western Europe; okay, rent is somewhat cheaper,
but median national monthly salary is about EUR 400.
How do people have children, not to mention all else?..
Poverty in Georgia crushes my heart.
All while the country is immensely rich in resources and the Georgian Dream makes billions, not just millions, in corrupt schemes that we aren’t even fully aware of yet.
An elderly street vendor…
All while the country is immensely rich in resources and the Georgian Dream makes billions, not just millions, in corrupt schemes that we aren’t even fully aware of yet.
An elderly street vendor…
December 28, 2025 at 8:27 PM
I honestly don’t know how we survive in Georgia.
Groceries are as expensive, or sometimes more expensive as in Western Europe; okay, rent is somewhat cheaper,
but median national monthly salary is about EUR 400.
How do people have children, not to mention all else?..
Groceries are as expensive, or sometimes more expensive as in Western Europe; okay, rent is somewhat cheaper,
but median national monthly salary is about EUR 400.
How do people have children, not to mention all else?..
Reposted by Bob Owen
It has been 395 days of continuous demonstrations in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi. Our citizens demand the resignation of Georgia's mostly illegitimate and pro-Russian government, the release of political prisoners, and the return to a pro-European course.
December 27, 2025 at 6:06 PM
It has been 395 days of continuous demonstrations in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi. Our citizens demand the resignation of Georgia's mostly illegitimate and pro-Russian government, the release of political prisoners, and the return to a pro-European course.
Reposted by Bob Owen
‘Of course he abused pupils’: ex-Dulwich teacher speaks out about Farage racism claims www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
‘Of course he abused pupils’: ex-Dulwich teacher speaks out about Farage racism claims
Exclusive: Chloë Deakin tells how she wrote to Dulwich college master to argue against Farage’s nomination as prefect
www.theguardian.com
December 28, 2025 at 9:01 AM
‘Of course he abused pupils’: ex-Dulwich teacher speaks out about Farage racism claims www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
Reposted by Bob Owen
The Liz Truss Show - Behind the Scenes
YouTube video by Michael Spicer
youtu.be
December 25, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Reposted by Bob Owen
🧵Have you ever heard of LLM-authored books being used as part of an disinformation operation?
Well now you have!
#AI #Disinformation
open.substack.com/pub/marcowen...
Well now you have!
#AI #Disinformation
open.substack.com/pub/marcowen...
December 24, 2025 at 10:21 AM
🧵Have you ever heard of LLM-authored books being used as part of an disinformation operation?
Well now you have!
#AI #Disinformation
open.substack.com/pub/marcowen...
Well now you have!
#AI #Disinformation
open.substack.com/pub/marcowen...
Reposted by Bob Owen
Georgia is facing the most dangerous political moment since regaining independence. Russia has moved from trying to meddle in Georgian politics to trying to control the long-term direction of the Georgian state in a way that cannot be reversed: politicsgeo.com/explaining-t...
Explaining the Self-Harming Policies of the Georgian Dream through the Russian Prism - GEOpolitics
Georgia is facing the most dangerous political moment since regaining independence. Russia appears to have set a strategic objective that goes far beyond influencing Georgian policies. Russia has move...
politicsgeo.com
December 25, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Georgia is facing the most dangerous political moment since regaining independence. Russia has moved from trying to meddle in Georgian politics to trying to control the long-term direction of the Georgian state in a way that cannot be reversed: politicsgeo.com/explaining-t...