Michael George Hartley
@georgegawler.bsky.social
An ignoble fellow. Full-time writer and lifelong europhile. Hoping to rejoin the EU and see Trump and Putin get their comeuppances. That Musk is a wrong'un too...
Oxford, UK.
Oxford, UK.
Reposted by Michael George Hartley
Now the winner ot the FIFA peace prize has launched missiles at two more countries I'm sure they'll reconsider the decision. Seems almost corrupt in retrospect.
December 26, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Now the winner ot the FIFA peace prize has launched missiles at two more countries I'm sure they'll reconsider the decision. Seems almost corrupt in retrospect.
Reposted by Michael George Hartley
Merry Christmas one and all, from the Vaders 🎄
December 25, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Merry Christmas one and all, from the Vaders 🎄
Reposted by Michael George Hartley
Breaking news!
December 24, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Breaking news!
Reposted by Michael George Hartley
Goodness me, it’s like someone rewrote The Twelve Days of Christmas with sex pests www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Russell Brand charged with new rape and sexual assault offences
Russell Brand will appear in court on 20 January 2026 over the new charges.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 23, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Goodness me, it’s like someone rewrote The Twelve Days of Christmas with sex pests www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Michael George Hartley
Not now, haunted Victorian shoes
Mystery as hundreds of Victorian shoes wash up on Ogmore beach
Mystery as hundreds of Victorian shoes wash up on Ogmore beach
More than 400 leather hobnailed boots, thought to date back to the 19th Century, have been found.
www.bbc.com
December 23, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Not now, haunted Victorian shoes
Reposted by Michael George Hartley
Watching Gremlins (1984) with the eldest.
I hate to point this out but early in Gremlins, It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) is on TV.
We are now further away from Gremlins than Gremlins was from It’s A Wonderful Life.
Sorry.
I hate to point this out but early in Gremlins, It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) is on TV.
We are now further away from Gremlins than Gremlins was from It’s A Wonderful Life.
Sorry.
December 20, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Watching Gremlins (1984) with the eldest.
I hate to point this out but early in Gremlins, It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) is on TV.
We are now further away from Gremlins than Gremlins was from It’s A Wonderful Life.
Sorry.
I hate to point this out but early in Gremlins, It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) is on TV.
We are now further away from Gremlins than Gremlins was from It’s A Wonderful Life.
Sorry.
Reposted by Michael George Hartley
In my school mums WhatsApp group one of the Muslim mums is helping one of the other mums assemble a last-minute Christmas Eve box and this is the country I am proud to live in and share x
December 23, 2025 at 9:36 AM
In my school mums WhatsApp group one of the Muslim mums is helping one of the other mums assemble a last-minute Christmas Eve box and this is the country I am proud to live in and share x
Reposted by Michael George Hartley
This is how I would end the news if I was reading the news.
December 22, 2025 at 8:21 PM
This is how I would end the news if I was reading the news.
Reposted by Michael George Hartley
My “London is falling” moment: some company called Until has hung giant shiny letters spelling out their name in a curved window on Charing Cross Road so the UNT really stands out as you walk down and nobody, not one of you, has added a C.
For shame, London. For shame ☹️
For shame, London. For shame ☹️
December 22, 2025 at 2:37 PM
My “London is falling” moment: some company called Until has hung giant shiny letters spelling out their name in a curved window on Charing Cross Road so the UNT really stands out as you walk down and nobody, not one of you, has added a C.
For shame, London. For shame ☹️
For shame, London. For shame ☹️
Reposted by Michael George Hartley
I quote from Andrew Tate’s X profile:
‘Unmatched perspicacity coupled with sheer indefatigability makes me a feared opponent in any realm of human endeavour.’
Erm…
This is certainly not the case when it comes to boxing Andy.
Oh dear.
You poor little love.
😉
‘Unmatched perspicacity coupled with sheer indefatigability makes me a feared opponent in any realm of human endeavour.’
Erm…
This is certainly not the case when it comes to boxing Andy.
Oh dear.
You poor little love.
😉
December 21, 2025 at 9:08 AM
I quote from Andrew Tate’s X profile:
‘Unmatched perspicacity coupled with sheer indefatigability makes me a feared opponent in any realm of human endeavour.’
Erm…
This is certainly not the case when it comes to boxing Andy.
Oh dear.
You poor little love.
😉
‘Unmatched perspicacity coupled with sheer indefatigability makes me a feared opponent in any realm of human endeavour.’
Erm…
This is certainly not the case when it comes to boxing Andy.
Oh dear.
You poor little love.
😉
Reposted by Michael George Hartley
'tis the season for watching The Muppet Christmas Carol and noticing the extras in the top right running out of room in the forced perspective set as they try to exit
December 20, 2025 at 9:20 AM
'tis the season for watching The Muppet Christmas Carol and noticing the extras in the top right running out of room in the forced perspective set as they try to exit
Reposted by Michael George Hartley
Reposted by Michael George Hartley
'The so-called ‘hero voters’ Labour targeted in 2024 did not actually turn out for them in any great numbers. So not only are Labour fighting the last war, they are fighting it with a battle-plan that didn’t actually work. It’s Labour’s very own winter invasion of Russia.' 👏 @benansell.bsky.social
Bloc Parties
In a world of bloc politics, what's a good offensive strategy?
benansell.substack.com
December 16, 2025 at 6:15 PM
'The so-called ‘hero voters’ Labour targeted in 2024 did not actually turn out for them in any great numbers. So not only are Labour fighting the last war, they are fighting it with a battle-plan that didn’t actually work. It’s Labour’s very own winter invasion of Russia.' 👏 @benansell.bsky.social
Reposted by Michael George Hartley
LOL. GB News issued a live apology to Meghan’s mom, Doria Ragland, but later deleted the entire show from YouTube to suppress the embarrassment.
Carole Malone was threatened with a lawsuit unless she apologised.
Carole Malone was threatened with a lawsuit unless she apologised.
December 16, 2025 at 8:22 AM
LOL. GB News issued a live apology to Meghan’s mom, Doria Ragland, but later deleted the entire show from YouTube to suppress the embarrassment.
Carole Malone was threatened with a lawsuit unless she apologised.
Carole Malone was threatened with a lawsuit unless she apologised.
Reposted by Michael George Hartley
Look, we all need something to cheer us up, so: happy Todger Strunk day to all who celebrate
December 14, 2025 at 8:08 AM
Look, we all need something to cheer us up, so: happy Todger Strunk day to all who celebrate
Reposted by Michael George Hartley
Reposted by Michael George Hartley
"'Where are you from?’ he asked. Within seconds of offering my rather confused and sputtering answers, he had a clear response: ‘That’s the way back to Africa,’ with an accompanying hand gesture pointing towards a place far away."
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Former Dulwich pupil says Farage told him: ‘That’s the way back to Africa’
Exclusive: Yinka Bankole says he felt compelled to speak out after Reform leader’s attempts to ‘dismiss’ hurt of alleged targets
www.theguardian.com
December 5, 2025 at 7:42 PM
"'Where are you from?’ he asked. Within seconds of offering my rather confused and sputtering answers, he had a clear response: ‘That’s the way back to Africa,’ with an accompanying hand gesture pointing towards a place far away."
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Michael George Hartley
I just don't need to know what the Telegraph has written about Dungeons & Dragons. It's a newspaper for people who are frightened of samosas.
November 30, 2025 at 12:15 PM
I just don't need to know what the Telegraph has written about Dungeons & Dragons. It's a newspaper for people who are frightened of samosas.
Reposted by Michael George Hartley
Reposted by Michael George Hartley
the price of populism
"By 2025, Brexit had reduced UK GDP by 6% to 8%, with the impact accumulating gradually over time. We estimate that investment was reduced by between 12% and 18%, employment by 3% to 4% and productivity by 3% to 4%"
Read the Stanford report:
siepr.stanford.edu/publications...
Read the Stanford report:
siepr.stanford.edu/publications...
The Economic Impact of Brexit
Other
siepr.stanford.edu
November 25, 2025 at 7:43 PM
the price of populism
Reposted by Michael George Hartley
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
Reposted by Michael George Hartley
I am moving to Dubai because England is so dangerous. www.ft.com/content/9bf6...
November 19, 2025 at 2:03 PM
I am moving to Dubai because England is so dangerous. www.ft.com/content/9bf6...
Reposted by Michael George Hartley
have we all seen Noah Smith managing to book a flight from Dublin to Paris with a 90 minute layover in London and concluding this demonstrates Britain is doomed
November 11, 2025 at 3:29 PM
have we all seen Noah Smith managing to book a flight from Dublin to Paris with a 90 minute layover in London and concluding this demonstrates Britain is doomed
Reposted by Michael George Hartley
(This was obvious to anyone with a pair of eyes $50bn ago. Autocracies - no matter how much oil they can drill, how many foreign advisors they can hire, and how slick their PR - remain highly inefficient at allocating resources in the long run.)
NEW: The End of the Line: the centrepiece of Saudi Arabia’s Neom gigaproject - a 500m tall, 170km long wall-like building intended ultimately to house 9 million people - can’t get out of the ground, say more than 20 former Neom architects, engineers and senior executives.
ig.ft.com/saudi-neom-l...
ig.ft.com/saudi-neom-l...
End of The Line: how Saudi Arabia’s Neom dream unravelled
Mohammed bin Salman’s utopian city was undone by the laws of physics and finance
ig.ft.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:19 AM
(This was obvious to anyone with a pair of eyes $50bn ago. Autocracies - no matter how much oil they can drill, how many foreign advisors they can hire, and how slick their PR - remain highly inefficient at allocating resources in the long run.)
Reposted by Michael George Hartley
A fantastic piece of reporting, brilliantly illustrated data, thorough, neutral analysis, transparent data collection… and frightening conclusions. Well done @skynewsrss.bsky.social for putting in long miles on this one
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
news.sky.com
November 6, 2025 at 6:54 AM
A fantastic piece of reporting, brilliantly illustrated data, thorough, neutral analysis, transparent data collection… and frightening conclusions. Well done @skynewsrss.bsky.social for putting in long miles on this one