Gwen
@gwenglens.bsky.social
Curious follower of shiny things, prone to getting distracted by random stuff and looking for meaning in a baffling world. Learning Spanish & Swedish. Living in Portsmouth, born in Argyll & married to a Welshman; making rugby internationals interesting! 🏴🏴
I have always backed Starmer – until now - The i Paper
@iandunt.bsky.social is, as usual, spot on. It’s so depressing.
@iandunt.bsky.social is, as usual, spot on. It’s so depressing.
November 12, 2025 at 2:45 PM
I have always backed Starmer – until now - The i Paper
@iandunt.bsky.social is, as usual, spot on. It’s so depressing.
@iandunt.bsky.social is, as usual, spot on. It’s so depressing.
The BBC has its faults, but it must stand up to Trump. It cannot kowtow.
November 12, 2025 at 8:28 AM
The BBC has its faults, but it must stand up to Trump. It cannot kowtow.
Farridge: “I do not believe that it is right that we should, when it comes to controlling our borders, when it comes to who should be able legally to live, work and settle in this country…”
And on and on. The worst bit is, I can actually hear his voice in my head as I’m reading. Yuck.
And on and on. The worst bit is, I can actually hear his voice in my head as I’m reading. Yuck.
October 29, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Farridge: “I do not believe that it is right that we should, when it comes to controlling our borders, when it comes to who should be able legally to live, work and settle in this country…”
And on and on. The worst bit is, I can actually hear his voice in my head as I’m reading. Yuck.
And on and on. The worst bit is, I can actually hear his voice in my head as I’m reading. Yuck.
Lend your support to entrepreneurs in low-income countries through @lendwithcare.bsky.social Make your first loan for free with this link! lendwithcare.org/referral/X47...
Microfinance from CARE International UK
CARE International's microfinance lending initiative
lendwithcare.org
October 28, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Lend your support to entrepreneurs in low-income countries through @lendwithcare.bsky.social Make your first loan for free with this link! lendwithcare.org/referral/X47...
I’m watching QT on catchup. Mariella Frostrup is absolutely spot on. As for Nadine Dorries, oh dear…
October 24, 2025 at 11:42 AM
I’m watching QT on catchup. Mariella Frostrup is absolutely spot on. As for Nadine Dorries, oh dear…
Reposted by Gwen
Rachel Reeves’ nasty prejudice is coming into play www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2025/10...
Rachel Reeves’ nasty prejudice is coming into play
As the Guardian notes this morning:
Rachel Reeves has said she “can’t leave welfare untouched” this parliament, with the Treasury understood to be considering axing up to £1bn in tax breaks for a sch...
www.taxresearch.org.uk
October 20, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Rachel Reeves’ nasty prejudice is coming into play www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2025/10...
Reposted by Gwen
Prince William moved to tears by mother who lost husband to suicide - The Times and The Sunday Times
In an ideal world we wouldn’t have a royal family, but if we must have one then I think William is going to be a good king. Even if I’m saying that through gritted teeth.
apple.news/AxEOs5UzdRei...
In an ideal world we wouldn’t have a royal family, but if we must have one then I think William is going to be a good king. Even if I’m saying that through gritted teeth.
apple.news/AxEOs5UzdRei...
Prince William moved to tears by mother who lost husband to suicide — The Times and The Sunday Times
A woman whose husband killed himself five days after the death of their baby has told the Prince of Wales it is heart-breaking that he will not see their two older children grow up. In a moving interv...
apple.news
October 10, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Prince William moved to tears by mother who lost husband to suicide - The Times and The Sunday Times
In an ideal world we wouldn’t have a royal family, but if we must have one then I think William is going to be a good king. Even if I’m saying that through gritted teeth.
apple.news/AxEOs5UzdRei...
In an ideal world we wouldn’t have a royal family, but if we must have one then I think William is going to be a good king. Even if I’m saying that through gritted teeth.
apple.news/AxEOs5UzdRei...
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to install a cat flap and then persuade said cat to use it. Guess which bit remains unresolved?
October 9, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to install a cat flap and then persuade said cat to use it. Guess which bit remains unresolved?
For the love of humanity and all other life forms on this planet (the only one we’ve got), can Starmer PLEASE grow a spine, stand up to his idiotic advisers and Reform and go to COP30 like a proper grown up national leader of government? Jeez.
The Reform party seems to have already won the battle on climate by scaring the UK government away from even talking about it.
Starmer is reportedly suppressing his intel agencies' report on climate threats.
Meanwhile some advisers are telling him to skip COP30.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Starmer is reportedly suppressing his intel agencies' report on climate threats.
Meanwhile some advisers are telling him to skip COP30.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
National security threatened by climate crisis, UK intelligence chiefs due to warn
Report by joint intelligence committee delayed, with concerns expressed that it may not be published
www.theguardian.com
October 9, 2025 at 9:13 AM
For the love of humanity and all other life forms on this planet (the only one we’ve got), can Starmer PLEASE grow a spine, stand up to his idiotic advisers and Reform and go to COP30 like a proper grown up national leader of government? Jeez.
@iandunt.bsky.social
Another depressingly on point piece, Ian. How do you keep going when the political news is so damned depressing &/or infuriating? I had high hopes of Labour but on the economy & immigration they run scared of Reform at every turn. It makes me despair.
apple.news/Al59g04uiTsy...
Another depressingly on point piece, Ian. How do you keep going when the political news is so damned depressing &/or infuriating? I had high hopes of Labour but on the economy & immigration they run scared of Reform at every turn. It makes me despair.
apple.news/Al59g04uiTsy...
Trump's migrant obsession offers Starmer a rare win – but Farage has scared him off — The i Paper
We have a golden opportunity to kick-start the British economy
apple.news
October 9, 2025 at 8:28 AM
@iandunt.bsky.social
Another depressingly on point piece, Ian. How do you keep going when the political news is so damned depressing &/or infuriating? I had high hopes of Labour but on the economy & immigration they run scared of Reform at every turn. It makes me despair.
apple.news/Al59g04uiTsy...
Another depressingly on point piece, Ian. How do you keep going when the political news is so damned depressing &/or infuriating? I had high hopes of Labour but on the economy & immigration they run scared of Reform at every turn. It makes me despair.
apple.news/Al59g04uiTsy...
Reposted by Gwen
Nobody choses to be disabled.
The threats of these welfare cuts are really affecting peoples lives.
You try to push it to the back of your mind, but it's always there.
The assessments themselves are de-humanising. You're made to feel like a criminal for something you have no control over.
The threats of these welfare cuts are really affecting peoples lives.
You try to push it to the back of your mind, but it's always there.
The assessments themselves are de-humanising. You're made to feel like a criminal for something you have no control over.
October 4, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Nobody choses to be disabled.
The threats of these welfare cuts are really affecting peoples lives.
You try to push it to the back of your mind, but it's always there.
The assessments themselves are de-humanising. You're made to feel like a criminal for something you have no control over.
The threats of these welfare cuts are really affecting peoples lives.
You try to push it to the back of your mind, but it's always there.
The assessments themselves are de-humanising. You're made to feel like a criminal for something you have no control over.
America, this has to stop.
Genuinely incredible how unprofessional these guys are. One dude yelling in your face and you immediately assault them on camera?
October 4, 2025 at 10:50 PM
America, this has to stop.
Oh my God. One of the victims yesterday was killed by a police bullet. This is so awful. Awful. The whole thing.
October 3, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Oh my God. One of the victims yesterday was killed by a police bullet. This is so awful. Awful. The whole thing.
I could not have put it better myself.
Just fuck off with this. How about start the conversation by highlighting how much immigrants contribute to the UK - not least by propping up the NHS and social care system!
Also - forced volunteering is not volunteering, it's unpaid labour.
Also - forced volunteering is not volunteering, it's unpaid labour.
September 30, 2025 at 7:51 AM
I could not have put it better myself.
When in doubt, bread pudding is definitely the answer. This one has raisins soaked in spiced rum. Oh yes.
September 29, 2025 at 8:09 AM
When in doubt, bread pudding is definitely the answer. This one has raisins soaked in spiced rum. Oh yes.
“Mahmood said that she wanted to impose new conditions on migrants who want ILR in the UK, requiring them to show that they are making a contribution to communities.”
How tf is this crap coming from a Labour Home Secretary?? And if you want to be practical about it how is it even quantifiable?
How tf is this crap coming from a Labour Home Secretary?? And if you want to be practical about it how is it even quantifiable?
September 28, 2025 at 8:55 AM
“Mahmood said that she wanted to impose new conditions on migrants who want ILR in the UK, requiring them to show that they are making a contribution to communities.”
How tf is this crap coming from a Labour Home Secretary?? And if you want to be practical about it how is it even quantifiable?
How tf is this crap coming from a Labour Home Secretary?? And if you want to be practical about it how is it even quantifiable?
As the world is going to hell and the Labour Party is busily ushering in the Farridge creature, I’m going to focus this morning on small pleasures. In my case, a new teapot! And a very fine cup of Assam it makes too.
September 26, 2025 at 9:07 AM
As the world is going to hell and the Labour Party is busily ushering in the Farridge creature, I’m going to focus this morning on small pleasures. In my case, a new teapot! And a very fine cup of Assam it makes too.
This is just typical of Labour. Let’s ‘start the fight back’ against Reform by putting it in a right wing rag behind a paywall. They need to reach a whole other section of the electorate. Who is running comms ffs? And don’t get me started on not going to COP30 b/c it might upset Reform. God’s teeth.
Yep, that's great. Just fantastic. We were told that Starmer would lay out the patriotic case for diversity today. What we got was an article in the Telegraph, behind a paywall, about how the left failed to tackle immigration and now we all have to have ID cards www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/09...
Access Restricted
www.telegraph.co.uk
September 26, 2025 at 8:47 AM
This is just typical of Labour. Let’s ‘start the fight back’ against Reform by putting it in a right wing rag behind a paywall. They need to reach a whole other section of the electorate. Who is running comms ffs? And don’t get me started on not going to COP30 b/c it might upset Reform. God’s teeth.
Ffs. When will this ridiculous pandering to Reform stop?
Keir Starmer's aides are reportedly telling him not to go to the COP30 climate conference, because Reform would attack him for it.
Yes, they might.
And he should wear it as a badge of honour.
Standing up for humanity, for science and a habitable planet.
Where's the hazard in that?
Yes, they might.
And he should wear it as a badge of honour.
Standing up for humanity, for science and a habitable planet.
Where's the hazard in that?
September 26, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Ffs. When will this ridiculous pandering to Reform stop?
Just what the UK needs at the moment. Obviously.
/sarcasm (for the avoidance of doubt).
Elon Musk addresses the ‘unite the kingdom’ march crowd via video link – UK politics live www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
/sarcasm (for the avoidance of doubt).
Elon Musk addresses the ‘unite the kingdom’ march crowd via video link – UK politics live www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
Elon Musk addresses the ‘unite the kingdom’ march crowd via video link – UK politics live
Met Police believe 110,000 people attending rally, with one group in Whitehall throwing projectiles at officers
www.theguardian.com
September 13, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Just what the UK needs at the moment. Obviously.
/sarcasm (for the avoidance of doubt).
Elon Musk addresses the ‘unite the kingdom’ march crowd via video link – UK politics live www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
/sarcasm (for the avoidance of doubt).
Elon Musk addresses the ‘unite the kingdom’ march crowd via video link – UK politics live www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
Amidst all the chaos and crisis it was great to attend a graduation ceremony today and watch so many people, all of them mature students, getting their awards. It was a welcome respite from the rest of the world. Well done to all of them.
September 12, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Amidst all the chaos and crisis it was great to attend a graduation ceremony today and watch so many people, all of them mature students, getting their awards. It was a welcome respite from the rest of the world. Well done to all of them.
Reposted by Gwen
This sums up the charlatan Farage perfectly. Think very hard before endorsing any of his so-called policies!
September 8, 2025 at 9:14 AM
This sums up the charlatan Farage perfectly. Think very hard before endorsing any of his so-called policies!