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Iain Alexander @iaingalexander.bsky.social · 1d

Look, I know everybody is already on top of this, but every fresh glance raises a new question about the Peter Bleksley Industrial Complex, only some of which can be answered with “recently divorced; she got the house”

Ricardo Autobahn @ricardoautobahn.co.uk · 2d

This is the maddest tour I've ever seen in my life. It seems like he's doing more gigs than there are days in the year.

Reposted by Iain Alexander

HK @hkesvani.bsky.social · 1d

Perhaps I just don't respect people who try to triangulate liberal values with supporting a state that can only function through means of exclusion. If SB thought about this for a few more steps, perhaps he'd realise at best, he's calling for a 'non violent' form of exclusionary ethno politics

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Reposted by Iain Alexander

flyingrodent @flyingrodent.bsky.social · 1d

It’s not that I don’t understand these are deep, fundamental issues for many people but if your opinion in 2025 is fundamentally much the same as in 2023, just with a bit more tutting and head shaking, then you’ve made your choice. If this isn’t a dealbreaker for you, then what would be?

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Reposted by Iain Alexander

flyingrodent @flyingrodent.bsky.social · 1d

There are lots of these about: Speaking as a liberal Zionist, I am worried and upset but my opinion has not been significantly changed by the genocide and the fascism, and I automatically deserve maximum charity for the dissonance this creates. You however deserve no charity, and are a bastard.

HK @hkesvani.bsky.social · 1d

No interest really beefing with the guy, but have the people who are praising this piece actually read it ?https://www.ft.com/content/14d49f44-b8ed-40f0-8bc0-6aa233a48c3b

Israel seems more important — and less desirable — than ever for British Jews

Amid rising antisemitism at home, our lifeboat abroad seems less attractive

www.ft.com

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Reposted by Iain Alexander

kop·ol·o·gy @kopology.bsky.social · 1d

It's so easy for the Greens to jump another 5% and suddenly find themselves 2nd.

Polanski going viral a few times. A crucial intervention that makes waves. Increased visibility. Starmer being shit.

Things can change very, very fast. And once the Greens are 2nd, the game completely changes.

Stats for Lefties 🍉🏳️‍⚧️ @leftiestats.bsky.social · 1d

🚨 POLL | Reform lead by 7%

➡️ REF – 27% (-2)
🔴 LAB – 20% (-2)
🟠 LD – 17% (+2)
🔵 CON – 17% (+1)
🟢 GRN – 12% (+1)

Via @YouGov, 5-6 Oct (+/- vs 28-29 Sep)

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Iain Alexander @iaingalexander.bsky.social · 1d

The vast majority of voters don’t label themselves, they just vote for whoever seems to share/understand their diagnosis of their daily life and have some exciting ideas to make it better!

Iain Alexander @iaingalexander.bsky.social · 1d

Just like *it doesn’t matter* whether 35%+ of voters explicitly consider themselves to be left-populists, eco-socialists, or whatever, as long as they see their wants/needs/concerns being taking seriously and thoughtfully/practically addressed by Polanski’s Greens as they grow…

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Iain Alexander @iaingalexander.bsky.social · 1d

Absolutely wild they can’t grasp that *it doesn’t matter* if people self-identify as fascist or fascist-adjacent if they are seeing their wants/needs met by politicians/parties/protests that are pursuing fascist/fascism-adjacent ends without ever explicitly describing those ends as such…

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Reposted by Iain Alexander

Gregk Foley @gregk.co.uk · 2d

The media continue to present this woman as a child because at 22-years old she presents a degree of moral clarity, rhetorical potency and profound understanding of the connection between one's politics and one's actions that her detractors, many more than twice her age, not ony lack, but defile.

Drop Site @dropsitenews.com · 2d

Greta Thunberg: "I could talk for a very, very long time about our mistreatment and abuses in our imprisonment. Trust me. But that is not the story. What happened here was Israel… continuing to worsen and escalate their genocide and mass destruction with genocidal intent, attempting to erase an...

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Iain Alexander @iaingalexander.bsky.social · 2d

Yeah, I don’t know that’s there’s anything else out there to weaponise… Caught sight of someone today trying to make something nefarious out of his entirely explicable and understandable name change at 18, but generally he seems like normal guy who’s led an interesting, eclectic life

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Iain Alexander @iaingalexander.bsky.social · 2d

Yup, totally. Think the way he’s handled questions/ridicule for the “hypnotits” stuff since winning the leadership has been really encouraging on that front — presenting himself as someone capable of a) honest self-reflection, and b) giving straight answers, both of which massively stand out

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Iain Alexander @iaingalexander.bsky.social · 2d

“Make hope normal again” is a really good slogan for them at this point. Neatly subverts MAGA, upends the idea that everyone has to suffer to make things better, and an umbrella for further policy-specific broadcasts.

Will eventually need something more about winning power, but this is great now.

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Iain Alexander @iaingalexander.bsky.social · 2d

Obviously likely he still has four years of roving movement-building ahead of a general election.

Wonder whether Mothin and Rachel also stand, or whether one/both stay out to take on the nationwide movement-raising role — it was a really interesting “doing politics differently” observation by Zack.

Iain Alexander @iaingalexander.bsky.social · 2d

Interesting. @zackpolanski.bsky.social previously positive about roaming the country as a movement figurehead as extra-parliamentary party leader.

But that only holds with handful of MPs. Greens’ massive electoral opp/ambition means he has to get a seat. Can’t so easily lead 30+ MPs from outside.

Byline Times @bylinetimes.bsky.social · 2d

🔴Green Party Leader Zack Polanski to Run for Parliament, as Party Rides a New ‘Green Wave’

EXCLUSIVE: New Green leader eyes a Westminster run, and accuses Prime Minister Keir Starmer of using “racist rhetoric” in chasing Reform UK

bylinetimes.com/2025/10/06/g...

Green Party Leader Zack Polanski to Run for Parliament, as Party Rides a New 'Green Wave'

EXCLUSIVE: New Green leader eyes a Westminster run, and accuses Prime Minister Keir Starmer of using "racist rhetoric" in chasing Reform UK

bylinetimes.com

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Iain Alexander @iaingalexander.bsky.social · 3d

Once upon a time, Balls had it made. He’d done Strictly, a few reasonably well-received docs and travelogues. Reputation well on its way to being laundered, if not genuinely rehabilitated.

But he couldn’t help himself, couldn’t maintain the facade. Ghoul all the way down and has to show it.

Saul Staniforth @saulstaniforth.bsky.social · 3d

Ed Balls: "What should the govt & the police do when you have people who are protesting but not breaking the law, but clearly causing great upset, in this case to the Jewish community. Do we ban marches? Do we stop protests?"

The framing on #GMB

Iain Alexander @iaingalexander.bsky.social · 3d

The substance of the Greens’ motion voted through at their conference to make “abolish landlords” party policy is very good www.greencoordinate.co.uk/motions/abol...

Abolish Landlords (#10) • Green Party Conference Agenda

www.greencoordinate.co.uk

Iain Alexander @iaingalexander.bsky.social · 3d

He’s been entirely disconnected from objective reality for a really long time! The speech should surprise nobody!

Robert Hutton @roberthutton.co.uk · 3d

Might do a separate sketch on Matthew Syed's speech, which is the most batshit crazy thing I have heard from a conference stage in years. And believe me, I've seen some things.

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Reposted by Iain Alexander

Lee Hurley @hleehurley.com · 4d

This happened last night and I hadn't heard about it until this post, so went to the BBC News homepage. You have to go all the way down the page, below recipes for 30 minute meals, and you find it as a text link in 'politics'.

screenshot of politics section on BBC News website that says Mosque fire being treated as arson and hate crime
Who is Japan's 'Iron Lady' Sanae Takaichi?
When music meets football - can you beat our lyrics quiz?
'We were having dinner and a tree crashed into our house'
Harrods sets aside more than £60m for abuse compensation

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Iain Alexander @iaingalexander.bsky.social · 3d

The time to stop taking the ping pong man seriously was years ago, when the central thesis of the book that made his name as a “public intellectual” was widely debunked

Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 3d

Rubs eyes. Looks again. Rubs eyes.

It's still there.

Iain Alexander @iaingalexander.bsky.social · 3d

And… Polanski is an excellent communicator proving himself to be comfortable and effective in his appearances on “new media” outlets with what would presume is much better reach into demographics that are there to be won over.

Who, apart from the lobby, actually watches LK’s show?

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Iain Alexander @iaingalexander.bsky.social · 3d

Already editorially daft not to book Polanski, given the upswing in support for the Greens since his leadership win. Doubly so in the context of the tragic antisemitism attack, given his background/perspective.

BUT… no harm in leaning into snubs like this to enhance insurgent positioning!

Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 3d

I'm Jewish. I'm also Mancunian.

Every other national party leader was interviewed by Laura Kunesberg during their conference.

Maybe the BBC thought as someone who also supports Palestine - I had nothing to say?

Let's keep growing: join.greenparty.org.uk

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LiLBazula 👻 @lilbazza.bsky.social · 4d

'Why won't the left prioritise defeating the right?', the Reasonable Moderate think with exasperation while queuing to see Lord Glassman & Paul Embry have a little chat at the Labour Party Conference on the urgent need to Send Them Back to renew the nation's pride & virility

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Wrath of God Bot @wrathofgodbot.bsky.social · 6d

Oh you're telling me Westminster journalists are credulous idiots who have turned their brains into porridge online, you're telling me this now, for the first time

Zoë Crowther @zoecrowther.bsky.social · 6d

I spoke to a few people, including journalists, at Labour conference who had seen and believed claims on X that Multiverse – Tony Blair's son's company – had been chosen to run the government’s new digital ID scheme

@fullfact.org have checked this claim and it is untrue

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Reposted by Iain Alexander

Matthias Eberl @eberlmat.bsky.social · 7d

And why call it 'golden ticket'?

Disgraceful language. These people have lost everything. Should they also lose their spouses and children?

A reminder that last year 4,671 family reunion visas were granted.

4,671.

Does anyone think this number is a major problem for the UK economy and society?

Zoe Gardner @zoejardiniere.bsky.social · 7d

People recognised as refugees fleeing persecution & granted the right to live in the UK to be denied the right to be joined safely by their spouse & children.

This Labour govt is a moral void, a stinking darkness, an empty hollow of cowardice & contempt. #r4today www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Starmer to end asylum ‘golden ticket’ of resettlement and family reunion rights

People granted asylum will have to earn right to invite family in plan charities call ‘straight from populist playbook’

www.theguardian.com

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