James Austin
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jamesdaustin.bsky.social
James Austin
@jamesdaustin.bsky.social
This again. Outdoors. Politics. Sport. Not always in that order. Labour. Trade Unionist. Trying to do community things. Views entirely my own
Tbh neither did the Chiefs. Toolsy prospect with questions like.... Trey Lance
January 30, 2026 at 6:01 PM
Literal mile of greenbelt
January 30, 2026 at 5:59 PM
Ah - I'll try and dig it out then!
January 30, 2026 at 5:06 PM
(Hence why WECA should be renamed Greater Bristol to underline this)
January 30, 2026 at 5:06 PM
Which, as we all know, is just a suburb of Bristol
January 30, 2026 at 5:05 PM
Is it recorded anywhere? I'd like to take a look - one of the things not being London based means is you miss out of a lot of stuff (assuming it was in London)
January 30, 2026 at 5:02 PM
(I actually really like direct accountability of mayors at local level - tho agree at national - will try to respond properly later)
January 30, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Look, it's amazing what sort of innocent thing you can make dirty when you're 16.

And then we discovered the Rocky Horror show
January 30, 2026 at 4:47 PM
Oh, the nonsensical innuendo
January 30, 2026 at 4:24 PM
.... i dont think you saw how badly I flirted on there
January 30, 2026 at 4:24 PM
Because that was quite convoluted in its own way (remember all the 'best third place' stuff? If you get a italian side you run up the score etc etc) Simplicity is a virtue!
January 30, 2026 at 12:27 PM
Like I'd like reform of the upper chamber (and electoral reform more generally) but I don't think it should happen because, say, Welsh Labour has that platform and wins the Senedd while a majority elsewhere oppose change
January 30, 2026 at 12:25 PM
Sure, because Scotland doesn't have an override over the wider United Kingdom constitution and other parties.

The SNP can believe what they will - and they should given peers if they want them - but no reason them not accepting the upper house means it's illegitimate
January 30, 2026 at 12:25 PM
Oh, it's definitely us. We helped take a competition which worked brilliantly and... broke it.

It does need fixing and TBH the solutions aren't that hard; 4 groups of 4, top 2 go through QF/SF/F. Top 4 from all 3 leagues plus highest ranked sides from any nation thats unrepresented. Done.
January 30, 2026 at 12:21 PM
I'd also argue the PM in the Commins thing dates to Baldwin and having a Labour opposition which had no Lords (so arguably did involve recognising the importance of democratic authority)
January 30, 2026 at 12:11 PM
And notably that comvention has collapsed recently.

In terms of the voters - quite a few of these bits are pre-modern democracy or as it established.
January 30, 2026 at 12:11 PM
Im bookmarking that...
January 30, 2026 at 12:04 PM
A major issue - I know a bit of it and where to find it but... its not great to go 'yeah, for this, Erskine May, for this X act, this a letter in the Times'
January 30, 2026 at 12:04 PM
Also, when you onshore a whole load of regulatory burdens you get more regulation
January 30, 2026 at 12:03 PM
I find it very odd with debating then that I appear to have a great knowledge of her political thought and actions. Like.... she was behind the single market guys!
January 30, 2026 at 12:01 PM
January 30, 2026 at 10:44 AM
Cometh the Hour
January 30, 2026 at 10:17 AM