Leaving the Planet
@leavingplanet.bsky.social
LeavingPlanet
🇬🇧🇪🇺⧖Multilingual liberal IR expert. Witness to folly. Pointing out English sadopopulists. Watching 🇬🇧😜🤪🤞😨😱 nationalism. Argues with bigots. He/Him.
Market Harborough, Eng, UK
🇬🇧🇪🇺⧖Multilingual liberal IR expert. Witness to folly. Pointing out English sadopopulists. Watching 🇬🇧😜🤪🤞😨😱 nationalism. Argues with bigots. He/Him.
Market Harborough, Eng, UK
Reposted by Leaving the Planet
Today is the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on London on 7th July 2005, a terrible day on which 52 people were killed by four bombs on three tube trains and a bus. The King and Prime Minister Keir Starmer will lead national commemorations today
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025....
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025....
Starmer, Cooper and King Charles mark 20th anniversary of 7/7 attacks
PM says ‘those who tried to divide us failed’ while monarch says victims and stories of courage should be remembered
www.theguardian.com
July 7, 2025 at 7:46 AM
Today is the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on London on 7th July 2005, a terrible day on which 52 people were killed by four bombs on three tube trains and a bus. The King and Prime Minister Keir Starmer will lead national commemorations today
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025....
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025....
After a stellar climb to the heights, the giant member started guffing off about replacement theory and supremacy.
His debris is now scattered across the stock exchange.
His debris is now scattered across the stock exchange.
The latest flight of SpaceX’s Starship, the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, got all the way up to space, but not all the way back down to Earth. The spacecraft sprang a propellant leak, causing it to break apart and scatter debris in the Indian Ocean. nyti.ms/4jkkRtH
May 28, 2025 at 8:21 AM
After a stellar climb to the heights, the giant member started guffing off about replacement theory and supremacy.
His debris is now scattered across the stock exchange.
His debris is now scattered across the stock exchange.
Reposted by Leaving the Planet
Brexit was a referendum on whether the UK should leave the European Union.
The UK has left the European Union. Referendum fulfilled.
If the people bleating about "Brexit Betrayal" wanted the Referendum to enshrine their pet policy preferences, they should have included them in the question.
The UK has left the European Union. Referendum fulfilled.
If the people bleating about "Brexit Betrayal" wanted the Referendum to enshrine their pet policy preferences, they should have included them in the question.
May 18, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Brexit was a referendum on whether the UK should leave the European Union.
The UK has left the European Union. Referendum fulfilled.
If the people bleating about "Brexit Betrayal" wanted the Referendum to enshrine their pet policy preferences, they should have included them in the question.
The UK has left the European Union. Referendum fulfilled.
If the people bleating about "Brexit Betrayal" wanted the Referendum to enshrine their pet policy preferences, they should have included them in the question.
Reposted by Leaving the Planet
Who could have predicted that “Nigel Farage is right, don’t vote for him” would anger voters who oppose Farage without impressing a single one attracted by him?
In short, Starmer has taken a massive hit among Labour voters, for no gain elsewhere, while boosting Farage's popularity, including doubling his ceiling among Labour voters.
I.e., the political scientists were right, Morgan McSweeney was horrendously wrong.
I.e., the political scientists were right, Morgan McSweeney was horrendously wrong.
Keir Starmer's net favourability rating has dropped 12pts in a month to -46, his lowest level ever, including a 34pt drop among Labour voters
All Britons: -46 net rating (down 12 from 13-14 Apr)
By 2024 vote
Labour: -5 (down 34)
Lib Dem: -13 (down 12)
Conservative: -76 (up 1)
Reform: -94 (down 5)
All Britons: -46 net rating (down 12 from 13-14 Apr)
By 2024 vote
Labour: -5 (down 34)
Lib Dem: -13 (down 12)
Conservative: -76 (up 1)
Reform: -94 (down 5)
May 16, 2025 at 8:17 AM
Who could have predicted that “Nigel Farage is right, don’t vote for him” would anger voters who oppose Farage without impressing a single one attracted by him?
Reposted by Leaving the Planet
In short, Starmer has taken a massive hit among Labour voters, for no gain elsewhere, while boosting Farage's popularity, including doubling his ceiling among Labour voters.
I.e., the political scientists were right, Morgan McSweeney was horrendously wrong.
I.e., the political scientists were right, Morgan McSweeney was horrendously wrong.
Keir Starmer's net favourability rating has dropped 12pts in a month to -46, his lowest level ever, including a 34pt drop among Labour voters
All Britons: -46 net rating (down 12 from 13-14 Apr)
By 2024 vote
Labour: -5 (down 34)
Lib Dem: -13 (down 12)
Conservative: -76 (up 1)
Reform: -94 (down 5)
All Britons: -46 net rating (down 12 from 13-14 Apr)
By 2024 vote
Labour: -5 (down 34)
Lib Dem: -13 (down 12)
Conservative: -76 (up 1)
Reform: -94 (down 5)
May 16, 2025 at 7:58 AM
In short, Starmer has taken a massive hit among Labour voters, for no gain elsewhere, while boosting Farage's popularity, including doubling his ceiling among Labour voters.
I.e., the political scientists were right, Morgan McSweeney was horrendously wrong.
I.e., the political scientists were right, Morgan McSweeney was horrendously wrong.
Reposted by Leaving the Planet
Pretty incredible that Jeff Bezos' Amazon announced a "$5 billion-plus" partnership w/ a Saudi AI co launched by Mohammed Bin Salman and sent CEO Andy Jassy to meet with him less than 7 years after MBS murdered Jamal Khashoggi, a columnist for Bezos' Washington Post.
techcrunch.com/2025/05/13/a...
techcrunch.com/2025/05/13/a...
AWS enters into 'strategic partnership' with Saudi Arabia-backed Humain | TechCrunch
Amazon says it'll work with Humain, the AI company recently launched by Saudi Arabia’s ruler, to invest '$5 billion-plus' in a strategic partnership.
techcrunch.com
May 14, 2025 at 10:22 PM
Pretty incredible that Jeff Bezos' Amazon announced a "$5 billion-plus" partnership w/ a Saudi AI co launched by Mohammed Bin Salman and sent CEO Andy Jassy to meet with him less than 7 years after MBS murdered Jamal Khashoggi, a columnist for Bezos' Washington Post.
techcrunch.com/2025/05/13/a...
techcrunch.com/2025/05/13/a...
Reposted by Leaving the Planet
Meanwhile in America...
A food delivery driver was shot in the back after he got lost trying to deliver food
The driver was seriously injured
The shooter, John Reilly, is an elected official and licenced gun dealer 🤷
A food delivery driver was shot in the back after he got lost trying to deliver food
The driver was seriously injured
The shooter, John Reilly, is an elected official and licenced gun dealer 🤷
Who the fuck just starts shooting into a car because they're in front of your house?
May 14, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Meanwhile in America...
A food delivery driver was shot in the back after he got lost trying to deliver food
The driver was seriously injured
The shooter, John Reilly, is an elected official and licenced gun dealer 🤷
A food delivery driver was shot in the back after he got lost trying to deliver food
The driver was seriously injured
The shooter, John Reilly, is an elected official and licenced gun dealer 🤷
Reposted by Leaving the Planet
The most astonishing part of this. Starmer still avoids to talk about Brexit as one of the main factors why growth has stalled.
Instead he claims immigrants aren’t ‚necessarily’ contributing to growth. Which is true. But also dishonest when he omits other factors. Incredibly depressing morning.
Instead he claims immigrants aren’t ‚necessarily’ contributing to growth. Which is true. But also dishonest when he omits other factors. Incredibly depressing morning.
Robert Peston, "Haven't you shot yourself in the foot by saying those who want to be citizens have to live here twice as long, as those who want to be American citizens?"
Keir Starmer ignores this saying higher migration doesn't lead to higher growth
Keir Starmer ignores this saying higher migration doesn't lead to higher growth
May 12, 2025 at 9:24 AM
The most astonishing part of this. Starmer still avoids to talk about Brexit as one of the main factors why growth has stalled.
Instead he claims immigrants aren’t ‚necessarily’ contributing to growth. Which is true. But also dishonest when he omits other factors. Incredibly depressing morning.
Instead he claims immigrants aren’t ‚necessarily’ contributing to growth. Which is true. But also dishonest when he omits other factors. Incredibly depressing morning.
Reposted by Leaving the Planet
The fascism playbook hasn't changed—only the speed we're flipping through its chapters.
May 10, 2025 at 9:45 AM
The fascism playbook hasn't changed—only the speed we're flipping through its chapters.
Reposted by Leaving the Planet
Are Nigel Farage and Donald Trump really 'anti-establishment?'
Byline's @mattmgallagher.bsky.social and Quinn Slobodian discuss the mainstream roots of the Far Right, and how libertarians mutated into right-wing populists...
⬇️
youtu.be/UqfeXz4rgBo?...
Byline's @mattmgallagher.bsky.social and Quinn Slobodian discuss the mainstream roots of the Far Right, and how libertarians mutated into right-wing populists...
⬇️
youtu.be/UqfeXz4rgBo?...
How Neoliberalism Spawned the Far Right | Quinn Slobodian
YouTube video by Byline TV
youtu.be
May 8, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Are Nigel Farage and Donald Trump really 'anti-establishment?'
Byline's @mattmgallagher.bsky.social and Quinn Slobodian discuss the mainstream roots of the Far Right, and how libertarians mutated into right-wing populists...
⬇️
youtu.be/UqfeXz4rgBo?...
Byline's @mattmgallagher.bsky.social and Quinn Slobodian discuss the mainstream roots of the Far Right, and how libertarians mutated into right-wing populists...
⬇️
youtu.be/UqfeXz4rgBo?...
Reposted by Leaving the Planet
May 7, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Reposted by Leaving the Planet
On #VEDay — 8 May 1945 — Nazi Germany surrendered.
But in 1940 the outlook was grim. France had fallen. An invasion of the UK seemed inevitable.
Here’s how East Anglia, open & vulnerable, prepared for resistance in secret.
Andrew Chatterton has the story
But in 1940 the outlook was grim. France had fallen. An invasion of the UK seemed inevitable.
Here’s how East Anglia, open & vulnerable, prepared for resistance in secret.
Andrew Chatterton has the story
East Anglia’s fighters and saboteurs that were never needed
VE Day marks the end of WWII in Europe, but in 1940, Britain faced invasion. Secret fighters were trained for sabotage in case the German army landed
eastangliabylines.co.uk
May 8, 2025 at 5:04 PM
On #VEDay — 8 May 1945 — Nazi Germany surrendered.
But in 1940 the outlook was grim. France had fallen. An invasion of the UK seemed inevitable.
Here’s how East Anglia, open & vulnerable, prepared for resistance in secret.
Andrew Chatterton has the story
But in 1940 the outlook was grim. France had fallen. An invasion of the UK seemed inevitable.
Here’s how East Anglia, open & vulnerable, prepared for resistance in secret.
Andrew Chatterton has the story
Reposted by Leaving the Planet
feel quite strongly that I should be able to tell the Home Office that I'm on the News Quiz this eve and have a column on the cricket in the paper on Sunday and surely that ought to be enough to grant me citizenship, no need for all that bureaucratic unpleasantness
May 2, 2025 at 10:33 AM
feel quite strongly that I should be able to tell the Home Office that I'm on the News Quiz this eve and have a column on the cricket in the paper on Sunday and surely that ought to be enough to grant me citizenship, no need for all that bureaucratic unpleasantness
Reposted by Leaving the Planet
Elections do not shape preferences. They reveal them. And I cannot think of a more revealing result (for all involved, politicians and voters) than the Runcorn & Helsby by-election. It contains significant lessons, but also plenty of things that selectively can feed cognitive bias. Choose with care.
May 2, 2025 at 9:18 AM
Elections do not shape preferences. They reveal them. And I cannot think of a more revealing result (for all involved, politicians and voters) than the Runcorn & Helsby by-election. It contains significant lessons, but also plenty of things that selectively can feed cognitive bias. Choose with care.
Reposted by Leaving the Planet
We're getting pizza and I'm obsessed with this slightly broken mural that used to be about eating with your hands but now it reads like Saruman's manifesto
April 28, 2025 at 5:42 PM
We're getting pizza and I'm obsessed with this slightly broken mural that used to be about eating with your hands but now it reads like Saruman's manifesto
Reposted by Leaving the Planet
There was a flurry of news about tariffs. It passed. The real consequences will hit US consumers around Memorial Day. Important then to remind everyone of cause and effect.
April 28, 2025 at 7:23 PM
There was a flurry of news about tariffs. It passed. The real consequences will hit US consumers around Memorial Day. Important then to remind everyone of cause and effect.
Reposted by Leaving the Planet
🔥 What a title! "Trump wanted a trade war. Now America is losing it"
Ironically, it was Trump who said: “When you start a war, you got to know you can win.”
Ironically, it was Trump who said: “When you start a war, you got to know you can win.”
Trump wanted a trade war. Now America is losing it
Shipping from China has collapsed. Truckers and retailers are reeling. Even a reversal now will not stop months of economic pain ahead
eastangliabylines.co.uk
April 28, 2025 at 7:26 PM
🔥 What a title! "Trump wanted a trade war. Now America is losing it"
Ironically, it was Trump who said: “When you start a war, you got to know you can win.”
Ironically, it was Trump who said: “When you start a war, you got to know you can win.”
Reposted by Leaving the Planet
As Trump tanks in the polls, he “is absolutely livid over the latest polls showing that his approval rating is tanking just three months into his White House return. In fact, he wants pollsters … to “be investigated for election fraud” for not publishing glowing results from their surveys”
RAVING
RAVING
April 28, 2025 at 7:31 PM
As Trump tanks in the polls, he “is absolutely livid over the latest polls showing that his approval rating is tanking just three months into his White House return. In fact, he wants pollsters … to “be investigated for election fraud” for not publishing glowing results from their surveys”
RAVING
RAVING
Reposted by Leaving the Planet
Barry Blitt’s cover for this week’s issue, “The First Hundred Days.” #NewYorkerCovers nyer.cm/ysrCZ47
April 28, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Barry Blitt’s cover for this week’s issue, “The First Hundred Days.” #NewYorkerCovers nyer.cm/ysrCZ47
Reposted by Leaving the Planet
EXCLUSIVE: Two DOGE employees have access to a network used to transmit classified nuclear weapons data and a separate network used by the Department of Defense, sources tell NPR.
DOGE employees gain accounts on classified networks holding nuclear secrets
Two DOGE employees have access to a network used to transmit classified nuclear weapons data and a separate network used by the Department of Defense, sources tell NPR.
www.npr.org
April 28, 2025 at 6:16 PM
EXCLUSIVE: Two DOGE employees have access to a network used to transmit classified nuclear weapons data and a separate network used by the Department of Defense, sources tell NPR.
Reposted by Leaving the Planet
Tremendous opportunity for Britain here. Let's see if we can swap our riot-inciters for their cancer researchers.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says she will speak to Trump and the National Security team about whether the US can offer political asylum to British citizens fleeing UK free speech laws.
Reality: UK law does not restrict free speech - only incitement to hate, violence and terror.
Reality: UK law does not restrict free speech - only incitement to hate, violence and terror.
April 28, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Tremendous opportunity for Britain here. Let's see if we can swap our riot-inciters for their cancer researchers.
I had a really quippy and thoughtful post on my head earlier. Needless to say it's long since gone, but it was a whip cracker!
Follow for more fumbled opportunities.
Follow for more fumbled opportunities.
April 27, 2025 at 3:31 PM
I had a really quippy and thoughtful post on my head earlier. Needless to say it's long since gone, but it was a whip cracker!
Follow for more fumbled opportunities.
Follow for more fumbled opportunities.
Reposted by Leaving the Planet
Ed Martin's latest target: Wikipedia.
The interim U.S. attorney and pro-Trump bulldog has sent a letter seeming to threaten the Wikimedia Foundation's tax-exempt status over allegations that it is "spreading propaganda." Our story: www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
The interim U.S. attorney and pro-Trump bulldog has sent a letter seeming to threaten the Wikimedia Foundation's tax-exempt status over allegations that it is "spreading propaganda." Our story: www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
Wikipedia’s nonprofit status questioned by D.C. U.S. attorney
Ed Martin sent a letter to the Wikimedia Foundation accusing it of spreading propaganda
www.washingtonpost.com
April 25, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Ed Martin's latest target: Wikipedia.
The interim U.S. attorney and pro-Trump bulldog has sent a letter seeming to threaten the Wikimedia Foundation's tax-exempt status over allegations that it is "spreading propaganda." Our story: www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
The interim U.S. attorney and pro-Trump bulldog has sent a letter seeming to threaten the Wikimedia Foundation's tax-exempt status over allegations that it is "spreading propaganda." Our story: www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
Love this system. Tasty!
Some thoughts on institutional reform in the UK, spurred by the upcoming Australian elections. Australia has traditionally been classified, with Britain other former colonies, as a "Westminster democracy" - characterised by a majoritarian system and fusion of legislative and executive powers. 🧵
April 24, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Love this system. Tasty!
Reposted by Leaving the Planet
This is what we all feared. The United States and Russia bullying brave President Zelensky into a terrible deal.
Time for the United Kingdom and Europe to stand up to Trump and seize the Russian assets so we can go it alone.
Time for the United Kingdom and Europe to stand up to Trump and seize the Russian assets so we can go it alone.
April 23, 2025 at 5:46 PM
This is what we all feared. The United States and Russia bullying brave President Zelensky into a terrible deal.
Time for the United Kingdom and Europe to stand up to Trump and seize the Russian assets so we can go it alone.
Time for the United Kingdom and Europe to stand up to Trump and seize the Russian assets so we can go it alone.