David Lloyd
@mertelstein.bsky.social
Itinerant trombonist, pianist and diplomat, not necessarily in that order. Works with aeroplanes mostly. FRAeS.
Completely agree with @1912exiles.com - this is an excellent thread, and as a Trust member I fully agree with the approach outlined.
Well it’s been a few days since the fans forum and I’ve had time to contemplate. Here’s my thoughts @1912exiles.com - long thread:-
EFL football at RP is unsustainable. If our turnover is £3M and we spend £1M on rent we cannot compete. This will only get worse if we go down and revenue falls
EFL football at RP is unsustainable. If our turnover is £3M and we spend £1M on rent we cannot compete. This will only get worse if we go down and revenue falls
December 22, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Completely agree with @1912exiles.com - this is an excellent thread, and as a Trust member I fully agree with the approach outlined.
Reposted by David Lloyd
Well it’s been a few days since the fans forum and I’ve had time to contemplate. Here’s my thoughts @1912exiles.com - long thread:-
EFL football at RP is unsustainable. If our turnover is £3M and we spend £1M on rent we cannot compete. This will only get worse if we go down and revenue falls
EFL football at RP is unsustainable. If our turnover is £3M and we spend £1M on rent we cannot compete. This will only get worse if we go down and revenue falls
December 21, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Well it’s been a few days since the fans forum and I’ve had time to contemplate. Here’s my thoughts @1912exiles.com - long thread:-
EFL football at RP is unsustainable. If our turnover is £3M and we spend £1M on rent we cannot compete. This will only get worse if we go down and revenue falls
EFL football at RP is unsustainable. If our turnover is £3M and we spend £1M on rent we cannot compete. This will only get worse if we go down and revenue falls
Reposted by David Lloyd
Keir Starmer must stand up for the BBC against Trump's outrageous legal threat and protect licence fee payers from being hit in the pocket.
Trump's administration has shown it wishes to interfere in our democracy and undermine our national broadcaster.
The PM must make clear: this is unacceptable.
Trump's administration has shown it wishes to interfere in our democracy and undermine our national broadcaster.
The PM must make clear: this is unacceptable.
December 16, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Keir Starmer must stand up for the BBC against Trump's outrageous legal threat and protect licence fee payers from being hit in the pocket.
Trump's administration has shown it wishes to interfere in our democracy and undermine our national broadcaster.
The PM must make clear: this is unacceptable.
Trump's administration has shown it wishes to interfere in our democracy and undermine our national broadcaster.
The PM must make clear: this is unacceptable.
Reposted by David Lloyd
This really shouldn’t be a difficult thing for politicians to condemn. Instead we get the same tired, lazy and dangerous BS about ‘activist lawyers’, which puts people’s safety at risk and now stops charities from even operating.
🔴I wrote about far-right attacks against refugee charities and why some are choosing to leave the sector to protect themselves. It's awful but understandable.
open.substack.com/pub/nicolake...
open.substack.com/pub/nicolake...
When it's time to move on
It's toxic out there
open.substack.com
December 12, 2025 at 1:29 PM
This really shouldn’t be a difficult thing for politicians to condemn. Instead we get the same tired, lazy and dangerous BS about ‘activist lawyers’, which puts people’s safety at risk and now stops charities from even operating.
This is spot on. And I'm gob-smacked to find myself agreeing with Gavin Barwell in this...
The calls from America this weekend to "abolish the EU" are for one simple reason: the EU is the only thing that can keep European nation-states from becoming Russian or American vassals.
The US has declared rhetorical war on the EU
The calls from America this weekend to destroy the EU are revealing. They hate the union because it's the only thing that can keep European countries from being Russian or American vassals.
davekeating.substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 12:54 PM
This is spot on. And I'm gob-smacked to find myself agreeing with Gavin Barwell in this...
Reposted by David Lloyd
Aston Villa’s Goal of the Month contest for August, cancelled because we scored no goals, has more footballing credibility than the FIFA peace prize for Trump.
December 5, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Aston Villa’s Goal of the Month contest for August, cancelled because we scored no goals, has more footballing credibility than the FIFA peace prize for Trump.
Reposted by David Lloyd
God knows rugby has its governance issues. But it has not yet debased itself as utterly as football did yesterday.
December 6, 2025 at 8:22 AM
God knows rugby has its governance issues. But it has not yet debased itself as utterly as football did yesterday.
Reposted by David Lloyd
So tell me again how Nigel Farage, who just took the largest ever political donation, from a Tory mega-donor, and another donation from the Viscountess wife of the non-dom owner of the Daily Mail, is planning to "take on the establishment"
December 4, 2025 at 1:00 PM
So tell me again how Nigel Farage, who just took the largest ever political donation, from a Tory mega-donor, and another donation from the Viscountess wife of the non-dom owner of the Daily Mail, is planning to "take on the establishment"
Reposted by David Lloyd
My attendance record in the European Parliament was the 4th worst out of 751 MEPs, yet I managed to turn up to vote AGAINST plans to tackle Russian misinformation.
Thankfully this is of no interest to the media.
Thankfully this is of no interest to the media.
November 24, 2025 at 9:20 PM
My attendance record in the European Parliament was the 4th worst out of 751 MEPs, yet I managed to turn up to vote AGAINST plans to tackle Russian misinformation.
Thankfully this is of no interest to the media.
Thankfully this is of no interest to the media.
Reposted by David Lloyd
Just saw the list of gritter names for this year and they have outdone themselves
These always make me smile
These always make me smile
November 23, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Just saw the list of gritter names for this year and they have outdone themselves
These always make me smile
These always make me smile
Reposted by David Lloyd
1/ What a Russian breaking of the ceasefire will look like, step by step.
There are far better experts on this, but I was an Australian diplomat in Ukraine in 2014 so I've seen this play out up close.
So join me, brothers and sisters, as we count down to a fullscale re-invasion.
There are far better experts on this, but I was an Australian diplomat in Ukraine in 2014 so I've seen this play out up close.
So join me, brothers and sisters, as we count down to a fullscale re-invasion.
November 21, 2025 at 2:23 PM
1/ What a Russian breaking of the ceasefire will look like, step by step.
There are far better experts on this, but I was an Australian diplomat in Ukraine in 2014 so I've seen this play out up close.
So join me, brothers and sisters, as we count down to a fullscale re-invasion.
There are far better experts on this, but I was an Australian diplomat in Ukraine in 2014 so I've seen this play out up close.
So join me, brothers and sisters, as we count down to a fullscale re-invasion.
This is so, so true, and why I fell in love with hockey when living in Canada. There's nothing quite like it.
for this month's Observer sports column! I went to Romford to watch some ice hockey by myself and I had........the time of my life? observer.co.uk/news/columni... [free to read!]
November 18, 2025 at 4:23 PM
This is so, so true, and why I fell in love with hockey when living in Canada. There's nothing quite like it.
Reposted by David Lloyd
Robbie Gibb was appointed to the BBC Board by Boris Johnson, was an editorial advisor for GB News, and worked as Theresa May's Director of Comms.
He is not impartial or neutral. The government should remove him from the Board immediately to protect the BBC's independence.
He is not impartial or neutral. The government should remove him from the Board immediately to protect the BBC's independence.
November 11, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Robbie Gibb was appointed to the BBC Board by Boris Johnson, was an editorial advisor for GB News, and worked as Theresa May's Director of Comms.
He is not impartial or neutral. The government should remove him from the Board immediately to protect the BBC's independence.
He is not impartial or neutral. The government should remove him from the Board immediately to protect the BBC's independence.
Reposted by David Lloyd
Maybe Keir should demand the heads of major US news networks any time they imply Britain is on the brink of civil war or that we live under sharia law. Or does it not work both ways?
November 10, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Maybe Keir should demand the heads of major US news networks any time they imply Britain is on the brink of civil war or that we live under sharia law. Or does it not work both ways?
It makes sense that such a deluded, narcissistic blot on political society would choose to blame an external party for his failure to become “World King” rather than admit his own ineptitude and venality.
When Boris Johnson was Prime Minister one of his senior advisers confided to me that one of the only things in politics his boss actually cared about was “killing off the BBC”.
Five years on, and it is a campaign that appears to be finally coming to fruition.
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/10/t...
Five years on, and it is a campaign that appears to be finally coming to fruition.
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/10/t...
The BBC’s Attempts to Appease the 'Right-Wing Coup' Against It Are Now Seeding Its Own Destruction
By attempting to appease those forces seeking to destroy them, the BBC has helped trigger a crisis that now threatens its very future, argues Adam Bienkov
bylinetimes.com
November 11, 2025 at 5:50 AM
It makes sense that such a deluded, narcissistic blot on political society would choose to blame an external party for his failure to become “World King” rather than admit his own ineptitude and venality.
This is so true. God knows the BBC gets some things wrong - but it gets a HELL of a lot right. The fact that both sides complain of bias probably means it’s doing its job perfectly.
A free, independent BBC is vital to a free, informed democracy.
Don’t let Trump’s America become Farage’s Britain.
Don’t let Trump’s America become Farage’s Britain.
November 9, 2025 at 7:34 PM
This is so true. God knows the BBC gets some things wrong - but it gets a HELL of a lot right. The fact that both sides complain of bias probably means it’s doing its job perfectly.
Reposted by David Lloyd
The BBC should serve as an example to all that there is nothing you can give the far rabid right that will satisfy it.
It has simpered, pandered, soft-balled and fluff-jobbed, both-sidesed and debased itself into being a platform for liars to look down the camera and lie on, & it still gets fucked.
It has simpered, pandered, soft-balled and fluff-jobbed, both-sidesed and debased itself into being a platform for liars to look down the camera and lie on, & it still gets fucked.
November 9, 2025 at 7:12 PM
The BBC should serve as an example to all that there is nothing you can give the far rabid right that will satisfy it.
It has simpered, pandered, soft-balled and fluff-jobbed, both-sidesed and debased itself into being a platform for liars to look down the camera and lie on, & it still gets fucked.
It has simpered, pandered, soft-balled and fluff-jobbed, both-sidesed and debased itself into being a platform for liars to look down the camera and lie on, & it still gets fucked.
This is an outstanding piece of research, and highlights what I've repeatedly said: while an algorithm is at the mercy of the whims of the company owners, regardless of political orientation, you will never have true "freedom of speech."
must-read analysis of how Musk's twitter is drenching new users with right-wing propaganda
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
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 3:05 PM
This is an outstanding piece of research, and highlights what I've repeatedly said: while an algorithm is at the mercy of the whims of the company owners, regardless of political orientation, you will never have true "freedom of speech."
Reposted by David Lloyd
That scene of the Welsh BBC correspondent being the only person interviewing Caerphilly's new Plaid AM while the rest of the media interviewed Reform's loser in the background was far too on the nose.
October 24, 2025 at 1:34 AM
That scene of the Welsh BBC correspondent being the only person interviewing Caerphilly's new Plaid AM while the rest of the media interviewed Reform's loser in the background was far too on the nose.
Reposted by David Lloyd
"Amazing result for Plaid Cymru, so here's a guest from Reform anyway..."
October 24, 2025 at 7:55 AM
"Amazing result for Plaid Cymru, so here's a guest from Reform anyway..."
@guitarmoog.bsky.social I feel you will love this.
greatest thread I’ve ever seen
Hello good people of Bluesky. If you followed me on Twitter, you’ll know I’ve been documenting my sporadic trips to my mum’s house by documenting bric-a-brac, old technology which has been hoarded, and a lot of antiquated studio gear, and I thought I share it again here.
I’m at my mum’s house…
I’m at my mum’s house…
October 22, 2025 at 11:55 AM
@guitarmoog.bsky.social I feel you will love this.
Reposted by David Lloyd
Happy birthday to the US Navy.
And in particular to the captain of the USS Missouri.
Who, when Cher walked out on deck in this, not in the jump suit they'd been promised, went:
"Ah. Fuck it. YOLO."
And later almost got stripped of command for it.
youtu.be/9n3A_-HRFfc?...
And in particular to the captain of the USS Missouri.
Who, when Cher walked out on deck in this, not in the jump suit they'd been promised, went:
"Ah. Fuck it. YOLO."
And later almost got stripped of command for it.
youtu.be/9n3A_-HRFfc?...
Cher - If I Could Turn Back Time (Official Video)
YouTube video by Cher
youtu.be
October 13, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Happy birthday to the US Navy.
And in particular to the captain of the USS Missouri.
Who, when Cher walked out on deck in this, not in the jump suit they'd been promised, went:
"Ah. Fuck it. YOLO."
And later almost got stripped of command for it.
youtu.be/9n3A_-HRFfc?...
And in particular to the captain of the USS Missouri.
Who, when Cher walked out on deck in this, not in the jump suit they'd been promised, went:
"Ah. Fuck it. YOLO."
And later almost got stripped of command for it.
youtu.be/9n3A_-HRFfc?...
Reposted by David Lloyd
This is a really good discussion by a couple of people who dealt with releasing a book through Unbound as it collapsed. @alicefraser.bsky.social and @chrisskinner.bsky.social are great, Alice's book is fantastic, and it's really unfair this happened to so many great people. youtu.be/8l73x6t27U4?...
We made a hit book, and saw none of the money! Chris and Alice Unleashed!!! B'Ankruptcy Edition
YouTube video by The Bugle
youtu.be
October 9, 2025 at 12:37 AM
This is a really good discussion by a couple of people who dealt with releasing a book through Unbound as it collapsed. @alicefraser.bsky.social and @chrisskinner.bsky.social are great, Alice's book is fantastic, and it's really unfair this happened to so many great people. youtu.be/8l73x6t27U4?...
Reposted by David Lloyd
Hoppa! ✊
September 17, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Hoppa! ✊