@myox.bsky.social
Trump to do a Poilievre on Farage?
January 17, 2026 at 7:51 PM
Trump to do a Poilievre on Farage?
Reposted
Thought I’d do a mega hread on NPR, partly because I’ve seen some London based commentary that doesn’t really get the bigger picture quite right imho
January 15, 2026 at 7:34 AM
Thought I’d do a mega hread on NPR, partly because I’ve seen some London based commentary that doesn’t really get the bigger picture quite right imho
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Haven't read 'Aubade' in a few years and just did so on the link below. Astonishing how many of its phrases have entered my own way of thinking and expressing myself. And if there's a more perfect, devastating, beautiful ending to a poem, I need to know.
Philip Larkin started writing ‘Aubade’ in 1974, & finished it in 1977 after his mother’s death. It was published in the TLS on 23rd December, apparently ruining a number of people’s Christmases. Larkin, terrified of death all his life, died on this day 1985.
www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48422/...
www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48422/...
Aubade
Not in remorse —The good not done, the love not given, time Torn off unused—nor wretchedly because An only life can take so long to climb Clear of its wrong beginnings, and may never; But at the total...
www.poetryfoundation.org
December 2, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Haven't read 'Aubade' in a few years and just did so on the link below. Astonishing how many of its phrases have entered my own way of thinking and expressing myself. And if there's a more perfect, devastating, beautiful ending to a poem, I need to know.
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What to do with a book so cynically produced? www.thetimes.com/culture/book...
Len Pennie — Scotland’s worst poet since William McGonagall
Poyums annaw, the latest collection by the TikTok-famous poet Len Pennie, deals with serious issues — but it’s hard to take her poems seriously
www.thetimes.com
September 21, 2025 at 6:02 AM
What to do with a book so cynically produced? www.thetimes.com/culture/book...
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I agree with this but - as Giles' post effectively goes on to say - there *is* a way out of this fiscal corner, it's called raising taxes, and I don't think it's as politically impossible as people make out
Hard (by Labour's own doing) but not impossible
First, welfare revolts tells us nothing...
Hard (by Labour's own doing) but not impossible
First, welfare revolts tells us nothing...
In an effort that will no doubt torch my follower base, I have laid out some basic numbers around our fiscal situation. Obvious, but still a little sobering for me.
freethinkecon.wordpress.com/2025/07/15/t...
freethinkecon.wordpress.com/2025/07/15/t...
There really is no getting out of this fiscal corner
It is something of a cliche to argue that Britain is running out of money, living beyond its means, wandering through a fiscal fool’s paradise – but no less true for that. The trend of …
freethinkecon.wordpress.com
July 15, 2025 at 7:13 PM
I agree with this but - as Giles' post effectively goes on to say - there *is* a way out of this fiscal corner, it's called raising taxes, and I don't think it's as politically impossible as people make out
Hard (by Labour's own doing) but not impossible
First, welfare revolts tells us nothing...
Hard (by Labour's own doing) but not impossible
First, welfare revolts tells us nothing...
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What’s the slowest burn on you realising something? I think with me it’s working out what the “lithic” in Neolithic means which - despite me reading the word at a bare minimum thousands of times *and* me being aware of other connected lith words - just didn’t click until about 18 months back.
June 9, 2025 at 7:01 AM
What’s the slowest burn on you realising something? I think with me it’s working out what the “lithic” in Neolithic means which - despite me reading the word at a bare minimum thousands of times *and* me being aware of other connected lith words - just didn’t click until about 18 months back.
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"Katwala's paradox of racism"
In a demonstrably less prejudiced society (attitudes shifted, esp across generations), I am in receipt of much more racism
Minorities in 2020s have more equal opps than ever before - esp at very top - yet an increasingly unequal experience of more equal opportunities
In a demonstrably less prejudiced society (attitudes shifted, esp across generations), I am in receipt of much more racism
Minorities in 2020s have more equal opps than ever before - esp at very top - yet an increasingly unequal experience of more equal opportunities
May 24, 2025 at 9:14 AM
"Katwala's paradox of racism"
In a demonstrably less prejudiced society (attitudes shifted, esp across generations), I am in receipt of much more racism
Minorities in 2020s have more equal opps than ever before - esp at very top - yet an increasingly unequal experience of more equal opportunities
In a demonstrably less prejudiced society (attitudes shifted, esp across generations), I am in receipt of much more racism
Minorities in 2020s have more equal opps than ever before - esp at very top - yet an increasingly unequal experience of more equal opportunities
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I’ve seen almost no coverage outside of specialist sites, but the “4+4” scandal that erupted in China in late April is an interesting example of how the Chinese public seizes on to a relatively minor scandal as a stand-in for anger about much bigger but verboten problems of corruption and nepotism
May 16, 2025 at 5:53 PM
I’ve seen almost no coverage outside of specialist sites, but the “4+4” scandal that erupted in China in late April is an interesting example of how the Chinese public seizes on to a relatively minor scandal as a stand-in for anger about much bigger but verboten problems of corruption and nepotism
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The debate around care visas in the political space boils down to people saying stuff like this - we desperately need people.
It's a good soundbite but...
A significant surge in care visas were issued since 2020 in response to sector demand and yet the problem of shortage has persisted.
Why?
It's a good soundbite but...
A significant surge in care visas were issued since 2020 in response to sector demand and yet the problem of shortage has persisted.
Why?
BREAKING: “We will be closing the care worker visa for overseas recruitment” - Home Secretary Yvette Cooper
Don’t we have a desperate shortage of care workers?
Don’t we have a desperate shortage of care workers?
May 11, 2025 at 10:38 AM
The debate around care visas in the political space boils down to people saying stuff like this - we desperately need people.
It's a good soundbite but...
A significant surge in care visas were issued since 2020 in response to sector demand and yet the problem of shortage has persisted.
Why?
It's a good soundbite but...
A significant surge in care visas were issued since 2020 in response to sector demand and yet the problem of shortage has persisted.
Why?
Reposted
We are losing voters to Reform *and* the Greens because they can't afford a decent life.
But life is unaffordable for these voters in different ways.
👇 is what's happening and how we get them back.
Labour List: buff.ly/SZCzC8A
Substack: buff.ly/NSLBULN
🧵 below
(1/6)
But life is unaffordable for these voters in different ways.
👇 is what's happening and how we get them back.
Labour List: buff.ly/SZCzC8A
Substack: buff.ly/NSLBULN
🧵 below
(1/6)
‘We can’t just target Reform or Green voters. Here’s how we target both’ – LabourList
The clear message from last week’s elections was this: our voters’ lives are unaffordable, and they want change. The voters we are losing are those…
buff.ly
May 7, 2025 at 7:44 AM
We are losing voters to Reform *and* the Greens because they can't afford a decent life.
But life is unaffordable for these voters in different ways.
👇 is what's happening and how we get them back.
Labour List: buff.ly/SZCzC8A
Substack: buff.ly/NSLBULN
🧵 below
(1/6)
But life is unaffordable for these voters in different ways.
👇 is what's happening and how we get them back.
Labour List: buff.ly/SZCzC8A
Substack: buff.ly/NSLBULN
🧵 below
(1/6)
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Hard to describe what it's like being in Kyiv, surrounded by brilliant, unshakeable, brave Ukranians, and reading Trump's comments.
The free world deserves a better leader, the hill deserves a better city upon it, and these people deserve better friends.
The free world deserves a better leader, the hill deserves a better city upon it, and these people deserve better friends.
February 21, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Hard to describe what it's like being in Kyiv, surrounded by brilliant, unshakeable, brave Ukranians, and reading Trump's comments.
The free world deserves a better leader, the hill deserves a better city upon it, and these people deserve better friends.
The free world deserves a better leader, the hill deserves a better city upon it, and these people deserve better friends.
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Olaf Scholz mocked British railways over “broken tracks and bad trains”, claiming that "nothing works any more” in the UK. Turns out: Germany rail problems have become so bad that Deutsche Bahn long-distance service is less punctual than even the worst operator in Britain. www.ft.com/content/d3b6...
February 19, 2025 at 6:32 AM
Olaf Scholz mocked British railways over “broken tracks and bad trains”, claiming that "nothing works any more” in the UK. Turns out: Germany rail problems have become so bad that Deutsche Bahn long-distance service is less punctual than even the worst operator in Britain. www.ft.com/content/d3b6...
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Defence spending per head (current US$, 2023, SIPRI numbers):
USA: $2,694.2
UK: $1,106.4
France: $946.6
Germany:$802.3
Italy:$603.5
Canada: $701.9
Russia: $757.8
China: $207.9
www.sipri.org/databases/mi...
USA: $2,694.2
UK: $1,106.4
France: $946.6
Germany:$802.3
Italy:$603.5
Canada: $701.9
Russia: $757.8
China: $207.9
www.sipri.org/databases/mi...
December 20, 2024 at 5:20 PM
Defence spending per head (current US$, 2023, SIPRI numbers):
USA: $2,694.2
UK: $1,106.4
France: $946.6
Germany:$802.3
Italy:$603.5
Canada: $701.9
Russia: $757.8
China: $207.9
www.sipri.org/databases/mi...
USA: $2,694.2
UK: $1,106.4
France: $946.6
Germany:$802.3
Italy:$603.5
Canada: $701.9
Russia: $757.8
China: $207.9
www.sipri.org/databases/mi...
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Hegseth's Rammstein speech is a watershed moment for Europe. It means the USA is no longer a reliable ally, even if its democracy survives ... 1/ ... but Hegseth is right on one thing. We now have to spend a lot more on defence 🧵
February 13, 2025 at 8:28 AM
Hegseth's Rammstein speech is a watershed moment for Europe. It means the USA is no longer a reliable ally, even if its democracy survives ... 1/ ... but Hegseth is right on one thing. We now have to spend a lot more on defence 🧵
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We said the assisted dying bill would be a slippery slope - that it wouldn’t stay at 6mo to live, and a terminal illness.
Now members of the bill committee are putting forward an amendment to make it 12mo to live where there is a neurodegenerative condition
Now members of the bill committee are putting forward an amendment to make it 12mo to live where there is a neurodegenerative condition
February 6, 2025 at 8:57 AM
We said the assisted dying bill would be a slippery slope - that it wouldn’t stay at 6mo to live, and a terminal illness.
Now members of the bill committee are putting forward an amendment to make it 12mo to live where there is a neurodegenerative condition
Now members of the bill committee are putting forward an amendment to make it 12mo to live where there is a neurodegenerative condition
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Just for once it would be nice for people to recognise that not everything that happens in the world is part of morality play to punish Britain for being bad
February 5, 2025 at 9:17 AM
Just for once it would be nice for people to recognise that not everything that happens in the world is part of morality play to punish Britain for being bad
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Still completely surreal to me that Google chose to light its search engine on fire
January 17, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Still completely surreal to me that Google chose to light its search engine on fire
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Exemplifies again how people who strongly identify with their religious faith are often found across both sides of this debate. Those without a religious faith are more in favour (but not universally so)
bsky.app/profile/sund...
bsky.app/profile/sund...
Those with a strong religious faith (across majority & minority groups)among the public are evenly split on this issue - more sceptical, but torn, rather than a strong consensus against among those of faith. (Faith leaders more critical than their congregations)
November 30, 2024 at 8:28 PM
Exemplifies again how people who strongly identify with their religious faith are often found across both sides of this debate. Those without a religious faith are more in favour (but not universally so)
bsky.app/profile/sund...
bsky.app/profile/sund...
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Here’s a centre right starter pack, for those who want to ensure this isn’t entirely an echo chamber go.bsky.app/DNLEPTu
November 15, 2024 at 8:03 AM
Here’s a centre right starter pack, for those who want to ensure this isn’t entirely an echo chamber go.bsky.app/DNLEPTu
Reposted
November 15, 2024 at 4:32 PM