Steve Walmsley
@s10countryman.bsky.social
Hallam FC. More sustainable running of football. Politics and current affairs. Music. Books. Oh, and real ale in great pubs!
Reposted by Steve Walmsley
Oligarchy (noun):
A government of and by a few at the top, who exercise power for their own benefit. Their power and wealth increase as they make laws that favor themselves, manipulate financial markets, and create monopolies that put more wealth into their pockets.
A government of and by a few at the top, who exercise power for their own benefit. Their power and wealth increase as they make laws that favor themselves, manipulate financial markets, and create monopolies that put more wealth into their pockets.
December 13, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Oligarchy (noun):
A government of and by a few at the top, who exercise power for their own benefit. Their power and wealth increase as they make laws that favor themselves, manipulate financial markets, and create monopolies that put more wealth into their pockets.
A government of and by a few at the top, who exercise power for their own benefit. Their power and wealth increase as they make laws that favor themselves, manipulate financial markets, and create monopolies that put more wealth into their pockets.
Reposted by Steve Walmsley
The ticket pricing for the World Cup is a disgrace. Making fans pay for all eight games up front is a disgrace.
The game is being taken from the people and sold back to them at an unforgivable premium.
inews.co.uk/sport/footba...
The game is being taken from the people and sold back to them at an unforgivable premium.
inews.co.uk/sport/footba...
World Cup ticket prices are hideously, unforgivably expensive
Watching your country play shouldn’t be the pursuit solely of the super-rich - this is so far beyond the pale it has to cause a line in the sand
inews.co.uk
December 12, 2025 at 8:18 AM
The ticket pricing for the World Cup is a disgrace. Making fans pay for all eight games up front is a disgrace.
The game is being taken from the people and sold back to them at an unforgivable premium.
inews.co.uk/sport/footba...
The game is being taken from the people and sold back to them at an unforgivable premium.
inews.co.uk/sport/footba...
A point for @hallamfc1860.bsky.social tonight in very challenging weather conditions of wind and heavy rain. A much better 2nd half for Hallam to gain a deserved point. A great effort from the players. A crowd of 335 was terrific in the cicumstances.
December 5, 2025 at 11:14 PM
A point for @hallamfc1860.bsky.social tonight in very challenging weather conditions of wind and heavy rain. A much better 2nd half for Hallam to gain a deserved point. A great effort from the players. A crowd of 335 was terrific in the cicumstances.
It's a night for the very hardy up at a wet and windy Sandygate!! Come on Hallam!
December 5, 2025 at 7:34 PM
It's a night for the very hardy up at a wet and windy Sandygate!! Come on Hallam!
Great thread and great paper. Both are well worth a read, particularly in No 10 and Labour HQ..
1/ I have written a paper/ 4-part blog series called ‘Putting Down the Vase’. It is about populism, trust, and how Labour can stop Reform. The central argument is that, in a climate of low trust, risk-aversion at the centre must be overcome.
The full paper can be read here: shorturl.at/jJ8nu
The full paper can be read here: shorturl.at/jJ8nu
December 5, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Great thread and great paper. Both are well worth a read, particularly in No 10 and Labour HQ..
Reposted by Steve Walmsley
I already subscribe and have done for ages and it is def money well spent. Come on Sheffield folk, get signing up!
In just *three days* we're already over halfway to our month's target of 100 new members, which would take us to 3,000 total members! Which would be a *huge* win for independent local journalism.
Could you get us over the line?
www.sheffieldtribune.co.uk#/portal/signup
Could you get us over the line?
www.sheffieldtribune.co.uk#/portal/signup
December 4, 2025 at 10:49 AM
I already subscribe and have done for ages and it is def money well spent. Come on Sheffield folk, get signing up!
Reposted by Steve Walmsley
This is very funny.
Recomending erotic novels - written to Reform UK politicians - to James O’Brien
@mrjamesob.bsky.social @lbc.co.uk
youtu.be/Z-Lf-y2gDl8?...
@mrjamesob.bsky.social @lbc.co.uk
youtu.be/Z-Lf-y2gDl8?...
James O'Brien reads the latest erotica novel from a Reform politician
YouTube video by LBC
youtu.be
December 4, 2025 at 12:27 PM
This is very funny.
Reposted by Steve Walmsley
Labour bearing down on immigration will fix this any day now.
GB News now broadcasting calls to remove the ethnic minority MPs from parliament
December 4, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Labour bearing down on immigration will fix this any day now.
Reposted by Steve Walmsley
Impossible to exaggerate what a brilliant writer Henry is. Pisses me right off tbh.
🚨Some personal news.
I'm thrilled to announce that I've just filed my first copy for The New Yorker.
A profile of Jonathan Gullis.
"You get the sense that offstage, Jonathan Gullis struggles with being Jonathan Gullis."
open.substack.com/pub/mrhenrym...
I'm thrilled to announce that I've just filed my first copy for The New Yorker.
A profile of Jonathan Gullis.
"You get the sense that offstage, Jonathan Gullis struggles with being Jonathan Gullis."
open.substack.com/pub/mrhenrym...
Jonathan Gullis, The Seagull's Lament
A New Yorker Profile
open.substack.com
December 3, 2025 at 7:53 AM
Impossible to exaggerate what a brilliant writer Henry is. Pisses me right off tbh.
Reposted by Steve Walmsley
Populist Right: 'We're not racist, we just want immigrants to integrate & contribute.'
Immigrant gains BA, MA, works for charities, marries a 'Brit', becomes Brexit-supporting, lockdown-sceptic Tory MP, then Deputy Speaker of HoC.
Populist Right: 'People born abroad shouldn't be allowed to do this.'
Immigrant gains BA, MA, works for charities, marries a 'Brit', becomes Brexit-supporting, lockdown-sceptic Tory MP, then Deputy Speaker of HoC.
Populist Right: 'People born abroad shouldn't be allowed to do this.'
November 28, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Populist Right: 'We're not racist, we just want immigrants to integrate & contribute.'
Immigrant gains BA, MA, works for charities, marries a 'Brit', becomes Brexit-supporting, lockdown-sceptic Tory MP, then Deputy Speaker of HoC.
Populist Right: 'People born abroad shouldn't be allowed to do this.'
Immigrant gains BA, MA, works for charities, marries a 'Brit', becomes Brexit-supporting, lockdown-sceptic Tory MP, then Deputy Speaker of HoC.
Populist Right: 'People born abroad shouldn't be allowed to do this.'
Reposted by Steve Walmsley
Kinnock voice - "I’ll tell you what happens with impossible promises. You start with far-fetched resolutions....and you end up in the grotesque chaos of a Labour government, a *Labour* government, rejecting visas for homeless 8 yr olds trying to joing their parents"
November 28, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Kinnock voice - "I’ll tell you what happens with impossible promises. You start with far-fetched resolutions....and you end up in the grotesque chaos of a Labour government, a *Labour* government, rejecting visas for homeless 8 yr olds trying to joing their parents"
Reposted by Steve Walmsley
“She is doing things that I think are letting this country down".
Labour peer Alf Dubs, who arrived in the UK on the Kindertransport, tells @nicolakellywrites.bsky.social that he is deeply disappointed in Shabana Mahmood and Keir Starmer's betrayal of child refugees
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/28/a...
Labour peer Alf Dubs, who arrived in the UK on the Kindertransport, tells @nicolakellywrites.bsky.social that he is deeply disappointed in Shabana Mahmood and Keir Starmer's betrayal of child refugees
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/28/a...
Alf Dubs Accuses Shabana Mahmood of 'Letting the Country Down' With Plans to Outdo Reform on Asylum
The veteran Labour peer and lifelong campaigner for child refugees, Alf Dubs, tells Byline Times that the Home Secretary's plans are "bitterly disappointing coming from a Labour Government"
bylinetimes.com
November 28, 2025 at 10:05 AM
“She is doing things that I think are letting this country down".
Labour peer Alf Dubs, who arrived in the UK on the Kindertransport, tells @nicolakellywrites.bsky.social that he is deeply disappointed in Shabana Mahmood and Keir Starmer's betrayal of child refugees
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/28/a...
Labour peer Alf Dubs, who arrived in the UK on the Kindertransport, tells @nicolakellywrites.bsky.social that he is deeply disappointed in Shabana Mahmood and Keir Starmer's betrayal of child refugees
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/28/a...
Reposted by Steve Walmsley
The Blue Labour right have become the Militant of 2025 - a tiny but hyperactive and densely networked sect working relentlessly to drag Labour towards their niche pursuits and away from the values and priorities of core Labour voters.
November 28, 2025 at 10:44 AM
The Blue Labour right have become the Militant of 2025 - a tiny but hyperactive and densely networked sect working relentlessly to drag Labour towards their niche pursuits and away from the values and priorities of core Labour voters.
Reposted by Steve Walmsley
'This isn't an opinion. This is counting.'
- A 100,000 drop in net migration costs us £7bn
- Scrapping the two-child benefit cap costs us £3bn
What gets more attention?
James O’Brien says 'we have become a ludicrous country'.
- Scrapping the two-child benefit cap costs us £3bn
What gets more attention?
James O’Brien says 'we have become a ludicrous country'.
November 27, 2025 at 11:29 AM
'This isn't an opinion. This is counting.'
Reposted by Steve Walmsley
1/2 Today’s Budget has some welcome steps, including ending the two-child limit and the start of council tax reform.
But it’s tactical, not strategic.
Britain needs a plan that taxes wealth fairly, devolves real power, and brings essential utilities back under public control.
But it’s tactical, not strategic.
Britain needs a plan that taxes wealth fairly, devolves real power, and brings essential utilities back under public control.
November 26, 2025 at 5:24 PM
1/2 Today’s Budget has some welcome steps, including ending the two-child limit and the start of council tax reform.
But it’s tactical, not strategic.
Britain needs a plan that taxes wealth fairly, devolves real power, and brings essential utilities back under public control.
But it’s tactical, not strategic.
Britain needs a plan that taxes wealth fairly, devolves real power, and brings essential utilities back under public control.
Back from a v cold Ossett with a needed 3 points for @hallamfc1860.bsky.social An improved performance plus change of shape to 3-5-2 led to the Countrymen dominating the 1st half - should have been more than 1 up at ht. Made a bit more heavy weather of it in the 2nd half but it was a deserved win.
November 25, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Back from a v cold Ossett with a needed 3 points for @hallamfc1860.bsky.social An improved performance plus change of shape to 3-5-2 led to the Countrymen dominating the 1st half - should have been more than 1 up at ht. Made a bit more heavy weather of it in the 2nd half but it was a deserved win.
Reposted by Steve Walmsley
Development money is the means by which FIFA's senior leadership controls its less wealthy member associations.
With this deal, it's letting Saudi Arabia in on the action directly.
With this deal, it's letting Saudi Arabia in on the action directly.
November 25, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Development money is the means by which FIFA's senior leadership controls its less wealthy member associations.
With this deal, it's letting Saudi Arabia in on the action directly.
With this deal, it's letting Saudi Arabia in on the action directly.
Reposted by Steve Walmsley
Ross Atkins: “The chair didn’t insist on a unified response when the edit was first discussed, he didn’t insist on a unified response for the next few months, and he didn’t deliver a response of any type for a week after the story broke.”
www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...
Ros Atkins on… MPs examining the BBC memo
After the resignations of Director General and CEO of News, The Culture, Media and Sport committee invited a number of senior BBC figures to be quizzed on what has happened.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Ross Atkins: “The chair didn’t insist on a unified response when the edit was first discussed, he didn’t insist on a unified response for the next few months, and he didn’t deliver a response of any type for a week after the story broke.”
www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...
Reposted by Steve Walmsley
Do we really think tinkering with rules about ILR etc will fundamentally change the incentives of those risking their lives, and those of their kids in dinghies? And is legitimising racism by seeing it as a logical reaction to policy failure really takes basis on which to proceed?
November 23, 2025 at 9:28 AM
Do we really think tinkering with rules about ILR etc will fundamentally change the incentives of those risking their lives, and those of their kids in dinghies? And is legitimising racism by seeing it as a logical reaction to policy failure really takes basis on which to proceed?
Reposted by Steve Walmsley
“So besotted are conservatives with Mahmood, many even praise her use of the “race card”. Experience of racism, though, is no guarantee of wisdom in combating it.” My @theobserveruk.bsky.social column: observer.co.uk/news/columni...
Britain's problem isn’t immigration. It’s a profound breakdown in trust | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 23, 2025 at 9:45 AM
“So besotted are conservatives with Mahmood, many even praise her use of the “race card”. Experience of racism, though, is no guarantee of wisdom in combating it.” My @theobserveruk.bsky.social column: observer.co.uk/news/columni...
After a decent first half it was a really poor second half performance from @hallamfc1860.bsky.social today. Another defeat drops us into the bottom four. A big game on Tuesday at Osset United where we realky need to get something.
November 22, 2025 at 5:48 PM
After a decent first half it was a really poor second half performance from @hallamfc1860.bsky.social today. Another defeat drops us into the bottom four. A big game on Tuesday at Osset United where we realky need to get something.
Reposted by Steve Walmsley
The mob boss solution to a dispute / war involving others is to demand payment for the burden of pretending to keep order between them.
Just as the mob boss solution to international trade is to respect the mob of equal size but expect payments from all the others.
Just as the mob boss solution to international trade is to respect the mob of equal size but expect payments from all the others.
November 22, 2025 at 11:54 AM
The mob boss solution to a dispute / war involving others is to demand payment for the burden of pretending to keep order between them.
Just as the mob boss solution to international trade is to respect the mob of equal size but expect payments from all the others.
Just as the mob boss solution to international trade is to respect the mob of equal size but expect payments from all the others.
Reposted by Steve Walmsley
Britain has set a new wind generation record.
"At 7:30pm on 11 November wind turbines...provided enough clean electricity to power more than 22 million homes"
"Wind was delivering 43.6% of all power on the system which means three quarters of Britain’s homes were effectively running on wind alone"
"At 7:30pm on 11 November wind turbines...provided enough clean electricity to power more than 22 million homes"
"Wind was delivering 43.6% of all power on the system which means three quarters of Britain’s homes were effectively running on wind alone"
Windpower sets new record for baseload - Energy Live News
Wind supplied 43% of all power last week setting a new record of 22.7 GW
www.energylivenews.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Britain has set a new wind generation record.
"At 7:30pm on 11 November wind turbines...provided enough clean electricity to power more than 22 million homes"
"Wind was delivering 43.6% of all power on the system which means three quarters of Britain’s homes were effectively running on wind alone"
"At 7:30pm on 11 November wind turbines...provided enough clean electricity to power more than 22 million homes"
"Wind was delivering 43.6% of all power on the system which means three quarters of Britain’s homes were effectively running on wind alone"
Reposted by Steve Walmsley
This battle to get these recordings released is important just for admirers of Dick Gaughan’s music, but for music fans in general. www.theguardian.com/music/2025/n...
‘I never wanted to sing into a vacuum’: Scottish folk pioneer Dick Gaughan’s fight for his lost music
A skilled interpreter and social justice champion, Gaughan is a hero to the likes of Richard Hawley and Billy Bragg. Yet much of his work has been stuck in limbo for decades – until a determined fan s...
www.theguardian.com
November 19, 2025 at 6:42 PM
This battle to get these recordings released is important just for admirers of Dick Gaughan’s music, but for music fans in general. www.theguardian.com/music/2025/n...
Reposted by Steve Walmsley
Football at all levels has a dangerously insane relationship with its referees, but in non-league it also comes with a chasm between reality and foaming Twitter activists who've never been to a game.
This week's newsletter is on the AFC Rushden & Diamonds v Coventry Sphinx match abandonment.
This week's newsletter is on the AFC Rushden & Diamonds v Coventry Sphinx match abandonment.
Rushden & Diamonds match abandonment was the right response from the referee. Non-league deserves a better reaction.
The idiotic opinions of social media meatheads have no bearing on football safeguarding in the real world
hpbp.substack.com
November 18, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Football at all levels has a dangerously insane relationship with its referees, but in non-league it also comes with a chasm between reality and foaming Twitter activists who've never been to a game.
This week's newsletter is on the AFC Rushden & Diamonds v Coventry Sphinx match abandonment.
This week's newsletter is on the AFC Rushden & Diamonds v Coventry Sphinx match abandonment.