Iain MacGilleBhràith
@aeonmach.bsky.social
I LIKE a *lot* of shit: sci & tech (my day job!), environment & energy (ecomodernism), politics (~moderate, social-liberalism), culture & language(s), outdoors (mountains, cycling/MTB, sailing), travel, nuance & irony.
I HATE black-&-white simplism!
I HATE black-&-white simplism!
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
🔴The BBC’s Attempts to Appease the ‘Right-Wing Coup’ Against It Are Now Seeding Its Own Destruction
By attempting to appease the forces seeking to destroy them, the BBC has helped trigger a crisis that now threatens its very future, argues @adambienkov.bsky.social
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/10/t...
By attempting to appease the forces seeking to destroy them, the BBC has helped trigger a crisis that now threatens its very future, argues @adambienkov.bsky.social
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 10, 2025 at 12:38 PM
🔴The BBC’s Attempts to Appease the ‘Right-Wing Coup’ Against It Are Now Seeding Its Own Destruction
By attempting to appease the forces seeking to destroy them, the BBC has helped trigger a crisis that now threatens its very future, argues @adambienkov.bsky.social
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/10/t...
By attempting to appease the forces seeking to destroy them, the BBC has helped trigger a crisis that now threatens its very future, argues @adambienkov.bsky.social
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/10/t...
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
I think BBC need to hold themselves to the highest possible standards but this is nonsense. Trump categorically encouraged January 6th. So what if he added ‘peacefully and patriotically’ as his little caveat. He knows how to whistle the mob, that’s what he does www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
Why is the BBC expected to apologise over a Donald Trump speech edit?
Boris Johnson and White House criticise the corporation, but some journalists say criticism is part of campaign to destroy the BBC
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:31 AM
I think BBC need to hold themselves to the highest possible standards but this is nonsense. Trump categorically encouraged January 6th. So what if he added ‘peacefully and patriotically’ as his little caveat. He knows how to whistle the mob, that’s what he does www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
The BBC has always been remarkable in reporting on itself, and this contains some remarkable accusations about the BBC Board (with other, 'balancing', viewpoints). I wonder if its journalists will be able to continue to do this king of thing
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Katie Razzall: A seismic moment that shows rift at top of BBC
There may be more to this than meets the eye, says the BBC's culture and media editor.
www.bbc.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:11 AM
The BBC has always been remarkable in reporting on itself, and this contains some remarkable accusations about the BBC Board (with other, 'balancing', viewpoints). I wonder if its journalists will be able to continue to do this king of thing
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
'The Guardian' on land reform and the Scottish Government's retreat from public interest.
#LandReform
#ScottishPolitics
#LandReform
#ScottishPolitics
The Guardian view on Scottish land reform: vast estates remain feudal in scale | Editorial
Editorial: Half of the country’s privately owned countryside is held by just 421 owners. New legislation suggests democrats still fear powerful interests
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:25 AM
'The Guardian' on land reform and the Scottish Government's retreat from public interest.
#LandReform
#ScottishPolitics
#LandReform
#ScottishPolitics
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
👀 BBC’s Nick Robinson: “What has happened...what is happening at the BBC? In normal times you might be forgiven for dismissing that question as navel gazing by journalists who can't resist talking about themselves.” 1/
November 10, 2025 at 7:04 AM
👀 BBC’s Nick Robinson: “What has happened...what is happening at the BBC? In normal times you might be forgiven for dismissing that question as navel gazing by journalists who can't resist talking about themselves.” 1/
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
The Trump incident was merely the final precipitating factor in Tim Davie's resignation, after other accumulating reasons.
And it's not an awful final factor, allowing Starmer to wink through diplomatic channels that 'the matter is sorted'.
Just shit that it was about the criminal 6th Jan event.
And it's not an awful final factor, allowing Starmer to wink through diplomatic channels that 'the matter is sorted'.
Just shit that it was about the criminal 6th Jan event.
November 9, 2025 at 7:28 PM
The Trump incident was merely the final precipitating factor in Tim Davie's resignation, after other accumulating reasons.
And it's not an awful final factor, allowing Starmer to wink through diplomatic channels that 'the matter is sorted'.
Just shit that it was about the criminal 6th Jan event.
And it's not an awful final factor, allowing Starmer to wink through diplomatic channels that 'the matter is sorted'.
Just shit that it was about the criminal 6th Jan event.
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
BBC heads roll - but for the wrong reasons.
Quite dangerously the wrong ones. This could cave in to the worst of what's happening in the USA, and at the same time protect those who've been doing the real damage to BBC news and editorial standards. Kill the journalism and protect the spinmeisters.
Quite dangerously the wrong ones. This could cave in to the worst of what's happening in the USA, and at the same time protect those who've been doing the real damage to BBC news and editorial standards. Kill the journalism and protect the spinmeisters.
November 10, 2025 at 6:53 AM
BBC heads roll - but for the wrong reasons.
Quite dangerously the wrong ones. This could cave in to the worst of what's happening in the USA, and at the same time protect those who've been doing the real damage to BBC news and editorial standards. Kill the journalism and protect the spinmeisters.
Quite dangerously the wrong ones. This could cave in to the worst of what's happening in the USA, and at the same time protect those who've been doing the real damage to BBC news and editorial standards. Kill the journalism and protect the spinmeisters.
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
Glad that someone has finally taken responsibility for the appalling assault on democracy that was the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
November 9, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Glad that someone has finally taken responsibility for the appalling assault on democracy that was the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
Weirdly warm walk along the Water of Leith from Balerno today. Peak beech! Still time to catch the last of the autumn colours.
Saw 2 herons, a hint of an otter and no kingfishers.
@wolct.bsky.social
@ramblersscotland.bsky.social
Saw 2 herons, a hint of an otter and no kingfishers.
@wolct.bsky.social
@ramblersscotland.bsky.social
November 6, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Weirdly warm walk along the Water of Leith from Balerno today. Peak beech! Still time to catch the last of the autumn colours.
Saw 2 herons, a hint of an otter and no kingfishers.
@wolct.bsky.social
@ramblersscotland.bsky.social
Saw 2 herons, a hint of an otter and no kingfishers.
@wolct.bsky.social
@ramblersscotland.bsky.social
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
A magnificent piece of work. Comprehesive, revelatory & shocking. Journalism this good is always rare & precious but never moreso than at times like this. Latter day Lord Haw Haws being plumped, preened & delivered to your doorstep in plain sight by a Nazi-saluting goon
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 9:16 AM
A magnificent piece of work. Comprehesive, revelatory & shocking. Journalism this good is always rare & precious but never moreso than at times like this. Latter day Lord Haw Haws being plumped, preened & delivered to your doorstep in plain sight by a Nazi-saluting goon
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
Tax policy on the British left is pure "anti-bedtime left". Bizarre idea that you can have a big social democratic welfare state without everyone contributing properly www.economist.com/britain/2025...
November 6, 2025 at 11:06 AM
Tax policy on the British left is pure "anti-bedtime left". Bizarre idea that you can have a big social democratic welfare state without everyone contributing properly www.economist.com/britain/2025...
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
School pupils are to be taught how to tackle conspiracy theories, spot 'fake news' & root out misinformation. The Daily Mail, ajudged by Wikipedia to be an unreliable new source, is furious. You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to work out why.
November 5, 2025 at 9:05 AM
School pupils are to be taught how to tackle conspiracy theories, spot 'fake news' & root out misinformation. The Daily Mail, ajudged by Wikipedia to be an unreliable new source, is furious. You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to work out why.
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
In Finland they’ve been taught how to spot fake news as part of a critical thinking curriculum since 2014 including how to spot a doctored photo, check for inconsistencies as well as countering misinformation that sows division. We are more than 10 years behind on this.
School pupils are to be taught how to tackle conspiracy theories, spot 'fake news' & root out misinformation. The Daily Mail, ajudged by Wikipedia to be an unreliable new source, is furious. You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to work out why.
November 5, 2025 at 12:55 PM
In Finland they’ve been taught how to spot fake news as part of a critical thinking curriculum since 2014 including how to spot a doctored photo, check for inconsistencies as well as countering misinformation that sows division. We are more than 10 years behind on this.
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
It's bizarre the government doesn't take this really obvious, incredibly easy and entirely pain free option that comes with absolutely no downsides whatsoever. Or something.
November 5, 2025 at 11:02 AM
It's bizarre the government doesn't take this really obvious, incredibly easy and entirely pain free option that comes with absolutely no downsides whatsoever. Or something.
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
Counterpoint: tax wealth *and* work. Or else explain the radical public service and welfare cuts you’ll make to fund so as not to tax work.
November 5, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Counterpoint: tax wealth *and* work. Or else explain the radical public service and welfare cuts you’ll make to fund so as not to tax work.
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
A great day for the golden rule of political analysis: when the right wins it is a resounding ideological victory that humiliates the left and when the left wins it is a precarious fluke that will surely end up humiliating the left. Conservatives are power’s landlords and the left merely tenants
November 5, 2025 at 10:35 AM
A great day for the golden rule of political analysis: when the right wins it is a resounding ideological victory that humiliates the left and when the left wins it is a precarious fluke that will surely end up humiliating the left. Conservatives are power’s landlords and the left merely tenants
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
The Pellicle Essential Guide to Pub Ettiquette!
Already noted as curmudgeonly by @boakandbailey.bsky.social, we prefer "righteously bothered."
Table rezzies, bogey-filled tissues in empty glasses, rounds and more, all documented for posterity.
www.pelliclemag.com/home/2025/10...
Already noted as curmudgeonly by @boakandbailey.bsky.social, we prefer "righteously bothered."
Table rezzies, bogey-filled tissues in empty glasses, rounds and more, all documented for posterity.
www.pelliclemag.com/home/2025/10...
The Essential Guide to Pub Etiquette — Pellicle
It was the writer and politician Hilaire Belloc (1870–1953) who famously said, “ Change your hearts or you will lose your inns and you will deserve to have lost them. But when you have lost your inns ...
www.pelliclemag.com
November 5, 2025 at 8:18 AM
The Pellicle Essential Guide to Pub Ettiquette!
Already noted as curmudgeonly by @boakandbailey.bsky.social, we prefer "righteously bothered."
Table rezzies, bogey-filled tissues in empty glasses, rounds and more, all documented for posterity.
www.pelliclemag.com/home/2025/10...
Already noted as curmudgeonly by @boakandbailey.bsky.social, we prefer "righteously bothered."
Table rezzies, bogey-filled tissues in empty glasses, rounds and more, all documented for posterity.
www.pelliclemag.com/home/2025/10...
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
I mean, yes, exactly that. For them to impact to the degree that’s necessary for this to be an international story (or even a *national* story), New York basically has to revert to chaos. And…it won’t? It’s most likely that his election is barely going to make any difference
I mean the thing is, I’m also not a huge fan of his policies but they’re ultimately not even that ambitious and most of them aren’t going to even pass. I’m really not sure what “policy unraveling” he imagines is going to be an international story here
November 5, 2025 at 10:41 AM
I mean, yes, exactly that. For them to impact to the degree that’s necessary for this to be an international story (or even a *national* story), New York basically has to revert to chaos. And…it won’t? It’s most likely that his election is barely going to make any difference
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
This is a particular favourite - the idea that some voter in Crewe or Carlisle will remember in 2029 that their MP sent a tweet congratulating the newly elected New York Mayor and judge on his record accordingly, guys most people barely know who the Prime Minister is, you have Twitter brain rot
November 5, 2025 at 10:09 AM
This is a particular favourite - the idea that some voter in Crewe or Carlisle will remember in 2029 that their MP sent a tweet congratulating the newly elected New York Mayor and judge on his record accordingly, guys most people barely know who the Prime Minister is, you have Twitter brain rot
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
It’s bad but its a feature of EU deciding climate ambition by consensus, backtracking is certainly happening and it has something to do with Trump but this is just old fashioned unanimity holding EU back
Now official - the EU has weakened its planned 2040 emissions reduction target at the insistence of national governments.
It is part of the overall story of Europe backtracking on its goals to fight climate change - party because of Trump pressure, partly because of changing public attitudes.
It is part of the overall story of Europe backtracking on its goals to fight climate change - party because of Trump pressure, partly because of changing public attitudes.
EU countries agree weakened 2040 climate goal and target for COP30
The deal avoids the EU going empty handed to the COP30 climate summit starting on Nov. 10.
www.politico.eu
November 5, 2025 at 9:34 AM
It’s bad but its a feature of EU deciding climate ambition by consensus, backtracking is certainly happening and it has something to do with Trump but this is just old fashioned unanimity holding EU back
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
While it is significant that New York can elect a Mayor who is & so identifies as an immigrant leader, the tendency to conflate Zohran Mamdani & Sadiq Khan as Mayors who are Muslim in high profile national/global cities (by opponents but also fans + media) overlooks significant contrasts
Mamdani: "New York will remain a city of immigrants, a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants, and as of tonight, led by an immigrant."
November 5, 2025 at 9:41 AM
While it is significant that New York can elect a Mayor who is & so identifies as an immigrant leader, the tendency to conflate Zohran Mamdani & Sadiq Khan as Mayors who are Muslim in high profile national/global cities (by opponents but also fans + media) overlooks significant contrasts
Indeed; an excellent post from @geoffmulgan.bsky.social which analyses the technocratic, professional and corporate capture of the hollowed out, visionless, incumbent-biased, status quo centrism of the centre-left.
In a word they have become *conservative*…
(NB that is a small c.)
In a word they have become *conservative*…
(NB that is a small c.)
open.substack.com/pub/geoffmul...
A lot of very important points in a short post
A lot of very important points in a short post
Hollowed out: can the centre hold?
Can the centre hold and resist the far right?
open.substack.com
November 5, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Indeed; an excellent post from @geoffmulgan.bsky.social which analyses the technocratic, professional and corporate capture of the hollowed out, visionless, incumbent-biased, status quo centrism of the centre-left.
In a word they have become *conservative*…
(NB that is a small c.)
In a word they have become *conservative*…
(NB that is a small c.)
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
I am so disappointed that this was never referred to as the "Dick-Whittington shooting"
Imagine being a notable local lawyer and money guy, and being best known for being shot by Dick Cheney
November 4, 2025 at 6:13 PM
I am so disappointed that this was never referred to as the "Dick-Whittington shooting"
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
In Memoriam:
Cheney Haunted By People He Didn't Manage To Kill In Iraq War
Cheney Haunted By People He Didn't Manage To Kill In Iraq War
November 4, 2025 at 5:14 PM
In Memoriam:
Cheney Haunted By People He Didn't Manage To Kill In Iraq War
Cheney Haunted By People He Didn't Manage To Kill In Iraq War