@battyhelen.bsky.social
British, retired back to the UK 12 years ago after 17 years in the USA. Love animals, love nature, fascinated by bats. Pro EU, newly terrified by USA politics.
Reposted
“this £85 billion represents a direct transfer of value from the public to private owners — a sum extracted while storm overflows proliferated, leakage targets were missed, and river health declined”
July 21, 2025 at 7:29 AM
“this £85 billion represents a direct transfer of value from the public to private owners — a sum extracted while storm overflows proliferated, leakage targets were missed, and river health declined”
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Journalists at the Farage press conference repeating Reform's framing of this policy as "robin hood" because the non-dom fee will be redistributed to poorer workers, whilst missing the fact that it hands tens of billions of pounds in tax cuts to the wealthiest people already living in the UK
June 23, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Journalists at the Farage press conference repeating Reform's framing of this policy as "robin hood" because the non-dom fee will be redistributed to poorer workers, whilst missing the fact that it hands tens of billions of pounds in tax cuts to the wealthiest people already living in the UK
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It should be illegal for law enforcement to wear masks and not show ID.
This makes it too easy to impersonate law enforcement and murder people in their homes.
This makes it too easy to impersonate law enforcement and murder people in their homes.
June 18, 2025 at 11:10 PM
It should be illegal for law enforcement to wear masks and not show ID.
This makes it too easy to impersonate law enforcement and murder people in their homes.
This makes it too easy to impersonate law enforcement and murder people in their homes.
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Everyone on Twitter right now.
June 5, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Everyone on Twitter right now.
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Another classic from the Queen of gaffes…
May 7, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Another classic from the Queen of gaffes…
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I don’t mean to alarm anyone, but the orcas now have two F/A-18 Hornets
May 7, 2025 at 1:20 PM
I don’t mean to alarm anyone, but the orcas now have two F/A-18 Hornets
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I finally understand what the last week reminds me of. A much bloodier and cynical replay of 1994, when Russia and US teamed up to force Ukraine to sign the Budapest Memorandum while ignoring its request for guarantees. But if in 1994 the US had the excuse of being naive, now it is pure malice.
March 7, 2025 at 11:29 PM
I finally understand what the last week reminds me of. A much bloodier and cynical replay of 1994, when Russia and US teamed up to force Ukraine to sign the Budapest Memorandum while ignoring its request for guarantees. But if in 1994 the US had the excuse of being naive, now it is pure malice.
What do Musk and Vance feel as they flex their power from their piles of money with no fear currently of any consequences? Will even more power and money give them joy? Will destroying those they hate, fear or don’t understand make them happier? Are they securing a place in their afterlife?
February 16, 2025 at 10:20 AM
What do Musk and Vance feel as they flex their power from their piles of money with no fear currently of any consequences? Will even more power and money give them joy? Will destroying those they hate, fear or don’t understand make them happier? Are they securing a place in their afterlife?
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So here's a curious thing, Jacob Rees-Mogg posted this teaser for his discussion on Rachel Reeves in China, with an image he attributed to Grek (I assume he
meant Grok) & it has given her an exaggerated hook nose. I'd love to know how what it was in the wording or algorithm which accounts for that
meant Grok) & it has given her an exaggerated hook nose. I'd love to know how what it was in the wording or algorithm which accounts for that
January 14, 2025 at 10:03 AM
So here's a curious thing, Jacob Rees-Mogg posted this teaser for his discussion on Rachel Reeves in China, with an image he attributed to Grek (I assume he
meant Grok) & it has given her an exaggerated hook nose. I'd love to know how what it was in the wording or algorithm which accounts for that
meant Grok) & it has given her an exaggerated hook nose. I'd love to know how what it was in the wording or algorithm which accounts for that
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No, Beth. The media are to blame for the rise of fascism. Simply put, they're better at it than you are. Fascists have won just by being on TV. They don't do interviews to discuss the truth. They do them to get their message across. They've studied your format, and they know how to manipulate it.
Have had a bit of criticism here from those who say me/broadcasters giving Reform too much coverage. Read the article I wrote. The point is, Reform is challenging Tories & becoming the (bigger) vessel compared to other parties w voters disillusioned in politics. How this plays out critical 2 next GE
Reform just 1pp behind Lab, acc to YouGov poll for @SkyNews & pushed Tories into 3rd place
- Lab 26% (35% in GE)
- Reform UK 25% (15%)
- Cons 22% (24%)
- Lib Dem 14% (13%)
- Greens 8% (7%)
Column below looking at Reform & its threat to Tories/Lab in 2025> www.standard.co.uk/comment/nige...
- Lab 26% (35% in GE)
- Reform UK 25% (15%)
- Cons 22% (24%)
- Lib Dem 14% (13%)
- Greens 8% (7%)
Column below looking at Reform & its threat to Tories/Lab in 2025> www.standard.co.uk/comment/nige...
January 14, 2025 at 11:30 AM
No, Beth. The media are to blame for the rise of fascism. Simply put, they're better at it than you are. Fascists have won just by being on TV. They don't do interviews to discuss the truth. They do them to get their message across. They've studied your format, and they know how to manipulate it.
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The largest number of perpetrators of sexual violence in the UK are white men. Any attempt to place blame squarely on racialised groups is not only racist, but it also obscures the systemic problem of men’s violence against women (within homes, which is the most dangerous place for women).
“The majority of child sexual abuse gangs are made up of white men under the age of 30 … there was not enough evidence to conclude that child sexual abuse gangs were disproportionately made up of Asian offenders.”
Sexual violence isn’t a “migration issue” — it’s a systemic issue across communities.
Sexual violence isn’t a “migration issue” — it’s a systemic issue across communities.
Most child sexual abuse gangs made up of white men, Home Office report says
Study of England, Scotland and Wales dispels myth of ‘Asian grooming gangs’ popularised by far right
www.theguardian.com
January 14, 2025 at 10:35 AM
The largest number of perpetrators of sexual violence in the UK are white men. Any attempt to place blame squarely on racialised groups is not only racist, but it also obscures the systemic problem of men’s violence against women (within homes, which is the most dangerous place for women).
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Today is an object lesson in the radicalisation of the British right-wing press. Britain is being disparaged and insulted by a foreign far-right conspiracy theorist. But the Mail, the Express, the Telegraph and even the Times choose focus their criticisism on the British prime minister instead.
January 7, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Today is an object lesson in the radicalisation of the British right-wing press. Britain is being disparaged and insulted by a foreign far-right conspiracy theorist. But the Mail, the Express, the Telegraph and even the Times choose focus their criticisism on the British prime minister instead.
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In case you didn't know, librarians are educated professionals with a master's degree and don't just willy nilly buy any old books for their libraries.
December 8, 2024 at 12:36 AM
In case you didn't know, librarians are educated professionals with a master's degree and don't just willy nilly buy any old books for their libraries.
Private healthcare is lobbying Wes Streeting to sign a new PFI deal with them. Time is running out to ask Wes Streeting to say NO. Please add your name to this petition now. #NoNewPFI
weownit.org.uk/act-now/tell...
weownit.org.uk/act-now/tell...
Tell Wes Streeting - NO new PFI in our NHS!
weownit.org.uk
December 7, 2024 at 10:31 AM
Private healthcare is lobbying Wes Streeting to sign a new PFI deal with them. Time is running out to ask Wes Streeting to say NO. Please add your name to this petition now. #NoNewPFI
weownit.org.uk/act-now/tell...
weownit.org.uk/act-now/tell...
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That's quite the twitter note
December 2, 2024 at 8:31 AM
That's quite the twitter note
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What? Christ man, decency has gone, a dictator is entering office and you’re worried about someone pardoning his son, who is essentially nobody.
Trump is about to pardon the Jan 6 “rioters” ffs. He pardoned people who leaked CIA information in his last presidency…
Trump is about to pardon the Jan 6 “rioters” ffs. He pardoned people who leaked CIA information in his last presidency…
December 2, 2024 at 8:20 AM
What? Christ man, decency has gone, a dictator is entering office and you’re worried about someone pardoning his son, who is essentially nobody.
Trump is about to pardon the Jan 6 “rioters” ffs. He pardoned people who leaked CIA information in his last presidency…
Trump is about to pardon the Jan 6 “rioters” ffs. He pardoned people who leaked CIA information in his last presidency…
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What you can glean from the farmy furore right now is that rich landowners really dont want to be tax and they would rather that burden fell on your shoulders in the form of slashed public services, and they detest tax so much they dont even want to pay it at a lower level after they're fucking dead
November 20, 2024 at 12:57 PM
What you can glean from the farmy furore right now is that rich landowners really dont want to be tax and they would rather that burden fell on your shoulders in the form of slashed public services, and they detest tax so much they dont even want to pay it at a lower level after they're fucking dead
Helping while I shampooed the sofa🥰
November 16, 2024 at 6:48 PM
Helping while I shampooed the sofa🥰
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But twitter isn't and wasn't real life either. You're describing a social media problem, not a bluesky problem.
November 16, 2024 at 4:23 PM
But twitter isn't and wasn't real life either. You're describing a social media problem, not a bluesky problem.
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Trump is like Putin. Both see value in disrupting other countries by putting governments on the back foot.
What better way than to sucker Britain into distancing ourselves from the EU, then slow-walk a trade deal that never quite takes shape?
Meanwhile, Labour will be doomed.
What better way than to sucker Britain into distancing ourselves from the EU, then slow-walk a trade deal that never quite takes shape?
Meanwhile, Labour will be doomed.
November 16, 2024 at 10:01 AM
Trump is like Putin. Both see value in disrupting other countries by putting governments on the back foot.
What better way than to sucker Britain into distancing ourselves from the EU, then slow-walk a trade deal that never quite takes shape?
Meanwhile, Labour will be doomed.
What better way than to sucker Britain into distancing ourselves from the EU, then slow-walk a trade deal that never quite takes shape?
Meanwhile, Labour will be doomed.
Any chance of starter packs of fake accounts we can block en masse, you clever people?
November 16, 2024 at 10:25 AM
Any chance of starter packs of fake accounts we can block en masse, you clever people?
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🔥 And now closing in on 30,000!
Amazing. Please follow. 👇
Amazing. Please follow. 👇
We're just 700 short of the magic 20,000 and at the rate we are growing on BlueSky that could be tomorrow.
Please spread the word about our unique brand of citizen journalism here on BlueSky.
Please spread the word about our unique brand of citizen journalism here on BlueSky.
November 15, 2024 at 9:09 PM
🔥 And now closing in on 30,000!
Amazing. Please follow. 👇
Amazing. Please follow. 👇
Anyone else having a problem deactivating their X account? All today when I hit the Deactivate button I have been getting the response that there is an error and try again later.
November 15, 2024 at 7:41 PM
Anyone else having a problem deactivating their X account? All today when I hit the Deactivate button I have been getting the response that there is an error and try again later.
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I mean, I rather wouldn't with them not being Maori, but I *would* happily imagine the Lib Dems bursting out in Morris dancing with the bells and sticks.
November 14, 2024 at 4:40 PM
I mean, I rather wouldn't with them not being Maori, but I *would* happily imagine the Lib Dems bursting out in Morris dancing with the bells and sticks.