Bob Hudson | Lightnews

@bobhudson.bsky.social @bobhudson.bsky.social · 2h

Thoughtful and interesting piece here - especially the contrast between Mamdani and Starmer.

Samuel Earle @swajcmanearle.bsky.social · 20h

I have a piece in today's guardian, a dispatch from a moment of optimism on Jan 1, which now feels a lot longer ago than it did last night

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

At Zohran Mamdani’s block party, I observed a simple truth: people want more politics, not less | Samuel Earle

Years of scandal and disappointment have left a void in our politics. But New York’s new mayor offers an alternative to more apathy: hope, says author Samuel Earle

www.theguardian.com

@bobhudson.bsky.social @bobhudson.bsky.social · 3h

Five big challenges facing Labour in 2026 - good piece here by @zoegrunewald.bsky.social.
open.substack.com/pub/theleadu...

More energy, more passion: The five big tests for Labour in 2026

The government must think bigger and braver than they did in 2025.

open.substack.com

@bobhudson.bsky.social @bobhudson.bsky.social · 4h

Overthrowing a dictator to plunder a country’s oil is just wrong. What precedent does this set? What’s next? HM Government surely needs to say so in plain terms.

Samuel Earle @swajcmanearle.bsky.social · 20h

I have a piece in today's guardian, a dispatch from a moment of optimism on Jan 1, which now feels a lot longer ago than it did last night

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

At Zohran Mamdani’s block party, I observed a simple truth: people want more politics, not less | Samuel Earle

Years of scandal and disappointment have left a void in our politics. But New York’s new mayor offers an alternative to more apathy: hope, says author Samuel Earle

www.theguardian.com

@bobhudson.bsky.social @bobhudson.bsky.social · 1d

What George says👇

George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 1d

Whatever you might think of Maduro, the seizure and kidnapping of a head of state takes us to a very dark place. Vast, arbitrary, extra-legal power, which could be exercised almost anywhere, regardless of the character of the target government.

George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 1d

Whatever you might think of Maduro, the seizure and kidnapping of a head of state takes us to a very dark place. Vast, arbitrary, extra-legal power, which could be exercised almost anywhere, regardless of the character of the target government.

@bobhudson.bsky.social @bobhudson.bsky.social · 1d

Is America a dictatorship or a democracy with two legislatures? This dude parties for two weeks at his gilded home then just fancies invading another country? Wake up America - and wake up HM Government!!

@bobhudson.bsky.social @bobhudson.bsky.social · 1d

A few questions: Has our PM commented on this? And who is next? Greenland? What’s the plan now? Who wants a ‘special relationship’ with Trump? www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...

Venezuelan president Maduro captured and flown out of country following ‘large scale’ US attack, Trump says – live

US president says: ‘the United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela’

www.theguardian.com

@bobhudson.bsky.social @bobhudson.bsky.social · 1d

What is Trump’s rationale - other than a massive dead cat to distract from the Epstein files? x.com/bbcworld/sta...

BBC News (World) on X: "Multiple explosions rock Venezuelan capital Caracas https://t.co/QKaI3w0ty8" / X

Multiple explosions rock Venezuelan capital Caracas https://t.co/QKaI3w0ty8

x.com

@bobhudson.bsky.social @bobhudson.bsky.social · 1d

Well yes…but as usual the Express wants better public services and less taxation.

@bobhudson.bsky.social @bobhudson.bsky.social · 1d

The stupidity of Brexit will haunt us until it’s reversed.

@bobhudson.bsky.social @bobhudson.bsky.social · 1d

5m council houses were built between 1946 and 1981. Thatcher put an end to it and no government has restored it… www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/2573353...

North East housing lists top 44,000 as councils struggle with soaring demand

EMBARGO NOTE

www.thenorthernecho.co.uk

@bobhudson.bsky.social @bobhudson.bsky.social · 1d

Do people really want this? @kevmag.bsky.social identifies 10 Reform ideas that would be hugely unpopular… www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

10 Reform policies that would clobber Brits

Whether it's mass deportations, slashing hundreds of billions of spending, or tax cuts for the super-rich, Reform UK and Nigel Farage have set out their pitch to voters

www.mirror.co.uk

@bobhudson.bsky.social @bobhudson.bsky.social · 1d

10 reasons to have some optimism about the world in 2026…🤞
observer.co.uk/news/interna...

Ten reasons to be optimistic about the world in 2026

The challenges are many, but cheer up: Trump is on the ropes, gen Z are on the rise and whether or not football comes home, the World Cup looks set to bring us together

observer.co.uk

@bobhudson.bsky.social @bobhudson.bsky.social · 2d

My Sunderland v #MCFC. 8pm tonight in sub-zero temperatures. Thanks for nothing Mr Murdoch! #SAFC

@bobhudson.bsky.social @bobhudson.bsky.social · 2d

He would be prepared to work with Burnham but not Starmer? Polanski isn’t coming across as a serious politician… www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Greens’ Polanski prepared to work with Burnham but not Starmer ‘to stop Reform’

Green party leader says he could see potential for political partnership with Labour under Andy Burnham

www.theguardian.com

@bobhudson.bsky.social @bobhudson.bsky.social · 3d

Psychopath: A person with a severe personality disorder characterised by a profound lack of empathy. No NY greetings for Trump.

@bobhudson.bsky.social @bobhudson.bsky.social · 3d

Happy New Year from here in Durham City.

@bobhudson.bsky.social @bobhudson.bsky.social · 3d

Ofcom’s refusal to hold GB News to account is now simply embarrassing isn’t it? www.theguardian.com/media/2025/d...

Ofcom urged to investigate GB News Trump interview over inaccuracy claims

US president’s assertions climate change is ‘a hoax’ and London has police no-go areas left unchallenged, say critics

www.theguardian.com

@bobhudson.bsky.social @bobhudson.bsky.social · 3d

Even GB News is astonished at the advice being given to older people on keeping warm from the Reform council in Durham… www.gbnews.com/news/durham-...

Council tells elderly residents to wiggle their toes to stay warm as -8C cold snap looms

'Just wiggling your fingers and toes will help you keep warm,' older locals have been told

www.gbnews.com

@bobhudson.bsky.social @bobhudson.bsky.social · 3d

Fair point here by @joedromey.bsky.social. Voters are impatient with the complexity of policy-making and find simplistic proposals attractive… www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Zack Polanski offering voters fantasy solutions, says head of Fabian Society

Joe Dromey, head of the Labour thinktank, urges his party to take on the ‘twin populisms’ of Reform UK and the Greens

www.theguardian.com

@bobhudson.bsky.social @bobhudson.bsky.social · 4d

Meanwhile Trump and Netanyahu shower each other with praise…this is nauseating. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...

Israel to ban dozens of aid agencies from Gaza as 10 nations warn about suffering

Failure of groups including MSF and ActionAid to hand over staff details means they will not be able to operate in Gaza, say Israeli officials

www.theguardian.com

@bobhudson.bsky.social @bobhudson.bsky.social · 4d

These guest editor slots on #r4today tend to be deadly boring don’t they? It’s Theresa May’s turn today…

@bobhudson.bsky.social @bobhudson.bsky.social · 4d

Problems are magnified, achievements are ignored or minimised - our media injects malaise into the public mind on a daily basis.

@bobhudson.bsky.social @bobhudson.bsky.social · 4d

Political huckster who thrives on a message of despair tells us the country ‘has never been gloomier’.
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...

NIGEL FARAGE: Here's how Reform can give EVERY voter hope next year

As 2025 draws to a close, I can't remember the country ever being gloomier. People are getting poorer. Unemployment is rising.

www.dailymail.co.uk

@bobhudson.bsky.social @bobhudson.bsky.social · 4d

Does *anyone* really want to stick with this ridiculous Brexit?

@bobhudson.bsky.social @bobhudson.bsky.social · 5d

‘A significant proportion of Farage’s supporters believe being white is an important national characteristic’…do we really want to go down this path? www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...