Colette Austin
@coletteaustin.bsky.social
Brexile in Italy 🇮🇹 🇪🇺. Ex-lawyer, serial student of International Relations, Politics (BA; LLB, LLM; MSt Cantab), focus on nuclear strategy, EU Security.
Student of web design, garden design. Foodie.
Men/bots who only follow women will be blocked.
Student of web design, garden design. Foodie.
Men/bots who only follow women will be blocked.
Pinned
Colette Austin
@coletteaustin.bsky.social
· Mar 26
The sooner Europe rearms to the teeth, the sooner we can all tell Trumpland to fuck right off.
Reposted by Colette Austin
International law won't constrain Trump's thirst for oil. But every solar panel that goes up makes crude reserves that much less valuable
billmckibben.substack.com/p/just-possi...
billmckibben.substack.com/p/just-possi...
Just possibly it's the oil?
A solar panel is the new peace sign
billmckibben.substack.com
January 3, 2026 at 4:11 PM
International law won't constrain Trump's thirst for oil. But every solar panel that goes up makes crude reserves that much less valuable
billmckibben.substack.com/p/just-possi...
billmckibben.substack.com/p/just-possi...
Reposted by Colette Austin
BREAKING: A Russian newspaper today — “America no longer sees our country as a threat… The US leader’s philosophy is closer to the values of Russia’s president, not the politicians of the Old World… he sees Europe as a liberal stronghold that must be destroyed…”
Read that again.
Read that again.
December 29, 2025 at 8:10 PM
BREAKING: A Russian newspaper today — “America no longer sees our country as a threat… The US leader’s philosophy is closer to the values of Russia’s president, not the politicians of the Old World… he sees Europe as a liberal stronghold that must be destroyed…”
Read that again.
Read that again.
Reposted by Colette Austin
Reposted by Colette Austin
There won’t be $5B of US arms “aid” to Ukraine next year, as Rutte suggests here. The 2026 US defense budget mentions an amount of $400 MILLION. The 5 BILLION Rutte mentioned refers to US arms SALES to other NATO countries, who will then pass the goodies on to Ukraine. That’s BUSINESS, not aid.
The United States will not stop supporting Ukraine, remains a committed ally of Europe, and has a clear interest in staying in NATO, Secretary General Mark Rutte said.
Rutte: U.S. won’t leave Ukraine behind, $5B in arms aid planned this year
The United States will not stop supporting Ukraine, remains
a committed ally of Europe, and has a clear interest in staying in NATO, Secretary
General Mark Rutte said in an interview with Germany’s Bi...
english.nv.ua
December 22, 2025 at 10:28 AM
There won’t be $5B of US arms “aid” to Ukraine next year, as Rutte suggests here. The 2026 US defense budget mentions an amount of $400 MILLION. The 5 BILLION Rutte mentioned refers to US arms SALES to other NATO countries, who will then pass the goodies on to Ukraine. That’s BUSINESS, not aid.
Reposted by Colette Austin
Hoarding money - much like regular hoarding - should be treated as a mental illness.
December 19, 2025 at 11:55 PM
Hoarding money - much like regular hoarding - should be treated as a mental illness.
Reposted by Colette Austin
Not sure which is more mortifying, the dog bringing your dirty panties to the repairman or the repairman balling them up and throwing them for her.
December 19, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Not sure which is more mortifying, the dog bringing your dirty panties to the repairman or the repairman balling them up and throwing them for her.
Reposted by Colette Austin
Come on, ‘The Mancunian Candidate’ was right there.
Andy Burnham, the man who would be king
The Greater Manchester mayor has made no secret of his Labour leadership ambitions, but faces significant obstacles
www.theguardian.com
December 19, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Come on, ‘The Mancunian Candidate’ was right there.
Reposted by Colette Austin
I'm glad Keir Starmer has listened to our calls for this inquiry following the Reform Russian bribery scandal.
Nigel Farage should be the first to give evidence.
Nigel Farage should be the first to give evidence.
🚨 BREAKING: Keir Starmer has launched a formal investigation into foreign election interference
It comes after former Reform UK Welsh Leader Nathan Gill was sentenced to over 10 years in prison last month for making pro-Russia statements for bribes
It comes after former Reform UK Welsh Leader Nathan Gill was sentenced to over 10 years in prison last month for making pro-Russia statements for bribes
December 16, 2025 at 2:17 PM
I'm glad Keir Starmer has listened to our calls for this inquiry following the Reform Russian bribery scandal.
Nigel Farage should be the first to give evidence.
Nigel Farage should be the first to give evidence.
Reposted by Colette Austin
Sounds about right.
December 15, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Sounds about right.
Reposted by Colette Austin
Interesting thread, especially this observation
Now with the same productivity as the US, “core EU” also has more leisure time, higher life expectancy, less inequality
No matter how you look at it, it is a clearly superior economic performance
No matter how you look at it, it is a clearly superior economic performance
December 13, 2025 at 7:44 AM
Interesting thread, especially this observation
Reposted by Colette Austin
On December 11, Ukraine launched its largest-scale and most ambitious drone operation of the entire Russo-Ukrainian War, striking five Russian oil refineries, four airfields, and a Lukoil offshore rig in the Caspian Sea
www.kyivpost.com/post/66050
www.kyivpost.com/post/66050
Ukraine Launches War’s Most Massive Drone-Missile Strikes, Russian Energy Targeted
Five Russian oil refineries set ablaze, four airfield strikes, a Lukoil offshore rig ablaze in the Caspian Sea – all in one night – noisily contradicted Trump’s claim that “Ukraine has no cards.”
www.kyivpost.com
December 11, 2025 at 2:54 PM
On December 11, Ukraine launched its largest-scale and most ambitious drone operation of the entire Russo-Ukrainian War, striking five Russian oil refineries, four airfields, and a Lukoil offshore rig in the Caspian Sea
www.kyivpost.com/post/66050
www.kyivpost.com/post/66050
Reposted by Colette Austin
Richest 1/1000th of world’s population controls 3 times more wealth than the poorest 50%. "The global wealth gap has become so staggering, and its impact on economies & democratic institutions so corrosive, that policymakers should treat it as an emergency..." www.commondreams.org/news/world-i...
Richest 0.001% Now Own Three Times More Wealth Than Poorest Half of Humanity Combined | Common Dreams
A landmark report on global inequality shows that
the chasm between the richest slice of humanity and everyone else
continued to expand this year
www.commondreams.org
December 11, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Richest 1/1000th of world’s population controls 3 times more wealth than the poorest 50%. "The global wealth gap has become so staggering, and its impact on economies & democratic institutions so corrosive, that policymakers should treat it as an emergency..." www.commondreams.org/news/world-i...
Reposted by Colette Austin
This’ll be part of their staunch defence of free-speech I assume.
December 10, 2025 at 1:04 PM
This’ll be part of their staunch defence of free-speech I assume.
Reposted by Colette Austin
Reposted by Colette Austin
Europe, and Ukraine, need to quickly prepare for a future without the United States. Even after Trump is gone, the US electorate has proved that it is willing to empower dangerous, anti-democratic forces at any given time. The US should never be trusted again. And I say that as an American.
December 9, 2025 at 12:44 AM
Europe, and Ukraine, need to quickly prepare for a future without the United States. Even after Trump is gone, the US electorate has proved that it is willing to empower dangerous, anti-democratic forces at any given time. The US should never be trusted again. And I say that as an American.
Reposted by Colette Austin
This got past the Telegraph's editor.
Morning.
Morning.
December 9, 2025 at 5:20 AM
This got past the Telegraph's editor.
Morning.
Morning.
Reposted by Colette Austin
UK public has paid £200bn to shareholders of key industries since privatisation.
In public ownership that would have gone into infrastructure, lower bills.
Privatisation delivered low investment, high bills, no tax on dividends to foreign investors.
No end to nightmare without public ownership.
In public ownership that would have gone into infrastructure, lower bills.
Privatisation delivered low investment, high bills, no tax on dividends to foreign investors.
No end to nightmare without public ownership.
UK public has paid £200bn to shareholders of key industries since privatisation
Analysis reveals ‘privatisation premium’ of £250 per household per year paid to owners of water, rail, bus, energy and mail services since 2010
www.theguardian.com
December 8, 2025 at 7:53 AM
UK public has paid £200bn to shareholders of key industries since privatisation.
In public ownership that would have gone into infrastructure, lower bills.
Privatisation delivered low investment, high bills, no tax on dividends to foreign investors.
No end to nightmare without public ownership.
In public ownership that would have gone into infrastructure, lower bills.
Privatisation delivered low investment, high bills, no tax on dividends to foreign investors.
No end to nightmare without public ownership.
Reposted by Colette Austin
America's NatSec strategy is an expression of weakness, borne out in its record, 0 from 3, of trying to force a pro-Russian surrender on Ukraine. It has been Europe's strength that prevented this. Much remains to be done, but we should avoid the counsel of despair.
open.substack.com/pub/arthursn...
open.substack.com/pub/arthursn...
America's Weakness, Europe's Strength
The 'new' national security strategy is the admission of defeat from a declining country
open.substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 11:37 AM
America's NatSec strategy is an expression of weakness, borne out in its record, 0 from 3, of trying to force a pro-Russian surrender on Ukraine. It has been Europe's strength that prevented this. Much remains to be done, but we should avoid the counsel of despair.
open.substack.com/pub/arthursn...
open.substack.com/pub/arthursn...
Reposted by Colette Austin
Reposted by Colette Austin
The calls from America this weekend to "abolish the EU" are for one simple reason: the EU is the only thing that can keep European nation-states from becoming Russian or American vassals.
The US has declared rhetorical war on the EU
The calls from America this weekend to destroy the EU are revealing. They hate the union because it's the only thing that can keep European countries from being Russian or American vassals.
davekeating.substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 8:05 AM
The calls from America this weekend to "abolish the EU" are for one simple reason: the EU is the only thing that can keep European nation-states from becoming Russian or American vassals.
Reposted by Colette Austin
'ICC prosecutor says Putin warrant won’t disappear even if Ukraine peace talks are successful' apnews.com/article/icc-...
December 6, 2025 at 8:21 PM
'ICC prosecutor says Putin warrant won’t disappear even if Ukraine peace talks are successful' apnews.com/article/icc-...
Reposted by Colette Austin
I run every day for 15 minutes and if I miss a day I add 15 minutes to the next day.
This has truly been a game changer in my life.
Tomorrow I’m supposed to run for three months…
This has truly been a game changer in my life.
Tomorrow I’m supposed to run for three months…
December 5, 2025 at 9:42 PM
I run every day for 15 minutes and if I miss a day I add 15 minutes to the next day.
This has truly been a game changer in my life.
Tomorrow I’m supposed to run for three months…
This has truly been a game changer in my life.
Tomorrow I’m supposed to run for three months…
Reposted by Colette Austin
I live in Wales and today received my Join Us letter from Reform UK, complete with SAE which I posted back to them, immediately, empty. If every other person in Wales did this, Reform would spend over £1.5 million on postage. Not sorry. Join me Cymru.
December 6, 2025 at 7:20 PM
I live in Wales and today received my Join Us letter from Reform UK, complete with SAE which I posted back to them, immediately, empty. If every other person in Wales did this, Reform would spend over £1.5 million on postage. Not sorry. Join me Cymru.
Reposted by Colette Austin
🔴 Nigel Farage’s Reform is more reliant on super-rich backers than any major party in modern British political history
75% of *all* Reform donations *ever* have come from just three rich men
Is this what democracy looks like?
New on Democracy for Sale
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/75-of-refo...
75% of *all* Reform donations *ever* have come from just three rich men
Is this what democracy looks like?
New on Democracy for Sale
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/75-of-refo...
75% of Reform UK’s donations have come from just three rich men
Calls grow for donation caps as Democracy for Sale research reveals that three-quarters of Reform’s funding comes from a trio of wealthy donors
democracyforsale.substack.com
December 5, 2025 at 10:55 AM
🔴 Nigel Farage’s Reform is more reliant on super-rich backers than any major party in modern British political history
75% of *all* Reform donations *ever* have come from just three rich men
Is this what democracy looks like?
New on Democracy for Sale
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/75-of-refo...
75% of *all* Reform donations *ever* have come from just three rich men
Is this what democracy looks like?
New on Democracy for Sale
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/75-of-refo...
Reposted by Colette Austin
The Nobel Prize committee should announce the World Cup winner tomorrow
December 6, 2025 at 4:29 AM
The Nobel Prize committee should announce the World Cup winner tomorrow