David Warnes
@davidjwarnes.bsky.social
Retired priest (Scottish Episcopal Church) & former History teacher. Author (Russia:a modern history, UTP 1984 & Chronicle of the Russian Tsars, Thames & Hudson 1999). Carer.
Reposted by David Warnes
You breed contempt Mr. President, and that’s the second put-down to veterans in as many days, and to those who fought and died in Afghanistan to support you, the US
Trump on NATO: "I've always said, will they be there if we ever needed them? That's really the ultimate test. I'm not sure of that. We've never needed them. They'll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan and this or that. And they did. They stayed a little back, off the front lines."
January 22, 2026 at 3:09 PM
You breed contempt Mr. President, and that’s the second put-down to veterans in as many days, and to those who fought and died in Afghanistan to support you, the US
I thought @stephenjenkinson.bsky.social that @edinburghcouncil.bsky.social recommends that pavements should be 2m wide. A loading bay for the new hotel on the west side of Devon Place seems to be allowing a pavement that won't comply. If I'm right, why? I ask as the husband of a wheelchair user.
January 22, 2026 at 12:05 PM
I thought @stephenjenkinson.bsky.social that @edinburghcouncil.bsky.social recommends that pavements should be 2m wide. A loading bay for the new hotel on the west side of Devon Place seems to be allowing a pavement that won't comply. If I'm right, why? I ask as the husband of a wheelchair user.
Reposted by David Warnes
Found the Reggie Perrin clip including the line:
‘why do you think Windsor Castle is ringed by Chinese restaurants’
‘why do you think Windsor Castle is ringed by Chinese restaurants’
fall rise reggie perrin classic scene
YouTube video by VHS Gold
www.youtube.com
January 21, 2026 at 8:33 PM
Found the Reggie Perrin clip including the line:
‘why do you think Windsor Castle is ringed by Chinese restaurants’
‘why do you think Windsor Castle is ringed by Chinese restaurants’
“Famous families should try resolving their disputes in private” urges the third leader in The Times, which has offered extensive coverage of the Beckhams of the kind one would expect from a tabloid.
January 22, 2026 at 8:48 AM
“Famous families should try resolving their disputes in private” urges the third leader in The Times, which has offered extensive coverage of the Beckhams of the kind one would expect from a tabloid.
For reasons known only to himself, Mark Rutte called him Daddy. Rutte is in the audience listening to this tosh. I hope he feels thoroughly ashamed.
Who called him daddy? What is he babbling about? Why is he talking about Iceland? Am I taking crazy pills?
January 21, 2026 at 2:39 PM
For reasons known only to himself, Mark Rutte called him Daddy. Rutte is in the audience listening to this tosh. I hope he feels thoroughly ashamed.
Reposted by David Warnes
It's happening Jim.
January 21, 2026 at 2:22 PM
It's happening Jim.
“There are windmills all over Europe. There are windmills all over the place and they are losers.” Trump being Quixotic at Davos.
January 21, 2026 at 2:04 PM
“There are windmills all over Europe. There are windmills all over the place and they are losers.” Trump being Quixotic at Davos.
Something we needed like a hole in the head.
January 21, 2026 at 1:54 PM
Something we needed like a hole in the head.
Reposted by David Warnes
“Greenland is to Trump as Ukraine is to Putin”
“The crisis is not impending, it is here”
Fiona Hill at our event this evening
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/trump-...
“The crisis is not impending, it is here”
Fiona Hill at our event this evening
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/trump-...
What does Trump mean for relations between the UK and Europe, and the rest of the world? | Institute for Government
Sir Simon Fraser, Fiona Hill and Anand Menon join us to discuss the impact of Trump's presidency on the UK and Europe
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
January 20, 2026 at 6:40 PM
“Greenland is to Trump as Ukraine is to Putin”
“The crisis is not impending, it is here”
Fiona Hill at our event this evening
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/trump-...
“The crisis is not impending, it is here”
Fiona Hill at our event this evening
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/trump-...
Not a prophetic insight as it turns out.
January 20, 2026 at 9:18 AM
Not a prophetic insight as it turns out.
This hasn’t aged well. Will Farage now be so keen to have a photo opp with Trump at Davos?
January 18, 2026 at 4:42 PM
This hasn’t aged well. Will Farage now be so keen to have a photo opp with Trump at Davos?
Reposted by David Warnes
If you listen very carefully, you can hear Charles de Gaulle screaming I BLOODY TOLD YOU SO from some rural French cemetery.
January 17, 2026 at 5:59 PM
If you listen very carefully, you can hear Charles de Gaulle screaming I BLOODY TOLD YOU SO from some rural French cemetery.
www.theguardian.com/world/live/2... Come on Starmer. It’s time for that Love Actually speech.
Donald Trump says eight European countries face 10% tariff for opposing US control of Greenland – Europe live
Denmark, Norway, Sweden, the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland will face tariffs from 1 February
www.theguardian.com
January 17, 2026 at 5:13 PM
www.theguardian.com/world/live/2... Come on Starmer. It’s time for that Love Actually speech.
How about a statute making a bye-election mandatory if a sitting MP changes party allegiance between General Elections?
January 16, 2026 at 8:15 PM
How about a statute making a bye-election mandatory if a sitting MP changes party allegiance between General Elections?
One of several seen in Roseburn Park just now.
January 14, 2026 at 11:24 AM
One of several seen in Roseburn Park just now.
I don’t think that His Majesty the King should visit the USA unless its President desists from laying claim to Greenland.
January 10, 2026 at 8:41 AM
I don’t think that His Majesty the King should visit the USA unless its President desists from laying claim to Greenland.
Warmly recommended. We are the fortunate owners of several works by this talented artist.
Edinburgh followers, here's something for your diaries. It would be great if you called in. January 23rd, 24th, 25th. #Edinburgh
January 9, 2026 at 11:03 AM
Warmly recommended. We are the fortunate owners of several works by this talented artist.
Reposted by David Warnes
I call on my party and my government to remove themselves entirely from X and communicate with the public where they actually participate online and can be protected from such illegality.
January 8, 2026 at 12:31 PM
I call on my party and my government to remove themselves entirely from X and communicate with the public where they actually participate online and can be protected from such illegality.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre... Perceptive piece by Behr. “Keir Starmer’s verbal constipation on camera” is a telling phrase.
Is Starmer’s reluctance to criticise Trump smart tactics – or the sign of a man without a plan? | Rafael Behr
The PM won’t call out Trump over Venezuela, and won’t commit to Europe. His refusal to choose leaves vital choices for Britain to be made by others, says Guardian columnist Rafael Behr
www.theguardian.com
January 7, 2026 at 8:58 AM
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre... Perceptive piece by Behr. “Keir Starmer’s verbal constipation on camera” is a telling phrase.
A Christmas card was delivered today by Royal Mail. Impossible to read the postmark so I don’t know when it was posted. The envelope had a first class stamp.
January 6, 2026 at 2:01 PM
A Christmas card was delivered today by Royal Mail. Impossible to read the postmark so I don’t know when it was posted. The envelope had a first class stamp.
Dear cyclists. My gripe is with the City Council not with you. This is an example of what passes for pavement in West Edinburgh. It’s just across the road from an excellent cycle path.
January 5, 2026 at 7:05 PM
Dear cyclists. My gripe is with the City Council not with you. This is an example of what passes for pavement in West Edinburgh. It’s just across the road from an excellent cycle path.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Whereas regarding Venezuela…?
Whereas regarding Venezuela…?
Only Greenland should decide its future, Starmer says
It comes after President Trump again said "we need Greenland from the standpoint of national security".
www.bbc.com
January 5, 2026 at 1:44 PM
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Whereas regarding Venezuela…?
Whereas regarding Venezuela…?
Reposted by David Warnes
Spineless, hopeless. (It was Mike Tapp, but can’t imagine the PM doing different).
January 5, 2026 at 8:50 AM
Spineless, hopeless. (It was Mike Tapp, but can’t imagine the PM doing different).
Reposted by David Warnes
I see Lake Valdai is in the news or rather fake news. It’s lovely, as I discovered 25 years ago.
December 30, 2025 at 10:52 AM
I see Lake Valdai is in the news or rather fake news. It’s lovely, as I discovered 25 years ago.