Mad
Budget exposes Labour to charges of being ‘high tax, high welfare’ party on.ft.com/489KZDK
Budget exposes Labour to charges of being ‘high tax, high welfare’ party
For now Rachel Reeves appears to have reassured many fractious backbench MPs
on.ft.com
November 26, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Mad
Reposted by Francis Harris
For a decade, Russia has been seeking to divide Europe and America, to undermine NATO and weaken the transatlantic alliance. This peace plan, if accepted, will achieve that goal.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
The Murky Plan That Ensures a Future War
Who will benefit from the White House’s 28-point proposal for Ukraine?
www.theatlantic.com
November 22, 2025 at 10:05 PM
For a decade, Russia has been seeking to divide Europe and America, to undermine NATO and weaken the transatlantic alliance. This peace plan, if accepted, will achieve that goal.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Reposted by Francis Harris
I support the Priess Plan.
I already have a counterproposal:
Russia pulls forces/proxies out of Ukraine—all of it—and removes offensive weapons from regions bordering Ukraine.
Pays for all war damage—and reconstruction.
All Russians engaged in war crimes stand trial.
And Ukraine can join any alliance it damn well pleases.
Russia pulls forces/proxies out of Ukraine—all of it—and removes offensive weapons from regions bordering Ukraine.
Pays for all war damage—and reconstruction.
All Russians engaged in war crimes stand trial.
And Ukraine can join any alliance it damn well pleases.
November 21, 2025 at 10:05 PM
I support the Priess Plan.
Reposted by Francis Harris
The full 28-point U.S. peace plan for Ukraine, reportedly backed by Trump, has been published by MP Honcharenko. This thread outlines the key points. What’s clear is that the so-called Witkoff plan heavily favors Russia while offering little to nothing for Ukraine.
1/9
1/9
November 20, 2025 at 9:11 PM
The full 28-point U.S. peace plan for Ukraine, reportedly backed by Trump, has been published by MP Honcharenko. This thread outlines the key points. What’s clear is that the so-called Witkoff plan heavily favors Russia while offering little to nothing for Ukraine.
1/9
1/9
Austria’s enthusiasm to kill Ukrainians and prop up the Russian financial system is impressive
Perhaps it’s all that neutrality
Perhaps it’s all that neutrality
Despite Austria’s declared neutrality and its refusal to send weapons to Kyiv, the country’s Swarovski Optik has continued supplying high-end rifle scopes to Russia throughout the full-scale war.
meduza.io/en/feature/2...
meduza.io/en/feature/2...
How Swarovski Optik is still sending sniper scopes to Russia, despite Austria’s policy of ‘permanent neutrality’ — Meduza
Despite Austria’s declared neutrality and its refusal to send weapons to Kyiv, the country’s Swarovski Optik has continued supplying high-end rifle scopes to Russia throughout the full-scale war,…
meduza.io
November 20, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Austria’s enthusiasm to kill Ukrainians and prop up the Russian financial system is impressive
Perhaps it’s all that neutrality
Perhaps it’s all that neutrality
Better than Mull of Kintyre
Paul McCartney is releasing a track of an almost completely silent recording studio as part of a music industry protest against copyright theft by artificial intelligence companies.
www.theguardian.com/music/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/music/2025/n...
Paul McCartney joins music industry protest against AI with silent track
Former Beatle and artists including Sam Fender, Kate Bush and Hans Zimmer record silent LP Is This What We Want
www.theguardian.com
November 19, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Better than Mull of Kintyre
Reposted by Francis Harris
Worth keeping an eye on this story. It’s early days but I can see the “I Support Palestine Action” crowd looking a bit silly soon. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
'Palestine Action activist struck officer with sledgehammer', court hears
Six Elbit Systems protesters caused
www.bbc.co.uk
November 18, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Worth keeping an eye on this story. It’s early days but I can see the “I Support Palestine Action” crowd looking a bit silly soon. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
The US administration has said passports must now reflect the numbers of legs attached to the waist
This ends the decades old practice of all US administrations to allow citizens the choice of leg numbers on their official documents
Quadrupeds say their lives will be impossible
This ends the decades old practice of all US administrations to allow citizens the choice of leg numbers on their official documents
Quadrupeds say their lives will be impossible
The Trump administration has said that the U.S. passports of transgender people must now reflect the sex on their original birth certificate, reversing a decades-old practice under both Democratic and Republican administrations of allowing Americans to change the “F” and “M” markers.
New Passport Rule Sends Blunt and Sweeping Message to Trans Americans
The Trump administration has said that the U.S. passports of transgender people must now reflect the sex on their original birth certificate, reversing a decades-old policy.
nyti.ms
November 17, 2025 at 9:29 PM
The US administration has said passports must now reflect the numbers of legs attached to the waist
This ends the decades old practice of all US administrations to allow citizens the choice of leg numbers on their official documents
Quadrupeds say their lives will be impossible
This ends the decades old practice of all US administrations to allow citizens the choice of leg numbers on their official documents
Quadrupeds say their lives will be impossible
Reposted by Francis Harris
If they don't call this the Quorn Laws then the country truly is gone.
November 16, 2025 at 3:46 PM
If they don't call this the Quorn Laws then the country truly is gone.
Reposted by Francis Harris
Sex Matters letter to BBC's board 👇
5 CALLS:
Root out oppressive influence of transgender ideology in the BBC
Replace gender ideology activist language
Stop output normalising trans ideology
ensure all BBC journalists can fearlessly tell the unvarnished truth.
Retrain staff
#TimeToAct
5 CALLS:
Root out oppressive influence of transgender ideology in the BBC
Replace gender ideology activist language
Stop output normalising trans ideology
ensure all BBC journalists can fearlessly tell the unvarnished truth.
Retrain staff
#TimeToAct
November 11, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Sex Matters letter to BBC's board 👇
5 CALLS:
Root out oppressive influence of transgender ideology in the BBC
Replace gender ideology activist language
Stop output normalising trans ideology
ensure all BBC journalists can fearlessly tell the unvarnished truth.
Retrain staff
#TimeToAct
5 CALLS:
Root out oppressive influence of transgender ideology in the BBC
Replace gender ideology activist language
Stop output normalising trans ideology
ensure all BBC journalists can fearlessly tell the unvarnished truth.
Retrain staff
#TimeToAct
Germans are waking up
I wish Britain would do likewise
I wish Britain would do likewise
The Zeiten, they are wending.
61% of Germans say their country invested too little in its military capabilities.
66% say we relied too much on the US for our security.
61% of Germans say their country invested too little in its military capabilities.
66% say we relied too much on the US for our security.
November 11, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Germans are waking up
I wish Britain would do likewise
I wish Britain would do likewise
Reposted by Francis Harris
Today one Russian paper suggests the US midterms “could undermine Donald Trump’s power & hurt Russia.” Other papers focus on Russia’s economic problems: “Zero growth in the 4th quarter…a gradual increase in crisis phenomena in manufacturing.” #ReadingRussia
Russian paper suggests the US midterm elections could "hurt Russia"
YouTube video by Steve Rosenberg
youtu.be
November 11, 2025 at 8:19 AM
Today one Russian paper suggests the US midterms “could undermine Donald Trump’s power & hurt Russia.” Other papers focus on Russia’s economic problems: “Zero growth in the 4th quarter…a gradual increase in crisis phenomena in manufacturing.” #ReadingRussia
Reposted by Francis Harris
The UK Must Urgently Distance Itself From Elon Musk and Space X, Warns Parliamentary Report.
Musk has used thousands of replies and quote-tweets to massively boost the audiences of pro-Russian accounts on X.
He is working with Putin to destroy democracy.
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/04/t...
Musk has used thousands of replies and quote-tweets to massively boost the audiences of pro-Russian accounts on X.
He is working with Putin to destroy democracy.
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/04/t...
The UK Must Urgently Distance Itself From Elon Musk and Space X, Warns Parliamentary Report
The UK's infrastructure has become far too reliant on the far-right billionaire, who could 'politicise' our reliance upon his companies, the report warns
bylinetimes.com
November 4, 2025 at 10:48 AM
The UK Must Urgently Distance Itself From Elon Musk and Space X, Warns Parliamentary Report.
Musk has used thousands of replies and quote-tweets to massively boost the audiences of pro-Russian accounts on X.
He is working with Putin to destroy democracy.
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/04/t...
Musk has used thousands of replies and quote-tweets to massively boost the audiences of pro-Russian accounts on X.
He is working with Putin to destroy democracy.
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/04/t...
Reposted by Francis Harris
“All we were doing was bringing the music we like to a mass audience. We hope we’ll be home soon. It’s what we’re dreaming of most,” Stoptime vocalist Diana Loginova tells me. She & the other members of the band are still in jail after their street concerts. My report from St Petersburg.
How teenager gave street concert and was caught up in Russia's repressive past
Diana Loginova sang songs critical of the Kremlin. The 18-year-old and her bandmate are now in court.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 1, 2025 at 2:12 PM
“All we were doing was bringing the music we like to a mass audience. We hope we’ll be home soon. It’s what we’re dreaming of most,” Stoptime vocalist Diana Loginova tells me. She & the other members of the band are still in jail after their street concerts. My report from St Petersburg.
Reposted by Francis Harris
TAYLORS BUTTONS: This type of shop has all but disappeared from London.
Pls pls pls get behind the campaign to save this unique button shop. Details on screenshots of Gentle Author's post on Insta.
The crowdfunder link is: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/taylorsbut...
@sewingbee.bsky.social
Pls pls pls get behind the campaign to save this unique button shop. Details on screenshots of Gentle Author's post on Insta.
The crowdfunder link is: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/taylorsbut...
@sewingbee.bsky.social
October 31, 2025 at 9:11 AM
TAYLORS BUTTONS: This type of shop has all but disappeared from London.
Pls pls pls get behind the campaign to save this unique button shop. Details on screenshots of Gentle Author's post on Insta.
The crowdfunder link is: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/taylorsbut...
@sewingbee.bsky.social
Pls pls pls get behind the campaign to save this unique button shop. Details on screenshots of Gentle Author's post on Insta.
The crowdfunder link is: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/taylorsbut...
@sewingbee.bsky.social
Reposted by Francis Harris
Kyiv said farewell to journalist Alyona Gramova and cameraman Yevhen Karmazin, killed by a Russian drone strike in Kramatorsk.
🧵 1/6 ⬇️
🧵 1/6 ⬇️
October 27, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Kyiv said farewell to journalist Alyona Gramova and cameraman Yevhen Karmazin, killed by a Russian drone strike in Kramatorsk.
🧵 1/6 ⬇️
🧵 1/6 ⬇️
Reposted by Francis Harris
I agree with Joshua that this intervention is by the Human Rights Commissioner is spectacularly badly timed.
At a moment where two of the four largest political parties in the UK are advocating an exit from the Convention system, his criticisms seem tin eared.
At a moment where two of the four largest political parties in the UK are advocating an exit from the Convention system, his criticisms seem tin eared.
The Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner has intervened in a series of criminal prosecutions currently before the courts of England and Wales.
rozenberg.substack.com/p/policing-p...
rozenberg.substack.com/p/policing-p...
Policing protest prosecutions
Council of Europe human rights commissioner seeks to lay down the law
rozenberg.substack.com
October 15, 2025 at 6:40 AM
I agree with Joshua that this intervention is by the Human Rights Commissioner is spectacularly badly timed.
At a moment where two of the four largest political parties in the UK are advocating an exit from the Convention system, his criticisms seem tin eared.
At a moment where two of the four largest political parties in the UK are advocating an exit from the Convention system, his criticisms seem tin eared.
Reposted by Francis Harris
Reposted by Francis Harris
Beyond the Frontier: Unearthing the Secrets of Scotland’s Silver Hoard www.historyhit.com/beyond-the-f...
Beyond the Frontier: Unearthing the Secrets of Scotland’s Silver Hoard
In 1919, a discovery was made near Edinburgh that stunned the archaeological world: over 23 kilograms of ancient silver, one of the largest hoards of...
www.historyhit.com
October 9, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Beyond the Frontier: Unearthing the Secrets of Scotland’s Silver Hoard www.historyhit.com/beyond-the-f...
Reposted by Francis Harris
❗️🇷🇴Romania ready to defend 🇲🇩Moldova in case of 🇷🇺Russian attack - Romanian Army Commander-in-Chief Gheorghiță Vlad
“Romania remains a loyal ally of Moldova, we have a strategic partnership and we will definitely help the Republic of Moldova in case of attack”
“Romania remains a loyal ally of Moldova, we have a strategic partnership and we will definitely help the Republic of Moldova in case of attack”
October 10, 2025 at 10:32 AM
❗️🇷🇴Romania ready to defend 🇲🇩Moldova in case of 🇷🇺Russian attack - Romanian Army Commander-in-Chief Gheorghiță Vlad
“Romania remains a loyal ally of Moldova, we have a strategic partnership and we will definitely help the Republic of Moldova in case of attack”
“Romania remains a loyal ally of Moldova, we have a strategic partnership and we will definitely help the Republic of Moldova in case of attack”
Reposted by Francis Harris
"We used to ring up our GP and get an appointment on the same day," says Kemi Badenoch. She does not add: we're all looking for the guy who did this!
October 8, 2025 at 10:29 AM
"We used to ring up our GP and get an appointment on the same day," says Kemi Badenoch. She does not add: we're all looking for the guy who did this!
Reposted by Francis Harris
Reposted by Francis Harris
"I hear again and again that the Israelis – the Jews – had it coming. Knowing allusions to Jewish influence, Jewish power. Stereotypes of Jewish cruelty."
Written before today's attack on a Manchester synagogue. It's the kind of piece I never thought I'd write.
www.newstatesman.com/internationa...
Written before today's attack on a Manchester synagogue. It's the kind of piece I never thought I'd write.
www.newstatesman.com/internationa...
The 7 October attacks changed what it means to be Jewish in Britain
The war in Gaza has exposed a level of anti-Semitism I didn’t realise was there
www.newstatesman.com
October 2, 2025 at 12:42 PM
"I hear again and again that the Israelis – the Jews – had it coming. Knowing allusions to Jewish influence, Jewish power. Stereotypes of Jewish cruelty."
Written before today's attack on a Manchester synagogue. It's the kind of piece I never thought I'd write.
www.newstatesman.com/internationa...
Written before today's attack on a Manchester synagogue. It's the kind of piece I never thought I'd write.
www.newstatesman.com/internationa...