Gareth Oakland 🇫🇷🏏🏉
@goakl.bsky.social
19th Century Vendéen memorials. Former PwC partner. Treasurer at the Society for the Study of French History. Trustee at Institute of Historical Research. Trustee at NHSRF. Active travel campaigner. Cricket, cycling, rugby à XV. France and England.
Pinned
Gareth Oakland 🇫🇷🏏🏉
@goakl.bsky.social
· Dec 30
My missus has a Times sub. Points out that they’ve led with “woke people get honours” today. A black man, a brown woman, a white man who wanted to recruit a diverse workforce, a woman who wants history to include all, women sports stars…
Outrage of course. How far that paper has fallen.
Outrage of course. How far that paper has fallen.
Reposted by Gareth Oakland 🇫🇷🏏🏉
slightly less well known than the Sam Vimes "Boots" Theory of Socioeconomic Unfairness is the Sam Vimes "Onions" Theory of Nutrition
February 12, 2026 at 7:20 PM
slightly less well known than the Sam Vimes "Boots" Theory of Socioeconomic Unfairness is the Sam Vimes "Onions" Theory of Nutrition
And to illustrate this. People in our town are moaning about the £508,000 it costs to implement a 20mph zone. The total Highways budget is £102,000,000 and the council will spend £1,200,000,000 in total.
People don’t understand £508k, £102m and £1.2bn.
People don’t understand £508k, £102m and £1.2bn.
February 12, 2026 at 5:40 PM
And to illustrate this. People in our town are moaning about the £508,000 it costs to implement a 20mph zone. The total Highways budget is £102,000,000 and the council will spend £1,200,000,000 in total.
People don’t understand £508k, £102m and £1.2bn.
People don’t understand £508k, £102m and £1.2bn.
I have very little time for Your Party people, but I admire her writing out all the zeros in this text. We should all do that.
And she’s correct about parasitic billionaires shutting their gobs too.
And she’s correct about parasitic billionaires shutting their gobs too.
February 12, 2026 at 5:31 PM
I have very little time for Your Party people, but I admire her writing out all the zeros in this text. We should all do that.
And she’s correct about parasitic billionaires shutting their gobs too.
And she’s correct about parasitic billionaires shutting their gobs too.
Reposted by Gareth Oakland 🇫🇷🏏🏉
Should be in prison for attempted murder. But, for some reason, the law considers it a lesser offence if you try to murder someone with a car rather than a knife or a gun
February 12, 2026 at 2:36 PM
Should be in prison for attempted murder. But, for some reason, the law considers it a lesser offence if you try to murder someone with a car rather than a knife or a gun
Reposted by Gareth Oakland 🇫🇷🏏🏉
Tesco makes nearly £4bn profit.
Nearly 50% of its workforce are on Universal Credit, receiving about £600m a year.
Why isn't Tesco paying?
Nearly 50% of its workforce are on Universal Credit, receiving about £600m a year.
Why isn't Tesco paying?
February 12, 2026 at 2:30 PM
Tesco makes nearly £4bn profit.
Nearly 50% of its workforce are on Universal Credit, receiving about £600m a year.
Why isn't Tesco paying?
Nearly 50% of its workforce are on Universal Credit, receiving about £600m a year.
Why isn't Tesco paying?
Reposted by Gareth Oakland 🇫🇷🏏🏉
Jim Radcliffe pissed me off, so I wrote this about the inconvenient truth of migration.
tl:dr - no, just fucking read it. Some basic mathematics - you know, COUNTING THINGS - might make you reconsider, you stupid twats.
(I'm not trying to make friends)
open.substack.com/pub/russinch...
tl:dr - no, just fucking read it. Some basic mathematics - you know, COUNTING THINGS - might make you reconsider, you stupid twats.
(I'm not trying to make friends)
open.substack.com/pub/russinch...
The Indisputable Maths of Migration
How Demography, Not Dinghies, Will Decide Britain’s Future
open.substack.com
February 12, 2026 at 8:24 AM
Jim Radcliffe pissed me off, so I wrote this about the inconvenient truth of migration.
tl:dr - no, just fucking read it. Some basic mathematics - you know, COUNTING THINGS - might make you reconsider, you stupid twats.
(I'm not trying to make friends)
open.substack.com/pub/russinch...
tl:dr - no, just fucking read it. Some basic mathematics - you know, COUNTING THINGS - might make you reconsider, you stupid twats.
(I'm not trying to make friends)
open.substack.com/pub/russinch...
Reposted by Gareth Oakland 🇫🇷🏏🏉
Well, well Big Jim....
How's the Old Trafford project going?
How's the Old Trafford project going?
February 12, 2026 at 8:33 AM
Well, well Big Jim....
How's the Old Trafford project going?
How's the Old Trafford project going?
Went down an AI hole after I read something about car parking space in the USA.
It told me that a little over 150,000 hectares of land is used for residential property in the UK.
And about 45,000 hectares is used to park cars.
22% of people don’t even own a car.
It told me that a little over 150,000 hectares of land is used for residential property in the UK.
And about 45,000 hectares is used to park cars.
22% of people don’t even own a car.
February 11, 2026 at 9:13 PM
Went down an AI hole after I read something about car parking space in the USA.
It told me that a little over 150,000 hectares of land is used for residential property in the UK.
And about 45,000 hectares is used to park cars.
22% of people don’t even own a car.
It told me that a little over 150,000 hectares of land is used for residential property in the UK.
And about 45,000 hectares is used to park cars.
22% of people don’t even own a car.
Make clowns wear a red nose.
February 11, 2026 at 8:55 PM
Make clowns wear a red nose.
Reposted by Gareth Oakland 🇫🇷🏏🏉
Scroll down for the suet crust part of the recipe. I used Atora from the English Fayre who travel around here.
thestoriedrecipe.com/individual-s...
thestoriedrecipe.com/individual-s...
(Individual) Steak and Kidney Pudding Recipe + Your Pudding Questions Answered!
An individual Steak and Kidney Pudding recipe from a British butcher. Plus! ALL your Steak & Kidney suet pudding questions answered!
thestoriedrecipe.com
February 11, 2026 at 5:49 PM
Scroll down for the suet crust part of the recipe. I used Atora from the English Fayre who travel around here.
thestoriedrecipe.com/individual-s...
thestoriedrecipe.com/individual-s...
And to celebrate. Some nice salami and pickles. And mature cheddar with the fig and ginger chutney from the French garden.
In front of the #cricket.
#Dailysandwich
In front of the #cricket.
#Dailysandwich
February 11, 2026 at 1:18 PM
And to celebrate. Some nice salami and pickles. And mature cheddar with the fig and ginger chutney from the French garden.
In front of the #cricket.
#Dailysandwich
In front of the #cricket.
#Dailysandwich
I know you’ve been waiting for updates on the W France floods.
Last year we dug ditches, put in pumps and drains to take the water away from the house. And the good news from my neighbour is that the ditches are full and the house is dry.
The local public swim pool is under a foot of river water.
Last year we dug ditches, put in pumps and drains to take the water away from the house. And the good news from my neighbour is that the ditches are full and the house is dry.
The local public swim pool is under a foot of river water.
February 11, 2026 at 1:05 PM
I know you’ve been waiting for updates on the W France floods.
Last year we dug ditches, put in pumps and drains to take the water away from the house. And the good news from my neighbour is that the ditches are full and the house is dry.
The local public swim pool is under a foot of river water.
Last year we dug ditches, put in pumps and drains to take the water away from the house. And the good news from my neighbour is that the ditches are full and the house is dry.
The local public swim pool is under a foot of river water.
Reposted by Gareth Oakland 🇫🇷🏏🏉
I’m so tired of this shit.
February 11, 2026 at 11:41 AM
I’m so tired of this shit.
Reposted by Gareth Oakland 🇫🇷🏏🏉
It’s the 247th anniversary of Admiral Augustus Keppel being acquitted at a court martial, the natural outcome of which obviously was... yes, that’s right: the Honourable Charles James Fox, Member of Parliament for Westminster, got shitfaced and smashed windows in the Admiralty 🧵
February 11, 2026 at 9:53 AM
It’s the 247th anniversary of Admiral Augustus Keppel being acquitted at a court martial, the natural outcome of which obviously was... yes, that’s right: the Honourable Charles James Fox, Member of Parliament for Westminster, got shitfaced and smashed windows in the Admiralty 🧵
Oh great.
Had already planned to be back there on Sunday for the mid winter check, now I’m going to have a few sleepless nights in between.
Had already planned to be back there on Sunday for the mid winter check, now I’m going to have a few sleepless nights in between.
February 10, 2026 at 8:25 PM
Oh great.
Had already planned to be back there on Sunday for the mid winter check, now I’m going to have a few sleepless nights in between.
Had already planned to be back there on Sunday for the mid winter check, now I’m going to have a few sleepless nights in between.
Doesn’t matter how many times I post about how brilliant the memorials to the Vendée Wars are, nobody ever invites me to speak at student events.
A free speech disgrace.
A free speech disgrace.
This is pretty menacing.
Sarah Pochin wrote to Bangor's university student run debating society requesting that she attend to "answer questions from students."
When they said "no" Reform rolled all it's tanks onto the lawns and said they'll cut funding to the entire university if they win.
Sarah Pochin wrote to Bangor's university student run debating society requesting that she attend to "answer questions from students."
When they said "no" Reform rolled all it's tanks onto the lawns and said they'll cut funding to the entire university if they win.
February 10, 2026 at 11:50 AM
Doesn’t matter how many times I post about how brilliant the memorials to the Vendée Wars are, nobody ever invites me to speak at student events.
A free speech disgrace.
A free speech disgrace.
Reposted by Gareth Oakland 🇫🇷🏏🏉
The definition of sustainable transport modes should not continue to include “ultra low emission vehicles”. Sustainability cannot be reduced to tailpipe emissions, as even electric cars have huge environmental and social consequences.
actionnetwork.org/letters/dema...
actionnetwork.org/letters/dema...
Demand better transport in new development!
Launched with a pledge to “go further than ever before” to meet housing targets, the Government is consulting on the biggest shake-up of planning rules since 2012. A few welcome words on transport, li...
actionnetwork.org
February 10, 2026 at 11:18 AM
The definition of sustainable transport modes should not continue to include “ultra low emission vehicles”. Sustainability cannot be reduced to tailpipe emissions, as even electric cars have huge environmental and social consequences.
actionnetwork.org/letters/dema...
actionnetwork.org/letters/dema...
Things that ARE beautiful, and…
February 10, 2026 at 11:31 AM
Things that ARE beautiful, and…
Reposted by Gareth Oakland 🇫🇷🏏🏉
Two grant schemes from the School of Advanced Study are now open for applications: Being Human Festival 2026 and the Centre for Public Engagement Practice in Arts and Humanities’ new Collaboration and Innovation Grant.
Go to bit.ly/3ZoolUq for details on how to apply
Go to bit.ly/3ZoolUq for details on how to apply
February 10, 2026 at 11:10 AM
Two grant schemes from the School of Advanced Study are now open for applications: Being Human Festival 2026 and the Centre for Public Engagement Practice in Arts and Humanities’ new Collaboration and Innovation Grant.
Go to bit.ly/3ZoolUq for details on how to apply
Go to bit.ly/3ZoolUq for details on how to apply
Reposted by Gareth Oakland 🇫🇷🏏🏉
Having spent most of my working life in transport policy, this is the essential truth that so many people - including politicians with responsibility for transport decisions - don’t or won’t get.
To reduce congestion, you reduce capacity and reduce speed. The empirical evidence is overwhelming.
To reduce congestion, you reduce capacity and reduce speed. The empirical evidence is overwhelming.
If you widen that highway
you won’t reduce emissions
or congestion.
What you WILL do
is spend a lot of public money
to induce even more cars
emitting even more GHGs and pollution
in the same or worse congestion
with people still demanding that you widen the highway.
Period.
you won’t reduce emissions
or congestion.
What you WILL do
is spend a lot of public money
to induce even more cars
emitting even more GHGs and pollution
in the same or worse congestion
with people still demanding that you widen the highway.
Period.
February 10, 2026 at 8:11 AM
Having spent most of my working life in transport policy, this is the essential truth that so many people - including politicians with responsibility for transport decisions - don’t or won’t get.
To reduce congestion, you reduce capacity and reduce speed. The empirical evidence is overwhelming.
To reduce congestion, you reduce capacity and reduce speed. The empirical evidence is overwhelming.
Left the chips too long!
February 9, 2026 at 7:38 PM
Left the chips too long!
Post ride treat for dinner tonight. (Yes, it is choir night too, obviously!).
February 9, 2026 at 6:43 PM
Post ride treat for dinner tonight. (Yes, it is choir night too, obviously!).
I love being on a bike. Stop at a village in Cambridgeshire because “that’s an interesting name “.
There’s a rabbit hole to go down. 1840 (gosh that’s late!) 2 women accused of witchcraft “and fortune telling”.
But - sadly - it’s actually a Ford where Wych (Elm) trees grow. Disappointing.
There’s a rabbit hole to go down. 1840 (gosh that’s late!) 2 women accused of witchcraft “and fortune telling”.
But - sadly - it’s actually a Ford where Wych (Elm) trees grow. Disappointing.
February 9, 2026 at 5:43 PM
I love being on a bike. Stop at a village in Cambridgeshire because “that’s an interesting name “.
There’s a rabbit hole to go down. 1840 (gosh that’s late!) 2 women accused of witchcraft “and fortune telling”.
But - sadly - it’s actually a Ford where Wych (Elm) trees grow. Disappointing.
There’s a rabbit hole to go down. 1840 (gosh that’s late!) 2 women accused of witchcraft “and fortune telling”.
But - sadly - it’s actually a Ford where Wych (Elm) trees grow. Disappointing.
TWO medieval churches from my ride today.
All Saints in Cottenham. 13thC but the remarkable tower with its pineapple tops was built after “the great storm” of 1617.
And the second needs no introduction, the vast and stunningly beautiful Ely Cathedral. Lord only knows what Fenland man made of it.
All Saints in Cottenham. 13thC but the remarkable tower with its pineapple tops was built after “the great storm” of 1617.
And the second needs no introduction, the vast and stunningly beautiful Ely Cathedral. Lord only knows what Fenland man made of it.
February 9, 2026 at 4:14 PM
TWO medieval churches from my ride today.
All Saints in Cottenham. 13thC but the remarkable tower with its pineapple tops was built after “the great storm” of 1617.
And the second needs no introduction, the vast and stunningly beautiful Ely Cathedral. Lord only knows what Fenland man made of it.
All Saints in Cottenham. 13thC but the remarkable tower with its pineapple tops was built after “the great storm” of 1617.
And the second needs no introduction, the vast and stunningly beautiful Ely Cathedral. Lord only knows what Fenland man made of it.