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grahamwoodruff.bsky.social
Graham Woodruff
@grahamwoodruff.bsky.social
810 followers 2.3K following 28 posts
poetry and politics, dogs and dancing
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Graham Woodruff
nataliegreenpeer.bsky.social
Great to see the excellent heritage and tourism policy adopted @greenparty.org.uk conference being highlighted.

The conclusion @theartnewspaper.bsky.social, we are "a policy leader" for museums (and communities!)

www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/10/17/c...
Cultural issues define the Greens and Reform, so what are their arts policies?
Zack Polanski, the new UK Green Party leader, has big plans for the culture sector, while Reform’s Nigel Farage is giving little away
www.theartnewspaper.com
October 18, 2025 at 7:33 AM
Reposted by Graham Woodruff
gpmigration.bsky.social
Getting excited about Autumn Conference in Bournemouth.. we have organised an important and timely fringe event on Saturday with @praxisprojects.bsky.social and @migrantvoice.bsky.social chaired by @carladenyer.bsky.social

Come and say hello 👋

migration.greenparty.org.uk/autumn-confe...
Autumn Conference 2025 - Green Party Asylum and Migration Policy Working Group
We are pleased to be running a fringe event at conference this Autumn on Saturday at 9am. After the success of our event last year focussing on migrant destitution, this...
migration.greenparty.org.uk
September 30, 2025 at 6:44 AM
grahamwoodruff.bsky.social
I've been in rural Wales this week, not so much an escape, more like a readjustment #poem ##smallpoemsunday
Summer in Wales Slap! A horse flies. The dog smells something, and runs. We both start barking. At night, we sleep, twitching.
June 23, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Reposted by Graham Woodruff
dieworkwear.bsky.social
Not true.

I see you're a luxury watch dealer. I'm also interested in watches. Let me show you how free and easy migration has allowed you to earn a living. 🧵
Corey Wiley on Twitter writes: "You don’t get it. Foundational immigration law is morally just and has been established over millennia. Disrespecting these rules and ideals is very offensive to folks who highly value civilized society"
June 10, 2025 at 11:59 PM
grahamwoodruff.bsky.social
Another little one from the Hay Festival workshop, written while standing in a wood #poem #smallpoemsunday
Learning In the dark forest layers of history crunch underfoot. Amongst this litter are sticks touched by green light, chosen and gathered for shelter by children.
June 8, 2025 at 6:11 AM
Reposted by Graham Woodruff
gpmigration.bsky.social
We've been reading the recent Immigration White Paper and have written a detailed response here.

tldr: it is incoherent, unfair and dangerous

migration.greenparty.org.uk/our-response...
Our Response to the Immigration White Paper - Green Party Asylum and Migration Policy Working Group
Statement from Green Party Asylum & Migration Policy Working Group in response to the Restoring Control over the Immigration System Immigration White Paper published 12 May 2025. This Immigration Whit...
migration.greenparty.org.uk
June 2, 2025 at 7:38 AM
grahamwoodruff.bsky.social
At the @hayfestival.bsky.social at the moment and enjoyed a lovely workshop with Casey Bailey yesterday, this little snippet is from there.. #poem #smallpoemsunday
Plenty We did not need a river the stones on the beach, already damp we sat. We did not need birdsong the children laughing, already deaf we talked. We did not need the flowers the smell of wild garlic, already full we breathed.
June 1, 2025 at 12:43 PM
grahamwoodruff.bsky.social
Spot the MPs that are not paying any attention to the current eVisa fiasco 🙄

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Labour MPs launch campaign for digital IDs to crack down on illegal migration
Backbench groups revive controversial issue to counter threat of Reform UK and tackle unauthorised working
www.theguardian.com
April 8, 2025 at 9:58 PM
grahamwoodruff.bsky.social
This attack on small businesses, migrant workers, and vulnerable families is loathsome, as is the government's praise of Deliveroo as "honest companies" just trying to "level the playing field"

www.gov.uk/government/n...
Crackdown on illegal working and rogue employers in ‘gig economy’
In the latest move to restore order to the asylum and immigration system, the government will introduce tough new laws to clamp down on illegal working.
www.gov.uk
March 31, 2025 at 7:34 PM
grahamwoodruff.bsky.social
Human Rights are not a "loophole"

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Yvette Cooper reviews right to family life for people who enter UK irregularly
Government reviews use of human rights law to argue for people being allowed to stay, which PM called a ‘loophole’
www.theguardian.com
March 30, 2025 at 2:17 PM
grahamwoodruff.bsky.social
While chatting with a colleague on Teams this week, a drama unfolded outside her window #smallpoemsunday #poem
Local Resident Dies There's a dead fox in the middle of our street in the middle of our day an immediate display not unseen behind a door.
March 23, 2025 at 6:47 AM
grahamwoodruff.bsky.social
A devastating read.. esp. about the for-profit business model that feeds this totally unnecessary pain and misery, it's in the UK too.

Good to be reminded that "We are defined by the love we extend, the courage we summon and the truths we are willing to tell."

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
I’m the Canadian who was detained by Ice for two weeks. It felt like I had been kidnapped
I was stuck in a freezing cell without explanation despite eventually having lawyers and media attention. Yet, compared with others, I was lucky
www.theguardian.com
March 19, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Reposted by Graham Woodruff
stephencollins.bsky.social
Cartoon by Stephen Collins for The Guardian. Script as follows: [scene is Winston Churchill in a bbc studio, giving his 'finest hour' speech] 1 CHURCHILL: The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us. 2 CHURCHILL: Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this Island or lose the war. 3 CHURCHILL: If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sun- BBC PRESENTER: Thank you prime minister 4 BBC PRESENTER: Mr hitler, your response? 5 HITLER [in the studio]: Vell zis is hysterical woke nonsense as usual from mr Churchill 6 HITLER: What we are proposing - CHURCHILL: Hang on 7 HITLER: Let me finish - what we are proposing eez a simple power-sharing arrangement - 8 CHURCHILL: What's he doing here BBC PRESENTER: It's important we hear both sides of the debate 9 CHURCHILL: This isn't a debate You don't debate fascists 10 HITLER: Oh here we go with ze Godwins law! 11 HITLER: Why must you people always compare ze things you don't like to 'fascists, Nazis, Hitler'... CHURCHILL: Because you are a fascist Nazi Hit- 12 HITLER [standing up, saluting]: RAUSS! BBC PRESENTER: *Please* Mr Churchill let him speak [ends]
March 9, 2025 at 9:15 AM
grahamwoodruff.bsky.social
When love is gone and one believes
That love will come like brand new leaves
I'm searchin'

And then the day when I will say
That my soul lives a truthful way
I'm searchin'

💔

open.spotify.com/track/4mHCnI...
Searching
Roy Ayers · The Best Of Roy Ayers · Song · 1997
open.spotify.com
March 6, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Reposted by Graham Woodruff
tom--scott.bsky.social
Yesterday on X, the Green Party’s post in solidarity with Ukraine after 3 years of resistance to Putin drew criticism from some supposedly on the left as well as (predictably) from the far right.

Common themes in this were that Ukraine is fighting a “proxy war” for the US & NATO...🧵
February 23, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Reposted by Graham Woodruff
gpmigration.bsky.social
Our response to the recent changes in the Home Office good character guidance - We call for the removal of any consideration on how a person has entered the UK from this guidance

migration.greenparty.org.uk/response-to-...
Response to recent changes in 'Good Character' guidance - Green Party Asylum and Migration Policy Working Group
On February 10, 2025, the Home Office updated its ‘Good Character’ guidance, introducing significant changes to the criteria for British citizenship applications. Caseworkers at the Home Office use th...
migration.greenparty.org.uk
February 25, 2025 at 8:07 PM
grahamwoodruff.bsky.social
This 👇 How can we make progress if we don't talk about our own vision, our own values, the world WE want to see
minnierahman.bsky.social Minnie Rahman @minnierahman.bsky.social · Feb 19
More in Common released a report today on Progressive Activists. Some parts resonated. I think it's helpful and requires some critical reflection. There is one point I disagree with - the idea that meeting people where they are is a successful mechanism to long-term change.
February 23, 2025 at 7:25 PM
grahamwoodruff.bsky.social
A good listen but I find these conversations so frustrating.

The objections to the @greenparty.org.uk are so slight and generally quite ignorant of what we are already doing - and the stakes are so high.

Well done @zackpolanski.bsky.social for his eloquent patience as always 👏
zackpolanski.bsky.social Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · Feb 21
The super rich have more power than ever before.

The old political parties have utterly failed. They've made things worse.

We don't have time to mess around.

I spoke to @novaramedia.com about why you need to join @greenparty.org.uk

novaramedia.com/2025/02/21/t...
The Green Party Vs Something New | Novara Media
Maybe the new party already exists?
novaramedia.com
February 23, 2025 at 6:06 PM
grahamwoodruff.bsky.social
I wrote more angry poetry this week, but luckily for everyone, it's too long to post here, so instead, it's a romantic one for #smallpoemsunday #poem
Returning to the Shore I glide up escalators at the perfect speed skate across deep polished floors pop a smile at the passers-by step along pavements of broken stones catch my clothes on grabbing yellow gorse run over, tumble down, sand dunes walk through the dry heat of flotsam fires and wash up at your shore.
February 23, 2025 at 7:48 AM
grahamwoodruff.bsky.social
A little bit early but I'm out and about tomorrow so.. #smallpoemsunday #poem
Divorce Papers The last chocolate hobnob is now all over my fingers, stuck to my shirt cuff. So when I sign my name a brown smear spoils the page where the date should be. I just stare at the paper, what was certain is now frayed. Pen down; I've had enough.
February 8, 2025 at 11:14 PM
grahamwoodruff.bsky.social
I understand the headline is a quote but can't help thinking a kinder and more respectful one could have been chosen for this obviously lovely and thoughtful young man 💔

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Screenshot of BBC headline on the BBC website which says 'My son was 18 and went to the Ukraine as cannon fodder', includes an image of his fellow volunteers posing for a group photo
February 4, 2025 at 4:14 PM
grahamwoodruff.bsky.social
Another night where I awake around 3am and then that's just it 🙄 so I wrote a short poem
Street Cleaning It's 5:23am. I can hear the trolley being pulled along the street. Across the road and back again, and again. At least the screaming has stopped. The laughing has stopped as well. The bin men will be here soon to pick me up.
January 26, 2025 at 6:39 AM
grahamwoodruff.bsky.social
Lovely to see snowdrops in Victoria Park this morning, this area will be full of flowers in the next few weeks
January 25, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Reposted by Graham Woodruff
shawndra.bsky.social
Reading Parable of the Talents now by Octavia E Butler. Found this passage relevant to our times. Actually this entire book is relevant to our dystopian reality. #booksky #booktok
January 20, 2025 at 4:05 AM
grahamwoodruff.bsky.social
Got angry in bed reading the news, should probably try and stop doing that - anyway wrote a poem
Text of poem called Inauguration The deal makers are here. Cigars and laughs, all the men, the amen. We don't have to care about fame, the game, play online, all the time. Let's just get things done. Move along, watch porn, be the clown, punch down. No need to think too hard about others, our mothers. Close our eyes, criticise. Switch off the news. Keep it light, just pay the fees and look at the trees. We can still plant flowers all along the watchtowers It's not about us, right?
January 20, 2025 at 10:24 AM