Julia Bolton
@jubnz.bsky.social
Kiwi living in the UK and muddling through
Reposted by Julia Bolton
This is the guy who gave Boris Johnson £1 million and then won a big MoD contract....
Reform gets largest ever political donation by an individual in UK history from a crypto baron living in Thailand
This is not normal
www.ft.com/content/db73...
This is not normal
www.ft.com/content/db73...
Reform UK gets £9mn donation from Christopher Harborne
Nigel Farage’s party attracts far more funding than both Labour and the Conservatives
www.ft.com
December 4, 2025 at 8:30 AM
This is the guy who gave Boris Johnson £1 million and then won a big MoD contract....
Reposted by Julia Bolton
This is breathtaking.
December 2, 2025 at 9:25 AM
This is breathtaking.
Reposted by Julia Bolton
Reform UK went into Durham Council promising to find huge savings. They have managed to GROW the authority's deficit by over £11m *in the last two months*.
Grimes recommends “serious consideration” to increasing council tax “by the maximum 5%.” ~AA
northeastbylines.co.uk/news/politic...
Grimes recommends “serious consideration” to increasing council tax “by the maximum 5%.” ~AA
northeastbylines.co.uk/news/politic...
Reform cabinet backs £10mn cuts to start filling Durham’s growing black hole
Reform is now learning that running a big council is not as easy as it probably thought
northeastbylines.co.uk
December 1, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Reform UK went into Durham Council promising to find huge savings. They have managed to GROW the authority's deficit by over £11m *in the last two months*.
Grimes recommends “serious consideration” to increasing council tax “by the maximum 5%.” ~AA
northeastbylines.co.uk/news/politic...
Grimes recommends “serious consideration” to increasing council tax “by the maximum 5%.” ~AA
northeastbylines.co.uk/news/politic...
Reposted by Julia Bolton
For context the 'Middle England' referred to here is the 0.5% of households living in homes worth more than £2 million
November 30, 2025 at 10:27 PM
For context the 'Middle England' referred to here is the 0.5% of households living in homes worth more than £2 million
Reposted by Julia Bolton
70% of the additional spending from removing the two-child limit will go to families who are in work. This is targeting support for low-income working households who are being priced out of a decent standard of living despite doing everything asked of them.
November 27, 2025 at 4:38 PM
70% of the additional spending from removing the two-child limit will go to families who are in work. This is targeting support for low-income working households who are being priced out of a decent standard of living despite doing everything asked of them.
Reposted by Julia Bolton
📣New @jrf-uk.bsky.social analysis
Scrapping the 2 child limit alone has reversed the projected decline in living standards by *more than half* for the bottom third of households
1/2
Scrapping the 2 child limit alone has reversed the projected decline in living standards by *more than half* for the bottom third of households
1/2
🚨 New analysis alert!
Our latest modelling shows that living standards are still set to fall across this Parliament up to November 2029.
However, actions taken at the Budget have made this decline less pronounced *by more than half* for low-income households.
Our latest modelling shows that living standards are still set to fall across this Parliament up to November 2029.
However, actions taken at the Budget have made this decline less pronounced *by more than half* for low-income households.
November 27, 2025 at 9:10 AM
📣New @jrf-uk.bsky.social analysis
Scrapping the 2 child limit alone has reversed the projected decline in living standards by *more than half* for the bottom third of households
1/2
Scrapping the 2 child limit alone has reversed the projected decline in living standards by *more than half* for the bottom third of households
1/2
Reposted by Julia Bolton
"Curtailment of jury trials has generally been reserved for exceptional circumstances, such as war or force of terrorism… the idea of jury trials being pared back in peacetime suggests a failure of governance. It is a symptom of national crisis."
David Hardstaff, partner at BCL Solicitors
David Hardstaff, partner at BCL Solicitors
November 27, 2025 at 7:13 AM
"Curtailment of jury trials has generally been reserved for exceptional circumstances, such as war or force of terrorism… the idea of jury trials being pared back in peacetime suggests a failure of governance. It is a symptom of national crisis."
David Hardstaff, partner at BCL Solicitors
David Hardstaff, partner at BCL Solicitors
Reposted by Julia Bolton
Capitalism is so smart cuz if u have lots of disposable income, u hardly ever have to see ads but if u can only afford a $8 Netflix subscription boy does Chanel at Sephora have deals 4 u and your no money
November 27, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Capitalism is so smart cuz if u have lots of disposable income, u hardly ever have to see ads but if u can only afford a $8 Netflix subscription boy does Chanel at Sephora have deals 4 u and your no money
Reposted by Julia Bolton
Press: "What kind of concessions are the Russians going to have to make?"
Trump "Their big concession is they stop fighting and they don't take any more land."
Yeah. That's basically how surrendering works.
Trump "Their big concession is they stop fighting and they don't take any more land."
Yeah. That's basically how surrendering works.
November 26, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Press: "What kind of concessions are the Russians going to have to make?"
Trump "Their big concession is they stop fighting and they don't take any more land."
Yeah. That's basically how surrendering works.
Trump "Their big concession is they stop fighting and they don't take any more land."
Yeah. That's basically how surrendering works.
Reposted by Julia Bolton
Best understood, Labour's attack on juries, as a further lurch towards authoritarianism. Who, now, will stand in the way of a State that wants to imprison its opponents?
November 26, 2025 at 7:58 AM
Best understood, Labour's attack on juries, as a further lurch towards authoritarianism. Who, now, will stand in the way of a State that wants to imprison its opponents?
Reposted by Julia Bolton
Reposted by Julia Bolton
I never would have believed a Labour government would move the goalposts for people who are in this country legally - breaking a contract with migrants who may have planned their lives around the existing settlement regime
‘Boriswave’ migrants to wait up to 20 years to get settled status
Shabana Mahmood has announced restrictions to force hundreds of thousands of people who arrived after Brexit to wait longer to qualify
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Shabana Mahmood has announced restrictions to force hundreds of thousands of people who arrived after Brexit to wait longer to qualify
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
‘Boriswave’ migrants to wait up to 20 years to get settled status
Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, has announced restrictions to force hundreds of thousands of people who arrived after Brexit to wait longer to qualify
www.thetimes.com
November 20, 2025 at 4:13 PM
I never would have believed a Labour government would move the goalposts for people who are in this country legally - breaking a contract with migrants who may have planned their lives around the existing settlement regime
Reposted by Julia Bolton
"Compared with other European countries, the UK received the fifth largest number of asylum seekers in the year ending March 2025, and the seventeenth largest intake when measured per head of population" - Home Office data
www.gov.uk/government/s...
www.gov.uk/government/s...
November 17, 2025 at 4:10 PM
"Compared with other European countries, the UK received the fifth largest number of asylum seekers in the year ending March 2025, and the seventeenth largest intake when measured per head of population" - Home Office data
www.gov.uk/government/s...
www.gov.uk/government/s...
Reposted by Julia Bolton
Worth remembering as this unfolds that it was disabled people and people from ethnic minority backgrounds who disproportionately died. Tens of thousands needlessly lost their lives, many who died alone or with just an iPad. Thousands more were left with life changing Long Covid. A true scandal.
BREAKING: The UK’s response to Covid was “too little, too late”, a damning official report on the handling of the pandemic has concluded, saying the introduction of a lockdown even a week earlier than happened could have saved more than 20,000 lives.
November 20, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Worth remembering as this unfolds that it was disabled people and people from ethnic minority backgrounds who disproportionately died. Tens of thousands needlessly lost their lives, many who died alone or with just an iPad. Thousands more were left with life changing Long Covid. A true scandal.
Reposted by Julia Bolton
- In general, lockdown left lasting scars on society, and worsened existing inequalities
5/6
5/6
November 20, 2025 at 4:26 PM
- In general, lockdown left lasting scars on society, and worsened existing inequalities
5/6
5/6
Reposted by Julia Bolton
By the end of January 2020, it should have been clear that the virus posed a "serious and immediate threat" and "urgent planning" should have started, it says. Instead, February 2020 is described as a “lost month” with life continuing almost as normal across the country.
2/3
2/3
November 20, 2025 at 4:30 PM
By the end of January 2020, it should have been clear that the virus posed a "serious and immediate threat" and "urgent planning" should have started, it says. Instead, February 2020 is described as a “lost month” with life continuing almost as normal across the country.
2/3
2/3
Reposted by Julia Bolton
I grant you this is not hugely surprising. But still.
November 20, 2025 at 4:23 PM
I grant you this is not hugely surprising. But still.
Reposted by Julia Bolton
Reposted by Julia Bolton
This morning, Trump has already called for the imprisonment and execution of Democratic members of Congress called on the military to follow the constitution.
In a democracy, the legislature would remove him from office immediately.
In a democracy, the legislature would remove him from office immediately.
November 20, 2025 at 3:33 PM
This morning, Trump has already called for the imprisonment and execution of Democratic members of Congress called on the military to follow the constitution.
In a democracy, the legislature would remove him from office immediately.
In a democracy, the legislature would remove him from office immediately.
Reposted by Julia Bolton
This will surely surprise most Americans today, but historians have recently discovered that before Donald Trump, it was actually incredibly rare for a president to demand the public execution of this political opponents and press critics.
November 20, 2025 at 3:35 PM
This will surely surprise most Americans today, but historians have recently discovered that before Donald Trump, it was actually incredibly rare for a president to demand the public execution of this political opponents and press critics.
Reposted by Julia Bolton
“Lockdown could have been avoided if steps such as social distancing and isolating those with symptoms - and their households - had been introduced earlier, the second report from the Covid inquiry says.”
1/4
1/4
November 20, 2025 at 4:04 PM
“Lockdown could have been avoided if steps such as social distancing and isolating those with symptoms - and their households - had been introduced earlier, the second report from the Covid inquiry says.”
1/4
1/4
Reposted by Julia Bolton
Still wild to me that Trump pointed in a woman’s face and said “Quiet, Piggy!” and literally no one who witnessed it was like “Whoa, there bro” either because they didn’t care or they weren’t surprised, or both.
November 19, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Still wild to me that Trump pointed in a woman’s face and said “Quiet, Piggy!” and literally no one who witnessed it was like “Whoa, there bro” either because they didn’t care or they weren’t surprised, or both.
Reposted by Julia Bolton
“This is extreme, this is inhumane, and it is a government of cowards.”
Green Party leader, Zack Polanski, responds to the government's changes to Britain's asylum system.
#Newsnight
Green Party leader, Zack Polanski, responds to the government's changes to Britain's asylum system.
#Newsnight
November 18, 2025 at 5:37 PM
“This is extreme, this is inhumane, and it is a government of cowards.”
Green Party leader, Zack Polanski, responds to the government's changes to Britain's asylum system.
#Newsnight
Green Party leader, Zack Polanski, responds to the government's changes to Britain's asylum system.
#Newsnight
Reposted by Julia Bolton
Keir Starmer's spokesman insisted on Monday that "clearly these changes will not be retrospective" for those already granted asylum, as Reform have been demanding.
Now we learn they will be
inews.co.uk/news/politic...
Now we learn they will be
inews.co.uk/news/politic...
November 19, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Keir Starmer's spokesman insisted on Monday that "clearly these changes will not be retrospective" for those already granted asylum, as Reform have been demanding.
Now we learn they will be
inews.co.uk/news/politic...
Now we learn they will be
inews.co.uk/news/politic...
Reposted by Julia Bolton
Applying the changes to settlement to refugees already here would be particularly cruel and will create so much anxiety.
@stellacreasy.bsky.social is quite right when she says "the Home Secretary needs to come clean asap as there will be refugees with jobs and mortgages that could be affected.”
@stellacreasy.bsky.social is quite right when she says "the Home Secretary needs to come clean asap as there will be refugees with jobs and mortgages that could be affected.”
The i Paper is reporting that once the changes are brought in, the 20 year route will be applied to refugees who are already here.
I can't over emphasise the level of terror this will cause to our refugee population, and the lack of detail and timescale will make it very difficult to calm nerves.
I can't over emphasise the level of terror this will cause to our refugee population, and the lack of detail and timescale will make it very difficult to calm nerves.
November 19, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Applying the changes to settlement to refugees already here would be particularly cruel and will create so much anxiety.
@stellacreasy.bsky.social is quite right when she says "the Home Secretary needs to come clean asap as there will be refugees with jobs and mortgages that could be affected.”
@stellacreasy.bsky.social is quite right when she says "the Home Secretary needs to come clean asap as there will be refugees with jobs and mortgages that could be affected.”