Liam Kirkaldy
@liamkirkaldy.bsky.social
Comms and freelance journalism. Bylines in the FT, Guardian, the Times, Big Issue, the Herald, Scotsman etc. Still trying to convince the people of Nigeria to forgive Dundee United.
My takeaway from today: Scottish Labour conference (less than three weeks away) will be SO MUCH FUN
February 9, 2026 at 5:09 PM
My takeaway from today: Scottish Labour conference (less than three weeks away) will be SO MUCH FUN
It's one of those days when I miss writing weird political sketches
February 9, 2026 at 4:22 PM
It's one of those days when I miss writing weird political sketches
It's funny because when you see it written down it *does* seem a tricky situation, but actually this is sort of thing is basically the norm for Scottish Labour. I mean, some would argue the party would do better if it wasn't the norm, but we have no way of knowing because it has never been tried.
Douglas Alexander is both a cabinet member and *co-chair of the Scottish Labour election campaign*.
How do you run a campaign when your leader and the co-chair of your campaign disagree on whether the Labour PM should resign? How is that sustainable?
How do you run a campaign when your leader and the co-chair of your campaign disagree on whether the Labour PM should resign? How is that sustainable?
OOF
February 9, 2026 at 4:19 PM
It's funny because when you see it written down it *does* seem a tricky situation, but actually this is sort of thing is basically the norm for Scottish Labour. I mean, some would argue the party would do better if it wasn't the norm, but we have no way of knowing because it has never been tried.
Hard to understand why the BBC's cutting from Anas Sarwar taking questions from the Scottish lobby to analysis from the studio. I really like Patrick Maguire but surely you wait 20mins? Apart from anything else there's a 90% chance it means we miss something absolutely brutal from the Scottish media
February 9, 2026 at 2:50 PM
Hard to understand why the BBC's cutting from Anas Sarwar taking questions from the Scottish lobby to analysis from the studio. I really like Patrick Maguire but surely you wait 20mins? Apart from anything else there's a 90% chance it means we miss something absolutely brutal from the Scottish media
Reposted by Liam Kirkaldy
If Anas Sarwar has found a spine on Keir Starmer, can I recommend he puts his newfound vertebrae to use by also issuing an immediate apology for his "gender critical" turn and recognise he was bounced into it by unrepresentative social media and the weird fixations of his peers?
February 9, 2026 at 1:37 PM
If Anas Sarwar has found a spine on Keir Starmer, can I recommend he puts his newfound vertebrae to use by also issuing an immediate apology for his "gender critical" turn and recognise he was bounced into it by unrepresentative social media and the weird fixations of his peers?
The news from Scotland
February 7, 2026 at 9:35 AM
The news from Scotland
Reposted by Liam Kirkaldy
The woke scolds are trying to make this about racism. But Musk is right. It's about historical and scientific integrity. When the God of Thunder disguises himself as a swan to seduce and fuck a queen and the resulting baby hatches from an egg, *of course* the baby will be white. It's just science.
Elon Musk claims Christopher Nolan has lost ‘integrity’ over The Odyssey casting
Lupita Nyong’o is reportedly set to play Helen of Troy in Nolan’s upcoming adaptation of Homer’s epic poem
www.independent.co.uk
February 2, 2026 at 12:59 PM
The woke scolds are trying to make this about racism. But Musk is right. It's about historical and scientific integrity. When the God of Thunder disguises himself as a swan to seduce and fuck a queen and the resulting baby hatches from an egg, *of course* the baby will be white. It's just science.
I know this is trivial but id be so fucking pissed off if I was prime minister and they made my secret alias 'John Pond'. Obama's secret service name was Renegade. Oh nice to meet you Renegade, I'm John Pond. This is my wife, Swampy Sharon.
February 2, 2026 at 4:01 PM
I know this is trivial but id be so fucking pissed off if I was prime minister and they made my secret alias 'John Pond'. Obama's secret service name was Renegade. Oh nice to meet you Renegade, I'm John Pond. This is my wife, Swampy Sharon.
Reposted by Liam Kirkaldy
Also trying to parse all the emails that read like they were written by a concussed golden retriever I think I finally get why these guys are so enthusiastic about getting chatbots to write for them
January 31, 2026 at 5:49 PM
Also trying to parse all the emails that read like they were written by a concussed golden retriever I think I finally get why these guys are so enthusiastic about getting chatbots to write for them
This story has really made my day. From Joyce the Emu attacking volunteers to the introduction of the flamethrower into the story, it just gets better as it goes www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Fire fears, accidents and emu attacks among safety concerns at Cold War bunker
Volunteers restoring a former Edinburgh nuclear bunker are worried someone will be hurt because of safety issues.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 30, 2026 at 2:37 PM
This story has really made my day. From Joyce the Emu attacking volunteers to the introduction of the flamethrower into the story, it just gets better as it goes www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
This is your annual reminder that Maya Angelou was a massive Robert Burns fan, and you can watch her documentary about his work on iPlayer (Angelou on Burns). I don't know why i find her love of Burns so surprising (poets probably often like poetry) but I do
January 25, 2026 at 2:35 PM
This is your annual reminder that Maya Angelou was a massive Robert Burns fan, and you can watch her documentary about his work on iPlayer (Angelou on Burns). I don't know why i find her love of Burns so surprising (poets probably often like poetry) but I do
Reposted by Liam Kirkaldy
Couldnt keep up with the repayments on my student loan and they've repossessed my student :/
January 24, 2026 at 2:14 PM
Couldnt keep up with the repayments on my student loan and they've repossessed my student :/
Reposted by Liam Kirkaldy
"Oh my gosh, it was so nice to see you! Have a lovely day, fuck ICE!"
"Oh you too hon! Stay safe in that traffic, fuck ICE!'
- two older Minnesota ladies, bidding farewell after the protest
"Oh you too hon! Stay safe in that traffic, fuck ICE!'
- two older Minnesota ladies, bidding farewell after the protest
January 23, 2026 at 11:17 PM
"Oh my gosh, it was so nice to see you! Have a lovely day, fuck ICE!"
"Oh you too hon! Stay safe in that traffic, fuck ICE!'
- two older Minnesota ladies, bidding farewell after the protest
"Oh you too hon! Stay safe in that traffic, fuck ICE!'
- two older Minnesota ladies, bidding farewell after the protest
Reposted by Liam Kirkaldy
This morning I overheard the nearly-four-year-old respond to a suggestion that he might like to do some fun activity with “good guess! I actually want to watch Paw Patrol.”
January 23, 2026 at 6:43 PM
This morning I overheard the nearly-four-year-old respond to a suggestion that he might like to do some fun activity with “good guess! I actually want to watch Paw Patrol.”
An incredibly long thread about someone getting offended if they give someone a book they don't read. I know the internet is mental, but the idea someone giving you a misjudged but thoughtful gift is somehow an attack on you is beyond me. Don't read the book, or read the book, stop whinging.
- Books make for terrible gifts
Easy, this one. When you give someone a book you are implicitly demanding they spend many hours doing something *you* think is interesting (ie reading that book). It is incredibly imposing. Or should they offend you by not reading it?
Recommend books, don't give them
Easy, this one. When you give someone a book you are implicitly demanding they spend many hours doing something *you* think is interesting (ie reading that book). It is incredibly imposing. Or should they offend you by not reading it?
Recommend books, don't give them
January 23, 2026 at 9:10 PM
An incredibly long thread about someone getting offended if they give someone a book they don't read. I know the internet is mental, but the idea someone giving you a misjudged but thoughtful gift is somehow an attack on you is beyond me. Don't read the book, or read the book, stop whinging.
Reposted by Liam Kirkaldy
My dentist can do it all, from a simple cleaning to identifying my charred remains
January 19, 2026 at 4:32 AM
My dentist can do it all, from a simple cleaning to identifying my charred remains
Is she going on the rampage?
January 19, 2026 at 8:16 AM
Is she going on the rampage?
Reposted by Liam Kirkaldy
pretty sure he meant the other thing, grok, but very cool that those are your two things
January 16, 2026 at 4:55 PM
pretty sure he meant the other thing, grok, but very cool that those are your two things
George Orwell would honestly have a meltdown at this sentence
January 15, 2026 at 9:08 PM
George Orwell would honestly have a meltdown at this sentence
I hope it turns out he is teaming up with Jake Humphries
Amol Rajan has announced he is stepping down from the Today programme to launch his own company, but will still host his own podcast as well as Uni Challenge.
January 15, 2026 at 7:45 PM
I hope it turns out he is teaming up with Jake Humphries
Reposted by Liam Kirkaldy
It’s beyond insane that our overarching internal security agency has spent months tweeting barely-coded messages of support for neo-Nazi groups and the entire media apparatus looks at it and says “That’s odd but certainly not part a major story that is relevant to current events, I’m sure”
January 10, 2026 at 3:28 PM
It’s beyond insane that our overarching internal security agency has spent months tweeting barely-coded messages of support for neo-Nazi groups and the entire media apparatus looks at it and says “That’s odd but certainly not part a major story that is relevant to current events, I’m sure”
Reposted by Liam Kirkaldy
We go live to the Protect our girls crew, unsure what they are doing
January 10, 2026 at 1:59 PM
We go live to the Protect our girls crew, unsure what they are doing
What's everyone up to tonight? I'm heading to a party full of Nazis where everyone will personally attack me. If I don't go then the Nazis win.
January 10, 2026 at 1:08 PM
What's everyone up to tonight? I'm heading to a party full of Nazis where everyone will personally attack me. If I don't go then the Nazis win.
Honestly it's like a 2007 Scottish Labour strategist has time travelled. The complacency and entitlement is just staggering.
Zack Polanski thinks he can dictate who should be Labour leader www.independent.co.uk/voices/ed-da...
January 10, 2026 at 12:47 PM
Honestly it's like a 2007 Scottish Labour strategist has time travelled. The complacency and entitlement is just staggering.