Martin Headon
@martinheadon.bsky.social
Tall thin colourful man working in advertising, living in Camberwell, and cycling in Kent. Labour moderate. Favourite phrase: "two things can be true at once", which I'm hoping I'll feel minded to deploy less often here than I do at The Other Place...
I am not as certain as many on here that Mahmood's proposals will lose many net votes. But they certainly will lose votes if they sell them like this.
Briefed to the Times. How's the "battle for the soul of the nation" going, Starmer?
November 16, 2025 at 10:37 PM
I am not as certain as many on here that Mahmood's proposals will lose many net votes. But they certainly will lose votes if they sell them like this.
More and more convinced the 20 years was floated so that 10 years is the eventual grudging concession to backbenchers.
Patience Wheatcroft, peer +former Sunday Telegraph editor, says action was needed to control asylum
She tells Westminster Hour she finds this 20 year proposal "a bit brutal", worries about the unsettling effect for somebody trying to make a new life as a refugee. Thinks public would prefer 10 years
She tells Westminster Hour she finds this 20 year proposal "a bit brutal", worries about the unsettling effect for somebody trying to make a new life as a refugee. Thinks public would prefer 10 years
November 16, 2025 at 10:35 PM
More and more convinced the 20 years was floated so that 10 years is the eventual grudging concession to backbenchers.
"I like your script about a floundering government that's unable to see more than two months into the future, but maybe it needs some kind of allegorical subplot?"
A final decision on how to repair Britain’s crumbling parliament is likely to be postponed beyond the next general election, according to four people familiar with the matter.
Final decision on fate of crumbling UK parliament delayed to 2030s
It’s a fire-hazard that’s prone to tumbling masonry — but fear of a public backlash is again delaying repairs to the world famous building.
www.politico.eu
November 15, 2025 at 1:59 PM
"I like your script about a floundering government that's unable to see more than two months into the future, but maybe it needs some kind of allegorical subplot?"
Also minor point, but if 45% of your group is over 35, and 10% are over 55, maybe you need to look for another name than "contrarian youth"?
November 13, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Also minor point, but if 45% of your group is over 35, and 10% are over 55, maybe you need to look for another name than "contrarian youth"?
Honestly think this story (in general) gets less attention than it deserves.
A more blatant and flagrant violation of human rights and international law you will not find.
A more blatant and flagrant violation of human rights and international law you will not find.
"The United Kingdom is no longer sharing intelligence with the US about suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean because it does not want to be complicit in US military strikes and believes the attacks are illegal" edition.cnn.com/2025/11/11/p...
Exclusive: UK suspends some intelligence sharing with US over boat strike concerns in major break | CNN Politics
The United Kingdom is no longer sharing intelligence with the US about suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean because it does not want to be complicit in US military strikes and believes ...
edition.cnn.com
November 11, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Honestly think this story (in general) gets less attention than it deserves.
A more blatant and flagrant violation of human rights and international law you will not find.
A more blatant and flagrant violation of human rights and international law you will not find.
If you see this post an album cover with a motor vehicle in it
November 8, 2025 at 10:35 PM
If you see this post an album cover with a motor vehicle in it
Gender fluidity famously has no connection with popular music.
November 8, 2025 at 10:39 AM
Gender fluidity famously has no connection with popular music.
Aside everything else, I can't even figure out the scare quotes around "black people".
Dominic Cummings has this racialised take on David Lammy
There is an increasingly prevalent kneejerk online rightwing trait to call the presence of any black or Asian person a diversity hire
There is an increasingly prevalent kneejerk online rightwing trait to call the presence of any black or Asian person a diversity hire
November 7, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Aside everything else, I can't even figure out the scare quotes around "black people".
Reposted by Martin Headon
I'm just asking questions.
November 4, 2025 at 1:46 PM
I'm just asking questions.
I wonder what on earth Matt is thinking of?
Goodwin says "it takes more than a piece of paper" or birthplace to make somebody British.
This is not often applied to Fred West/Ian Huntley, Kim Philpy, etc
So how it is applied to British-born people from the majority + minority groups who commit crimes + who don't is rarely/never made clear
This is not often applied to Fred West/Ian Huntley, Kim Philpy, etc
So how it is applied to British-born people from the majority + minority groups who commit crimes + who don't is rarely/never made clear
November 2, 2025 at 4:24 PM
I wonder what on earth Matt is thinking of?
Interesting one - I'd think that you want to be a *little bit* scary, or else you're just going unnoticed. COUGHKemiCOUGH.
Trick or treat! Who’s sending a chill down Britain’s spine this Halloween? 🎃
Nigel Farage tops the fear list - 40% of Britons say he’s the scariest politician, with Keir Starmer close behind at 29%. 😱
Nigel Farage tops the fear list - 40% of Britons say he’s the scariest politician, with Keir Starmer close behind at 29%. 😱
November 1, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Interesting one - I'd think that you want to be a *little bit* scary, or else you're just going unnoticed. COUGHKemiCOUGH.
A movie you've seen more than 7 times, as a GIF.
November 1, 2025 at 7:53 PM
A movie you've seen more than 7 times, as a GIF.
I'm still struggling to figure out who this slogan is talking to?
I can't vote her out for years.
The only person who can axe her is Starmer.
And if she puts up tax it'll be at his instruction and with his support.
Is she trying to change his mind?
Make it make sense.
I can't vote her out for years.
The only person who can axe her is Starmer.
And if she puts up tax it'll be at his instruction and with his support.
Is she trying to change his mind?
Make it make sense.
October 30, 2025 at 7:32 PM
I'm still struggling to figure out who this slogan is talking to?
I can't vote her out for years.
The only person who can axe her is Starmer.
And if she puts up tax it'll be at his instruction and with his support.
Is she trying to change his mind?
Make it make sense.
I can't vote her out for years.
The only person who can axe her is Starmer.
And if she puts up tax it'll be at his instruction and with his support.
Is she trying to change his mind?
Make it make sense.
Plus politicisation of victims, too. Not just on the right with grooming gang victims lining up with Reform - it was also pretty clear that elements of Grenfell United were actively politically hostile to Rayner.
Wrote about the dominance of "victims" in our political discourse, which included this fab chart @owenwntr.bsky.social www.economist.com/britain/2025...
October 30, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Plus politicisation of victims, too. Not just on the right with grooming gang victims lining up with Reform - it was also pretty clear that elements of Grenfell United were actively politically hostile to Rayner.
"Boyband Five" sounds like what a state-sponsored boyband might be called in some kind of dystopian future, after Boybands One to Four erred from their agreed messaging.
October 28, 2025 at 3:39 PM
"Boyband Five" sounds like what a state-sponsored boyband might be called in some kind of dystopian future, after Boybands One to Four erred from their agreed messaging.
Can't help thinking that if it happened today we'd have been having a lengthy debate about whether Marcel Desailly was in fact a bit workshy and not overly intelligent, and therefore Ron Atkinson's words, while ill-chosen, were etc etc etc
Danny Kruger just told Nick Robinson that Sarah Pochin’s remarks weren’t racist because she was “driven mad” not by seeing Black and Asian people on TV but by their “over-representation”. Robinson didn’t ask what’s so maddening about over-representation. Is there a rule adverts have to reflect life?
October 28, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Can't help thinking that if it happened today we'd have been having a lengthy debate about whether Marcel Desailly was in fact a bit workshy and not overly intelligent, and therefore Ron Atkinson's words, while ill-chosen, were etc etc etc
Grok is hallucinating here, too. There are no "aggressive DEI mandates" in advertising casting. It's literally just marketing managers wanting to be more representative, or sometimes being afraid of looking unrepresentative.
October 26, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Grok is hallucinating here, too. There are no "aggressive DEI mandates" in advertising casting. It's literally just marketing managers wanting to be more representative, or sometimes being afraid of looking unrepresentative.
Sad to report I missed out on the Ballon D’Or, too.
October 10, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Sad to report I missed out on the Ballon D’Or, too.
Seems a bit unfair on Victoria Coren Mitchell when it was clearly a failure of the scriptwriters / fact-checkers / production team.
October 4, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Seems a bit unfair on Victoria Coren Mitchell when it was clearly a failure of the scriptwriters / fact-checkers / production team.
Funny how Keeping Up Appearances permeated one's life in many ways, not least that when as a student I called up my Mum to ask for money, this was called "The Sheridan Element" of my phone call.
October 3, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Funny how Keeping Up Appearances permeated one's life in many ways, not least that when as a student I called up my Mum to ask for money, this was called "The Sheridan Element" of my phone call.
Not really closely followed the news this afternoon, but I understand that Keir Starmer thinks it's unacceptable for Labour members to be bearded, unfit, or fat, and that goes for CLP Chairs too?
September 30, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Not really closely followed the news this afternoon, but I understand that Keir Starmer thinks it's unacceptable for Labour members to be bearded, unfit, or fat, and that goes for CLP Chairs too?
Sorry but this is, and again sorry for using a technical writing term, rubbish.
September 30, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Sorry but this is, and again sorry for using a technical writing term, rubbish.
You'd have thought the bottom paragraph was the unfortunate young man's biggest mistake, but apparently not.
September 21, 2025 at 3:31 PM
You'd have thought the bottom paragraph was the unfortunate young man's biggest mistake, but apparently not.
Is James Esses being paid by the Wes 4 Leader campaign?
September 16, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Is James Esses being paid by the Wes 4 Leader campaign?
Well I guess that's fucking fine then, fucking thanks.
September 14, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Well I guess that's fucking fine then, fucking thanks.