David Lloyd
@mertelstein.bsky.social
Itinerant trombonist, pianist and diplomat, not necessarily in that order. Works with aeroplanes mostly. FRAeS.
Reposted by David Lloyd
I dunno - how about investigating the 42 mentions of Farage in the Epstein files rather then obsessing over Starmer.
Because I know whose the greater threat to this country, and it’s not Starmer.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Because I know whose the greater threat to this country, and it’s not Starmer.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Keir Starmer is the bandage Labour can’t rip off for fear of opening old wounds | Rafael Behr
The party’s MPs know their leader is failing but with no obvious replacement, getting rid of him now would cause more hurt than healing, says Guardian columnist Rafael Behr
www.theguardian.com
February 11, 2026 at 8:30 AM
I dunno - how about investigating the 42 mentions of Farage in the Epstein files rather then obsessing over Starmer.
Because I know whose the greater threat to this country, and it’s not Starmer.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Because I know whose the greater threat to this country, and it’s not Starmer.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by David Lloyd
I’m old enough to remember when people argued the UK should not have a proportional electoral system because it would lead to weak and unstable governments like in Italy or Belgium.
February 9, 2026 at 3:37 PM
I’m old enough to remember when people argued the UK should not have a proportional electoral system because it would lead to weak and unstable governments like in Italy or Belgium.
Reposted by David Lloyd
Great post, well worth a trial and read
New post out:
"The most dangerous man in America"
Understanding "Trump's Prime Minister" Stephen Miller - the nexus of all the streams of right-wing thought and behaviour that embody the current regime.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
"The most dangerous man in America"
Understanding "Trump's Prime Minister" Stephen Miller - the nexus of all the streams of right-wing thought and behaviour that embody the current regime.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
The most dangerous man in America
Understanding Stephen Miller: “Trump’s Prime Minister”
open.substack.com
February 4, 2026 at 4:56 PM
Great post, well worth a trial and read
@1912exiles.com I feel you need to know about this…
Fun fact: Bovril was created by a British company, at the request of the French Emperor Napoleon III, during the Franco-Prussian war.
It was known as "Fluid Beef" and was for distribution to French troops.
Unsurprisingly, they rebranded it pretty fast.
It was known as "Fluid Beef" and was for distribution to French troops.
Unsurprisingly, they rebranded it pretty fast.
World War One advert for Bovril, in which a patriotic cow offers to be boiled down and sent down to France.
The beef-extract was consistently marketed as a drink for soldiers. Members of the public were encouraged to send Bovril to the front line to support the forces.
The beef-extract was consistently marketed as a drink for soldiers. Members of the public were encouraged to send Bovril to the front line to support the forces.
February 4, 2026 at 2:31 PM
@1912exiles.com I feel you need to know about this…
This alone would make being a Premium Bugle Supporter worthwhile…thanks @thebugle.bsky.social !
February 3, 2026 at 1:04 PM
This alone would make being a Premium Bugle Supporter worthwhile…thanks @thebugle.bsky.social !
Reposted by David Lloyd
Neil Young gives complete musical catalogue to Greenland for free - while removing all his music from Amazon
www.rollingstone.co.uk/music/neil-y...
www.rollingstone.co.uk/music/neil-y...
Neil Young gives complete musical catalogue to Greenland for free
Neil Young also told fans that his music will “never be available on Amazon, as long as it is owned by [Jeff] Bezos”.
www.rollingstone.co.uk
January 28, 2026 at 11:16 AM
Neil Young gives complete musical catalogue to Greenland for free - while removing all his music from Amazon
www.rollingstone.co.uk/music/neil-y...
www.rollingstone.co.uk/music/neil-y...
Reposted by David Lloyd
January 27, 2026 at 9:27 PM
Reposted by David Lloyd
If the other parties do not relentlessly attack this kind of thing from Reform by continually attaching it to pictures of, to take an example at random, un-hamstrung immigration officers executing civilians in the streets, then they might as well give up and go home.
Suella Braverman, "There is a very strong case to increase the powers of any immigration enforcement officers that we deploy"
"At the moment they're hamstrung by human rights laws, by health and safety laws, by all sorts of needless and obstructive bureaucracy"
"At the moment they're hamstrung by human rights laws, by health and safety laws, by all sorts of needless and obstructive bureaucracy"
January 27, 2026 at 8:32 AM
If the other parties do not relentlessly attack this kind of thing from Reform by continually attaching it to pictures of, to take an example at random, un-hamstrung immigration officers executing civilians in the streets, then they might as well give up and go home.
Reposted by David Lloyd
Alex Pretti was an ICU nurse serving veterans. He died trying to protect protestors being assaulted. A group of anonymous & masked men fired chemicals into his face, beat him, disarmed him, and shot him in broad daylight in front of witnesses. Then his government smeared him & defended his murder.
January 24, 2026 at 11:44 PM
Alex Pretti was an ICU nurse serving veterans. He died trying to protect protestors being assaulted. A group of anonymous & masked men fired chemicals into his face, beat him, disarmed him, and shot him in broad daylight in front of witnesses. Then his government smeared him & defended his murder.
Reposted by David Lloyd
This intro to David Frost's Telegraph column sums up so much that is wrong with British politics.
January 16, 2026 at 8:46 AM
This intro to David Frost's Telegraph column sums up so much that is wrong with British politics.
I totally agree with this - it was a terrific series and still my reference point for the Robin Hood myth. Plus, the game books were absolutely terrific (still regret the fact I no longer have my copies…).
Since y'all asked nicely, here's my complete history of Robin of Sherwood. One of the finest TV shows ever made. Hugely influential. Most modern cinematic/TV Robin Hood tropes trace back to it.
As Herne would say:
"Nothing is forgotten. Nothing is ever forgotten."
authory.com/JohnBull/Not...
As Herne would say:
"Nothing is forgotten. Nothing is ever forgotten."
authory.com/JohnBull/Not...
January 7, 2026 at 7:00 AM
I totally agree with this - it was a terrific series and still my reference point for the Robin Hood myth. Plus, the game books were absolutely terrific (still regret the fact I no longer have my copies…).
Reposted by David Lloyd
The thing I don't get is that the politics of banning X or Grok should be quite favourable. If there is one thing lots of the public really hate, it is noncery, so saying "we are banning the Nonce Porn machine" and then attacking e.g. Farage as pro-nonce when he criticises it should land quite well.
Just saw this in LinkedIn for anyone interested in looking into Grok's production of CSAM and non-consensual sexualised imagery.
www.linkedin.com/posts/mtechl...
www.linkedin.com/posts/mtechl...
January 6, 2026 at 8:19 AM
The thing I don't get is that the politics of banning X or Grok should be quite favourable. If there is one thing lots of the public really hate, it is noncery, so saying "we are banning the Nonce Porn machine" and then attacking e.g. Farage as pro-nonce when he criticises it should land quite well.
Come on! One point from safety!
December 29, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Come on! One point from safety!
Once heard it is impossible not to unhear this.
(daft punk One More Time voice) Auld Lang Syne
December 26, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Once heard it is impossible not to unhear this.
Completely agree with @1912exiles.com - this is an excellent thread, and as a Trust member I fully agree with the approach outlined.
Well it’s been a few days since the fans forum and I’ve had time to contemplate. Here’s my thoughts @1912exiles.com - long thread:-
EFL football at RP is unsustainable. If our turnover is £3M and we spend £1M on rent we cannot compete. This will only get worse if we go down and revenue falls
EFL football at RP is unsustainable. If our turnover is £3M and we spend £1M on rent we cannot compete. This will only get worse if we go down and revenue falls
December 22, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Completely agree with @1912exiles.com - this is an excellent thread, and as a Trust member I fully agree with the approach outlined.
Reposted by David Lloyd
Well it’s been a few days since the fans forum and I’ve had time to contemplate. Here’s my thoughts @1912exiles.com - long thread:-
EFL football at RP is unsustainable. If our turnover is £3M and we spend £1M on rent we cannot compete. This will only get worse if we go down and revenue falls
EFL football at RP is unsustainable. If our turnover is £3M and we spend £1M on rent we cannot compete. This will only get worse if we go down and revenue falls
December 21, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Well it’s been a few days since the fans forum and I’ve had time to contemplate. Here’s my thoughts @1912exiles.com - long thread:-
EFL football at RP is unsustainable. If our turnover is £3M and we spend £1M on rent we cannot compete. This will only get worse if we go down and revenue falls
EFL football at RP is unsustainable. If our turnover is £3M and we spend £1M on rent we cannot compete. This will only get worse if we go down and revenue falls
Reposted by David Lloyd
Keir Starmer must stand up for the BBC against Trump's outrageous legal threat and protect licence fee payers from being hit in the pocket.
Trump's administration has shown it wishes to interfere in our democracy and undermine our national broadcaster.
The PM must make clear: this is unacceptable.
Trump's administration has shown it wishes to interfere in our democracy and undermine our national broadcaster.
The PM must make clear: this is unacceptable.
December 16, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Keir Starmer must stand up for the BBC against Trump's outrageous legal threat and protect licence fee payers from being hit in the pocket.
Trump's administration has shown it wishes to interfere in our democracy and undermine our national broadcaster.
The PM must make clear: this is unacceptable.
Trump's administration has shown it wishes to interfere in our democracy and undermine our national broadcaster.
The PM must make clear: this is unacceptable.
Reposted by David Lloyd
This really shouldn’t be a difficult thing for politicians to condemn. Instead we get the same tired, lazy and dangerous BS about ‘activist lawyers’, which puts people’s safety at risk and now stops charities from even operating.
🔴I wrote about far-right attacks against refugee charities and why some are choosing to leave the sector to protect themselves. It's awful but understandable.
open.substack.com/pub/nicolake...
open.substack.com/pub/nicolake...
When it's time to move on
It's toxic out there
open.substack.com
December 12, 2025 at 1:29 PM
This really shouldn’t be a difficult thing for politicians to condemn. Instead we get the same tired, lazy and dangerous BS about ‘activist lawyers’, which puts people’s safety at risk and now stops charities from even operating.
This is spot on. And I'm gob-smacked to find myself agreeing with Gavin Barwell in this...
The calls from America this weekend to "abolish the EU" are for one simple reason: the EU is the only thing that can keep European nation-states from becoming Russian or American vassals.
The US has declared rhetorical war on the EU
The calls from America this weekend to destroy the EU are revealing. They hate the union because it's the only thing that can keep European countries from being Russian or American vassals.
davekeating.substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 12:54 PM
This is spot on. And I'm gob-smacked to find myself agreeing with Gavin Barwell in this...
Reposted by David Lloyd
Aston Villa’s Goal of the Month contest for August, cancelled because we scored no goals, has more footballing credibility than the FIFA peace prize for Trump.
December 5, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Aston Villa’s Goal of the Month contest for August, cancelled because we scored no goals, has more footballing credibility than the FIFA peace prize for Trump.
Reposted by David Lloyd
God knows rugby has its governance issues. But it has not yet debased itself as utterly as football did yesterday.
December 6, 2025 at 8:22 AM
God knows rugby has its governance issues. But it has not yet debased itself as utterly as football did yesterday.
Reposted by David Lloyd
So tell me again how Nigel Farage, who just took the largest ever political donation, from a Tory mega-donor, and another donation from the Viscountess wife of the non-dom owner of the Daily Mail, is planning to "take on the establishment"
December 4, 2025 at 1:00 PM
So tell me again how Nigel Farage, who just took the largest ever political donation, from a Tory mega-donor, and another donation from the Viscountess wife of the non-dom owner of the Daily Mail, is planning to "take on the establishment"
Reposted by David Lloyd
My attendance record in the European Parliament was the 4th worst out of 751 MEPs, yet I managed to turn up to vote AGAINST plans to tackle Russian misinformation.
Thankfully this is of no interest to the media.
Thankfully this is of no interest to the media.
November 24, 2025 at 9:20 PM
My attendance record in the European Parliament was the 4th worst out of 751 MEPs, yet I managed to turn up to vote AGAINST plans to tackle Russian misinformation.
Thankfully this is of no interest to the media.
Thankfully this is of no interest to the media.