Ben
@murfbenj.bsky.social
Pinned
Ben
@murfbenj.bsky.social
· Sep 10
Lurching Right, Right and even more to the Right at the whim of a wealthy, well connected Tory establishment, is the story of UK politics for the last 40 years that’s destroying the country. It’s accelerated since the ludicrous Brexit spasm, demolishing the characters of otherwise reasonable people.
Reposted by Ben
Did you see all the “Countryside is too white”, “countryside is racist” hoo ha last week?
If you were anywhere near RW media or the hell site, you can’t have missed it!
Want to know where it all came from? Why there were over 30 “news” pieces about it in just 4 days?
Let’s take a look!👀
🧵1/29
If you were anywhere near RW media or the hell site, you can’t have missed it!
Want to know where it all came from? Why there were over 30 “news” pieces about it in just 4 days?
Let’s take a look!👀
🧵1/29
February 9, 2026 at 9:25 PM
Did you see all the “Countryside is too white”, “countryside is racist” hoo ha last week?
If you were anywhere near RW media or the hell site, you can’t have missed it!
Want to know where it all came from? Why there were over 30 “news” pieces about it in just 4 days?
Let’s take a look!👀
🧵1/29
If you were anywhere near RW media or the hell site, you can’t have missed it!
Want to know where it all came from? Why there were over 30 “news” pieces about it in just 4 days?
Let’s take a look!👀
🧵1/29
Sarwar poked head above parapet and promptly got it blown off
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar calls for Starmer to quit, insisting 'leadership in Downing Street needs to change'
Read more: www.lbc.co.uk/article/scot...
Read more: www.lbc.co.uk/article/scot...
February 9, 2026 at 8:57 PM
Sarwar poked head above parapet and promptly got it blown off
Reposted by Ben
“The next time someone shares with you some anti-London b******t, be sure to send them this video"
Excellent explainer from @evanedinger.bsky.social, countering hate and lies about London www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDky...
#racism #hateforprofit #stopfundinghate
Excellent explainer from @evanedinger.bsky.social, countering hate and lies about London www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDky...
#racism #hateforprofit #stopfundinghate
Why The Internet Is Terrified of London
YouTube video by Evan Edinger
www.youtube.com
February 9, 2026 at 8:03 PM
“The next time someone shares with you some anti-London b******t, be sure to send them this video"
Excellent explainer from @evanedinger.bsky.social, countering hate and lies about London www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDky...
#racism #hateforprofit #stopfundinghate
Excellent explainer from @evanedinger.bsky.social, countering hate and lies about London www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDky...
#racism #hateforprofit #stopfundinghate
At this point Starmer’s successor should be Ed Miliband. The other top contenders are currently tainted or under a shadow. Ed has baggage too, not least being rejected by electorate in 2015. But times have changed and most people recognise that election as a major error.
February 9, 2026 at 12:30 PM
At this point Starmer’s successor should be Ed Miliband. The other top contenders are currently tainted or under a shadow. Ed has baggage too, not least being rejected by electorate in 2015. But times have changed and most people recognise that election as a major error.
I have no confidence that Starmer understands that he needs to pivot. We’ll get more of the same. Meet the new boss of strategy, same as the old boss.
February 9, 2026 at 7:26 AM
I have no confidence that Starmer understands that he needs to pivot. We’ll get more of the same. Meet the new boss of strategy, same as the old boss.
Reposted by Ben
Portugal, UCP-CESOP exit poll:
Presidential election, second round today
Seguro (PS-S&D): 68-73% (+70.5)
Ventura (CH-PfE): 27-32% (+29.5)
+/- vs. Last election result
➤ europeelects.eu/portugal
Presidential election, second round today
Seguro (PS-S&D): 68-73% (+70.5)
Ventura (CH-PfE): 27-32% (+29.5)
+/- vs. Last election result
➤ europeelects.eu/portugal
February 8, 2026 at 8:03 PM
Portugal, UCP-CESOP exit poll:
Presidential election, second round today
Seguro (PS-S&D): 68-73% (+70.5)
Ventura (CH-PfE): 27-32% (+29.5)
+/- vs. Last election result
➤ europeelects.eu/portugal
Presidential election, second round today
Seguro (PS-S&D): 68-73% (+70.5)
Ventura (CH-PfE): 27-32% (+29.5)
+/- vs. Last election result
➤ europeelects.eu/portugal
That was the shittest 18 months of political strategy since, er, Cummings.
What a waste of everyone’s time.
“Blue” Labour though… rightly utterly discredited
#MorganMcSweeney
What a waste of everyone’s time.
“Blue” Labour though… rightly utterly discredited
#MorganMcSweeney
February 8, 2026 at 3:26 PM
That was the shittest 18 months of political strategy since, er, Cummings.
What a waste of everyone’s time.
“Blue” Labour though… rightly utterly discredited
#MorganMcSweeney
What a waste of everyone’s time.
“Blue” Labour though… rightly utterly discredited
#MorganMcSweeney
Reposted by Ben
This sounds like some proper good news.
Just because good news is worth celebrating:
There is now a Prep medication that is an *every six month* injection.
HIV has, effectively, a vaccination.
There is now a Prep medication that is an *every six month* injection.
HIV has, effectively, a vaccination.
February 7, 2026 at 9:18 AM
This sounds like some proper good news.
As Trump presidency deteriorates into appalling racism, open corruption and outright degeneracy, a reminder of another opportunity lost by Keir Starmer’s atrocious judgement. More sceptical approach to the criminal since re-election would be a mountain of capital Starmer could use. Instead: nothing
February 7, 2026 at 8:55 AM
As Trump presidency deteriorates into appalling racism, open corruption and outright degeneracy, a reminder of another opportunity lost by Keir Starmer’s atrocious judgement. More sceptical approach to the criminal since re-election would be a mountain of capital Starmer could use. Instead: nothing
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February 6, 2026 at 7:42 AM
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Reposted by Ben
Boris Johnson’s Deputy Chief of Staff here, worried that secretly-funded lobby groups masquerading as ‘think tanks’ might finally be held to account. Because of course she bloody is.
Baroness Finn, stating that this would "risk a disproportionate intrusion into civil society", asks minister to confirm that the "current arrangements" will not change, but gets a strong response from Anderson:
February 5, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Boris Johnson’s Deputy Chief of Staff here, worried that secretly-funded lobby groups masquerading as ‘think tanks’ might finally be held to account. Because of course she bloody is.
I see the great ponzi Bitcoin has almost halved in value since its peak
February 5, 2026 at 7:12 PM
I see the great ponzi Bitcoin has almost halved in value since its peak
Barest minimum from Starmer there. A hiatus will follow and so it’s all about the passing of time. Starmer’s greatest advantage is the lack of any obvious challenger - think about it and no name fills the breach. If he navigates to March, Starmer should cling on. Then it’ll be down to the May locals
February 5, 2026 at 1:05 PM
Barest minimum from Starmer there. A hiatus will follow and so it’s all about the passing of time. Starmer’s greatest advantage is the lack of any obvious challenger - think about it and no name fills the breach. If he navigates to March, Starmer should cling on. Then it’ll be down to the May locals
So what is the point of this ridiculous ‘ban’? Robbing cab companies of a source of income (in the rush to dump on asylum seekers they never think through who else gets clobbered).
Ban on asylum seekers using taxis for medical appointments comes into force www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Ban on asylum seekers using taxis for medical appointments comes into force www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Ban on asylum seekers using taxis for medical appointments comes into force
It comes after a BBC investigation which showed people travelling long distances at high cost.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 5, 2026 at 7:05 AM
So what is the point of this ridiculous ‘ban’? Robbing cab companies of a source of income (in the rush to dump on asylum seekers they never think through who else gets clobbered).
Ban on asylum seekers using taxis for medical appointments comes into force www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Ban on asylum seekers using taxis for medical appointments comes into force www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
You know what?
If I’d been elected along with 400 plus like minded MPs and a 170 seat majority, do you know what I *wouldn’t* do?
The same things the party I just trounced were doing.
Why the hell then did Keir Starmer think that was a winning strategy?
If I’d been elected along with 400 plus like minded MPs and a 170 seat majority, do you know what I *wouldn’t* do?
The same things the party I just trounced were doing.
Why the hell then did Keir Starmer think that was a winning strategy?
February 4, 2026 at 10:15 PM
You know what?
If I’d been elected along with 400 plus like minded MPs and a 170 seat majority, do you know what I *wouldn’t* do?
The same things the party I just trounced were doing.
Why the hell then did Keir Starmer think that was a winning strategy?
If I’d been elected along with 400 plus like minded MPs and a 170 seat majority, do you know what I *wouldn’t* do?
The same things the party I just trounced were doing.
Why the hell then did Keir Starmer think that was a winning strategy?
It’s not just that Starmer is going to trudge away from a disastrous tenure as PM, smoke from a cratered leadsrship drifting all around him, it’s the 18 months he’s spent validating the far right that’s going to be what we all will have to grapple with for the next few years.
February 4, 2026 at 8:46 PM
It’s not just that Starmer is going to trudge away from a disastrous tenure as PM, smoke from a cratered leadsrship drifting all around him, it’s the 18 months he’s spent validating the far right that’s going to be what we all will have to grapple with for the next few years.
As Starmer begins a long defenestration I’m reminded of grubby Reform-lite anti immigration announcements in the week before Labour were smashed in May 2025 local elex - likely a McSweeney wheeze that did nothing for Labour’s election result but made the country that little bit worse to live in
February 4, 2026 at 6:34 PM
As Starmer begins a long defenestration I’m reminded of grubby Reform-lite anti immigration announcements in the week before Labour were smashed in May 2025 local elex - likely a McSweeney wheeze that did nothing for Labour’s election result but made the country that little bit worse to live in
Reposted by Ben
IMO this is indeed revealing about - JP Morgan (& maybe others) threatened to crash the gilts market in retaliation for the bank bonus tax.
What happened? As @faisalislam.bsky.social says not much.
So much for "bond vigilantes"
(1/2)
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
What happened? As @faisalislam.bsky.social says not much.
So much for "bond vigilantes"
(1/2)
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
February 2, 2026 at 4:26 PM
IMO this is indeed revealing about - JP Morgan (& maybe others) threatened to crash the gilts market in retaliation for the bank bonus tax.
What happened? As @faisalislam.bsky.social says not much.
So much for "bond vigilantes"
(1/2)
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
What happened? As @faisalislam.bsky.social says not much.
So much for "bond vigilantes"
(1/2)
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Ben
Can't believe we were out of power for 14 years and in less than 2 years we have descended into this. It's unforgivable and Starmer should pay with his job. The stakes are too high for sentiment.
February 4, 2026 at 4:08 PM
Can't believe we were out of power for 14 years and in less than 2 years we have descended into this. It's unforgivable and Starmer should pay with his job. The stakes are too high for sentiment.
Sounds from #pmqs like this isn’t going to happen. It’s a PM who is in a tailspin that he is admitting is terminal
Ridding himself of the discredited, useless Morgan McSweeney is the bare minimum Starmer is going to need to do to level the plummeting airliner. Should never have taken McSweeney on, based on the thinnest of CVs. And Starmer should have sacked him for the dismal polling long before now
February 4, 2026 at 12:35 PM
Sounds from #pmqs like this isn’t going to happen. It’s a PM who is in a tailspin that he is admitting is terminal
Ridding himself of the discredited, useless Morgan McSweeney is the bare minimum Starmer is going to need to do to level the plummeting airliner. Should never have taken McSweeney on, based on the thinnest of CVs. And Starmer should have sacked him for the dismal polling long before now
February 4, 2026 at 7:21 AM
Ridding himself of the discredited, useless Morgan McSweeney is the bare minimum Starmer is going to need to do to level the plummeting airliner. Should never have taken McSweeney on, based on the thinnest of CVs. And Starmer should have sacked him for the dismal polling long before now
A study needs to be made on how easily the media narrative switched when Trump was re-elected in Nov 2024. They didn’t think: here comes a corrupt, fraudulent danger to democracy again, they instead treated his election like some radical new paradigm to be accommodated.
February 2, 2026 at 9:45 AM
A study needs to be made on how easily the media narrative switched when Trump was re-elected in Nov 2024. They didn’t think: here comes a corrupt, fraudulent danger to democracy again, they instead treated his election like some radical new paradigm to be accommodated.
The fall and fall of the disgraced Peter Mandelson is running parallel to the reputational collapse, shame and indignity of Andrew Windsor.
February 1, 2026 at 8:01 PM
The fall and fall of the disgraced Peter Mandelson is running parallel to the reputational collapse, shame and indignity of Andrew Windsor.
Reposted by Ben
Wowsers look at what happened to posts on Twitter/X about London crime after monetisation of posts was introduced…
economist.com/britain/2026...
economist.com/britain/2026...
January 31, 2026 at 6:07 PM
Wowsers look at what happened to posts on Twitter/X about London crime after monetisation of posts was introduced…
economist.com/britain/2026...
economist.com/britain/2026...