Peter Geoghegan
@petergeoghegan.bsky.social
Irishman in London. Founder of award winning investigative news site Democracy for Sale https://democracyforsale.substack.com/
🔴 Good to see a Democracy for Sale story raised in Parliament today
@philbrickellmp.bsky.social asked FO minister Stephen Doughty about our reporting that two ex UK ambassadors are paid lobbyists for pro-Russian, genocide-denying Republika Srpska
Clip here: parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...
@philbrickellmp.bsky.social asked FO minister Stephen Doughty about our reporting that two ex UK ambassadors are paid lobbyists for pro-Russian, genocide-denying Republika Srpska
Clip here: parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...
Parliamentlive.tv
Foreign Affairs Committee
parliamentlive.tv
January 6, 2026 at 6:32 PM
🔴 Good to see a Democracy for Sale story raised in Parliament today
@philbrickellmp.bsky.social asked FO minister Stephen Doughty about our reporting that two ex UK ambassadors are paid lobbyists for pro-Russian, genocide-denying Republika Srpska
Clip here: parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...
@philbrickellmp.bsky.social asked FO minister Stephen Doughty about our reporting that two ex UK ambassadors are paid lobbyists for pro-Russian, genocide-denying Republika Srpska
Clip here: parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...
Once a week or so I work in a hipster former We Work in Shoreditch that is mainly full of tech companies and coders
At lunch today was getting lots of odd looks.
Then realised what am sitting reading…
At lunch today was getting lots of odd looks.
Then realised what am sitting reading…
January 6, 2026 at 1:35 PM
Once a week or so I work in a hipster former We Work in Shoreditch that is mainly full of tech companies and coders
At lunch today was getting lots of odd looks.
Then realised what am sitting reading…
At lunch today was getting lots of odd looks.
Then realised what am sitting reading…
Without a hint of irony, Kemi Badenoch - after doing the full ‘Trump was right’ on Venezuela for best part of 10 minutes - when asked about Brexit on Radio 4 Today says ‘sovereignty matters’
Then asked for one big policy, says cutting net zero
Fundamentally unserious
Then asked for one big policy, says cutting net zero
Fundamentally unserious
January 6, 2026 at 8:23 AM
Without a hint of irony, Kemi Badenoch - after doing the full ‘Trump was right’ on Venezuela for best part of 10 minutes - when asked about Brexit on Radio 4 Today says ‘sovereignty matters’
Then asked for one big policy, says cutting net zero
Fundamentally unserious
Then asked for one big policy, says cutting net zero
Fundamentally unserious
In a pretty dark world, this is one story that keeps on giving joy and hilarity 😬
www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...
www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...
O'Neill returns to Celtic for rest of season
Martin O'Neill is returning to Celtic as manager for the remainder of the season following the dismissal of Wilfried Nancy.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 5, 2026 at 8:14 PM
In a pretty dark world, this is one story that keeps on giving joy and hilarity 😬
www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...
www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...
High bar, but the more details that come out about what happened in Venezuela, the more this looks like the crappiest take ever
January 4, 2026 at 8:33 PM
High bar, but the more details that come out about what happened in Venezuela, the more this looks like the crappiest take ever
“I think you will see something like Belfast during the Troubles, or Baghdad circa 2008 and 2010.’
This stuff is demented
Just because someone is a ‘Dr’ doesn’t mean they’re not talking crap (says someone with a doctorate 😬)
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
This stuff is demented
Just because someone is a ‘Dr’ doesn’t mean they’re not talking crap (says someone with a doctorate 😬)
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
‘Once whispered, now discussed’: the rise of dubious claims of civil war in the UK
Dystopian warnings once reserved for the far right have found a wider audience – but there are good reasons for scepticism
www.theguardian.com
January 4, 2026 at 2:48 PM
“I think you will see something like Belfast during the Troubles, or Baghdad circa 2008 and 2010.’
This stuff is demented
Just because someone is a ‘Dr’ doesn’t mean they’re not talking crap (says someone with a doctorate 😬)
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
This stuff is demented
Just because someone is a ‘Dr’ doesn’t mean they’re not talking crap (says someone with a doctorate 😬)
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
In fairness, US spent years before and after Iraq pretending it wasn’t doing this - whereas Trump just announces it
Trump: "We're going to have our very large United States oil companies go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure and start making money for the country. And we are ready to stage a second and much larger attack if we need to do so."
January 3, 2026 at 5:50 PM
In fairness, US spent years before and after Iraq pretending it wasn’t doing this - whereas Trump just announces it
Asked who’s running Venezuela, Trump said “a group” and immediately turned to the oil industry. He said oil companies would be paying to rebuild the infrastructure.
🤯
Trump literally saying ‘it’s gonna make a lot of money’.
This is what it’s all about
🤯
Trump literally saying ‘it’s gonna make a lot of money’.
This is what it’s all about
January 3, 2026 at 5:20 PM
Asked who’s running Venezuela, Trump said “a group” and immediately turned to the oil industry. He said oil companies would be paying to rebuild the infrastructure.
🤯
Trump literally saying ‘it’s gonna make a lot of money’.
This is what it’s all about
🤯
Trump literally saying ‘it’s gonna make a lot of money’.
This is what it’s all about
Reposted by Peter Geoghegan
Trump's got a taste for blood.
Trump on Sheinbaum: "The cartels are running Mexico. She's not running Mexico. We could be politically correct & nice and say, 'Oh, yes, she is.' No no. And I've asked her number times, 'Would you like us to take out the cartels?' ... something is gonna have to be done with Mexico."
January 3, 2026 at 2:50 PM
Trump's got a taste for blood.
What happens when leave the paper on the breakfast table (with a child supposed to be doing homework)
January 3, 2026 at 1:25 PM
What happens when leave the paper on the breakfast table (with a child supposed to be doing homework)
Gonna be fascinating to watch how Trump’s U.K. outriders respond to attack on Venezuela
TLDR: ‘US action OK because, reasons’
TLDR: ‘US action OK because, reasons’
January 3, 2026 at 11:33 AM
Gonna be fascinating to watch how Trump’s U.K. outriders respond to attack on Venezuela
TLDR: ‘US action OK because, reasons’
TLDR: ‘US action OK because, reasons’
Reposted by Peter Geoghegan
Marco Rubio is reportedly saying Maduro will stand trial in US courts.
Which means it’s now the US administration’s position that US courts can hold foreign presidents, but not the US president, accountable for crimes.
Which means it’s now the US administration’s position that US courts can hold foreign presidents, but not the US president, accountable for crimes.
January 3, 2026 at 10:52 AM
Marco Rubio is reportedly saying Maduro will stand trial in US courts.
Which means it’s now the US administration’s position that US courts can hold foreign presidents, but not the US president, accountable for crimes.
Which means it’s now the US administration’s position that US courts can hold foreign presidents, but not the US president, accountable for crimes.
Trump’s has launched an unlawful attack on another country without, seemingly, involvement of the US legislature
Imagine what he might do when he/MAGA faces prospect of electoral defeat in 2028?
Imagine what he might do when he/MAGA faces prospect of electoral defeat in 2028?
Breaking News: President Trump said that the U.S. captured Nicolás Maduro, the Venezuelan leader, and that he is being flown out of the country. Follow live updates.
Live Updates: U.S. Captures Venezuelan Leader, Trump Says
President Trump announced that U.S. forces had carried out “a large scale strike against Venezuela” and were flying President Nicolás Maduro and his wife out of the country. The Trump administration had been building pressure on Mr. Maduro for months.
nyti.ms
January 3, 2026 at 10:15 AM
Trump’s has launched an unlawful attack on another country without, seemingly, involvement of the US legislature
Imagine what he might do when he/MAGA faces prospect of electoral defeat in 2028?
Imagine what he might do when he/MAGA faces prospect of electoral defeat in 2028?
FIFA peace prize in action
JUST IN: Trump says the U.S. has captured Maduro and his wife and flown them out of the country.
January 3, 2026 at 9:36 AM
FIFA peace prize in action
Even by Musk’s standards this is batshit
Watching his straight arm again - a year later - it looks even more like a Roman salute.
Mamdani’s so clearly is just a guy taking applause
Watching his straight arm again - a year later - it looks even more like a Roman salute.
Mamdani’s so clearly is just a guy taking applause
January 2, 2026 at 9:21 PM
Even by Musk’s standards this is batshit
Watching his straight arm again - a year later - it looks even more like a Roman salute.
Mamdani’s so clearly is just a guy taking applause
Watching his straight arm again - a year later - it looks even more like a Roman salute.
Mamdani’s so clearly is just a guy taking applause
Feels like there’s a strong argument that the reactionary overreach in the US has become way, way over confident about its own longevity
Of course the damage is already being done but not sure this sense of cultural supremacy will last anywhere near as long as its proponents things
Of course the damage is already being done but not sure this sense of cultural supremacy will last anywhere near as long as its proponents things
January 2, 2026 at 5:34 PM
Feels like there’s a strong argument that the reactionary overreach in the US has become way, way over confident about its own longevity
Of course the damage is already being done but not sure this sense of cultural supremacy will last anywhere near as long as its proponents things
Of course the damage is already being done but not sure this sense of cultural supremacy will last anywhere near as long as its proponents things
Reposted by Peter Geoghegan
X/grok creating and platforming sexually explicit material of children isn’t just a lapse, it’s criminal.
Elon Musk and his companies should be held to account.
It’s been over a year since I dumped X. It was the right decision then and even more so now. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Elon Musk and his companies should be held to account.
It’s been over a year since I dumped X. It was the right decision then and even more so now. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Grok Posts Sexual Images of Minors After ‘Lapses in Safeguards’
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence chatbot Grok said “lapses in safeguards” led to the generation of sexualized images of minors that it posted to social media site X.
www.bloomberg.com
January 2, 2026 at 11:48 AM
X/grok creating and platforming sexually explicit material of children isn’t just a lapse, it’s criminal.
Elon Musk and his companies should be held to account.
It’s been over a year since I dumped X. It was the right decision then and even more so now. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Elon Musk and his companies should be held to account.
It’s been over a year since I dumped X. It was the right decision then and even more so now. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Really interesting thread
The information ecosystem point is absolutely crucial IMO - and seems to be criminally under appreciated/misunderstood by Government/Labour top brass
The information ecosystem point is absolutely crucial IMO - and seems to be criminally under appreciated/misunderstood by Government/Labour top brass
I had a long thread written out but the app closed and it's deleted so here are some mostly-formed thoughts: it's a mixture of their central problem (lack of a clear mission), unforced errors (WFA) and a failure to recognise the information environment they're operating in
Glad the FT is asking the question. Even if I’m not convinced they found a compelling answer.
I get that Starmer & Reeves are unpopular, I really don’t understand the extent of the dislike.
www.ft.com/content/1995... ‘There’s a real dislike, even loathing’: why voters hate Starmer and Reeves
I get that Starmer & Reeves are unpopular, I really don’t understand the extent of the dislike.
www.ft.com/content/1995... ‘There’s a real dislike, even loathing’: why voters hate Starmer and Reeves
December 31, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Really interesting thread
The information ecosystem point is absolutely crucial IMO - and seems to be criminally under appreciated/misunderstood by Government/Labour top brass
The information ecosystem point is absolutely crucial IMO - and seems to be criminally under appreciated/misunderstood by Government/Labour top brass
Reposted by Peter Geoghegan
Always get caught wondering if he's incredibly stupid or malevolent before remembering he can be both.
Trump: "Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed. It sounds a little strange but President Putin was very generous in his feeling toward Ukraine succeeding, including supplying energy, electricity and other things at very low prices."
December 28, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Always get caught wondering if he's incredibly stupid or malevolent before remembering he can be both.
Reposted by Peter Geoghegan
Interested in how you square the circle of “British people who post ‘burn down a migrant hotel’ during race riots shouldn’t be arrested” with “someone who posted pretty objectionable and racist things 8 years before they became a British citizen should be deported” and am sure someone will ask Nigel
December 29, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Interested in how you square the circle of “British people who post ‘burn down a migrant hotel’ during race riots shouldn’t be arrested” with “someone who posted pretty objectionable and racist things 8 years before they became a British citizen should be deported” and am sure someone will ask Nigel
Reposted by Peter Geoghegan
Remember these two names:
Charles Crawford, Britain’s ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the mid-1990s, & Sir Dominick Chilcott, a former UK ambassador to Ireland, are registered as lobbyists for Republika Srpska on the government’s recently launched Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS)
Charles Crawford, Britain’s ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the mid-1990s, & Sir Dominick Chilcott, a former UK ambassador to Ireland, are registered as lobbyists for Republika Srpska on the government’s recently launched Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS)
Remember Starmer's "urgent" review into foreign interference after Nathan Gill?
Well, there's already two ex-UK ambassadors working in Westminster on behalf of a pro-Russian foreign government whose de facto leader is under UK sanctions...
New on D4S: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
Well, there's already two ex-UK ambassadors working in Westminster on behalf of a pro-Russian foreign government whose de facto leader is under UK sanctions...
New on D4S: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
Ex-UK ambassadors are lobbyists for sanctioned pro-Russia genocide deniers
Labour MP calls for rules to be tightened after Democracy for Sale finds former diplomats paid to lobby for Republika Srpska
democracyforsale.substack.com
December 28, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Remember these two names:
Charles Crawford, Britain’s ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the mid-1990s, & Sir Dominick Chilcott, a former UK ambassador to Ireland, are registered as lobbyists for Republika Srpska on the government’s recently launched Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS)
Charles Crawford, Britain’s ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the mid-1990s, & Sir Dominick Chilcott, a former UK ambassador to Ireland, are registered as lobbyists for Republika Srpska on the government’s recently launched Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS)
‘Incredible [Bardot’s] compassion for animals didn’t extend to people’ - my mum nails it as we watch the 9 o’clock news on RTE
December 28, 2025 at 9:12 PM
‘Incredible [Bardot’s] compassion for animals didn’t extend to people’ - my mum nails it as we watch the 9 o’clock news on RTE
The books of Christmas. Yet to make anything from the Rambutan but it’s one of my favourite places in London.
Pereira Maintains is a real gem, set in Salazar Portugal.
So far the Bureau is McNamee’s finest since Resurrection Man.
Empire of AI is terrifying, frankly
Pereira Maintains is a real gem, set in Salazar Portugal.
So far the Bureau is McNamee’s finest since Resurrection Man.
Empire of AI is terrifying, frankly
December 28, 2025 at 6:24 PM
The books of Christmas. Yet to make anything from the Rambutan but it’s one of my favourite places in London.
Pereira Maintains is a real gem, set in Salazar Portugal.
So far the Bureau is McNamee’s finest since Resurrection Man.
Empire of AI is terrifying, frankly
Pereira Maintains is a real gem, set in Salazar Portugal.
So far the Bureau is McNamee’s finest since Resurrection Man.
Empire of AI is terrifying, frankly
Reminder that in Britain seats for life in a legislator (the Lords) have routinely been sold for £3 million (and much less too)
Corruption so pungent, it wafts right off the page:
Lobbyists who do pardon deals “say their going rate is $1 million. Pardon-seekers have offered some lobbyists close to the president success fees of as much as $6 million if they can close the deal.”
Gift link www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Lobbyists who do pardon deals “say their going rate is $1 million. Pardon-seekers have offered some lobbyists close to the president success fees of as much as $6 million if they can close the deal.”
Gift link www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Inside the New Fast Track to a Presidential Pardon
Even some of the president’s closest advisers have been surprised by a number of the recent series of pardons.
www.wsj.com
December 28, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Reminder that in Britain seats for life in a legislator (the Lords) have routinely been sold for £3 million (and much less too)
About to fly to an airport built to honour an appearance by the Virgin Mary (Knock) then home to Longford for a few days
Here’s how the inimitable Peter Lennon described Longford
I’ll be seeing ‘the distrustful barmen with pulpy voices’ later 😬
Here’s how the inimitable Peter Lennon described Longford
I’ll be seeing ‘the distrustful barmen with pulpy voices’ later 😬
December 26, 2025 at 1:32 PM
About to fly to an airport built to honour an appearance by the Virgin Mary (Knock) then home to Longford for a few days
Here’s how the inimitable Peter Lennon described Longford
I’ll be seeing ‘the distrustful barmen with pulpy voices’ later 😬
Here’s how the inimitable Peter Lennon described Longford
I’ll be seeing ‘the distrustful barmen with pulpy voices’ later 😬