John O’Shea
@politicalhackuk.bsky.social
Labour. Former BCC councillor and cabinet member. Know too much about bins. All views my own. RTs may not be. Work for Jess Phillips MP. Promoted by Yardley Labour Party on behalf of John O'Shea, both at 62 Yardley Road, Acocks Green, B27 6HH.
“It wasn’t ’H’ - it was ‘HRH’ all along.”
“Now we’re sucking diesel”
“Now we’re sucking diesel”
February 19, 2026 at 11:27 AM
“It wasn’t ’H’ - it was ‘HRH’ all along.”
“Now we’re sucking diesel”
“Now we’re sucking diesel”
“Get your crown on, you’re nicked”
February 19, 2026 at 11:17 AM
“Get your crown on, you’re nicked”
Some might think that having led the destruction of a bank, to which he had ascended to essentially because of his birth, then a lifetime of reflection and silence might be appropriate.
But no. Ridley leads the charge on destroying the planet too.
Got to think big lads.
But no. Ridley leads the charge on destroying the planet too.
Got to think big lads.
It's an excellent piece. The answer to how the likes of Ridley thrive is very simple.
He's an Eton educated Oxford graduate who is also a hereditary peer. He may be exceptionally stupid, but that is enough in this country to cover you in armour plating and propel you onwards in your career.
He's an Eton educated Oxford graduate who is also a hereditary peer. He may be exceptionally stupid, but that is enough in this country to cover you in armour plating and propel you onwards in your career.
A great post by the excellent @writesbright.bsky.social. Do read it.
writesbright.substack.com/p/media-dera...
writesbright.substack.com/p/media-dera...
February 19, 2026 at 10:02 AM
Some might think that having led the destruction of a bank, to which he had ascended to essentially because of his birth, then a lifetime of reflection and silence might be appropriate.
But no. Ridley leads the charge on destroying the planet too.
Got to think big lads.
But no. Ridley leads the charge on destroying the planet too.
Got to think big lads.
Really terrible when authors promote themselves like this.
Especially when you can get their book at a discount.
Especially when you can get their book at a discount.
I have just been told that Waterstones is running a February sale until the 20th (tomorrow), and that you can pre-order my book at 25% off if you enter the code FEB26 checking out. www.waterstones.com/book/fantast...
Fantastic Kingdom by Helene von Bismarck | Waterstones
Buy Fantastic Kingdom by Helene von Bismarck from Waterstones today! Click and Collect from your local Waterstones or get FREE UK delivery on orders over £25.
www.waterstones.com
February 19, 2026 at 9:33 AM
Really terrible when authors promote themselves like this.
Especially when you can get their book at a discount.
Especially when you can get their book at a discount.
Reposted by John O’Shea
US:
"We are all one Western Civilization sharing a common thread from Athens to Rome to America."
EU:
"We've actually been building institutions to bring Europe closer together, pooling our sovereignty around shared values and..."
US:
"No. Not like that."
"We are all one Western Civilization sharing a common thread from Athens to Rome to America."
EU:
"We've actually been building institutions to bring Europe closer together, pooling our sovereignty around shared values and..."
US:
"No. Not like that."
February 18, 2026 at 1:53 PM
US:
"We are all one Western Civilization sharing a common thread from Athens to Rome to America."
EU:
"We've actually been building institutions to bring Europe closer together, pooling our sovereignty around shared values and..."
US:
"No. Not like that."
"We are all one Western Civilization sharing a common thread from Athens to Rome to America."
EU:
"We've actually been building institutions to bring Europe closer together, pooling our sovereignty around shared values and..."
US:
"No. Not like that."
Also from @billybragg.bsky.social and A New England -
“I sat beside the telephone
Waiting for someone to pull me through
When at last it didn’t ring, I knew it wasn’t you”
“I sat beside the telephone
Waiting for someone to pull me through
When at last it didn’t ring, I knew it wasn’t you”
What’s the best song lyric in history?
February 18, 2026 at 1:06 AM
Also from @billybragg.bsky.social and A New England -
“I sat beside the telephone
Waiting for someone to pull me through
When at last it didn’t ring, I knew it wasn’t you”
“I sat beside the telephone
Waiting for someone to pull me through
When at last it didn’t ring, I knew it wasn’t you”
Reposted by John O’Shea
February 17, 2026 at 8:11 PM
Impressive car chase on #SilentWitness that goes from the Hockley flyover instantly to beneath Spaghetti Junction and then straight back to Digbeth.
February 17, 2026 at 8:27 PM
Impressive car chase on #SilentWitness that goes from the Hockley flyover instantly to beneath Spaghetti Junction and then straight back to Digbeth.
Staple this to the walls of every campaign office. I may loathe all Farage stands for, but a politician who has never held executive public office has managed to achieve a lot of his aims.
Do not underestimate the man.
Do not underestimate the man.
Sorry, but the guy who has survived longer an achieved more of his priorities than anyone else in politics over the past two decades, who has outmaneuvered multiple leaders of two larger parties and reoriented politics around his priorities is not “bad at politics”. This is cope.
A thing we've forgotten over the past 18 months but is becoming increasingly clear again: Nigel Farage is quite bad at politics
February 17, 2026 at 5:16 PM
Staple this to the walls of every campaign office. I may loathe all Farage stands for, but a politician who has never held executive public office has managed to achieve a lot of his aims.
Do not underestimate the man.
Do not underestimate the man.
Worst episode of the Weakest Link now on BBC News. But good to see that Tice has flown back in from Dubai and that Farage is actually in the UK and not worshipping some far right goon
February 17, 2026 at 11:17 AM
Worst episode of the Weakest Link now on BBC News. But good to see that Tice has flown back in from Dubai and that Farage is actually in the UK and not worshipping some far right goon
"Anyone can join in so I discarded my jeans
And played wine-maddened Pentheus, the King of Thebes
And some Bloomsbury peripheral said I had the best line
Check your sheds, check your sheds, I think I’ve lost my mind!"
Nigel Blackwell - Half Man Half Biscuit, We Built this Village on a Trad Arr Tune
And played wine-maddened Pentheus, the King of Thebes
And some Bloomsbury peripheral said I had the best line
Check your sheds, check your sheds, I think I’ve lost my mind!"
Nigel Blackwell - Half Man Half Biscuit, We Built this Village on a Trad Arr Tune
What’s the best song lyric in history?
February 17, 2026 at 10:46 AM
"Anyone can join in so I discarded my jeans
And played wine-maddened Pentheus, the King of Thebes
And some Bloomsbury peripheral said I had the best line
Check your sheds, check your sheds, I think I’ve lost my mind!"
Nigel Blackwell - Half Man Half Biscuit, We Built this Village on a Trad Arr Tune
And played wine-maddened Pentheus, the King of Thebes
And some Bloomsbury peripheral said I had the best line
Check your sheds, check your sheds, I think I’ve lost my mind!"
Nigel Blackwell - Half Man Half Biscuit, We Built this Village on a Trad Arr Tune
"I saw two shooting stars last night,
I wished on them,
but they were only satellites,
It's wrong to wish on space hardware,
I wish, I wish you cared"
Billy Bragg - A New England
I wished on them,
but they were only satellites,
It's wrong to wish on space hardware,
I wish, I wish you cared"
Billy Bragg - A New England
What’s the best song lyric in history?
February 17, 2026 at 10:40 AM
"I saw two shooting stars last night,
I wished on them,
but they were only satellites,
It's wrong to wish on space hardware,
I wish, I wish you cared"
Billy Bragg - A New England
I wished on them,
but they were only satellites,
It's wrong to wish on space hardware,
I wish, I wish you cared"
Billy Bragg - A New England
Sri Lanka battering Australia at the moment and probably dropping them out of the T20 World Cup barring a miracle or three.
February 16, 2026 at 4:49 PM
Sri Lanka battering Australia at the moment and probably dropping them out of the T20 World Cup barring a miracle or three.
I was lucky enough to meet Aysha a few times and I can't argue with Dawn's comments.
I'm so sorry to hear about her passing.
I'm so sorry to hear about her passing.
There are some people, activists, councillors who brighten up your day whenever they are around.
Dr. Aysha Raza was one of those people. Her energy! Her smile! Her commitment!
May she rest in eternal peace... my condolences and love to all her family and friends.
Dr. Aysha Raza was one of those people. Her energy! Her smile! Her commitment!
May she rest in eternal peace... my condolences and love to all her family and friends.
February 16, 2026 at 3:08 PM
I was lucky enough to meet Aysha a few times and I can't argue with Dawn's comments.
I'm so sorry to hear about her passing.
I'm so sorry to hear about her passing.
How about we just send Elon to an Old Firm game?
The implication that Irish culture is more akin to English culture than, say, that of a German Protestant is one of those 'Elon, could you just go and say that very loudly on Grafton Street for me. For an experiment' things
February 15, 2026 at 8:08 PM
How about we just send Elon to an Old Firm game?
Reposted by John O’Shea
Become ungovernable
February 14, 2026 at 10:12 PM
Become ungovernable
You wait until you hear about the lies of Big Strawberry about something that isn’t a berry.
Big Nut has been telling you stories all your life and you’ve all fallen for it
Genuinely furious to discover that almonds aren't even a fucking nut. They're a fucking drupe. First peanuts and then cashews and now almonds. Do nuts even exist? I've been lied to my whole life.
February 15, 2026 at 2:39 PM
You wait until you hear about the lies of Big Strawberry about something that isn’t a berry.
Nice surprise. After an afternoon in the city, a treat to see this beast in full steam running through Moor Street. #FlyingScotsman
February 14, 2026 at 5:59 PM
Nice surprise. After an afternoon in the city, a treat to see this beast in full steam running through Moor Street. #FlyingScotsman
No idea what they are talking about, but loving Ed and Tim’s snowboarding commentary. Also, the tricks from the riders are terrifying #winterolympics
February 13, 2026 at 8:04 PM
No idea what they are talking about, but loving Ed and Tim’s snowboarding commentary. Also, the tricks from the riders are terrifying #winterolympics
Reposted by John O’Shea
This is heartbreaking. How Nadhim had to walk on the streets with ordinary people. People who didn't have nice warm horses. Or more than one house, even. Imagine Nadhim's fear, his pain.
Nadhim Zahawi thinks London is now unsafe, because the other day a tired-looking man walked past him during the morning rush hour.
February 13, 2026 at 1:51 PM
This is heartbreaking. How Nadhim had to walk on the streets with ordinary people. People who didn't have nice warm horses. Or more than one house, even. Imagine Nadhim's fear, his pain.
Reposted by John O’Shea
Also, you can only be colonised by immigrants. Thats what colonisation is.
February 12, 2026 at 4:35 PM
Also, you can only be colonised by immigrants. Thats what colonisation is.
Reposted by John O’Shea
Would also like to add on Jim Ratcliffe that it is billionaires like him who think colonialism was good when it was the British who did it. So maybe we can talk about the benefits of migration to the UK.
February 12, 2026 at 8:41 AM
Would also like to add on Jim Ratcliffe that it is billionaires like him who think colonialism was good when it was the British who did it. So maybe we can talk about the benefits of migration to the UK.
This is the problem with people who claim to be concerned about this country, but just don't want to pay to support the country that has given them so much. It never stops them holding out the begging bowl for govt grants though.
Plastic patriots.
Plastic patriots.
February 12, 2026 at 12:25 PM
This is the problem with people who claim to be concerned about this country, but just don't want to pay to support the country that has given them so much. It never stops them holding out the begging bowl for govt grants though.
Plastic patriots.
Plastic patriots.
Well, mine boasts a sidekick of Benny Hill, a leading arts critic, England internationals at football, netball and rugby and two glamour models.
That's a lot packed into a career for one person, to be fair
That's a lot packed into a career for one person, to be fair
Who's the most famous alum of your high school?
I'll go first: David Draiman of Disturbed
I'll go first: David Draiman of Disturbed
guys i just found out i went to the same high school as howard lutnick. please respect my privacy at this time.
February 12, 2026 at 10:14 AM
Well, mine boasts a sidekick of Benny Hill, a leading arts critic, England internationals at football, netball and rugby and two glamour models.
That's a lot packed into a career for one person, to be fair
That's a lot packed into a career for one person, to be fair