Giles Brown
@polkapiquee.bsky.social
In some way you're a lot like me.
The times they are a-changing.
Germany votes to bring in voluntary military service programme for 18-year-olds
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg9drg8pg1o
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg9drg8pg1o
December 7, 2025 at 12:21 AM
The times they are a-changing.
Reposted by Giles Brown
Occasionally, I read something and fall deeply in love, all over again, with the German language.
Today's unbearably cute discovery is the colloquialism for toddler: "dreikäsehoch". Literally, "three-cheeses tall".
Today's unbearably cute discovery is the colloquialism for toddler: "dreikäsehoch". Literally, "three-cheeses tall".
December 4, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Occasionally, I read something and fall deeply in love, all over again, with the German language.
Today's unbearably cute discovery is the colloquialism for toddler: "dreikäsehoch". Literally, "three-cheeses tall".
Today's unbearably cute discovery is the colloquialism for toddler: "dreikäsehoch". Literally, "three-cheeses tall".
Reposted by Giles Brown
Brilliant choice of Misha Glenny for In Our Time! He interviewed me at the Vienna Humanities festival a few weeks ago and he had the perfect wide-ranging interests and intelligence. As a fan of IOT I am cheering. www.bbc.com/mediacentre/...
Misha Glenny to present BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time
The much loved series returns on 15 January 2026
www.bbc.com
December 3, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Brilliant choice of Misha Glenny for In Our Time! He interviewed me at the Vienna Humanities festival a few weeks ago and he had the perfect wide-ranging interests and intelligence. As a fan of IOT I am cheering. www.bbc.com/mediacentre/...
Richtig.
With Germany’s president visiting the UK, we asked Germans what they think about Brexit.
👀 "It's just so stupid to cut the branch you're sitting on," one person said.
Here's what else they had to say ⬇️
👀 "It's just so stupid to cut the branch you're sitting on," one person said.
Here's what else they had to say ⬇️
December 3, 2025 at 11:56 PM
Richtig.
I'm going in. Wish me luck. 🤞
December 1, 2025 at 11:53 PM
I'm going in. Wish me luck. 🤞
Reposted by Giles Brown
"An exodus of UK citizens is being driven by tens of thousands of eastern Europeans moving home and taking British partners with them."
Going over there, taking their jobs, etc. ~AA
Going over there, taking their jobs, etc. ~AA
December 1, 2025 at 5:13 PM
"An exodus of UK citizens is being driven by tens of thousands of eastern Europeans moving home and taking British partners with them."
Going over there, taking their jobs, etc. ~AA
Going over there, taking their jobs, etc. ~AA
Reposted by Giles Brown
He had brain damage and was told he had to be put to sleep.
Today I took Stormzy to run on the beach.
I promise this will set you up for the weekend ❤️
Today I took Stormzy to run on the beach.
I promise this will set you up for the weekend ❤️
November 28, 2025 at 12:37 PM
He had brain damage and was told he had to be put to sleep.
Today I took Stormzy to run on the beach.
I promise this will set you up for the weekend ❤️
Today I took Stormzy to run on the beach.
I promise this will set you up for the weekend ❤️
Reposted by Giles Brown
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
A movie that takes place where you're from.
November 23, 2025 at 10:52 PM
A movie that takes place where you're from.
Read the linked FCC letter. It will make you raise an eyebrow or two.
Trump v the BBC cont'd: an odd and desperate letter from the US media regulator
Or: why you should have your evidence in place before you threaten a law suit
A new post by me:
emptycity.substack.com/p/trump-v-th...
Or: why you should have your evidence in place before you threaten a law suit
A new post by me:
emptycity.substack.com/p/trump-v-th...
Trump v the BBC cont'd: an odd and desperate letter from the US media regulator
Or: why you should have your evidence in place before you threaten a law suit
emptycity.substack.com
November 22, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Read the linked FCC letter. It will make you raise an eyebrow or two.
Reposted by Giles Brown
“…and we want to assure those dark forces: we hear you, you have our full attention, we’ve got your backs. You can count on us.”
November 17, 2025 at 11:08 AM
“…and we want to assure those dark forces: we hear you, you have our full attention, we’ve got your backs. You can count on us.”
Reposted by Giles Brown
'They were those like Sir Oswald Mosley who were fascinated by the spectacle of brutal power. They would like to use it themselves. They grovelled to Nazi dictatorship in order that they could make people in their turn grovel to them'
Winston Churchill, 1936
Winston Churchill, 1936
Conservative Shadow Culture Secretary Nigel Huddleston tells GB News that the BBC should "grovel" to Trump.
Amazing how many British 'patriots' are spending their time telling our national broadcaster to prostrate itself before a hostile foreign leader
Amazing how many British 'patriots' are spending their time telling our national broadcaster to prostrate itself before a hostile foreign leader
November 11, 2025 at 12:23 PM
'They were those like Sir Oswald Mosley who were fascinated by the spectacle of brutal power. They would like to use it themselves. They grovelled to Nazi dictatorship in order that they could make people in their turn grovel to them'
Winston Churchill, 1936
Winston Churchill, 1936
Reposted by Giles Brown
Robbie Gibb was appointed to the BBC Board by Boris Johnson, was an editorial advisor for GB News, and worked as Theresa May's Director of Comms.
He is not impartial or neutral. The government should remove him from the Board immediately to protect the BBC's independence.
He is not impartial or neutral. The government should remove him from the Board immediately to protect the BBC's independence.
November 11, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Robbie Gibb was appointed to the BBC Board by Boris Johnson, was an editorial advisor for GB News, and worked as Theresa May's Director of Comms.
He is not impartial or neutral. The government should remove him from the Board immediately to protect the BBC's independence.
He is not impartial or neutral. The government should remove him from the Board immediately to protect the BBC's independence.
Reposted by Giles Brown
SUPERB and angrily unvarnished response, by former BBC chairman, Lord Patten.
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
November 10, 2025 at 6:40 PM
SUPERB and angrily unvarnished response, by former BBC chairman, Lord Patten.
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
How can anyone take complaints about news bias seriously from anyone with any connection to GBNews?
That has to be a joke, right?
That has to be a joke, right?
November 10, 2025 at 3:30 PM
How can anyone take complaints about news bias seriously from anyone with any connection to GBNews?
That has to be a joke, right?
That has to be a joke, right?
Some concerns about AI as the future of healthcare.
November 9, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Some concerns about AI as the future of healthcare.
Reposted by Giles Brown
"Seizing Brexit opportunities to deregulate" was mostly unspecified magic fairy pixie bullshit then, and it's not going to get any more realistic in the hands of a bunch of Reform clowns who don't know how anything works, don't care to learn and disdain anyone that might.
November 8, 2025 at 9:18 AM
"Seizing Brexit opportunities to deregulate" was mostly unspecified magic fairy pixie bullshit then, and it's not going to get any more realistic in the hands of a bunch of Reform clowns who don't know how anything works, don't care to learn and disdain anyone that might.
Reposted by Giles Brown
This was outstanding, as is the novel it's based on.
UK friends: if you haven’t seen The Terror, it is currently free on ITVX.
It’s a must watch for horror fans.
It’s a must watch for horror fans.
October 31, 2025 at 12:46 PM
This was outstanding, as is the novel it's based on.
Reposted by Giles Brown
Ah, yes. Reform UK. "A movement built by real people." All smiling and clasping their hands in EXACTLY the same way.
I'd love to see the prompts that generated this.
<make them happier>
<make some of them young>
<make two of them - NO, don't want to upset Pochin - one of them black> ~AA
I'd love to see the prompts that generated this.
<make them happier>
<make some of them young>
<make two of them - NO, don't want to upset Pochin - one of them black> ~AA
October 27, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Ah, yes. Reform UK. "A movement built by real people." All smiling and clasping their hands in EXACTLY the same way.
I'd love to see the prompts that generated this.
<make them happier>
<make some of them young>
<make two of them - NO, don't want to upset Pochin - one of them black> ~AA
I'd love to see the prompts that generated this.
<make them happier>
<make some of them young>
<make two of them - NO, don't want to upset Pochin - one of them black> ~AA
I very much get where this is coming from but the really vital principal that a constitution needs to establish is that rights removing decisions require more than a simple majority and not a phony supermajority as we tend to see under FPTP. That's the keystone.
What would this constitution include?
The monarchy? The House of Lords? The ECHR?
First Past the Post? Devolution?
All these things would be highly contentious - esp. if they then became harder to change.
We always tend to assume a constitution would say what we want it to.
That's a mistake.
The monarchy? The House of Lords? The ECHR?
First Past the Post? Devolution?
All these things would be highly contentious - esp. if they then became harder to change.
We always tend to assume a constitution would say what we want it to.
That's a mistake.
October 26, 2025 at 2:45 PM
I very much get where this is coming from but the really vital principal that a constitution needs to establish is that rights removing decisions require more than a simple majority and not a phony supermajority as we tend to see under FPTP. That's the keystone.
This seems like two things that shouldn't be mixed.
October 25, 2025 at 9:39 PM
This seems like two things that shouldn't be mixed.
Reposted by Giles Brown
Brexit was when British politics became untethered from addressing actual grievances and became dedicated to fictional ones instead—and the whole point about fictional grievances is that they can never be fixed. We're still there now and it's why the national discourse constantly feels so surreal.
October 25, 2025 at 5:50 AM
Brexit was when British politics became untethered from addressing actual grievances and became dedicated to fictional ones instead—and the whole point about fictional grievances is that they can never be fixed. We're still there now and it's why the national discourse constantly feels so surreal.
