Pawel Swidlicki
@pswidlicki.bsky.social
Currently clean on OPSEC
If you're minded to be optimistic, you might think this could change as and when his views come under more scrutiny in an election campaign, one which could be fought in a post-Trump context.
February 13, 2026 at 10:23 PM
If you're minded to be optimistic, you might think this could change as and when his views come under more scrutiny in an election campaign, one which could be fought in a post-Trump context.
There are good reasons to think it has already acted as a ceiling on his support, and helpfully it is one of few dividing lines the Conservatives have been able to draw and stick to. That said, I just don't think its salient enough for many voters even if they disagree with his position.
February 13, 2026 at 10:22 PM
There are good reasons to think it has already acted as a ceiling on his support, and helpfully it is one of few dividing lines the Conservatives have been able to draw and stick to. That said, I just don't think its salient enough for many voters even if they disagree with his position.
Follow-up thought - would be interesting to put him up against an actual Ukrainian in a debate as opposed to, with all due respect, someone like Nick Robinson whose own awareness of the circumstances and context leading up to the Maidan revolution are somewhat limited
February 13, 2026 at 10:18 PM
Follow-up thought - would be interesting to put him up against an actual Ukrainian in a debate as opposed to, with all due respect, someone like Nick Robinson whose own awareness of the circumstances and context leading up to the Maidan revolution are somewhat limited
What's interesting is that despite the unpopularity of this position, it's something he keeps returning to so it is clearly is a genuine belief. Good I guess in that politicians should have clear positions even when they're a minority view.
Farage claims democracy in Ukraine 'destroyed' by Maidan revolution and those wanting closer links with Europe - www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
February 13, 2026 at 7:40 PM
What's interesting is that despite the unpopularity of this position, it's something he keeps returning to so it is clearly is a genuine belief. Good I guess in that politicians should have clear positions even when they're a minority view.
Sign of the trouble Labour are in, just got canvassed by a (very friendly) activist, first time in the 16 years I've lived here. Last time around Labour were on 60-70% (3x councillors).
February 13, 2026 at 7:23 PM
Sign of the trouble Labour are in, just got canvassed by a (very friendly) activist, first time in the 16 years I've lived here. Last time around Labour were on 60-70% (3x councillors).
Galaxy brain: What if defunding the police [sacking bad officers] results in more funding for the police [cities not having to regularly settle multi-billion civil lawsuits]
"'She is dead,'" Officer Auderer told Officer Solan, before bursting out laughing.
"'No, it’s a regular person,' Officer Auderer said, adding: 'Yeah, just write a check — $11,000. She was 26, anyway. She had limited value.'"
"'No, it’s a regular person,' Officer Auderer said, adding: 'Yeah, just write a check — $11,000. She was 26, anyway. She had limited value.'"
Seattle to Pay $29 Million to Family of Woman Fatally Struck by Police S.U.V.
www.nytimes.com
February 13, 2026 at 3:14 PM
Galaxy brain: What if defunding the police [sacking bad officers] results in more funding for the police [cities not having to regularly settle multi-billion civil lawsuits]
Reposted by Pawel Swidlicki
I also think they have seriously misread the valence of opposition to (a) corporate concentration and (b) surveillance technology.
this is comically evil. brazenly anti-social. just absolute black-pilled nihilism. we will not have a republic, we will not be free, until we regulate these companies to the point where — at a bare minimum — they're too afraid to put stuff like this down on paper.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/t...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/t...
February 13, 2026 at 3:00 PM
I also think they have seriously misread the valence of opposition to (a) corporate concentration and (b) surveillance technology.
Very obviously the correct decision, and in no way an endorsement of PA or its tactics more broadly
February 13, 2026 at 3:01 PM
Very obviously the correct decision, and in no way an endorsement of PA or its tactics more broadly
Good illustration of what happens when C-grade JD Vance and Tucker Carlson types venture beyond their online safe spaces and have to reconstruct their bigoted worldviews from first principles
Trump nominated a legit white nationalist to a top post at the State Department. I asked him some basic questions about his belief in the “erasure of white culture”. Watch this embarrassing, fumbling answer. Like he has never before been asked to explain his views.
February 13, 2026 at 12:17 PM
Good illustration of what happens when C-grade JD Vance and Tucker Carlson types venture beyond their online safe spaces and have to reconstruct their bigoted worldviews from first principles
Often think of those two Juncker quotes, one of which was 'when its serious you have to lie' and the other 'we know what we need to do, we just don't know how how to get re-elected after we've done it'.
February 12, 2026 at 1:48 PM
Often think of those two Juncker quotes, one of which was 'when its serious you have to lie' and the other 'we know what we need to do, we just don't know how how to get re-elected after we've done it'.
Reposted by Pawel Swidlicki
Agree with this, and I do also think it is elite-led, not a response to the 'ungovernable' voters.
i feel like. at some point elite awareness that policy trade-offs actually exist decayed
February 12, 2026 at 12:13 PM
Agree with this, and I do also think it is elite-led, not a response to the 'ungovernable' voters.
You absolutely do not want to concede people who are somewhat immigration sceptic to the 'foreigners are colonising our country' position.
February 12, 2026 at 11:39 AM
You absolutely do not want to concede people who are somewhat immigration sceptic to the 'foreigners are colonising our country' position.
Reposted by Pawel Swidlicki
Farage's stinking personal ratings are massively overlooked
Latest party leader net favourability ratings, February 2026
Kemi Badenoch: -23
Nigel Farage: -37
Keir Starmer: -47
Zack Polanski: -8 (48% DK)
Ed Davey: -10 (36% DK)
yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
Kemi Badenoch: -23
Nigel Farage: -37
Keir Starmer: -47
Zack Polanski: -8 (48% DK)
Ed Davey: -10 (36% DK)
yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
February 12, 2026 at 10:12 AM
Farage's stinking personal ratings are massively overlooked
Exactly. Immigration is a complex and multi-faceted issue and we need to build a coalition against this kind of extremism which you can't do if you only target those who think it is solely positive under all circumstances.
February 12, 2026 at 11:31 AM
Exactly. Immigration is a complex and multi-faceted issue and we need to build a coalition against this kind of extremism which you can't do if you only target those who think it is solely positive under all circumstances.
Also, a useful corrective to the theory that all you need to address Labour's malaise is more women
February 12, 2026 at 7:36 AM
Also, a useful corrective to the theory that all you need to address Labour's malaise is more women
I just do not understand who she thinks she is trying to appeal to here.
February 11, 2026 at 11:47 PM
I just do not understand who she thinks she is trying to appeal to here.
Obviously on balance the democratisation of communication was good, but there were enough negative side-effects that should give us pause before charging ahead.
February 11, 2026 at 12:56 PM
Obviously on balance the democratisation of communication was good, but there were enough negative side-effects that should give us pause before charging ahead.
Yes, it does my head in when people talk about it in laudatory terms being like the invention of the printing press given how much violence that helped to unleash.
February 11, 2026 at 12:54 PM
Yes, it does my head in when people talk about it in laudatory terms being like the invention of the printing press given how much violence that helped to unleash.
One of the things I've really come to appreciate about the Westminster system is that it allows the majority view to be expressed even on a cross-party basis (Brexit being a good example, ditto partygate then Mandelson inquiries) thanks to our own Speaker not being a pro-executive partisan.
Legislator wants to legislate, while Mike Johnson is determined to play every game possible to prevent the House from interfering with the imperial presidency he serves.
February 11, 2026 at 12:49 PM
One of the things I've really come to appreciate about the Westminster system is that it allows the majority view to be expressed even on a cross-party basis (Brexit being a good example, ditto partygate then Mandelson inquiries) thanks to our own Speaker not being a pro-executive partisan.
Yes, that's true, I meant scepticism in a more general sense in terms of the gap between the hype and reality (at least as of now).
February 11, 2026 at 12:34 PM
Yes, that's true, I meant scepticism in a more general sense in terms of the gap between the hype and reality (at least as of now).
Harsh, they clearly believe in Labour factionalism.
February 11, 2026 at 12:29 PM
Harsh, they clearly believe in Labour factionalism.
I do find that the sheer hype around AI - vis-a-vis my current experience of its application - do make me somewhat of a sceptic, though people I know who are more on the evangelist side are genuinely very passionate about its role in supercharging scientific discoveries.
February 11, 2026 at 12:29 PM
I do find that the sheer hype around AI - vis-a-vis my current experience of its application - do make me somewhat of a sceptic, though people I know who are more on the evangelist side are genuinely very passionate about its role in supercharging scientific discoveries.
Say what you want about 'uber-woke, net-zeroist, rejoinerism' but it is at least an internally coherent strategy with clear guiding principles and a sense of destination.
February 11, 2026 at 12:18 PM
Say what you want about 'uber-woke, net-zeroist, rejoinerism' but it is at least an internally coherent strategy with clear guiding principles and a sense of destination.
One wonders the extent to which JC & VA were signed up to the existing strategy though, or did they have misgivings but were over-ruled? Plus of course a big contributor to this government's woes is HMT...
February 11, 2026 at 11:32 AM
One wonders the extent to which JC & VA were signed up to the existing strategy though, or did they have misgivings but were over-ruled? Plus of course a big contributor to this government's woes is HMT...
One notes that even Farage has distanced himself from what the Trump regime is doing as regards 'immigration enforcement'
February 11, 2026 at 11:27 AM
One notes that even Farage has distanced himself from what the Trump regime is doing as regards 'immigration enforcement'