Richard Haviland
@rfhaviland.bsky.social
Former civil servant, enjoying the freedom to speak my mind. Published in Times, Byline Times, Bylines Scotland, West Country Voices. Member of European Movement in Scotland.
Pinned
Richard Haviland
@rfhaviland.bsky.social
· Sep 15
Starmer’s moral cowardice on refugees
The Labour leadership is tacitly accepting, and reflecting, Farage’s perverted notion of patriotism
bylines.scot
‘If slavery were invented today, would (Labour ministers) call it ‘impractical’?
If torture were invented today, would they call it ‘ineffective’?
If child labour were invented today, would they call it ‘poor value for money’?’
My piece for @bylines.scot
bylines.scot/politics/sta...
If torture were invented today, would they call it ‘ineffective’?
If child labour were invented today, would they call it ‘poor value for money’?’
My piece for @bylines.scot
bylines.scot/politics/sta...
Reposted by Richard Haviland
This is now outside the paywall, please do read and share
EXCLUSIVE 🚨 A report alleging Panorama broadcast misleading Trump quotes contains misleading quotes itself
✏️ @jamesrball.com
✏️ @jamesrball.com
Exclusive: the error at the heart of Trump’s BBC attack
A report alleging Panorama broadcast misleading Trump quotes contains misleading quotes itself
www.thenewworld.co.uk
November 13, 2025 at 12:37 PM
This is now outside the paywall, please do read and share
Turns out the man who accused the BBC of doctoring Trump’s words was himself guilty of far more misleading doctoring of those same words.
A must-read.
A must-read.
EXCLUSIVE 🚨 A report alleging Panorama broadcast misleading Trump quotes contains misleading quotes itself
✏️ @jamesrball.com
✏️ @jamesrball.com
Exclusive: the error at the heart of Trump’s BBC attack
A report alleging Panorama broadcast misleading Trump quotes contains misleading quotes itself
www.thenewworld.co.uk
November 13, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Turns out the man who accused the BBC of doctoring Trump’s words was himself guilty of far more misleading doctoring of those same words.
A must-read.
A must-read.
Reposted by Richard Haviland
"Barely legal" here translates as "not legal"
Megyn Kelly: "I know somebody very close to this case…Jeffrey Epstein, in this person's view, was not a pedophile…He was into the barely legal type, like he liked 15 year old girls…He wasn't into like 8 year olds…There's a difference between a 15 year old and a 5 year old."
November 13, 2025 at 5:40 PM
"Barely legal" here translates as "not legal"
Reposted by Richard Haviland
I’m not sure any of us descendants of Empire builders are best placed to accuse immigrants of being ‘moved by ancestral voices prophesying war’.
Spectator running a piece by Daniel Hannan which leans heavily into the inferred idea that you're not necessarily British if you come from a migrant background, even if you were born and brought up here.
November 12, 2025 at 2:45 PM
I’m not sure any of us descendants of Empire builders are best placed to accuse immigrants of being ‘moved by ancestral voices prophesying war’.
Reposted by Richard Haviland
Just think - a mere 24 hours ago Farage was savaging the BBC for offending the ‘leader of the free world’ and Tory MP Nigel Huddleston was saying the BBC should grovel to him.
November 12, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Just think - a mere 24 hours ago Farage was savaging the BBC for offending the ‘leader of the free world’ and Tory MP Nigel Huddleston was saying the BBC should grovel to him.
Just think - a mere 24 hours ago Farage was savaging the BBC for offending the ‘leader of the free world’ and Tory MP Nigel Huddleston was saying the BBC should grovel to him.
November 12, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Just think - a mere 24 hours ago Farage was savaging the BBC for offending the ‘leader of the free world’ and Tory MP Nigel Huddleston was saying the BBC should grovel to him.
Reposted by Richard Haviland
A good example of someone using "economically inactive" to mean "available for work but choosing not to" and forgetting it covers students, early retirees, carers, severely disabled people, parents with very young children etc...
What on earth is this nonsense from a Blue Labour MP?
What, you want a policy targeting zero illness, no full time caring responsibilities, no skills mismatches or career breaks and you think we should heavily crack down on migration until we get there?
Just not serious policy/politics.
What, you want a policy targeting zero illness, no full time caring responsibilities, no skills mismatches or career breaks and you think we should heavily crack down on migration until we get there?
Just not serious policy/politics.
November 12, 2025 at 2:47 PM
A good example of someone using "economically inactive" to mean "available for work but choosing not to" and forgetting it covers students, early retirees, carers, severely disabled people, parents with very young children etc...
I’m not sure any of us descendants of Empire builders are best placed to accuse immigrants of being ‘moved by ancestral voices prophesying war’.
Spectator running a piece by Daniel Hannan which leans heavily into the inferred idea that you're not necessarily British if you come from a migrant background, even if you were born and brought up here.
November 12, 2025 at 2:45 PM
I’m not sure any of us descendants of Empire builders are best placed to accuse immigrants of being ‘moved by ancestral voices prophesying war’.
Reposted by Richard Haviland
Broadcaster and writer Afua Hirsch explaining how Tim Davie the now former BBC Director-General looked her in the eye and said Black staff supporting anti-racism “breached impartiality” www.instagram.com/reel/DQ4fxa6...
November 12, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Broadcaster and writer Afua Hirsch explaining how Tim Davie the now former BBC Director-General looked her in the eye and said Black staff supporting anti-racism “breached impartiality” www.instagram.com/reel/DQ4fxa6...
Another country, same old script
“An iron fist! That’s what we need! Like a Bukele!”: the ultra-conservative politician José Antonio Kast closes in on the presidency in Chile with a Trumpian pitch on crime & immigration www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
‘We need an iron fist’: the Trump-inspired favourite to win Chile’s election
José Antonio Kast, 59, is appealing to voters with a hard-right pitch on crime and immigration
www.theguardian.com
November 12, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Another country, same old script
Reposted by Richard Haviland
The big problem with the “serious people should be left to do serious politics” thing is that the serious people doing serious politics have repeatedly fucked up for the past 40 years
And today it's the turn of The Times to try and patronise us all.
Every single day the right wing establishment tries to close ranks.
And every day we are growing.
Join.greenparty.org.uk
Every single day the right wing establishment tries to close ranks.
And every day we are growing.
Join.greenparty.org.uk
November 12, 2025 at 9:03 AM
The big problem with the “serious people should be left to do serious politics” thing is that the serious people doing serious politics have repeatedly fucked up for the past 40 years
Reposted by Richard Haviland
John Le Carre was right about the British establishment and how the alumni of the best schools will sell out their own country for status and money and in particular a desperate desire for American attention
November 11, 2025 at 10:52 AM
John Le Carre was right about the British establishment and how the alumni of the best schools will sell out their own country for status and money and in particular a desperate desire for American attention
Reposted by Richard Haviland
I'm not sure if others have noticed this, but interesting that one of the Prescott criticisms of the BBC is based on those of the 'History Reclaimed' group, which is also associated with the 'Restore Trust' group's attacks on & so far unsuccessful attempts to take control of the National Trust. 1/3
November 11, 2025 at 3:19 PM
I'm not sure if others have noticed this, but interesting that one of the Prescott criticisms of the BBC is based on those of the 'History Reclaimed' group, which is also associated with the 'Restore Trust' group's attacks on & so far unsuccessful attempts to take control of the National Trust. 1/3
It’s OK Nigel. I’m sure it’s what Churchill would have done.
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 11:36 AM
It’s OK Nigel. I’m sure it’s what Churchill would have done.
Reposted by Richard Haviland
You may have missed this gem yesterday. From which we learn that:
1. Betting shops are really good for the mental health of isolated people.
2. Most drug-takers are not a problem.
3. Kids put tuppence in slot machines in the hope of getting rich.
4. Farage probably has a gambling industry donor.
1. Betting shops are really good for the mental health of isolated people.
2. Most drug-takers are not a problem.
3. Kids put tuppence in slot machines in the hope of getting rich.
4. Farage probably has a gambling industry donor.
November 11, 2025 at 10:08 AM
You may have missed this gem yesterday. From which we learn that:
1. Betting shops are really good for the mental health of isolated people.
2. Most drug-takers are not a problem.
3. Kids put tuppence in slot machines in the hope of getting rich.
4. Farage probably has a gambling industry donor.
1. Betting shops are really good for the mental health of isolated people.
2. Most drug-takers are not a problem.
3. Kids put tuppence in slot machines in the hope of getting rich.
4. Farage probably has a gambling industry donor.
Reposted by Richard Haviland
An absolutely essential read
The reaction to the Panorama edit has been nothing short of hysterical. Yes the BBC has some impartiality problems. But its biggest isn't the one you think.
New piece from me.
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
New piece from me.
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
The truth about impartiality at the BBC
And the hysteria of the current "crisis"
open.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 11:59 PM
An absolutely essential read
Reposted by Richard Haviland
I would genuinely like to understand the reasons for this constant capitulation. Do the Right have some real power and leverage that make them unbeatable, or do politicians on the centre-left just not want to engage in battle?
I do not understand the Labour government's reticence over defending the BBC and social media regulation. Their long-term survival basically depends on it. Their cowardice in the face of it may be the single thing they are most remembered for.
on.ft.com/3JVxC1Z via @FT
on.ft.com/3JVxC1Z via @FT
BBC faces ‘existential’ threat after exit of top executives
Broadcaster’s deepest crisis in recent history comes amid fresh questions over its future role in British society
on.ft.com
November 11, 2025 at 8:45 AM
I would genuinely like to understand the reasons for this constant capitulation. Do the Right have some real power and leverage that make them unbeatable, or do politicians on the centre-left just not want to engage in battle?
Reposted by Richard Haviland
It’s already started - the BBC allows Newsmax boss to opine about bias, suggest some of the Jan 6 mob were merely innocent tourists visiting Congress, without pushback
November 11, 2025 at 8:35 AM
It’s already started - the BBC allows Newsmax boss to opine about bias, suggest some of the Jan 6 mob were merely innocent tourists visiting Congress, without pushback
An absolutely essential read
The reaction to the Panorama edit has been nothing short of hysterical. Yes the BBC has some impartiality problems. But its biggest isn't the one you think.
New piece from me.
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
New piece from me.
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
The truth about impartiality at the BBC
And the hysteria of the current "crisis"
open.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 11:59 PM
An absolutely essential read
‘We have the tragicomic absurdity of a former British PM willing to admonish his national broadcaster and demand the resignation of the DG in the name of Donald Trump’s reputation for truth-telling’.
@newsagents.bsky.social tonight well worth a listen.
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
@newsagents.bsky.social tonight well worth a listen.
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
Inside the BBC: What really went on
Podcast Episode · The News Agents · 10/11/2025 · 35m
podcasts.apple.com
November 10, 2025 at 11:24 PM
‘We have the tragicomic absurdity of a former British PM willing to admonish his national broadcaster and demand the resignation of the DG in the name of Donald Trump’s reputation for truth-telling’.
@newsagents.bsky.social tonight well worth a listen.
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
@newsagents.bsky.social tonight well worth a listen.
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
This is obviously good news but you can’t suddenly cite the clear moral reason for not pursuing a policy when you’re been citing the budgetary reason for pursuing that same policy for a year and a half.
NEW: Rachel Reeves signals she intends to remove the two-child cap *in full*
"I don't think a child should be penalised because they're in a bigger family through no fault of their own," she tells BBC.
"I don't think a child should be penalised because they're in a bigger family through no fault of their own," she tells BBC.
November 10, 2025 at 3:48 PM
This is obviously good news but you can’t suddenly cite the clear moral reason for not pursuing a policy when you’re been citing the budgetary reason for pursuing that same policy for a year and a half.
Reposted by Richard Haviland
Moonlight v Streetlight
November 9, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Moonlight v Streetlight
Reposted by Richard Haviland
The departure of Tim Davie and Deborah Turness means the BBC is leaderless when it needs leadership more than ever. Where are the people at the head of the BBC standing up for it?
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The BBC is facing a coordinated, politically motivated attack. With these resignations, it has given in | Jane Martinson
The corporation should have stood up to the Telegraph, Trump and the Tories. Now, its enemies know how little it takes for it to fold, says Jane Martinson, professor of financial journalism
www.theguardian.com
November 9, 2025 at 9:04 PM
The departure of Tim Davie and Deborah Turness means the BBC is leaderless when it needs leadership more than ever. Where are the people at the head of the BBC standing up for it?
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Moonlight v Streetlight
November 9, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Moonlight v Streetlight
Reposted by Richard Haviland
This is the most abysmal, pathetic thing. The BBC head resigning because the corporation is not supine *enough* to the far-right.
🔴 Breaking I Davie faced mounting criticism that a Panorama documentary misled viewers by editing a speech by Donald Trump
➡️ Read more: trib.al/I0iw7aP
➡️ Read more: trib.al/I0iw7aP
November 9, 2025 at 6:16 PM
This is the most abysmal, pathetic thing. The BBC head resigning because the corporation is not supine *enough* to the far-right.