Rob Blackie
@robblackie.bsky.social
Former Lib Dem London Mayoral candidate. Breaking Putin's censorship
Hang on, I've just realised that they will get very few replies to their Tweet.
If they got 50 useful replies then you're probably talking £100 total, depending on length of replies!
If they got 50 useful replies then you're probably talking £100 total, depending on length of replies!
January 7, 2026 at 12:36 PM
Hang on, I've just realised that they will get very few replies to their Tweet.
If they got 50 useful replies then you're probably talking £100 total, depending on length of replies!
If they got 50 useful replies then you're probably talking £100 total, depending on length of replies!
Having paid for phone calls in the recent past I think about £1.5k.
January 7, 2026 at 12:22 PM
Having paid for phone calls in the recent past I think about £1.5k.
Reform's London Mayor candidate is talking a lot about sexual offences in London.
But Reform *never* come up with *any* solutions that don't involve immigration.
They don't propose policies, they don't ask questions, they don't get bills passed in Parliament.
But Reform *never* come up with *any* solutions that don't involve immigration.
They don't propose policies, they don't ask questions, they don't get bills passed in Parliament.
Farage is not serious about tackling Sex Offences. He only talks about them if he can link it to his anti-immigrant agenda
By contrast, Liberal Democrats have changed the law on Upskirting, Revenge Porn & Domestic Violence.
Join our fight and help stop Reform at libdems.org.uk/join-local
By contrast, Liberal Democrats have changed the law on Upskirting, Revenge Porn & Domestic Violence.
Join our fight and help stop Reform at libdems.org.uk/join-local
January 7, 2026 at 11:41 AM
Reform's London Mayor candidate is talking a lot about sexual offences in London.
But Reform *never* come up with *any* solutions that don't involve immigration.
They don't propose policies, they don't ask questions, they don't get bills passed in Parliament.
But Reform *never* come up with *any* solutions that don't involve immigration.
They don't propose policies, they don't ask questions, they don't get bills passed in Parliament.
Reposted by Rob Blackie
Farage is not serious about tackling Sex Offences. He only talks about them if he can link it to his anti-immigrant agenda
By contrast, Liberal Democrats have changed the law on Upskirting, Revenge Porn & Domestic Violence.
Join our fight and help stop Reform at libdems.org.uk/join-local
By contrast, Liberal Democrats have changed the law on Upskirting, Revenge Porn & Domestic Violence.
Join our fight and help stop Reform at libdems.org.uk/join-local
December 18, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Farage is not serious about tackling Sex Offences. He only talks about them if he can link it to his anti-immigrant agenda
By contrast, Liberal Democrats have changed the law on Upskirting, Revenge Porn & Domestic Violence.
Join our fight and help stop Reform at libdems.org.uk/join-local
By contrast, Liberal Democrats have changed the law on Upskirting, Revenge Porn & Domestic Violence.
Join our fight and help stop Reform at libdems.org.uk/join-local
Reform's London Mayor candidate Laila Cunningham will have to explain if she thinks London is collapsing, as Reform's leader says.
Because Londoners don't see it that way - and will laugh at the absurdity.
Because Londoners don't see it that way - and will laugh at the absurdity.
January 7, 2026 at 11:37 AM
Reform's London Mayor candidate Laila Cunningham will have to explain if she thinks London is collapsing, as Reform's leader says.
Because Londoners don't see it that way - and will laugh at the absurdity.
Because Londoners don't see it that way - and will laugh at the absurdity.
Reposted by Rob Blackie
I reckon over the past decade I have been sexually harassed ten times more often inside the Palace of Westminster than I have on London streets
January 7, 2026 at 11:21 AM
I reckon over the past decade I have been sexually harassed ten times more often inside the Palace of Westminster than I have on London streets
It was meant to be a very environmental system for cooling the air using underground water.
I wonder if it was a bit too cutting edge and so mis-spec'd?
I wonder if it was a bit too cutting edge and so mis-spec'd?
January 7, 2026 at 10:47 AM
It was meant to be a very environmental system for cooling the air using underground water.
I wonder if it was a bit too cutting edge and so mis-spec'd?
I wonder if it was a bit too cutting edge and so mis-spec'd?
Just back from an evening canvassing in a south London area that was rock solid at the last local elections.
Today virtually no Labour voters, and two Labour members (1 recently resigned, other considering it) planning not to vote for them this May.
Today virtually no Labour voters, and two Labour members (1 recently resigned, other considering it) planning not to vote for them this May.
January 6, 2026 at 9:09 PM
Just back from an evening canvassing in a south London area that was rock solid at the last local elections.
Today virtually no Labour voters, and two Labour members (1 recently resigned, other considering it) planning not to vote for them this May.
Today virtually no Labour voters, and two Labour members (1 recently resigned, other considering it) planning not to vote for them this May.
One of the smartest things we could do as a country would be to accelerate clean energy: Critical for our security not just our wallets and planet.
Unhook ourselves from oil and gas and we unhook ourselves from dependency on dictators, autocrats and expansionist regimes all over the planet.
Renewables and other low-carbon energy sources are not just good climate sense. They are also good political sense.
Renewables and other low-carbon energy sources are not just good climate sense. They are also good political sense.
January 6, 2026 at 5:20 PM
One of the smartest things we could do as a country would be to accelerate clean energy: Critical for our security not just our wallets and planet.
Haha! Thank you!
It would be really interesting to do a local election day poll (or presumably Friday so you can ask people whether they voted) to get how this maps into the results.
It would be really interesting to do a local election day poll (or presumably Friday so you can ask people whether they voted) to get how this maps into the results.
January 6, 2026 at 4:52 PM
Haha! Thank you!
It would be really interesting to do a local election day poll (or presumably Friday so you can ask people whether they voted) to get how this maps into the results.
It would be really interesting to do a local election day poll (or presumably Friday so you can ask people whether they voted) to get how this maps into the results.
Reposted by Rob Blackie
New review of evidence finds the most-effective police crime prevention tends to be:
a) focused on very specific places (not people or neighbourhoods), and
b) tailored to preventing a *specific* type of crime.
⚠️ Broad-brush crime prevention generally doesn't work.
doi.org/10.1007/s112...
a) focused on very specific places (not people or neighbourhoods), and
b) tailored to preventing a *specific* type of crime.
⚠️ Broad-brush crime prevention generally doesn't work.
doi.org/10.1007/s112...
The evidence-based policing matrix at 14 years - Journal of Experimental Criminology
Objective To update the 2011 results of the Evidence-Based Policing Matrix, a tool for analyzing, visualizing, and translating research on police crime prevention strategies. Methods We added 177…
doi.org
January 6, 2026 at 3:02 PM
New review of evidence finds the most-effective police crime prevention tends to be:
a) focused on very specific places (not people or neighbourhoods), and
b) tailored to preventing a *specific* type of crime.
⚠️ Broad-brush crime prevention generally doesn't work.
doi.org/10.1007/s112...
a) focused on very specific places (not people or neighbourhoods), and
b) tailored to preventing a *specific* type of crime.
⚠️ Broad-brush crime prevention generally doesn't work.
doi.org/10.1007/s112...
... but everybody always knew how much he loved them.
January 6, 2026 at 3:04 PM
... but everybody always knew how much he loved them.
"A lack of visible emotion, in either men or women, is not to be confused with the absence of it."
This is great from @gabyhinsliff.bsky.social. Something I think about with my father, who now has advanced dementia, is how he never verbalised his feelings....
This is great from @gabyhinsliff.bsky.social. Something I think about with my father, who now has advanced dementia, is how he never verbalised his feelings....
As someone who talks incessantly & whose job is trying to make people talk, today’s column goes against all my instincts, but sometimes I think it’s a good idea to consider if you are wrong about something (ps I didn’t write the header, so don’t all start) www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Male bonds develop one way, female friendships another. Should we stop trying to make men more like women? | Gaby Hinsliff
The strong and silent masculine image is often derided, but why? Perhaps companionship via trains, golf or a quiet drink is enough, says Guardian columnist Gaby Hinsliff
www.theguardian.com
January 6, 2026 at 3:04 PM
"A lack of visible emotion, in either men or women, is not to be confused with the absence of it."
This is great from @gabyhinsliff.bsky.social. Something I think about with my father, who now has advanced dementia, is how he never verbalised his feelings....
This is great from @gabyhinsliff.bsky.social. Something I think about with my father, who now has advanced dementia, is how he never verbalised his feelings....
.... things like 'older wealthier voters have stuck with Labour' or 'middle aged voters have disproprotionately switched Lib Dem' etc.
January 6, 2026 at 11:47 AM
.... things like 'older wealthier voters have stuck with Labour' or 'middle aged voters have disproprotionately switched Lib Dem' etc.
@dylandifford.bsky.social If you are looking for something to blog about, I think this would be interesting.
What *types* of voter have switched party since the General Election?
Presumably if you aggregated the last 10 or 20 voting intention polls you'd have a large enough sample to say...
What *types* of voter have switched party since the General Election?
Presumably if you aggregated the last 10 or 20 voting intention polls you'd have a large enough sample to say...
January 6, 2026 at 11:47 AM
@dylandifford.bsky.social If you are looking for something to blog about, I think this would be interesting.
What *types* of voter have switched party since the General Election?
Presumably if you aggregated the last 10 or 20 voting intention polls you'd have a large enough sample to say...
What *types* of voter have switched party since the General Election?
Presumably if you aggregated the last 10 or 20 voting intention polls you'd have a large enough sample to say...
Per capita growth rates were even less impressive.
January 6, 2026 at 11:38 AM
Per capita growth rates were even less impressive.
The industrial revolution was really quite slow. It was an uptick in the growth rate, mainly driven by cotton, which started quite early around 1700 and was slow enough to not feel revoltionary at any point except looking back retrospectively.
January 6, 2026 at 11:37 AM
The industrial revolution was really quite slow. It was an uptick in the growth rate, mainly driven by cotton, which started quite early around 1700 and was slow enough to not feel revoltionary at any point except looking back retrospectively.
... led to bus services being cut.
But because bus services are typically used by people on lower incomes than tubes - this has effectively been a transfer of income from relatively poorer to richer people.
But because bus services are typically used by people on lower incomes than tubes - this has effectively been a transfer of income from relatively poorer to richer people.
January 6, 2026 at 8:58 AM
... led to bus services being cut.
But because bus services are typically used by people on lower incomes than tubes - this has effectively been a transfer of income from relatively poorer to richer people.
But because bus services are typically used by people on lower incomes than tubes - this has effectively been a transfer of income from relatively poorer to richer people.
All true. But say that you cut ticket prices by 20% in London - that would cost c. £1bn.
We have no evidence that a significant proportion (say >20%) of that is going to be recouped through increased demand.
So that money has to come from somewhere... and in London the (smaller) fare cuts have...
We have no evidence that a significant proportion (say >20%) of that is going to be recouped through increased demand.
So that money has to come from somewhere... and in London the (smaller) fare cuts have...
January 6, 2026 at 8:58 AM
All true. But say that you cut ticket prices by 20% in London - that would cost c. £1bn.
We have no evidence that a significant proportion (say >20%) of that is going to be recouped through increased demand.
So that money has to come from somewhere... and in London the (smaller) fare cuts have...
We have no evidence that a significant proportion (say >20%) of that is going to be recouped through increased demand.
So that money has to come from somewhere... and in London the (smaller) fare cuts have...
Reposted by Rob Blackie
Fun fact: Lab and Con now make up the top two in only 2% of council by-election results.
What council by-elections tell us about the changing political system: only 2% of contests end up by Con vs Lab
What council by-elections tell us about the changing political system
Welcome to the 194th edition of The Week in Polls (TWIP), which takes a look at trends from the last half-year of council by-elections.
buff.ly
January 5, 2026 at 11:25 AM
Fun fact: Lab and Con now make up the top two in only 2% of council by-election results.
I think it's more that a lot of people use it like TV.
Plus Shorts are like TikTok/ Instagram
Plus Shorts are like TikTok/ Instagram
January 5, 2026 at 9:43 PM
I think it's more that a lot of people use it like TV.
Plus Shorts are like TikTok/ Instagram
Plus Shorts are like TikTok/ Instagram
For every minute Britons spend on Twitter, they spend:
35 minutes on YouTube
35 minutes on Facebook/Messenger
11 minutes on Instagram
7 minutes on TikTok
5 minutes on Snapchat.
If the UK government wants to scale down on Twitter than it's really not a problem for directly reaching people.
35 minutes on YouTube
35 minutes on Facebook/Messenger
11 minutes on Instagram
7 minutes on TikTok
5 minutes on Snapchat.
If the UK government wants to scale down on Twitter than it's really not a problem for directly reaching people.
January 5, 2026 at 8:05 PM
For every minute Britons spend on Twitter, they spend:
35 minutes on YouTube
35 minutes on Facebook/Messenger
11 minutes on Instagram
7 minutes on TikTok
5 minutes on Snapchat.
If the UK government wants to scale down on Twitter than it's really not a problem for directly reaching people.
35 minutes on YouTube
35 minutes on Facebook/Messenger
11 minutes on Instagram
7 minutes on TikTok
5 minutes on Snapchat.
If the UK government wants to scale down on Twitter than it's really not a problem for directly reaching people.
January 5, 2026 at 4:05 PM
For every minute Britons spend on Twitter, they spend:
35 minutes on YouTube
35 minutes on Facebook/Messenger
11 minutes on Instagram
7 minutes on TikTok
5 minutes on Snapchat.
If the UK government wants to scale down on Twitter than it's really not a problem for directly reaching people.
35 minutes on YouTube
35 minutes on Facebook/Messenger
11 minutes on Instagram
7 minutes on TikTok
5 minutes on Snapchat.
If the UK government wants to scale down on Twitter than it's really not a problem for directly reaching people.
I could have been more precise. "No evidence that the relatively minor changes in fares that are usually brought in, have a significant impact on usage".
Obviously a lower price will, generally, bring more usage - but there is a cost. This is why, for instance, we don't regulate bread prices.
Obviously a lower price will, generally, bring more usage - but there is a cost. This is why, for instance, we don't regulate bread prices.
January 5, 2026 at 3:54 PM
I could have been more precise. "No evidence that the relatively minor changes in fares that are usually brought in, have a significant impact on usage".
Obviously a lower price will, generally, bring more usage - but there is a cost. This is why, for instance, we don't regulate bread prices.
Obviously a lower price will, generally, bring more usage - but there is a cost. This is why, for instance, we don't regulate bread prices.