Roland Smith
@rolandmcs.bsky.social
Tracking the moral decay of the Right and patrolling the culture war's boundaries. Once a Fellow of the Adam Smith Institute but now firmly centrist. Telegraph watcher.
https://open.substack.com/pub/rolandmcs
buymeacoffee.com/rolandsmith
https://open.substack.com/pub/rolandmcs
buymeacoffee.com/rolandsmith
Pinned
Roland Smith
@rolandmcs.bsky.social
· Nov 10
Long thread on how Brexitism started and evolved over 75 years, drawing from Benjamin Grob-Fitzgibbon's 'Continental Drift'.
Global Britain, Free Trade, Cakeism, Federalism, anti-federalism, EEA, Winston Churchill, Empire, 52-48 referendums, Enoch Powell, 1975, Thatcher.... It's all here. /1
Global Britain, Free Trade, Cakeism, Federalism, anti-federalism, EEA, Winston Churchill, Empire, 52-48 referendums, Enoch Powell, 1975, Thatcher.... It's all here. /1
Reposted by Roland Smith
Ofcom makes “urgent contact” with Elon Musk’s X after Grok makes sexual images of children
Ofcom asks X about reports its Grok AI makes sexualised images of children - BBC News
Elon Musk's social media platform has warned users not to use Grok to generate illegal content.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 5, 2026 at 6:52 PM
Ofcom makes “urgent contact” with Elon Musk’s X after Grok makes sexual images of children
It seems Stonewall's finances have taken a beating over the last year.
find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/0241...
find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/0241...
January 5, 2026 at 6:27 PM
It seems Stonewall's finances have taken a beating over the last year.
find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/0241...
find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/0241...
'We are not sheeple. We do not join the herd (we "unherd"). We are the guardians of hidden histories, parallel narratives and simple solutions. If the Liblabcon believe it, we don't. We spurn consensus despite a consensus representing mostly the right conclusion based on facts. We are contrarians.'
Another one for the "Reform voters are really unlike everyone else" file.
January 5, 2026 at 6:01 PM
'We are not sheeple. We do not join the herd (we "unherd"). We are the guardians of hidden histories, parallel narratives and simple solutions. If the Liblabcon believe it, we don't. We spurn consensus despite a consensus representing mostly the right conclusion based on facts. We are contrarians.'
He's right to focus on the single market rather than a customs union.
January 5, 2026 at 1:27 PM
He's right to focus on the single market rather than a customs union.
Liz Truss has broken her silence on Venezuela.
January 5, 2026 at 12:53 PM
Liz Truss has broken her silence on Venezuela.
Inertia is the most powerful force in the universe.
I have lost count of the number of times I have been given this government line in response to SO MANY @politicshome.bsky.social stories about X
If the platform was going to "act appropriately", it would have done so by now
If the platform was going to "act appropriately", it would have done so by now
Keir Starmer's spokesman asked if Government will still use X now it posts indecent images of children, replies "we always keep communication channels under review to reach public in most appropriate way possible”
"Operators are under obligation to act appropriately. We always hope they would do"
"Operators are under obligation to act appropriately. We always hope they would do"
January 5, 2026 at 12:44 PM
Inertia is the most powerful force in the universe.
Starmer's new year's resolution about better comms is clearly not going well.
this must be the most banal political soundbite of recent years, via Sir Keir Starmer:
“Every minute that we’re not talking about the cost of living is a wasted minute.”
“Every minute that we’re not talking about the cost of living is a wasted minute.”
January 5, 2026 at 12:41 PM
Starmer's new year's resolution about better comms is clearly not going well.
Reposted by Roland Smith
We’re a decade into this farce and he still doesn’t understand that “asylum seekers” are not, in fact, people from insane asylums.
Q: You've talked about returning some control to American companies. Did that play at all into your decision to capture Maduro?
TRUMP: No. What really played is the fact he sent millions of people into our country from prisons and mental institutions
TRUMP: No. What really played is the fact he sent millions of people into our country from prisons and mental institutions
January 5, 2026 at 1:22 AM
We’re a decade into this farce and he still doesn’t understand that “asylum seekers” are not, in fact, people from insane asylums.
Reposted by Roland Smith
Stage direction: To be repeated for at least 10 years.
UK: Hey EU, we’ve had a great idea.
EU: OK.
UK: We think our national interest suggests we’d be better off in the Single Market.
EU: Don’t say it!
UK: But …
EU: DON’T SAY IT!
UK: Obviously no Freedom of Movement.
EU: ARRRRRRGGGGHHHHHH
EU: OK.
UK: We think our national interest suggests we’d be better off in the Single Market.
EU: Don’t say it!
UK: But …
EU: DON’T SAY IT!
UK: Obviously no Freedom of Movement.
EU: ARRRRRRGGGGHHHHHH
January 5, 2026 at 7:14 AM
Stage direction: To be repeated for at least 10 years.
Reposted by Roland Smith
UK: Hey EU, we’ve had a great idea.
EU: OK.
UK: We think our national interest suggests we’d be better off in the Single Market.
EU: Don’t say it!
UK: But …
EU: DON’T SAY IT!
UK: Obviously no Freedom of Movement.
EU: ARRRRRRGGGGHHHHHH
EU: OK.
UK: We think our national interest suggests we’d be better off in the Single Market.
EU: Don’t say it!
UK: But …
EU: DON’T SAY IT!
UK: Obviously no Freedom of Movement.
EU: ARRRRRRGGGGHHHHHH
January 5, 2026 at 1:08 AM
UK: Hey EU, we’ve had a great idea.
EU: OK.
UK: We think our national interest suggests we’d be better off in the Single Market.
EU: Don’t say it!
UK: But …
EU: DON’T SAY IT!
UK: Obviously no Freedom of Movement.
EU: ARRRRRRGGGGHHHHHH
EU: OK.
UK: We think our national interest suggests we’d be better off in the Single Market.
EU: Don’t say it!
UK: But …
EU: DON’T SAY IT!
UK: Obviously no Freedom of Movement.
EU: ARRRRRRGGGGHHHHHH
Reposted by Roland Smith
Good lord
WH sources say Venezuela's opposition leader committed the "ultimate sin": She accepted the Nobel Peace prize.
“If she had turned it down and said, ‘I can’t accept it because it’s Donald Trump’s,’ she’d be the president of Venezuela today,” one said.
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
“If she had turned it down and said, ‘I can’t accept it because it’s Donald Trump’s,’ she’d be the president of Venezuela today,” one said.
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
January 5, 2026 at 3:45 AM
Good lord
Reposted by Roland Smith
America is a rogue and malevolent state and global bad actor
January 4, 2026 at 5:51 PM
America is a rogue and malevolent state and global bad actor
Reposted by Roland Smith
Joint statement by Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Spain & Uruguay rejecting “military actions carried out unilaterally on Venezuelan territory, which contravene fundamental principles of int’l law…an extremely dangerous precedent for peace/regional security & puts the civilian population at risk.”
January 4, 2026 at 8:53 PM
Joint statement by Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Spain & Uruguay rejecting “military actions carried out unilaterally on Venezuelan territory, which contravene fundamental principles of int’l law…an extremely dangerous precedent for peace/regional security & puts the civilian population at risk.”
Reposted by Roland Smith
Obviously I wrote this before the latest Trump threats against Greenland - but they only make European reluctance to call out him out over Venezuela even more short-sighted. He’s coming after Europe next and the Trump whisperers are being made to look ridiculous
A few thoughts on the implications of Trump's "extraordinary military operation" for Europe and the global economy
Trump Goes Caracas
Thoughts on what President Donald Trump's "extraordinary military operation" may mean for Europe and the global economy
open.substack.com
January 4, 2026 at 8:02 PM
Obviously I wrote this before the latest Trump threats against Greenland - but they only make European reluctance to call out him out over Venezuela even more short-sighted. He’s coming after Europe next and the Trump whisperers are being made to look ridiculous
Reposted by Roland Smith
“Trump and his administration have lied, consolidated power, and committed war crimes to seize Venezuelan oil and pursue regime change for their imperialistic agenda in the Western Hemisphere,” said Rep. @ramirez.house.gov. “Trump must be impeached.”
“The calls for impeachment come in the wake of Trump’s overnight attack on Venezuela’s capital city over the weekend that left at least 40 people dead.” www.notus.org/democrats/de...
Democrats Begin to Call for Trump’s Impeachment Over Venezuela Attack
“Many Democrats have understandably questioned whether impeachment is possible again under the current political reality,” Rep. Maxine Waters said. “I am reconsidering that view.”
www.notus.org
January 4, 2026 at 8:08 PM
“Trump and his administration have lied, consolidated power, and committed war crimes to seize Venezuelan oil and pursue regime change for their imperialistic agenda in the Western Hemisphere,” said Rep. @ramirez.house.gov. “Trump must be impeached.”
This got far too many Likes.
Wild idea: Trump takes over Venezuelan oil; floods the oil market making oil very cheap; Russia goes bust and has to withdraw from Ukraine; Iran regime finally collapses.
And we all live happily ever after.
Tonight's posts are sponsored by Ketamine.
And we all live happily ever after.
Tonight's posts are sponsored by Ketamine.
January 4, 2026 at 7:32 PM
This got far too many Likes.
Reposted by Roland Smith
On top of this, Trump also told Scherer "We do need Greenland, absolutely". NATO allies are going to have a nightmare if that occurs.
“.. In a telephone interview this morning, .. Trump issued a not-so-veiled threat against the new Venezuelan leader, Delcy Rodríguez, saying that ‘if she doesn’t do what’s right, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro,’ ..”
www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...
www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...
January 4, 2026 at 5:36 PM
On top of this, Trump also told Scherer "We do need Greenland, absolutely". NATO allies are going to have a nightmare if that occurs.
When writing this, I didn't really know who Andrew Gold was. His presence had passed me by.
Having now watched other interviews by him, I'd say he's firmly on the Populist Right, or rather 'merrily drifting along with it'.
Anyway my other observations here stand
open.substack.com/pub/rolandmc...
Having now watched other interviews by him, I'd say he's firmly on the Populist Right, or rather 'merrily drifting along with it'.
Anyway my other observations here stand
open.substack.com/pub/rolandmc...
Trans Debate: Helen Webberley vs Andrew Gold
Some further crystallisation of what is going on
open.substack.com
January 4, 2026 at 5:08 PM
When writing this, I didn't really know who Andrew Gold was. His presence had passed me by.
Having now watched other interviews by him, I'd say he's firmly on the Populist Right, or rather 'merrily drifting along with it'.
Anyway my other observations here stand
open.substack.com/pub/rolandmc...
Having now watched other interviews by him, I'd say he's firmly on the Populist Right, or rather 'merrily drifting along with it'.
Anyway my other observations here stand
open.substack.com/pub/rolandmc...
Oh, so it's all been down hill since 1989?
This seemingly contradicts Hannan's peroration during the 2016 referendum that we were big enough and powerful enough to detach from the EU.
(Video from 6 mins in)
youtu.be/FZRuIhtC9Mo?...
This seemingly contradicts Hannan's peroration during the 2016 referendum that we were big enough and powerful enough to detach from the EU.
(Video from 6 mins in)
youtu.be/FZRuIhtC9Mo?...
January 4, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Oh, so it's all been down hill since 1989?
This seemingly contradicts Hannan's peroration during the 2016 referendum that we were big enough and powerful enough to detach from the EU.
(Video from 6 mins in)
youtu.be/FZRuIhtC9Mo?...
This seemingly contradicts Hannan's peroration during the 2016 referendum that we were big enough and powerful enough to detach from the EU.
(Video from 6 mins in)
youtu.be/FZRuIhtC9Mo?...
Reposted by Roland Smith
I love this. Cites right wing political figures as evidence that there might be civil war. Makes up some numbers and then no doubt this is used by other right wing figures and himself as evidence that there might be civil war. Lovely circularity.
It’s not even the worst bit of math in that paper. Look what he opens with. And if you look at the appendix his evidence for conditions is just quoting a series of far right leaders “warning” about civil war.
January 4, 2026 at 4:04 PM
I love this. Cites right wing political figures as evidence that there might be civil war. Makes up some numbers and then no doubt this is used by other right wing figures and himself as evidence that there might be civil war. Lovely circularity.
Interesting times.
January 4, 2026 at 2:04 PM
Interesting times.
It seems we are entirely impotent in the face of the US going rogue. This just might be the bigger story than the particulars of what the UK government - any UK government - says/does in response.
BREAKING: “You must have a view about whether this was lawful?” - Trevor Philips Sky News
“It’s not for politicians to make judgments around international law” - Darren Jones Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister
“It’s not for politicians to make judgments around international law” - Darren Jones Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister
January 4, 2026 at 12:37 PM
It seems we are entirely impotent in the face of the US going rogue. This just might be the bigger story than the particulars of what the UK government - any UK government - says/does in response.
Reposted by Roland Smith
Rise of Reform is both a symptom & a cause a rising minority fearing divisions in Britain are insurmountable. Two-thirds of those voting for other parties tend to think more unites than divides, but a slim majority of Reform voters disagree. Could drive an increase on the other pole, eg Green
January 4, 2026 at 10:52 AM
Rise of Reform is both a symptom & a cause a rising minority fearing divisions in Britain are insurmountable. Two-thirds of those voting for other parties tend to think more unites than divides, but a slim majority of Reform voters disagree. Could drive an increase on the other pole, eg Green