Chris Smith
@spyhistorian.bsky.social
Historian. Spies, signals intelligence, Second World War. Social and Cultural history. History of humour. Insults = 🚫
Pinned
Chris Smith
@spyhistorian.bsky.social
· May 12
I cannot continue financially supporting Labour while it bullies immigrants; while it panders to racist Reform voters; while its leader employs the rhetoric of Enoch Powell; and while it is allowing the destruction of my sector of employment again to pander to racism. @teamlabouruk.bsky.social
Ignoring the alleged pro-trans agenda at the BBC for a moment, who are these academics complaining that the history of slavery, the Irish famine, etc. has been "rewritten", not the widely debunked efforts of Historians for Britain or whatever they are calling themselves now?
Suzanne Moore, who would rather be locked up than pay her BBC licence fee because the BBC is too nice to trans people for her liking.
November 10, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Ignoring the alleged pro-trans agenda at the BBC for a moment, who are these academics complaining that the history of slavery, the Irish famine, etc. has been "rewritten", not the widely debunked efforts of Historians for Britain or whatever they are calling themselves now?
So the DG of the BBC has had to resign for making an edit to what Trump said to make it clear... what Trump said?
November 10, 2025 at 7:53 AM
So the DG of the BBC has had to resign for making an edit to what Trump said to make it clear... what Trump said?
Wait...? What?! The Dems go through the longest shutdown on record all for health care. They win one of the most seismic electoral contests in decades, winning just about everywhere. And then they fold when they suddenly hold a full house? Is that what is happening? Are they this bad at politics?
November 10, 2025 at 7:43 AM
Wait...? What?! The Dems go through the longest shutdown on record all for health care. They win one of the most seismic electoral contests in decades, winning just about everywhere. And then they fold when they suddenly hold a full house? Is that what is happening? Are they this bad at politics?
It's only November the 9th and already Christmas ads are insufferable. Can we not have a moratorium on Christmas until say December 20th?
November 9, 2025 at 12:28 PM
It's only November the 9th and already Christmas ads are insufferable. Can we not have a moratorium on Christmas until say December 20th?
The Heritage Foundation is neither conservative nor patriotic. They are radicals, racists and reactionary.
1/ The US Government has quietly removed a memorial to Black soldiers who died in World War II from the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, South Limburg. The move follows a complaint from the right-wing Heritage Foundation to the American Battle Monuments Commission. ⬇️
November 9, 2025 at 12:14 PM
The Heritage Foundation is neither conservative nor patriotic. They are radicals, racists and reactionary.
The country needs to be booted. It has no business being anywhere the EU. It is rather like letting go Guy Fawlkes into the building with dozens of unmarked barrels.
At some point, Europe needs to stand up and deal with that asshole
November 8, 2025 at 8:00 PM
The country needs to be booted. It has no business being anywhere the EU. It is rather like letting go Guy Fawlkes into the building with dozens of unmarked barrels.
November 6, 2025 at 7:59 PM
The vast majority of so-called free speech cases are legitimate, suggest violence like kicking someone in the testes as Linehan did you invite arrest. Where we have gone wrong is labelling protest groups as "terrorists" and arresting hundreds of pensions for holding signs.
There’s a number of commentators who’ve criticised the UK’s free speech laws in recent times, with I think some justification. But it’s worth noting that the First Amendment doesn’t defend itself and speech in the US is being criminalised as well.
It's impossible to overstate how much of what ICE is doing on the ground reflects this completely preposterous conflation of hostile *speech* and hostile *conduct.*
The First Amendment protects—or, at least, is supposed to protect—the former up and until it's a "true threat," which none of this is.
The First Amendment protects—or, at least, is supposed to protect—the former up and until it's a "true threat," which none of this is.
November 5, 2025 at 1:57 AM
The vast majority of so-called free speech cases are legitimate, suggest violence like kicking someone in the testes as Linehan did you invite arrest. Where we have gone wrong is labelling protest groups as "terrorists" and arresting hundreds of pensions for holding signs.
A question for #intelhistorians but #historians more generally. What do you want from a short textbook?
November 2, 2025 at 11:17 PM
A question for #intelhistorians but #historians more generally. What do you want from a short textbook?
Question: of all of the money spent in a few years on AI, a tech of dubious value, had been invested into green tech and tackling climate change, would that problem now essentially be solved?
October 30, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Question: of all of the money spent in a few years on AI, a tech of dubious value, had been invested into green tech and tackling climate change, would that problem now essentially be solved?
Every day, if not more than once a day, the President of the USA goes onto his personal social media website and writes things he knows will generate headlines. These are nothing to do with policy, but bait for journalists.
Have journalists considered just not biting? Like once? Ever?
Have journalists considered just not biting? Like once? Ever?
October 30, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Every day, if not more than once a day, the President of the USA goes onto his personal social media website and writes things he knows will generate headlines. These are nothing to do with policy, but bait for journalists.
Have journalists considered just not biting? Like once? Ever?
Have journalists considered just not biting? Like once? Ever?
The ceasefire is fragile, is it? Err...
October 29, 2025 at 2:55 PM
The ceasefire is fragile, is it? Err...
My cousin's kids grew up calling me "uncle". The right is becoming utterly unhinged.
October 28, 2025 at 5:55 PM
My cousin's kids grew up calling me "uncle". The right is becoming utterly unhinged.
What happened to capitalism? Are companies not free to advertise in a fashion they choose driven by what they perceive will maximise sales? If happy multi-racial society achieves this, why do the right have a problem with it? Could it be that Reform and the Tories have embraced racism?
Danny Kruger just told Nick Robinson that Sarah Pochin’s remarks weren’t racist because she was “driven mad” not by seeing Black and Asian people on TV but by their “over-representation”. Robinson didn’t ask what’s so maddening about over-representation. Is there a rule adverts have to reflect life?
October 28, 2025 at 10:46 AM
What happened to capitalism? Are companies not free to advertise in a fashion they choose driven by what they perceive will maximise sales? If happy multi-racial society achieves this, why do the right have a problem with it? Could it be that Reform and the Tories have embraced racism?
Reading the lengthy piece in Private Eye about the absolute scandal that was the Teeside shakedown on Houchen's watch. Why that guy has a peerage and not a custodial sentence for his role in losing over £100m of public money in pocket lining for precisely no benefit remains a mystery.
October 27, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Reading the lengthy piece in Private Eye about the absolute scandal that was the Teeside shakedown on Houchen's watch. Why that guy has a peerage and not a custodial sentence for his role in losing over £100m of public money in pocket lining for precisely no benefit remains a mystery.
I know that the Times has collapsed in quality, but my dudes, £200 for an office chair is not expensive. My office chair at home, which is bargain basement, cost about that nearly a decade ago.
October 27, 2025 at 11:46 AM
I know that the Times has collapsed in quality, but my dudes, £200 for an office chair is not expensive. My office chair at home, which is bargain basement, cost about that nearly a decade ago.
Nice sentiment and all with superficial truth. But most citizens couldn't vote in the FWW and the Russian Empire, Britain's ally, was less democratic and free than Germany. The SWW was not fought over British democracy or freedom, but the balance of power in Europe and preserving the unfree Empire.
"Let's not forget, when we remember the service and the sacrifice with this poppy, that the people who bled and died for our democracy and our freedom, weren't just my grandfather who looked like me & worshipped the same God, but people across Empire & Commonwealth, who were Muslim, Sikh & Hindu'
October 27, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Nice sentiment and all with superficial truth. But most citizens couldn't vote in the FWW and the Russian Empire, Britain's ally, was less democratic and free than Germany. The SWW was not fought over British democracy or freedom, but the balance of power in Europe and preserving the unfree Empire.
Has there ever been a nastier campaign, played out on the national stage, for a mayoral race? They are determined to destroy Mamdani.
The New York Post claims to have been given a foreign intelligence service's documents on Zohran Mamdani and the worst accusations they could spin up from it is that Zohran is loosely affiliated with another American Muslim.
October 26, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Has there ever been a nastier campaign, played out on the national stage, for a mayoral race? They are determined to destroy Mamdani.
I've just signed this petition. Will you add your name and share too?
you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/a-...
you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/a-...
A Free Press, Not a Free Pass – It's Time for Fair Regulation
For too long, the UK press have bullied people, harassed grieving families, and destroyed lives, all to sell papers. We’ve all seen the heartbreaking consequences.
They’ve hacked phones, listened to ...
you.38degrees.org.uk
October 26, 2025 at 7:18 PM
I've just signed this petition. Will you add your name and share too?
you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/a-...
you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/a-...
The Conservative Party has gone full far right loon. To be here you have to earn above the national average income? What about spouses? Are we saying we don't want say teachers, nurses, academics or other really productive people who earn less than this particularly early career?
Bastards.
Bastards.
Does anybody in the Conservative Party or outside it know if it is still Conservative Party policy to revoke ILR in these circumstances (as set out in Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp's bill in the House of Commons) after Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp's BBC interview this morning?
October 26, 2025 at 1:57 PM
The Conservative Party has gone full far right loon. To be here you have to earn above the national average income? What about spouses? Are we saying we don't want say teachers, nurses, academics or other really productive people who earn less than this particularly early career?
Bastards.
Bastards.
Went to see the new Springsteen film. It was very good but not a feelgood movie. A study of obsession and mental health collapse.
October 25, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Went to see the new Springsteen film. It was very good but not a feelgood movie. A study of obsession and mental health collapse.
You can 100% tell by looking at it and having attended middle school history classes.
because it's fucking identical to the SS logo! as like, a second's research makes clear. why are all these guys such fucking liars?
October 25, 2025 at 7:12 PM
You can 100% tell by looking at it and having attended middle school history classes.
The rights and wrongs of Mamdani's policies are up for debate, but the rhetoric surrounding him is hilariously deranged. Apparently, he is a Muslim extremist and a Communist, a wet and a terror supporter, an Antisemite and woke, and a hypocrite because he ate moderately priced sushi.
October 25, 2025 at 3:40 PM
The rights and wrongs of Mamdani's policies are up for debate, but the rhetoric surrounding him is hilariously deranged. Apparently, he is a Muslim extremist and a Communist, a wet and a terror supporter, an Antisemite and woke, and a hypocrite because he ate moderately priced sushi.
Damning of the government.
So I've been reading the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper. There's some good things in there. But when it comes to universities there's very little to cheer. The situation is very tough and will get worse. The last chance to preserve what we've got has passed. Let me explain why. (1/?)
October 24, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Damning of the government.
Weird how that works. People who would have never been alive. It is worth noting that the British migration system was genuinely appalling through the entire period and Britain left huge numbers of people to be murdered.
The 1940s isn't that recent though. Less recent than other anti-immigration Tories we could think of. I have Reform-supporting relatives whose parents were 40s refugees
October 24, 2025 at 10:57 PM
Weird how that works. People who would have never been alive. It is worth noting that the British migration system was genuinely appalling through the entire period and Britain left huge numbers of people to be murdered.