Stephen Drennan
@stephen1958.bsky.social
From Norn Irn. Happy with complex national identity, unhappy with Brexit. #Breturn
Engineering degree, Development, Sales, Product Management & 12 yrs as MD
Also BA & MA History, just because: decolonisation in Africa, nationalism, Ireland/UK
Engineering degree, Development, Sales, Product Management & 12 yrs as MD
Also BA & MA History, just because: decolonisation in Africa, nationalism, Ireland/UK
Reposted by Stephen Drennan
Right then!
Pending proof reading, the #CrossChannelRail Final Report is ready 😀
17000 words, 82 pages, loads of maps, diagrams and photos, and all the TYPES OF TRAIN (8), STATIONS (63), & OPERATORS (7) assessed
Launch Monday - Bruxelles & online
crossborderrail.trainsforeurope.eu/projects/cro...
Pending proof reading, the #CrossChannelRail Final Report is ready 😀
17000 words, 82 pages, loads of maps, diagrams and photos, and all the TYPES OF TRAIN (8), STATIONS (63), & OPERATORS (7) assessed
Launch Monday - Bruxelles & online
crossborderrail.trainsforeurope.eu/projects/cro...
November 13, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Right then!
Pending proof reading, the #CrossChannelRail Final Report is ready 😀
17000 words, 82 pages, loads of maps, diagrams and photos, and all the TYPES OF TRAIN (8), STATIONS (63), & OPERATORS (7) assessed
Launch Monday - Bruxelles & online
crossborderrail.trainsforeurope.eu/projects/cro...
Pending proof reading, the #CrossChannelRail Final Report is ready 😀
17000 words, 82 pages, loads of maps, diagrams and photos, and all the TYPES OF TRAIN (8), STATIONS (63), & OPERATORS (7) assessed
Launch Monday - Bruxelles & online
crossborderrail.trainsforeurope.eu/projects/cro...
Reposted by Stephen Drennan
For the 1000th time I remind myself I need to back up everything I have in the cloud…
November 13, 2025 at 4:25 PM
For the 1000th time I remind myself I need to back up everything I have in the cloud…
Reposted by Stephen Drennan
The Telegraph sides with Trump against the BBC and, so, the country.
Private Eye sums up its feeble-minded, fawning betrayal beautifully.
Private Eye sums up its feeble-minded, fawning betrayal beautifully.
November 13, 2025 at 7:30 AM
The Telegraph sides with Trump against the BBC and, so, the country.
Private Eye sums up its feeble-minded, fawning betrayal beautifully.
Private Eye sums up its feeble-minded, fawning betrayal beautifully.
Reposted by Stephen Drennan
So there’s one aspect of the BBC story that has received zero attention: Robbie Gibb’s potential financial conflict of interests.
According to @arusbridger.bsky.social, he was just the bagman for the purchase of the Jewish Chronicle.
1/
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
According to @arusbridger.bsky.social, he was just the bagman for the purchase of the Jewish Chronicle.
1/
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
Who really funds the Jewish Chronicle? Why it’s troubling that we don’t know…
Four years ago, a mysterious consortium came to the rescue of the beleaguered publication—and nobody is really clear about who is behind the scenes. B...
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
November 12, 2025 at 7:25 PM
So there’s one aspect of the BBC story that has received zero attention: Robbie Gibb’s potential financial conflict of interests.
According to @arusbridger.bsky.social, he was just the bagman for the purchase of the Jewish Chronicle.
1/
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
According to @arusbridger.bsky.social, he was just the bagman for the purchase of the Jewish Chronicle.
1/
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
Reposted by Stephen Drennan
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
Reposted by Stephen Drennan
Robbie Gibb was appointed to the BBC Board by Boris Johnson, was an editorial advisor for GB News, and worked as Theresa May's Director of Comms.
He is not impartial or neutral. The government should remove him from the Board immediately to protect the BBC's independence.
He is not impartial or neutral. The government should remove him from the Board immediately to protect the BBC's independence.
November 11, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Robbie Gibb was appointed to the BBC Board by Boris Johnson, was an editorial advisor for GB News, and worked as Theresa May's Director of Comms.
He is not impartial or neutral. The government should remove him from the Board immediately to protect the BBC's independence.
He is not impartial or neutral. The government should remove him from the Board immediately to protect the BBC's independence.
Reposted by Stephen Drennan
Always worth a read. Everyone who will complain about tax rises in the forthcoming budget should be asked if they voted for Brexit. And if they did, an apology to the rest of us would be in order. Meanwhile, Labour needs to stop treating us as fools.
New post: Labour’s Brexit stance is as untenable as their tax pledge
mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/11/labo...
As public perception and econometric estimates of the damage caused by Brexit rise, Labour's refusal to discuss rejoining the EU's customs union or single market means more self harm.
mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/11/labo...
As public perception and econometric estimates of the damage caused by Brexit rise, Labour's refusal to discuss rejoining the EU's customs union or single market means more self harm.
Labour’s Brexit stance is as untenable as their tax pledge
In my last post about the prospect of Labour breaking its tax pledge, I did something I don’t often do, which is indulge in some ‘I told y...
mainlymacro.blogspot.com
November 11, 2025 at 9:17 AM
Always worth a read. Everyone who will complain about tax rises in the forthcoming budget should be asked if they voted for Brexit. And if they did, an apology to the rest of us would be in order. Meanwhile, Labour needs to stop treating us as fools.
Reposted by Stephen Drennan
The Fire Brigades Union has branded the situation in Kent “a shambles and a threat to public safety”, dubbing council leader Linden Kemkaran “captain chaos”
The union says that local union reps had written to the new council leader on asking for a meeting but has had no response.
The union says that local union reps had written to the new council leader on asking for a meeting but has had no response.
November 10, 2025 at 10:11 AM
The Fire Brigades Union has branded the situation in Kent “a shambles and a threat to public safety”, dubbing council leader Linden Kemkaran “captain chaos”
The union says that local union reps had written to the new council leader on asking for a meeting but has had no response.
The union says that local union reps had written to the new council leader on asking for a meeting but has had no response.
Reposted by Stephen Drennan
It is, & it’s too moderate. For example: only 24 top Nazis were tried at Nuremberg. Everyone involved in horrendous abuses such as those reported in the thread below should be tried, down to the lowliest prison guard. The “Nuremberg defence” – “I was only obeying orders” – must be disallowed.
Nuremburg trials is the moderate position
He said that the agents would throw food at them to eat. The agents threatened to withhold food for a week and to beat him up if he didn't sign deportation papers. He said he saw others refuse and get beaten/receive no food. He signed because he was afraid.
November 9, 2025 at 6:59 PM
It is, & it’s too moderate. For example: only 24 top Nazis were tried at Nuremberg. Everyone involved in horrendous abuses such as those reported in the thread below should be tried, down to the lowliest prison guard. The “Nuremberg defence” – “I was only obeying orders” – must be disallowed.
Reposted by Stephen Drennan
So Turness and Davie out but Gibb and Shah remain. Fear for the BBC because the right wing ideologues are trying to capture it entirely
November 9, 2025 at 7:25 PM
So Turness and Davie out but Gibb and Shah remain. Fear for the BBC because the right wing ideologues are trying to capture it entirely
Reposted by Stephen Drennan
It’s not at all clear to me how the BBC can do any kind of serious journalism if its top two bosses can be forced to quit over such an obviously confected scandal. There is no substantive error here. How can the BBC report on Trump, or Farage, or anyone else, in these circumstances?
November 9, 2025 at 7:30 PM
It’s not at all clear to me how the BBC can do any kind of serious journalism if its top two bosses can be forced to quit over such an obviously confected scandal. There is no substantive error here. How can the BBC report on Trump, or Farage, or anyone else, in these circumstances?
Reposted by Stephen Drennan
The big concern about them going now is that the rest of the BBC Board gets to chose the new DG.
If he had stayed in position another couple of years, the Chair and more of the Board could have been replaced before a new appointment of DG was made.
If he had stayed in position another couple of years, the Chair and more of the Board could have been replaced before a new appointment of DG was made.
November 9, 2025 at 6:15 PM
The big concern about them going now is that the rest of the BBC Board gets to chose the new DG.
If he had stayed in position another couple of years, the Chair and more of the Board could have been replaced before a new appointment of DG was made.
If he had stayed in position another couple of years, the Chair and more of the Board could have been replaced before a new appointment of DG was made.
Reposted by Stephen Drennan
Another very pertinent fact that I have not seen mentioned ANYWHERE: In 14 years of Tory rule we had 14 Prisons Ministers - six in a single year, at one point - and a total of 11 Justice Secretaries, including Grayling, Raab, and Truss. In 13 years of Labour it was three: Irvine, Falconer, Straw. 🤔
November 9, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Another very pertinent fact that I have not seen mentioned ANYWHERE: In 14 years of Tory rule we had 14 Prisons Ministers - six in a single year, at one point - and a total of 11 Justice Secretaries, including Grayling, Raab, and Truss. In 13 years of Labour it was three: Irvine, Falconer, Straw. 🤔
Reposted by Stephen Drennan
I joined HMPS in 1995 and retired in 2019. Underpinning every failing in HMPS is AUSTERITY. From Purging experienced staff, overloading operational managers with admin, privatizing works depts and trying to nail jelly to walls. Torys f'd the organisation irreparably. Kudos to those who had to stay.
November 8, 2025 at 8:03 PM
I joined HMPS in 1995 and retired in 2019. Underpinning every failing in HMPS is AUSTERITY. From Purging experienced staff, overloading operational managers with admin, privatizing works depts and trying to nail jelly to walls. Torys f'd the organisation irreparably. Kudos to those who had to stay.
Excellent piece.
What is said about the New York Times is also appropriate for the post-Tory-coup BBC.
What is said about the New York Times is also appropriate for the post-Tory-coup BBC.
I havent read such a banger of an essay in a very long time. This is so well-written!
Maybe Don’t Talk to the New York Times About Zohran Mamdani
It’s remarkable, the people you’ll hear from. Teach for even a little while at an expensive institution—the term they tend to prefer is “elite”—and odds are that eventually someone who was a studen…
lithub.com
November 8, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Excellent piece.
What is said about the New York Times is also appropriate for the post-Tory-coup BBC.
What is said about the New York Times is also appropriate for the post-Tory-coup BBC.
Reposted by Stephen Drennan
Eight child abusers were jailed today.
8 child sexual predators who had been operating in areas such as Gravesend, Gillingham, Swanley, & Margate jailed for a combined 100 years.
This managed not to be the top story on repeat for BBC, itv or sky News.
I wonder why.
#bbcbias #itvbias #skybias
8 child sexual predators who had been operating in areas such as Gravesend, Gillingham, Swanley, & Margate jailed for a combined 100 years.
This managed not to be the top story on repeat for BBC, itv or sky News.
I wonder why.
#bbcbias #itvbias #skybias
November 8, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Reposted by Stephen Drennan
I love how, in a 20 year timeframe, we've "transitioned to a knowledge economy" - but somehow also unilaterally decided that knowing stuff is so fundamentally worthless, it can be outsourced to a Magic 8 Ball stuffed with pages from a thesaurus by a handful of sociopaths six thousand miles away
November 8, 2025 at 7:15 AM
I love how, in a 20 year timeframe, we've "transitioned to a knowledge economy" - but somehow also unilaterally decided that knowing stuff is so fundamentally worthless, it can be outsourced to a Magic 8 Ball stuffed with pages from a thesaurus by a handful of sociopaths six thousand miles away
Reposted by Stephen Drennan
Young babies are protected by maternal antibodies, hence PREGNANT WOMEN SHOULD BE ELIGIBLE DUE TO THIS, IN ADDITION TO DIRECT RISKS TO BOTH MOTHER AND CHILD DURING PREGNANCY.
Did I make that clear enough?
The high risk group involve serious hospitalisations, continuously.
Did I make that clear enough?
The high risk group involve serious hospitalisations, continuously.
November 6, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Young babies are protected by maternal antibodies, hence PREGNANT WOMEN SHOULD BE ELIGIBLE DUE TO THIS, IN ADDITION TO DIRECT RISKS TO BOTH MOTHER AND CHILD DURING PREGNANCY.
Did I make that clear enough?
The high risk group involve serious hospitalisations, continuously.
Did I make that clear enough?
The high risk group involve serious hospitalisations, continuously.
Reposted by Stephen Drennan
‘Best way to describe the market is bonkers’ on.ft.com/3Xent3p
‘Best way to describe the market is bonkers’
The AI hyperscaler capex plans keep on growing and growing
on.ft.com
November 6, 2025 at 11:29 PM
‘Best way to describe the market is bonkers’ on.ft.com/3Xent3p
Traitors: comments that it was all *so obvious* are most irritating.
Of course it’s fucking obvious - to you - you know who the traitors are and you’re seeing lots of different conversations.
How about a ‘Traitors’ variant where we don’t see who the traitors are & viewers guess?
Of course it’s fucking obvious - to you - you know who the traitors are and you’re seeing lots of different conversations.
How about a ‘Traitors’ variant where we don’t see who the traitors are & viewers guess?
November 6, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Traitors: comments that it was all *so obvious* are most irritating.
Of course it’s fucking obvious - to you - you know who the traitors are and you’re seeing lots of different conversations.
How about a ‘Traitors’ variant where we don’t see who the traitors are & viewers guess?
Of course it’s fucking obvious - to you - you know who the traitors are and you’re seeing lots of different conversations.
How about a ‘Traitors’ variant where we don’t see who the traitors are & viewers guess?
A lesson for Labour about the Mail, Express, Telegraph, X, FB and, sorry to say, even the BBC.
Bidenomics: Truly Transitory Inflation, Remarkably Successful on Employment & Growth—But Unable to Break Through the Media Misinformation Machine
My attempt to set forth a balance sheet: Bidenomics was an extraordinary success. The economy healed fast; the…
braddelong.substack.com/p/bidenomics...
My attempt to set forth a balance sheet: Bidenomics was an extraordinary success. The economy healed fast; the…
braddelong.substack.com/p/bidenomics...
Bidenomics: Truly Transitory Inflation, Remarkably Successful on Employment & Growth—But Unable to Break Through the Media Misinformation Machine
My attempt to set forth a balance sheet: Bidenomics was an extraordinary success. The economy healed fast; the story never did. A brief moderate transitory inflation. A long and strong jobs and...
braddelong.substack.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:54 PM
A lesson for Labour about the Mail, Express, Telegraph, X, FB and, sorry to say, even the BBC.
Reposted by Stephen Drennan
Not in shot: Health Secretary RFK Jr because he fucking LEGGED IT (see hilarious video footage)
A guy collapses down on the floor right next to him, the guy could be dying, and Trump doesn’t move a muscle, doesn’t give a damn, and looks super pissed off that his photo op this afternoon has been interrupted. Donald Trump, in a perfect nutshell.👇
November 6, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Not in shot: Health Secretary RFK Jr because he fucking LEGGED IT (see hilarious video footage)
Reposted by Stephen Drennan
The succulent Jordanian medjool dates you get in the supermarket draw on water that fell as rain before 4000 BC.
November 6, 2025 at 2:05 PM
The succulent Jordanian medjool dates you get in the supermarket draw on water that fell as rain before 4000 BC.
Reposted by Stephen Drennan
Don’t forget to watch this much needed and long overdue series on the British Empire. Remarkably, it’s not based on the opinions of a travelling ‘personality’, but on what historians who’ve actually researched it say!
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Two - Empire with David Olusoga, Series 1, Episode 1
David Olusoga tells the story of the beginnings of the British Empire under Elizabeth I.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 6, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Don’t forget to watch this much needed and long overdue series on the British Empire. Remarkably, it’s not based on the opinions of a travelling ‘personality’, but on what historians who’ve actually researched it say!
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
Reposted by Stephen Drennan
Cllr Daniel Taylor, currently on bail pending trial over allegations that he threatened to kill his wife, has attended today. Given he missed every other meeting since his arrest, he would have been disqualified as a councillor had he not arrived today.
November 6, 2025 at 10:10 AM
Cllr Daniel Taylor, currently on bail pending trial over allegations that he threatened to kill his wife, has attended today. Given he missed every other meeting since his arrest, he would have been disqualified as a councillor had he not arrived today.