Paul
thefripod.bsky.social
Paul
@thefripod.bsky.social
I was happy in the haze of a drunken hour.

Writer Reader Struggler
Reposted by Paul
How much more suffering are they expected to take?

And who can honestly keep ignoring this and think they are a good person?
November 21, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Reposted by Paul
There is no difference in practice between removing rights of individuals and leaving the ECHR. The end outcome is still the same, people lose rights. If human rights are an obstacle to your policy it is not the rights which are the issue, it is your policy. Labour going full Reform at this stage.
November 16, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Reposted by Paul
Grow the fuck up and act like adult human beings you hysterical whinging self-pitying fucks.
November 16, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Reposted by Paul
I fucking love this.
November 16, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Reposted by Paul
A few letters rarely change someone’s view 180 degrees, but MPs and their staff mostly do pay attention to the volume of correspondance on subjects, it can give those teetering a push in the right direction, and it can strengthen the resolve of those already thinking that way.
November 17, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Reposted by Paul
If you’re writing to your MP I’d say this letter is a very good model for tone, content, clarity and length.

Not generic, shows you know who the MP is, references the constituency, urges rather than demands, makes a firm case but not hectoring, not party-political, reference to UK’s historic role.
My email to my MP about the Home Secretary's proposed changes to the treatment of asylum seekers & refugees:
November 17, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Reposted by Paul
Farage and Zia Yusuf are going to announce tomorrow that a Reform government will strip millions of EU nationals of benefits, more than double the cost of the NHS surcharge and cut foreign aid spending by more than 70%, The Times reports.

More Trumpian blood and soil nonsense.
November 17, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Dark days.
Labour MP Brian Leishman: "The Government has surrendered to... the vile rhetoric of Reform. Does the Home Secretary not see that removing the legal obligation to support asylum seekers who will be otherwise destitute, is as far away from Labour Party principles and values as we can get?"
November 17, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Reposted by Paul
What the Home Sec announced today is not the politics of compromise but of being compromised.

Labour has just increased the salience of an issue they will always be outbid on by the right.
@pimlicat.bsky.social: "Multiple studies show that ramping up ever-harsher rhetoric on immigration and asylum never wins over Reform-curious voters. The government would be wiser to make the case for the international institutions and protections we all depend on.”

https://bit.ly/49YBJVD
November 17, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Pathetic and risible. What a country. People shouting at flags and Labour desperately wanting to become Farage’s plaything.
So we probably won't take your wedding rings from you, but we might place you into indentured servitude
Watching the Mahmood announcement and debate. Tory backbencher (Karen Bradley) suggests putting refugees into debt and making them repay during the rest of their lives. Mahmood says she’ll think about it.
November 17, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Following Reform is so idiotic and a disaster for Labour I feel.
“On that point of reviewing people’s cases every two and a half years which is much more than they are now the Refugee council has done some sums and they’ve told us that would mean more than 60,000 people being reassessed..a bureaucratic nightmare”
November 16, 2025 at 10:56 AM
Reposted by Paul
Watching a number of Labour supporters defend Mahmood and this government over their sickening anti-immigration/asylum rhetoric when they would have been hollering against it if it was the Tories or Reform saying it. It doesn't matter which party it is doing this, it should be condemned. 1/
Very long thread: As with many of Labour's anti-immigration policies, this isn't new. British police have been stationed in other countries for this purpose for a long time
It does however show how Labour is pushing more on anti-immigration than previous governments. 1/
www.lbc.co.uk/article/shab...
Home Secretary orders police and border 'hit squads' to Albania to stamp out people smugglers | LBC
Shabana Mahmood will send hit squads of police and border force teams to Albania in a fresh drive to stamp out people-smuggling gangs upstream.
www.lbc.co.uk
November 16, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Reposted by Paul
Very long-winded way of answering ‘Yes’ to that question.

Not sure how that sits then with Mahmood’s previous demands that refugees must integrate and contribute to their communities. Much harder to do that if you never know how long you can stay.

Depressing in its dull-witted cruelty.
November 16, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Reposted by Paul
Every time I hear a politician say that an issue is “dividing” this country they always then come down on the side of the right wing view of it. Just once I’d love to hear someone say “this issue is divisive, which is why I’m making the argument that kindness and compassion is important”
November 16, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Reposted by Paul
Kuenssberg asks about a refugee who’s been here for 19 years, ie they’ve been granted asylum. Mahmood answers “we have to tackle illegal migration”
This constant interchanging of immigration, asylum & illegal immigration is a huge part of the problem. Shame on Labour for perpetuating the confusion.
“Is it possible that you could have a life here, a job here, maybe kids going to school, a family here, then after 19 years if your country is then considered safe you get booted out and sent home?”
November 16, 2025 at 10:38 AM
Reposted by Paul
The only person whose standard of living has improved during this Trump term is Ghislaine Maxwell.
November 14, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Reposted by Paul
A day ahead of its 75th anniversary, nearly 300 UK-based organisations have spoken out in defence of the European Convention on Human Rights👇

🔗 www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli... via @the-independent.com

#ECHR #OurRightsAndFreedoms #ECHR75
Leaving the ECHR won’t stop the boats, 300 organisations warn in rallying cry
Prime minister Keir Starmer urged to make positive case for ECHR after Kemi Badenoch pledged a Tory government would leave the treaty
www.independent.co.uk
November 3, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Reposted by Paul
Kemi Badenoch is absolutely right about this.

At the time she hacked Harriet Harman's emails it was an offence carrying a prison sentence of up to five years
October 30, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Did you watch The Hack? I can't believe papers have gotten away with destroying lives for so long. That's why I've signed the petition, set up by Hugh Grant and other phone hacking victims, to demand fair, independent regulation. Join me: 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 30, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Reposted by Paul
🚨Almost 80,000 have now signed the petition. We are getting so close to 100,000🙏

For too long, the UK press have bullied people, harassed grieving families & destroyed lives, all to sell papers.

Support the campaign to change the law by signing the petition👇
you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/a-...
October 30, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Reposted by Paul
A portion of every dollar spent on Harry Potter merchandise goes to anti-transgender campaigns.
October 25, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Reposted by Paul
Caerphilly by-election. Ireland’s new President. NYC mayoral elections. Dutch elections…the tide is turning on these fascist freaks 🤞🏼🥳
Geert Wilders lost nearly a third of his seats in the Netherlands.

The Far Right can be beaten, they offer nothing.
October 30, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Millions of us are still struggling to access affordable NHS dental care. I’ve signed 38 Degrees’ petition demanding Keir Starmer properly funds NHS dentistry now, will you join me? you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/fu...
Save NHS dentistry now!
I just signed the 38 Degrees petition calling on the Government to properly fund NHS dentistry. Millions of us are still struggling to access affordable dental care, so now the Government needs to stu...
you.38degrees.org.uk
October 28, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Reposted by Paul
Fascists love to project.
They pretend others only "perform" politics, while their own candidate represents the purity of political passion and self-sacrifice.
They class the supporters of other parties as mindless sheep, while describing their own cult as the only ones who "understand the issues".
October 26, 2025 at 9:18 AM