Valerie Eliot Smith
@valerieeliotsmith.bsky.social
Independent researcher living with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) since 1981. Barrister (ret'd) #TMTlaw Visiting scholar @QMUL Blog at http://valerieeliotsmith.com
Based in London, UK
Based in London, UK
I had some passing contact with Chris Patten in the early 1980's. At the time, I felt we had little in common, politically speaking. Funny how things can change so radically over time, now united by the desire for an independent, robust media landscape and an old-fashioned requirement for "truth".
SUPERB and angrily unvarnished response, by former BBC chairman, Lord Patten.
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
November 11, 2025 at 10:16 AM
I had some passing contact with Chris Patten in the early 1980's. At the time, I felt we had little in common, politically speaking. Funny how things can change so radically over time, now united by the desire for an independent, robust media landscape and an old-fashioned requirement for "truth".
1/2 IRONY ALERT: the UK's Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is awarding a contract to IBM to work on AI projects.
Translation: the department for work is introducing the same tools blamed for eroding jobs.....
Translation: the department for work is introducing the same tools blamed for eroding jobs.....
October 3, 2025 at 12:01 PM
1/2 IRONY ALERT: the UK's Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is awarding a contract to IBM to work on AI projects.
Translation: the department for work is introducing the same tools blamed for eroding jobs.....
Translation: the department for work is introducing the same tools blamed for eroding jobs.....
Yes.
I don't get how people don't realize that a technology that replaces junior and entry level positions in a field destroys that field.
There's no skipping steps. You have to be a junior before you can be a senior, and if you don't have senior people, you don't have a field.
There's no skipping steps. You have to be a junior before you can be a senior, and if you don't have senior people, you don't have a field.
Remember, kids: A real big goal of "AI" is to entirely sever capital from labor, and no, there will be no universal basic income, you can all just starve and die, thanks
www.axios.com/2025/08/26/a...
www.axios.com/2025/08/26/a...
September 1, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Yes.
1/2 Today is #SevereMEDay
Despite recent events we have yet to change an entire culture, as I've detailed ad nauseam in my blog (link in 2/2 below). Only then will proper funding, research, education, health & social care start to catch up.
History matters: screenshot of a post from 10yrs ago.....
Despite recent events we have yet to change an entire culture, as I've detailed ad nauseam in my blog (link in 2/2 below). Only then will proper funding, research, education, health & social care start to catch up.
History matters: screenshot of a post from 10yrs ago.....
August 8, 2025 at 9:42 AM
1/2 Today is #SevereMEDay
Despite recent events we have yet to change an entire culture, as I've detailed ad nauseam in my blog (link in 2/2 below). Only then will proper funding, research, education, health & social care start to catch up.
History matters: screenshot of a post from 10yrs ago.....
Despite recent events we have yet to change an entire culture, as I've detailed ad nauseam in my blog (link in 2/2 below). Only then will proper funding, research, education, health & social care start to catch up.
History matters: screenshot of a post from 10yrs ago.....
@bmj.com's dangerous & inconsistent approach to #ME + long Covid resembles psych propaganda more than balanced reporting (notwithstanding the "Opinion" header), especially in relation to Professor Paul Garner's long covid "journey", as described in my 2021 post valerieeliotsmith.com/2021/02/01/p...
The BMJ has now published my rapid response to Miller et al's Opinion piece.
www.bmj.com/content/389/...
www.bmj.com/content/389/...
May 16, 2025 at 9:37 AM
@bmj.com's dangerous & inconsistent approach to #ME + long Covid resembles psych propaganda more than balanced reporting (notwithstanding the "Opinion" header), especially in relation to Professor Paul Garner's long covid "journey", as described in my 2021 post valerieeliotsmith.com/2021/02/01/p...
Not good:
RSF downgrades global press freedom index to all-time low: UK at no 20 & "The US, which had already dropped down to a 'problematic' overall rating, fell a further two spots from its 2024 position to 57th place, immediately behind Sierra Leone and Romania"
pressgazette.co.uk/news/rsf-mov...
RSF downgrades global press freedom index to all-time low: UK at no 20 & "The US, which had already dropped down to a 'problematic' overall rating, fell a further two spots from its 2024 position to 57th place, immediately behind Sierra Leone and Romania"
pressgazette.co.uk/news/rsf-mov...
RSF downgrades global press freedom index to all-time low
The global average press freedom score has fallen for the first time into RSF's "difficult" territory.
pressgazette.co.uk
May 2, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Not good:
RSF downgrades global press freedom index to all-time low: UK at no 20 & "The US, which had already dropped down to a 'problematic' overall rating, fell a further two spots from its 2024 position to 57th place, immediately behind Sierra Leone and Romania"
pressgazette.co.uk/news/rsf-mov...
RSF downgrades global press freedom index to all-time low: UK at no 20 & "The US, which had already dropped down to a 'problematic' overall rating, fell a further two spots from its 2024 position to 57th place, immediately behind Sierra Leone and Romania"
pressgazette.co.uk/news/rsf-mov...
My website valerieeliotsmith.com has recently experienced an increase in traffic, causing it to slow down when downloading documents.
I've been checking it periodically and it is still working but you may need to be patient & try more than once. Apologies for any inconvenience.
I've been checking it periodically and it is still working but you may need to be patient & try more than once. Apologies for any inconvenience.
March 28, 2025 at 3:10 PM
My website valerieeliotsmith.com has recently experienced an increase in traffic, causing it to slow down when downloading documents.
I've been checking it periodically and it is still working but you may need to be patient & try more than once. Apologies for any inconvenience.
I've been checking it periodically and it is still working but you may need to be patient & try more than once. Apologies for any inconvenience.
There's been some recent discussion on social media about the "secret" files on #ME. The discussions include some misinformation.
For clarification purposes: I got both files (DSS/DWP & MRC) opened up in 2012 (using FOIA 2000) & published on my blog. Still some redactions but most info is available.
For clarification purposes: I got both files (DSS/DWP & MRC) opened up in 2012 (using FOIA 2000) & published on my blog. Still some redactions but most info is available.
January 29, 2025 at 4:33 PM
There's been some recent discussion on social media about the "secret" files on #ME. The discussions include some misinformation.
For clarification purposes: I got both files (DSS/DWP & MRC) opened up in 2012 (using FOIA 2000) & published on my blog. Still some redactions but most info is available.
For clarification purposes: I got both files (DSS/DWP & MRC) opened up in 2012 (using FOIA 2000) & published on my blog. Still some redactions but most info is available.
Excellent letter to @gwynnemp.bsky.social from solicitors representing #LongCovid groups regarding airborne transmission of virus (pp 2 & 3 in comments).
This is a great example of how campaign groups can use proactive legal routes to advance their concerns. #ME & #mecfs communities shd take note.
This is a great example of how campaign groups can use proactive legal routes to advance their concerns. #ME & #mecfs communities shd take note.
🚨We are part of the #LongCovid Groups & our legal team has sent this letter on the groups’ behalf to @gwynnemp.bsky.social following his recent letter to @timfarron.bsky.social. And as Secretariat of the new Long Covid APPG we have informed the APPG Chair about Mr. Gwynne’s letter.
#CovidIsAirborne
#CovidIsAirborne
Our #LongCovid Groups legal team has written to @gwynnemp.bsky.social to express our concern about comments made in his letter to @timfarron.bsky.social regarding #covid transmission
#CovidIsAirborne - it is not primarily spread by droplets
#CovidIsAirborne - it is not primarily spread by droplets
January 27, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Excellent letter to @gwynnemp.bsky.social from solicitors representing #LongCovid groups regarding airborne transmission of virus (pp 2 & 3 in comments).
This is a great example of how campaign groups can use proactive legal routes to advance their concerns. #ME & #mecfs communities shd take note.
This is a great example of how campaign groups can use proactive legal routes to advance their concerns. #ME & #mecfs communities shd take note.
Just returned from a routine outpatient screening (yes, on a Sunday afternoon; not my choice).
Apparently the UK is in the middle of a "quademic". We wore masks. Not one single other person in the hospital - patient or HCP - was masked up.
How many more potentially preventable deaths will there be?
Apparently the UK is in the middle of a "quademic". We wore masks. Not one single other person in the hospital - patient or HCP - was masked up.
How many more potentially preventable deaths will there be?
January 12, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Just returned from a routine outpatient screening (yes, on a Sunday afternoon; not my choice).
Apparently the UK is in the middle of a "quademic". We wore masks. Not one single other person in the hospital - patient or HCP - was masked up.
How many more potentially preventable deaths will there be?
Apparently the UK is in the middle of a "quademic". We wore masks. Not one single other person in the hospital - patient or HCP - was masked up.
How many more potentially preventable deaths will there be?
"This is an extinction-level event for the idea of objective truth on social media – an organism that was already on life support, but was clinging on in part because Meta was willing to fund independent factchecking organisations".
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
A new era of lies: Mark Zuckerberg has just ushered in an extinction-level event for truth on social media | Chris Stokel-Walker
The Meta boss’s decision to get rid of the platform’s 40,000 moderators has set the stage for a fact-free four years online, says author Chris Stokel-Walker
www.theguardian.com
January 7, 2025 at 4:41 PM
"This is an extinction-level event for the idea of objective truth on social media – an organism that was already on life support, but was clinging on in part because Meta was willing to fund independent factchecking organisations".
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Wishing everyone peace and joy in the festive season and for coming year.
December 24, 2024 at 2:39 PM
Wishing everyone peace and joy in the festive season and for coming year.
Thread:
1/4 The AGM of the MEAssociation
is being held today. With the current interest in, and focus on, governance at the Charity, I requested remote access to the meeting, as an observer (I am not a member).
My request was denied on the basis of a "members only" attendance policy.
1/4 The AGM of the MEAssociation
is being held today. With the current interest in, and focus on, governance at the Charity, I requested remote access to the meeting, as an observer (I am not a member).
My request was denied on the basis of a "members only" attendance policy.
December 9, 2024 at 4:42 PM
Thread:
1/4 The AGM of the MEAssociation
is being held today. With the current interest in, and focus on, governance at the Charity, I requested remote access to the meeting, as an observer (I am not a member).
My request was denied on the basis of a "members only" attendance policy.
1/4 The AGM of the MEAssociation
is being held today. With the current interest in, and focus on, governance at the Charity, I requested remote access to the meeting, as an observer (I am not a member).
My request was denied on the basis of a "members only" attendance policy.
INTRO POST: just got set up here although not migrating from the other place(s). Will be expanding my presence here in due course but interested in connecting with other members of the #ME or #MEcfs (sic) community.
Interests include health/science, law, journalism, tech. Blog valerieeliotsmith.com
Interests include health/science, law, journalism, tech. Blog valerieeliotsmith.com
November 17, 2024 at 5:58 PM
INTRO POST: just got set up here although not migrating from the other place(s). Will be expanding my presence here in due course but interested in connecting with other members of the #ME or #MEcfs (sic) community.
Interests include health/science, law, journalism, tech. Blog valerieeliotsmith.com
Interests include health/science, law, journalism, tech. Blog valerieeliotsmith.com