Erwin van der Stap
@vanderstap.co.uk
Dutch migrant, living in England, firmly in favour of PR, LGBT+ and particularly trans inclusive. Not affiliated to any party. Business owner
#FBPE
#FBPE
Reposted by Erwin van der Stap
A political prisoner in Georgia waving white and red cloths, presumably to symbolize the Georgian flag. 🇬🇪
Activists are standing in front of Gldani prison to wish happy birthday to two prisoners. Georgia now has 120+ prisoners of conscience — more per capita than Russia.
🎥 Nanuka Zhorzholiani
Activists are standing in front of Gldani prison to wish happy birthday to two prisoners. Georgia now has 120+ prisoners of conscience — more per capita than Russia.
🎥 Nanuka Zhorzholiani
January 7, 2026 at 1:32 PM
A political prisoner in Georgia waving white and red cloths, presumably to symbolize the Georgian flag. 🇬🇪
Activists are standing in front of Gldani prison to wish happy birthday to two prisoners. Georgia now has 120+ prisoners of conscience — more per capita than Russia.
🎥 Nanuka Zhorzholiani
Activists are standing in front of Gldani prison to wish happy birthday to two prisoners. Georgia now has 120+ prisoners of conscience — more per capita than Russia.
🎥 Nanuka Zhorzholiani
Reposted by Erwin van der Stap
Rather that other people being under threat of death because some tosser wants to drink and drive huh
January 7, 2026 at 9:30 PM
Rather that other people being under threat of death because some tosser wants to drink and drive huh
Reposted by Erwin van der Stap
I wish getting access to gender affirming care had been as easy as this asshole and other conservatives make it out to be. The amount of insurance and medical bullshit I’ve had to deal with just to see a fucking doctor who doesn’t believe me anyways but takes my $0 copay is disgusting.
Trump: "Transgender for everyone! Bring your kids in, we're gonna change the sex of your child. Just send them our way. In some cases, like in Minnesota, they don't even tell the parents. Nobody believes it when I say it. They operate on the kid, they don't tell the parents. It's not believable."
January 6, 2026 at 9:41 PM
I wish getting access to gender affirming care had been as easy as this asshole and other conservatives make it out to be. The amount of insurance and medical bullshit I’ve had to deal with just to see a fucking doctor who doesn’t believe me anyways but takes my $0 copay is disgusting.
Reposted by Erwin van der Stap
Reposted by Erwin van der Stap
I predict a key to the next phase of this story will see X saying it has stronger safeguards against images involving children + total nudity - bur fail to acknowledge that the nonconsensual harassment involved with stripping clothes is unlawful too
Revealed preferences: no attempt to curb that
Revealed preferences: no attempt to curb that
In the five days that I've been monitoring this stuff on X, I've not detected any significant slow-down.
January 6, 2026 at 8:20 PM
I predict a key to the next phase of this story will see X saying it has stronger safeguards against images involving children + total nudity - bur fail to acknowledge that the nonconsensual harassment involved with stripping clothes is unlawful too
Revealed preferences: no attempt to curb that
Revealed preferences: no attempt to curb that
Reposted by Erwin van der Stap
Jared Kushner has somehow found a place at Coalition of the Willing press conference with Scholz, Zelensky, Macron, Starmer and Witkoff.
Kushner has no official position in the US government.
Kushner has no official position in the US government.
January 6, 2026 at 7:14 PM
Jared Kushner has somehow found a place at Coalition of the Willing press conference with Scholz, Zelensky, Macron, Starmer and Witkoff.
Kushner has no official position in the US government.
Kushner has no official position in the US government.
Reposted by Erwin van der Stap
UK included in this statement. As it should be.
Joint Statement of major EU/NATO countries on Greenland, together with Denmark:
January 6, 2026 at 11:58 AM
UK included in this statement. As it should be.
Reposted by Erwin van der Stap
Yet another huge contract, awarded without any competitive bidding process, to Wes Streeting's favourite NHS supplier, the Hard Right US surveillance tech specialists Palantir, for military decision making capability.
Palantir lands biggest ever UK defense deal
The £240 million contract with the Ministry of Defence has renewed a debate about Britain’s dependence on American technology.
www.politico.eu
January 6, 2026 at 7:16 AM
Yet another huge contract, awarded without any competitive bidding process, to Wes Streeting's favourite NHS supplier, the Hard Right US surveillance tech specialists Palantir, for military decision making capability.
Reposted by Erwin van der Stap
The government have decided to remark in Hansard that 10 million people in Britain use X as their primary news source. A statistic that cannot possibly be true. Probably needs a correction I think.
If there is an argument then this is the argument. But lol I can’t find where this obviously false stat is coming from. And if the government does believe more than half the families in the UK are using it as their primary news source then woah maybe time to up the scrutiny of it!
January 5, 2026 at 8:38 PM
The government have decided to remark in Hansard that 10 million people in Britain use X as their primary news source. A statistic that cannot possibly be true. Probably needs a correction I think.
Reposted by Erwin van der Stap
X is owned by a Nazi. It promotes the far right and calls for civil war and the overthrow of our govt. Its algorithm suppresses liberal voices. Its bots spew out disinformation and its AI tool posts abusive images and CSAM.
The “counter narrative” to that has to be to regulate it or shut it down.
The “counter narrative” to that has to be to regulate it or shut it down.
Cabinet Office Minister Baroness Anderson tells the Lords the Government will keep on using X.
"I still believe that X is an appropriate platform to use because I believe in freedom of speech..."
"It is incredibly important that there is a counter narrative on those platforms," she says.
"I still believe that X is an appropriate platform to use because I believe in freedom of speech..."
"It is incredibly important that there is a counter narrative on those platforms," she says.
January 5, 2026 at 7:38 PM
X is owned by a Nazi. It promotes the far right and calls for civil war and the overthrow of our govt. Its algorithm suppresses liberal voices. Its bots spew out disinformation and its AI tool posts abusive images and CSAM.
The “counter narrative” to that has to be to regulate it or shut it down.
The “counter narrative” to that has to be to regulate it or shut it down.
Reposted by Erwin van der Stap
Ofcom *might* "undertake a swift *assessment* to determine *whether* there are *potential* compliance issues that *warrant investigation*."
Hard to believe, but we waste almost a quarter of a billion pounds of public money annually on this absolute shower of a regulator.
Hard to believe, but we waste almost a quarter of a billion pounds of public money annually on this absolute shower of a regulator.
January 5, 2026 at 4:24 PM
Ofcom *might* "undertake a swift *assessment* to determine *whether* there are *potential* compliance issues that *warrant investigation*."
Hard to believe, but we waste almost a quarter of a billion pounds of public money annually on this absolute shower of a regulator.
Hard to believe, but we waste almost a quarter of a billion pounds of public money annually on this absolute shower of a regulator.
Reposted by Erwin van der Stap
Failing to anticipate people would use your image generation bot to make consentless-pornography should be criminal incompetence.
Failing to include safeguards against it should be criminal negligence.
Failing to shut it down once (a) and (b) became obvious should be criminal distribution.
Failing to include safeguards against it should be criminal negligence.
Failing to shut it down once (a) and (b) became obvious should be criminal distribution.
January 5, 2026 at 8:41 PM
Failing to anticipate people would use your image generation bot to make consentless-pornography should be criminal incompetence.
Failing to include safeguards against it should be criminal negligence.
Failing to shut it down once (a) and (b) became obvious should be criminal distribution.
Failing to include safeguards against it should be criminal negligence.
Failing to shut it down once (a) and (b) became obvious should be criminal distribution.
Reposted by Erwin van der Stap
For many of those seeking asylum a mobile phone isn't just a lifeline to keep in contact with loved ones, it's an essential resource in accessing information and resources. State mandated theft is another example of Labour's dehumanisation of people seeking safety
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
UK’s plans to seize asylum seekers’ phones condemned by campaigners
People who are sent to Manston processing centre will be eligible for searches for electronic devices from Monday
www.theguardian.com
January 5, 2026 at 7:32 AM
For many of those seeking asylum a mobile phone isn't just a lifeline to keep in contact with loved ones, it's an essential resource in accessing information and resources. State mandated theft is another example of Labour's dehumanisation of people seeking safety
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
Reposted by Erwin van der Stap
After 9/11, the US invoked Article 5 of the NATO treaty and every NATO member helped to combat terrorism.
Some of our closest allies, like Denmark, went even further, voluntarily sending troops to Afghanistan and Iraq in support of US-led wars there.
Today, Trump is threatening to attack Denmark.
Some of our closest allies, like Denmark, went even further, voluntarily sending troops to Afghanistan and Iraq in support of US-led wars there.
Today, Trump is threatening to attack Denmark.
January 4, 2026 at 10:46 PM
After 9/11, the US invoked Article 5 of the NATO treaty and every NATO member helped to combat terrorism.
Some of our closest allies, like Denmark, went even further, voluntarily sending troops to Afghanistan and Iraq in support of US-led wars there.
Today, Trump is threatening to attack Denmark.
Some of our closest allies, like Denmark, went even further, voluntarily sending troops to Afghanistan and Iraq in support of US-led wars there.
Today, Trump is threatening to attack Denmark.
Reposted by Erwin van der Stap
FACT CHECK American companies never owned oil or land in Venezuela, and officials didn’t kick them out. Venezuela, following Mexico, Brazil and Saudi Arabia, nationalized its most lucrative sector in 1976 and developed mutually beneficial partnerships with American and other firms
wapo.st/4jblLKs
wapo.st/4jblLKs
Trump says Venezuela stole U.S. oil, land and assets. Here’s the history.
The government of the oil-rich nation took control of its petroleum industry in 1976, nationalizing hundreds of private businesses and foreign-owned assets.
wapo.st
December 21, 2025 at 6:34 PM
FACT CHECK American companies never owned oil or land in Venezuela, and officials didn’t kick them out. Venezuela, following Mexico, Brazil and Saudi Arabia, nationalized its most lucrative sector in 1976 and developed mutually beneficial partnerships with American and other firms
wapo.st/4jblLKs
wapo.st/4jblLKs
😂😂
January 3, 2026 at 10:06 PM
😂😂
Reposted by Erwin van der Stap
Well, okaaaaay...
January 3, 2026 at 9:32 PM
Well, okaaaaay...
Reposted by Erwin van der Stap
There’s going to be a motion of censure at the UN and Starmer is going to have a decision to make.
January 3, 2026 at 5:06 PM
There’s going to be a motion of censure at the UN and Starmer is going to have a decision to make.
Reposted by Erwin van der Stap
Of course international diplomacy is complex and nuanced, and that becomes more complex when it is a close ally, but Trump saying US has effectively just taken control of a sovereign nation and UN planning a censure motion does mean Starmer needs to be firmer than shrugging and saying "wait and see"
January 3, 2026 at 5:10 PM
Of course international diplomacy is complex and nuanced, and that becomes more complex when it is a close ally, but Trump saying US has effectively just taken control of a sovereign nation and UN planning a censure motion does mean Starmer needs to be firmer than shrugging and saying "wait and see"
Reposted by Erwin van der Stap
Chatham House expert has just declared the possibility that Maduro has likely been flown out of country to stand trial in the U.S. "in a violation of national sovereignty."
"The U.S. will morally own what the outcomes are."
"The U.S. will morally own what the outcomes are."
January 3, 2026 at 10:12 AM
Chatham House expert has just declared the possibility that Maduro has likely been flown out of country to stand trial in the U.S. "in a violation of national sovereignty."
"The U.S. will morally own what the outcomes are."
"The U.S. will morally own what the outcomes are."
I’m going to put a five on an Argentina v USA final at the World Cup
As the opening match
As the opening match
January 3, 2026 at 10:06 AM
I’m going to put a five on an Argentina v USA final at the World Cup
As the opening match
As the opening match
What will all the previous winners of the FIFA Peace Prize think of this, I wonder
January 3, 2026 at 10:00 AM
What will all the previous winners of the FIFA Peace Prize think of this, I wonder
Reposted by Erwin van der Stap
#ResistanceRoots
Lynn Conway was born on this day in 1938 in Mount Vernon, N.Y. She was a computer scientist, electrical engineer and prominent transgender rights activist whose work at IBM and Xerox PARC fundamentally reshaped the architecture of modern computing and the semiconductor industry. /1
Lynn Conway was born on this day in 1938 in Mount Vernon, N.Y. She was a computer scientist, electrical engineer and prominent transgender rights activist whose work at IBM and Xerox PARC fundamentally reshaped the architecture of modern computing and the semiconductor industry. /1
January 3, 2026 at 1:40 AM
#ResistanceRoots
Lynn Conway was born on this day in 1938 in Mount Vernon, N.Y. She was a computer scientist, electrical engineer and prominent transgender rights activist whose work at IBM and Xerox PARC fundamentally reshaped the architecture of modern computing and the semiconductor industry. /1
Lynn Conway was born on this day in 1938 in Mount Vernon, N.Y. She was a computer scientist, electrical engineer and prominent transgender rights activist whose work at IBM and Xerox PARC fundamentally reshaped the architecture of modern computing and the semiconductor industry. /1
Reposted by Erwin van der Stap
Dead at this 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
January 3, 2026 at 9:44 AM
Dead at this 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Anyone reading this who still has an X account should hang their heads in shame
There is, to my mind, no justification for the continued use by the UK Government of X as a platform for official comms. There hasn't been for some time, in fact, but if the latest developments around AI-generated image abuse and CSAM don't change the policy I really don't know what will.
NEW: People are using Elon Musk's chatbot, Grok, to alter images to depict real women being sexually abused, humiliated, hurt, and even killed.
futurism.com/future-socie...
futurism.com/future-socie...
January 3, 2026 at 8:53 AM
Anyone reading this who still has an X account should hang their heads in shame