William Perrin
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willperrin.bsky.social
William Perrin
@willperrin.bsky.social
1.4K followers 490 following 320 posts
Trustee at Indigo Trust, CarnegieUK. Formerly Good Things Foundation, TPW, UK Civil Service (No10, Cabinet Office, DtI, DCMS). Defence, tech, online safety, rural, tractors, cats etc.
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Reposted by William Perrin
quote-unquote.bsky.social
My unrelatable pet peeve is the internet meme of “this is a Renaissance painting” when, more often than not, they refer to a photo of intertwined figures at the climax of the action, illuminated by dramatic lighting, and what they really mean is “this is a Baroque painting.”
December 28, 2025 at 3:55 AM
Reposted by William Perrin
ericgoldman.bsky.social
@mmasnick.bsky.social: "The US government is blocking people from entering the country because those people advocated for content moderation policies the government doesn’t like....it’s doing this in the name of protecting free speech" www.ms.now/opinion/marc...
Opinion | Marco Rubio is using real censorship to fight fake censorship
Mike Masnick: In the name of protecting free speech, the U.S. government just banned five Europeans from entering the country because it doesn’t like their speech.
www.ms.now
December 27, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Reposted by William Perrin
josephpolitano.bsky.social
A case where the quote is even worse in context than out of context. JD is scaremongering about “Islamists” winning elections in the UK/France and then somehow militarily threatening the US. Saying we should hold Europeans and Africans to different moral standards but anti-wokely.
“SA: But there's a bit of a paradox there, isn't there? Because on the one hand, the administration says that America in the past too often lectured the world on moral values and so on. And yet the National Security Strategy document that was recently published made certain claims about what Europe should be like civilizationally. So even to get them to be where we want to be, we still have to lecture them. JDV: We have much greater cultural, religious, and economic ties with Europe than we do with anywhere else in the world. That is just the nature of things. And so I do think that we're going to have certain moral conversations with Europe that we might not have, for example, with a Democratic Republic of the Congo, because there is this sense of shared history and shared cultural values. To tie it back to a more specific or direct American interest, France and the United Kingdom have nuclear weapons. If they allow themselves to be overwhelmed with very destructive moral ideas, then you allow nuclear weapons to fall in the hands of people who can actually cause very, very serious harm to the United States.” SA: What sort of ideas? JDV: I think there are, for example, Islamists-aligned or Islamist-adjacent people who hold office in European countries right now. Right now, maybe at an extremely low level, right? They're winning mayoral elections, or they're winning municipal elections. But it's not inconceivable to imagine a scenario where a person with Islamist-adjacent views could have very significant influence in a European nuclear power. In the next five years? No. But 15 years from now? Absolutely. And that is very much a very direct threat to the United States of America. So I do think there are ways in which the moral conversation does absolutely bleed into America's national-security interests. I just think that we want Europe to be strong and vibrant. I want Europe to be a place where Americans can go and visit, where there's cultural sharing; Europeans are coming to American universities; Americans are going to European universities; where our militaries are fighting together, training together. That is impossible without some sense of a cultural foundation. The United States and Europe have that, but there's a risk of losing it over the long term.
December 27, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Reposted by William Perrin
jayrosen.bsky.social
"One Word Describes Trump" www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

I missed this on its first trip around, then saw it on the "most popular with readers" list for 2025. Recommended, despite the cheesy headline.

Especially valuable if you have ever compared him to a mob boss.

[Gift link]
One Word Describes Trump
A century ago, a German sociologist explained precisely how the president thinks about the world.
www.theatlantic.com
December 27, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Reposted by William Perrin
localnotail.bsky.social
The Telegraph Matthew Lesh 15 June 2021 1:11pm BST Don't be fooled by Remainers, the Australia trade deal is better than anything we had in the EU The template deal puts a stake in the ground for the type of country Britain is becoming: an outward looking, global trading nation https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/06/15/dont-fooled-remainers-australia-trade-deal-better-anything-had/
December 27, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Reposted by William Perrin
stephenkb.bsky.social
Good interview in the paper, this. I think Sadiq is right: London 'needs' to be less successful than it is for a bunch of political arguments here in the UK to work, hence the fictions being invented about it:
Populists attack London because it is ‘progressive and successful’, says Sadiq Khan
Rightwing attacks on one of the world’s most visited cities at odds with reality, says mayor
www.ft.com
December 26, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Reposted by William Perrin
dankaszeta.bsky.social
I’ve been saying this for years. A successful multicultural multiethnic London is an offensive idea to some right wing world views so they make up bollocks to try to knock London down
stephenkb.bsky.social Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 4d
Good interview in the paper, this. I think Sadiq is right: London 'needs' to be less successful than it is for a bunch of political arguments here in the UK to work, hence the fictions being invented about it:
Populists attack London because it is ‘progressive and successful’, says Sadiq Khan
Rightwing attacks on one of the world’s most visited cities at odds with reality, says mayor
www.ft.com
December 27, 2025 at 2:05 PM
willperrin.bsky.social
Make a Bond movie academic ‘Casino Royale: can Montecarlo theory help select less predictable plot lines?
pigsonthewing.org.uk Andy Mabbett @pigsonthewing.org.uk · 4d
Make a Bond movie academic

It's "Dr." No, actually
eve.gd Martin Paul Eve @eve.gd · 4d
Make a Bond movie academic

Live and Let Cite
December 26, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Reposted by William Perrin
rolandmcs.bsky.social
The Right used to contain the staunchest monarchists, but their more recent burn-it-all-down creed pauses for nothing.

These people have a very corrupted view of Britishness and should not be allowed to 'own' patriotism.
sundersays.bsky.social Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 4d
"Give it a rest" posted podcaster Connor Tomlinson at 3.15pm on Christmas Day about the King's message

Tomlinson advocates bamning all British citizens who are Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist from parliament & civil service, along with ethnic minorities who lack white British ancestors.
December 26, 2025 at 9:19 AM
Reposted by William Perrin
theonion.com
Musk Signals Willingness To Bid More Than $97 Billion To Acquire Respect https://theonion.com/musk-signals-willingness-to-bid-more-than-97-billion-to-acquire-respect/
Musk Signals Willingness To Bid More Than $97 Billion To Acquire Respect
December 26, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Reposted by William Perrin
normative.bsky.social
I always thought Plato was pretty pollyannaish on this point, but this is decent evidence for the view that a man of bad character will therefore be unhappy even with every external trapping of success and good fortune.
thedailybeast.bsky.social The Daily Beast @thedailybeast.bsky.social · 5d
President Donald Trump gifted the world with nearly 200 Truth Social posts (and counting) on Christmas Day, where he amplified conspiracy theories about the 2020 election and called for a member of Congress to be deported.
Trump Posts Nearly 200 Times in Unhinged Christmas Day Spree
The president amplified conspiracy theories about the 2020 election and called for a member of Congress to be deported.
trib.al
December 26, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Reposted by William Perrin
annamerlan.bsky.social
Tenet Media founder Lauren Chen, who secretly took money from two people with ties to Russian state media to involve conservative influencers in an unwitting propaganda scheme, is back in the US after being deported to Canada under President Biden. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
December 25, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Reposted by William Perrin
fbajak.bsky.social
“The federal government can’t deport a green card holder like Imran Ahmed, with a wife and young child who are American, simply because it doesn’t like what he has to say,” the British researcher’s lawyer said.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/25/u...
Judge Blocks Detention of British Researcher Who Scrutinizes Online Hate
www.nytimes.com
December 26, 2025 at 1:34 AM
Reposted by William Perrin
onestpress.onestnetwork.com
UN’s Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese:

“I truly hope that people will stay calm, will not panic, and will remember that the international community is made of 193 states, and this is the time to give the US what it has been looking for – isolation!”
December 25, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Reposted by William Perrin
andycraig.bsky.social
There are only two offenses the Constitution goes out of its way to specifically say merit impeachment, and this is one of them.
robertscotthorton.bsky.social Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 5d
GOP operatives Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman, convicted election fraudsters, were paid $960,000 in the second quarter to secure a pardon for a former nursing-home operator who defrauded the government of $38 million. Trump pardoned the man, Joseph Schwartz, last month.
Inside the New Fast Track to a Presidential Pardon
Even some of the president’s closest advisers have been surprised by a number of the recent series of pardons.
www.wsj.com
December 25, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Reposted by William Perrin
mirandayaver.bsky.social
December 25, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Reposted by William Perrin
theonion.com
TV Network Refuses To Air ‘Miracle On 34th Street’ For Outdated Depictions Of Hope, Joy https://theonion.com/tv-network-refuses-to-air-miracle-on-34th-street-for-1848159248/
TV Network Refuses To Air ‘Miracle On 34th Street’ For Outdated Depictions Of Hope, Joy
December 25, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Reposted by William Perrin
mikeblack114.bsky.social
lmfao "Soboto"

AFRICOM posting from Germany about airstrikes in Africa while misspelling the name of the place they bombed is *chef's kiss*
December 26, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Reposted by William Perrin
billkristolbulwark.bsky.social
Donald Trump, basically acknowledging that so far at least he’s losing the fight over Epstein.
December 26, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Reposted by William Perrin
bluebookvalue.bsky.social
real cool how he calls his domestic political enemies scum this morning and now he‘s announcing deadly strikes on other people he calls scum on the very same day! really neat!
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 5d
Trump on Christmas: “Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria.”
Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries! I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was. The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing. Under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper. May God Bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues.   DONALD J. TRUMP PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
December 26, 2025 at 12:10 AM
Reposted by William Perrin
brandonfriedman.bsky.social
This is literally a holiday-themed missile strike. It is as insane as it sounds and should be front-page news.
@realDonaldTrump on Truth Social: Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries! I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was. The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing. Under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper. May God Bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues. DONALD J. TRUMP PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Dec 25, 2025, 4:59 PM
December 25, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Reposted by William Perrin
parkermolloy.com
Kind of wild how the take that some of Trump's supporters were "deplorable" was some huge scandal, but regularly screaming about "radical left scum" is just a thing he'll say with no media backlash.
Donald J Trump Truth Social post: Merry Christmas to all, including the Radical Left Scum that is doing everything possible to destroy our Country, but are failing badly. We no longer have Open Borders, Men in Women’s Sports, Transgender for Everyone, or Weak Law Enforcement. What we do have is a Record Stock Market and 401K’s, Lowest Crime numbers in decades, No Inflation, and
December 25, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Reposted by William Perrin
nxthompson.bsky.social
"The reason so many of yesterday’s free-speech champions transitioned so easily into today’s pro-Trump censors is that their definition of free speech never included the right of others to talk back." @adamserwer.bsky.social www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
The Triumph of Free-Speech Hypocrisy
What the 60 Minutes scandal reveals
www.theatlantic.com
December 23, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Reposted by William Perrin
smtuffy.bsky.social
I’ll just note that the US didn’t do this to China, which outright bans US social media websites
December 24, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Reposted by William Perrin
jeremycliffe.bsky.social
A transatlantic showdown over tech policy (as opposed to, say, net zero) could actually have a unifying & galvanising political effect within the EU. The union’s digital regulations are broadly popular and many voters actually want more, not fewer, controls on Big Tech.

yougov.co.uk/technology/a...
December 24, 2025 at 2:07 PM