Andrew James
@a-bluejay.bsky.social
Internationalist based in Cheshire, UK.
Strongly averse to irrationalism in public policy
but in favour of the same in art and to allow MCFCTID!
Admirer of a fine phrase bringing wisdom from the past.
No direct donations- already set up thro charities.
Strongly averse to irrationalism in public policy
but in favour of the same in art and to allow MCFCTID!
Admirer of a fine phrase bringing wisdom from the past.
No direct donations- already set up thro charities.
Pinned
Andrew James
@a-bluejay.bsky.social
· Feb 27
"Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel." Samuel Johnson 1709-1784
"Religion distorts a person’s relationships with their fellow humans for better or worse. It places in between them a barrier that has been manipulated by centuries of flawed, misguided or actively malevolent, hucksters."
"Religion distorts a person’s relationships with their fellow humans for better or worse. It places in between them a barrier that has been manipulated by centuries of flawed, misguided or actively malevolent, hucksters."
Thanks to those who organised the 'Stand Up to Racism' event in Stockport. Inspiring. Struck by the genuinely pathetic nature of the few counter protesters; Elon's Puppets, desperately trying to provoke, filming & regurgitating racist nonsense. They'd be nothing without Starmer & MSM on their side.
November 23, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Thanks to those who organised the 'Stand Up to Racism' event in Stockport. Inspiring. Struck by the genuinely pathetic nature of the few counter protesters; Elon's Puppets, desperately trying to provoke, filming & regurgitating racist nonsense. They'd be nothing without Starmer & MSM on their side.
It's astonishing how far neo-lib'ism has infected the establishment & is causing their downfall. "Bow to the markets, democracy is dead" leads to fascism to defend the indefensible. Before Thatcher & Regan invest to grow was normal. We need a "New Deal" to save democracy and avoid Climate Breakdown
November 23, 2025 at 12:21 PM
It's astonishing how far neo-lib'ism has infected the establishment & is causing their downfall. "Bow to the markets, democracy is dead" leads to fascism to defend the indefensible. Before Thatcher & Regan invest to grow was normal. We need a "New Deal" to save democracy and avoid Climate Breakdown
Reposted by Andrew James
“If you go back a million minutes, you reach 2023. Go back a billion minutes, you reach the Roman Empire — that’s the scale of inequality we’re living with.”
Zack Polanski on #BBCLauraK discussing inequality and why a wealth tax should be in the budget
Zack Polanski on #BBCLauraK discussing inequality and why a wealth tax should be in the budget
November 23, 2025 at 10:31 AM
“If you go back a million minutes, you reach 2023. Go back a billion minutes, you reach the Roman Empire — that’s the scale of inequality we’re living with.”
Zack Polanski on #BBCLauraK discussing inequality and why a wealth tax should be in the budget
Zack Polanski on #BBCLauraK discussing inequality and why a wealth tax should be in the budget
Reposted by Andrew James
I mean, why would you stay?
Overseas-trained doctors leaving the UK in record numbers.
Direct result of racism and insecurity unleashed by major political parties.
Not enough home trained doctors. Takes years and high debt to become a doctor.
A healthcare crisis in the making.
Direct result of racism and insecurity unleashed by major political parties.
Not enough home trained doctors. Takes years and high debt to become a doctor.
A healthcare crisis in the making.
Overseas-trained doctors leaving the UK in record numbers
Medical bodies warn that hostility towards migrants is behind a 26% rise in departures last year that imperils NHS
www.theguardian.com
November 22, 2025 at 4:00 PM
I mean, why would you stay?
Reposted by Andrew James
At the Budget, the Green Party's message is clear: Cut Bills. Tax Billionaires.
November 19, 2025 at 8:20 AM
At the Budget, the Green Party's message is clear: Cut Bills. Tax Billionaires.
Reposted by Andrew James
Nations will be competing for migrants soon, and they will choose to go where their families have the best opportunity to thrive #NomadCentury
All those people, including current government, who falsely claim migrants are to blame for failings with the NHS, along with infrastructure in general, are in for one hell of a shock with how much worse things will get with Labour's anti-immigration policies.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Overseas-trained doctors leaving the UK in record numbers
Medical bodies warn that hostility towards migrants is behind a 26% rise in departures last year that imperils NHS
www.theguardian.com
November 21, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Nations will be competing for migrants soon, and they will choose to go where their families have the best opportunity to thrive #NomadCentury
Horrendous argument! The logic is that if only white immigrants were allowed to come to help work for our econ that would be better for 'people who look like' her. It's not an argument about immigration at all! It's race! It simply says if we do the racism for them maybe they'll relent with theirs!
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood made more explicit her argument that when ethnic minorities face racism, "we have no choice but to ask: what is the cause of our division"
Her answer is the level of net migration, 2019-23 causes racism. (She on Monday said it was caused by the scale of asylum)
Her answer is the level of net migration, 2019-23 causes racism. (She on Monday said it was caused by the scale of asylum)
November 21, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Horrendous argument! The logic is that if only white immigrants were allowed to come to help work for our econ that would be better for 'people who look like' her. It's not an argument about immigration at all! It's race! It simply says if we do the racism for them maybe they'll relent with theirs!
Reposted by Andrew James
Labour’s immigration plans could cost the NHS 46,000 nurses www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/...
Labour’s immigration plans could cost the NHS 46,000 nurses
NHS nurses face bleak future as Labour's proposed immigration plan undermines their leave-to-remain status, warns Royal College
www.thecanary.co
November 21, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Labour’s immigration plans could cost the NHS 46,000 nurses www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/...
Reposted by Andrew James
Macclesfield Central (Cheshire East) Council By-Election Result:
🌍 GRN: 41.8% (+19.7)
🌹 LAB: 28.6% (-25.7)
➡️ RFM: 15.8% (New)
🌳 CON: 9.1% (-4.5)
⚖️ EQU: 2.5% (New)
🔶 LDM: 2.2% (-7.7)
Green GAIN from Labour.
Changes w/ 2023.
🌍 GRN: 41.8% (+19.7)
🌹 LAB: 28.6% (-25.7)
➡️ RFM: 15.8% (New)
🌳 CON: 9.1% (-4.5)
⚖️ EQU: 2.5% (New)
🔶 LDM: 2.2% (-7.7)
Green GAIN from Labour.
Changes w/ 2023.
November 21, 2025 at 7:15 AM
"How they made us doubt everything" on how the Tobacco Industry conspiracy to confuse public understanding of science was adopted by Big Oil. Now with MAGA & the international far right truly through the Looking Glass it's interesting to hear how they did it.
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
How They Made Us Doubt Everything - Welcome to How They Made Us Doubt Everything: The Tobacco Playbook - BBC Sounds
From climate change to smoking, this is the story of how doubt has been manufactured.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 20, 2025 at 7:41 PM
"How they made us doubt everything" on how the Tobacco Industry conspiracy to confuse public understanding of science was adopted by Big Oil. Now with MAGA & the international far right truly through the Looking Glass it's interesting to hear how they did it.
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Reposted by Andrew James
VERY funny that Labour are being pointlessly cruel and haemorrhaging support from their base and yet none of what they're offering is ever going to be enough for the people whose approval they're seeking, WHO could have predicted it
November 20, 2025 at 3:20 PM
VERY funny that Labour are being pointlessly cruel and haemorrhaging support from their base and yet none of what they're offering is ever going to be enough for the people whose approval they're seeking, WHO could have predicted it
Wow! the rabbit hole is really deep! Some really deranged people becoming more and more influential on the right. Scary. Of course the silver lining is that anything that splits them and/or exposes their hideous views will hopefully hasten their defeat.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
White nationalist Nick Fuentes is exposing a civil war among US Republicans: ‘We look like clowns’
Tucker Carlson’s interview with the activist revealed the mainstream right is being flooded by extremism – and it’s now impossible to contain
www.theguardian.com
November 20, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Wow! the rabbit hole is really deep! Some really deranged people becoming more and more influential on the right. Scary. Of course the silver lining is that anything that splits them and/or exposes their hideous views will hopefully hasten their defeat.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
Reposted by Andrew James
Let's have a look through Starmer's broken promises.
November 20, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Let's have a look through Starmer's broken promises.
Reposted by Andrew James
After another week of banging on about immigration, Keir Starmer's ratings fall to their lowest ever level.
At what point do Labour strategists start to think that maybe this isn't quite the winning strategy they believed?
At what point do Labour strategists start to think that maybe this isn't quite the winning strategy they believed?
November 20, 2025 at 9:59 AM
After another week of banging on about immigration, Keir Starmer's ratings fall to their lowest ever level.
At what point do Labour strategists start to think that maybe this isn't quite the winning strategy they believed?
At what point do Labour strategists start to think that maybe this isn't quite the winning strategy they believed?
Reposted by Andrew James
A Government of cowards.
Rather than tackle inequality - they've gone for pensioners, disabled people and now it's people fleeing war and persecution.
They can't get away with this.
Join.greenparty.org.uk
Rather than tackle inequality - they've gone for pensioners, disabled people and now it's people fleeing war and persecution.
They can't get away with this.
Join.greenparty.org.uk
November 17, 2025 at 11:16 PM
A Government of cowards.
Rather than tackle inequality - they've gone for pensioners, disabled people and now it's people fleeing war and persecution.
They can't get away with this.
Join.greenparty.org.uk
Rather than tackle inequality - they've gone for pensioners, disabled people and now it's people fleeing war and persecution.
They can't get away with this.
Join.greenparty.org.uk
Reposted by Andrew James
Starmer’s anti-asylum policies show how utterly clueless he is about the right-wing media’s role in politics.
He’s trying to fix a “problem” contrived by Farage, GB News and The Telegraph. He’ll never win, because ultimately he’s fighting a ghost – he’s fighting something that doesn’t really exist
He’s trying to fix a “problem” contrived by Farage, GB News and The Telegraph. He’ll never win, because ultimately he’s fighting a ghost – he’s fighting something that doesn’t really exist
November 17, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Starmer’s anti-asylum policies show how utterly clueless he is about the right-wing media’s role in politics.
He’s trying to fix a “problem” contrived by Farage, GB News and The Telegraph. He’ll never win, because ultimately he’s fighting a ghost – he’s fighting something that doesn’t really exist
He’s trying to fix a “problem” contrived by Farage, GB News and The Telegraph. He’ll never win, because ultimately he’s fighting a ghost – he’s fighting something that doesn’t really exist
Wow! Excellent speech opposing targeting immigrants! There must be a PhD in Psychiatry in this for someone! Even if it's naked self-interest there must be a personal justification as long as War & Peace to volte-face, in just 7 yrs, to the extent that you earn Tommy Robinson's endorsement.
"... it goes after those of us who look like we could be immigrants. We have talked a lot about illegal immigration sitting at the heart of this debate, but what we are not talking about so much is race"
Shabana Mahmood condemning the hostile environment back in 2018
Shabana Mahmood condemning the hostile environment back in 2018
November 18, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Wow! Excellent speech opposing targeting immigrants! There must be a PhD in Psychiatry in this for someone! Even if it's naked self-interest there must be a personal justification as long as War & Peace to volte-face, in just 7 yrs, to the extent that you earn Tommy Robinson's endorsement.
Labour are destroying this country! They could have defended the social democratic consensus but instead are trying to out-Reform Farage and are fracturing the significant majority who abhor the far-right. This will be the legacy of the Last Ever Labour Government- and we will all suffer for it.
🗳️ Projected seat totals:
➡️ REF: 318 seats (+313)
🟠 LD: 87 seats (+15)
🟢 GRN: 61 seats (+57)
🔴 LAB: 60 seats (-351)
🟡 SNP: 46 seats (+37)
🔵 CON: 32 seats (-89)
🟢 PLAID: 7 seats (+3)
Based on @YouGov poll, 16-17 Nov (+/- vs GE2024)
➡️ REF: 318 seats (+313)
🟠 LD: 87 seats (+15)
🟢 GRN: 61 seats (+57)
🔴 LAB: 60 seats (-351)
🟡 SNP: 46 seats (+37)
🔵 CON: 32 seats (-89)
🟢 PLAID: 7 seats (+3)
Based on @YouGov poll, 16-17 Nov (+/- vs GE2024)
November 18, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Labour are destroying this country! They could have defended the social democratic consensus but instead are trying to out-Reform Farage and are fracturing the significant majority who abhor the far-right. This will be the legacy of the Last Ever Labour Government- and we will all suffer for it.
If you are still in the Labour Party after this; shame, shame, shame on you!
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Labour’s asylum plans are horribly cruel – but they’re also a mix of hype, old policy and unachievable promises | Diane Taylor
There is mounting disquiet among Labour MPs, while the vulnerable refugees at the heart of this story are living with a renewed sense of panic, says Diane Taylor, who writes on human rights, racism an...
www.theguardian.com
November 18, 2025 at 11:43 AM
If you are still in the Labour Party after this; shame, shame, shame on you!
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
If there had been an agreement with Farage about how to pave the way for a far-right government and agenda, how would things be different?
Portraying weakening the European Convention on Human Rights as the answer to the issues society faces is extremely dangerous. It opens the door to us one day leaving the ECHR altogether
Labour’s plan risks weakening protections for all of us. Human rights are universal - politicians may not always find them politically convenient but it shouldn’t fall to any government to say who those rights should and should not apply to. It’s a slippery slope to oblivion youtu.be/bl0Lm7v_T18?...
November 17, 2025 at 12:44 PM
If there had been an agreement with Farage about how to pave the way for a far-right government and agenda, how would things be different?
It's time 'still Labs' had an exit plan. They are already tarred with the betrayal of the party & its voters. An article I can agree with but the question to SC is "what are you going to do about it"? You're trapped whilst in what used to be the Labour Party.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
ICE-style raids on Britain's streets: that's all Labour's brutal asylum reforms will achieve | Stella Creasy
If we want to ‘stop the boats’, we need to stop the BS when it comes to what creates refugees, and how to respond to them, says Labour MP Stella Creasy
www.theguardian.com
November 17, 2025 at 12:04 PM
It's time 'still Labs' had an exit plan. They are already tarred with the betrayal of the party & its voters. An article I can agree with but the question to SC is "what are you going to do about it"? You're trapped whilst in what used to be the Labour Party.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Andrew James
This is a new low from a govt plumbing the depths of performative cruelty in hopes that the public won’t notice they have no answers to the real issues facing this country
A sensible, humane govt would focus on safe routes to prevent people making dangerous small boat crossings
A sensible, humane govt would focus on safe routes to prevent people making dangerous small boat crossings
November 17, 2025 at 10:14 AM
This is a new low from a govt plumbing the depths of performative cruelty in hopes that the public won’t notice they have no answers to the real issues facing this country
A sensible, humane govt would focus on safe routes to prevent people making dangerous small boat crossings
A sensible, humane govt would focus on safe routes to prevent people making dangerous small boat crossings
'Still Labs' hang your heads in shame! How can you continue to back these appalling people? Worse attacks on migrants- especially legal migrants helping this country or escaping confirmed persecution!- than the Tories could ever have dreamed of getting away with!
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
Starmer braced for backlash from Labour MPs as Mahmood sets out asylum plans – UK politics live
Home secretary to announce a drastic tightening of rules, including requiring asylum seekers to wait 20 years before getting the right to permanently settle in UK
www.theguardian.com
November 17, 2025 at 11:09 AM
'Still Labs' hang your heads in shame! How can you continue to back these appalling people? Worse attacks on migrants- especially legal migrants helping this country or escaping confirmed persecution!- than the Tories could ever have dreamed of getting away with!
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
Reposted by Andrew James
I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for Labour that voters refuse to recognise the difference between the government's progressive, well-intentioned racism and the destructive, toxic racism of Reform and the far-right.
November 15, 2025 at 10:10 PM
I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for Labour that voters refuse to recognise the difference between the government's progressive, well-intentioned racism and the destructive, toxic racism of Reform and the far-right.
I had supported Labour, despite its glaring faults, for over 40 yrs and finally left after the "Incalculable damage" speech - but should have done over Gaza before that. I imagine that most members joined to make the world a better place. This entrenched leadership is making things worse.
November 15, 2025 at 11:51 AM
I had supported Labour, despite its glaring faults, for over 40 yrs and finally left after the "Incalculable damage" speech - but should have done over Gaza before that. I imagine that most members joined to make the world a better place. This entrenched leadership is making things worse.