Mark Bale
@balemj.bsky.social
Interested in technology, genomics, bioethics and history. Former UK civil servant. Passionate Europhile
Reposted by Mark Bale
Once more for the haters...
December 9, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Once more for the haters...
Reposted by Mark Bale
he can't possibly be a president he didn't insult anybody or talk about his cognitive tests
I had fun reading to some Burke Elementary students at the Chicago Public Library today. When the Obama Presidential Center opens next year, we’ll have a new branch of the library for the community to enjoy.
December 10, 2025 at 3:33 AM
he can't possibly be a president he didn't insult anybody or talk about his cognitive tests
Reposted by Mark Bale
The EU is hated in the U.S., China and Russia because the EU is a liberal bastion that is large enough to challenge all three if it, the EU, is united enough.
December 10, 2025 at 4:17 AM
The EU is hated in the U.S., China and Russia because the EU is a liberal bastion that is large enough to challenge all three if it, the EU, is united enough.
Reposted by Mark Bale
Lovely tribute to The Lady Killers but what's striking is how much better almost everything looks today.
www.bfi.org.uk/features/70-...
www.bfi.org.uk/features/70-...
70 years of The Ladykillers: how the locations look today
As the classic Ealing comedy turns 70, we went walking around King’s Cross to see whether Alec Guinness and his motley band of robbers would recognise it today.
www.bfi.org.uk
December 9, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Lovely tribute to The Lady Killers but what's striking is how much better almost everything looks today.
www.bfi.org.uk/features/70-...
www.bfi.org.uk/features/70-...
Reposted by Mark Bale
New Home Office impact assessment finds that cutting skilled and social care visas will cost the UK up to £10 billion with a central estimate of -£5.4 billion.
It would be good if this got even a fraction of the coverage devoted to the endless debate about boats, flags and Turkish barber shops
It would be good if this got even a fraction of the coverage devoted to the endless debate about boats, flags and Turkish barber shops
December 9, 2025 at 2:36 PM
New Home Office impact assessment finds that cutting skilled and social care visas will cost the UK up to £10 billion with a central estimate of -£5.4 billion.
It would be good if this got even a fraction of the coverage devoted to the endless debate about boats, flags and Turkish barber shops
It would be good if this got even a fraction of the coverage devoted to the endless debate about boats, flags and Turkish barber shops
Reposted by Mark Bale
You'd never have guessed it from looking at the papers, but Peggie mostly lost her case. Her only 'victory' was the court acknowledged the trust had screwed up some of the HR paperwork. Anything substantive relating to her supposed 'discrimination' and complaints about Dr Beth Upton was dismissed
Sandie Peggie's agony...
BBC News - Scotland's papers: Sandie Peggie 'agony' as NHS board 'harassed nurse'
www.bbc.com/news/article...
BBC News - Scotland's papers: Sandie Peggie 'agony' as NHS board 'harassed nurse'
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Scotland's papers: Sandie Peggie 'agony' as NHS board 'harassed nurse'
A review of the front page stories from the daily newspapers in Scotland.
www.bbc.com
December 9, 2025 at 11:54 AM
You'd never have guessed it from looking at the papers, but Peggie mostly lost her case. Her only 'victory' was the court acknowledged the trust had screwed up some of the HR paperwork. Anything substantive relating to her supposed 'discrimination' and complaints about Dr Beth Upton was dismissed
Reposted by Mark Bale
Welcome to Britain, a country so short of dentists that an MP's 87-year-old mum pulled her teeth out with pliers. Also a country with thousands of foreign-qualified dentists who can’t work until they pass an exam so oversubscribed it’s like trying to book Glasto tickets. www.ft.com/content/f4e5...
December 9, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Welcome to Britain, a country so short of dentists that an MP's 87-year-old mum pulled her teeth out with pliers. Also a country with thousands of foreign-qualified dentists who can’t work until they pass an exam so oversubscribed it’s like trying to book Glasto tickets. www.ft.com/content/f4e5...
Reposted by Mark Bale
🇩🇪🇪🇺🇺🇸 Merz: I see no need for the Americans to now try to save democracy in Europe.
If it needed saving, we would be able to handle that on our own.
If it needed saving, we would be able to handle that on our own.
December 9, 2025 at 1:10 PM
🇩🇪🇪🇺🇺🇸 Merz: I see no need for the Americans to now try to save democracy in Europe.
If it needed saving, we would be able to handle that on our own.
If it needed saving, we would be able to handle that on our own.
Reposted by Mark Bale
Lando Norris interview - on family sacrifices, proving himself wrong and how Monaco lap made him cry - BBC Sport www.bbc.com/sport/formul...
Lando Norris on family sacrifices, proving himself wrong and how Monaco lap made him cry
Lando Norris reflects on family sacrifices, proving himself wrong and how a lap in Monaco made him cry and
www.bbc.com
December 8, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Lando Norris interview - on family sacrifices, proving himself wrong and how Monaco lap made him cry - BBC Sport www.bbc.com/sport/formul...
Reposted by Mark Bale
For decades, sustainable & responsible cities haven’t just been possible — they’ve been common sense, logical, ridiculously obvious! And yet we’ve failed to act. A better future through better cities is STILL possible with real leadership at every level. #ActionStartsHere @mayors4climate.bsky.social
November 26, 2025 at 6:45 AM
For decades, sustainable & responsible cities haven’t just been possible — they’ve been common sense, logical, ridiculously obvious! And yet we’ve failed to act. A better future through better cities is STILL possible with real leadership at every level. #ActionStartsHere @mayors4climate.bsky.social
Reposted by Mark Bale
CPS says Farage MEP’s Jonathan Bullock, Julia Reid and Steven Woolfe followed a script given to Russian asset Nathan Gill by handler Oleg Voloshyn. At least eight UKIP/Brexit Party MEPs now linked to Kremlin-tasked efforts coordinated through Reform’s Gill. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Three more Farage bloc MEPs alleged to have followed Russian asset’s script
At least eight MEPs elected for Ukip or Brexit party now known to have been focus of efforts by jailed Nathan Gill
www.theguardian.com
December 7, 2025 at 6:40 PM
CPS says Farage MEP’s Jonathan Bullock, Julia Reid and Steven Woolfe followed a script given to Russian asset Nathan Gill by handler Oleg Voloshyn. At least eight UKIP/Brexit Party MEPs now linked to Kremlin-tasked efforts coordinated through Reform’s Gill. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Mark Bale
USA UPDATE: 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
December 7, 2025 at 12:44 AM
USA UPDATE: 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
Reposted by Mark Bale
55 years old and only just found out that the cowboy in Glen Campbell's song does not weigh nine stones.
December 6, 2025 at 6:20 PM
55 years old and only just found out that the cowboy in Glen Campbell's song does not weigh nine stones.
Reposted by Mark Bale
Yinka Bankole was 12 when Farage spotted him in the playground:
“He towered over me. ‘Where are you from?’ he asked. Within seconds of offering my rather confused and sputtering answers, he had a clear response: ‘That’s the way back to Africa,’.”
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
“He towered over me. ‘Where are you from?’ he asked. Within seconds of offering my rather confused and sputtering answers, he had a clear response: ‘That’s the way back to Africa,’.”
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Former Dulwich pupil says Farage told him: ‘That’s the way back to Africa’
Exclusive: Yinka Bankole says he felt compelled to speak out after Reform leader’s attempts to ‘dismiss’ hurt of alleged targets
www.theguardian.com
December 6, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Yinka Bankole was 12 when Farage spotted him in the playground:
“He towered over me. ‘Where are you from?’ he asked. Within seconds of offering my rather confused and sputtering answers, he had a clear response: ‘That’s the way back to Africa,’.”
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
“He towered over me. ‘Where are you from?’ he asked. Within seconds of offering my rather confused and sputtering answers, he had a clear response: ‘That’s the way back to Africa,’.”
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Mark Bale
For #AncientSiteSunday this fabulous aerial photo of the Acropolis at #Athens - a site I would love to be right now!
📷 Christos Kapoulas
#Greece
🏺
📷 Christos Kapoulas
#Greece
🏺
December 7, 2025 at 8:54 AM
For #AncientSiteSunday this fabulous aerial photo of the Acropolis at #Athens - a site I would love to be right now!
📷 Christos Kapoulas
#Greece
🏺
📷 Christos Kapoulas
#Greece
🏺
Reposted by Mark Bale
WHO IS CUTTING ONIONS?! 😭
December 6, 2025 at 8:27 PM
WHO IS CUTTING ONIONS?! 😭
Reposted by Mark Bale
Imagine the reaction to allegations that Corbyn had made hissing gas noises to Jewish kids as a schoolboy - and then if he had responded to those allegations by shouting 'Bernard Manning!' at the journalists
The radio silence about Farage from people who are usually supremely vocal about antisemitism is so so telling.
December 6, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Imagine the reaction to allegations that Corbyn had made hissing gas noises to Jewish kids as a schoolboy - and then if he had responded to those allegations by shouting 'Bernard Manning!' at the journalists
Reposted by Mark Bale
This is fine! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Trains cancelled over fake bridge collapse image
Rail services were cancelled after a 'hoax' picture of a damaged bridge appeared on social media
www.bbc.co.uk
December 6, 2025 at 5:07 PM
This is fine! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Mark Bale
Unebelievably, I am older than Nige Fartrage. I grew up with Alf Garnet, Love Thy Neighbour and Bernard Manning, on TV almost every night.
At no point then – or since – have I made "jokes" about gassing Jews or that black people are unworthy (or worse).
He was – and is – misogynist and racist.
At no point then – or since – have I made "jokes" about gassing Jews or that black people are unworthy (or worse).
He was – and is – misogynist and racist.
December 5, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Unebelievably, I am older than Nige Fartrage. I grew up with Alf Garnet, Love Thy Neighbour and Bernard Manning, on TV almost every night.
At no point then – or since – have I made "jokes" about gassing Jews or that black people are unworthy (or worse).
He was – and is – misogynist and racist.
At no point then – or since – have I made "jokes" about gassing Jews or that black people are unworthy (or worse).
He was – and is – misogynist and racist.
Reposted by Mark Bale
Farage has been dismissing evidence of Russian ties to the Salisbury Novichok attack since 2018 🧐
December 4, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Farage has been dismissing evidence of Russian ties to the Salisbury Novichok attack since 2018 🧐
Reposted by Mark Bale
The coverage about British and American troops committing war crimes with impunity in Afghanistan has been non-existent in the mainstream press unlike the shooting last week.
This is nothing but Islamophobia and the dehumanization of people in predominantly Muslim majority countries.
This is nothing but Islamophobia and the dehumanization of people in predominantly Muslim majority countries.
December 3, 2025 at 1:48 PM
The coverage about British and American troops committing war crimes with impunity in Afghanistan has been non-existent in the mainstream press unlike the shooting last week.
This is nothing but Islamophobia and the dehumanization of people in predominantly Muslim majority countries.
This is nothing but Islamophobia and the dehumanization of people in predominantly Muslim majority countries.
Reposted by Mark Bale
Pleased to discover that slightly misnaming the national chess championship you won as a school child is a much more serious offence than repeatedly racially abusing your fellow pupils and telling them they should go to the gas chamber
December 3, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Pleased to discover that slightly misnaming the national chess championship you won as a school child is a much more serious offence than repeatedly racially abusing your fellow pupils and telling them they should go to the gas chamber
Reposted by Mark Bale
ICYMI, why the ‘rubbish mountain’ will likely be there for years.
My latest: in which I visit Oxfordshire's 'Rubbish Mountain', buy a Twirl in the country's most violent Sainsbury's, and explore the absolutely dismal response of the Environment Agency.
Rubbish Mountain
A gigantic pile of rubbish was dumped in a field in Oxfordshire. The response sums up everything wrong with British bureaucracy.
martinrobbins.substack.com
December 3, 2025 at 8:01 AM
ICYMI, why the ‘rubbish mountain’ will likely be there for years.