Brett Callacher
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bcbluesy.bsky.social
Brett Callacher
@bcbluesy.bsky.social
49 followers 170 following 9 posts
Bluesman, gourmand, cook, sausage obsessive, problem solver, IT developer. English/European
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Reposted by Brett Callacher
adambienkov.bsky.social
The fact is no presenter has ever had to leave the BBC for expressing conservative views, or even explicitly endorsing a right-wing party.

Was never a problem for Jeremy Clarkson. Was never a problem for Andrew Neil. Was never a problem for Alan Sugar
thegmcconnachie.bsky.social Garry @thegmcconnachie.bsky.social · 1d
Robin Ince reveals to last night’s audience at a recording of Infinite Monkey Cage that the BBC has forced him to resign over his support of trans people
December 13, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Reposted by Brett Callacher
peterjukes.bsky.social
The number of murders in the capital in the first nine months (1st January to 30th September) of 2025 is the lowest since monthly records began and represents a fall of almost 60 per cent compared to 2003.

www.london.gov.uk/london-recor...
London records fewest homicides this year since monthly records began
The number of homicides in London in the first nine months of 2025 was lower than any year since monthly homicide records began in 2003, according to new analysis from the Mayor’s Office for Policing ...
www.london.gov.uk
December 13, 2025 at 2:18 AM
Reposted by Brett Callacher
robinince.bsky.social
Very sad that I felt I had no choice but to resign from The Infinite Monkey Cage - a victory for the transphobes and other bigots - I did it because so much of the media has chosen to believe the kind and empathetic people are a fiction - they are real and so often unrepresented.
This is the saddest day of my professional life. Today is not only the final recording of the latest series of The Infinite Monkey Cage, it is my last ever Monkey Cage. I never thought that I would have to leave the show. I always imagined going on until | dropped dead under the studio lights due to a brain aneurysm caused by my final attempt to understand notions of quantum gravity or the shock of being told about fly maggot infestations in the sacks of macaque monkeys. I resigned in September, after sixteen years of dedication to the show, A show that I named and helped develop over all those years. Unfortunately, my opinions outside the BBC have been considered problematic for sometime, whether it has been voicing support for the trans community, criticism of Donald Trump, numerous other outlandish opinions, including once gently criticising Stephen Fry. These things were considered to conflict with being a freelance BBC science presenter In a recent meeting where BBC Studio executives again voiced problems with me, I realised my choices. Obedience and being quieter to remain making Monkey Cage, or 'Resign and have the freedom to speak out against what I believe are injustices'. • I chose the latter. It broke my heart. I love this show and I love the audience, and it is because of the audience in particular, that this decision was so difficult to make. I kept thinking about all the extremist voices promoting hate and division. They are being given so many platforms, while voices that represent kindness, open mindedness, empathy seem to be scarcer and scarcer. I felt I couldn't pamper myself with the luxury of silence. One of my many privileges is that I am able to resign and I can speak out even if it is to the detriment of my career. I have thought a lot about my heroes, Sinead O Connor, James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, and so many more. I think of Sinead's words, "the job of an artist is to be themselves at any cost". James Baldwin said prejudice was really just a word for cowardice. Audre Lorde, viewing her life, wrote that her only regrets were her silences. I think of my father as I resign, he brought me up to believe in fairness , justice and kindness. Though my heart is broken, it is also full of fire. I apologise to our incredible listeners for my departure, your love of the show means a great deal. I am so sorry to let you down. I hope that you can understand my reasoning. I have to accept that I am not what the current BBC expects of their freelance presenters. Despite this I should add that I have always worked far more than my contracted hours to try and ensure the show was always the best it could be, as well as making myself accessible and responsive to the audience wherever and whenever I met them. Every night, we have recorded, I have been filled with determination to make the best show possible. This was not "just a job" I hope that with my departure I can be a better ally to the LGBTQ community, to the neurodivergent community, to activists fighting against those who aim to brutalise society, to those currently in prison on hunger strike, and to all those who fight for a more inclusive world. From many conversations, I know there are many Monkey Cage listeners who support these communities and activists too. The strawberry is dead. Long live the strawberry. B
December 13, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Reposted by Brett Callacher
adambienkov.bsky.social
Just so we're clear, one incident of alleged anti-semitism by a musician = a major national scandal that should be roundly condemned.

Multiple incidents of alleged anti-semitism from the man leading the race to run the country = a load of nothing that should be completely ignored
December 13, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Reposted by Brett Callacher
nixonsimon.bsky.social
Amazing, the @dailymail.co.uk manages to publish an entire lengthy feature bewailing (!!!!) the exodus of Poles from Britain without once mentioning Brexit. Apparently this outcome (which is surely exactly what they campaigned for in 2016) is all the fault of Keir Starmer.

mol.im/a/15379789
The great exodus: How Poles are ditching UK for their booming homeland
New statistics reveal that while 7,000 Poles arrived in the year ending last June, 25,000 returned home: a net outflow of 18,000. The UK's total Polish population has shrunk to 750,000.
mol.im
December 13, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Reposted by Brett Callacher
andrewsparrowgdn.bsky.social
Met commissioner Mark Rowley says Trump talks 'complete nonsense' about crime in London - www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
December 12, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Reposted by Brett Callacher
gleravista.bsky.social
A 'pro business party' afraid of free trade talks or what?
Only 13 Labour MPs vote for talks on joining EU customs, whilst the majority abstained on the joining a Customs Union bill.
Speaker Nokes saves the day. #r4today
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Thirteen Labour MPs vote for talks on joining EU customs union
One hundred MPs voted for and 100 against the Liberal Democrats' bill, which would require the UK to begin talks with the EU for a new customs union.
www.bbc.com
December 10, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Reposted by Brett Callacher
roberthutton.co.uk
Today's customs union vote is entirely symbolic, it's true. But what does it symbolise that no one is now arguing *for* Brexit?

thecritic.co.uk/regr...
The answer might seem obvious. To much of the country it is obvious: Brexit is an unpopular disaster. But those whose memories stretch back to the beginning of the decade will recall that politicians who muttered even in the privacy of their hearts that trade barriers might harm the economy found themselves denounced in newspapers. Here was a Conservative leader saying it. Oh Daily Mail, who now are the enemies of the people? Oh Telegraph, where is thy “Mutineers” front page? As it happened, the Liberal Democrats had a vote down on Tuesday afternoon calling for a customs union with the EU. It was a bit of procedure, binding no one to anything, so it didn’t matter, but it was notable that the Tory benches were empty, just 21 of them there. No Mark Francois, no Iain Duncan Smith. Who would speak for Brexit?
December 9, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Reposted by Brett Callacher
stephenkb.bsky.social
Good point in a good thread. It's wild! Bill Burr lives in *Los Angeles* a city that is in every way more dangerous and worse than London!
jack-bailey.co.uk Jack Bailey @jack-bailey.co.uk · 4d
The view is weirdly pervasive too. I saw an interview with Bill Burr where he mentioned that he had played in "London, England" and commented on how dangerous it was (while trying to justify his decision to play in Saudi Arabia).
December 9, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Reposted by Brett Callacher
russincheshire.bsky.social
Musk and Trump want a smaller state, for the same reason the Sopranos wanted a smaller police force.
peterjukes.bsky.social Peter Jukes @peterjukes.bsky.social · 5d
Musk and Trump hate the EU for the same reasons Farage and Putin hate it. It stands for civil rights, the rule of law, and regulation of oligarchs
December 8, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Reposted by Brett Callacher
peterjukes.bsky.social
Here is the whole Trump, Brexit, Russia story neatly summed up for you

The battle started about Ukraine, now it’s about big tech monopoly power
December 6, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Reposted by Brett Callacher
peterjukes.bsky.social
When I first heard about Farage’s racist teenage rants, I assumed they were an adolescent phase. But the more we find out — they went on for many years — and his reaction to the revelations (‘liars’) shows no contrition, no apology, suggests these beliefs are still active
December 6, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Reposted by Brett Callacher
pippacrerar.bsky.social
MY WEEKEND READ: ‘The only idea around’: will Labour return to a customs union with the EU?

The desperate search for economic growth is pushing the party to confront the issue that dare not speak its name

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
‘The only idea around’: will Labour return to a customs union with the EU?
The desperate search for economic growth is pushing the party to confront the issue that dare not speak its name
www.theguardian.com
December 6, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Reposted by Brett Callacher
adambienkov.bsky.social
"'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,’ with an accompanying hand gesture pointing towards a place far away."
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 5, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Reposted by Brett Callacher
phillipspobrien.bsky.social
The Trump administration released its latest National Security Strategy--and one thing that can be said is that there is no more pretending. It’s a plan to weaken European unity, to make Europe MAGA, to force Europe to take economic dictation by the USA…. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
The New US National Security Strategy
Trump Says Openly That the US Wants to Dominate Europe and Make it MAGA
open.substack.com
December 5, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Reposted by Brett Callacher
mijrahman.bsky.social
Good news. But Labour and the UKG are 1,5 years too late in preparing the ground for a Customs Union

www.ft.com/content/b01e...
David Lammy talks up customs union amid efforts to rebuild UK-EU ties
Leaving EU ‘badly damaged our economy’, says deputy prime minister
www.ft.com
December 5, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Reposted by Brett Callacher
samadams.bsky.social
if I could only listen to one kind of music for the rest of my life, the answer would be Memphis soul. RIP Steve Cropper, whose guitar and production defined the Stax sound as much as Booker T’s organ or Otis Redding’s shout
Steve Cropper, Legendary Guitarist for Booker T. & the MG’s, Otis Redding and the Blues Brothers, Dies at 84
Steve Cropper, guitarist for Booker T. & the MG's, Otis Redding, the Blues Brothers and many more, has died. He was 84.
variety.com
December 3, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Reposted by Brett Callacher
theguardian.com
Steve Cropper, legendary guitarist for Booker T & the MGs, dies aged 84
Steve Cropper, legendary guitarist for Booker T & the MGs, dies aged 84
Prolific musician was known for work on songs like Green Onions and Otis Redding’s (Sittin’ on) the Dock of the Bay Steve Cropper, the legendary guitarist whose work as an instrumentalist, producer and songwriter at Stax Records left an indelible impression on Memphis soul music, has died at the age of 84. Hs son Cameron confirmed his death to Variety. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
December 3, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Reposted by Brett Callacher
jessicaelgot.bsky.social
Truly shocking that Rachel Reeves had the audacity to call herself the U14 girls chess champions when she won the U14 girls chess championship but some bloke thought she was talking about something else.
December 3, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Reposted by Brett Callacher
dorianlynskey.bsky.social
This is the point where the anti-Reeves stories tip into madness. Criticise her performance all you like but what the hell is this?
December 2, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Reposted by Brett Callacher
peterstefanovic.bsky.social
UK aims to secure agreement to rejoin Erasmus student exchange scheme 👏

www.theguardian.com/education/20...
UK aims to secure agreement to rejoin Erasmus student exchange scheme
Britain quit EU programme after Brexit, when Boris Johnson claimed it did not offer good value for money
www.theguardian.com
December 2, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Reposted by Brett Callacher
nvondarza.bsky.social
As I wrote yesterday, my understanding was that the demand of the EU towards Canada for SAFE participation was much lower than towards the UK.

If this report is correct, though, the €10 million agreement is much lower, and rather closer to the UK's proposal for its contribution.
December 2, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Reposted by Brett Callacher
roberthutton.co.uk
Robert Jenrick addressed parliament sounding like a man who feared Magna Carta had died in vain.

thecritic.co.uk/how-...
Over in the Commons chamber, Justice Secretary David Lammy was announcing restrictions to the right to jury trials. His argument was that the courts are horribly overloaded, that something must be done, and that this was something. He was opposed by two groups: Labour MPs, who don’t trust judges because they fear they’re racist, and Conservatives, who don’t trust them because they worry they’re not racist enough. Taking the role of unlikely champion of civil liberties was Robert Jenrick. He was armed with a vast number of quotes from Lammy and indeed Keir Starmer abut the importance of juries. “Does the government have no shame?” he asked, which was intended as an attack but sounded, coming from the most shameless man in parliament, like high praise. Jenrick is an unlikely champion of civil liberties or human rights, and his appeal to Magna Carta had a distinct air of Tony Hancock.
December 2, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Reposted by Brett Callacher
colmpm.bsky.social
This is a useful thread on the controversy today. But away from the detail, when BBC Verify have to effectively fact-check their own Political Editor (who is *not* a columnist but an Editor at a public broadcaster!), you know there is something of a problem.
benchu.bsky.social Ben Chu @benchu.bsky.social · 13d
Did Rachel Reeves and the Government “mislead” people about the state of the public finances and the need for tax rises before the Budget?

I think this is a rather complex question & the answer is not black and white.

A thread…🧵1/12
December 1, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Reposted by Brett Callacher
bestforbritain.org
👏🏽"We must all now confront the reality that the Brexit deal significantly hurt our economy. We have to keep reducing frictions. We have to keep moving towards a closer relationship with the EU. And we have to be grown up about it. To accept that it will require trade-offs."👏🏽

Music to my ears. ~AA
December 1, 2025 at 12:55 PM