B O'Brien
@bobrien.bsky.social
Pro-Labour, anti-anti-politics. Enjoy rational debate, despise populism of Left or Right, supporter of parliamentary democracy. "That which can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence." (Christopher Hitchens).
There's no such thing as a £50 breakfast allowance. Probably everything else you think you know about MPs' expenses is social media disinformation too.
October 31, 2025 at 6:18 PM
There's no such thing as a £50 breakfast allowance. Probably everything else you think you know about MPs' expenses is social media disinformation too.
The ONS does say that its basket excludes the experience of inflation of the highest and lowest 4% of incomes. So those on benefits are not having their inflation experience represented by RPI. ChatGPT tells me:
October 28, 2025 at 5:45 PM
The ONS does say that its basket excludes the experience of inflation of the highest and lowest 4% of incomes. So those on benefits are not having their inflation experience represented by RPI. ChatGPT tells me:
When you call it amongst the least generous in the developed world, you are completely ignoring the fact that unlike most other countries, our retirement income system is multi-pronged. The OECD 's analysis places UK pension income at just below average.
October 28, 2025 at 9:21 AM
When you call it amongst the least generous in the developed world, you are completely ignoring the fact that unlike most other countries, our retirement income system is multi-pronged. The OECD 's analysis places UK pension income at just below average.
From Office Chairs Online. Price: £1122 per chair. Stupid story.
October 27, 2025 at 11:09 AM
From Office Chairs Online. Price: £1122 per chair. Stupid story.
Crown Estate land does not belong to the King personally. It belongs in practice to, and the benefit of ownership resides in, the government, ie the nation.
October 26, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Crown Estate land does not belong to the King personally. It belongs in practice to, and the benefit of ownership resides in, the government, ie the nation.
Yes it is owned by the monarch as an institution but not personally by the monarch.
October 26, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Yes it is owned by the monarch as an institution but not personally by the monarch.
Not right. Labour's manifesto:
October 21, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Not right. Labour's manifesto:
Then what is it that Palentir "literally" has done?
October 16, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Then what is it that Palentir "literally" has done?
Well I could care about Wendy Deng and Tony Blair's thighs, or I could think about...
October 12, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Well I could care about Wendy Deng and Tony Blair's thighs, or I could think about...
Para 1 is about the use case where digital ID will be mandatory, ie Right to Work.
Para 2 moves on to saying that additionally, it will be "available" to all citizens, ie to citizens in addition to those in the mandatory Right to Work use case.
Para 3 gives examples of these additional cases.
.
Para 2 moves on to saying that additionally, it will be "available" to all citizens, ie to citizens in addition to those in the mandatory Right to Work use case.
Para 3 gives examples of these additional cases.
.
October 9, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Para 1 is about the use case where digital ID will be mandatory, ie Right to Work.
Para 2 moves on to saying that additionally, it will be "available" to all citizens, ie to citizens in addition to those in the mandatory Right to Work use case.
Para 3 gives examples of these additional cases.
.
Para 2 moves on to saying that additionally, it will be "available" to all citizens, ie to citizens in addition to those in the mandatory Right to Work use case.
Para 3 gives examples of these additional cases.
.
The publicity given out by Defend Our Juries did not mention Gaza or Palestine. It was explicitly not a demo about Gaza.
October 6, 2025 at 2:03 PM
The publicity given out by Defend Our Juries did not mention Gaza or Palestine. It was explicitly not a demo about Gaza.
The government has confirmed the main thrust of the article you describe, unhelpfully, as nutty: the scheme will build on OneLogin.
A system built on an immigration system alone would not deliver the benefits described by HMG.
A system built on an immigration system alone would not deliver the benefits described by HMG.
October 6, 2025 at 8:46 AM
The government has confirmed the main thrust of the article you describe, unhelpfully, as nutty: the scheme will build on OneLogin.
A system built on an immigration system alone would not deliver the benefits described by HMG.
A system built on an immigration system alone would not deliver the benefits described by HMG.
The protest yesterday was not about Gaza. Gaza wasn't mentioned on the posters for it. The subject of the protest was a UK law and the purpose of attending was to get arrested. Not Gaza. Which is a pity, because if anything deserves attention, it is the plight of Gaza.
October 5, 2025 at 5:12 PM
The protest yesterday was not about Gaza. Gaza wasn't mentioned on the posters for it. The subject of the protest was a UK law and the purpose of attending was to get arrested. Not Gaza. Which is a pity, because if anything deserves attention, it is the plight of Gaza.
You can't pull out of something you weren't involved with to begin with.
October 5, 2025 at 1:44 PM
You can't pull out of something you weren't involved with to begin with.
Gaza seems to have been dropped completely as a cause to protest about. The poster for the march doesn't even mention Gaza. It's all about being arrested instead.
October 5, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Gaza seems to have been dropped completely as a cause to protest about. The poster for the march doesn't even mention Gaza. It's all about being arrested instead.
My reading of the Act is that defences based on a casuistry of wording wouldn't be reliable but none of us knows unless or until it is tested in court. It probably never will be tested in court.
October 4, 2025 at 2:43 PM
My reading of the Act is that defences based on a casuistry of wording wouldn't be reliable but none of us knows unless or until it is tested in court. It probably never will be tested in court.
I don't think any Plasticine Action arrestees have come to court but I doubt if cute wording would be a successful defence, if the circumstances indicated an intention to support. Similarly for the Monbiot artifice ("I support Palestine. Action Now").
Anyway, the banner looks pretty unambiguous.
Anyway, the banner looks pretty unambiguous.
October 4, 2025 at 2:09 PM
I don't think any Plasticine Action arrestees have come to court but I doubt if cute wording would be a successful defence, if the circumstances indicated an intention to support. Similarly for the Monbiot artifice ("I support Palestine. Action Now").
Anyway, the banner looks pretty unambiguous.
Anyway, the banner looks pretty unambiguous.
You disbelieve this too?
"A group of six protesters, who draped banners over Westminster Bridge in London in support of the banned Palestine Action group, have been arrested, the Metropolitan Police have said."
"A group of six protesters, who draped banners over Westminster Bridge in London in support of the banned Palestine Action group, have been arrested, the Metropolitan Police have said."
October 4, 2025 at 1:29 PM
You disbelieve this too?
"A group of six protesters, who draped banners over Westminster Bridge in London in support of the banned Palestine Action group, have been arrested, the Metropolitan Police have said."
"A group of six protesters, who draped banners over Westminster Bridge in London in support of the banned Palestine Action group, have been arrested, the Metropolitan Police have said."
It originated I believe in this X account of a MAGA conspiracy theorist. He also hates vaccines, has a beef about Nancy Pelosi, etc etc. It was picked up and disseminated by a lot of Left-leaning social media accounts in the UK.
October 4, 2025 at 9:34 AM
It originated I believe in this X account of a MAGA conspiracy theorist. He also hates vaccines, has a beef about Nancy Pelosi, etc etc. It was picked up and disseminated by a lot of Left-leaning social media accounts in the UK.
Could you please provide some evidence for your belief about Euan Blair's company Multiverse? Just one piece of evidence, one source?
The only source I have found is a MAGA X account.
The fake "story" has been exposed as a fabrication by full Fact.
The only source I have found is a MAGA X account.
The fake "story" has been exposed as a fabrication by full Fact.
October 3, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Could you please provide some evidence for your belief about Euan Blair's company Multiverse? Just one piece of evidence, one source?
The only source I have found is a MAGA X account.
The fake "story" has been exposed as a fabrication by full Fact.
The only source I have found is a MAGA X account.
The fake "story" has been exposed as a fabrication by full Fact.
Panorama by the BBC? Make your mind up.
October 2, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Panorama by the BBC? Make your mind up.
You seem happy with your existing id that is issued by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
October 2, 2025 at 3:52 PM
You seem happy with your existing id that is issued by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
