Ben Williams
@bpwilliams72.bsky.social
Liberal sort. Rambler. Singer. Gamer. Occasional writer. Recovering politico. Former lots of things (inc. Lib Dem Leader's Chief of Staff, Cabinet Office SpAd, Head of Whips' Office). Yorkshire via Essex. Posting in a strictly personal capacity.
Thank goodness @eddavey.libdems.org.uk is speaking up. Rightwing politicians are trading on a serious editorial misjudgement (which didn't change in any material way the accuracy of the reporting) to undermine the BBC. Others are cynically and cowardly covering themselves. It should worry us all.
November 10, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Thank goodness @eddavey.libdems.org.uk is speaking up. Rightwing politicians are trading on a serious editorial misjudgement (which didn't change in any material way the accuracy of the reporting) to undermine the BBC. Others are cynically and cowardly covering themselves. It should worry us all.
The idiocy of this is that there was just no need to do this. Trump said what he said. The words stood. He was inciting violence - a congressional committee investigated. "Trump lit that fire" was the chair's comment. Now, they get to cow and bully the BBC because of a stupid editorial decision.
November 9, 2025 at 10:28 AM
The idiocy of this is that there was just no need to do this. Trump said what he said. The words stood. He was inciting violence - a congressional committee investigated. "Trump lit that fire" was the chair's comment. Now, they get to cow and bully the BBC because of a stupid editorial decision.
Part of me thinks it's time other countries start putting this requirement on Brits living in their countries, to show up how pointlessly pernicious it is. Of course a good standard of English is required. But A Level standard? This Labour govt continues to plumb populist depths.
October 14, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Part of me thinks it's time other countries start putting this requirement on Brits living in their countries, to show up how pointlessly pernicious it is. Of course a good standard of English is required. But A Level standard? This Labour govt continues to plumb populist depths.
It is quite something just how irrelevant the Conservative Party has become in a very short space of time. In previous years, their party conference would have dominated the headlines. Now? The only reference on the BBC front page is a Laura K comment piece. Remarkable.
October 4, 2025 at 6:16 PM
It is quite something just how irrelevant the Conservative Party has become in a very short space of time. In previous years, their party conference would have dominated the headlines. Now? The only reference on the BBC front page is a Laura K comment piece. Remarkable.
September 24, 2025 at 12:04 PM
The double standards on display at the highest level of government are a grim sight. One is rightly shown the door, the other - a babbling, science-denying idiot - is given more privileged treatment than any other president, despite shedloads of evidence of his very close associations with Epstein.
September 22, 2025 at 11:25 PM
The double standards on display at the highest level of government are a grim sight. One is rightly shown the door, the other - a babbling, science-denying idiot - is given more privileged treatment than any other president, despite shedloads of evidence of his very close associations with Epstein.
Regardless of your views on Mandelson, the logic of Badenoch's position is that she should extend her criticisms to Trump in equally vociferous terms. If this is enough to sink Mandelson, she really should be appalled by the wealth of material linking Trump and Epstein.
September 10, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Regardless of your views on Mandelson, the logic of Badenoch's position is that she should extend her criticisms to Trump in equally vociferous terms. If this is enough to sink Mandelson, she really should be appalled by the wealth of material linking Trump and Epstein.
I mean, I know I am not the target audience, and I get all the yada yada about momentum and stuff, but does this really add credibility to Nige? 😬
"Ex-Tory minister Nadine Dorries defects to Reform UK"
www.bbc.com/news/article...
"Ex-Tory minister Nadine Dorries defects to Reform UK"
www.bbc.com/news/article...
September 4, 2025 at 7:26 PM
I mean, I know I am not the target audience, and I get all the yada yada about momentum and stuff, but does this really add credibility to Nige? 😬
"Ex-Tory minister Nadine Dorries defects to Reform UK"
www.bbc.com/news/article...
"Ex-Tory minister Nadine Dorries defects to Reform UK"
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Surely at this point it's just thuggish intimidation as you would expect from any other two-bit dictator, scared of opposition?
August 22, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Surely at this point it's just thuggish intimidation as you would expect from any other two-bit dictator, scared of opposition?
Well, well, well... The Conservative Party third on seats and fourth on vote share. They really are in a desperate position, with Reform UK potentially going to do to them what Labour did to the Liberals in the early 20th Century.
May 2, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Well, well, well... The Conservative Party third on seats and fourth on vote share. They really are in a desperate position, with Reform UK potentially going to do to them what Labour did to the Liberals in the early 20th Century.
This is significant. Impressive from Harvard where others have caved.
April 14, 2025 at 7:28 PM
This is significant. Impressive from Harvard where others have caved.
Trump seems to be taking his personal business strategy and seeing if he can apply it to the US at a global economy level. 😬
April 4, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Trump seems to be taking his personal business strategy and seeing if he can apply it to the US at a global economy level. 😬
Useful guidance here from the @electoralcommission.org.uk on disqualification, including the point r.e. RPA 1981 and sentences of 1 year+ (see quote from RPA below link):
www.electoralcommission.org.uk/guidance-can...
www.electoralcommission.org.uk/guidance-can...
April 2, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Useful guidance here from the @electoralcommission.org.uk on disqualification, including the point r.e. RPA 1981 and sentences of 1 year+ (see quote from RPA below link):
www.electoralcommission.org.uk/guidance-can...
www.electoralcommission.org.uk/guidance-can...
I don't know. What about a coalition of the willing against Trump and his tariffs, where other economies work together to rebuild the economic order, isolating the US with retaliatory tariffs targeting key area of the US economy? They look genuinely terrified at the idea.
bsky.app/profile/fffa...
bsky.app/profile/fffa...
April 2, 2025 at 11:17 PM
I don't know. What about a coalition of the willing against Trump and his tariffs, where other economies work together to rebuild the economic order, isolating the US with retaliatory tariffs targeting key area of the US economy? They look genuinely terrified at the idea.
bsky.app/profile/fffa...
bsky.app/profile/fffa...
Looks like the bromance is over. Not sure from Trump's pov it is great to have Space Karen offside but it should all make for good popcorn. 🍿
April 2, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Looks like the bromance is over. Not sure from Trump's pov it is great to have Space Karen offside but it should all make for good popcorn. 🍿
"Hey, Google. Tell me how to threaten military force without threatening military force."
March 28, 2025 at 7:57 PM
"Hey, Google. Tell me how to threaten military force without threatening military force."
Another vile decision.
March 26, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Another vile decision.
They're even thicker than we thought if they need "the best technical minds" to work out Walz was an idiot and put the wrong name in the group chat.
March 26, 2025 at 8:06 AM
They're even thicker than we thought if they need "the best technical minds" to work out Walz was an idiot and put the wrong name in the group chat.
Scrapping free school meals and giving US tech giants (largely in bed with Trump) a tax break - if these two things come to pass, it tells you everything you need to know about how this Labour government sees the world and its priorities. And no, this is not 'difficult choices'.
March 24, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Scrapping free school meals and giving US tech giants (largely in bed with Trump) a tax break - if these two things come to pass, it tells you everything you need to know about how this Labour government sees the world and its priorities. And no, this is not 'difficult choices'.
March 5, 2025 at 3:42 PM
There is no reasoning with this. It is insane. This is the most powerful man in the US government. We are not dealing with normal. Traditional, complex analyses of global security and national interest mean nothing to these people. We can pretend we can count on the US - or we can plan.
March 3, 2025 at 6:29 PM
There is no reasoning with this. It is insane. This is the most powerful man in the US government. We are not dealing with normal. Traditional, complex analyses of global security and national interest mean nothing to these people. We can pretend we can count on the US - or we can plan.
This is American fascism in the disinformation age.
February 25, 2025 at 7:57 PM
This is American fascism in the disinformation age.
Yeah. No. The absolute arrogance of the USA.
February 20, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Yeah. No. The absolute arrogance of the USA.