Dave McCallum
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daveymccallum.bsky.social
Dave McCallum
@daveymccallum.bsky.social
Bit grumpy about the socials atm but sticking with it for now…..a Lib with minor authoritarian vibes.

Trumpeter, conductor, educator, and general music person....works mostly for the BBC.
This is grim though probably not unexpected in the current climate.
Nottingham has one of the most vibrant and forward-looking departments of modern languages around. Music too. To cut them like this, leaving no chance for future rebuilding, is educational vandalism.

tinyurl.com/yr65mjkx
Music and modern languages courses suspended at University of Nottingham
In a statement the institution also says it is
tinyurl.com
November 7, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Reposted by Dave McCallum
I know this is uncomfortable to admit, but there is a small area in England's second city where people are just not integrated with the rest of society. Many of them hold views that arguably go against British values.

Yes, we need to talk about the Tory conference in Manchester.
October 7, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Reposted by Dave McCallum
Am wondering if all of those suddenly deciding they’re against communities living “parallel lives” might reconsider their support of religious schools? Or indeed private ones?
October 7, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Reposted by Dave McCallum
I remember being told that it would take 193 years to reach legal limits for nitrogen dioxide.

I decided this was unacceptable.

Thanks to the bold policies we put in place, we've managed to do it in nine years - 184 years earlier than expected.
October 1, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Reposted by Dave McCallum
This is the judgment on the PPE/Medpro claim.

A cracking £122m win for the Government Legal Service

And is wonderful to see the government bringing a claim in contract against a shoddy supplier.

This does not happen often, and it should happen far more.

www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/u...
www.judiciary.uk
October 1, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Reposted by Dave McCallum
OBAMA: It's fair to say that 80% of the world's problems involve old men hanging on who are afraid of death and insignificance, and they won't let go. They build pyramids, and they put their names on everything. They get very anxious about it.
September 25, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Reposted by Dave McCallum
Without inherited wealth or the family name, these fellas would be stood at the side of the road shouting nonsense at passing traffic.
September 23, 2025 at 7:52 PM
So the youngest is on tv in the coming weeks as a participant in BBC Young Chorister of the year 2025. He’s created a new Insta account just for his music and here it is!

Not just choral but also Jamie Cullum covers and organ stuff

@jackmccallum_music10

www.instagram.com/jackmccallum...
September 20, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Reposted by Dave McCallum
I was teaching a Y3 class this morning, and one boy excitedly told me that he'd passed his Grade 1 clarinet. I asked him what mark he was awarded, and he told me that he'd been given an 'Extinction'. #primaryteaching #clarinet #distinction #extinction
September 5, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Reposted by Dave McCallum
The English willingness and even enthusiasm to actively divest themselves of the rights that protect them is just baffling.

People seem to think they’re fighting some battle against foreign oppressors when the rights they wish to abandon protect* them from being oppressed by their own government.
August 31, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Reposted by Dave McCallum
The 18 year old daughter of an immigrant from the Philippines, who lives nearby, is going to Oxford University.
Yet another example of the drive and ambition of the children of first generation immigrants.
Their contribution to the country is immense.
August 18, 2025 at 6:04 AM
So much insight in this thread. It’s down to Europe to sort this out not just for Ukraine but all of us.
Thoughts ahead of Trump’s meeting with Zelenskyy & European leaders. First, Trump wants both sides to stop fighting, but is only prepared to put pressure on Ukraine. If Putin had any worries on that score, the Alaska summit will have reassured him. Sanctions are postponed, again. 1/16
August 17, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Self-righteous guff from a local councillor, representing a party which happily goes whichever way gives them votes locally, whilst expecting international politicians to not have some level of diplomatic skill….
Realpolitik slips so easily into moral ambiguity. Is it really so very necessary to praise the dear leader as he tries to carve up the mineral resources of Ukraine with Putin?
Prime Minister Keir Starmers statement on Ukraine
August 17, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Reposted by Dave McCallum
So, Hounslow council have banned Lime bikes, and licensed Forest and Voi; neighbouring Richmond has licensed Lime and banned the others. So every bridge over the Thames is now Checkpoint Charlie, with loads of Lime bikes parked on one side and loads of Forest and Voi on the other. Top work everyone!
August 17, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Couldn’t agree more….
but “financially better off” and “doing a job you love” aren’t synonyms. arts careers are underpaid (and that isn’t universities’ fault) but that clearly doesn’t stop people from wanting to be artists.
August 17, 2025 at 11:03 AM
This is brilliant
we can sneak around town / hunting working folks down / I hear they got a great benefit plan

join ICE boy ain’t it nice / join ICE take my advice

www.tiktok.com/@jessewelles...
August 8, 2025 at 10:45 AM
This from Starmer is more passionate and human than he often appears. And he’s absolutely right!
August 6, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Lovely to see the German team managed by Mourinho’s brother, Hoseb….
July 23, 2025 at 7:33 PM
None of you have any idea how skint the BBC is…..
I was just checking on BBC Saturday schedules for a thing, and I could barely believe my eyes. From 5.45pm - 9.40 pm there are FIVE consecutive quiz shows. No dramas, comedies, documentaries, nothing. WTF?
July 15, 2025 at 9:35 AM
True dat…..
The trouble with being a Bluesky user in Europe is checking one’s feed upon waking to be faced every morning with a wall of overnight horror from US accounts through which to doomscroll. It’s not a great way to start the day.
July 6, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Movie you've watched more than six times with a gif. Hard mode: no Star Wars, Star Trek, LotR, Marvel.
June 30, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Reposted by Dave McCallum
The most powerful military machine on the face of the earth, led by Moe, Larry, Curly and Shemp.

(SOUND UP)
#DonaldTrump #WWIII #Iran
June 22, 2025 at 9:35 PM
There’s always a tweet….😂
This is spot on from @ianleslie.bsky.social. Other than his love for tariffs it’s the one firm commitment he has had for decades.
June 22, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Reposted by Dave McCallum
Still true:
*Britain is a success story
*Most of its cities are doing astonishingly well
*Multiculturalism is popular
*Mass immigration has not led to social disintegration
*Nostalgia is increasingly weird
*Britain is incredibly safe
*Levels of social cohesion are high
Don't let them gaslight you.
June 20, 2025 at 3:53 PM