@esmeraldastrongarm.bsky.social
Tactical voter. I think we should all read On Tyranny and be ready to defend what’s good.
Pinned
Fascism is nonsense politics with deadly results. Always has been 😬
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This ⬇️
we need to protect both the independent, expert creation of evidence and information *and* the communication of it by independent, non-partisan, media organisations.
christinapagel.substack.com/p/informatio...
christinapagel.substack.com/p/informatio...
November 11, 2025 at 1:28 PM
This ⬇️
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there's a moment in PARADISE LOST where Satan arrives in Eden and realizes Hell isn't a place; it's a thing he carries within him and it'll follow him wherever he goes. and i think about that when i see these awful rich men whose monstrous wealth has enriched them not at all
“whatever club he’s invited to join has been devalued by the invitation”
November 11, 2025 at 6:31 AM
there's a moment in PARADISE LOST where Satan arrives in Eden and realizes Hell isn't a place; it's a thing he carries within him and it'll follow him wherever he goes. and i think about that when i see these awful rich men whose monstrous wealth has enriched them not at all
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(cries in Humanities education)
*maximum alpha at 1.25x speed* continuously lives on in my head, unfortunately.
November 11, 2025 at 1:32 PM
(cries in Humanities education)
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If we're talking about bias, why do BBC politics programmes, from Politics Live to the Laura Kuennsberg Show, still always begin with a look at the newspaper front pages, which are overwhelmingly biased in one direction. Helps frame the entire news agenda and debate in their favour
November 11, 2025 at 1:09 PM
If we're talking about bias, why do BBC politics programmes, from Politics Live to the Laura Kuennsberg Show, still always begin with a look at the newspaper front pages, which are overwhelmingly biased in one direction. Helps frame the entire news agenda and debate in their favour
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Jesus, if we were to lose the BBC and ITV’s Media & Entertainment division is bought by Comcast we’ll see the complete Americanisation of UK television. The US obviously makes loads of wonderful television. But I like to think the weird Britishness of stuff we make over here has value too.
November 11, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Jesus, if we were to lose the BBC and ITV’s Media & Entertainment division is bought by Comcast we’ll see the complete Americanisation of UK television. The US obviously makes loads of wonderful television. But I like to think the weird Britishness of stuff we make over here has value too.
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Robbie Gibb was appointed to the BBC Board by Boris Johnson, was an editorial advisor for GB News, and worked as Theresa May's Director of Comms.
He is not impartial or neutral. The government should remove him from the Board immediately to protect the BBC's independence.
He is not impartial or neutral. The government should remove him from the Board immediately to protect the BBC's independence.
November 11, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Robbie Gibb was appointed to the BBC Board by Boris Johnson, was an editorial advisor for GB News, and worked as Theresa May's Director of Comms.
He is not impartial or neutral. The government should remove him from the Board immediately to protect the BBC's independence.
He is not impartial or neutral. The government should remove him from the Board immediately to protect the BBC's independence.
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Police have named the couple they’re looking for in connection to a racist incident on the tube and they’re wealthy Trump supporters and founders of an “anti-woke” PR firm.
Trump supporter and financier named as couple in Bond Street Tube ‘assault and racist abuse’ police appeal — The Standard
Philip Ostermann and Melissa Rein Lively have been named as the subjects of the British Transport Police appeal
apple.news
November 11, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Police have named the couple they’re looking for in connection to a racist incident on the tube and they’re wealthy Trump supporters and founders of an “anti-woke” PR firm.
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You would be surprised. How many voted for Brexit?
We have a large part of the population who are ignorant of basics.
I was told yesterday that 46% of 18-25 year olds were off work on disability benefits for anxiety.
We have a large part of the population who are ignorant of basics.
I was told yesterday that 46% of 18-25 year olds were off work on disability benefits for anxiety.
November 11, 2025 at 1:06 PM
You would be surprised. How many voted for Brexit?
We have a large part of the population who are ignorant of basics.
I was told yesterday that 46% of 18-25 year olds were off work on disability benefits for anxiety.
We have a large part of the population who are ignorant of basics.
I was told yesterday that 46% of 18-25 year olds were off work on disability benefits for anxiety.
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The BBC has been steadily hollowed out from within in preparation for this moment. But I think DJT inserting himself is a strategic error - will rally people to its defence who might otherwise sit on the sidelines.
November 11, 2025 at 12:17 PM
The BBC has been steadily hollowed out from within in preparation for this moment. But I think DJT inserting himself is a strategic error - will rally people to its defence who might otherwise sit on the sidelines.
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Yes. Very much so. But am getting a slight sense of fightback from the newsroom and that maybe Telegraph and Reform have overplayed their hand because of the pure extortionist crackpottery of Trump.
November 11, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Yes. Very much so. But am getting a slight sense of fightback from the newsroom and that maybe Telegraph and Reform have overplayed their hand because of the pure extortionist crackpottery of Trump.
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It’s boring now. Yeah they made a sloppy edit that no one at the time noticed, it’s like the end of world.
November 11, 2025 at 12:15 PM
It’s boring now. Yeah they made a sloppy edit that no one at the time noticed, it’s like the end of world.
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It's like some weird portal from Twitter has broken into UK Real World for a few days, with a public peering into a horrific alternative (we are basically in Stranger Things 4)
November 11, 2025 at 12:16 PM
It's like some weird portal from Twitter has broken into UK Real World for a few days, with a public peering into a horrific alternative (we are basically in Stranger Things 4)
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The worst you can accuse Panorama of doing is making a misleading edit – and I’d dispute that! – to make *a point that was true*.
The programme aired without anyone seeing any issues with the edit. It was on iPlayer for a year without complaints. Donald Trump *did* incite Jan 6th.
The programme aired without anyone seeing any issues with the edit. It was on iPlayer for a year without complaints. Donald Trump *did* incite Jan 6th.
Tory culture spox demanding the BBC "grovel" to Trump is baffling. Who is this supposed to chime with?
Just a bizarre line that no one who doesn't use X would ever think.
Just a bizarre line that no one who doesn't use X would ever think.
November 11, 2025 at 8:54 AM
The worst you can accuse Panorama of doing is making a misleading edit – and I’d dispute that! – to make *a point that was true*.
The programme aired without anyone seeing any issues with the edit. It was on iPlayer for a year without complaints. Donald Trump *did* incite Jan 6th.
The programme aired without anyone seeing any issues with the edit. It was on iPlayer for a year without complaints. Donald Trump *did* incite Jan 6th.
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If there is one global lesson from Irish history it is to never trust the idea of authoritarianism, but to appreciate expertise & solidarity. Each of us here, knows that democracy is protected by the individual, not the authorities.
November 11, 2025 at 1:03 PM
If there is one global lesson from Irish history it is to never trust the idea of authoritarianism, but to appreciate expertise & solidarity. Each of us here, knows that democracy is protected by the individual, not the authorities.
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1. There will be a deal once key EU actors have bandwidth for it and the UK accepts that conceding on some issues gets gains on others
2. As a non-member the UK will always also be a bargaining chip in internal EU horsetrading. London moaning about that won't change it
bsky.app/profile/davi...
2. As a non-member the UK will always also be a bargaining chip in internal EU horsetrading. London moaning about that won't change it
bsky.app/profile/davi...
Ironically part of the story is the Commission asking the UK not to discuss talks publicly, while another part is the usual detail haggles. And sure there is a trust problem both ways, but ultimately high level support will probably deliver the common understanding.
November 11, 2025 at 10:32 AM
1. There will be a deal once key EU actors have bandwidth for it and the UK accepts that conceding on some issues gets gains on others
2. As a non-member the UK will always also be a bargaining chip in internal EU horsetrading. London moaning about that won't change it
bsky.app/profile/davi...
2. As a non-member the UK will always also be a bargaining chip in internal EU horsetrading. London moaning about that won't change it
bsky.app/profile/davi...
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Many either backing the UK or bashing the UK on Anglosphere social media won't get their heads around the UK is not top of the EU agenda. That means that there is a lot of space for messy internal EU horsetrading to get out of hand, but also that the UK has to work harder to sustain EU interest
Bears no resemblance to discussions in Brussels, just an anti-UK the EU is always right rant. Picking up some suggestions that the French have overplayed their hand (again) leading to pushback, hopefully then tals will formally start soon (informally they already did).
I have no recent insight particularly, but that description of UKG chicanery and trying to leverage what had been agreed chimes loudly with earlier in the year.
Keep an eye. Not saying 🇪🇺 will walk, but expect suspension unless the UK gets its house in order
A 🧵
Keep an eye. Not saying 🇪🇺 will walk, but expect suspension unless the UK gets its house in order
A 🧵
November 11, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Many either backing the UK or bashing the UK on Anglosphere social media won't get their heads around the UK is not top of the EU agenda. That means that there is a lot of space for messy internal EU horsetrading to get out of hand, but also that the UK has to work harder to sustain EU interest
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I'm curious what the underlying assertion beneath this dismissive tone is? Do you think that there isn't a right wing press in this country that routinely presents the BBC as Stalinist propaganda, or simply that people aren't influenced by the media environment? Curious as to your position here.
November 11, 2025 at 8:42 AM
I'm curious what the underlying assertion beneath this dismissive tone is? Do you think that there isn't a right wing press in this country that routinely presents the BBC as Stalinist propaganda, or simply that people aren't influenced by the media environment? Curious as to your position here.
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So spouting off about theoretical scenarios you made up like a “Black Lives Matter” tshirt didn’t work for you Tim. Who would have thought?’
Tim Davie, making the assertion that the phrase “Black Lives Matter” is a matter for debate. This man loves to make announcements about things that aren’t happening (BLM tshirt? Who is wearing one? WHAT?) To prove he is a despicable, far right POS. WE CAN TELL FROM BBC NEWS OUTPUT TIM NOW FUCK OFF
November 11, 2025 at 10:26 AM
So spouting off about theoretical scenarios you made up like a “Black Lives Matter” tshirt didn’t work for you Tim. Who would have thought?’
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◾ >9 years since Tees Valley voted for supposed benefits of Brexit
◾ >8 since Houchen was elected Mayor of Tees Valley
◾ >6 since Johnson promised to level up left-behind areas
...Middlesbrough remains the local authority with the highest proportion of most deprived neighbourhoods in England.
◾ >8 since Houchen was elected Mayor of Tees Valley
◾ >6 since Johnson promised to level up left-behind areas
...Middlesbrough remains the local authority with the highest proportion of most deprived neighbourhoods in England.
Houchen’s deprivation failure exposed – official
Middlesbrough remains the local authority with the highest proportion of most deprived neighbourhoods in England
northeastbylines.co.uk
November 11, 2025 at 9:38 AM
◾ >9 years since Tees Valley voted for supposed benefits of Brexit
◾ >8 since Houchen was elected Mayor of Tees Valley
◾ >6 since Johnson promised to level up left-behind areas
...Middlesbrough remains the local authority with the highest proportion of most deprived neighbourhoods in England.
◾ >8 since Houchen was elected Mayor of Tees Valley
◾ >6 since Johnson promised to level up left-behind areas
...Middlesbrough remains the local authority with the highest proportion of most deprived neighbourhoods in England.
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I see he's been promoted from representing Clacton on the world stage to representing Trump, now.
Has Trump overtaken Putin in his estimation though?
One can only wonder.
Has Trump overtaken Putin in his estimation though?
One can only wonder.
November 11, 2025 at 10:03 AM
I see he's been promoted from representing Clacton on the world stage to representing Trump, now.
Has Trump overtaken Putin in his estimation though?
One can only wonder.
Has Trump overtaken Putin in his estimation though?
One can only wonder.
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Or in 2025 when that person who didn’t believe in the US Department of Education was put in charge of the US Department of Education.
November 11, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Or in 2025 when that person who didn’t believe in the US Department of Education was put in charge of the US Department of Education.
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It’s like when that huge Prussia fanboy became tsar of Russia…. during a war with Prussia.
November 11, 2025 at 8:51 AM
It’s like when that huge Prussia fanboy became tsar of Russia…. during a war with Prussia.
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The BBC is in crisis in the same way that GB News would be if you put Owen Jones on the board armed with a veto and plenty of coffee.
November 11, 2025 at 7:48 AM
The BBC is in crisis in the same way that GB News would be if you put Owen Jones on the board armed with a veto and plenty of coffee.
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The total defence concept is subtly visible if you know where to look. Every Finnish building exceeding 1200 square meters of floorspace has to have a fallout/bomb shelter. The shelters are equipped with air filtration and they have to be ready to be occupied in 72 hours. 12/
December 1, 2024 at 3:09 PM
The total defence concept is subtly visible if you know where to look. Every Finnish building exceeding 1200 square meters of floorspace has to have a fallout/bomb shelter. The shelters are equipped with air filtration and they have to be ready to be occupied in 72 hours. 12/