Philip Murray
@hnm-pmurray.bsky.social
Journalist working in the Scottish Highlands for The Inverness Courier, Ross-shire Journal, Northern Times, John O'Groat Journal, Strathspey & Badenoch Herald, and other Highland News & Media titles. Film buff and amateur photographer. All views are my own
Reposted by Philip Murray
Reposted by Philip Murray
Truly. The distinction between the treatment of elderly Gaza demonstrators and far-right protestors suggests a complete breakdown in our moral compass.
Yet there was not an iota of understanding or sympathy for the legions of people peacefully protesting the genocide in Gaza, who are now being roundly labelled ‘terrorists.’ Why is it only ever the fash who have ‘legitimate’ concerns?
Fucking hell the standard of the debate on that asylum hotel protest is appalling. Broadcasters and politicians bending over backwards to defend and justify the actions of the protestors. Not even a hint of the bravery required to stand up or challenge far-right ideas.
July 23, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Truly. The distinction between the treatment of elderly Gaza demonstrators and far-right protestors suggests a complete breakdown in our moral compass.
Reposted by Philip Murray
British newspapers are exempt from VAT because they're said to serve the public interest.
But the Little Black Book of Press Barons shows that – then and now – they often serve the political agendas of a powerful few.
👉 subscribe.bylinetimes.com/product/the-...
But the Little Black Book of Press Barons shows that – then and now – they often serve the political agendas of a powerful few.
👉 subscribe.bylinetimes.com/product/the-...
July 23, 2025 at 4:35 PM
British newspapers are exempt from VAT because they're said to serve the public interest.
But the Little Black Book of Press Barons shows that – then and now – they often serve the political agendas of a powerful few.
👉 subscribe.bylinetimes.com/product/the-...
But the Little Black Book of Press Barons shows that – then and now – they often serve the political agendas of a powerful few.
👉 subscribe.bylinetimes.com/product/the-...
Reposted by Philip Murray
A brilliant summary of 2025. Someone who doesn't live in London telling someone who does live in London to google London, for proof that it is, in fact, a dystopian hellscape. Something I can disprove by walking to the local bakery, or taking the tube every day, or just... looking out the window. 🤌🏽
July 22, 2025 at 9:40 PM
A brilliant summary of 2025. Someone who doesn't live in London telling someone who does live in London to google London, for proof that it is, in fact, a dystopian hellscape. Something I can disprove by walking to the local bakery, or taking the tube every day, or just... looking out the window. 🤌🏽
Reposted by Philip Murray
More than 100 people die of hunger in Gaza, including 80 children, say Palestinian officials
news.sky.com/story/more-t...
news.sky.com/story/more-t...
More than 100 people die of hunger in Gaza, including 80 children, say Palestinian officials
Israel controls all supplies entering Gaza and has denied it is responsible for food shortages.
news.sky.com
July 23, 2025 at 6:12 AM
More than 100 people die of hunger in Gaza, including 80 children, say Palestinian officials
news.sky.com/story/more-t...
news.sky.com/story/more-t...
Reposted by Philip Murray
The Telegraph is now having to publish so many corrections to articles where it attempts to find *any angle whatsoever* to attack net-zero polices that it makes sense to start tracking them here.
These are the ones published since Labour won the election.
"We are happy to correct the record."
These are the ones published since Labour won the election.
"We are happy to correct the record."
June 2, 2025 at 4:19 PM
The Telegraph is now having to publish so many corrections to articles where it attempts to find *any angle whatsoever* to attack net-zero polices that it makes sense to start tracking them here.
These are the ones published since Labour won the election.
"We are happy to correct the record."
These are the ones published since Labour won the election.
"We are happy to correct the record."
Reposted by Philip Murray
Fond memories of when Pearson threatened to sue me for saying she'd gone from being merely wrong to actively dangerous.
Questions to which the Answer is Not Many
From a Telegraph columnist - who has been on a long journey over the years.
From a Telegraph columnist - who has been on a long journey over the years.
July 23, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Fond memories of when Pearson threatened to sue me for saying she'd gone from being merely wrong to actively dangerous.
Reposted by Philip Murray
Mass starvation in Gaza and over 1,000 Palestinians killed while seeking aid since May. The government says the situation is intolerable yet they continue to tolerate it.
The UK needs to stop all arms exports to the Israeli Government - today.
The UK needs to stop all arms exports to the Israeli Government - today.
July 23, 2025 at 10:34 AM
Mass starvation in Gaza and over 1,000 Palestinians killed while seeking aid since May. The government says the situation is intolerable yet they continue to tolerate it.
The UK needs to stop all arms exports to the Israeli Government - today.
The UK needs to stop all arms exports to the Israeli Government - today.
Reposted by Philip Murray
Are Private Eye jokes now... criminal?
PALESTINE Solidarity campaigner Jon Farley was arrested during a silent march in Leeds last weekend. What egregious act had prompted the police to act? He was, er, carrying a Private Eye joke piece as a placard!
(1/2)
PALESTINE Solidarity campaigner Jon Farley was arrested during a silent march in Leeds last weekend. What egregious act had prompted the police to act? He was, er, carrying a Private Eye joke piece as a placard!
(1/2)
July 23, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Are Private Eye jokes now... criminal?
PALESTINE Solidarity campaigner Jon Farley was arrested during a silent march in Leeds last weekend. What egregious act had prompted the police to act? He was, er, carrying a Private Eye joke piece as a placard!
(1/2)
PALESTINE Solidarity campaigner Jon Farley was arrested during a silent march in Leeds last weekend. What egregious act had prompted the police to act? He was, er, carrying a Private Eye joke piece as a placard!
(1/2)
Reposted by Philip Murray
The UK must immediately recognise Palestinian statehood.
There can be no two state solution if there is no viable state left to call Palestine.
There can be no two state solution if there is no viable state left to call Palestine.
July 23, 2025 at 10:35 AM
The UK must immediately recognise Palestinian statehood.
There can be no two state solution if there is no viable state left to call Palestine.
There can be no two state solution if there is no viable state left to call Palestine.
Reposted by Philip Murray
UK opinion on Gaza war (YouGov, July 2025)
18% support Israel’s actions in Gaza, 55% oppose
81% of those who oppose say it’s a genocide
Large margins in favour of:
- trade embargoes (48% to 20%)
- financial sanctions on individuals (52% to 19%)
- suspending arms exports to Israel (57% to 18%)
18% support Israel’s actions in Gaza, 55% oppose
81% of those who oppose say it’s a genocide
Large margins in favour of:
- trade embargoes (48% to 20%)
- financial sanctions on individuals (52% to 19%)
- suspending arms exports to Israel (57% to 18%)
July 23, 2025 at 9:22 AM
UK opinion on Gaza war (YouGov, July 2025)
18% support Israel’s actions in Gaza, 55% oppose
81% of those who oppose say it’s a genocide
Large margins in favour of:
- trade embargoes (48% to 20%)
- financial sanctions on individuals (52% to 19%)
- suspending arms exports to Israel (57% to 18%)
18% support Israel’s actions in Gaza, 55% oppose
81% of those who oppose say it’s a genocide
Large margins in favour of:
- trade embargoes (48% to 20%)
- financial sanctions on individuals (52% to 19%)
- suspending arms exports to Israel (57% to 18%)
Reposted by Philip Murray
Fucking hell the standard of the debate on that asylum hotel protest is appalling. Broadcasters and politicians bending over backwards to defend and justify the actions of the protestors. Not even a hint of the bravery required to stand up or challenge far-right ideas.
July 23, 2025 at 6:42 AM
Fucking hell the standard of the debate on that asylum hotel protest is appalling. Broadcasters and politicians bending over backwards to defend and justify the actions of the protestors. Not even a hint of the bravery required to stand up or challenge far-right ideas.
Reposted by Philip Murray
UK welfare spending is 10.6% of GDP.
Right wing press never mentions that it is well below the OECD average.
UK has some of the least generous welfare across OECD.
No questions asked about billions given away in corporate welfare, uncosted tax reliefs to corporations/rich.
Right wing press never mentions that it is well below the OECD average.
UK has some of the least generous welfare across OECD.
No questions asked about billions given away in corporate welfare, uncosted tax reliefs to corporations/rich.
Guidance and methodology: Benefit expenditure and caseload tables
www.gov.uk
July 23, 2025 at 6:54 AM
UK welfare spending is 10.6% of GDP.
Right wing press never mentions that it is well below the OECD average.
UK has some of the least generous welfare across OECD.
No questions asked about billions given away in corporate welfare, uncosted tax reliefs to corporations/rich.
Right wing press never mentions that it is well below the OECD average.
UK has some of the least generous welfare across OECD.
No questions asked about billions given away in corporate welfare, uncosted tax reliefs to corporations/rich.
Reposted by Philip Murray
Racist demonstrations, reportedly organised by Neo-Nazi groups, have been held outside asylum hostels around London. They have turned ugly & violent at times.
First question on #r4today to a local MP: “do you have sympathy with protesters?”
I switched off. Enough.
First question on #r4today to a local MP: “do you have sympathy with protesters?”
I switched off. Enough.
July 23, 2025 at 6:41 AM
Racist demonstrations, reportedly organised by Neo-Nazi groups, have been held outside asylum hostels around London. They have turned ugly & violent at times.
First question on #r4today to a local MP: “do you have sympathy with protesters?”
I switched off. Enough.
First question on #r4today to a local MP: “do you have sympathy with protesters?”
I switched off. Enough.
Reposted by Philip Murray
Breaking News: The Israeli military raided a UN aid facility, part of an expanded offensive in an area of central Gaza that had remained relatively unscathed during the war with Hamas.
Israel Expands Attacks in Central Gaza City and Raids W.H.O. Offices
Strikes in the central part of the territory targeted a city, Deir al-Balah, that had largely been spared and that had become an informal refuge for Palestinians fleeing other areas.
trib.al
July 22, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Breaking News: The Israeli military raided a UN aid facility, part of an expanded offensive in an area of central Gaza that had remained relatively unscathed during the war with Hamas.
Reposted by Philip Murray
He's one of Britain's richest men. So why does Asif Aziz's property company keep leasing London gift shops to overseas students based in abandoned offices or flytipped car parks — before vanishing without paying millions of pounds in taxes? www.londoncentric.media/p/asf-aziz-l...
The billionaire and the tax evading gift shops
Asif Aziz's Criterion Capital manages a row of high-profile shops at Piccadilly Circus. So why does his team keeping renting them to students who vanish without paying millions of pounds in taxes?
www.londoncentric.media
July 22, 2025 at 6:48 AM
He's one of Britain's richest men. So why does Asif Aziz's property company keep leasing London gift shops to overseas students based in abandoned offices or flytipped car parks — before vanishing without paying millions of pounds in taxes? www.londoncentric.media/p/asf-aziz-l...
Reposted by Philip Murray
"Only 3 years left – new study warns the world is running out of time to avoid the worst impacts of climate change."
"If we treated climate data as we do financial reports, panic would ensue after each dire update."
The time to act is now. 🌎
theconversation.com/only-3-years...
"If we treated climate data as we do financial reports, panic would ensue after each dire update."
The time to act is now. 🌎
theconversation.com/only-3-years...
Only 3 years left – new study warns the world is running out of time to avoid the worst impacts of climate change
Planet Earth is living on borrowed time, a new global report reveals. The world must stop burning fossil fuels now and take urgent steps to reduce global warming.
theconversation.com
July 22, 2025 at 9:30 AM
"Only 3 years left – new study warns the world is running out of time to avoid the worst impacts of climate change."
"If we treated climate data as we do financial reports, panic would ensue after each dire update."
The time to act is now. 🌎
theconversation.com/only-3-years...
"If we treated climate data as we do financial reports, panic would ensue after each dire update."
The time to act is now. 🌎
theconversation.com/only-3-years...
Reposted by Philip Murray
It is very hard to see how the UK government can sign this statement, which makes it absolutely clear that it recognises that Israel is committing - as a matter of state policy - deliberate and systematic war crimes, without at a minimum cutting all military cooperation with Israel.
July 21, 2025 at 4:34 PM
It is very hard to see how the UK government can sign this statement, which makes it absolutely clear that it recognises that Israel is committing - as a matter of state policy - deliberate and systematic war crimes, without at a minimum cutting all military cooperation with Israel.
Reposted by Philip Murray
Dear @stephencolbert.bsky.social,
Thanks for all the years of speaking truth to power & finding the funny in fascism.
Looking forward to following you wherever you land,
Your fan, Mar🐫
Thanks for all the years of speaking truth to power & finding the funny in fascism.
Looking forward to following you wherever you land,
Your fan, Mar🐫
July 18, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Dear @stephencolbert.bsky.social,
Thanks for all the years of speaking truth to power & finding the funny in fascism.
Looking forward to following you wherever you land,
Your fan, Mar🐫
Thanks for all the years of speaking truth to power & finding the funny in fascism.
Looking forward to following you wherever you land,
Your fan, Mar🐫
Reposted by Philip Murray
It surely seems that way. CBS, what gives?
July 18, 2025 at 8:26 PM
It surely seems that way. CBS, what gives?
Reposted by Philip Murray
again, no mention at all that the incoming new owners of CBS are the Ellison family, billionaire friends of Trump, who are already shaping the trajectory of the new CBS via Skydance execs before the deal ink is dry
that's apparently just not relevant enough to mention
that's apparently just not relevant enough to mention
Trump Says ‘I Absolutely Love’ That Stephen Colbert Got ‘Fired’ and ‘I Hear Jimmy Kimmel Is Next’
Trump weighed in on CBS's announced cancelation of Stephen Colbert's late-night talk show and is seemingly hopeful Jimmy Kimmel will be next to get axed.
variety.com
July 18, 2025 at 8:03 PM
again, no mention at all that the incoming new owners of CBS are the Ellison family, billionaire friends of Trump, who are already shaping the trajectory of the new CBS via Skydance execs before the deal ink is dry
that's apparently just not relevant enough to mention
that's apparently just not relevant enough to mention
Reposted by Philip Murray
The media propensity to run "police probe [cultural figure x]" stories is corrosive to our polity.
Few if any of these probes get anywhere, but the No Further Actions never get similar prominence.
And what lingers are the police interventions, as if such activity is normal and to be expected.
Few if any of these probes get anywhere, but the No Further Actions never get similar prominence.
And what lingers are the police interventions, as if such activity is normal and to be expected.
The police investigation in to Kneecap was huge fucking news. Days of headlines pushing the fact it had the police involved. Dropped without a word. I’m so fucking angry with the government, the police and the complicit media.
July 18, 2025 at 9:00 PM
The media propensity to run "police probe [cultural figure x]" stories is corrosive to our polity.
Few if any of these probes get anywhere, but the No Further Actions never get similar prominence.
And what lingers are the police interventions, as if such activity is normal and to be expected.
Few if any of these probes get anywhere, but the No Further Actions never get similar prominence.
And what lingers are the police interventions, as if such activity is normal and to be expected.
Reposted by Philip Murray
There is no reliable data linking small boat arrivals to higher crime rates. But there is plenty of evidence that fear sells. Stephen McNair crunches the numbers.
A crime wave in small boats: why worry about facts?
Conservatives claim that small boat arrivals are 24 times more likely to be in prison than the average British citizen. Are they?
eastangliabylines.co.uk
July 16, 2025 at 7:08 AM
There is no reliable data linking small boat arrivals to higher crime rates. But there is plenty of evidence that fear sells. Stephen McNair crunches the numbers.
Reposted by Philip Murray
Populism's Achilles' heel: When you actually dig into Reform's policies, the public don't want what they have to sell iandunt.substack.com/p/populisms-...
July 18, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Populism's Achilles' heel: When you actually dig into Reform's policies, the public don't want what they have to sell iandunt.substack.com/p/populisms-...
Reposted by Philip Murray
Note that this is the Sun, who until a few years ago were happy to put topless 16 year old girls on Page 3.
July 17, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Note that this is the Sun, who until a few years ago were happy to put topless 16 year old girls on Page 3.