Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
@ianford.bsky.social
Recent emigrant from the Other Place.
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
Thoughtful piece. On a broader level, in my view the online right vs. BBC saga is another symptom of the fact (for a lack of better word) that we are losing a shared sense of reality in Western societies.
The reaction to the Panorama edit has been nothing short of hysterical. Yes the BBC has some impartiality problems. But its biggest isn't the one you think.
New piece from me.
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
New piece from me.
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
The truth about impartiality at the BBC
And the hysteria of the current "crisis"
open.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 10:34 AM
Thoughtful piece. On a broader level, in my view the online right vs. BBC saga is another symptom of the fact (for a lack of better word) that we are losing a shared sense of reality in Western societies.
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
John Le Carre was right about the British establishment and how the alumni of the best schools will sell out their own country for status and money and in particular a desperate desire for American attention
November 11, 2025 at 10:52 AM
John Le Carre was right about the British establishment and how the alumni of the best schools will sell out their own country for status and money and in particular a desperate desire for American attention
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
In cutting a deal over reopening government for meagre results the Democrat leadership is terminally discrediting the notion that compromise with Republicans is acceptable among a critical mass of anti-Trump voters.
Dems heading for the same trajectory the GOP went through in the 2010s
Dems heading for the same trajectory the GOP went through in the 2010s
November 11, 2025 at 8:33 AM
In cutting a deal over reopening government for meagre results the Democrat leadership is terminally discrediting the notion that compromise with Republicans is acceptable among a critical mass of anti-Trump voters.
Dems heading for the same trajectory the GOP went through in the 2010s
Dems heading for the same trajectory the GOP went through in the 2010s
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
A subtle one that's easy to miss, but the fact that Andreesen and Musk both use "alpha" as slang for "information advantage" is a clear tell that their mental world is finance, not technology. They try to talk otherwise but they are investors not inventors.
*maximum alpha at 1.25x speed* continuously lives on in my head, unfortunately.
November 11, 2025 at 10:03 AM
A subtle one that's easy to miss, but the fact that Andreesen and Musk both use "alpha" as slang for "information advantage" is a clear tell that their mental world is finance, not technology. They try to talk otherwise but they are investors not inventors.
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
A bit of something wholesome in this day of rage...
A woman asks a Japanese TV show called Knight Scoop to find out why her dog Sacchan has gotten so fat, so the show decides to follow Sacchan around as he goes about his daily routine in a Japanese town.
I'd watch the hell out of this show.
A woman asks a Japanese TV show called Knight Scoop to find out why her dog Sacchan has gotten so fat, so the show decides to follow Sacchan around as he goes about his daily routine in a Japanese town.
I'd watch the hell out of this show.
A day in the life of Sacchan, a Japanese dog
YouTube video by Spaghetti
www.youtube.com
November 10, 2025 at 10:04 PM
A bit of something wholesome in this day of rage...
A woman asks a Japanese TV show called Knight Scoop to find out why her dog Sacchan has gotten so fat, so the show decides to follow Sacchan around as he goes about his daily routine in a Japanese town.
I'd watch the hell out of this show.
A woman asks a Japanese TV show called Knight Scoop to find out why her dog Sacchan has gotten so fat, so the show decides to follow Sacchan around as he goes about his daily routine in a Japanese town.
I'd watch the hell out of this show.
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
Quick thread on the BBC and the political and societal significance of recent developments:
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
November 10, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Quick thread on the BBC and the political and societal significance of recent developments:
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
Anybody who had a vision to bring American levels of political, cultural and social polarisation to Britain - whether their motive was clicks or cash, ideology, boredom or anything else - would make it their top strategic priority to abolish the BBC, or to damage and diminish it at the very least
Quick thread on the BBC and the political and societal significance of recent developments:
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
November 10, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Anybody who had a vision to bring American levels of political, cultural and social polarisation to Britain - whether their motive was clicks or cash, ideology, boredom or anything else - would make it their top strategic priority to abolish the BBC, or to damage and diminish it at the very least
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
We are importing US style culture and politics into our own democracy. It's blinding us to the rest of the world- esp our neighbours.
It's ironic that the BBC is one pillar of this fusion (see its coverage on US elections and shutdown in the past week). Now it's being dismantled by it.
It's ironic that the BBC is one pillar of this fusion (see its coverage on US elections and shutdown in the past week). Now it's being dismantled by it.
November 10, 2025 at 8:13 PM
We are importing US style culture and politics into our own democracy. It's blinding us to the rest of the world- esp our neighbours.
It's ironic that the BBC is one pillar of this fusion (see its coverage on US elections and shutdown in the past week). Now it's being dismantled by it.
It's ironic that the BBC is one pillar of this fusion (see its coverage on US elections and shutdown in the past week). Now it's being dismantled by it.
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
We have to take back control of our media and democracy from its fusion with the US infosphere.
This isn't just on the right but the left too. We are a separate democracy and need our own civic commons.
Today's events with Trump and the BBC show it's not just irritating; it's dangerous.
This isn't just on the right but the left too. We are a separate democracy and need our own civic commons.
Today's events with Trump and the BBC show it's not just irritating; it's dangerous.
November 10, 2025 at 8:06 PM
We have to take back control of our media and democracy from its fusion with the US infosphere.
This isn't just on the right but the left too. We are a separate democracy and need our own civic commons.
Today's events with Trump and the BBC show it's not just irritating; it's dangerous.
This isn't just on the right but the left too. We are a separate democracy and need our own civic commons.
Today's events with Trump and the BBC show it's not just irritating; it's dangerous.
This is an excellent book. Highly recommended. 👇
My book #Strongmen turns 5 today! The paperback edition, with a new epilogue on January 6, is now 4. The book built a large readership gradually and became a New York Times bestseller in Nov. 2024. Thank you to all who read it and share its warnings about what such leaders do to societies.
November 10, 2025 at 8:07 PM
This is an excellent book. Highly recommended. 👇
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
I feel like my issue with the Government more than anything is they are not acting like they are in Government. You are in control here, if Robbie Gibb wants to be an agent of the Tories at the BBC you can just fire him!
Should Gibb be sacked? yes, obviously. He's an abomination of basic journalistic standards. His GB News channel spreads conspiracy theory & disinformation. His Jewish Chronicle newspaper spreads invented stories. He is plainly trying to undermine the BBC so it's as bad as everything else he touches.
November 10, 2025 at 2:27 PM
I feel like my issue with the Government more than anything is they are not acting like they are in Government. You are in control here, if Robbie Gibb wants to be an agent of the Tories at the BBC you can just fire him!
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
agreed, and I think it also applies to a wider range of societal elites both in and out of government
seems to me that those democrats inclined not to fight perceive themselves as living through a somewhat ordinary cycle of presidential overreach and backlash and not something much more significant and dangerous
November 10, 2025 at 6:35 PM
agreed, and I think it also applies to a wider range of societal elites both in and out of government
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
Lib Dem leader Ed Davey again: “Trump and his cronies have the BBC in their sights. Leaders can’t stay silent while one of our great institutions is attacked.
“We must defend its independence, end political appointments, and remove Robbie Gibb from the Board.”
“We must defend its independence, end political appointments, and remove Robbie Gibb from the Board.”
November 10, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Lib Dem leader Ed Davey again: “Trump and his cronies have the BBC in their sights. Leaders can’t stay silent while one of our great institutions is attacked.
“We must defend its independence, end political appointments, and remove Robbie Gibb from the Board.”
“We must defend its independence, end political appointments, and remove Robbie Gibb from the Board.”
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
The Anglo consensus of the first half of 2010s was that where continental Europeans were endemically subject to crises and demagoguery, "we" were distinctly were more enlightened. Cameron's Britain. Obama's America. Ponderous essays about Magna Carta and the "golden thread".
How wrong it all was.
How wrong it all was.
I fear we are seeing in the UK what has become abundantly clear in the US: for all their power and privilege, elites and institutions are absolute cowards in the face of right-wing authoritarianism. Weak, weak, weak, as Tony Blair once said
November 10, 2025 at 5:28 PM
The Anglo consensus of the first half of 2010s was that where continental Europeans were endemically subject to crises and demagoguery, "we" were distinctly were more enlightened. Cameron's Britain. Obama's America. Ponderous essays about Magna Carta and the "golden thread".
How wrong it all was.
How wrong it all was.
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
literally every failing automaker tries this, and it never works
Tesla's latest gambit: become a rental car company. As cars pile up in showrooms and storage lots, Elon is trying to rent his way out of a crisis. Good luck, bud. #teslatakedown #MuskMustFall electrek.co/2025/11/10/t...
Tesla can’t sell its cars anymore so it is renting them now
Tesla is launching a new car rental program out of its stores in the US, as sales are crashing due...
electrek.co
November 10, 2025 at 5:02 PM
literally every failing automaker tries this, and it never works
🎯🎯👇👇👇👇
Waiting for an economic disaster to bring comeuppance is magical thinking of the worst kind, bc the absence of a "disaster" will be seen as evidence that the critics were wrong.
November 10, 2025 at 6:12 PM
🎯🎯👇👇👇👇
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
I mean, if you had asked those of us from Latin America, we could have told you that populist disasters most certainly do not imply that the populists get punished by voters...
November 10, 2025 at 4:26 PM
I mean, if you had asked those of us from Latin America, we could have told you that populist disasters most certainly do not imply that the populists get punished by voters...
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
"The edit was a mistake, it was clearly misjudged, but the idea it's an example of institutional bias against Trump is absurd."
@maitlis.bsky.social, @jonsopel1.bsky.social and @lewisgoodall.com unpack the seismic reaction to the BBC’s edit error - including Trump putting a target on their backs.
@maitlis.bsky.social, @jonsopel1.bsky.social and @lewisgoodall.com unpack the seismic reaction to the BBC’s edit error - including Trump putting a target on their backs.
November 10, 2025 at 5:24 PM
"The edit was a mistake, it was clearly misjudged, but the idea it's an example of institutional bias against Trump is absurd."
@maitlis.bsky.social, @jonsopel1.bsky.social and @lewisgoodall.com unpack the seismic reaction to the BBC’s edit error - including Trump putting a target on their backs.
@maitlis.bsky.social, @jonsopel1.bsky.social and @lewisgoodall.com unpack the seismic reaction to the BBC’s edit error - including Trump putting a target on their backs.
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
ps Anyone old enough to remember Truss threatening to sue Starmer for saying she crashed the economy?
That was in January this year.
That was in January this year.
November 10, 2025 at 5:00 PM
ps Anyone old enough to remember Truss threatening to sue Starmer for saying she crashed the economy?
That was in January this year.
That was in January this year.
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
Unless the libel case was a pretext for BBC to pay Trump a lot of money by means of settlement (and BBC as public body may not be able to do this), this claim would probably not fare well in the high court.
Perhaps he will sue BBC in US? Still high threshold for libel unless malice can be shown.
Perhaps he will sue BBC in US? Still high threshold for libel unless malice can be shown.
November 10, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Unless the libel case was a pretext for BBC to pay Trump a lot of money by means of settlement (and BBC as public body may not be able to do this), this claim would probably not fare well in the high court.
Perhaps he will sue BBC in US? Still high threshold for libel unless malice can be shown.
Perhaps he will sue BBC in US? Still high threshold for libel unless malice can be shown.
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
On currently available information: even if Trump was able to show this was a libel causing substantial damage, BBC likely to succeed with defence that "sting" of the libel was substantially true.
November 10, 2025 at 4:55 PM
On currently available information: even if Trump was able to show this was a libel causing substantial damage, BBC likely to succeed with defence that "sting" of the libel was substantially true.
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
Some preliminary points:
Trump is unlikely to succeed in a claim for defamation against the BBC (on information available).
Even if he succeeded, damages for this alleged defamation would be no more than about £50k, probably less. Even the worst libels, now no more than about £100k.
£1bn? No way.
Trump is unlikely to succeed in a claim for defamation against the BBC (on information available).
Even if he succeeded, damages for this alleged defamation would be no more than about £50k, probably less. Even the worst libels, now no more than about £100k.
£1bn? No way.
November 10, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Some preliminary points:
Trump is unlikely to succeed in a claim for defamation against the BBC (on information available).
Even if he succeeded, damages for this alleged defamation would be no more than about £50k, probably less. Even the worst libels, now no more than about £100k.
£1bn? No way.
Trump is unlikely to succeed in a claim for defamation against the BBC (on information available).
Even if he succeeded, damages for this alleged defamation would be no more than about £50k, probably less. Even the worst libels, now no more than about £100k.
£1bn? No way.
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
My post on President Trump threatening to sue the BBC will up tomorrow morning.
November 10, 2025 at 4:02 PM
My post on President Trump threatening to sue the BBC will up tomorrow morning.
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
Does anybody else find it odd that you don't hear much about pyramids keeping razor blades sharp any more?
When did they stop working?
When did they stop working?
November 10, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Does anybody else find it odd that you don't hear much about pyramids keeping razor blades sharp any more?
When did they stop working?
When did they stop working?
🎯👇
Even Hitler wasn't able to suppress news organisations outside Germany before he had invaded them.
November 10, 2025 at 2:31 PM
🎯👇