Keir Giles
@keirgiles.bsky.social
Twitter refugee #1,383,497
Quite disappointed they didn’t have rancid polecat.
November 18, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Quite disappointed they didn’t have rancid polecat.
WHAT WOULD HE SAY.
November 18, 2025 at 12:56 PM
WHAT WOULD HE SAY.
If it has not done so already, NATO needs to wake up fast to the growing UK-shaped gap in its plans.
In August I wrote of dashed hopes for the new Labour government. Today, Julian Lindley-French - www.linkedin.com/pulse/new-br... - writes of how the gap with serious NATO allies is widening fast.
In August I wrote of dashed hopes for the new Labour government. Today, Julian Lindley-French - www.linkedin.com/pulse/new-br... - writes of how the gap with serious NATO allies is widening fast.
November 17, 2025 at 6:22 PM
If it has not done so already, NATO needs to wake up fast to the growing UK-shaped gap in its plans.
In August I wrote of dashed hopes for the new Labour government. Today, Julian Lindley-French - www.linkedin.com/pulse/new-br... - writes of how the gap with serious NATO allies is widening fast.
In August I wrote of dashed hopes for the new Labour government. Today, Julian Lindley-French - www.linkedin.com/pulse/new-br... - writes of how the gap with serious NATO allies is widening fast.
Grammarians and OCD types, look away now.
That’s the third time she has said over the PA: “Once again, this is your last and final boarding call.”
That’s the third time she has said over the PA: “Once again, this is your last and final boarding call.”
November 17, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Grammarians and OCD types, look away now.
That’s the third time she has said over the PA: “Once again, this is your last and final boarding call.”
That’s the third time she has said over the PA: “Once again, this is your last and final boarding call.”
The old joke about the primary international response to war crimes, aggression and atrocities by Russia being a strongly worded tweet was never actually a joke.
November 15, 2025 at 10:21 AM
The old joke about the primary international response to war crimes, aggression and atrocities by Russia being a strongly worded tweet was never actually a joke.
November 11, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Apparently this is now my formal job title. That’s probably OK.
November 10, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Apparently this is now my formal job title. That’s probably OK.
Rare for me to disagree with @factforce.bsky.social, but the time for a no-fly zone over Ukraine was not immediately after the start of the full-scale invasion: it was weeks before it started.
www.politicshome.com/thehouse/art...
www.politicshome.com/thehouse/art...
November 9, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Rare for me to disagree with @factforce.bsky.social, but the time for a no-fly zone over Ukraine was not immediately after the start of the full-scale invasion: it was weeks before it started.
www.politicshome.com/thehouse/art...
www.politicshome.com/thehouse/art...
If, like me, you had been wondering what and where were the "eight wars in eight months" that Donald Trump claimed to have ended, you might find this list interesting. (I was sent it, unsolicited, after wondering just that in a media interview.)
November 8, 2025 at 5:00 PM
If, like me, you had been wondering what and where were the "eight wars in eight months" that Donald Trump claimed to have ended, you might find this list interesting. (I was sent it, unsolicited, after wondering just that in a media interview.)
Sorry, NATO and EU staffers, the context for this was whether or not there was any point in Russia vapourising Brussels.
November 7, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Sorry, NATO and EU staffers, the context for this was whether or not there was any point in Russia vapourising Brussels.
You may be partly joking; but there is a serious point here about how the inability of the UK's armed forces to sustain public events does sometimes suggest inability to do far more important, operational things.
Still, at least they're not going to run out of horses any time soon.
amzn.to/4cFI1b6
Still, at least they're not going to run out of horses any time soon.
amzn.to/4cFI1b6
November 7, 2025 at 10:27 AM
You may be partly joking; but there is a serious point here about how the inability of the UK's armed forces to sustain public events does sometimes suggest inability to do far more important, operational things.
Still, at least they're not going to run out of horses any time soon.
amzn.to/4cFI1b6
Still, at least they're not going to run out of horses any time soon.
amzn.to/4cFI1b6
If I've understood this correctly, the idea is for the UK to provide usable forces for two separate coalitions of the willing, at a time when there are already question marks over what it could provide for just one.
www.politico.eu/article/brit...
www.politico.eu/article/brit...
November 7, 2025 at 9:50 AM
If I've understood this correctly, the idea is for the UK to provide usable forces for two separate coalitions of the willing, at a time when there are already question marks over what it could provide for just one.
www.politico.eu/article/brit...
www.politico.eu/article/brit...
“Oh four thirty. What does the ‘O’ stand for? ‘Oh my God it’s EARLY.’”
November 3, 2025 at 4:21 AM
“Oh four thirty. What does the ‘O’ stand for? ‘Oh my God it’s EARLY.’”
Well let’s see whether, after some frank conversations about being “neutral“ while located in the heart of Europe, I ever get invited back to Switzerland again.
www.watson.ch/internationa...
www.watson.ch/internationa...
November 2, 2025 at 7:14 AM
Well let’s see whether, after some frank conversations about being “neutral“ while located in the heart of Europe, I ever get invited back to Switzerland again.
www.watson.ch/internationa...
www.watson.ch/internationa...
November 1, 2025 at 10:39 AM
The professional diplomats among us can let us know whether achieving impact in the destination country is part of an ambassador’s mission.
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
October 31, 2025 at 8:59 PM
The professional diplomats among us can let us know whether achieving impact in the destination country is part of an ambassador’s mission.
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
Well there's the dodgiest endorsement I've had in quite a while. Russian historico-nationalist rag Stoletie approvingly quotes me from @thesun.co.uk of all places, about Russian potential to do damage in Europe: "they need more experts like that", apparently.
www.stoletie.ru/tekuschiiy_m...
www.stoletie.ru/tekuschiiy_m...
October 31, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Well there's the dodgiest endorsement I've had in quite a while. Russian historico-nationalist rag Stoletie approvingly quotes me from @thesun.co.uk of all places, about Russian potential to do damage in Europe: "they need more experts like that", apparently.
www.stoletie.ru/tekuschiiy_m...
www.stoletie.ru/tekuschiiy_m...
I’ve just told yet another European colleague, concerned that Reform will be the next UK government, that they probably won’t because the UK voting system is profoundly undemocratic. Once again they are a little uneasy about that but prefer it to Brits getting what they vote for (see e.g. Brexit).
October 26, 2025 at 4:04 PM
I’ve just told yet another European colleague, concerned that Reform will be the next UK government, that they probably won’t because the UK voting system is profoundly undemocratic. Once again they are a little uneasy about that but prefer it to Brits getting what they vote for (see e.g. Brexit).
At any moment now I am expecting an angry goose to appear and ask WHAT “OTHER AREAS”?
October 24, 2025 at 12:36 PM
At any moment now I am expecting an angry goose to appear and ask WHAT “OTHER AREAS”?
I was pleased to see that the "Risk of Contagion" report on when and whether Russian sabotage attacks could spread to the United States (link in reply) was picked up in this David Ignatius @washingtonpost.com op-ed on where the US's real threats are.
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
October 24, 2025 at 8:37 AM
I was pleased to see that the "Risk of Contagion" report on when and whether Russian sabotage attacks could spread to the United States (link in reply) was picked up in this David Ignatius @washingtonpost.com op-ed on where the US's real threats are.
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
The Trump administration finally doing things that will annoy Moscow is unexpected and welcome. But it will take a great deal more to make any real difference to Russia’s determination to destroy Ukraine.
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/e...
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/e...
October 23, 2025 at 2:04 PM
The Trump administration finally doing things that will annoy Moscow is unexpected and welcome. But it will take a great deal more to make any real difference to Russia’s determination to destroy Ukraine.
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/e...
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/e...
I’m glad the I Paper editors chose to leave this tangential detail in my post-mortem of yesterday’s Trump-Zelenskyy meeting, just in case there was any lingering doubt over the infantilism of the current US administration.
inews.co.uk/news/world/t...
inews.co.uk/news/world/t...
October 18, 2025 at 1:14 PM
I’m glad the I Paper editors chose to leave this tangential detail in my post-mortem of yesterday’s Trump-Zelenskyy meeting, just in case there was any lingering doubt over the infantilism of the current US administration.
inews.co.uk/news/world/t...
inews.co.uk/news/world/t...
Nothing to see here. Move along please.
October 17, 2025 at 7:33 AM
Nothing to see here. Move along please.
Whatever you were thinking of doing this Sunday morning, it now has to change.
worldconkerchampionships.com
worldconkerchampionships.com
October 11, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Whatever you were thinking of doing this Sunday morning, it now has to change.
worldconkerchampionships.com
worldconkerchampionships.com