Kenny Hemphill
@kennyhemphill.bsky.social
Writer. Copy editor. Scot. Optimist. Trade unionist. LFC.
Reposted by Kenny Hemphill
I don’t support criminalising slogans, except when they’re directly used to harass or intimidate.
But I think it’s a profound moral (and tactical) failure that campaigners didn’t stop using them long ago.
www.thenewworld.co.uk/james-ball-b...
But I think it’s a profound moral (and tactical) failure that campaigners didn’t stop using them long ago.
www.thenewworld.co.uk/james-ball-b...
December 18, 2025 at 11:31 AM
I don’t support criminalising slogans, except when they’re directly used to harass or intimidate.
But I think it’s a profound moral (and tactical) failure that campaigners didn’t stop using them long ago.
www.thenewworld.co.uk/james-ball-b...
But I think it’s a profound moral (and tactical) failure that campaigners didn’t stop using them long ago.
www.thenewworld.co.uk/james-ball-b...
This is a grim quote from a Kast voter in Chile: "It may sound harsh to say it, but we need the government to continue Pinochet's work. Human rights abuses existed, that's true. But as a government it was good, we used to have peace and tranquility."
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Chile elects far-right José Antonio Kast as next president
Many believe Kast will be the most right-wing president since Augusto Pinochet, who oversaw a 17-year dictatorship in Chile from 1973.
www.bbc.com
December 15, 2025 at 11:12 AM
This is a grim quote from a Kast voter in Chile: "It may sound harsh to say it, but we need the government to continue Pinochet's work. Human rights abuses existed, that's true. But as a government it was good, we used to have peace and tranquility."
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by Kenny Hemphill
Columnists! People who make videos of their own heads! Do you know nothing about autism & its complexity? Never read a word about it, but seen something about SEND reform and what Badenoch/Tice said the other day? Top tip: Just sound off about "overdiagnosis" and get another week's beer money
December 10, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Columnists! People who make videos of their own heads! Do you know nothing about autism & its complexity? Never read a word about it, but seen something about SEND reform and what Badenoch/Tice said the other day? Top tip: Just sound off about "overdiagnosis" and get another week's beer money
Reposted by Kenny Hemphill
Reposted by Kenny Hemphill
some significant part of this is just catch-all fear for “this is not the child I ordered” I think
Oh, here's a big surprise. The transphobes don't believe in ADHD either.
then, the transphobes , feeling victorious at how many people they have made unhappy and despairing in the previous week, move on to anything else that has a spectrum and the possibility of more colours than they can conceive - such hateful people - they cannot understand anything that is not THEM
December 8, 2025 at 1:09 PM
some significant part of this is just catch-all fear for “this is not the child I ordered” I think
Reposted by Kenny Hemphill
"Part of the iconic Wetherspoons brand—imagine Denny’s and a Greyhound bus station have unprotected sex, and the baby is raised by carpet... The customers—the bitter, the deranged, and the men in full motorcycle outfits eating lasagne at 11am—shoot us curious, guarded glances." 😱
This is perfect.
This is perfect.
🚨Some personal news.
I'm thrilled to announce that I've just filed my first copy for The New Yorker.
A profile of Jonathan Gullis.
"You get the sense that offstage, Jonathan Gullis struggles with being Jonathan Gullis."
open.substack.com/pub/mrhenrym...
I'm thrilled to announce that I've just filed my first copy for The New Yorker.
A profile of Jonathan Gullis.
"You get the sense that offstage, Jonathan Gullis struggles with being Jonathan Gullis."
open.substack.com/pub/mrhenrym...
Jonathan Gullis, The Seagull's Lament
A New Yorker Profile
open.substack.com
December 2, 2025 at 11:50 AM
"Part of the iconic Wetherspoons brand—imagine Denny’s and a Greyhound bus station have unprotected sex, and the baby is raised by carpet... The customers—the bitter, the deranged, and the men in full motorcycle outfits eating lasagne at 11am—shoot us curious, guarded glances." 😱
This is perfect.
This is perfect.
Reposted by Kenny Hemphill
Lee Anderson, who makes nearly £200,000 a year, repeatedly calls for benefit clampdowns, and described Britain as a “food bank for the world”...
...claims more in taxpayer-funded hotel bills than any other MP in England, billing the taxpayer for £22.5k in 2024/25 www.bigissue.com/news/politic...
...claims more in taxpayer-funded hotel bills than any other MP in England, billing the taxpayer for £22.5k in 2024/25 www.bigissue.com/news/politic...
Revealed: MPs rack up huge rent expenses while pushing through cuts to benefits
MPs are allowed to rent a second home, but while they are simultaneously cutting benefits for the vulnerable, the cost feels hard to swallow.
www.bigissue.com
December 1, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Lee Anderson, who makes nearly £200,000 a year, repeatedly calls for benefit clampdowns, and described Britain as a “food bank for the world”...
...claims more in taxpayer-funded hotel bills than any other MP in England, billing the taxpayer for £22.5k in 2024/25 www.bigissue.com/news/politic...
...claims more in taxpayer-funded hotel bills than any other MP in England, billing the taxpayer for £22.5k in 2024/25 www.bigissue.com/news/politic...
Reposted by Kenny Hemphill
🔴Rachel Reeves and the Daily Mailification of the BBC
For all the focus on its supposed “left wing bias”, the BBC’s heavy coverage of allegations of dishonesty against Rachel Reeves shows how its political coverage is still largely led by the right-wing press
bylinetimes.com/2025/12/01/r...
For all the focus on its supposed “left wing bias”, the BBC’s heavy coverage of allegations of dishonesty against Rachel Reeves shows how its political coverage is still largely led by the right-wing press
bylinetimes.com/2025/12/01/r...
Rachel Reeves and the Daily Mailification of the BBC
For all the focus on its supposed "left wing bias", the BBC's heavy coverage of Conservative allegations of dishonesty against Rachel Reeves shows how its political coverage is still largely led by th...
bylinetimes.com
December 1, 2025 at 11:18 AM
🔴Rachel Reeves and the Daily Mailification of the BBC
For all the focus on its supposed “left wing bias”, the BBC’s heavy coverage of allegations of dishonesty against Rachel Reeves shows how its political coverage is still largely led by the right-wing press
bylinetimes.com/2025/12/01/r...
For all the focus on its supposed “left wing bias”, the BBC’s heavy coverage of allegations of dishonesty against Rachel Reeves shows how its political coverage is still largely led by the right-wing press
bylinetimes.com/2025/12/01/r...
Reposted by Kenny Hemphill
What we're seeing is exactly what we saw in the late 1940s, the late 1960s and the mid- to late 1970s: a concerted and hysterical campaign to delegitimise a Labour government, and indeed the very idea of Labour governments at all.
December 1, 2025 at 8:44 AM
What we're seeing is exactly what we saw in the late 1940s, the late 1960s and the mid- to late 1970s: a concerted and hysterical campaign to delegitimise a Labour government, and indeed the very idea of Labour governments at all.
The BBC has lost its mind.
November 30, 2025 at 10:39 AM
The BBC has lost its mind.
Reposted by Kenny Hemphill
Born Czech as Tomáš Sträussler in Zlin in 1937, Stoppard's family escaped to Singapore on the day the Nazis invaded Czechoslovakia, then to British India.
Few truly doubt that the refugee boy became English: the themes of identity & language, unfreedom and liberty resonate throughout his work.
Few truly doubt that the refugee boy became English: the themes of identity & language, unfreedom and liberty resonate throughout his work.
November 30, 2025 at 10:11 AM
Born Czech as Tomáš Sträussler in Zlin in 1937, Stoppard's family escaped to Singapore on the day the Nazis invaded Czechoslovakia, then to British India.
Few truly doubt that the refugee boy became English: the themes of identity & language, unfreedom and liberty resonate throughout his work.
Few truly doubt that the refugee boy became English: the themes of identity & language, unfreedom and liberty resonate throughout his work.
Reposted by Kenny Hemphill
Every case study like this should be balanced by one such as a 15-year-old with suicidal ideation unable to receive any help because CAMHS has been cut to virtual non-existence.
Huge respect to the papers for finding both an 88 year old worried about the tax bill on her 6 bedroom Kensington house and a 20 year old fretting about only being able to save £12k a year tax free.
Top work all around. These are not easy case studies to find.
Top work all around. These are not easy case studies to find.
November 29, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Every case study like this should be balanced by one such as a 15-year-old with suicidal ideation unable to receive any help because CAMHS has been cut to virtual non-existence.
Reposted by Kenny Hemphill
Reposted by Kenny Hemphill
If you are eligible for the mobility component of PIP and you want to spend *your own money on top of that* on having a nicer modified car, why shouldn't you? Should screen readers only work on Chromebooks?
November 26, 2025 at 1:14 PM
If you are eligible for the mobility component of PIP and you want to spend *your own money on top of that* on having a nicer modified car, why shouldn't you? Should screen readers only work on Chromebooks?
Reposted by Kenny Hemphill
and again - literally just the hobby horse of some random anonymous Twitter accounts, enraging how quickly they managed to turn their horrid posting into actual government policy and rhetoric
“The Motability scheme was set up to protect the most vulnerable. Not to subsidise the lease on a Mercedes Benz,” Reeves says.
Misleading and nasty in equal measure.
Misleading and nasty in equal measure.
November 26, 2025 at 1:20 PM
and again - literally just the hobby horse of some random anonymous Twitter accounts, enraging how quickly they managed to turn their horrid posting into actual government policy and rhetoric
Reposted by Kenny Hemphill
If you are eligible for the mobility component of PIP, you can spend *your own money* topping that up to have a great accessible car. Critics should ask: Why are you against this? What it is about disabled people that makes you believe it’s wrong to have nice things they paid for themselves?
November 26, 2025 at 1:22 PM
If you are eligible for the mobility component of PIP, you can spend *your own money* topping that up to have a great accessible car. Critics should ask: Why are you against this? What it is about disabled people that makes you believe it’s wrong to have nice things they paid for themselves?
Reposted by Kenny Hemphill
The OBR says the rise in claims was linked to the cost of living crisis
The way disabled people have been vilified over PIP, as if they were trying to play the system, was disgusting & shameful
Hacks & commentators that engaged in the grotesque demonisation of disabled people should be ashamed.
The way disabled people have been vilified over PIP, as if they were trying to play the system, was disgusting & shameful
Hacks & commentators that engaged in the grotesque demonisation of disabled people should be ashamed.
November 26, 2025 at 1:05 PM
The OBR says the rise in claims was linked to the cost of living crisis
The way disabled people have been vilified over PIP, as if they were trying to play the system, was disgusting & shameful
Hacks & commentators that engaged in the grotesque demonisation of disabled people should be ashamed.
The way disabled people have been vilified over PIP, as if they were trying to play the system, was disgusting & shameful
Hacks & commentators that engaged in the grotesque demonisation of disabled people should be ashamed.
Reposted by Kenny Hemphill
There's an advert on his website for a 'Depot Supervisor' that pays £12.75 an hour for shift work.
If he wants to reduce welfare spending maybe he should pay staff enough that they don't need in-work benefits.
If he wants to reduce welfare spending maybe he should pay staff enough that they don't need in-work benefits.
‘Madness’ to increase welfare spending in Budget, says AO World boss
‘Madness’ to increase welfare spending in Budget, says AO World boss
‘Madness’ to increase welfare spending in Budget, says AO World boss
www.independent.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 12:46 PM
There's an advert on his website for a 'Depot Supervisor' that pays £12.75 an hour for shift work.
If he wants to reduce welfare spending maybe he should pay staff enough that they don't need in-work benefits.
If he wants to reduce welfare spending maybe he should pay staff enough that they don't need in-work benefits.
Can’t help but think that the guy that wrote the ‘Is ChatGPT conscious?’ piece got exactly the reaction he was looking for.
November 26, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Can’t help but think that the guy that wrote the ‘Is ChatGPT conscious?’ piece got exactly the reaction he was looking for.
Reposted by Kenny Hemphill
Bravo The Times, bravo.
November 25, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Bravo The Times, bravo.
All of this. Motability is a great scheme. Aside from providing independence and enabling people to work, it makes a small profit which is then paid to the Motability Foundation, a charitable trust that provides grants for adaptations. If someone chooses a BMW or Audi, it’s no one else’s business.
Don’t want to be too moralistic about this, but it is an active disgrace what people are doing to a profoundly liberational scheme that costs relatively piddling amounts on the basis of a couple of right wing shitposters misrepresenting it on Twitter.
November 25, 2025 at 2:36 PM
All of this. Motability is a great scheme. Aside from providing independence and enabling people to work, it makes a small profit which is then paid to the Motability Foundation, a charitable trust that provides grants for adaptations. If someone chooses a BMW or Audi, it’s no one else’s business.
Reposted by Kenny Hemphill
Or, indeed, how hard is it to google the word “co-morbidity”? I may suffer from anxiety and constipation if I literally *can’t walk*. The DWP do not list the conditions in order of severity in their statistics.
I was livid the other week after stumbling across an article which stated that people were getting motability vehicles for anxiety & constipation. The disinformation is infuriating & we all know why it's happening.
How hard is it to check eligibility criteria = higher rate mobility = can walk ≤20m?
How hard is it to check eligibility criteria = higher rate mobility = can walk ≤20m?
November 25, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Or, indeed, how hard is it to google the word “co-morbidity”? I may suffer from anxiety and constipation if I literally *can’t walk*. The DWP do not list the conditions in order of severity in their statistics.
Reposted by Kenny Hemphill
To illustrate how disingenuous this campaign is
“85% have made payments to get better cars” does *not* mean “85% have bought Beamers”. Most people don’t lease Beamers with the scheme. The extra payments are adaptations to allow disabled people to use the cars, wheelchair hoists for eg
“85% have made payments to get better cars” does *not* mean “85% have bought Beamers”. Most people don’t lease Beamers with the scheme. The extra payments are adaptations to allow disabled people to use the cars, wheelchair hoists for eg
November 25, 2025 at 1:59 PM
To illustrate how disingenuous this campaign is
“85% have made payments to get better cars” does *not* mean “85% have bought Beamers”. Most people don’t lease Beamers with the scheme. The extra payments are adaptations to allow disabled people to use the cars, wheelchair hoists for eg
“85% have made payments to get better cars” does *not* mean “85% have bought Beamers”. Most people don’t lease Beamers with the scheme. The extra payments are adaptations to allow disabled people to use the cars, wheelchair hoists for eg
Reposted by Kenny Hemphill
This is exactly what the recent Trump-BBC 'scandal' was designed to achieve. The BBC is now self-censoring criticisms of Trump in the name of "impartiality"
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 10:26 AM
This is exactly what the recent Trump-BBC 'scandal' was designed to achieve. The BBC is now self-censoring criticisms of Trump in the name of "impartiality"
Reposted by Kenny Hemphill
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1