Leigh Jones
@leighsus.bsky.social
Freelance journalist. Investigations, writing, broadcast, newsreading, BBC Radio Newcastle etc
Editor, The Teesside Lead.
🔗 https://theteessidelead.substack.com
Used to work in music. Ex-Yorkshire Post Teesworks expert. Oh, and once I saw a blimp.
Editor, The Teesside Lead.
🔗 https://theteessidelead.substack.com
Used to work in music. Ex-Yorkshire Post Teesworks expert. Oh, and once I saw a blimp.
Pinned
Leigh Jones
@leighsus.bsky.social
· Nov 19
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Forgive me for indulging myself with some self-promotion.
I edit The Teesside Lead, a twice-weekly newsletter providing original news, investigations and features from the area.
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Teesside is a bit of bellwether for the UK. Maybe useful if you live elsewhere!
I edit The Teesside Lead, a twice-weekly newsletter providing original news, investigations and features from the area.
Sign up on Substack to get it for free.
Teesside is a bit of bellwether for the UK. Maybe useful if you live elsewhere!
Reposted by Leigh Jones
For Welsh politicos, or those with a newfound interest in Senedd elections, this is an interesting read on the dynamics, and pressures building, within Welsh Labour after the Caerphilly by-election and ahead of next Spring's Senedd election #devolution #senedd
Caerphilly by-election: Why Wales fell out of love with Labour
Now Labour faces its toughest task yet in Wales - convincing voters to keep believing, ahead of the 2026 Senedd election
www.bbc.co.uk
November 20, 2025 at 8:02 AM
For Welsh politicos, or those with a newfound interest in Senedd elections, this is an interesting read on the dynamics, and pressures building, within Welsh Labour after the Caerphilly by-election and ahead of next Spring's Senedd election #devolution #senedd
Reposted by Leigh Jones
"A senior Reform UK figure in Lancashire has been suspended by the party after posting in a far-right Whatsapp group calling for expelled hardline anti-immigrant MP Rupert Lowe to lead the party and saying Reform is deliberately downplaying its immigration policy to be palatable to the public."
Exclusive: Calls for anti-extremism investigation of suspended Reform councillor after "hardline" posts in far-right WhatsApp group revealed
Lancashire councillor Tom Pickup claims the party is showing a different face to the public
open.substack.com
November 19, 2025 at 4:11 PM
"A senior Reform UK figure in Lancashire has been suspended by the party after posting in a far-right Whatsapp group calling for expelled hardline anti-immigrant MP Rupert Lowe to lead the party and saying Reform is deliberately downplaying its immigration policy to be palatable to the public."
This story about a Reform councillor in Northumberland has about three different massive stories in it.
He's accused of ripping off his constituents to the tune of £140k.
He owes his own council nearly £40k in unpaid tax.
His own council is suing him.
He's accused of ripping off his constituents to the tune of £140k.
He owes his own council nearly £40k in unpaid tax.
His own council is suing him.
Blyth Reform councillor Barry Elliott's property firms owe customers £140,000
Property companies owned or run by Barry Elliott owe tens of thousands of pounds to customers.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 19, 2025 at 8:45 AM
This story about a Reform councillor in Northumberland has about three different massive stories in it.
He's accused of ripping off his constituents to the tune of £140k.
He owes his own council nearly £40k in unpaid tax.
His own council is suing him.
He's accused of ripping off his constituents to the tune of £140k.
He owes his own council nearly £40k in unpaid tax.
His own council is suing him.
Reposted by Leigh Jones
Fresh from advising Morgan McSweeney last week, Labour peer Maurice Glasman addressed the annual conference of a pro-Reform group that has spread myths about the Covid vaccine and has claimed Starmer is "destroying Britain".
📝 New @desmog.com story 👇
📝 New @desmog.com story 👇
Influential Labour Peer Maurice Glasman Addressed Pro-Reform Conspiracy Group’s Conference
High-profile Labour peer Lord Maurice Glasman was one of the keynote speakers at the annual conference of the Together Declaration, a conspiracy theory group with ties to Reform UK. Together held its ...
www.desmog.com
November 18, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Fresh from advising Morgan McSweeney last week, Labour peer Maurice Glasman addressed the annual conference of a pro-Reform group that has spread myths about the Covid vaccine and has claimed Starmer is "destroying Britain".
📝 New @desmog.com story 👇
📝 New @desmog.com story 👇
Reposted by Leigh Jones
Thrilled to announce I'm teaming up with Nvidia to create a basket big enough to fit all of humanity's eggs in it
November 18, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Thrilled to announce I'm teaming up with Nvidia to create a basket big enough to fit all of humanity's eggs in it
Reposted by Leigh Jones
Wildest @politicshome.bsky.social headline I’ve seen for a long time www.politicshome.com/news/article...
The Home Office Secretly Funded A Boyband To Sing Songs About 7/7 In Muslim Areas
Exclusive: A secretive Home Office department funded a little-known boyband to travel around Muslim areas of the UK and sing songs with anti-radica...
www.politicshome.com
November 17, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Wildest @politicshome.bsky.social headline I’ve seen for a long time www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Great timing for this story given other headlines.
"The teenager spent 10 months living in a hotel room with her mother and grandmother when she first came to Wales in 2022... Kateryna's project will be studied further by third year undergraduates at least four years older than her..."
"The teenager spent 10 months living in a hotel room with her mother and grandmother when she first came to Wales in 2022... Kateryna's project will be studied further by third year undergraduates at least four years older than her..."
Swansea: Teenager who fled Ukraine war now studying space technology
Kateryna has been described as an
www.bbc.co.uk
November 17, 2025 at 8:54 AM
Great timing for this story given other headlines.
"The teenager spent 10 months living in a hotel room with her mother and grandmother when she first came to Wales in 2022... Kateryna's project will be studied further by third year undergraduates at least four years older than her..."
"The teenager spent 10 months living in a hotel room with her mother and grandmother when she first came to Wales in 2022... Kateryna's project will be studied further by third year undergraduates at least four years older than her..."
Reposted by Leigh Jones
Excl: the Electoral Commission is examining whether the Labour Party failed to declare sponsorship donations from drinks receptions with business
on.ft.com/47JtHyv
on.ft.com/47JtHyv
Elections watchdog examining Labour drinks receptions with businesses
[FREE TO READ] The party classifies such events as ‘commercial partnerships’
on.ft.com
November 17, 2025 at 6:11 AM
Excl: the Electoral Commission is examining whether the Labour Party failed to declare sponsorship donations from drinks receptions with business
on.ft.com/47JtHyv
on.ft.com/47JtHyv
Reposted by Leigh Jones
Not everyone is unhappy about the Government's descent into anti-refugee politics
November 16, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Not everyone is unhappy about the Government's descent into anti-refugee politics
I have to say the absolute worst thing in my life right now is when I take my six year old daughter to play football and her opponents are coached by two men.
Always, without fail, overly competitive, and speak to their teams in ways which they don't realise undermine their teams' enjoyment.
Always, without fail, overly competitive, and speak to their teams in ways which they don't realise undermine their teams' enjoyment.
November 15, 2025 at 12:50 PM
I have to say the absolute worst thing in my life right now is when I take my six year old daughter to play football and her opponents are coached by two men.
Always, without fail, overly competitive, and speak to their teams in ways which they don't realise undermine their teams' enjoyment.
Always, without fail, overly competitive, and speak to their teams in ways which they don't realise undermine their teams' enjoyment.
Reposted by Leigh Jones
Prime example of why the contract between the public and the police is breaking down, regardless of long term crime trends. Thames Valley Police don’t even think it’s their job to investigate this. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Kidlington fly-tipping: Criminals dump mountain of waste in field
The enormous pile of rubbish is called an
www.bbc.co.uk
November 14, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Prime example of why the contract between the public and the police is breaking down, regardless of long term crime trends. Thames Valley Police don’t even think it’s their job to investigate this. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Leigh Jones
trying to switch off the AI bloatware that has been pinned to the top of every single menu in every single app
April 26, 2025 at 9:30 PM
trying to switch off the AI bloatware that has been pinned to the top of every single menu in every single app
Reposted by Leigh Jones
The difference in time between now and I can has cheezburger
Is the same between I can has Cheezburger and the Berlin Wall falling
Is the same between I can has Cheezburger and the Berlin Wall falling
November 10, 2025 at 5:46 PM
The difference in time between now and I can has cheezburger
Is the same between I can has Cheezburger and the Berlin Wall falling
Is the same between I can has Cheezburger and the Berlin Wall falling
Reposted by Leigh Jones
and so we move one step closer to the creation of Hitler Park
Exclusive: Adolf Hitler’s DNA has been sequenced by scientists
It has:
- shown he had a disorder which impacted his sexual development
- debunked rumours about his ancestry
- shown a high likelihood that he had a neurodivergent condition and/or bipolar disorder
www.thetimes.com/article/e728...
It has:
- shown he had a disorder which impacted his sexual development
- debunked rumours about his ancestry
- shown a high likelihood that he had a neurodivergent condition and/or bipolar disorder
www.thetimes.com/article/e728...
Hitler had hidden genetic sexual disorder, DNA analysis reveals
The Nazi dictator had Kallmann syndrome, which hinders normal puberty and the development of sexual organs, according to groundbreaking research
www.thetimes.com
November 12, 2025 at 5:45 PM
and so we move one step closer to the creation of Hitler Park
Reposted by Leigh Jones
Nothing illustrates the arseholery of the IOC and the British Press more than the use of the image of a not-Trans woman to illustrate a story about trans women being banned (because there are no current trans women competing at this level)
November 10, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Nothing illustrates the arseholery of the IOC and the British Press more than the use of the image of a not-Trans woman to illustrate a story about trans women being banned (because there are no current trans women competing at this level)
Reposted by Leigh Jones
In 'A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master' Freddy Krueger is resurrected by a dog pissing on his remains and I don't see why that wouldn't work perfectly well here.
James Bond’s death in No Time to Die is causing a nightmare for the next film. Writers are stuck because Bond “was blown to pieces.”
Anthony Horowitz, author of three 007 novels, says:
“You can't have him wake up in shower and saying it was all a dream."
radaronline.com/p/james-bond...
Anthony Horowitz, author of three 007 novels, says:
“You can't have him wake up in shower and saying it was all a dream."
radaronline.com/p/james-bond...
November 11, 2025 at 12:24 PM
In 'A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master' Freddy Krueger is resurrected by a dog pissing on his remains and I don't see why that wouldn't work perfectly well here.
Waiting times are too long. Let's abolish the NHS.
Personally I'd be pleased to see BBC News disappear entirely. To argue, as many do, that British politics or our news environment would be so much worse without the BBC you have to explain why British politics and news environment is so very bad with the BBC.
November 11, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Waiting times are too long. Let's abolish the NHS.
Reposted by Leigh Jones
Key point in an important thread.
We might also wonder why the BBC entrusts episodes of its leading current affairs strand to outside producers. But that takes us back to Conservative govmt demands, under the guise of market liberalisation, that they shift spending to independents. The slow death of the BBC was planned long ago…
3/3
3/3
November 11, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Key point in an important thread.
Reposted by Leigh Jones
I do like how, in the bit of Prescott's memo where he criticises the BBC for editing together different parts of Trump's speech, his own quote of "what Trump actually said" is... edited together from different parts of his speech.
November 10, 2025 at 9:45 AM
I do like how, in the bit of Prescott's memo where he criticises the BBC for editing together different parts of Trump's speech, his own quote of "what Trump actually said" is... edited together from different parts of his speech.
Reposted by Leigh Jones
The BBC will fuck things up from time to time. Lots of major news organisations do; just look at The Times having to memoryhole several fake news stories in a matter of weeks.
No one is calling for the abolition of The Times, however.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
No one is calling for the abolition of The Times, however.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
UK newspaper editor calls Bill de Blasio fake interview blunder ‘humiliating’
A Times associate editor reportedly addressed situation in an email to staff, saying: ‘We should have been on our guard’
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:53 AM
The BBC will fuck things up from time to time. Lots of major news organisations do; just look at The Times having to memoryhole several fake news stories in a matter of weeks.
No one is calling for the abolition of The Times, however.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
No one is calling for the abolition of The Times, however.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
It's proper David Cameron the day after the Brexit vote stuff, isn't it?
"This is hard, but I can just leave".
"This is hard, but I can just leave".
🔴 Breaking I Davie faced mounting criticism that a Panorama documentary misled viewers by editing a speech by Donald Trump
➡️ Read more: trib.al/I0iw7aP
➡️ Read more: trib.al/I0iw7aP
November 9, 2025 at 6:59 PM
It's proper David Cameron the day after the Brexit vote stuff, isn't it?
"This is hard, but I can just leave".
"This is hard, but I can just leave".
Reposted by Leigh Jones
Reposted by Leigh Jones
incredible photo that's definitely worth at least 1,000 words from Andrew Harnik of Getty
November 6, 2025 at 6:10 PM
incredible photo that's definitely worth at least 1,000 words from Andrew Harnik of Getty
I'm terrified of even expressing a personal opinion in the newsroom, and yet...
The BBC has upheld 20 impartiality complaints after presenter Martine Croxall changed a script she was reading live from "pregnant people" to "women". The BBC complaints unit said her "exasperated" facial expression gave an impression of her personal view bbc.com/news/articles/c3epwz08ewzo
Martine Croxall broke rules over 'pregnant people' facial expression, BBC says
The BBC newsreader was reading out a news bulletin about research on groups most at risk during UK heatwaves.
bbc.com
November 6, 2025 at 2:42 PM
I'm terrified of even expressing a personal opinion in the newsroom, and yet...