Matthew Cooper
@matt02392.bsky.social
A blind music, sport and news junkie. Libertarian social democrat. Atheist. From Derby, UK
Reposted by Matthew Cooper
I was looking at Reform's policy again the other day. They're proposing a £60k salary for people on ILR keeping their visa. Which means pretty much every nurse on ILR would be a risk. It's insane.
Apropos of nothing, I really do think UK journalists and politicians need some reminding that mass deportation of LEGAL immigrants, particularly those with permanent status, is far more extreme than even Trump's America and would basically place Britain completely on its own among democracies.
October 19, 2025 at 12:03 PM
I was looking at Reform's policy again the other day. They're proposing a £60k salary for people on ILR keeping their visa. Which means pretty much every nurse on ILR would be a risk. It's insane.
Reposted by Matthew Cooper
I heard someone on a podcast say that music is boring now and, look, I am saying this as kindly as I can…skill issue.
October 10, 2025 at 1:29 AM
I heard someone on a podcast say that music is boring now and, look, I am saying this as kindly as I can…skill issue.
Reposted by Matthew Cooper
Spain’s broadcaster RTVE has confirmed that it will not participate in Eurovision next year if Israel is allowed to take part.
This is big. Spain is one of the Big 5 countries that contribute the most financially to the contest.
This is big. Spain is one of the Big 5 countries that contribute the most financially to the contest.
September 16, 2025 at 10:09 AM
Spain’s broadcaster RTVE has confirmed that it will not participate in Eurovision next year if Israel is allowed to take part.
This is big. Spain is one of the Big 5 countries that contribute the most financially to the contest.
This is big. Spain is one of the Big 5 countries that contribute the most financially to the contest.
Reposted by Matthew Cooper
Stop selling arms to Israel then.
September 16, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Stop selling arms to Israel then.
So who in the labour strategy team is convinced all of the lost votes from labour are going to reform? If the analysis is proving otherwise, why do they still keep pandering to them? It’s a choice. 
New analysis from @britishelectionstudy.com highlights a critical point I made in my post about the liklihood of a Reform election win this week.
Labour's lost votes from 2024 have nearly all gone to DK/LD/Green. There is a viable anti-Farage coalition there.
samf.substack.com/p/will-refor...
Labour's lost votes from 2024 have nearly all gone to DK/LD/Green. There is a viable anti-Farage coalition there.
samf.substack.com/p/will-refor...
September 4, 2025 at 8:38 AM
So who in the labour strategy team is convinced all of the lost votes from labour are going to reform? If the analysis is proving otherwise, why do they still keep pandering to them? It’s a choice. 
Further cuts to disability benefits are being trailed in the media again today. The talk is all of getting disabled people into work. So yes, let’s cut the support that helps disabled people work. That makes so much sense. Really starting to believe this government just hates us.
The Government has said the rising cost of Access to Work grants is unsustainable – but disabled people warn cuts are leaving them struggling trib.al/azHwauF
September 3, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Further cuts to disability benefits are being trailed in the media again today. The talk is all of getting disabled people into work. So yes, let’s cut the support that helps disabled people work. That makes so much sense. Really starting to believe this government just hates us.
Reposted by Matthew Cooper
"Disabled people’s feelings over the proposed changes to the way PIP is awarded range from worries about how they will afford to pay their bills, to anger at how the government could be so callous and cruel.
There is a real sense of the government being out to harm disabled people"
There is a real sense of the government being out to harm disabled people"
Disabled communities further disadvantaged by new ‘Welfare Bill’
Disabled people spoke to a North West Bylines reporter about their fears and concerns now the amended Bill has been passed
northwestbylines.co.uk
July 16, 2025 at 8:56 PM
"Disabled people’s feelings over the proposed changes to the way PIP is awarded range from worries about how they will afford to pay their bills, to anger at how the government could be so callous and cruel.
There is a real sense of the government being out to harm disabled people"
There is a real sense of the government being out to harm disabled people"
Reposted by Matthew Cooper
Tony Blair wants to sell Palestinian land...on the blockchain?
@franifio.bsky.social explains five of the worst plans for Gaza: youtu.be/W9QTcmOuopY
@franifio.bsky.social explains five of the worst plans for Gaza: youtu.be/W9QTcmOuopY
July 16, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Tony Blair wants to sell Palestinian land...on the blockchain?
@franifio.bsky.social explains five of the worst plans for Gaza: youtu.be/W9QTcmOuopY
@franifio.bsky.social explains five of the worst plans for Gaza: youtu.be/W9QTcmOuopY
Reposted by Matthew Cooper
Some people with disabilities are waiting over 6-months for Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to contact them to discuss the support they need to obtain or stay in paid work or set-up their own businesses.
Petition: Take action to improve waiting times for access to work applications
Some people with disabilities are waiting over 6-months for Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to contact them to discuss the support they need to obtain or stay in paid work or set-up their own…
petition.parliament.uk
April 7, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Some people with disabilities are waiting over 6-months for Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to contact them to discuss the support they need to obtain or stay in paid work or set-up their own businesses.
Reposted by Matthew Cooper
Minimum wage for a 9-5 full time job (40 hours a week) is, as of today, £25,396 a year for anyone over 21.
Which is why it's amazing to see journalism jobs requiring a degree, job experience, and driving licence advertised at a "competitive salary" of £22,380. tindlenews.co.uk/careers/jour...
Which is why it's amazing to see journalism jobs requiring a degree, job experience, and driving licence advertised at a "competitive salary" of £22,380. tindlenews.co.uk/careers/jour...
Reporter, South Hams Gazette - Tindle News
The South Hams Gazette team is looking for a qualified Reporter who can deliver rich multimedia articles and videos
tindlenews.co.uk
April 1, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Minimum wage for a 9-5 full time job (40 hours a week) is, as of today, £25,396 a year for anyone over 21.
Which is why it's amazing to see journalism jobs requiring a degree, job experience, and driving licence advertised at a "competitive salary" of £22,380. tindlenews.co.uk/careers/jour...
Which is why it's amazing to see journalism jobs requiring a degree, job experience, and driving licence advertised at a "competitive salary" of £22,380. tindlenews.co.uk/careers/jour...
Reposted by Matthew Cooper
Trump today: If Iran does not agree to a deal “There will be bombing and it will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before”
Can he go 1 day without threatening a new war? How many would he like?
- Greenland
- Panama
- Gaza
- Mexico
- Yemen
- Somalia
- Gaza
- Venezuela
Is 8 enough?
Can he go 1 day without threatening a new war? How many would he like?
- Greenland
- Panama
- Gaza
- Mexico
- Yemen
- Somalia
- Gaza
- Venezuela
Is 8 enough?
March 31, 2025 at 3:36 AM
Trump today: If Iran does not agree to a deal “There will be bombing and it will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before”
Can he go 1 day without threatening a new war? How many would he like?
- Greenland
- Panama
- Gaza
- Mexico
- Yemen
- Somalia
- Gaza
- Venezuela
Is 8 enough?
Can he go 1 day without threatening a new war? How many would he like?
- Greenland
- Panama
- Gaza
- Mexico
- Yemen
- Somalia
- Gaza
- Venezuela
Is 8 enough?
Reposted by Matthew Cooper
Shortwave listeners noting China already taking over some frequencies used by VOA and RFA as USAGM has silenced its own transmitters. Especially critical with thousands of casualties in the Myanmar M7.7 quake where survivors would normally be receiving vital info from our Burmese language services.
March 30, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Shortwave listeners noting China already taking over some frequencies used by VOA and RFA as USAGM has silenced its own transmitters. Especially critical with thousands of casualties in the Myanmar M7.7 quake where survivors would normally be receiving vital info from our Burmese language services.
Reposted by Matthew Cooper
Remember when then-FBI Director Comey said in 2014 that the “post-Snowden pendulum has swung too far” in favor of privacy?
U.S. Officials Called Signal a Tool for Terrorists and Criminals. Now They’re Using It.
Despite years of official criticism of encrypted messaging, CIA Director John Ratcliffe revealed that Signal comes installed on agency computers.
interc.pt
March 27, 2025 at 1:38 AM
Remember when then-FBI Director Comey said in 2014 that the “post-Snowden pendulum has swung too far” in favor of privacy?
Reposted by Matthew Cooper
uhhhh it looks like Dems just flipped a R+17 Pennsylvania State Senate seat in Amish country…
March 26, 2025 at 1:59 AM
uhhhh it looks like Dems just flipped a R+17 Pennsylvania State Senate seat in Amish country…
Reposted by Matthew Cooper
Effectively as a punishment for winning an Oscar, this Palestinian director was beaten in front of his home. Instead of helping him, the Israeli army arrested him, blindfolded him and forced him to sleep under a freezing air conditioner www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...
Hamdan Ballal: Oscar-winning Palestinian director released from Israeli detention
No Other Land director Hamdan Ballal released a day after he was attacked by settlers and detained by Israeli forces
www.theguardian.com
March 26, 2025 at 6:53 AM
Effectively as a punishment for winning an Oscar, this Palestinian director was beaten in front of his home. Instead of helping him, the Israeli army arrested him, blindfolded him and forced him to sleep under a freezing air conditioner www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...
Reposted by Matthew Cooper
Carnegie's Life in the UK project has published its 2024 overview of wellbeing in England.
- Its indicators score us a 6/10 society overall
Averages differ by income, by place, by health, disability, and ethnicity,
- But down at 4/10 for democratic voice & trust
carnegieuk.org/publication/...
- Its indicators score us a 6/10 society overall
Averages differ by income, by place, by health, disability, and ethnicity,
- But down at 4/10 for democratic voice & trust
carnegieuk.org/publication/...
March 24, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Carnegie's Life in the UK project has published its 2024 overview of wellbeing in England.
- Its indicators score us a 6/10 society overall
Averages differ by income, by place, by health, disability, and ethnicity,
- But down at 4/10 for democratic voice & trust
carnegieuk.org/publication/...
- Its indicators score us a 6/10 society overall
Averages differ by income, by place, by health, disability, and ethnicity,
- But down at 4/10 for democratic voice & trust
carnegieuk.org/publication/...
Reposted by Matthew Cooper
Good news from the British Election Study: there's no sign of the reported uptick in sexism among young British men
Bad news: what's going on with middle aged men?
Bad news: what's going on with middle aged men?
March 21, 2025 at 7:29 AM
Good news from the British Election Study: there's no sign of the reported uptick in sexism among young British men
Bad news: what's going on with middle aged men?
Bad news: what's going on with middle aged men?
Reposted by Matthew Cooper
22 years ago today, the US and UK illegally invaded Iraq.
In doing so, they unleashed bloody chaos which so many are still paying the price for today.
As I wrote in 2016, the Iraq war was not a "blunder" or a "mistake".
It was a crime.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
In doing so, they unleashed bloody chaos which so many are still paying the price for today.
As I wrote in 2016, the Iraq war was not a "blunder" or a "mistake".
It was a crime.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The war in Iraq was not a blunder or a mistake. It was a crime | Owen Jones
Tony Blair says he did not know military action would be disastrous. In truth, he was warned many times
www.theguardian.com
March 21, 2025 at 8:02 AM
22 years ago today, the US and UK illegally invaded Iraq.
In doing so, they unleashed bloody chaos which so many are still paying the price for today.
As I wrote in 2016, the Iraq war was not a "blunder" or a "mistake".
It was a crime.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
In doing so, they unleashed bloody chaos which so many are still paying the price for today.
As I wrote in 2016, the Iraq war was not a "blunder" or a "mistake".
It was a crime.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Matthew Cooper
An unarmed Israeli Arab was shot by a Jewish Israeli in the street in Jerusalem for no reason with a crowd chanting “Death to Arabs” and an Israeli judge just let the man go.
March 15, 2025 at 8:43 PM
An unarmed Israeli Arab was shot by a Jewish Israeli in the street in Jerusalem for no reason with a crowd chanting “Death to Arabs” and an Israeli judge just let the man go.
Reposted by Matthew Cooper
Hes back, join Josh from 8pm for pick n mix,
March 15, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Hes back, join Josh from 8pm for pick n mix,
Reposted by Matthew Cooper
Downing Street considers U-turn on cuts to benefits for disabled people
Downing Street considers U-turn on cuts to benefits for disabled people
Controversial plans to cut personal independence payments (Pip) may be shelved after a tense cabinet meeting and backlash from Labour MPs
Ministers have left the door open to a humiliating U-turn on their highly contentious plans to cut benefits for…
www.theguardian.com
March 15, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Downing Street considers U-turn on cuts to benefits for disabled people
Change is not always for the better. We have a competent government now. Competent doesn't always mean that their policy positions are any better, so in this case, you could make a strong argument for them being a party of change for the worse, at least for the most vulnerable.
Keir Starmer's Government now boasts they are doing what the Conservatives "only ever talked about".
But if the "change" Starmer promised is being even harsher on refugees, the poor and disabled than the Conservatives managed, then is it really change at all?
www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/keir-starm...
But if the "change" Starmer promised is being even harsher on refugees, the poor and disabled than the Conservatives managed, then is it really change at all?
www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/keir-starm...
Keir Starmer Is Doing What the Conservatives 'Only Ever Talked About'
What is the point of a Labour Government that takes a 'chainsaw' to support for the disabled while targeting vulnerable refugees?
www.adambienkov.co.uk
March 15, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Change is not always for the better. We have a competent government now. Competent doesn't always mean that their policy positions are any better, so in this case, you could make a strong argument for them being a party of change for the worse, at least for the most vulnerable.
Reposted by Matthew Cooper
The thing is, no, you wouldn't, because you did, in fact, release a white paper last year, "Get Britain Working," that mentioned none of this, in fact it recognised the solution to high economic inactivity was investment in skills, transport and jobs. It was briefed explicitly as a break from cuts.
🚨"Whether we had £10 or £10 billion headroom, we would still be doing this stuff"
How Keir Starmer plans to face down his Labour critics - including in his own cabinet - to force through welfare cuts.
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/keir-s...
How Keir Starmer plans to face down his Labour critics - including in his own cabinet - to force through welfare cuts.
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/keir-s...
Keir Starmer Will Face Down Labour Rebels To Slash Billions From Welfare Budget
"Whether we had £10 or £10 billion headroom, we would still be doing this stuff," said an ally of the PM.
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk
March 15, 2025 at 9:17 AM
The thing is, no, you wouldn't, because you did, in fact, release a white paper last year, "Get Britain Working," that mentioned none of this, in fact it recognised the solution to high economic inactivity was investment in skills, transport and jobs. It was briefed explicitly as a break from cuts.
Reposted by Matthew Cooper
NEW 🧵 Is human intelligence starting to decline?
Recent results from major international tests show that the average person’s capacity to process information, use reasoning and solve novel problems has been falling since around the mid 2010s
What should we make of this?
www.ft.com/content/a801...
Recent results from major international tests show that the average person’s capacity to process information, use reasoning and solve novel problems has been falling since around the mid 2010s
What should we make of this?
www.ft.com/content/a801...
March 14, 2025 at 1:18 PM
NEW 🧵 Is human intelligence starting to decline?
Recent results from major international tests show that the average person’s capacity to process information, use reasoning and solve novel problems has been falling since around the mid 2010s
What should we make of this?
www.ft.com/content/a801...
Recent results from major international tests show that the average person’s capacity to process information, use reasoning and solve novel problems has been falling since around the mid 2010s
What should we make of this?
www.ft.com/content/a801...