Matthew Hamlyn
@matthewhamlyn.bsky.social
Ex-House of Commons official. Parliament, project delivery, heritage buildings, urban green spaces, food, travel, cats. Trustee at The Woodfield Project: www.thewoodfield.org Chair, Tooting Commons Management Advisory Committee tootingcommons.wordpress
Reposted by Matthew Hamlyn
Nowhere in the hysterical pile-on against the BBC in the British press has anyone mentioned that BBC News now has 77 million viewers & listeners in the US and has established itself as the second most trusted news source there.
November 11, 2025 at 8:37 AM
Nowhere in the hysterical pile-on against the BBC in the British press has anyone mentioned that BBC News now has 77 million viewers & listeners in the US and has established itself as the second most trusted news source there.
Reposted by Matthew Hamlyn
Reposted by Matthew Hamlyn
One nice detail that can easily be lost in this graph - even right wingers trust the BBC more than the right wing tabloids
Here’s the same data, but with trust broken down by political views (circles are trust among people on the left, +s the right).
It’s not just that the BBC is widely consumed — it also has solid trust on both left & right, whereas trust in the biggest US media brands is hugely polarised.
It’s not just that the BBC is widely consumed — it also has solid trust on both left & right, whereas trust in the biggest US media brands is hugely polarised.
November 10, 2025 at 5:40 PM
One nice detail that can easily be lost in this graph - even right wingers trust the BBC more than the right wing tabloids
Reposted by Matthew Hamlyn
Chloe Mawson has been appointed the 66th Clerk of the Parliaments and is the first woman to take up the post.
The Clerk of the Parliaments is head of the House of Lords Administration and Chief Procedural Adviser to the House.
The Clerk of the Parliaments is head of the House of Lords Administration and Chief Procedural Adviser to the House.
November 10, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Chloe Mawson has been appointed the 66th Clerk of the Parliaments and is the first woman to take up the post.
The Clerk of the Parliaments is head of the House of Lords Administration and Chief Procedural Adviser to the House.
The Clerk of the Parliaments is head of the House of Lords Administration and Chief Procedural Adviser to the House.
Reposted by Matthew Hamlyn
Two panels commemorating the contribution of Black American soldiers towards the liberation of the Netherlands in World War Two have been quietly removed from a cemetery in Limburg. It follows a complaint by right-wing think tank The Heritage Foundation to the American Battle Monuments Commission.
Op Margraten zijn twee panelen over zwarte Amerikaanse bevrijders van Nederland opeens weg. ‘Past bij beleid van de regering-Trump’
Op Margraten zijn twee panelen over zwarte Amerikaanse bevrijders van Nederland opeens weg. ‘Past bij beleid van de regering-Trump’
Op de Amerikaanse begraafplaats in Margraten is het opeens stil geworden rond de zwarte Amerikanen die hielpen Nederland bevrijden. Twee panelen die hun bijdrage herdachten – én wezen op hun strijd tegen racisme binnen het leger – werden zonder toelichting verwijderd.
www.nrc.nl
November 8, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Two panels commemorating the contribution of Black American soldiers towards the liberation of the Netherlands in World War Two have been quietly removed from a cemetery in Limburg. It follows a complaint by right-wing think tank The Heritage Foundation to the American Battle Monuments Commission.
Agreed, the Today prog item on this was even worse than usual, generating heat and no light
For as many years as anyone been counting two or more inmates been mistakenly released from British prisons most weeks. Record does not make it acceptable. System needs to be fixed. It does leave me asking why BBC now gripped by end-of-civilisation hysteria heard on Radio 4 Today programme.
November 6, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Agreed, the Today prog item on this was even worse than usual, generating heat and no light
Along with numerous "Save our school" campaigns which local elected representatives may feel they have to support
November 6, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Along with numerous "Save our school" campaigns which local elected representatives may feel they have to support
Yup
A great day for the golden rule of political analysis: when the right wins it is a resounding ideological victory that humiliates the left and when the left wins it is a precarious fluke that will surely end up humiliating the left. Conservatives are power’s landlords and the left merely tenants
November 5, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Yup
Reposted by Matthew Hamlyn
Today's a perfect day to post some beautiful blue glass!
A gorgeous #Roman flask in the form of a shell, mold-blown from dark blue glass. It was used to hold perfume. Dating 1st century AD.
On display at British Museum.
📷 me
🏺 #archaeology
A gorgeous #Roman flask in the form of a shell, mold-blown from dark blue glass. It was used to hold perfume. Dating 1st century AD.
On display at British Museum.
📷 me
🏺 #archaeology
November 5, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Today's a perfect day to post some beautiful blue glass!
A gorgeous #Roman flask in the form of a shell, mold-blown from dark blue glass. It was used to hold perfume. Dating 1st century AD.
On display at British Museum.
📷 me
🏺 #archaeology
A gorgeous #Roman flask in the form of a shell, mold-blown from dark blue glass. It was used to hold perfume. Dating 1st century AD.
On display at British Museum.
📷 me
🏺 #archaeology
Reposted by Matthew Hamlyn
Amazing.
The defense team presses Lairmore on whether the sandwich really 'exploded.' They return to the photo of the sandwich and wrapper on the ground.
"That sandwich hasn't exploded at all, has it?" defense asks.
"It looks like a little bit is coming out towards the bottom," Lairmore replies.
"That sandwich hasn't exploded at all, has it?" defense asks.
"It looks like a little bit is coming out towards the bottom," Lairmore replies.
November 4, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Amazing.
Reposted by Matthew Hamlyn
Notable in today's YouGov that the centre/left bloc - Lab/Green/LD/SNP are on 54%. With Reform/Tories on 43%. That's the biggest differential in a long time.
I think useful to track blocs given instability between parties at the moment.
I think useful to track blocs given instability between parties at the moment.
November 4, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Notable in today's YouGov that the centre/left bloc - Lab/Green/LD/SNP are on 54%. With Reform/Tories on 43%. That's the biggest differential in a long time.
I think useful to track blocs given instability between parties at the moment.
I think useful to track blocs given instability between parties at the moment.
Reposted by Matthew Hamlyn
Enjoy an absolutely mad HS2 story with your Monday lunch.
My latest: Move over bat tunnel, here’s the wild story of how HS2 were forced to build a multi-million pound bridge for a road that… doesn’t actually exist.
How HS2 built a bridge to nowhere
A state-of-the-art road bridge has been built deep in the heart of rural Buckinghamshire. Designed to carry traffic over the HS2 railway, there's just one tiny problem - there's no actual road.
martinrobbins.substack.com
November 3, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Enjoy an absolutely mad HS2 story with your Monday lunch.
Reposted by Matthew Hamlyn
I know this won't surprise anyone here but Musk's reprogrammed artificial intelligence is spreading misinformation about yesterday's attack on a train
November 2, 2025 at 7:41 PM
I know this won't surprise anyone here but Musk's reprogrammed artificial intelligence is spreading misinformation about yesterday's attack on a train
Reposted by Matthew Hamlyn
🧵I've posted them before, but here's my thread of horror/kids' TV double-bill cinema posters. Happy Halloween...
#halloween #cinema #graphicdesign #poster
#halloween #cinema #graphicdesign #poster
October 31, 2025 at 9:39 AM
🧵I've posted them before, but here's my thread of horror/kids' TV double-bill cinema posters. Happy Halloween...
#halloween #cinema #graphicdesign #poster
#halloween #cinema #graphicdesign #poster
Reposted by Matthew Hamlyn
Reposting some spooky goings on from @vch-london.bsky.social.
A spooky story from the Victoria County History archive (or is it...?). A tribute to M R James and the world of the early VCH, which I first shared on 31 October last year - I hope you enjoy it. #Halloween @vch-home.bsky.social
blog.history.ac.uk/2024/10/vch-...
blog.history.ac.uk/2024/10/vch-...
VCH Ghost Story - On History
With the nights drawing in, it’s the season for storytelling. This curious and disconcerting letter was found recently in the archive of the Victoria County History of England (addressed to then-Gener...
blog.history.ac.uk
October 31, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Reposting some spooky goings on from @vch-london.bsky.social.
Very helpful
Off With Their Headers: A Brief History Of Stripping Titles
Off With Their Headers: A Brief History Of Stripping Titles
Stripping royals of their titles is not as difficult as some make out and easier than doing the same to peers, writes Daniel Brittain, as he explor...
www.politicshome.com
October 30, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Very helpful
Spot on
I find it insultingly dishonest when news reporters say things like "the government completely lost control of the news agenda" when what they mean is "this is what we have decided to talk about"
October 30, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Spot on
Reposted by Matthew Hamlyn
Every time I watch North by Northwest I am struck by the proufound but totally unacknowldged influence Hitch had on the Bond franchise. (Dr No came three years later.) This gibson-drinking, unflappable, debonair man, in an impeccably tailored suit, fakes his own death so he can act unseen. 1/3
October 30, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Every time I watch North by Northwest I am struck by the proufound but totally unacknowldged influence Hitch had on the Bond franchise. (Dr No came three years later.) This gibson-drinking, unflappable, debonair man, in an impeccably tailored suit, fakes his own death so he can act unseen. 1/3
Winner
Magisterial
October 30, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Winner
Very true
Exactly right. Voters can only hold MPs to account if they understand what they're doing.
Yesterday's ECHR vote was a "ten-minute bill": a way of raising an issue in a short speech with almost zero chance of becoming law.
That even many journalists misunderstood this is bad for trust in politics.
Yesterday's ECHR vote was a "ten-minute bill": a way of raising an issue in a short speech with almost zero chance of becoming law.
That even many journalists misunderstood this is bad for trust in politics.
Today shows how urgent modernisation of Parliamentary procedure is. Farage dominating headlines and social media with a Parliamentary tool that no one understands and has no actual weight but which has clearly frightened people.
October 30, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Very true
More useful gen on the Dutch elections
Ahead of tomorrow’s Dutch elections, I thought it might be helpful/interesting to briefly summarize the main parties’ campaign pledges in English.
October 29, 2025 at 6:50 PM
More useful gen on the Dutch elections
V helpful thread if you're interested in the election in the Netherlands today
HEADS-UP! 🚨
On Wednesday October 29, the Netherlands will holds its 9th (!) legislative elections of the 21st century. I will continue to post disproportionately about my country of birth and citizenship (but not of residence) in the coming weeks.
This will be my thread for Dutch news! 🧵
On Wednesday October 29, the Netherlands will holds its 9th (!) legislative elections of the 21st century. I will continue to post disproportionately about my country of birth and citizenship (but not of residence) in the coming weeks.
This will be my thread for Dutch news! 🧵
a map of netherlands with flags and a cartoon character
ALT: a map of netherlands with flags and a cartoon character
media.tenor.com
October 29, 2025 at 6:15 PM
V helpful thread if you're interested in the election in the Netherlands today
Perhaps @courtenayilbert.bsky.social could answer question 3? I am slightly confused myself
Three comments on this case:
1. Why does the Standard feel it necessary to refer to the defendant’s gender, which is irrelevant to the charge.
2. How was a summons issued in the County Court?
3. What possible power does the Speaker have to intervene?
www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/c...
1. Why does the Standard feel it necessary to refer to the defendant’s gender, which is irrelevant to the charge.
2. How was a summons issued in the County Court?
3. What possible power does the Speaker have to intervene?
www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/c...
Speaker took rare step to stop government minister facing court
Ellie Reeves gave evidence from behind a screen at Westminster Magistrates’ Court
www.standard.co.uk
October 29, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Perhaps @courtenayilbert.bsky.social could answer question 3? I am slightly confused myself
Reposted by Matthew Hamlyn
The Daily Star’s famous livestream of a 60p lettuce outlasting Liz Truss’ premiership has been acquired by the British Film Institute for its digital archive. (Via @dailystar.co.uk)
www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-...
www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-...
Daily Star's 60p Lettuce Liz that lasted longer than Truss immortalised by BFI
The lettuce livestream has been acquired by the British Film Institute’s National Archive as part of a digital collection featuring 400 significant pieces of British online video content
www.dailystar.co.uk
October 29, 2025 at 4:15 PM
The Daily Star’s famous livestream of a 60p lettuce outlasting Liz Truss’ premiership has been acquired by the British Film Institute for its digital archive. (Via @dailystar.co.uk)
www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-...
www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-...