Martin Robbins
@mjrobbins.com
Substack: mjrobbins.com
Podcast: abundancepod.com
Podcast: abundancepod.com
Pinned
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
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.
Reposted by Martin Robbins
A single shared source of truth is essential for a functioning democracy.
Without it you’re left with fragmentation, polarisation and a perpetual culture war where the discourse focuses on what divides us rather than what we have in common.
My column from last week: www.ft.com/content/5060...
Without it you’re left with fragmentation, polarisation and a perpetual culture war where the discourse focuses on what divides us rather than what we have in common.
My column from last week: www.ft.com/content/5060...
Why American-style polarisation is spreading across the west
New research shows how incentives in the modern media ecosystem help explain rising division and negativity
www.ft.com
November 10, 2025 at 1:43 PM
A single shared source of truth is essential for a functioning democracy.
Without it you’re left with fragmentation, polarisation and a perpetual culture war where the discourse focuses on what divides us rather than what we have in common.
My column from last week: www.ft.com/content/5060...
Without it you’re left with fragmentation, polarisation and a perpetual culture war where the discourse focuses on what divides us rather than what we have in common.
My column from last week: www.ft.com/content/5060...
Reposted by Martin Robbins
What did Watson and Crick discover in 1953?”
“Rosalind Franklin’s notes!”
Now would be a good time to listen to my interview with the brilliant @matthewcobb.bsky.social about Franklin, Watson, Crick and the discovery of the double helix. geneticsunzipped.com/blog/2023/8/...
“Rosalind Franklin’s notes!”
Now would be a good time to listen to my interview with the brilliant @matthewcobb.bsky.social about Franklin, Watson, Crick and the discovery of the double helix. geneticsunzipped.com/blog/2023/8/...
What really happened between Franklin, Watson and Crick in the discovery of the DNA double helix? — Genetics Unzipped
Kat Arney chats with Professor Matthew Cobb about what really happened between James Watson, Francis Crick and Rosalind Franklin during the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA.
geneticsunzipped.com
November 8, 2025 at 8:53 AM
What did Watson and Crick discover in 1953?”
“Rosalind Franklin’s notes!”
Now would be a good time to listen to my interview with the brilliant @matthewcobb.bsky.social about Franklin, Watson, Crick and the discovery of the double helix. geneticsunzipped.com/blog/2023/8/...
“Rosalind Franklin’s notes!”
Now would be a good time to listen to my interview with the brilliant @matthewcobb.bsky.social about Franklin, Watson, Crick and the discovery of the double helix. geneticsunzipped.com/blog/2023/8/...
Reposted by Martin Robbins
A mind-boggling tale of HS2-related NIMBYism and general whatthefuckery
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 7, 2025 at 9:22 AM
A mind-boggling tale of HS2-related NIMBYism and general whatthefuckery
Reposted by Martin Robbins
Duncan woke up and chose violence
Tax policy on the British left is pure "anti-bedtime left". Bizarre idea that you can have a big social democratic welfare state without everyone contributing properly www.economist.com/britain/2025...
November 6, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Duncan woke up and chose violence
ICYMI: The maddening, exclusive story of how HS2 were forced to build a state-of-the-art road bridge for a track that was unsuitable for motor vehicles.
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 4, 2025 at 8:15 AM
ICYMI: The maddening, exclusive story of how HS2 were forced to build a state-of-the-art road bridge for a track that was unsuitable for motor vehicles.
Reposted by Martin Robbins
This is genuinely extraordinary
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 10:58 PM
This is genuinely extraordinary
For the discerning evening reader: how a bureaucratic nightmare forced HS2 to build a 2-lane road bridge for a track that's not suitable for motor vehicles.
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 6:49 PM
For the discerning evening reader: how a bureaucratic nightmare forced HS2 to build a 2-lane road bridge for a track that's not suitable for motor vehicles.
Reposted by Martin Robbins
Blockbuster scoop - this is worse than the bat tunnel!
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 10:04 AM
Blockbuster scoop - this is worse than the bat tunnel!
Reposted by Martin Robbins
This is honestly like something from an episode of Yes Prime Minister.
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 1:33 PM
This is honestly like something from an episode of Yes Prime Minister.
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 Martin Robbins
This is an extraordinary read which does make you want to bang your head against the millions of pounds of steel and concrete used to build this pointless bridge
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 9:36 AM
This is an extraordinary read which does make you want to bang your head against the millions of pounds of steel and concrete used to build this pointless bridge
Reposted by Martin Robbins
Absolute marmalade-dropper, this. Well worth a read.
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 8:17 AM
Absolute marmalade-dropper, this. Well worth a read.
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 7:16 AM
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.
I have an actual proper exclusive story on the Substack tomorrow morning of bat tunnel proportions, which I’ll be covering with a multimedia extravaganza of post, pod and experimental YouTube video. So, er, get yourself subscribed to the ‘stack…
November 2, 2025 at 8:05 PM
I have an actual proper exclusive story on the Substack tomorrow morning of bat tunnel proportions, which I’ll be covering with a multimedia extravaganza of post, pod and experimental YouTube video. So, er, get yourself subscribed to the ‘stack…
On an unrelated note will be watching keenly tonight to see if our theory about Celia Imrie holds up… (after that weird portrait wink in episode 1)
Tempted to write a 10,000 word Substack on what Kate Garraway's behaviour in #CelebrityTraitors tells us about the broken culture in mainstream TV news journalism.
October 29, 2025 at 6:20 PM
On an unrelated note will be watching keenly tonight to see if our theory about Celia Imrie holds up… (after that weird portrait wink in episode 1)
Tempted to write a 10,000 word Substack on what Kate Garraway's behaviour in #CelebrityTraitors tells us about the broken culture in mainstream TV news journalism.
October 25, 2025 at 9:19 AM
Tempted to write a 10,000 word Substack on what Kate Garraway's behaviour in #CelebrityTraitors tells us about the broken culture in mainstream TV news journalism.
1000%
why are people on the left using "populist" in a positive way now, you shouldn't want your politicians to be populists, "populism" isn't good
October 25, 2025 at 8:32 AM
1000%
The daftest part is… I don’t think it is? Every time we build something like the Dome or Crossrail or the Olympics or whatever there’s loud grumbling from the usual Cheems brigade then everyone likes it anyway and it has no effect on the next election.
The Palace of Westminster is literally going to either burn down, kill someone, or both because spending money to save it is perceived as so politically toxic.
October 23, 2025 at 7:49 AM
The daftest part is… I don’t think it is? Every time we build something like the Dome or Crossrail or the Olympics or whatever there’s loud grumbling from the usual Cheems brigade then everyone likes it anyway and it has no effect on the next election.
Reposted by Martin Robbins
Big fan of building new homes, no strong views on housebuilders, but... why is everyone so righteous about forcing housebuilders to pay for new GP surgeries and schools? They didn't magically create the patients and pupils. We pay for doctors and schools in tax.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
October 20, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Big fan of building new homes, no strong views on housebuilders, but... why is everyone so righteous about forcing housebuilders to pay for new GP surgeries and schools? They didn't magically create the patients and pupils. We pay for doctors and schools in tax.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Reposted by Martin Robbins
New episode of THE ABUNDANCE AGENDA!
🐄 @mjrobbins.com's disturbing 'cow experience'
🚚 Why cross-channel freight is broken (and how to fix it)
🚕 How London could be the robotaxi capital of the world
Listen/subscribe:
www.abundancepod.com/p/dont-have-...
🐄 @mjrobbins.com's disturbing 'cow experience'
🚚 Why cross-channel freight is broken (and how to fix it)
🚕 How London could be the robotaxi capital of the world
Listen/subscribe:
www.abundancepod.com/p/dont-have-...
Don't have a cow, man!
Plus why cross-channel freight is broken (and how to fix it) – and autonomous cars!
www.abundancepod.com
October 20, 2025 at 10:05 AM
New episode of THE ABUNDANCE AGENDA!
🐄 @mjrobbins.com's disturbing 'cow experience'
🚚 Why cross-channel freight is broken (and how to fix it)
🚕 How London could be the robotaxi capital of the world
Listen/subscribe:
www.abundancepod.com/p/dont-have-...
🐄 @mjrobbins.com's disturbing 'cow experience'
🚚 Why cross-channel freight is broken (and how to fix it)
🚕 How London could be the robotaxi capital of the world
Listen/subscribe:
www.abundancepod.com/p/dont-have-...
I mean even just economically that’s insane, like what is your plan to sustain a functioning society with an ageing population and able-bodied people leaving the country? National service for octogenarians?!
She told the CPS fringe she wanted a "gross immigration" target close to the "tens of thousands" to make net emigration an annual *outflow* of about net 200k/year
bsky.app/profile/sund...
bsky.app/profile/sund...
Karl Williams thinks the right level of net migration should be around zero given net inflows.
Katie Lam goes considerably further: she proposes a gross immigration target "around tens of thousands" so a significant net outflow [she suggests over a million people would leave in a parliament]
Katie Lam goes considerably further: she proposes a gross immigration target "around tens of thousands" so a significant net outflow [she suggests over a million people would leave in a parliament]
October 19, 2025 at 8:38 AM
I mean even just economically that’s insane, like what is your plan to sustain a functioning society with an ageing population and able-bodied people leaving the country? National service for octogenarians?!
Every other line of this is quotable, for those who bothered to read it.
October 17, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Every other line of this is quotable, for those who bothered to read it.
I think my take here is that cute cat videos were always slop, they were just sort of ‘acceptable’ slop, whereas MrBeast (or reality TV more broadly) isn’t slop and an AI can’t replicate it because the whole point is that it’s long-form narrative about real people.
When anyone can generate a MrBeast video, how much does being MrBeast protect you against that?
When anyone can generate a cute cat video, how much does it being YOUR cute cat, that they know is real, matter to those who know/follow you?
How will identity and provenance figure into things?
When anyone can generate a cute cat video, how much does it being YOUR cute cat, that they know is real, matter to those who know/follow you?
How will identity and provenance figure into things?
October 17, 2025 at 9:24 AM
I think my take here is that cute cat videos were always slop, they were just sort of ‘acceptable’ slop, whereas MrBeast (or reality TV more broadly) isn’t slop and an AI can’t replicate it because the whole point is that it’s long-form narrative about real people.
Reposted by Martin Robbins
You will absolutely never guess what the context is for this rather ominous passage
www.thenational.scot/news/2553640...
www.thenational.scot/news/2553640...
October 13, 2025 at 12:46 PM
You will absolutely never guess what the context is for this rather ominous passage
www.thenational.scot/news/2553640...
www.thenational.scot/news/2553640...