Ms Lesley Smith
@mslesleysmith.bsky.social
Ex Amazon and Revolut. Brent Councillor. London, Norfolk, politics, walking, running slowly…🇺🇦
@figlover.bsky.social Petula Clark also started in Powell & Pressburger’s I Know Where I’m Going (as the slightly weird daughter) in 1945!
November 13, 2025 at 2:13 PM
@figlover.bsky.social Petula Clark also started in Powell & Pressburger’s I Know Where I’m Going (as the slightly weird daughter) in 1945!
Reposted by Ms Lesley Smith
If you haven't read @markurban.bsky.social's insider takes on the BBC 'crisis' (scare quotes since there is one every five years or so- see the experience of almost every previous DG), they are very worth it and an interesting contrast with @lewisgoodall.com
markurban.substack.com/p/the-bbc-is...
markurban.substack.com/p/the-bbc-is...
The BBC is Deep in Crisis
Some inside scoop on what's happened and why
markurban.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 10:02 PM
If you haven't read @markurban.bsky.social's insider takes on the BBC 'crisis' (scare quotes since there is one every five years or so- see the experience of almost every previous DG), they are very worth it and an interesting contrast with @lewisgoodall.com
markurban.substack.com/p/the-bbc-is...
markurban.substack.com/p/the-bbc-is...
Reposted by Ms Lesley Smith
Hadn't realsied that ex FT, BreakingViews and Reuters journalist Hugo Dixon is the guy behind the plan to channel Russia’s $300 billion frozen sovereign assets to Ukraine via a reparations loan. Dixon devised he plan in March 2024 with Lee Buchheit and Daleep Singh.
🔊 Western countries hold $300 billion of Russia’s central bank assets. EU leaders have endorsed lending them to Kyiv. On The Big View podcast, Reuters Commentator-at-Large Hugo Dixon, an early advocate of the idea, tells Peter Thal Larsen how it works reut.rs/4nM4J7n
How to use frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine: podcast
Western countries hold $300 bln in cash and bonds owned by Moscow’s central bank. EU leaders have endorsed lending them to Kyiv. On this episode of The Big View podcast Reuters Commentator-at-Large Hugo Dixon, an early advocate of the idea, tells Peter Thal Larsen how it works.
reut.rs
November 11, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Hadn't realsied that ex FT, BreakingViews and Reuters journalist Hugo Dixon is the guy behind the plan to channel Russia’s $300 billion frozen sovereign assets to Ukraine via a reparations loan. Dixon devised he plan in March 2024 with Lee Buchheit and Daleep Singh.
Why not? Your word list is gallingly deficient New York Times.
November 11, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Why not? Your word list is gallingly deficient New York Times.
Don’t believe this nonsense either. What is the Times playing at.
Fancy a big night in? Britons go nuts for pub snacks at home
Demand for pork scratchings, real ales and Scotch eggs soar as middle-class consumers seek to recreate a ‘proper old boozer’ without going out
Demand for pork scratchings, real ales and Scotch eggs soar as middle-class consumers seek to recreate a ‘proper old boozer’ without going out
Fancy a big night in? Britons go nuts for pub snacks at home
www.thetimes.com
November 10, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Don’t believe this nonsense either. What is the Times playing at.
Reposted by Ms Lesley Smith
Bill Nighy for DG BBC. observer.co.uk/culture/inte...
November 9, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Bill Nighy for DG BBC. observer.co.uk/culture/inte...
The “I’m just going because the time is right with the Royal Charter coming up” line doesn’t quite work with Deborah Turness going at the same time.
November 9, 2025 at 7:39 PM
The “I’m just going because the time is right with the Royal Charter coming up” line doesn’t quite work with Deborah Turness going at the same time.
The Traitors Circle by @jonathanfreedland.bsky.social is really terrific. Buy now.
November 8, 2025 at 10:07 PM
The Traitors Circle by @jonathanfreedland.bsky.social is really terrific. Buy now.
Much of Kyiv had just three hours of electricity today despite temperatures of 5-7 degrees after last nights attacks of electricity infrastructure. Support United 24 to fight back here u24app.gov.ua/main?utm_sou...
United24
u24app.gov.ua
November 8, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Much of Kyiv had just three hours of electricity today despite temperatures of 5-7 degrees after last nights attacks of electricity infrastructure. Support United 24 to fight back here u24app.gov.ua/main?utm_sou...
More to the point, the issue here isn’t the voting system but the growing credence given to a simplistic far right narrative. Yes they lost this time but came very close. Centrists and the centre left need a very clear and relentless narrative based on delivering fairness and opportunity.
Even a big far-right vote couldn’t give the far-right total control, because the Dutch democracy promotes cooperation.
Here in the UK, just one-third of the vote could give Nigel Farage a huge majority of MPs.
Our democracy isn't fit for 21st-century politics. We need Proportional Representation.
Here in the UK, just one-third of the vote could give Nigel Farage a huge majority of MPs.
Our democracy isn't fit for 21st-century politics. We need Proportional Representation.
November 1, 2025 at 9:34 AM
More to the point, the issue here isn’t the voting system but the growing credence given to a simplistic far right narrative. Yes they lost this time but came very close. Centrists and the centre left need a very clear and relentless narrative based on delivering fairness and opportunity.
Reposted by Ms Lesley Smith
Gotta love Private Eye.
Always cuts through the crap.
Always cuts through the crap.
October 31, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Gotta love Private Eye.
Always cuts through the crap.
Always cuts through the crap.
Much enjoying Ken Follet reminiscing about being a local newspaper reporter in Cardiff (BBC Radio 4)
November 1, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Much enjoying Ken Follet reminiscing about being a local newspaper reporter in Cardiff (BBC Radio 4)
Reposted by Ms Lesley Smith
Won’t bang on about this indefinitely but let’s have a quick look at inner London deprivation in this fab tool.
Here’s Church St, Westminster (just outside) 5% most deprived in the country. Westbourne/Queen’s Park not far behind. Then there’s Silchester in K+C, White City, Somers Town, Vauxhall..
Here’s Church St, Westminster (just outside) 5% most deprived in the country. Westbourne/Queen’s Park not far behind. Then there’s Silchester in K+C, White City, Somers Town, Vauxhall..
October 31, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Won’t bang on about this indefinitely but let’s have a quick look at inner London deprivation in this fab tool.
Here’s Church St, Westminster (just outside) 5% most deprived in the country. Westbourne/Queen’s Park not far behind. Then there’s Silchester in K+C, White City, Somers Town, Vauxhall..
Here’s Church St, Westminster (just outside) 5% most deprived in the country. Westbourne/Queen’s Park not far behind. Then there’s Silchester in K+C, White City, Somers Town, Vauxhall..
Ha ha ha 🤣
"The sale of Telegraph Media Group is in “fresh turmoil” after the paper linked expected buyer John Thornton (Redbird Capital chair) to the suspected ringleader of an alleged Chinese spy ring. The Tele ran a 2024 photo of him with senior CCP figure Cai Qi"
Total chaos at Tele towers.
Total chaos at Tele towers.
Telegraph sale in turmoil after lead bidder linked to China’s politburo
Media group’s own paper publishes photograph of RedBird Capital chair with alleged spy ring chief
www.theguardian.com
October 30, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Ha ha ha 🤣
Reposted by Ms Lesley Smith
Some Tories now backing Rachel Reeves.
October 30, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Some Tories now backing Rachel Reeves.
Wondering what bad thing I could do to be exiled all expenses paid to Sandringham….
October 30, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Wondering what bad thing I could do to be exiled all expenses paid to Sandringham….
Reposted by Ms Lesley Smith
Kyiv.
Dnipro River.
Fishermen.
I stood there
and lived that peaceful moment.
Dnipro River.
Fishermen.
I stood there
and lived that peaceful moment.
October 26, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Kyiv.
Dnipro River.
Fishermen.
I stood there
and lived that peaceful moment.
Dnipro River.
Fishermen.
I stood there
and lived that peaceful moment.
Reposted by Ms Lesley Smith
Evening video from Kyiv,
filmed today.
Just a reminder
that this city lives
and honours those who protect it –
the flags you see at the beginning.
filmed today.
Just a reminder
that this city lives
and honours those who protect it –
the flags you see at the beginning.
October 29, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Evening video from Kyiv,
filmed today.
Just a reminder
that this city lives
and honours those who protect it –
the flags you see at the beginning.
filmed today.
Just a reminder
that this city lives
and honours those who protect it –
the flags you see at the beginning.
Reposted by Ms Lesley Smith
Even without electricity after the Russian attacks, #Kyiv gymnasts are still training.
Unbreakable children.
📹 anna_rizatdinova/Instagram
Unbreakable children.
📹 anna_rizatdinova/Instagram
October 28, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Even without electricity after the Russian attacks, #Kyiv gymnasts are still training.
Unbreakable children.
📹 anna_rizatdinova/Instagram
Unbreakable children.
📹 anna_rizatdinova/Instagram
Reposted by Ms Lesley Smith
"To say 'Zelenskyy is no friend of the working class' is an insulting, facile distraction from the fact that Sultana refuses to support the Ukrainian people’s fight for existence."
Proper cold fury and moral clarity from @paulmason.bsky.social on Sultana.
open.substack.com/pub/htsf/p/c...
Proper cold fury and moral clarity from @paulmason.bsky.social on Sultana.
open.substack.com/pub/htsf/p/c...
Coventry South needs a by-election soon
Zarah Sultana has no mandate for disarming the people of Britain and betraying Ukraine
open.substack.com
October 28, 2025 at 3:06 PM
"To say 'Zelenskyy is no friend of the working class' is an insulting, facile distraction from the fact that Sultana refuses to support the Ukrainian people’s fight for existence."
Proper cold fury and moral clarity from @paulmason.bsky.social on Sultana.
open.substack.com/pub/htsf/p/c...
Proper cold fury and moral clarity from @paulmason.bsky.social on Sultana.
open.substack.com/pub/htsf/p/c...
William Hill earnings “ahead of expectations”. So looks like you’ll survive a gambling tax after all then?
October 28, 2025 at 10:01 AM
William Hill earnings “ahead of expectations”. So looks like you’ll survive a gambling tax after all then?
Interesting tradition. Ukrainians’ national day of dictation. www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/202...
Wonder if we could get it to take off elsewhere and what would you choose as the set work to dictate?
Wonder if we could get it to take off elsewhere and what would you choose as the set work to dictate?
Ukraine's annual National Unity radio dictation reaches the Antarctic and Russia's Kursk Oblast – photos
Ukrainians across the country and beyond have been taking part in the 25th annual Radio Dictation of National Unity. This year’s text, titled The Magic of Voice, was written by author Oksana Zabuzhko ...
www.pravda.com.ua
October 28, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Interesting tradition. Ukrainians’ national day of dictation. www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/202...
Wonder if we could get it to take off elsewhere and what would you choose as the set work to dictate?
Wonder if we could get it to take off elsewhere and what would you choose as the set work to dictate?
Reposted by Ms Lesley Smith
Looking for a snap with an #inside theme for today's #BlueSkyArtShow I thought of this shot from 2018 of #Eltham Palace - a marvellous mix of art deco and medieval in SE London.
#photography #architecture #architecturephotography #artdeco #interior #elthampalace
#photography #architecture #architecturephotography #artdeco #interior #elthampalace
October 25, 2025 at 9:09 AM
Looking for a snap with an #inside theme for today's #BlueSkyArtShow I thought of this shot from 2018 of #Eltham Palace - a marvellous mix of art deco and medieval in SE London.
#photography #architecture #architecturephotography #artdeco #interior #elthampalace
#photography #architecture #architecturephotography #artdeco #interior #elthampalace
This should absolutely happen everywhere. And why don’t we offer first time voters a badge and have someone on hand to shake their hands and make a big deal of it? Ready to mark them in bold on the register. Give them a special souvenir pencil?
I really don't want to hear that this is because of some horrible budget cut or electoral malfeasance somewhere, because the idea that we just do this because it's bery obviously the best possible voting experience that has ever been devised, is too sublime to deny.
The home of the O'Donovan family is being used as a polling station in Coolmoyne, Co Tipperary. Around 250 people are eligible to vote at the house and after they cast their ballot, they will be treated to a cup of tea, a slice of apple or rhubarb tart, or a scone | More: rte.ie/b/1540324
October 25, 2025 at 9:46 AM
This should absolutely happen everywhere. And why don’t we offer first time voters a badge and have someone on hand to shake their hands and make a big deal of it? Ready to mark them in bold on the register. Give them a special souvenir pencil?