Tony Bennett
@obadiah99.bsky.social
Ex-civil servant, Cornishman, European, likely to post on politics, wine, cricket, music, history etc.
I'm halfway through a month depriving myself of alcohol in the hope of raising some money for a really good cause. If you can help, I will be delighted. www.gosober.org.uk/users/tony-b...
Tony Bennett is going sober this October for Macmillan Cancer Support
I am going Sober this October to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support so they can help support people living with cancer. Please support me and make a donation.
www.gosober.org.uk
October 16, 2025 at 4:36 PM
I'm halfway through a month depriving myself of alcohol in the hope of raising some money for a really good cause. If you can help, I will be delighted. www.gosober.org.uk/users/tony-b...
Sign this petition to Say NO to our Government meeting with Israel’s President in the UK this week: 38d.gs/mpxr
38d.gs
September 9, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Sign this petition to Say NO to our Government meeting with Israel’s President in the UK this week: 38d.gs/mpxr
To transform the country and take on the populist right, Labour must heed the voices of its radical realists - and build a principled, practical, popular left alternative.
Join @mainstreamlabour.bsky.social and together we can bring that alternative to life.
www.mainstreamlabour.org/get-involved
Join @mainstreamlabour.bsky.social and together we can bring that alternative to life.
www.mainstreamlabour.org/get-involved
Get involved | Mainstream Labour
Mainstream is the home for Labour’s radical realists - united by values, driven by change
www.mainstreamlabour.org
September 8, 2025 at 1:51 PM
To transform the country and take on the populist right, Labour must heed the voices of its radical realists - and build a principled, practical, popular left alternative.
Join @mainstreamlabour.bsky.social and together we can bring that alternative to life.
www.mainstreamlabour.org/get-involved
Join @mainstreamlabour.bsky.social and together we can bring that alternative to life.
www.mainstreamlabour.org/get-involved
Chris Woakes can hardly manage to propel the ball at 80 mph. Also bowling no-balls. Probably time to bring down the curtain on his Test career. #EngvInd
June 21, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Chris Woakes can hardly manage to propel the ball at 80 mph. Also bowling no-balls. Probably time to bring down the curtain on his Test career. #EngvInd
Reposted by Tony Bennett
Moving fast and breaking things didn't work well in Iraq in 2003 and won't work any better in Iran in 2025.
The UK must not get dragged into supporting an illegal war.
The UK must not get dragged into supporting an illegal war.
June 19, 2025 at 6:41 AM
Moving fast and breaking things didn't work well in Iraq in 2003 and won't work any better in Iran in 2025.
The UK must not get dragged into supporting an illegal war.
The UK must not get dragged into supporting an illegal war.
Today England scored the highest team total on the first day of a test match in England, beating a record that had stood since 1934. #ENGvZIM
May 22, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Today England scored the highest team total on the first day of a test match in England, beating a record that had stood since 1934. #ENGvZIM
Reposted by Tony Bennett
If a government with over 400 seats and 4 years left to govern cannot summon the courage to level with the public on social care then I despair at the capacity of our political system to ever deliver the change we need.
May 11, 2025 at 6:14 PM
If a government with over 400 seats and 4 years left to govern cannot summon the courage to level with the public on social care then I despair at the capacity of our political system to ever deliver the change we need.
How about some Madeira for an after-dinner drink? Fab stuff from @thewinesociety.bsky.social
May 11, 2025 at 7:01 PM
How about some Madeira for an after-dinner drink? Fab stuff from @thewinesociety.bsky.social
The most famous Pope called Leo was probably Leo X, who excommunicated Martin Luther in 1521. He was the last non-priest (!) to be elected Pope (in 1513), and was the head of the Medici family of Florence. He was ordained about a week after his election.
May 9, 2025 at 3:08 PM
The most famous Pope called Leo was probably Leo X, who excommunicated Martin Luther in 1521. He was the last non-priest (!) to be elected Pope (in 1513), and was the head of the Medici family of Florence. He was ordained about a week after his election.
Reposted by Tony Bennett
Reposted by Tony Bennett
French publishers, authors and composers are taking Meta (formerly Facebook) to court in Paris for allegedly using copyrighted work without permission from creators or their publishers in order to develop its generative artificial intelligence (AI) model. 👇 #BookSky
French publishers to take Meta to court over 'use of copyrighted work to train AI'
www.thebookseller.com
March 13, 2025 at 5:54 AM
French publishers, authors and composers are taking Meta (formerly Facebook) to court in Paris for allegedly using copyrighted work without permission from creators or their publishers in order to develop its generative artificial intelligence (AI) model. 👇 #BookSky
Another brilliant @thewinesociety bargain - one of their “Generations” series celebrating 150 years of the Society. Lovely wine for £12.50.
March 13, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Another brilliant @thewinesociety bargain - one of their “Generations” series celebrating 150 years of the Society. Lovely wine for £12.50.
A step too far even for George Osborne. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Former shadow chancellor Ed Balls says plans to cut disability benefits ‘won’t work’
Influential Labour figure says cuts ‘not a Labour thing to do’, while George Osborne says when chancellor he resisted move as ‘step too far’
www.theguardian.com
March 13, 2025 at 7:06 PM
A step too far even for George Osborne. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
One of the stranger features of the NHS England abolition is the number of Tories saying how they wish they'd done it.
March 13, 2025 at 2:08 PM
One of the stranger features of the NHS England abolition is the number of Tories saying how they wish they'd done it.
If the NHS not hitting its targets is due to having too many civil servants, it's hard to see how swingeing cuts to NHS England are a solution.
None of these have anything to do with the number of civil servants.
March 11, 2025 at 8:57 AM
If the NHS not hitting its targets is due to having too many civil servants, it's hard to see how swingeing cuts to NHS England are a solution.
Reposted by Tony Bennett
Can anyone please explain to me how giving politicians with no healthcare experience more control over NHS England while cutting half the jobs is going to help the NHS, when the service is in tatters because of other politicians with no healthcare experience? 🚨
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
NHS England to cut workforce by half as Streeting restructures
The health secretary will shrink NHS England’s workforce to save money and avoid ‘duplication’
www.theguardian.com
March 11, 2025 at 7:09 AM
Can anyone please explain to me how giving politicians with no healthcare experience more control over NHS England while cutting half the jobs is going to help the NHS, when the service is in tatters because of other politicians with no healthcare experience? 🚨
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Reposted by Tony Bennett
"Starmer's Magical Mystery Tour to the Fascist Destination of Your Choice" (No woke or progressive detours allowed).
February 9, 2025 at 8:10 PM
"Starmer's Magical Mystery Tour to the Fascist Destination of Your Choice" (No woke or progressive detours allowed).
This is excellent. www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/f...
I was wrong to say Bazball is a cult. It’s actually a death cult | Barney Ronay
As defeats pile up Brendon McCullum’s brand of cricket now has the feel of a cool music video on the deck of a sinking ship
www.theguardian.com
February 8, 2025 at 11:46 AM
This is excellent. www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/f...
Reposted by Tony Bennett
British-Pakistanis are upwardly mobile. They go to university at a very high rate. They may be socially quite conservative. Many run small businesses. They're increasingly suspicious of Labour.
But now they know the Tories think it would have been better if they had never come.
But now they know the Tories think it would have been better if they had never come.
January 8, 2025 at 12:44 PM
British-Pakistanis are upwardly mobile. They go to university at a very high rate. They may be socially quite conservative. Many run small businesses. They're increasingly suspicious of Labour.
But now they know the Tories think it would have been better if they had never come.
But now they know the Tories think it would have been better if they had never come.
The description of the current Conservative Party near the end of this piece by @rafaelbehr.bsky.social is marvellous. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Kemi Badenoch was supposed to make the Tories serious again. She has failed | Rafael Behr
By jumping on Elon Musk’s passing bandwagon and echoing the far right, the Conservative leader has shown she doesn’t understand her responsibilities, says Guardian columnist Rafael Behr
www.theguardian.com
January 8, 2025 at 1:20 PM
The description of the current Conservative Party near the end of this piece by @rafaelbehr.bsky.social is marvellous. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Tony Bennett
So, the Tory manifesto did not include an inquiry into grooming gangs and the Tories ignored ALL recommendations from the 2022 report, but they attack Starmer for smearing “those concerned” as “far right”. Which he didn’t.
They’re just the most repulsive bunch of arseholes.
And far right apologists.
They’re just the most repulsive bunch of arseholes.
And far right apologists.
January 7, 2025 at 10:55 AM
So, the Tory manifesto did not include an inquiry into grooming gangs and the Tories ignored ALL recommendations from the 2022 report, but they attack Starmer for smearing “those concerned” as “far right”. Which he didn’t.
They’re just the most repulsive bunch of arseholes.
And far right apologists.
They’re just the most repulsive bunch of arseholes.
And far right apologists.
Reposted by Tony Bennett
All that far right gibberish about asylum seekers being an "invasion", and then their hero calls for an *actual* invasion. I rarely use this word, but Brits sucking up to this guy are frankly traitorous.
Ahhh we’ve reached the bit in the series where the billionaire tech bro orchestrates the invasion of Britain, and viewers conclude the show writers have gone too far and jumped the shark.
January 6, 2025 at 9:21 AM
All that far right gibberish about asylum seekers being an "invasion", and then their hero calls for an *actual* invasion. I rarely use this word, but Brits sucking up to this guy are frankly traitorous.