Brian J
@owabrian.bsky.social
Consultant of some sort working in construction Usually somewhere in northern England
Pinned
Brian J
@owabrian.bsky.social
· Dec 8
No one is obliged by natural law to live according to someone else's temperament. On the contrary, every man is a defender of his own freedom.
#Spinoza
#Spinoza
On the Nigel Farage school stories, I can only imagine the media response if over 20 people had come forward to say Jeremy Corbyn had tormented them with anti-Semitic abuse when he was a school student (17/18 yrs old)
December 5, 2025 at 7:52 AM
On the Nigel Farage school stories, I can only imagine the media response if over 20 people had come forward to say Jeremy Corbyn had tormented them with anti-Semitic abuse when he was a school student (17/18 yrs old)
I am Horrified, Horrified beyond belief at the hysterical melt-down by Rory Stewart during his interview with Zack Polanski. The greatest ‘you are not in our club’ moment I have seen since an american entered strike commands’ officers mess and tried to buy a Jack Daniel’s and Coke with cash
December 3, 2025 at 8:49 AM
I am Horrified, Horrified beyond belief at the hysterical melt-down by Rory Stewart during his interview with Zack Polanski. The greatest ‘you are not in our club’ moment I have seen since an american entered strike commands’ officers mess and tried to buy a Jack Daniel’s and Coke with cash
The full on assault on Rachel Reeves just shows how many of our media talking heads live in multi million pound houses
December 1, 2025 at 11:25 PM
The full on assault on Rachel Reeves just shows how many of our media talking heads live in multi million pound houses
Celebrity Masterchef is without doubt always the least interesting of the series but there is an air of sadness about this one with John Torode without Greg and Grace Dent lovely but a little cautious so far
November 27, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Celebrity Masterchef is without doubt always the least interesting of the series but there is an air of sadness about this one with John Torode without Greg and Grace Dent lovely but a little cautious so far
Badenochs response to the budget speech yesterday in Parliament was preplanned before any of the details were announced and consisted of a viscous personal attack that does nothing to inform or address issues within the budget. Tories loved it tho so should keep her in place for the foreseeable
November 27, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Badenochs response to the budget speech yesterday in Parliament was preplanned before any of the details were announced and consisted of a viscous personal attack that does nothing to inform or address issues within the budget. Tories loved it tho so should keep her in place for the foreseeable
I am the same age as Nigel Farage and I can empathise with trying to recall actions from so long ago but I do remember that aged 15 during the 79 election I was handing out communist party leaflets debating against the reintroduction of the death penalty and supporting rock against racism
November 25, 2025 at 11:12 PM
I am the same age as Nigel Farage and I can empathise with trying to recall actions from so long ago but I do remember that aged 15 during the 79 election I was handing out communist party leaflets debating against the reintroduction of the death penalty and supporting rock against racism
I am afraid I can’t get excited by the Green Party rise in the polls.
Apart from the excellent Zack Polanski what have they got? Here in Durham the Greens helped a Tory/Lib Dem admin in power for the last 5 years enacting disastrous policies that have led to a £10m black hole and ushered in Reform
Apart from the excellent Zack Polanski what have they got? Here in Durham the Greens helped a Tory/Lib Dem admin in power for the last 5 years enacting disastrous policies that have led to a £10m black hole and ushered in Reform
November 25, 2025 at 2:35 PM
I am afraid I can’t get excited by the Green Party rise in the polls.
Apart from the excellent Zack Polanski what have they got? Here in Durham the Greens helped a Tory/Lib Dem admin in power for the last 5 years enacting disastrous policies that have led to a £10m black hole and ushered in Reform
Apart from the excellent Zack Polanski what have they got? Here in Durham the Greens helped a Tory/Lib Dem admin in power for the last 5 years enacting disastrous policies that have led to a £10m black hole and ushered in Reform
I awake to beautiful thick snow and huge flakes falling softly. From the town centre I hear government speakers croaking ‘the Russians are coming, the Russians are coming’
November 19, 2025 at 1:59 PM
I awake to beautiful thick snow and huge flakes falling softly. From the town centre I hear government speakers croaking ‘the Russians are coming, the Russians are coming’
A weasels tale: radio drama
Lovely listen on a winter afternoon
A real Christmas treat for Willows fans
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Lovely listen on a winter afternoon
A real Christmas treat for Willows fans
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Drama on 4 - The Wind in the Willows: A Weasel’s Tale - BBC Sounds
Kenneth Grahame's classic reimagined from the margins. Narrated by Penelope Wilton.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 18, 2025 at 7:22 PM
A weasels tale: radio drama
Lovely listen on a winter afternoon
A real Christmas treat for Willows fans
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Lovely listen on a winter afternoon
A real Christmas treat for Willows fans
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
The tedious celebcasting of day time Radio 2 is bring balanced nicely with some beautifully curated evening shows from Bob Harris, Gary Davis, Cerys Matthews and Angela Griffin
October 28, 2025 at 9:52 AM
The tedious celebcasting of day time Radio 2 is bring balanced nicely with some beautifully curated evening shows from Bob Harris, Gary Davis, Cerys Matthews and Angela Griffin
I think it’s possible to profoundly disagree with Andrew Marr on Kier Starmer being great and also disagree profoundly with Andrew Marr on Kier Starmer being hopeless
October 24, 2025 at 3:23 PM
I think it’s possible to profoundly disagree with Andrew Marr on Kier Starmer being great and also disagree profoundly with Andrew Marr on Kier Starmer being hopeless
Liverpools decision to buy Isak this summer seems to have been based purely on his goal scoring rate and not taking any notice on how he was being played. Newcastle focused their team around him for him to score Liverpool have put him up front and hope he will figure something out for himself.
October 5, 2025 at 9:24 AM
Liverpools decision to buy Isak this summer seems to have been based purely on his goal scoring rate and not taking any notice on how he was being played. Newcastle focused their team around him for him to score Liverpool have put him up front and hope he will figure something out for himself.
Reposted by Brian J
Here's this week's column: skills policy has been shunted around between departments yet again. Labour really needs to get this right if it wants to have a hope of tackling inactivity, and ultimately getting the benefits bill down. www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Apprenticeships have collapsed in England – Labour needs to fine-tune the solution, fast | Heather Stewart
Responsibility for vocational training and skills has bounced around Whitehall for years, with enrolment rates down by a third. Can the latest tweaks work?
www.theguardian.com
September 14, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Here's this week's column: skills policy has been shunted around between departments yet again. Labour really needs to get this right if it wants to have a hope of tackling inactivity, and ultimately getting the benefits bill down. www.theguardian.com/business/202...
CBI boss calls for Reeves to tear up Labour’s pledge not to raise tax www.theguardian.com/business/202...
CBI boss calls for Reeves to tear up Labour’s pledge not to raise tax
Rain Newton-Smith tells chancellor ‘the time for tinkering is over’ and revisit promise not to raise taxes on working people
www.theguardian.com
September 10, 2025 at 3:31 AM
CBI boss calls for Reeves to tear up Labour’s pledge not to raise tax www.theguardian.com/business/202...
A shift in taxation from income to assets is hugely overdue and would be welcome. The north still needs major infrastructure projects to be green lighted by the government without this productivity will not rise
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Rachel Reeves is under immense pressure. She must not waste her chance to ‘go big’ | Heather Stewart
Chancellor needs to reform an out-of-kilter tax system without alienating voters or spooking financial markets
www.theguardian.com
September 1, 2025 at 7:44 AM
A shift in taxation from income to assets is hugely overdue and would be welcome. The north still needs major infrastructure projects to be green lighted by the government without this productivity will not rise
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
August 10, 2025 at 8:17 AM
The U.K. govt has a window of opportunity to rescue hundreds of desperately ill children from the #Gaza atrocity. This will be remembered as a small act of mercy in the face of unprecedented brutality. True not the 10k rescued by Wintons Kindertransport but something at least
August 3, 2025 at 5:05 PM
The U.K. govt has a window of opportunity to rescue hundreds of desperately ill children from the #Gaza atrocity. This will be remembered as a small act of mercy in the face of unprecedented brutality. True not the 10k rescued by Wintons Kindertransport but something at least
Once you get past the ‘wee timorous beastie’ nonsense Burns is a great romantic poet
July 5, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Once you get past the ‘wee timorous beastie’ nonsense Burns is a great romantic poet
Offering to the Tweed St Boswells #midsummer
June 21, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Offering to the Tweed St Boswells #midsummer
Good morning from a lovely sunny Newcastle
April 6, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Good morning from a lovely sunny Newcastle
Happy St Cuthberts day
Spent it in St Cuthbert parish where we are installing 2 otter holts 17km of hedgerow 10k trees numerous bird, bay and owl boxes hope he will approve
Spent it in St Cuthbert parish where we are installing 2 otter holts 17km of hedgerow 10k trees numerous bird, bay and owl boxes hope he will approve
March 20, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Happy St Cuthberts day
Spent it in St Cuthbert parish where we are installing 2 otter holts 17km of hedgerow 10k trees numerous bird, bay and owl boxes hope he will approve
Spent it in St Cuthbert parish where we are installing 2 otter holts 17km of hedgerow 10k trees numerous bird, bay and owl boxes hope he will approve
Starmers current domestic priority is to neutralise the far right who are now the only opposition forcing tories and reform to the lunatic fringe and enabling decades of labour in power
This does open the possibility of an effective new left party
This does open the possibility of an effective new left party
March 19, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Starmers current domestic priority is to neutralise the far right who are now the only opposition forcing tories and reform to the lunatic fringe and enabling decades of labour in power
This does open the possibility of an effective new left party
This does open the possibility of an effective new left party
My I Ching reading today
47 - k’un oppression
6 - conflict
😦
47 - k’un oppression
6 - conflict
😦
March 17, 2025 at 7:58 PM
My I Ching reading today
47 - k’un oppression
6 - conflict
😦
47 - k’un oppression
6 - conflict
😦