Peter Stone
@peterwstone.bsky.social
Englishman, living in rural France. Forty years earning a living as a photographer have diminished that passion somewhat but paintings, music, birds and enjoying life are enough to fill the void. The older I get, the more to the left I find myself leaning.
This week in PMQs, Starmer, in response to a question from Ed Davey, made it clear that Labour would neither join the customs union nor the single market, repeating his "red lines" mantra. I am not optimistic that anything is going to change in the foreseeable.
December 6, 2025 at 12:47 AM
This week in PMQs, Starmer, in response to a question from Ed Davey, made it clear that Labour would neither join the customs union nor the single market, repeating his "red lines" mantra. I am not optimistic that anything is going to change in the foreseeable.
Also worth a read is Shibboleth, if you can find a copy. He mentions Wally Hope in that book too. I found it unputdownable.
November 20, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Also worth a read is Shibboleth, if you can find a copy. He mentions Wally Hope in that book too. I found it unputdownable.
A prince is the son of a monarch - it's hard to see how he can be stripped of the title. It's what he is.
October 20, 2025 at 9:08 AM
A prince is the son of a monarch - it's hard to see how he can be stripped of the title. It's what he is.
Oh, this is wonderful.
August 1, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Oh, this is wonderful.
A different kind of 'bird' but a similar experience when looking down on a couple of French fighter aircraft from the top of Mont Ventoux.
July 29, 2025 at 1:20 PM
A different kind of 'bird' but a similar experience when looking down on a couple of French fighter aircraft from the top of Mont Ventoux.
I once wrote to the author of a technical manual to say how much I appreciated the clear and concise way he'd written it and he, rather unexpectedly, replied to thank me.
July 27, 2025 at 3:28 PM
I once wrote to the author of a technical manual to say how much I appreciated the clear and concise way he'd written it and he, rather unexpectedly, replied to thank me.
On the day of the referendum, my wife and I had a discussion with a waiter in our local café, here in France. He assured us that France would be next because "On paie, on paie." Loads of Frexit posters appeared around that time but none since. As a neighbour says "Brexit.. c'est une catastrophe."
June 18, 2025 at 10:58 AM
On the day of the referendum, my wife and I had a discussion with a waiter in our local café, here in France. He assured us that France would be next because "On paie, on paie." Loads of Frexit posters appeared around that time but none since. As a neighbour says "Brexit.. c'est une catastrophe."
An interesting thread but there seems to be one dominant feature; that the UK has an overwhelming appetite for 'out with the old and in with the new.' The ensuing demise of traditional party loyalties allows Reform, the new kids on the block, to hoover-up the disaffected - and there are many.
June 11, 2025 at 10:33 AM
An interesting thread but there seems to be one dominant feature; that the UK has an overwhelming appetite for 'out with the old and in with the new.' The ensuing demise of traditional party loyalties allows Reform, the new kids on the block, to hoover-up the disaffected - and there are many.
In my case, tests are 'à domicile' with results posted - along with 'étiquettes' - for future tests. No email sent but I go online, later the same day, to get my results direct from the lab. It's a great system, that puts the patient first.
June 10, 2025 at 3:19 PM
In my case, tests are 'à domicile' with results posted - along with 'étiquettes' - for future tests. No email sent but I go online, later the same day, to get my results direct from the lab. It's a great system, that puts the patient first.
“The British public is more liberal and tolerant..." I wish I could agree but we must face the fact that there is a sizeable minority that rather likes what it hears from Reform. And Reform doesn't need a majority to win a GE. It might require a concerted effort to keep Farage out of government.
May 11, 2025 at 1:42 PM
“The British public is more liberal and tolerant..." I wish I could agree but we must face the fact that there is a sizeable minority that rather likes what it hears from Reform. And Reform doesn't need a majority to win a GE. It might require a concerted effort to keep Farage out of government.
I have no doubt that Labour will deliver. But what? They've already delivered foolish EU red lines, cuts to fuel allowance, hard-nosed posturing on immigration and threatened cuts to disability benefits. Another prolonged period of austerity is not what people voted for. I despair.
May 3, 2025 at 10:40 AM
I have no doubt that Labour will deliver. But what? They've already delivered foolish EU red lines, cuts to fuel allowance, hard-nosed posturing on immigration and threatened cuts to disability benefits. Another prolonged period of austerity is not what people voted for. I despair.
After years of austerity under the Tories, little has changed for the better under Labour. Keeping the frozen tax threshold, scrapping winter fuel payments and cutting disability benefits are hardly vote winners. Then we have their idiotic EU red lines. What's to like?
May 3, 2025 at 12:30 AM
After years of austerity under the Tories, little has changed for the better under Labour. Keeping the frozen tax threshold, scrapping winter fuel payments and cutting disability benefits are hardly vote winners. Then we have their idiotic EU red lines. What's to like?
The Tories don't deserve to survive but they are needed, even if it's only to split the right-wing vote. The left-wing vote has been split 3 ways for some time, while the right has raced away, unbroken and unchecked. But Reform has changed all that.
May 2, 2025 at 5:34 PM
The Tories don't deserve to survive but they are needed, even if it's only to split the right-wing vote. The left-wing vote has been split 3 ways for some time, while the right has raced away, unbroken and unchecked. But Reform has changed all that.
Disappointing but not surprising. Starmer has been adamant all along that there'd be no return to the Customs Union or Single Market, so I've never held out any hope that it would happen. As leader of the Opposition, Starmer didn't once hold the Tories to account over Brexit during PMQs.
April 26, 2025 at 6:42 AM
Disappointing but not surprising. Starmer has been adamant all along that there'd be no return to the Customs Union or Single Market, so I've never held out any hope that it would happen. As leader of the Opposition, Starmer didn't once hold the Tories to account over Brexit during PMQs.
It's so tedious and predictable and no different to Remainers being blamed for the utter failure that is Brexit.
April 11, 2025 at 6:49 AM
It's so tedious and predictable and no different to Remainers being blamed for the utter failure that is Brexit.
"...going backwards" is a deliberate verbal sleight of hand with negative connotations. In reality, the UK has been moving inexorably backwards since 2016, thanks to Brexit. You don't need to be a genius to work out how to stop the slide.
April 8, 2025 at 6:45 AM
"...going backwards" is a deliberate verbal sleight of hand with negative connotations. In reality, the UK has been moving inexorably backwards since 2016, thanks to Brexit. You don't need to be a genius to work out how to stop the slide.
Damaging the life-chances of teenagers! How can Johnson, who removed the right of young people to move freely, seek work and live within the EU, even dare to speak on the subject?
April 6, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Damaging the life-chances of teenagers! How can Johnson, who removed the right of young people to move freely, seek work and live within the EU, even dare to speak on the subject?
Yes, daily. I have a friend who insists that "nobody uses email anymore" and I have to correct him every time!
April 5, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Yes, daily. I have a friend who insists that "nobody uses email anymore" and I have to correct him every time!
We occasionally get a venomous centipede in our house in France - Scutigera coleoptrata or House Centipede - which has been found (more rarely) in the UK. However, its colour is generally brown rather than green, which probably rules it out.
March 30, 2025 at 6:41 PM
We occasionally get a venomous centipede in our house in France - Scutigera coleoptrata or House Centipede - which has been found (more rarely) in the UK. However, its colour is generally brown rather than green, which probably rules it out.
This is true. Shortly after I started my own business, a wealthy client asked me if I paid tax, which he described as "entirely voluntary."
March 8, 2025 at 9:28 AM
This is true. Shortly after I started my own business, a wealthy client asked me if I paid tax, which he described as "entirely voluntary."
The first time I saw Tim Curry was in a Dennis Potter play - I think it was Schmoedipus - and he was quite brilliant. Some time in the early 70s I think.
February 19, 2025 at 6:45 AM
The first time I saw Tim Curry was in a Dennis Potter play - I think it was Schmoedipus - and he was quite brilliant. Some time in the early 70s I think.
I know someone who might find this useful - have sent her a link!
February 16, 2025 at 10:35 AM
I know someone who might find this useful - have sent her a link!
Oh, you just wait till they shoot the prequel.
February 13, 2025 at 10:22 AM
Oh, you just wait till they shoot the prequel.
Same for me in France. This is infuriating for those of us who used to be able to order from the UK, without punitive Customs charges, pre-Brexit but it must be significantly worse for those businesses that depended on exporting products into mainland Europe.
February 10, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Same for me in France. This is infuriating for those of us who used to be able to order from the UK, without punitive Customs charges, pre-Brexit but it must be significantly worse for those businesses that depended on exporting products into mainland Europe.