Rafael Behr
@rafaelbehr.bsky.social
Political columnist, The Guardian
Author, Politics, A Survivor's Guide
Website: https://rafaelbehr.com/
Author, Politics, A Survivor's Guide
Website: https://rafaelbehr.com/
Indeed, and yet the press release they issued the night before draft bill landed gives them nowhere now to hide if they think they can pretend the policy is a work in progress.
October 23, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Indeed, and yet the press release they issued the night before draft bill landed gives them nowhere now to hide if they think they can pretend the policy is a work in progress.
Also, if any Tory tries to wriggle out their wild, unhinged and unworkable deportations policy by saying it’s a work in progress, details tbc etc, this is what the press release said at the time about how complete and ready it was.
October 22, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Also, if any Tory tries to wriggle out their wild, unhinged and unworkable deportations policy by saying it’s a work in progress, details tbc etc, this is what the press release said at the time about how complete and ready it was.
Not saying they look *exactly* alike but would definitely cast Robert Jenrick (shadow justice secretary) in biopic of Paul Reczeh (Gestapo agent, all-round sociopath)
October 7, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Not saying they look *exactly* alike but would definitely cast Robert Jenrick (shadow justice secretary) in biopic of Paul Reczeh (Gestapo agent, all-round sociopath)
Interesting use of simple future tense as opposed to conditional - will, not would - in Times reporting of what Farage intends to do *if* election. Getting a bit ahead of themselves.
August 25, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Interesting use of simple future tense as opposed to conditional - will, not would - in Times reporting of what Farage intends to do *if* election. Getting a bit ahead of themselves.
Get yourself one of these.
August 24, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Get yourself one of these.
Very excited by the Bank Holiday present I bought for myself.
August 24, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Very excited by the Bank Holiday present I bought for myself.
Footnote to this, which describes Russia's recent past, but also America's present and UK future if Farage becomes PM. Constitutiona and cultures are different, intensities may vary, but the ethno-nationalist trajectory is a template that repeats and repeats.
August 22, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Footnote to this, which describes Russia's recent past, but also America's present and UK future if Farage becomes PM. Constitutiona and cultures are different, intensities may vary, but the ethno-nationalist trajectory is a template that repeats and repeats.
From @bobbyduffy.bsky.social excellent book Generations. Gen X is the coolest Gen.
June 18, 2025 at 8:59 AM
From @bobbyduffy.bsky.social excellent book Generations. Gen X is the coolest Gen.
"Open the pod bay doors, Hal..."
June 3, 2025 at 9:17 PM
"Open the pod bay doors, Hal..."
You're not alone there ...
May 21, 2025 at 9:18 PM
You're not alone there ...
So the more revenue they project in the spending review from ISC, the less successful the policy of reducing migration is assumed to be?
May 12, 2025 at 11:50 AM
So the more revenue they project in the spending review from ISC, the less successful the policy of reducing migration is assumed to be?
A reminder of the June 2019 MEP election results - defined by particular moment of acute Brexit deadlock - but revealing something about underyling volatility and voter readiness to bin Tory/Labour duopoly.
April 30, 2025 at 3:30 PM
A reminder of the June 2019 MEP election results - defined by particular moment of acute Brexit deadlock - but revealing something about underyling volatility and voter readiness to bin Tory/Labour duopoly.
The general requirement for tech platforms to implement content regulation and submit to Ofcom's judgement on whether it is sufficient and enforced properly is deemed (by Trump's tech oligarch backers) to be an offence against their freedom (to operate without regulation), as per this WH policy:
April 28, 2025 at 8:58 AM
The general requirement for tech platforms to implement content regulation and submit to Ofcom's judgement on whether it is sufficient and enforced properly is deemed (by Trump's tech oligarch backers) to be an offence against their freedom (to operate without regulation), as per this WH policy:
The economic illiteracy is disturbing, the claim to ownership is sinister. The combination is standard Trump.
April 25, 2025 at 12:44 PM
The economic illiteracy is disturbing, the claim to ownership is sinister. The combination is standard Trump.
Journalists quite often get emails written in exactly this style, often sent to scores of recipients on multiple publications, and the sadly reliable assumption is that the irate sender is miserable, paranoid and probably unwell.
April 16, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Journalists quite often get emails written in exactly this style, often sent to scores of recipients on multiple publications, and the sadly reliable assumption is that the irate sender is miserable, paranoid and probably unwell.
See, for example, Feb 21 White House 'fact sheet' on protecting American innovation.
April 1, 2025 at 8:24 PM
See, for example, Feb 21 White House 'fact sheet' on protecting American innovation.
Have heard Heart of Glass, like, a bazillion times and never really known what the lyrics are. They rule.
"Mucho mistrust"!
"Mucho mistrust"!
March 12, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Have heard Heart of Glass, like, a bazillion times and never really known what the lyrics are. They rule.
"Mucho mistrust"!
"Mucho mistrust"!
Don't remember much about Hillbilly Elegy (J.D. Vance's 2016 book) but I knew there was a parable about the importance of standing up to bullies in there. I'm sure he meant it at the time.
March 2, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Don't remember much about Hillbilly Elegy (J.D. Vance's 2016 book) but I knew there was a parable about the importance of standing up to bullies in there. I'm sure he meant it at the time.
New WaPo columnist signing ...
February 26, 2025 at 2:54 PM
New WaPo columnist signing ...
Rather a lot now depends on what this support means in practice.
February 26, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Rather a lot now depends on what this support means in practice.
No-one who has, or has ever had any input into UK foreign, defence or security policy believes or has ever believed this. Kemi Badenoch can't stop hallucinating straw men, surrendering to foreign lawyers, presumably while taking the knee.
February 25, 2025 at 7:28 PM
No-one who has, or has ever had any input into UK foreign, defence or security policy believes or has ever believed this. Kemi Badenoch can't stop hallucinating straw men, surrendering to foreign lawyers, presumably while taking the knee.
Cf. Sartre in 1946.
February 20, 2025 at 7:50 AM
Cf. Sartre in 1946.
Time to revive the June 1940 Franco-British Union?
February 19, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Time to revive the June 1940 Franco-British Union?
Credit where it's due.
February 19, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Credit where it's due.