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Reposted by G Bell

Robin Ince

@robinince.bsky.social

Very sad that I felt I had no choice but to resign from The Infinite Monkey Cage - a victory for the transphobes and other bigots - I did it because so much of the media has chosen to believe the kind and empathetic people are a fiction - they are real and so often unrepresented.

This is the saddest day of my professional life.
Today is not only the final recording of the latest series of The Infinite Monkey Cage, it is my last ever Monkey Cage.
I never thought that I would have to leave the show. I always imagined going on until | dropped dead under the studio lights due to a brain aneurysm caused by my final attempt to understand notions of quantum gravity or the shock of being told about fly maggot infestations in the sacks of macaque monkeys.
I resigned in September, after sixteen years of dedication to the show,
A show that I named and helped develop over all those years.
Unfortunately, my opinions outside the BBC have been considered problematic for sometime, whether it has been voicing support for the trans community, criticism of Donald Trump, numerous other outlandish opinions, including once gently criticising Stephen Fry.
These things were considered to conflict with being a freelance BBC science presenter

In a recent meeting where BBC Studio executives again voiced problems with me, I realised my choices.
Obedience and being quieter to remain making Monkey Cage, or 'Resign and have the freedom to speak out against what I believe are injustices'.
•
I chose the latter.
It broke my heart.
I love this show and I love the audience, and it is because of the audience in particular, that this decision was so difficult to make.
I kept thinking about all the extremist voices promoting hate and division. They are being given so many platforms, while voices that represent kindness, open mindedness, empathy seem to be scarcer and scarcer.
I felt I couldn't pamper myself with the luxury of silence.
One of my many privileges is that I am able to resign and I can speak out even if it is to the detriment of my career.

I have thought a lot about my heroes, Sinead O Connor, James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, and so many more.
I think of Sinead's words, "the job of an artist is to be themselves at any cost".
James Baldwin said prejudice was really just a word for cowardice.
Audre Lorde, viewing her life, wrote that her only regrets were her silences.
I think of my father as I resign, he brought me up to believe in fairness , justice and kindness.
Though my heart is broken, it is also full of fire.
I apologise to our incredible listeners for my departure, your love of the show means a great deal.
I am so sorry to let you down.
I hope that you can understand my reasoning.
I have to accept that I am not what the current
BBC expects of their freelance presenters.

Despite this I should add that I have always worked far more than my contracted hours to try and ensure the show was always the best it could be, as well as making myself accessible and responsive to the audience wherever and whenever I met them. Every night, we have recorded, I have been filled with determination to make the best show possible. This was not
"just a job"
I hope that with my departure I can be a better ally to the LGBTQ community, to the neurodivergent community, to activists fighting against those who aim to brutalise society, to those currently in prison on hunger strike, and to all those who fight for a more inclusive world.
From many conversations, I know there are many Monkey Cage listeners who support these communities and activists too.
The strawberry is dead.
Long live the strawberry. B

December 13, 2025 at 12:02 AM

G Bell

@redbarman.bsky.social

Can't wait to be invited as a founding member, can you imagine the hoot this place will be

Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 2d

Liz Truss is back.

The short-lived UK prime minister and businessman Robert Tchenguiz are launching an ultra-exclusive club in London.

Truss and Tchenguiz are hoping to recruit 700 founding members — each paying £500,000. Find out more here: on.ft.com/493H1hI

December 11, 2025 at 7:32 PM

Reposted by G Bell

Natalie Bennett

@nataliegreenpeer.bsky.social

Would that we were hearing such realism from the UK government

www.politico.eu/article/dani...

Danish intelligence classifies Trump’s America as a security risk

Denmark sounds the alarm about the U.S.’s increasingly antagonistic posture toward Europe.

www.politico.eu

December 11, 2025 at 6:07 PM

G Bell

@redbarman.bsky.social

Looking forward to tactical voting for the SNP in Cambuslang

BladeoftheSun @bladeofthes.bsky.social · 2d

These are the type of people who will be in Nigel Farage's Government, people who think LGBT people are 'dirty nonces' and should be arrested by the Police.

And he thinks it's ok because they had a 'few drinks'.

December 11, 2025 at 6:38 PM

Reposted by G Bell

Jonathan Portes

@jdportes.bsky.social

"Migrants who came to the UK on skilled work visas in 2022-23 will make a net contribution of £47bn to the public finances over their lifetime, according to new estimates from the government’s Migration Advisory Committee."

Not surprising, but some observations (1/n)

www.ft.com/content/10da...

December 11, 2025 at 6:09 PM

G Bell

@redbarman.bsky.social

Has anyone ever trained themselves to independently move each toe?

December 11, 2025 at 12:35 PM

G Bell

@redbarman.bsky.social

@meidastouch.com I live in Scotland and love wind power and turbines. Sure n=1 isn't representative, so I asked 3 others and they all agreed it's awesome.

December 10, 2025 at 7:19 PM

Reposted by G Bell

George Monbiot

@georgemonbiot.bsky.social

There is one overriding political problem, from which all others follow. Until it is addressed, every policy advanced by governments is window dressing.
www.theguardian.com/inequality/2...

Just 0.001% hold three times the wealth of poorest half of humanity, report finds

Data from World Inequality Report also showed top 10% of income-earners earn more than the other 90%

www.theguardian.com

December 10, 2025 at 7:09 AM

G Bell

@redbarman.bsky.social

... I have now voided future employer travel plans 😂

Clara Jeffery @clarajeffery.bsky.social · 3d

This is INSANE www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/t...

and these are our closest allies!

Travelers visiting the United States from countries like Britain, France, Germany and South Korea could soon have to undergo a review of up to five years of their social media history, according to a proposal filed on Tuesday by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The change would affect visitors eligible for the visa waiver program, which allows people from 42 countries to travel to the United States for up to 90 days without a visa as long as they first obtain electronic travel authorization.

In a document filed on Tuesday in the Federal Register, C.B.P. said it plans to ask applicants for a long list of personal data including social media, email addresses from the last decade, and the names, birth dates, places of residence and birthplaces of parents, spouses, siblings and children.

Under the current system, applicants from visa waiver countries must enroll in the Electronic System for Travel Authorization program. They pay $40 and submit an email address, home address, phone number and emergency contact information. The authorization is good for two years.

December 10, 2025 at 2:34 AM

G Bell

@redbarman.bsky.social

By reposting this...

MeidasTouch @meidastouch.com · 3d

NEW: Trump says it is "seditious, perhaps even treasonous" to question his health

December 10, 2025 at 2:34 AM

Reposted by G Bell

James Vincent

@jjvincent.bsky.social

can't stop watching this clip of a tesla Optimus teleoperator taking his headset off before properly logging out the robot

December 8, 2025 at 9:29 AM

Reposted by G Bell

Brent Toderian

@brenttoderian.bsky.social

This iconic Fabian Todorovic cartoon is still one of the best I’ve seen at illustrating the remarkable amount of space we surrender to cars, leaving little space left for everyone and everything else. The text added later makes the bonus point that many drivers still manage to complain about it.

Iconic cartoon showing a single driver in a wide car taking up most of the street space. With many people crammed into the bus, bike and pedestrian space left over. Someone later added a voice box with the driver saying “Damn those bike paths and bus lanes taking all the space!”

December 8, 2025 at 12:52 AM

G Bell

@redbarman.bsky.social

Keep fighting #Ukraine apnews.com/article/ukra...

As sea drones force Russia to retreat, Ukraine examines ways to launch more complex attacks

A top Ukrainian sea-drone commander says more complex attacks on Russian forces are expected next year as Kyiv’s uncrewed fleet continues to restrict the once-dominant Black Sea navy.

apnews.com

December 7, 2025 at 8:38 PM

G Bell

@redbarman.bsky.social

My work will pay for private vaccination, difficulty is finding anywhere with the vaccine - there's no private appointments I can find in Glasgow area

The Scotsman @scotsman.com · 6d

Scots urged to pay for flu vaccine as outbreak will 'continue to rise over the coming weeks'
www.scotsman.com/health/flu-o...

Scots urged to pay for flu vaccine as outbreak will 'continue to rise'

The flu outbreak is expected to spread across all of the Scotland in the coming weeks, the Health Secretary has warned.

www.scotsman.com

December 7, 2025 at 12:54 PM

Reposted by G Bell

The National

@scotnational.bsky.social

EXCLUSIVE: Reform UK are running a 'cash for access scheme in all but name', a senior SNP MP has alleged after they launched a £10,000-per-year membership

Read here: www.thenational.scot/news/2...

December 7, 2025 at 9:36 AM

G Bell

@redbarman.bsky.social

This is dark #outrider #nuked

outrider.org

We support journalism and multimedia storytelling about nuclear issues and climate change

Outrider supports journalism and multimedia storytelling about nuclear threats and climate change

outrider.org

December 7, 2025 at 1:14 AM

G Bell

@redbarman.bsky.social

More that unites us than what divides. I mean re Neil's opinions, not farage

Neil Mackay @neilmackay.bsky.social · 7d

Farage arrives in Scotland today, and it should make our collective stomach heave that this repulsive, dangerous extremist has crossed the border. Amid scapegoating schoolkids and allegations of antisemitism anyone who supports this man is morally in the gutter

My @heraldscotland.bsky.social column

"Farage in Falkirk? It should make our stomachs heave to have him in Scotland"

Nigel Farage’s Falkirk visit sparks outrage, with many Scots saying his presence north of the border should make “our stomachs heave”.

www.heraldscotland.com

December 6, 2025 at 8:58 AM

G Bell

@redbarman.bsky.social

Anyone remember when nobody would use #ticketmaster because it was crap - Pearl Jam boycott because of their unfair charges. What happened to morality? Trying to buy tickets for #Kevinbridges and it's like hell in earth. Kev, couldn't you use Tickets Scotland? 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

collider.com/pearl-jam-ti...

This Is Why Pearl Jam's Iconic Fight for Fair Ticket Prices Changed the Game

In the ’90s, Pearl Jam took a bold stand against Ticketmaster to keep concert prices fair for fans but their fight came with major consequences.

collider.com

December 4, 2025 at 10:33 AM

G Bell

@redbarman.bsky.social

F**k off Nigel. You're a racist (the Guardian); possibly a slug; the UK arm of right wing grifting International & associated with Russian influence and laundering. Your party gets donations from folk Musk has labelled "paedos". Your supporters are generally too online divorced dads and bored mums

Glasgow Times @glasgowtimes.bsky.social · 9d

Farage has been slated for his "repulsive" and "deeply racist" attack on Glasgow schoolchildren.

'Deeply racist': Fury as Nigel Farage launches 'vile' attack on Glasgow pupils

www.glasgowtimes.co.uk

December 4, 2025 at 9:15 AM

Reposted by G Bell

East Anglia Bylines

@eastangliabylines.co.uk

Britain is living at the end of a decades-long inflationary wave. What comes next depends on whether we confront our financial model | Prof Richard Murphy

Is Britain at the peak of a great financial wave?

Britain is living at the end of a decades-long inflationary wave. What comes next depends on whether we confront our financial model

eastangliabylines.co.uk

December 2, 2025 at 5:28 AM

G Bell

@redbarman.bsky.social

Not sure what alternative reality I've stepped into but I found myself agreeing more often than not with Piers Morgan on the topics discussed during this #surrounded

Off to reassess my life choices.

Surrounded: Piers Morgan vs 20 Woke Liberals

Media file: traffic.megaphone.fm/JI8006718625...

traffic.megaphone.fm

December 1, 2025 at 4:07 PM

G Bell

@redbarman.bsky.social

Anyone got photos of old #Cambuslang, particularly around the conservation area that they can share at all? Lots of photos of the main street and around the station but fewer of the nearby streets like Prospect Avenue, Central Avenue or Wellshot

December 1, 2025 at 10:11 AM

Reposted by G Bell

East Anglia Bylines

@eastangliabylines.co.uk

A public inquiry into Russian interference may now being considered for one reason: thousands of people pushed the petition online. That pressure came from you.

eastangliabylines.co.uk/foreign-poli...