Richard Haviland
@rfhaviland.bsky.social
Former civil servant, enjoying the freedom to speak my mind. Published in Times, Byline Times, Bylines Scotland, West Country Voices. Member of European Movement in Scotland.
The Labour leadership:
‘Sod the lessons of WWII, we’re going to treat refugees like shit, and if you don’t like it you can vote for a party who’ll treat them even worse. Oh, and don’t ask us to change the electoral system - we love being able to talk to you this way’.
Democracy at its finest.
‘Sod the lessons of WWII, we’re going to treat refugees like shit, and if you don’t like it you can vote for a party who’ll treat them even worse. Oh, and don’t ask us to change the electoral system - we love being able to talk to you this way’.
Democracy at its finest.
November 15, 2025 at 7:28 PM
The Labour leadership:
‘Sod the lessons of WWII, we’re going to treat refugees like shit, and if you don’t like it you can vote for a party who’ll treat them even worse. Oh, and don’t ask us to change the electoral system - we love being able to talk to you this way’.
Democracy at its finest.
‘Sod the lessons of WWII, we’re going to treat refugees like shit, and if you don’t like it you can vote for a party who’ll treat them even worse. Oh, and don’t ask us to change the electoral system - we love being able to talk to you this way’.
Democracy at its finest.
Moonlight v Streetlight
November 9, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Moonlight v Streetlight
Moonlit night in Nairn
November 8, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Moonlit night in Nairn
King of the Hill
October 20, 2025 at 2:12 PM
King of the Hill
Autumn day on Lochcarron
October 15, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Autumn day on Lochcarron
This whole statement from Mahmood is dripping in hostility and superiority. It’s a wonder she didn’t add ‘and remember to say thank you’.
If I were a potential immigrant to the UK reading it, I’d think ‘f*** you’. But maybe that’s the idea.
If I were a potential immigrant to the UK reading it, I’d think ‘f*** you’. But maybe that’s the idea.
October 14, 2025 at 2:08 PM
This whole statement from Mahmood is dripping in hostility and superiority. It’s a wonder she didn’t add ‘and remember to say thank you’.
If I were a potential immigrant to the UK reading it, I’d think ‘f*** you’. But maybe that’s the idea.
If I were a potential immigrant to the UK reading it, I’d think ‘f*** you’. But maybe that’s the idea.
Time for a sundowner
October 12, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Time for a sundowner
Loch Ainort, the Red Cuillin and a touch of evening light
October 10, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Loch Ainort, the Red Cuillin and a touch of evening light
Bit late to this great campaign by @scotrefugeecouncil.bsky.social but the cause never goes away.
#partofthebiggerpicture
#partofthebiggerpicture
September 28, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Bit late to this great campaign by @scotrefugeecouncil.bsky.social but the cause never goes away.
#partofthebiggerpicture
#partofthebiggerpicture
Autumn on Loch Ness
September 25, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Autumn on Loch Ness
You have to feel for the headline writers.
‘How do we capture that rambling, incoherent, delusional mess?’
‘Wide-ranging?’
‘Perfect’
‘How do we capture that rambling, incoherent, delusional mess?’
‘Wide-ranging?’
‘Perfect’
September 23, 2025 at 3:17 PM
You have to feel for the headline writers.
‘How do we capture that rambling, incoherent, delusional mess?’
‘Wide-ranging?’
‘Perfect’
‘How do we capture that rambling, incoherent, delusional mess?’
‘Wide-ranging?’
‘Perfect’
Read in the attachment what he said in his written evidence to the House Judiciary Committee earlier this month about Lucy Connolly, a woman who called last year for the murder of asylum seekers.
September 17, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Read in the attachment what he said in his written evidence to the House Judiciary Committee earlier this month about Lucy Connolly, a woman who called last year for the murder of asylum seekers.
Free speech update.
Farage thinks incitement to violence, even murder, IS OK after all as long as
a) lots of people are thinking similar things
b) you only do it for a while
c) you do it inelegantly and not eloquently
Here are his words to the House Judiciary Committee only last week
👇
Farage thinks incitement to violence, even murder, IS OK after all as long as
a) lots of people are thinking similar things
b) you only do it for a while
c) you do it inelegantly and not eloquently
Here are his words to the House Judiciary Committee only last week
👇
September 12, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Free speech update.
Farage thinks incitement to violence, even murder, IS OK after all as long as
a) lots of people are thinking similar things
b) you only do it for a while
c) you do it inelegantly and not eloquently
Here are his words to the House Judiciary Committee only last week
👇
Farage thinks incitement to violence, even murder, IS OK after all as long as
a) lots of people are thinking similar things
b) you only do it for a while
c) you do it inelegantly and not eloquently
Here are his words to the House Judiciary Committee only last week
👇
This is a truly life-affirming book by @herdyshepherd.bsky.social
Read it and you’ll discover a remarkable culture, a remarkable place and most of all a remarkable person.
Read it and you’ll discover a remarkable culture, a remarkable place and most of all a remarkable person.
September 2, 2025 at 4:33 PM
This is a truly life-affirming book by @herdyshepherd.bsky.social
Read it and you’ll discover a remarkable culture, a remarkable place and most of all a remarkable person.
Read it and you’ll discover a remarkable culture, a remarkable place and most of all a remarkable person.
Late summer colours
August 31, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Late summer colours
It’s commonly believed by some visitors to the Highlands that, if you spot one of these while at the wheel of your car, all rules of the road are instantly suspended. Call it a rural myth.
March 28, 2025 at 6:37 PM
It’s commonly believed by some visitors to the Highlands that, if you spot one of these while at the wheel of your car, all rules of the road are instantly suspended. Call it a rural myth.
This BBC piece about Reform neatly illustrates the mainstreaming of the far-right lexicon.
If you’re kicked out for being pro-Tommy Robinson, it’s not about ‘free speech’, it’s about party management.
Even if there IS an irony in saying that, given Farage’s role in taking us to where we are.
If you’re kicked out for being pro-Tommy Robinson, it’s not about ‘free speech’, it’s about party management.
Even if there IS an irony in saying that, given Farage’s role in taking us to where we are.
March 23, 2025 at 2:50 PM
This BBC piece about Reform neatly illustrates the mainstreaming of the far-right lexicon.
If you’re kicked out for being pro-Tommy Robinson, it’s not about ‘free speech’, it’s about party management.
Even if there IS an irony in saying that, given Farage’s role in taking us to where we are.
If you’re kicked out for being pro-Tommy Robinson, it’s not about ‘free speech’, it’s about party management.
Even if there IS an irony in saying that, given Farage’s role in taking us to where we are.
If you say something is ‘unfair to taxpayers’ you are using the language of populism.
There is a perfectly adequate way to say the same thing in a less inflammatory way. You can say it’s a ‘poor use of public money’.
But that wouldn’t get your readers so angry.
There is a perfectly adequate way to say the same thing in a less inflammatory way. You can say it’s a ‘poor use of public money’.
But that wouldn’t get your readers so angry.
March 19, 2025 at 7:59 AM
If you say something is ‘unfair to taxpayers’ you are using the language of populism.
There is a perfectly adequate way to say the same thing in a less inflammatory way. You can say it’s a ‘poor use of public money’.
But that wouldn’t get your readers so angry.
There is a perfectly adequate way to say the same thing in a less inflammatory way. You can say it’s a ‘poor use of public money’.
But that wouldn’t get your readers so angry.
Note the wording in the headline here.
‘Crackdown’ is a word you use for something that is bad: crime; corruption; drugs.
Here the crackdown is on ‘welfare’.
The subliminal message is that welfare is bad, and welfare recipients are undeserving.
‘Crackdown’ is a word you use for something that is bad: crime; corruption; drugs.
Here the crackdown is on ‘welfare’.
The subliminal message is that welfare is bad, and welfare recipients are undeserving.
March 18, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Note the wording in the headline here.
‘Crackdown’ is a word you use for something that is bad: crime; corruption; drugs.
Here the crackdown is on ‘welfare’.
The subliminal message is that welfare is bad, and welfare recipients are undeserving.
‘Crackdown’ is a word you use for something that is bad: crime; corruption; drugs.
Here the crackdown is on ‘welfare’.
The subliminal message is that welfare is bad, and welfare recipients are undeserving.
This is a refreshingly optimistic read
March 10, 2025 at 11:10 AM
This is a refreshingly optimistic read
If this is the best example of what even a basic AI-generated headline can come up with, let’s stick to humans.
Oh hang on..
Oh hang on..
January 28, 2025 at 12:17 PM
If this is the best example of what even a basic AI-generated headline can come up with, let’s stick to humans.
Oh hang on..
Oh hang on..
Shepherd’s delight
January 5, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Shepherd’s delight
Blue sky at last
November 21, 2024 at 12:19 PM
Blue sky at last
Before the storm..
October 17, 2023 at 5:10 PM
Before the storm..