Sandy Martin
@sandyofipswich.bsky.social
Chair, Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform, SERA Executive (Labour’s Environment Campaign), pro-EU, LGBT+, Democratic Socialist - for 1to1 dialogue feel free to email sandyofipswich@gmail.com
Pinned
Nowcast Update - Green's vote share surpasses Lib Dems, as Labour hits new low.
RFM: 350 (+345), 30.2% (50 Maj.)
LAB: 87 (-324), 18.8%
LDM: 75 (+3), 13.0%
SNP: 44 (+35), 2.7%
CON: 38 (-83), 17.6%
GRN: 23 (+19), 13.5%
PLC: 7 (+3), 1.1%
Oth: 7 (+2), 3.1%
electionmaps.uk/nowcast
RFM: 350 (+345), 30.2% (50 Maj.)
LAB: 87 (-324), 18.8%
LDM: 75 (+3), 13.0%
SNP: 44 (+35), 2.7%
CON: 38 (-83), 17.6%
GRN: 23 (+19), 13.5%
PLC: 7 (+3), 1.1%
Oth: 7 (+2), 3.1%
electionmaps.uk/nowcast
So, on the current poll, Farage would have a very comfortable overall majority, with no effective checks on his powers, on less than a third of the vote. @teamlabouruk.bsky.social members who still think 1st Past the Post keeps the extremists out need to re-examine the facts @labour4pr.bsky.social
Absolutely right. Too many multinationals view fines as an inconvenient operating expense- or just fail to pay. I don’t believe Musk’s X has any intention of abiding by any EU rules or making any attempt to prevent disinformation, slander or abuse or any other harmful posts.
My preference, over significant fines which might be paid or ignored, is an intervention to secure compliance, with a clear deadline for having a legally compliant complaints system. The licence to operate should be in doubt if the action plan is not sufficient.
Well, it’s a start. But what are our regulators doing in the UK?
@sundersays.bsky.social
www.politico.eu/article/eu-s...
@sundersays.bsky.social
www.politico.eu/article/eu-s...
December 5, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Absolutely right. Too many multinationals view fines as an inconvenient operating expense- or just fail to pay. I don’t believe Musk’s X has any intention of abiding by any EU rules or making any attempt to prevent disinformation, slander or abuse or any other harmful posts.
Reposted by Sandy Martin
My preference, over significant fines which might be paid or ignored, is an intervention to secure compliance, with a clear deadline for having a legally compliant complaints system. The licence to operate should be in doubt if the action plan is not sufficient.
Well, it’s a start. But what are our regulators doing in the UK?
@sundersays.bsky.social
www.politico.eu/article/eu-s...
@sundersays.bsky.social
www.politico.eu/article/eu-s...
EU slaps €120M fine on Elon Musk’s X, straining ties with US
US vice president says EU should not be ‘attacking American companies over garbage.’
www.politico.eu
December 5, 2025 at 11:46 AM
My preference, over significant fines which might be paid or ignored, is an intervention to secure compliance, with a clear deadline for having a legally compliant complaints system. The licence to operate should be in doubt if the action plan is not sufficient.
Excellent article by Emma Harrison, CEO of Make Votes Matter - www.opendemocracy.net/en/uk-needs-...
The quiet crisis at the heart of British democracy
Our politics have changed, but our voting system remains the same – and it’s holding us back
www.opendemocracy.net
December 5, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Excellent article by Emma Harrison, CEO of Make Votes Matter - www.opendemocracy.net/en/uk-needs-...
And beyond that we need a proportional electoral system which does not force voters to guess which party might be best placed to defeat the candidate they most fear and despise, but allows them to vote for who they really believe in and have that vote count. @labour4pr.bsky.social
Farage's base is around 30%. The issue, under FPTP, is how the other 70% is distributed.
The leaders won't do deals but the voters will need to follow the example of Caerphilly if we are to avoid a Reform government.
The leaders won't do deals but the voters will need to follow the example of Caerphilly if we are to avoid a Reform government.
December 5, 2025 at 8:58 AM
And beyond that we need a proportional electoral system which does not force voters to guess which party might be best placed to defeat the candidate they most fear and despise, but allows them to vote for who they really believe in and have that vote count. @labour4pr.bsky.social
Reposted by Sandy Martin
Farage's base is around 30%. The issue, under FPTP, is how the other 70% is distributed.
The leaders won't do deals but the voters will need to follow the example of Caerphilly if we are to avoid a Reform government.
The leaders won't do deals but the voters will need to follow the example of Caerphilly if we are to avoid a Reform government.
December 5, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Farage's base is around 30%. The issue, under FPTP, is how the other 70% is distributed.
The leaders won't do deals but the voters will need to follow the example of Caerphilly if we are to avoid a Reform government.
The leaders won't do deals but the voters will need to follow the example of Caerphilly if we are to avoid a Reform government.
Reposted by Sandy Martin
The only principled stance is to punish Russia into retreat: militarily, economically, diplomatically. Let the future imperialists see what becomes of invaders.
December 4, 2025 at 6:24 PM
The only principled stance is to punish Russia into retreat: militarily, economically, diplomatically. Let the future imperialists see what becomes of invaders.
Reposted by Sandy Martin
***There should be a £100,000 cap on individual donations to political parties***
We should all be concerned that wealthy individuals are accounting for a growing share of party funding 🧵
We should all be concerned that wealthy individuals are accounting for a growing share of party funding 🧵
Reform UK gets £9mn donation from Christopher Harborne on.ft.com/4rCFCWE
Reform UK gets £9mn donation from Christopher Harborne
Money gives Nigel Farage’s party a big financial boost as it tries to capitalise on its lead in opinion polls
on.ft.com
December 4, 2025 at 3:37 PM
***There should be a £100,000 cap on individual donations to political parties***
We should all be concerned that wealthy individuals are accounting for a growing share of party funding 🧵
We should all be concerned that wealthy individuals are accounting for a growing share of party funding 🧵
Reposted by Sandy Martin
Christopher Harborne’s £9m donation to Reform is record-breaking, but comes in the context of more millionaires donating to political parties than ever before.
The only real solution is for the government to introduce a cap on how much any one individual can donate in a given year.
The only real solution is for the government to introduce a cap on how much any one individual can donate in a given year.
December 4, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Christopher Harborne’s £9m donation to Reform is record-breaking, but comes in the context of more millionaires donating to political parties than ever before.
The only real solution is for the government to introduce a cap on how much any one individual can donate in a given year.
The only real solution is for the government to introduce a cap on how much any one individual can donate in a given year.
Reposted by Sandy Martin
Welcome to slot-machine Britain! Our cover this week is on First Past the Post, the voting system that turns multi-party politics into a lottery.
Featuring our new modelling of British elections: www.economist.com/interactive/...
Featuring our new modelling of British elections: www.economist.com/interactive/...
December 4, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Welcome to slot-machine Britain! Our cover this week is on First Past the Post, the voting system that turns multi-party politics into a lottery.
Featuring our new modelling of British elections: www.economist.com/interactive/...
Featuring our new modelling of British elections: www.economist.com/interactive/...
Reposted by Sandy Martin
Telling that she couldn’t even get a GB News show.
The former Tory leader Liz Truss promises to take on the ‘free speech crisis’ and confront issues ‘others tiptoe round’ in the episodes on YouTube
The Liz Truss Show: ex-PM launches ‘the home of counter-revolution’
The former Tory leader promises to take on the ‘free speech crisis’ and confront issues ‘others tiptoe round’ in the episodes on YouTube
www.thetimes.com
December 4, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Telling that she couldn’t even get a GB News show.
X is every bit as dangerous for UK democracy now as Goebbels’s propaganda was in the 1930s
X is clearly in systemic breach of its UK legal obligations too, if the issue were looked into by those with the legal responsibility to scrutinise & secure compliance
🚨
I am hearing from multiple sources that the EU Commission is announcing its first DSA fine tomorrow against X on ad transparency, blue check & dark pattern, and researcher access to data.
The fine is in the "100s of millions of Euros."
Elon about to get big mad.
I am hearing from multiple sources that the EU Commission is announcing its first DSA fine tomorrow against X on ad transparency, blue check & dark pattern, and researcher access to data.
The fine is in the "100s of millions of Euros."
Elon about to get big mad.
December 4, 2025 at 10:58 PM
X is every bit as dangerous for UK democracy now as Goebbels’s propaganda was in the 1930s
Reposted by Sandy Martin
X is clearly in systemic breach of its UK legal obligations too, if the issue were looked into by those with the legal responsibility to scrutinise & secure compliance
🚨
I am hearing from multiple sources that the EU Commission is announcing its first DSA fine tomorrow against X on ad transparency, blue check & dark pattern, and researcher access to data.
The fine is in the "100s of millions of Euros."
Elon about to get big mad.
I am hearing from multiple sources that the EU Commission is announcing its first DSA fine tomorrow against X on ad transparency, blue check & dark pattern, and researcher access to data.
The fine is in the "100s of millions of Euros."
Elon about to get big mad.
December 4, 2025 at 10:13 PM
X is clearly in systemic breach of its UK legal obligations too, if the issue were looked into by those with the legal responsibility to scrutinise & secure compliance
Reposted by Sandy Martin
Labour launch ambitious Child Poverty Strategy, promising around 550,000 children will be lifted out of poverty by 2030 and deliver Labour's 'moral mission'.
Labour publish ambitious child poverty strategy to lift over half a million kids out of poverty by 2030 – LabourList
Labour will launch its Child Poverty Strategy tomorrow, promising the biggest fall in child poverty in a single parliament since records began. The government says…
labourlist.org
December 4, 2025 at 10:40 PM
Labour launch ambitious Child Poverty Strategy, promising around 550,000 children will be lifted out of poverty by 2030 and deliver Labour's 'moral mission'.
Reposted by Sandy Martin
🎰 “When First Past the Post collides with multiparty competition, the electoral slot machine spins into operation”
⚠️ A stark warning from the @economist.com that the “unfairness of FPTP could undermine the legitimacy of the governments it produces”
⚠️ A stark warning from the @economist.com that the “unfairness of FPTP could undermine the legitimacy of the governments it produces”
Our new model captures the lottery of Britain’s electoral system
Similar results, our data analysis shows, can yield strikingly different outcomes
stage.economist.com
December 4, 2025 at 2:24 PM
🎰 “When First Past the Post collides with multiparty competition, the electoral slot machine spins into operation”
⚠️ A stark warning from the @economist.com that the “unfairness of FPTP could undermine the legitimacy of the governments it produces”
⚠️ A stark warning from the @economist.com that the “unfairness of FPTP could undermine the legitimacy of the governments it produces”
Reposted by Sandy Martin
This is vile and so so wrong. GB News is the TV version of X.
Extreme racism like this should not be platformed as ‘news.’
It is absolutely disgusting and another attempt to drag ‘debate’ to the right and destabilise our democracy.
Extreme racism like this should not be platformed as ‘news.’
It is absolutely disgusting and another attempt to drag ‘debate’ to the right and destabilise our democracy.
GB News now broadcasting calls to remove the ethnic minority MPs from parliament
December 3, 2025 at 7:53 PM
This is vile and so so wrong. GB News is the TV version of X.
Extreme racism like this should not be platformed as ‘news.’
It is absolutely disgusting and another attempt to drag ‘debate’ to the right and destabilise our democracy.
Extreme racism like this should not be platformed as ‘news.’
It is absolutely disgusting and another attempt to drag ‘debate’ to the right and destabilise our democracy.
Reposted by Sandy Martin
left platforms Ischenko (and fine, he deserves to be heard) while ignoring the leftists who disagree with the STW line.
Don't ignore them. This isn't about me pushing my article, but about ensuring Ukrainian left wing voices are listened to, not spoken over.
www.opendemocracy.net/en/from-fron...
Don't ignore them. This isn't about me pushing my article, but about ensuring Ukrainian left wing voices are listened to, not spoken over.
www.opendemocracy.net/en/from-fron...
How trade unions are fighting for Ukraine's future
On the bombed roof of a college in Kharkiv, we saw how trade unions support their members in times of war
www.opendemocracy.net
December 4, 2025 at 9:05 AM
left platforms Ischenko (and fine, he deserves to be heard) while ignoring the leftists who disagree with the STW line.
Don't ignore them. This isn't about me pushing my article, but about ensuring Ukrainian left wing voices are listened to, not spoken over.
www.opendemocracy.net/en/from-fron...
Don't ignore them. This isn't about me pushing my article, but about ensuring Ukrainian left wing voices are listened to, not spoken over.
www.opendemocracy.net/en/from-fron...
Reposted by Sandy Martin
I am just watching the Owen Jones interview with Ischenko about "the devastating truth of Ukraine and the west."
I came back from Ukraine a few weeks ago, where I interviewed many Ukrainian leftists about the war. These are people who are on the frontlines, who are living up close to the threat of
I came back from Ukraine a few weeks ago, where I interviewed many Ukrainian leftists about the war. These are people who are on the frontlines, who are living up close to the threat of
December 4, 2025 at 9:05 AM
I am just watching the Owen Jones interview with Ischenko about "the devastating truth of Ukraine and the west."
I came back from Ukraine a few weeks ago, where I interviewed many Ukrainian leftists about the war. These are people who are on the frontlines, who are living up close to the threat of
I came back from Ukraine a few weeks ago, where I interviewed many Ukrainian leftists about the war. These are people who are on the frontlines, who are living up close to the threat of
This massively overrates the Russian capacity to continue the war. The Ukrainians are struggling but they have their lives and land and freedom to defend. The Russian people only need to realise the damage and futility that Putin has inflicted on them.
Europe is holding the line against Trump’s and Putin’s plans for Ukraine. But it won’t be able to for ever | Martin Kettle
Europe is holding the line against Trump’s and Putin’s plans for Ukraine. But it won’t be able to for ever | Martin Kettle
In the 21st-century imbalance of power, Europe and Nato have neither the arms nor the wealth to impel Russia or the US to take its peace settlement seriously, says Guardian columnist Martin Kettle
www.theguardian.com
December 4, 2025 at 9:57 AM
This massively overrates the Russian capacity to continue the war. The Ukrainians are struggling but they have their lives and land and freedom to defend. The Russian people only need to realise the damage and futility that Putin has inflicted on them.
The UK government must step in. X is promoting the use of the “n” word by its users - not just allowing, as the algorithms are designed to reinforce this sort of bigotry. The UK is a big enough country to influence others - it’s time to shut down Musk
This user is less appreciative of Sir Tom Stoppard, which is fine, and using abusive racist slurs, which is also fine with the X reporting system, though ought not to be if it was legally compliant
December 4, 2025 at 9:44 AM
The UK government must step in. X is promoting the use of the “n” word by its users - not just allowing, as the algorithms are designed to reinforce this sort of bigotry. The UK is a big enough country to influence others - it’s time to shut down Musk
Super-wealthy political donors are deliberately creating a world where the discrepancies between rich and poor and the corruption of democracy are likely to lead not to readjustment but to revolution. They have forgotten the lessons of the French Revolution.
Political parties should be focused on voters not donors.
For as long as mega donations like this are permitted, voters will rightly suspect that their interests come second to those of wealthy donors.
A donations cap would show that politics can’t be bought.
www.ft.com/content/db73...
For as long as mega donations like this are permitted, voters will rightly suspect that their interests come second to those of wealthy donors.
A donations cap would show that politics can’t be bought.
www.ft.com/content/db73...
Reform UK gets record £9mn donation from Christopher Harborne
Nigel Farage’s party attracts far more funding than both Labour and the Conservatives
www.ft.com
December 4, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Super-wealthy political donors are deliberately creating a world where the discrepancies between rich and poor and the corruption of democracy are likely to lead not to readjustment but to revolution. They have forgotten the lessons of the French Revolution.
Reposted by Sandy Martin
Political parties should be focused on voters not donors.
For as long as mega donations like this are permitted, voters will rightly suspect that their interests come second to those of wealthy donors.
A donations cap would show that politics can’t be bought.
www.ft.com/content/db73...
For as long as mega donations like this are permitted, voters will rightly suspect that their interests come second to those of wealthy donors.
A donations cap would show that politics can’t be bought.
www.ft.com/content/db73...
Reform UK gets record £9mn donation from Christopher Harborne
Nigel Farage’s party attracts far more funding than both Labour and the Conservatives
www.ft.com
December 4, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Political parties should be focused on voters not donors.
For as long as mega donations like this are permitted, voters will rightly suspect that their interests come second to those of wealthy donors.
A donations cap would show that politics can’t be bought.
www.ft.com/content/db73...
For as long as mega donations like this are permitted, voters will rightly suspect that their interests come second to those of wealthy donors.
A donations cap would show that politics can’t be bought.
www.ft.com/content/db73...
Creating your own currency- or counterfeiting the existing currency- used to be treated as a form of treason. Why are the world’s governments tolerating it now? What does crypto enable? Does it remove capital from the productive economy?
Crypto investor and former Tory donor Christopher Harborne has just given a record-breaking £9 million donation to Reform.
Nigel Farage has spent recent months publicly calling for deregulation of the crypto industry, telling an industry conference that "I am your champion"
Nigel Farage has spent recent months publicly calling for deregulation of the crypto industry, telling an industry conference that "I am your champion"
December 4, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Creating your own currency- or counterfeiting the existing currency- used to be treated as a form of treason. Why are the world’s governments tolerating it now? What does crypto enable? Does it remove capital from the productive economy?
Reposted by Sandy Martin
The chemical industry is the second-largest manufacturing industry in the UK. Rejoining the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) would simplify regulation and improve long-term stability for the sector.
December 4, 2025 at 9:08 AM
The chemical industry is the second-largest manufacturing industry in the UK. Rejoining the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) would simplify regulation and improve long-term stability for the sector.
Reposted by Sandy Martin
Because of Brexit, the exchequer “will lose the thick end of £100bn in tax revenues this year”
Far from having to raise £26bn in extra taxes, Rachel Reeves could have raised spending on health, defence, infrastructure, etc and still had money to spare…
yorkshirebylines.co.uk/opinion/brex...
Far from having to raise £26bn in extra taxes, Rachel Reeves could have raised spending on health, defence, infrastructure, etc and still had money to spare…
yorkshirebylines.co.uk/opinion/brex...
Brexit: the trillion pound ‘mistake’
The recent NBER report suggests the Treasury’s 2016 analysis – slammed by Brexiters as a ‘hoax’– actually understated the impact of Brexit
yorkshirebylines.co.uk
December 3, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Because of Brexit, the exchequer “will lose the thick end of £100bn in tax revenues this year”
Far from having to raise £26bn in extra taxes, Rachel Reeves could have raised spending on health, defence, infrastructure, etc and still had money to spare…
yorkshirebylines.co.uk/opinion/brex...
Far from having to raise £26bn in extra taxes, Rachel Reeves could have raised spending on health, defence, infrastructure, etc and still had money to spare…
yorkshirebylines.co.uk/opinion/brex...