Dr Simon Ubsdell
@simonubsdell.bsky.social
Still raging about the abject moral abomination of Brexitism. Things I rage about less: Herodotus/5thc Athens, mograph/VFX, music.
Reposted by Dr Simon Ubsdell
Oh look. There really are "no go areas" in England.
And they're marked by St George's flags
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
And they're marked by St George's flags
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
NHS staff who visit patients at home say St George’s flags can mean ‘no-go zones’
Black and Asian staff left feeling ‘deliberately intimidated’, according to chief executive of one NHS trust
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Oh look. There really are "no go areas" in England.
And they're marked by St George's flags
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
And they're marked by St George's flags
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Reposted by Dr Simon Ubsdell
Nothing to see here, no cause for alarm at all 🫠
Japanese giant SoftBank said Tuesday it has sold its entire stake in tech giant Nvidia for $5.83 billion.
Click here to read more: https://cnb.cx/49LCIs8
Click here to read more: https://cnb.cx/49LCIs8
November 11, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Nothing to see here, no cause for alarm at all 🫠
This by Lewis Goodall on the internal ugliness at the BBC is very well worth reading:
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
The truth about impartiality at the BBC
And the hysteria of the current "crisis"
open.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:57 PM
This by Lewis Goodall on the internal ugliness at the BBC is very well worth reading:
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
Reposted by Dr Simon Ubsdell
Democrats were overwhelmingly united on their shutdown demands.
Americans understood that Trump and Republicans were to blame.
Voters made it known last Tuesday that they'll elect leaders who stand up to Trump.
Democrats held the cards — and folded for no reason.
Americans understood that Trump and Republicans were to blame.
Voters made it known last Tuesday that they'll elect leaders who stand up to Trump.
Democrats held the cards — and folded for no reason.
November 10, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Democrats were overwhelmingly united on their shutdown demands.
Americans understood that Trump and Republicans were to blame.
Voters made it known last Tuesday that they'll elect leaders who stand up to Trump.
Democrats held the cards — and folded for no reason.
Americans understood that Trump and Republicans were to blame.
Voters made it known last Tuesday that they'll elect leaders who stand up to Trump.
Democrats held the cards — and folded for no reason.
Reposted by Dr Simon Ubsdell
When Boris Johnson was Prime Minister one of his senior advisers confided to me that one of the only things in politics his boss actually cared about was “killing off the BBC”.
Five years on, and it is a campaign that appears to be finally coming to fruition.
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/10/t...
Five years on, and it is a campaign that appears to be finally coming to fruition.
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/10/t...
The BBC’s Attempts to Appease the 'Right-Wing Coup' Against It Are Now Seeding Its Own Destruction
By attempting to appease those forces seeking to destroy them, the BBC has helped trigger a crisis that now threatens its very future, argues Adam Bienkov
bylinetimes.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:49 PM
When Boris Johnson was Prime Minister one of his senior advisers confided to me that one of the only things in politics his boss actually cared about was “killing off the BBC”.
Five years on, and it is a campaign that appears to be finally coming to fruition.
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/10/t...
Five years on, and it is a campaign that appears to be finally coming to fruition.
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/10/t...
Reposted by Dr Simon Ubsdell
One nice detail that can easily be lost in this graph - even right wingers trust the BBC more than the right wing tabloids
Here’s the same data, but with trust broken down by political views (circles are trust among people on the left, +s the right).
It’s not just that the BBC is widely consumed — it also has solid trust on both left & right, whereas trust in the biggest US media brands is hugely polarised.
It’s not just that the BBC is widely consumed — it also has solid trust on both left & right, whereas trust in the biggest US media brands is hugely polarised.
November 10, 2025 at 5:40 PM
One nice detail that can easily be lost in this graph - even right wingers trust the BBC more than the right wing tabloids
Reposted by Dr Simon Ubsdell
Mail Online reports Nigel Farage says that the BBC may have no future.
He imagines bringing to an end century of public service broadcasting in the UK - because the populist politician and his US political ally Donald Trump do not want the BBC to survive
No thanks, Nigel.
No thanks, Donald
He imagines bringing to an end century of public service broadcasting in the UK - because the populist politician and his US political ally Donald Trump do not want the BBC to survive
No thanks, Nigel.
No thanks, Donald
November 10, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Mail Online reports Nigel Farage says that the BBC may have no future.
He imagines bringing to an end century of public service broadcasting in the UK - because the populist politician and his US political ally Donald Trump do not want the BBC to survive
No thanks, Nigel.
No thanks, Donald
He imagines bringing to an end century of public service broadcasting in the UK - because the populist politician and his US political ally Donald Trump do not want the BBC to survive
No thanks, Nigel.
No thanks, Donald
Reposted by Dr Simon Ubsdell
"Worryingly, according to YouGov, trust in the BBC declined from 81% to 47% between 2004 and 2020..."
The BBC affair: a personal view
A reporter's view
northeastbylines.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 4:53 PM
"Worryingly, according to YouGov, trust in the BBC declined from 81% to 47% between 2004 and 2020..."
Reposted by Dr Simon Ubsdell
Note that still in post at the BBC is Robbie Gibb, who helped set up GB News, and John McAndrew, formerly director of news and programmes at GB News.
November 10, 2025 at 5:56 AM
Note that still in post at the BBC is Robbie Gibb, who helped set up GB News, and John McAndrew, formerly director of news and programmes at GB News.
Reposted by Dr Simon Ubsdell
Losing both the director-general and the very obvious heir apparent as the result of such an orchestrated attack is truly existential stuff for the BBC.
It’s also a *massive* challenge for Lisa Nandy, who has so far failed to impress anyone as culture secretary.
It’s also a *massive* challenge for Lisa Nandy, who has so far failed to impress anyone as culture secretary.
November 9, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Losing both the director-general and the very obvious heir apparent as the result of such an orchestrated attack is truly existential stuff for the BBC.
It’s also a *massive* challenge for Lisa Nandy, who has so far failed to impress anyone as culture secretary.
It’s also a *massive* challenge for Lisa Nandy, who has so far failed to impress anyone as culture secretary.
Reposted by Dr Simon Ubsdell
It’s not at all clear to me how the BBC can do any kind of serious journalism if its top two bosses can be forced to quit over such an obviously confected scandal. There is no substantive error here. How can the BBC report on Trump, or Farage, or anyone else, in these circumstances?
November 9, 2025 at 7:30 PM
It’s not at all clear to me how the BBC can do any kind of serious journalism if its top two bosses can be forced to quit over such an obviously confected scandal. There is no substantive error here. How can the BBC report on Trump, or Farage, or anyone else, in these circumstances?
Reposted by Dr Simon Ubsdell
We are so far through the looking glass that the man who tried to overthrow an election becomes president, the people who attacked the Capitol are turned into martyrs, & it's the BBC that gets punished - cheered on by the worst news outlets in the UK & the two most dishonest politicians of our age.
It’s not at all clear to me how the BBC can do any kind of serious journalism if its top two bosses can be forced to quit over such an obviously confected scandal. There is no substantive error here. How can the BBC report on Trump, or Farage, or anyone else, in these circumstances?
November 9, 2025 at 9:08 PM
We are so far through the looking glass that the man who tried to overthrow an election becomes president, the people who attacked the Capitol are turned into martyrs, & it's the BBC that gets punished - cheered on by the worst news outlets in the UK & the two most dishonest politicians of our age.
Reposted by Dr Simon Ubsdell
Tips for the next DG:
1 - Don't stake your future on impartiality. Perfect impartiality is impossible. Focus on accuracy and accountability. Let journalists and producers do their job. If they get it badly wrong, sack them.
2 - Reverse the deliberate, prolonged cut to arts programming.
1 - Don't stake your future on impartiality. Perfect impartiality is impossible. Focus on accuracy and accountability. Let journalists and producers do their job. If they get it badly wrong, sack them.
2 - Reverse the deliberate, prolonged cut to arts programming.
November 9, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Tips for the next DG:
1 - Don't stake your future on impartiality. Perfect impartiality is impossible. Focus on accuracy and accountability. Let journalists and producers do their job. If they get it badly wrong, sack them.
2 - Reverse the deliberate, prolonged cut to arts programming.
1 - Don't stake your future on impartiality. Perfect impartiality is impossible. Focus on accuracy and accountability. Let journalists and producers do their job. If they get it badly wrong, sack them.
2 - Reverse the deliberate, prolonged cut to arts programming.
Reposted by Dr Simon Ubsdell
I’m surprised Davie has resigned over that Panorama edit (seems like a bit of a nothingburger to me) but I’m glad he’s gone. On his watch the BBC simply gave up the ghost on factual documentary TV, and decided the best way to serve its audience was to patronise it.
1/2
1/2
November 9, 2025 at 8:51 PM
I’m surprised Davie has resigned over that Panorama edit (seems like a bit of a nothingburger to me) but I’m glad he’s gone. On his watch the BBC simply gave up the ghost on factual documentary TV, and decided the best way to serve its audience was to patronise it.
1/2
1/2
Reposted by Dr Simon Ubsdell
I had my disagreements with the BBC under Tim Davie but he was a decent man doing a difficult job.
To see Trump's White House claiming credit for his downfall and attacking the BBC should worry us all.
To see Trump's White House claiming credit for his downfall and attacking the BBC should worry us all.
November 9, 2025 at 8:00 PM
I had my disagreements with the BBC under Tim Davie but he was a decent man doing a difficult job.
To see Trump's White House claiming credit for his downfall and attacking the BBC should worry us all.
To see Trump's White House claiming credit for his downfall and attacking the BBC should worry us all.
Reposted by Dr Simon Ubsdell
Coming from a career of inter-institutional battles and department turf wars it’s been a surprise to me how easily many senior within institutions have rolled over or been unwilling to defend them as institutions. Thinking UK Parliament & Civil Service, US Congress, Supreme Court, universities, BBC.
November 9, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Coming from a career of inter-institutional battles and department turf wars it’s been a surprise to me how easily many senior within institutions have rolled over or been unwilling to defend them as institutions. Thinking UK Parliament & Civil Service, US Congress, Supreme Court, universities, BBC.
Reposted by Dr Simon Ubsdell
Depressing that the BBC has so little inherent institutional strength, it is kicked about so easily.
This is not good sign for our polity.
This is not good sign for our polity.
November 9, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Depressing that the BBC has so little inherent institutional strength, it is kicked about so easily.
This is not good sign for our polity.
This is not good sign for our polity.
Reposted by Dr Simon Ubsdell
That a Reagan judge would give up his lifetime appointment willingly because he feels a future GOP president has rendered that appointment meaningless in the midst of an authoritarian speedrun is quite remarkable:
November 9, 2025 at 5:25 PM
That a Reagan judge would give up his lifetime appointment willingly because he feels a future GOP president has rendered that appointment meaningless in the midst of an authoritarian speedrun is quite remarkable:
Reposted by Dr Simon Ubsdell
1/ Unique typing style aside, the President raises an interesting question here:
Why do some like me think Congress and the Founders are comfortable with him banning or licensing an import during an economic emergency, but not applying a tariff on it?
Let's talk about it.
Why do some like me think Congress and the Founders are comfortable with him banning or licensing an import during an economic emergency, but not applying a tariff on it?
Let's talk about it.
November 9, 2025 at 4:52 PM
1/ Unique typing style aside, the President raises an interesting question here:
Why do some like me think Congress and the Founders are comfortable with him banning or licensing an import during an economic emergency, but not applying a tariff on it?
Let's talk about it.
Why do some like me think Congress and the Founders are comfortable with him banning or licensing an import during an economic emergency, but not applying a tariff on it?
Let's talk about it.
Reposted by Dr Simon Ubsdell
How ever since Labour came to power, the British media has started to notice a whole series of problems they spent the previous 14 years completely ignoring
www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/the-great-...
www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/the-great-...
The 'Great Noticing' Era
Ever since Labour came to power, the British media has started to notice a whole series of problems they spent the previous 14 years completely ignoring
www.adambienkov.co.uk
November 8, 2025 at 12:23 PM
How ever since Labour came to power, the British media has started to notice a whole series of problems they spent the previous 14 years completely ignoring
www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/the-great-...
www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/the-great-...
Reposted by Dr Simon Ubsdell
It's pedantic of me perhaps but it annoys me when a photoshopped photo is called AI. AI fakes are still easier to spot than photoshopped ones. It's another example of us being told AI can do things it can't.
November 9, 2025 at 4:30 PM
It's pedantic of me perhaps but it annoys me when a photoshopped photo is called AI. AI fakes are still easier to spot than photoshopped ones. It's another example of us being told AI can do things it can't.
Reposted by Dr Simon Ubsdell
Nice to see this exclusive report in the Guardian, breaking the news that I reported 3 years ago in "The Decade In Tory" (one of dozens of lucrative, mostly wasted COVID contracts via direct connection to senior Tories).
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Revealed: the billion-pound PPE contractor with a Tory MP on site
Special report: Uniserve was paid £1.4bn for Covid contracts that included supply of £178.5m in never-used equipment
www.theguardian.com
November 9, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Nice to see this exclusive report in the Guardian, breaking the news that I reported 3 years ago in "The Decade In Tory" (one of dozens of lucrative, mostly wasted COVID contracts via direct connection to senior Tories).
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Reposted by Dr Simon Ubsdell
What happened when I dug into some of the key studies and ideas quoted in The Tipping Point and its sequel… kucharski.substack.com/p/the-real-r...
November 9, 2025 at 1:44 PM
What happened when I dug into some of the key studies and ideas quoted in The Tipping Point and its sequel… kucharski.substack.com/p/the-real-r...
Reposted by Dr Simon Ubsdell
"The main UK BBC analysis of the Caerphilly result read: 'Extraordinary by-election humbles Westminster’s big beasts' with a narrative centred on the decline of Labour & the Tories.
"Plaid Cymru, who won by 11%, was the fourth party mentioned." Its leader was not.
Farage had a photo AND quotes.
"Plaid Cymru, who won by 11%, was the fourth party mentioned." Its leader was not.
Farage had a photo AND quotes.
The worst person to be in Wales
A crisis we are just accepting
open.substack.com
November 9, 2025 at 3:20 PM
"The main UK BBC analysis of the Caerphilly result read: 'Extraordinary by-election humbles Westminster’s big beasts' with a narrative centred on the decline of Labour & the Tories.
"Plaid Cymru, who won by 11%, was the fourth party mentioned." Its leader was not.
Farage had a photo AND quotes.
"Plaid Cymru, who won by 11%, was the fourth party mentioned." Its leader was not.
Farage had a photo AND quotes.
Reposted by Dr Simon Ubsdell
They are paying more heed to McSweeney's polling, Glasman's prejudices and Musk's X rather than actual, you know, cold, hard data that says immigrants enrich this country. They are stuck selling a false, negative narrative, rather than a positive one of hope. They are so lost.
November 9, 2025 at 12:06 PM
They are paying more heed to McSweeney's polling, Glasman's prejudices and Musk's X rather than actual, you know, cold, hard data that says immigrants enrich this country. They are stuck selling a false, negative narrative, rather than a positive one of hope. They are so lost.