James Sparrow
@sparklyjed.bsky.social
Reposted by James Sparrow
Quite the shift from "I think if you do something bad you should die" immediately to "as they say in the Bible..."
December 6, 2025 at 9:27 PM
Quite the shift from "I think if you do something bad you should die" immediately to "as they say in the Bible..."
Reposted by James Sparrow
it might seem surprising that the people who said “look, let trans people live their lives, but i have Reasonable Concerns about sports and toilets” aren’t up in arms about this, but what you have to remember is that those people who said that are liars who were lying
December 6, 2025 at 12:40 PM
it might seem surprising that the people who said “look, let trans people live their lives, but i have Reasonable Concerns about sports and toilets” aren’t up in arms about this, but what you have to remember is that those people who said that are liars who were lying
Reposted by James Sparrow
This headline will not be repeated by most other newspapers, neither will it lead the TV news. Our agenda-driven, bad faith media is one of the major reasons why we’re in the fix we’re in and why the government is terrified of taking the steps needed to change things. More fool them.
OBR board member says Reeves did not mislead public on Budget on.ft.com/3Ka0h3H
OBR board member says Reeves did not mislead public on Budget
UK chancellor’s fiscal warnings backed by David Miles a day after economic watchdog’s chair resigns
on.ft.com
December 2, 2025 at 2:38 PM
This headline will not be repeated by most other newspapers, neither will it lead the TV news. Our agenda-driven, bad faith media is one of the major reasons why we’re in the fix we’re in and why the government is terrified of taking the steps needed to change things. More fool them.
Reposted by James Sparrow
"We will have an economy in which the full-time work of some young people will pay less than the state pensions of retirees, and yet it is the young people who will be taxed."
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
Rachel Reeves mugs the youth
Young workers are coughing up for state pensions
www.newstatesman.com
December 1, 2025 at 4:47 PM
"We will have an economy in which the full-time work of some young people will pay less than the state pensions of retirees, and yet it is the young people who will be taxed."
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
Reposted by James Sparrow
Reposted by James Sparrow
I'm not a fan of the triple lock but if we have to have it, this is reasonable. These are the pensioners who need the help.
Interesting - the Chancellor tells @martinlewis.moneysavingexpert.com that those receiving only the state pension won’t pay income tax even when the pension passes the (frozen) income tax threshold. So in effect the income tax threshold will newly rise by the triple lock, for some not all pensioners
November 28, 2025 at 9:07 AM
I'm not a fan of the triple lock but if we have to have it, this is reasonable. These are the pensioners who need the help.
Reposted by James Sparrow
Interesting - the Chancellor tells @martinlewis.moneysavingexpert.com that those receiving only the state pension won’t pay income tax even when the pension passes the (frozen) income tax threshold. So in effect the income tax threshold will newly rise by the triple lock, for some not all pensioners
November 27, 2025 at 11:14 PM
Interesting - the Chancellor tells @martinlewis.moneysavingexpert.com that those receiving only the state pension won’t pay income tax even when the pension passes the (frozen) income tax threshold. So in effect the income tax threshold will newly rise by the triple lock, for some not all pensioners
Reposted by James Sparrow
Abysmal, mindless, utterly zombified. You can't even call it policymaking because that implies a degree of thought which simply isn't present. Pretty soon they might actually hit Cameron's 'tens of thousands' target and then they'll shit themselves with horror at the consequences.
PM describes net migration of 205k as "a step in the right direction". His govt has no public position on a sustainable level of immigration is, nor any known process to decide what, why & how. Starmer is now implying he wants it significantly lower
www.standard.co.uk/news/politic...
www.standard.co.uk/news/politic...
Net migration drop ‘step in the right direction’ – Starmer
Net migration peaked at a record 944,000 in the year to March 2023 but has fallen sharply since then.
www.standard.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Abysmal, mindless, utterly zombified. You can't even call it policymaking because that implies a degree of thought which simply isn't present. Pretty soon they might actually hit Cameron's 'tens of thousands' target and then they'll shit themselves with horror at the consequences.
Reposted by James Sparrow
Looking forward to the 2029 general election campaign, when the incumbent government will run on "Public services haven't improved, those tax rises we announced years ago just kicked in, and now we have to increase immigration because it went too low and we are skint again."
The government figuring this out slowly over the coming two years is going to be quite something to behold.
I think the government meant to cut net migration but have accidentally overshot the target by a lot. They haven’t realised this yet.
November 27, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Looking forward to the 2029 general election campaign, when the incumbent government will run on "Public services haven't improved, those tax rises we announced years ago just kicked in, and now we have to increase immigration because it went too low and we are skint again."
Reposted by James Sparrow
I find it horrifying how many people support the two-child benefit cap, knowing that it forces children to live in poverty. Sometimes the voters are morally dreadful and you need to ignore them
November 27, 2025 at 1:30 PM
I find it horrifying how many people support the two-child benefit cap, knowing that it forces children to live in poverty. Sometimes the voters are morally dreadful and you need to ignore them
Reposted by James Sparrow
BREAKING: This is huge news, the EU's equivalent of the 🇺🇸Supreme Court's 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling.
🇪🇺Court of Justice just ruled all 🇪🇺countries must recognise same-sex marriages granted in other member states.
This effectively legalises gay marriage across 🇪🇺
🇪🇺Court of Justice just ruled all 🇪🇺countries must recognise same-sex marriages granted in other member states.
This effectively legalises gay marriage across 🇪🇺
www.reuters.com
November 25, 2025 at 10:10 AM
BREAKING: This is huge news, the EU's equivalent of the 🇺🇸Supreme Court's 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling.
🇪🇺Court of Justice just ruled all 🇪🇺countries must recognise same-sex marriages granted in other member states.
This effectively legalises gay marriage across 🇪🇺
🇪🇺Court of Justice just ruled all 🇪🇺countries must recognise same-sex marriages granted in other member states.
This effectively legalises gay marriage across 🇪🇺
Reposted by James Sparrow
Quite the correction by the Telegraph. The publication in question is @freemovement.bsky.social
November 21, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Quite the correction by the Telegraph. The publication in question is @freemovement.bsky.social
Reposted by James Sparrow
Got it and, as as expected, you are entirely correct. It was getting people to guess the number from multiple choice.
So it doesn't show ignorance of the slave trade or Britain's role in it, just ignorance of the specific number.
So it doesn't show ignorance of the slave trade or Britain's role in it, just ignorance of the specific number.
November 20, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Got it and, as as expected, you are entirely correct. It was getting people to guess the number from multiple choice.
So it doesn't show ignorance of the slave trade or Britain's role in it, just ignorance of the specific number.
So it doesn't show ignorance of the slave trade or Britain's role in it, just ignorance of the specific number.
Reposted by James Sparrow
The i Paper is reporting that once the changes are brought in, the 20 year route will be applied to refugees who are already here.
I can't over emphasise the level of terror this will cause to our refugee population, and the lack of detail and timescale will make it very difficult to calm nerves.
I can't over emphasise the level of terror this will cause to our refugee population, and the lack of detail and timescale will make it very difficult to calm nerves.
November 19, 2025 at 8:06 AM
The i Paper is reporting that once the changes are brought in, the 20 year route will be applied to refugees who are already here.
I can't over emphasise the level of terror this will cause to our refugee population, and the lack of detail and timescale will make it very difficult to calm nerves.
I can't over emphasise the level of terror this will cause to our refugee population, and the lack of detail and timescale will make it very difficult to calm nerves.
Reposted by James Sparrow
I’m not a great political analyst, but I do feel Labour have made a tactical error by opting to be cunts.
November 18, 2025 at 10:12 PM
I’m not a great political analyst, but I do feel Labour have made a tactical error by opting to be cunts.
Reposted by James Sparrow
In 2020 Keir Starmer and Alf Dubs urged the then Conservative Government to restore their commitment to family reunion for child refugees, saying there was a “moral argument” to protect desperately vulnerable young people.
Five years later Dubs condemns Starmer for doing the complete opposite
Five years later Dubs condemns Starmer for doing the complete opposite
November 18, 2025 at 10:49 AM
In 2020 Keir Starmer and Alf Dubs urged the then Conservative Government to restore their commitment to family reunion for child refugees, saying there was a “moral argument” to protect desperately vulnerable young people.
Five years later Dubs condemns Starmer for doing the complete opposite
Five years later Dubs condemns Starmer for doing the complete opposite
Reposted by James Sparrow
The problem with Mahmood's argument is that it not only accepts that we've lost control of the border (we haven't, the processing of claims was stopped by the Tories causing a huge backlog) but that racist abuse is a legitimate response to this supposed failure. It could not be more poisionious
- It is entirely legitimate for the Home Secretary to highlight the overt racism that she receives for taking part in public life.
- Everybody should oppose that racism against her, whatever their politics.
- But it is important to make several other points about this argument about racism.
- Everybody should oppose that racism against her, whatever their politics.
- But it is important to make several other points about this argument about racism.
November 18, 2025 at 12:06 AM
The problem with Mahmood's argument is that it not only accepts that we've lost control of the border (we haven't, the processing of claims was stopped by the Tories causing a huge backlog) but that racist abuse is a legitimate response to this supposed failure. It could not be more poisionious
Reposted by James Sparrow
The impression given by a morning scroll is that the politics of Europe and North America has largely become a performative sideshow detached from real life (though not of course if you are one of the designated 'victims')
November 16, 2025 at 10:11 AM
The impression given by a morning scroll is that the politics of Europe and North America has largely become a performative sideshow detached from real life (though not of course if you are one of the designated 'victims')
Reposted by James Sparrow
In the past when Labour has appeased racist sentiment - which it always has done - there has usually been some electoral reason for it & a measure to balance it that actually addressed racism in some way. But this is electorally crazy and is not mitigated by anything. I am dumbfounded.
Shabana Mahmood has vowed to end Britain’s “golden ticket” for asylum seekers by forcing people arriving illegally to wait 20 years before they can apply for permanent settlement
Shabana Mahmood: ‘Illegal migration is tearing Britain apart’
The home secretary is planning to introduce a 20-year wait for permanent stay to end a ‘golden ticket’ for asylum seekers
www.thetimes.com
November 16, 2025 at 9:16 AM
In the past when Labour has appeased racist sentiment - which it always has done - there has usually been some electoral reason for it & a measure to balance it that actually addressed racism in some way. But this is electorally crazy and is not mitigated by anything. I am dumbfounded.
Reposted by James Sparrow
Once again for those at the back - morally repugnant, politically catastrophic. It won't work, won't happen and will lose Labour even more support. Masterful.
Shabana Mahmood has vowed to end Britain’s “golden ticket” for asylum seekers by forcing people arriving illegally to wait 20 years before they can apply for permanent settlement
Shabana Mahmood: ‘Illegal migration is tearing Britain apart’
The home secretary is planning to introduce a 20-year wait for permanent stay to end a ‘golden ticket’ for asylum seekers
www.thetimes.com
November 16, 2025 at 8:24 AM
Once again for those at the back - morally repugnant, politically catastrophic. It won't work, won't happen and will lose Labour even more support. Masterful.
Reposted by James Sparrow
It is so notable how the language of asylum has changed in the post-Farage/small boats world. “Illegal migrants” was once reserved for right wing papers, Now government spokespeople call basic sustenance and shelter for refugees banned from working “handouts”.
November 15, 2025 at 11:28 PM
It is so notable how the language of asylum has changed in the post-Farage/small boats world. “Illegal migrants” was once reserved for right wing papers, Now government spokespeople call basic sustenance and shelter for refugees banned from working “handouts”.
Reposted by James Sparrow
Tommy Robinson is claiming credit for the language/policy being used by the Labour government (about deporting people found to be refugees once their home country is deemed safe)
November 15, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Tommy Robinson is claiming credit for the language/policy being used by the Labour government (about deporting people found to be refugees once their home country is deemed safe)
Reposted by James Sparrow
Someone should ask Starmer and Mahmood whether they think the Kindertransport, for example, should have been a return ticket. Whether Alf Dubs, rather than becoming a Labour MP and now Lord, ought to have been sent back with his family to Czechoslovakia once it was liberated from German rule.
This contribution to the volume of human misery is yet another policy from Labour based on a false premise, in this case that refugees are overly attracted to Britain. It will increase bureaucratic limbo, thus making worse the problem of "cohesion" it purports to solve.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
UK set to limit refugees to temporary stays
Shabana Mahmood is expected to say the era of permanent protection for refugees is over, in major changes to the UK's asylum and immigration system.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 15, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Someone should ask Starmer and Mahmood whether they think the Kindertransport, for example, should have been a return ticket. Whether Alf Dubs, rather than becoming a Labour MP and now Lord, ought to have been sent back with his family to Czechoslovakia once it was liberated from German rule.
Reposted by James Sparrow
No, I'd say it's racists and those pandering to them.
November 15, 2025 at 9:58 PM
No, I'd say it's racists and those pandering to them.
Reposted by James Sparrow
this is brilliant satire:
“Given what I took to be the anti-Trump nature of the Sketch, I of course assumed there would be a similar, balancing Sketch discussing the possibility that the Capitol building had attacked the rioters....."
“Given what I took to be the anti-Trump nature of the Sketch, I of course assumed there would be a similar, balancing Sketch discussing the possibility that the Capitol building had attacked the rioters....."
Crisis at the Critic Sketchcasting Corporation!
Crisis at the CSC | Robert Hutton | The Critic Magazine
From the desk of Lord Kronsteen, founder and proprietor of the Critic Sketchcasting Corporation. To all staff, It is with a heavy heart that I take pen in hand to inform you of the resignation of both…
thecritic.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 5:54 PM
this is brilliant satire:
“Given what I took to be the anti-Trump nature of the Sketch, I of course assumed there would be a similar, balancing Sketch discussing the possibility that the Capitol building had attacked the rioters....."
“Given what I took to be the anti-Trump nature of the Sketch, I of course assumed there would be a similar, balancing Sketch discussing the possibility that the Capitol building had attacked the rioters....."