@steveblamire.bsky.social
Reposted
The truth: we need migration.
The problem: too many politicians are terrified to say it.
Why? They're led by a) toxicity of the charlatans & b) wealthy media organisations who demand these useful distractions rather than us talking about inequality.
Reject it. Draw the line.
The problem: too many politicians are terrified to say it.
Why? They're led by a) toxicity of the charlatans & b) wealthy media organisations who demand these useful distractions rather than us talking about inequality.
Reject it. Draw the line.
September 22, 2025 at 12:57 PM
The truth: we need migration.
The problem: too many politicians are terrified to say it.
Why? They're led by a) toxicity of the charlatans & b) wealthy media organisations who demand these useful distractions rather than us talking about inequality.
Reject it. Draw the line.
The problem: too many politicians are terrified to say it.
Why? They're led by a) toxicity of the charlatans & b) wealthy media organisations who demand these useful distractions rather than us talking about inequality.
Reject it. Draw the line.
Reposted
First Past the Post cannot handle this level of fragmentation. It will produce completely freak results.
We can grasp this problem now, or wait for the train to crash.
We can grasp this problem now, or wait for the train to crash.
5 parties on more than 12%, winner gains seat with under 30%. Results like this used to be rare, freak outliers. Now they are routine (there was a second just like this yesterday). Electoral chaos.
Newmarket East (West Suffolk) Council By-Election Result:
➡️ RFM: 29.7% (New)
🌳 CON: 25.0% (+4.1)
🔶 LDM: 17.2% (-3.1)
🌹 LAB: 15.3% (-8.3)
🌍 GRN: 12.8% (New)
No WSI (-19.2) or Ind (-16.1) as previous.
Reform GAIN from Labour.
Changes w/ 2023.
➡️ RFM: 29.7% (New)
🌳 CON: 25.0% (+4.1)
🔶 LDM: 17.2% (-3.1)
🌹 LAB: 15.3% (-8.3)
🌍 GRN: 12.8% (New)
No WSI (-19.2) or Ind (-16.1) as previous.
Reform GAIN from Labour.
Changes w/ 2023.
September 12, 2025 at 8:07 AM
First Past the Post cannot handle this level of fragmentation. It will produce completely freak results.
We can grasp this problem now, or wait for the train to crash.
We can grasp this problem now, or wait for the train to crash.
Reposted
There were Trumps in the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, and so on.
But they were checked, balanced, blocked.
And therein is the failure this time.
But they were checked, balanced, blocked.
And therein is the failure this time.
August 22, 2025 at 8:28 PM
There were Trumps in the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, and so on.
But they were checked, balanced, blocked.
And therein is the failure this time.
But they were checked, balanced, blocked.
And therein is the failure this time.
Reposted
Well, I suppose she could seek asylum somewhere. More seriously, the political right seems to have gone utterly mad.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08...
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08...
Lucy Connolly’s first interview: I was Starmer’s political prisoner
Northampton childminder speaks exclusively to Allison Pearson, the Telegraph journalist who led the campaign for her release
www.telegraph.co.uk
August 22, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Well, I suppose she could seek asylum somewhere. More seriously, the political right seems to have gone utterly mad.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08...
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08...
Reposted
IMPORTANT: If you can watch only ONE video about why more & wider roads won’t solve traffic congestion no matter how many billions you spend, watch THIS one. Then share it with EVERYONE.
Jevons Paradox isn’t a rock band.
Via Australia’s great show “Utopia” on ABC TV. youtube.com/watch?v=xtO_...
Jevons Paradox isn’t a rock band.
Via Australia’s great show “Utopia” on ABC TV. youtube.com/watch?v=xtO_...
How to Fix Traffic Congestion In Australia | Utopia
YouTube video by Working Dog Productions
youtube.com
July 11, 2025 at 12:14 AM
IMPORTANT: If you can watch only ONE video about why more & wider roads won’t solve traffic congestion no matter how many billions you spend, watch THIS one. Then share it with EVERYONE.
Jevons Paradox isn’t a rock band.
Via Australia’s great show “Utopia” on ABC TV. youtube.com/watch?v=xtO_...
Jevons Paradox isn’t a rock band.
Via Australia’s great show “Utopia” on ABC TV. youtube.com/watch?v=xtO_...
Reposted
On every post about our borked planning system, people always pop up on the replies saying planning isn’t the problem, but rather nefarious developers are hoarding land. This is an example of H L Mencken’s principle: “for every complex problem there is an answer which is clear, simple and wrong”.
July 10, 2025 at 10:05 AM
On every post about our borked planning system, people always pop up on the replies saying planning isn’t the problem, but rather nefarious developers are hoarding land. This is an example of H L Mencken’s principle: “for every complex problem there is an answer which is clear, simple and wrong”.
Reposted
A quick reminder of what today is really about: Russia threatens Europe. America is gone. It will not save us. Britain and Europe must work closely and with trust, on defense and everything else, in order to counter the Kremlin threat.
May 19, 2025 at 8:59 AM
A quick reminder of what today is really about: Russia threatens Europe. America is gone. It will not save us. Britain and Europe must work closely and with trust, on defense and everything else, in order to counter the Kremlin threat.
Reposted
We despise immigrants for not putting down roots, even as we make sure that it is impossible for them to do so. We do this because we have no idea what we want.
open.substack.com/pub/iandunt/...
open.substack.com/pub/iandunt/...
May 16, 2025 at 9:50 AM
We despise immigrants for not putting down roots, even as we make sure that it is impossible for them to do so. We do this because we have no idea what we want.
open.substack.com/pub/iandunt/...
open.substack.com/pub/iandunt/...
Reposted
Labour's immigration announcement today is a reflection of the paucity of honest debate by BOTH political parties over the last decade on this issue.
Labour has never made a counter-argument, or been honest about economic cost of immigration curbs, so it's stuck making Tory/Reform arguments 1/n
Labour has never made a counter-argument, or been honest about economic cost of immigration curbs, so it's stuck making Tory/Reform arguments 1/n
May 12, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Labour's immigration announcement today is a reflection of the paucity of honest debate by BOTH political parties over the last decade on this issue.
Labour has never made a counter-argument, or been honest about economic cost of immigration curbs, so it's stuck making Tory/Reform arguments 1/n
Labour has never made a counter-argument, or been honest about economic cost of immigration curbs, so it's stuck making Tory/Reform arguments 1/n
Reposted
ART OF THE FOLD........
May 12, 2025 at 1:15 PM
ART OF THE FOLD........
Reposted
just over the last 5 weeks, Trump has helped swing elections (against him) in Wisconsin, Canada, Australia, and the Vatican.
May 8, 2025 at 6:32 PM
just over the last 5 weeks, Trump has helped swing elections (against him) in Wisconsin, Canada, Australia, and the Vatican.
Reposted
The promise was change. Not enough has changed. There is no compelling plan for change. Whichever way you slice it, this is a big problem.
May 2, 2025 at 7:55 AM
The promise was change. Not enough has changed. There is no compelling plan for change. Whichever way you slice it, this is a big problem.
Reposted
Nando's has a 32,000 piece collection of South African art that it displays in its restaurants around the world.
It's rare to find such a positive corporate story, but the artists I spoke to who sell work every few months to the chain said it was a big reason they could be full-time artists
It's rare to find such a positive corporate story, but the artists I spoke to who sell work every few months to the chain said it was a big reason they could be full-time artists
Peri-peri patron: how Nando’s amassed a huge collection of South African art
Chicken chain has been buying up art since 2004, which it displays on walls of its restaurants
www.theguardian.com
April 19, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Nando's has a 32,000 piece collection of South African art that it displays in its restaurants around the world.
It's rare to find such a positive corporate story, but the artists I spoke to who sell work every few months to the chain said it was a big reason they could be full-time artists
It's rare to find such a positive corporate story, but the artists I spoke to who sell work every few months to the chain said it was a big reason they could be full-time artists
Reposted
As Keir Starmer weighs up UK-US trade vs UK-EU integration, he faces three key facts (a 🧵):
(i) only about 25% of UK losses from being outside the EU customs union & single market can be replaced by even the best imaginable US trade deal (& that won’t happen) /1.
(i) only about 25% of UK losses from being outside the EU customs union & single market can be replaced by even the best imaginable US trade deal (& that won’t happen) /1.
April 16, 2025 at 12:05 AM
As Keir Starmer weighs up UK-US trade vs UK-EU integration, he faces three key facts (a 🧵):
(i) only about 25% of UK losses from being outside the EU customs union & single market can be replaced by even the best imaginable US trade deal (& that won’t happen) /1.
(i) only about 25% of UK losses from being outside the EU customs union & single market can be replaced by even the best imaginable US trade deal (& that won’t happen) /1.
Reposted
The storm troops of US fascism. Now tell me again all is fine in the US, just a refreshing new wind, nothing to see here folks, don't fall for Trump Derangement Syndrome.
This is so fucked up. ICE agents in Massachusetts smashed the window of a car to grab a Guatemalan guy who was with his wife. They were waiting for their lawyer to arrive because he has a pending asylum case.
Story via @wcvb5.bsky.social: www.wcvb.com/article/ice-...
Story via @wcvb5.bsky.social: www.wcvb.com/article/ice-...
April 16, 2025 at 7:59 AM
The storm troops of US fascism. Now tell me again all is fine in the US, just a refreshing new wind, nothing to see here folks, don't fall for Trump Derangement Syndrome.
Fantastic post by @maryrosemuseum.bsky.social 👏
On the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, we thought we'd answer a question that's often asked,
"If they raised the Mary Rose, why not raise the Titanic?"
Allow our scaled diagram to explain...
"If they raised the Mary Rose, why not raise the Titanic?"
Allow our scaled diagram to explain...
April 15, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Fantastic post by @maryrosemuseum.bsky.social 👏
"Tractor production is at an all-time high...."
Kelly Loeffler: "Mr President, on behalf of America's manufacturers, I want to thank you for standing up to the Chinese communist party and fighting for our main streets, for our workers ... main street is grateful for you."
April 10, 2025 at 8:26 PM
"Tractor production is at an all-time high...."
Reposted
The Good Friday Agreement was signed 27 years ago today. It was an act of delicate diplomacy, which delivered peace and security to a part of our country where those qualities had long been absent. Those achievements should never be taken for granted.
April 10, 2025 at 5:31 PM
The Good Friday Agreement was signed 27 years ago today. It was an act of delicate diplomacy, which delivered peace and security to a part of our country where those qualities had long been absent. Those achievements should never be taken for granted.
Reposted
It would be more fun if we could have a wheel of fortune or lottery ball style show to discover what the global trade regime looked like every day. Put some showmanship into it.
April 9, 2025 at 8:46 PM
It would be more fun if we could have a wheel of fortune or lottery ball style show to discover what the global trade regime looked like every day. Put some showmanship into it.
Reposted
Pundits are - in vain - looking to economics and politics when trying to explain Trump's behavior.
But, in reality, the central place to look if we want to understand Trump and his policies is this:
The psychology of dominance.
🧵(1/5)
But, in reality, the central place to look if we want to understand Trump and his policies is this:
The psychology of dominance.
🧵(1/5)
April 9, 2025 at 8:54 AM
Pundits are - in vain - looking to economics and politics when trying to explain Trump's behavior.
But, in reality, the central place to look if we want to understand Trump and his policies is this:
The psychology of dominance.
🧵(1/5)
But, in reality, the central place to look if we want to understand Trump and his policies is this:
The psychology of dominance.
🧵(1/5)
Reposted
Tuesday’s @thetimes.com cartoon times.newsprints.co.uk/morten-morla...
April 7, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Tuesday’s @thetimes.com cartoon times.newsprints.co.uk/morten-morla...
Reposted
Disaster of a front page for Trump. The economic chaos. The golf trip. His gormless mind-deadened face gazing out from it.
I often give MSM headline-writers/editors a hard time on framing of political news.
So now a note of compliment to hed-writers + photo and layout editors who put together today's WSJ print front page. (h/t @jorgeguajardo.bsky.social )
If Dickens or Dreiser were writing this, would seem overdone
So now a note of compliment to hed-writers + photo and layout editors who put together today's WSJ print front page. (h/t @jorgeguajardo.bsky.social )
If Dickens or Dreiser were writing this, would seem overdone
April 5, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Disaster of a front page for Trump. The economic chaos. The golf trip. His gormless mind-deadened face gazing out from it.
Reposted
Today is Day One of humanity’s Idiolithic Era.
April 4, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Today is Day One of humanity’s Idiolithic Era.