Matt Allison
@thetechlobbyist.bsky.social
Public Policy @Vodafone covering all things Data, Big Tech and AI. Posts on tech policy and public affairs. UCL/UEA alumn
Agree with every single word of this. It didn't have to be this way.
The Tories set a tax trap and Rachel Reeves walked straight into it. It may be her defining mistake | Chris Mullin
The Tories set a tax trap and Rachel Reeves walked straight into it. It may be her defining mistake | Chris Mullin
By taking Jeremy Hunt’s NI cuts and ruling out other rises, Labour tried to out-Tory the Tories. And made a bad situation worse, says former Labour minister Chris Mullin
www.theguardian.com
October 21, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Agree with every single word of this. It didn't have to be this way.
This guy's association with James Cordon was always a massive red flag. Obsequious invertibrate
October 1, 2025 at 8:30 AM
This guy's association with James Cordon was always a massive red flag. Obsequious invertibrate
Immigration policy is a paracite that hosts in the brains of British governments, and hollows them from the inside out.
‘One in, one out’ deal will go ahead, says Liz Kendall after last-minute injunction
‘One in, one out’ deal will go ahead, says Liz Kendall after last-minute injunction
Minister insists court ruling that blocked deportation of Eritrean man ‘will not undermine basis’ of deal with France
*
UK politics live – latest updates
Keir Starmer’s returns deal with France will go ahead, a cabinet minister has insisted, despite a high court ruling that temporarily blocked the deportation of an Eritrean man.
Liz Kendall, the technology secretary, said the last-minute injunction stopping the 25-year-old from being flown to Paris would not scupper the “one in, one out” scheme for ever. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
September 17, 2025 at 9:48 AM
Immigration policy is a paracite that hosts in the brains of British governments, and hollows them from the inside out.
Reposted by Matt Allison
‘One in, one out’ deal will go ahead, says Liz Kendall after last-minute injunction
‘One in, one out’ deal will go ahead, says Liz Kendall after last-minute injunction
Minister insists court ruling that blocked deportation of Eritrean man ‘will not undermine basis’ of deal with France
*
UK politics live – latest updates
Keir Starmer’s returns deal with France will go ahead, a cabinet minister has insisted, despite a high court ruling that temporarily blocked the deportation of an Eritrean man.
Liz Kendall, the technology secretary, said the last-minute injunction stopping the 25-year-old from being flown to Paris would not scupper the “one in, one out” scheme for ever. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
September 17, 2025 at 9:47 AM
‘One in, one out’ deal will go ahead, says Liz Kendall after last-minute injunction
This is just *chef's kiss* The coffee, the fag, the bobs, the flag, the blithe racism. No notes.
This, from The Londoner yesterday, also features people on the march who claim not to be racists. Though the things they say prove otherwise
September 16, 2025 at 10:58 AM
This is just *chef's kiss* The coffee, the fag, the bobs, the flag, the blithe racism. No notes.
Reposted by Matt Allison
[me, a journalist who spends all day every day on a social media app where the discovery algorithm is personally controlled by its owner, captain birdseye] you know, a lot of people are talking about fish fingers, we should probably cover that
September 16, 2025 at 7:25 AM
[me, a journalist who spends all day every day on a social media app where the discovery algorithm is personally controlled by its owner, captain birdseye] you know, a lot of people are talking about fish fingers, we should probably cover that
I am having a stroke
I honestly thought there was a chance that I'd fallen asleep and was dreaming the most absurd, childlike, ego-maniac lawsuit when I tried to read this Trump defamation complaint against the Times, Penguin Random House, and individual journalists.
Complaint: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Complaint: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
September 16, 2025 at 7:37 AM
I am having a stroke
This takes saying the quiet bit loud to a whole new level
I was expecting the Reichstag Fire parallel to be made, but I did not expect it to come from the right.
September 12, 2025 at 8:19 AM
This takes saying the quiet bit loud to a whole new level
Historical materialists of the world unite and takeover
That’s me in the hard hat, in front of the bucket of a terrifyingly enormous digger.
What you can’t really tell from the picture is that my head was spinning.
I’d just had one of those moments that change your life forever.
It would set me off on a journey around the world…!🧵
What you can’t really tell from the picture is that my head was spinning.
I’d just had one of those moments that change your life forever.
It would set me off on a journey around the world…!🧵
September 11, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Historical materialists of the world unite and takeover
Reposted by Matt Allison
That’s me in the hard hat, in front of the bucket of a terrifyingly enormous digger.
What you can’t really tell from the picture is that my head was spinning.
I’d just had one of those moments that change your life forever.
It would set me off on a journey around the world…!🧵
What you can’t really tell from the picture is that my head was spinning.
I’d just had one of those moments that change your life forever.
It would set me off on a journey around the world…!🧵
November 13, 2024 at 8:42 AM
That’s me in the hard hat, in front of the bucket of a terrifyingly enormous digger.
What you can’t really tell from the picture is that my head was spinning.
I’d just had one of those moments that change your life forever.
It would set me off on a journey around the world…!🧵
What you can’t really tell from the picture is that my head was spinning.
I’d just had one of those moments that change your life forever.
It would set me off on a journey around the world…!🧵
Nothing but respect for my England cap wearing Prime Minister
The load-bearing myth at the heart of UK politics is that the politicians and media are tolerant and decent and working people are knuckle-dragging bigots, but it's actually completely the other way around.
A man on the streets of the UK is asked about the “problem of immigration” and dismantles talking points with ease.
September 3, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Nothing but respect for my England cap wearing Prime Minister
Reposted by Matt Allison
The load-bearing myth at the heart of UK politics is that the politicians and media are tolerant and decent and working people are knuckle-dragging bigots, but it's actually completely the other way around.
A man on the streets of the UK is asked about the “problem of immigration” and dismantles talking points with ease.
September 3, 2025 at 10:34 AM
The load-bearing myth at the heart of UK politics is that the politicians and media are tolerant and decent and working people are knuckle-dragging bigots, but it's actually completely the other way around.
Blimey. Hyde is usually pretty whithering in her put downs. Here she is just searingly angry, and with good cause imho
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Now showing: it’s Keir Starmer’s march of the ‘grownups’ – the disaster movie we’re all being forced to watch | Marina Hyde
The PM has brought in Darren Jones, whose superpower is ‘relentless delivery’. If that won’t save the world, what will? asks Guardian columnist Marina Hyde
www.theguardian.com
September 3, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Blimey. Hyde is usually pretty whithering in her put downs. Here she is just searingly angry, and with good cause imho
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
All of this. X is a burning bumpster fire of illegal hate speech. The lack of action from UK and EU policy makers is incredible at this point, moreso their continued presence on the platform.
Something is being completely missed in the Graham Linehan / broader UK ‘free speech’ row – and it’s that much of this is a direct consequence of Elon Musk no longer doing anything like what’s required to moderate X in line with UK and European law. 🧵
September 3, 2025 at 9:44 AM
All of this. X is a burning bumpster fire of illegal hate speech. The lack of action from UK and EU policy makers is incredible at this point, moreso their continued presence on the platform.
I have been thinking (and saying) this for some time since quitting X. If an organisation is still posting there, what does it say about their values and judgement? There is no longer a way to use X in a "neutral" fashion. Just being there is an overtly politcal act
It is and was extremely low cost for established institutions to stop using social media platforms that willingly abandoned content screening to block extremism, racism, misinformation etc. That they are mostly all ignoring this - including governments - is an abdication of public duty and ethics.
August 20, 2025 at 2:14 PM
I have been thinking (and saying) this for some time since quitting X. If an organisation is still posting there, what does it say about their values and judgement? There is no longer a way to use X in a "neutral" fashion. Just being there is an overtly politcal act
Reposted by Matt Allison
It's become clear that this administration is just a protracted war on anybody who's read a book without pictures in it. It's a miracle we're all still getting up and going to work every morning. The psychological drain is the point, and I'm increasingly grateful to the people who are still decent.
July 21, 2025 at 1:37 AM
It's become clear that this administration is just a protracted war on anybody who's read a book without pictures in it. It's a miracle we're all still getting up and going to work every morning. The psychological drain is the point, and I'm increasingly grateful to the people who are still decent.
This is brilliant. Is Macron ever going home?! Hopefully not. He can just stay here and lecture the British people for their poor decisions
President Macron, "Have the problems, the illegal migration problems of Great Britain from 9 years ago been resolved by Brexit?"
"No"
"British people were lied to that the problem was the European Union"
"No"
"British people were lied to that the problem was the European Union"
July 11, 2025 at 9:39 AM
This is brilliant. Is Macron ever going home?! Hopefully not. He can just stay here and lecture the British people for their poor decisions
Reposted by Matt Allison
It’s Glasto 2026, a court order has ruled that the festival organisers will be arrested unless Ken Starmer has a say in the lineup:
Oasis
U2
Thom Yorke
Radiohead
Stormzy
David Baddiel singing 3 Lions
Oasis
U2
Thom Yorke
Radiohead
Stormzy
David Baddiel singing 3 Lions
July 7, 2025 at 5:28 PM
It’s Glasto 2026, a court order has ruled that the festival organisers will be arrested unless Ken Starmer has a say in the lineup:
Oasis
U2
Thom Yorke
Radiohead
Stormzy
David Baddiel singing 3 Lions
Oasis
U2
Thom Yorke
Radiohead
Stormzy
David Baddiel singing 3 Lions
Reposted by Matt Allison
the president just opened a concentration camp
July 4, 2026, is the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Here's how the United States of America is planning to party.
America has a major birthday coming up — here's what to expect for the big 2-5-0
It's the nation's semiquincentennial! July 4, 2026, is the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Here's how the United States of America is planning to party.
n.pr
July 2, 2025 at 1:14 PM
the president just opened a concentration camp
We are SO fucking back
This time tomorrow it’s going to be 20°C and raining, we’ve just got to hold on a little longer and our summer dreams come true.
July 1, 2025 at 2:13 PM
We are SO fucking back
We are so fucking back
One more day (after today) of this hell then we get four days of 15° to 23°C, albeit with some rain. I cannot WAIT.
a group of people are standing in front of a building with the words one more day before the storm written on it .
Alt: a group of people are standing in front of a building with the words one more day before the storm written on it .
media.tenor.com
June 30, 2025 at 12:07 PM
We are so fucking back
Reposted by Matt Allison
everyone who denigrated the Great British Summer will in ten years long for the Great British Summer
can't believe I'm saying this, think it may be the first time these words will have (metaphorically) come out of my mouth since moving here, but: I reckon we could actually do with a few days of 22/23 degrees with a breeze, as a quick breather
June 29, 2025 at 5:42 PM
everyone who denigrated the Great British Summer will in ten years long for the Great British Summer
Love is love ✌️
Absolutely incredible turnout for Budapest Pride! So proud of all the organizers, including some old friends, who estimate hundreds of thousands— major embarrassment to Orban
June 28, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Love is love ✌️
Reposted by Matt Allison
Absolutely incredible turnout for Budapest Pride! So proud of all the organizers, including some old friends, who estimate hundreds of thousands— major embarrassment to Orban
June 28, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Absolutely incredible turnout for Budapest Pride! So proud of all the organizers, including some old friends, who estimate hundreds of thousands— major embarrassment to Orban