Reposted by Viji Alles
This is a lie.
There are many criticisms you might sensibly and truthfully make of the Sentencing Council and the Sentencing Guidelines. I’ve been making them for years.
But this is an outright lie. Pure fabrication. A fraud on the public.
There are many criticisms you might sensibly and truthfully make of the Sentencing Council and the Sentencing Guidelines. I’ve been making them for years.
But this is an outright lie. Pure fabrication. A fraud on the public.
October 7, 2025 at 8:03 AM
This is a lie.
There are many criticisms you might sensibly and truthfully make of the Sentencing Council and the Sentencing Guidelines. I’ve been making them for years.
But this is an outright lie. Pure fabrication. A fraud on the public.
There are many criticisms you might sensibly and truthfully make of the Sentencing Council and the Sentencing Guidelines. I’ve been making them for years.
But this is an outright lie. Pure fabrication. A fraud on the public.
Reposted by Viji Alles
The ever-more radcalised Elon Musk regularly shares content from Steve Laws.
Laws leads breakaway faction quitting Homeland for its leader only supporting the voluntary, not forced repatriation of British-born minorities
"I don't care if they were born here, every single one must go" i
Laws leads breakaway faction quitting Homeland for its leader only supporting the voluntary, not forced repatriation of British-born minorities
"I don't care if they were born here, every single one must go" i
September 1, 2025 at 8:15 AM
The ever-more radcalised Elon Musk regularly shares content from Steve Laws.
Laws leads breakaway faction quitting Homeland for its leader only supporting the voluntary, not forced repatriation of British-born minorities
"I don't care if they were born here, every single one must go" i
Laws leads breakaway faction quitting Homeland for its leader only supporting the voluntary, not forced repatriation of British-born minorities
"I don't care if they were born here, every single one must go" i
Reposted by Viji Alles
'Whatever malicious thing can be found anywhere in the world can be found [in London]… actors, jesters, smooth-skinned lads, Moors, flatterers, pretty boys... quacks, belly dancers [and] sorcerers'.
A visitor to London, 1180.
A visitor to London, 1180.
June 24, 2025 at 8:14 AM
'Whatever malicious thing can be found anywhere in the world can be found [in London]… actors, jesters, smooth-skinned lads, Moors, flatterers, pretty boys... quacks, belly dancers [and] sorcerers'.
A visitor to London, 1180.
A visitor to London, 1180.
Reposted by Viji Alles
My office is on Brick Lane. Every day we push through hordes of tourists who are there to marvel at the exciting success story that is that neighbourhood, London and the Uk more generally.
Building successful multi cultural & confessional democracies is one of the greatest achievements in history
Building successful multi cultural & confessional democracies is one of the greatest achievements in history
Still true:
*Britain is a success story
*Most of its cities are doing astonishingly well
*Multiculturalism is popular
*Mass immigration has not led to social disintegration
*Nostalgia is increasingly weird
*Britain is incredibly safe
*Levels of social cohesion are high
Don't let them gaslight you.
*Britain is a success story
*Most of its cities are doing astonishingly well
*Multiculturalism is popular
*Mass immigration has not led to social disintegration
*Nostalgia is increasingly weird
*Britain is incredibly safe
*Levels of social cohesion are high
Don't let them gaslight you.
June 21, 2025 at 7:07 AM
My office is on Brick Lane. Every day we push through hordes of tourists who are there to marvel at the exciting success story that is that neighbourhood, London and the Uk more generally.
Building successful multi cultural & confessional democracies is one of the greatest achievements in history
Building successful multi cultural & confessional democracies is one of the greatest achievements in history
Reposted by Viji Alles
'the white British share of the population – defined as people who do not have an immigrant parent' 😂😂 www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/06...
White British people will be a minority in 40 years, report claims
Shifting ethnic dynamic of the UK driven by immigration predicted to cause dramatic changes
www.telegraph.co.uk
June 4, 2025 at 7:32 AM
'the white British share of the population – defined as people who do not have an immigrant parent' 😂😂 www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/06...
Reposted by Viji Alles
People who have built lives here, and paid tens of thousands of pounds to do so, with the idea that after five years they could apply for indefinite leave to remain now being told they have to pay tens of thousands more and wait another five, at least. It's disgusting.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Migrants already in UK face longer wait for permanent settlement
People will typically have to live in the UK for 10 years before applying for the right to stay indefinitely.
www.bbc.com
May 14, 2025 at 4:25 PM
People who have built lives here, and paid tens of thousands of pounds to do so, with the idea that after five years they could apply for indefinite leave to remain now being told they have to pay tens of thousands more and wait another five, at least. It's disgusting.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by Viji Alles
All foreign temporary workers are already exempt from 1 year of NI contributions, there are already 16 agreements preventing double taxation of work covering over 50 countries (www.gov.uk/government/p...), and UK citizens working in 🇮🇳 will also benefit reciprocally.
Reciprocal agreements
www.gov.uk
May 7, 2025 at 9:55 AM
All foreign temporary workers are already exempt from 1 year of NI contributions, there are already 16 agreements preventing double taxation of work covering over 50 countries (www.gov.uk/government/p...), and UK citizens working in 🇮🇳 will also benefit reciprocally.
Reposted by Viji Alles
Code Orange for global warming bit.ly/3RBbn1L Isle of Wight weighs possible citrus harvest which may be followed by olives, avocados, bananas. But where will we grow apples and rhubarb?
Citruses thrive on Isle of Wight and could grow across warming UK
Apples and rhubarb may become harder to cultivate in British fields as temperatures rise, warn the creators of the country’s first citrus grove
bit.ly
April 29, 2025 at 6:43 AM
Code Orange for global warming bit.ly/3RBbn1L Isle of Wight weighs possible citrus harvest which may be followed by olives, avocados, bananas. But where will we grow apples and rhubarb?
Reposted by Viji Alles
From the US to Israel, Hungary to Turkey, a unifying theme of leaders sliding away from democratic norms is a concerted attack on the courts. It is the playbook of every populist strongman (or woman) seeking to march their country away from liberal democracy.
www.ft.com/content/85c8...
www.ft.com/content/85c8...
The rule of law is democracy’s last defence — that’s why populists attack it
It’s no accident that from France to Wisconsin, the radical right seek to undermine faith in the judiciary
www.ft.com
April 3, 2025 at 3:52 PM
From the US to Israel, Hungary to Turkey, a unifying theme of leaders sliding away from democratic norms is a concerted attack on the courts. It is the playbook of every populist strongman (or woman) seeking to march their country away from liberal democracy.
www.ft.com/content/85c8...
www.ft.com/content/85c8...
Reposted by Viji Alles
If your definition of "Woke" is broad enough to cover both Greta Thunberg and Vladimir Putin, it has perhaps exhausted whatever rather dubious descriptive usefulness it once had.
March 31, 2025 at 8:52 AM
If your definition of "Woke" is broad enough to cover both Greta Thunberg and Vladimir Putin, it has perhaps exhausted whatever rather dubious descriptive usefulness it once had.
Reposted by Viji Alles
‘Gigil’ has long been a favourite untranslatable: finding something or someone so impossibly cute you just want to squeeze them (not always great for the squeezee).
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Gigil, alamak among new words in Oxford English Dictionary
The Oxford English Dictionary has added new untranslatable words from South East Asia.
www.bbc.com
March 27, 2025 at 9:06 AM
‘Gigil’ has long been a favourite untranslatable: finding something or someone so impossibly cute you just want to squeeze them (not always great for the squeezee).
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by Viji Alles
Steve Witkoff’s interview to Tucker Carlson is making headlines in Russia. One paper today: “US & Russian officials are now speaking the same language…for the first time in years the White House & the Kremlin are openly demonstrating their mutual attraction…” #ReadingRussia
Steve's Reading Russia - Russian Press Review (24 March 2025)
YouTube video by Steve Rosenberg
youtu.be
March 24, 2025 at 7:01 AM
Steve Witkoff’s interview to Tucker Carlson is making headlines in Russia. One paper today: “US & Russian officials are now speaking the same language…for the first time in years the White House & the Kremlin are openly demonstrating their mutual attraction…” #ReadingRussia
Reposted by Viji Alles
Oleg Gordievsky has died. What makes him so interesting is that he illustrates the stabilising role intelligence can play: he helped Reagan & Thatcher understand the USSR was genuinely worried about nuclear war, allowing them to take that into account in their policy www.bbc.com/news/article...
Former KGB double agent Oleg Gordievsky dies at Surrey home - BBC News
Counter-terrorism police are assisting the coroner, but his death is not being treated as suspicious.
www.bbc.com
March 21, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Oleg Gordievsky has died. What makes him so interesting is that he illustrates the stabilising role intelligence can play: he helped Reagan & Thatcher understand the USSR was genuinely worried about nuclear war, allowing them to take that into account in their policy www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by Viji Alles
‘It is indeed easy to pull the sword from the scabbard, but not so easy to put it back when you want, since the outcome of war is uncertain.’
Alexei, Tsar of all Russia, 1652
(before invading Ukraine)
Alexei, Tsar of all Russia, 1652
(before invading Ukraine)
March 13, 2025 at 5:23 PM
‘It is indeed easy to pull the sword from the scabbard, but not so easy to put it back when you want, since the outcome of war is uncertain.’
Alexei, Tsar of all Russia, 1652
(before invading Ukraine)
Alexei, Tsar of all Russia, 1652
(before invading Ukraine)
Reposted by Viji Alles
“Wealthy Chinese investors are quietly funnelling tens of millions of dollars into private companies controlled by Elon Musk using an arrangement that shields their identities from public view” www.ft.com/content/6685...
Chinese investors privately take stakes in Elon Musk’s companies
Asset managers have been promoting tech mogul’s ties to Donald Trump to lure capital to xAI, Neuralink and SpaceX
www.ft.com
March 9, 2025 at 10:25 AM
“Wealthy Chinese investors are quietly funnelling tens of millions of dollars into private companies controlled by Elon Musk using an arrangement that shields their identities from public view” www.ft.com/content/6685...
Reposted by Viji Alles
“Israel ordered all of Gaza's electricity supply to be cut off on Sunday…The decision to cut electricity is expected to primarily affect the operation of desalination plants which are crucial for providing clean drinking water.” www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Israel to cut off electricity supply to Gaza, minister says
Eli Cohen's announcement on Sunday came one week after Israel cut off all aid supplies to the territory.
www.bbc.co.uk
March 9, 2025 at 9:39 PM
“Israel ordered all of Gaza's electricity supply to be cut off on Sunday…The decision to cut electricity is expected to primarily affect the operation of desalination plants which are crucial for providing clean drinking water.” www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Viji Alles
OBR publishes supplementarly analysis of fiscal impact of migration.
Confirms earlier analysis :
- the "average migrant" [in their data] earns slightly *more* than the UK average
- the "average migrant" makes a more +ve fiscal contribution than average resident
obr.uk/docs/dlm_upl...
Confirms earlier analysis :
- the "average migrant" [in their data] earns slightly *more* than the UK average
- the "average migrant" makes a more +ve fiscal contribution than average resident
obr.uk/docs/dlm_upl...
March 6, 2025 at 11:14 AM
OBR publishes supplementarly analysis of fiscal impact of migration.
Confirms earlier analysis :
- the "average migrant" [in their data] earns slightly *more* than the UK average
- the "average migrant" makes a more +ve fiscal contribution than average resident
obr.uk/docs/dlm_upl...
Confirms earlier analysis :
- the "average migrant" [in their data] earns slightly *more* than the UK average
- the "average migrant" makes a more +ve fiscal contribution than average resident
obr.uk/docs/dlm_upl...
Reposted by Viji Alles
Etymology of the day: ‘book’ comes from an ancient root shared by ‘beech’, a wood that people used for engraving inscriptions. ‘Paper’ comes from ‘papyrus’, and ‘volume’ is from the Latin for a ‘roll’ of parchment.
Happy World Book Day.
Happy World Book Day.
March 6, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Etymology of the day: ‘book’ comes from an ancient root shared by ‘beech’, a wood that people used for engraving inscriptions. ‘Paper’ comes from ‘papyrus’, and ‘volume’ is from the Latin for a ‘roll’ of parchment.
Happy World Book Day.
Happy World Book Day.
Reposted by Viji Alles
Ending the night with this.
*Get your hankies*
A D-Day veteran called a gracious and humbled Zelenskyy a hero.
*Get your hankies*
A D-Day veteran called a gracious and humbled Zelenskyy a hero.
March 1, 2025 at 6:36 AM
Ending the night with this.
*Get your hankies*
A D-Day veteran called a gracious and humbled Zelenskyy a hero.
*Get your hankies*
A D-Day veteran called a gracious and humbled Zelenskyy a hero.
Reposted by Viji Alles
Here I react to the shameful encounter between American leaders and media and the Ukrainian president. No doubt there were more, but I saw five failures on our side: of hospitality, decency, democracy, strategy, and independence. Please watch and share.
snyder.substack.com/p/five-failu...
snyder.substack.com/p/five-failu...
Five Failures in the Oval Office (video)
America hurt itself badly today.
snyder.substack.com
February 28, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Here I react to the shameful encounter between American leaders and media and the Ukrainian president. No doubt there were more, but I saw five failures on our side: of hospitality, decency, democracy, strategy, and independence. Please watch and share.
snyder.substack.com/p/five-failu...
snyder.substack.com/p/five-failu...
Reposted by Viji Alles
On 15 March 1939 Hitler and his deputy summoned the Czech President to Hitler’s residence in Berlin and then bullied him to submitting to a German invasion of his country.
They drove him to the point of physical collapse, threatening him until he eventually signed his country’s death warrant.
They drove him to the point of physical collapse, threatening him until he eventually signed his country’s death warrant.
February 28, 2025 at 6:56 PM
On 15 March 1939 Hitler and his deputy summoned the Czech President to Hitler’s residence in Berlin and then bullied him to submitting to a German invasion of his country.
They drove him to the point of physical collapse, threatening him until he eventually signed his country’s death warrant.
They drove him to the point of physical collapse, threatening him until he eventually signed his country’s death warrant.
Reposted by Viji Alles
Word of the day is ‘huff-snuff’ (16th century): a hectoring bully or braggart.
February 28, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Word of the day is ‘huff-snuff’ (16th century): a hectoring bully or braggart.
Reposted by Viji Alles
It doesn’t have an easy answer because identity is made up. We draw lines on bits of paper & put up signs. We get to choose. We are in charge here. Identity isn’t floating about like helium to be isolated & put in balloons.
So let’s make up an identity which is generous and capacious.
So let’s make up an identity which is generous and capacious.
She wonders aloud how many generations must pass before you're English (SIX??) & concludes "it is a question without an easy answer" but that "there must be some form of consensus".
There is a consensus. It's the view of almost everyone in this country that you can be English without being white.
There is a consensus. It's the view of almost everyone in this country that you can be English without being white.
February 27, 2025 at 12:46 PM
It doesn’t have an easy answer because identity is made up. We draw lines on bits of paper & put up signs. We get to choose. We are in charge here. Identity isn’t floating about like helium to be isolated & put in balloons.
So let’s make up an identity which is generous and capacious.
So let’s make up an identity which is generous and capacious.