John Wilkins
@wilkinspsych.bsky.social
Now semi-retired educational psychologist. Interested in autism, ADHD, children’s early learning & behaviour, parental counselling,the science of reading — other interests — politics, football (Everton), poetry, neuroscience, history. Grandfather!
Reposted by John Wilkins
Pete Hegseth is not the "secretary of war" just because he keeps using the term, any more than the Gulf of Mexico is the Gulf of America or Donald Trump is a great American. Saying so don't make it so.
November 26, 2025 at 3:12 AM
Pete Hegseth is not the "secretary of war" just because he keeps using the term, any more than the Gulf of Mexico is the Gulf of America or Donald Trump is a great American. Saying so don't make it so.
x.com/johnwilkinsp... Autism & meltdowns!
x.com
November 26, 2025 at 3:09 PM
x.com/johnwilkinsp... Autism & meltdowns!
Reposted by John Wilkins
Chancellor says that she will double the fiscal headroom available to her- to over £20bn.
November 26, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Chancellor says that she will double the fiscal headroom available to her- to over £20bn.
Reposted by John Wilkins
"For a century, the BBC has been our classroom, our concert hall, our stage, our storyteller and our window on the world. Politicians need reminding: its much more than a news channel."
Defending our national treasure: the voice of the nation
Politicians see the BBC through the lens of TV news, but those who want to undermine it threaten a central plank of our national culture
eastangliabylines.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 7:21 PM
"For a century, the BBC has been our classroom, our concert hall, our stage, our storyteller and our window on the world. Politicians need reminding: its much more than a news channel."
Reposted by John Wilkins
🎩 Get This POS Out Of The White House!
November 26, 2025 at 12:14 PM
🎩 Get This POS Out Of The White House!
Reposted by John Wilkins
The government’s stated number one goal is growth.
Its actual number one goal is scrabbling together enough money to meet the fiscal rules while trying not to actually make any tough decisions or piss anyone off. It is not very good at that goal, not least because it’s a stupid one.
Its actual number one goal is scrabbling together enough money to meet the fiscal rules while trying not to actually make any tough decisions or piss anyone off. It is not very good at that goal, not least because it’s a stupid one.
If the Government do go ahead with the mooted plan in here to (effectively) remove workplace pensions from salary sacrifice schemes I am genuinely a little in awe of how bad their "growth strategy is."
www.ft.com/content/ca5e...
www.ft.com/content/ca5e...
The four audiences Reeves’ ‘high-wire’ Budget must satisfy
Chancellor needs a lot to go right if she is to somehow reconcile interests of Labour MPs, markets, business and the public
www.ft.com
November 26, 2025 at 12:47 AM
The government’s stated number one goal is growth.
Its actual number one goal is scrabbling together enough money to meet the fiscal rules while trying not to actually make any tough decisions or piss anyone off. It is not very good at that goal, not least because it’s a stupid one.
Its actual number one goal is scrabbling together enough money to meet the fiscal rules while trying not to actually make any tough decisions or piss anyone off. It is not very good at that goal, not least because it’s a stupid one.
Reposted by John Wilkins
Utterly surreal that a key part of the pre Budget narrative from the government hasn’t been ‘Russian planes keep buzzing the Essex coast, US support for NATO is looking shaky, and thanks to the Tories our army fits in Old Trafford - that’s why we need to raise taxes’.
November 26, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Utterly surreal that a key part of the pre Budget narrative from the government hasn’t been ‘Russian planes keep buzzing the Essex coast, US support for NATO is looking shaky, and thanks to the Tories our army fits in Old Trafford - that’s why we need to raise taxes’.
Reposted by John Wilkins
CARTOON OF THE DAY 🇺🇸
November 25, 2025 at 8:53 PM
CARTOON OF THE DAY 🇺🇸
Reposted by John Wilkins
“Notably, during a 90-minute long evidence session, Prescott was at no point asked to explain why his own dossier traduced a Trump quote at least as seriously as the Panorama episode to which he referred.
“But this was just one missing question among many…”
www.thenewworld.co.uk/james-ball-m...
“But this was just one missing question among many…”
www.thenewworld.co.uk/james-ball-m...
Michael Prescott: the BBC assassin’s woeful day in Parliament
The man whose report got rid of the BBC’s boss faced MPs yesterday, along with a group of senior BBC executives. Their appearance raised more questions than it answered
www.thenewworld.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 5:20 PM
“Notably, during a 90-minute long evidence session, Prescott was at no point asked to explain why his own dossier traduced a Trump quote at least as seriously as the Panorama episode to which he referred.
“But this was just one missing question among many…”
www.thenewworld.co.uk/james-ball-m...
“But this was just one missing question among many…”
www.thenewworld.co.uk/james-ball-m...
Reposted by John Wilkins
'You don't love anyone else or the country you've made your home - the only thing you like and love is money.'
November 25, 2025 at 5:47 PM
'You don't love anyone else or the country you've made your home - the only thing you like and love is money.'
Adolescence lasts into 30s - new study shows four pivotal ages for your brain - BBC News. It would be interesting if ADHD was related to this—or not!
November 26, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Adolescence lasts into 30s - new study shows four pivotal ages for your brain - BBC News. It would be interesting if ADHD was related to this—or not!
Reposted by John Wilkins
I haven't seen any yet but you could probably find a few contemporaries who didn't personally witness Farage being Farage at school. But there doesn't seem to be a single former pupil or teacher who find the descriptions of racism, anti-semitism & cruelty unfeasible. Shocked, I tell you...
November 26, 2025 at 8:59 AM
I haven't seen any yet but you could probably find a few contemporaries who didn't personally witness Farage being Farage at school. But there doesn't seem to be a single former pupil or teacher who find the descriptions of racism, anti-semitism & cruelty unfeasible. Shocked, I tell you...
Fully agree with this. There was a lack of foresight & too many fools who pretended to know stuff, including conmen & women in the government.
Powerful piece by @drrachelclarke.com on the COVID inquiry. Those who say it’s easy to be wise in hindsight are being utterly disingenuous. Many of us spoke out at the time, and it’s in the public record.
@independentsage.bsky.social
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
@independentsage.bsky.social
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
I’ll never forget the horror of the Covid wards | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 23, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Fully agree with this. There was a lack of foresight & too many fools who pretended to know stuff, including conmen & women in the government.
Reposted by John Wilkins
Boris Johnson didn't apologise to Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, even when she told him in person the lasting impact his comments about her had on her detention in Iran, her husband tells the BBC
November 23, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Boris Johnson didn't apologise to Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, even when she told him in person the lasting impact his comments about her had on her detention in Iran, her husband tells the BBC
x.com/johnwilkinsp... — vaccine nonsense & autism
John Wilkins on X: "https://t.co/TmAnuo1vUs" / X
https://t.co/TmAnuo1vUs
x.com
November 23, 2025 at 10:20 AM
x.com/johnwilkinsp... — vaccine nonsense & autism
Reposted by John Wilkins
Poetry Comics Month, Day 22
November 22, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Poetry Comics Month, Day 22
Reposted by John Wilkins
So the US was aware that the world thought the document was US endorsed, yet waited until now to clarify that it wasn't?
How could the US have communicated to Ukraine that they had to accept the proposal or lose US support without clarifying that the Russian proposal wasn't actually their proposal?
How could the US have communicated to Ukraine that they had to accept the proposal or lose US support without clarifying that the Russian proposal wasn't actually their proposal?
November 22, 2025 at 11:48 PM
So the US was aware that the world thought the document was US endorsed, yet waited until now to clarify that it wasn't?
How could the US have communicated to Ukraine that they had to accept the proposal or lose US support without clarifying that the Russian proposal wasn't actually their proposal?
How could the US have communicated to Ukraine that they had to accept the proposal or lose US support without clarifying that the Russian proposal wasn't actually their proposal?
Reposted by John Wilkins
When someone as much as farts the BBC runs to Reform MPs/supporters for their opinion on it
Yet when a former Reform politician is jailed for 10.5 years for accepting Russian bribes…
#bbclaurak
Yet when a former Reform politician is jailed for 10.5 years for accepting Russian bribes…
#bbclaurak
a dirt road going through a desert with mountains in the background .
ALT: a dirt road going through a desert with mountains in the background .
media.tenor.com
November 23, 2025 at 9:30 AM
When someone as much as farts the BBC runs to Reform MPs/supporters for their opinion on it
Yet when a former Reform politician is jailed for 10.5 years for accepting Russian bribes…
#bbclaurak
Yet when a former Reform politician is jailed for 10.5 years for accepting Russian bribes…
#bbclaurak
Reposted by John Wilkins
One of the worst atrocities and one of the least discussed.
Today is Holodomor remembrance day, one of the worst human rights atrocities of the 20th century.
If you are wanting to know more, this episode of @originstorypodcast.bsky.social is excellent, featuring justifiable moral outrage from @iandunt.bsky.social and @dorianlynskey.bsky.social
If you are wanting to know more, this episode of @originstorypodcast.bsky.social is excellent, featuring justifiable moral outrage from @iandunt.bsky.social and @dorianlynskey.bsky.social
🚨NEW EPISODE🚨 Welcome back to Origin Story: The Story of Socialism as we resume the story of Lenin, Trotsky and Stalin in part three @iandunt.bsky.social and @dorianlynskey.bsky.social discuss Terror 👉 linktr.ee/originstoryp...
#originstory #lenin #trotsky #stalin
#originstory #lenin #trotsky #stalin
November 22, 2025 at 1:30 PM
One of the worst atrocities and one of the least discussed.
Reposted by John Wilkins
Most of the public know what’s going on with flags on lamp posts.
Crucially for the government, 78% of its 2024 voters think anti-minority sentiment is involved in flying England flags (versus just 15% who think it’s just a national pride thing).
They are getting the politics of this all wrong.
Crucially for the government, 78% of its 2024 voters think anti-minority sentiment is involved in flying England flags (versus just 15% who think it’s just a national pride thing).
They are getting the politics of this all wrong.
Why do people think England flags have been raised on lampposts?
White adults
National pride: 26%
Anti-migrant/minority sentiment: 49%
Both: 19%
Ethnic minority adults
National pride: 15%
Anti-migrant/minority sentiment: 55%
Both: 20%
yougov.co.uk/society/arti...
White adults
National pride: 26%
Anti-migrant/minority sentiment: 49%
Both: 19%
Ethnic minority adults
National pride: 15%
Anti-migrant/minority sentiment: 55%
Both: 20%
yougov.co.uk/society/arti...
November 22, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Most of the public know what’s going on with flags on lamp posts.
Crucially for the government, 78% of its 2024 voters think anti-minority sentiment is involved in flying England flags (versus just 15% who think it’s just a national pride thing).
They are getting the politics of this all wrong.
Crucially for the government, 78% of its 2024 voters think anti-minority sentiment is involved in flying England flags (versus just 15% who think it’s just a national pride thing).
They are getting the politics of this all wrong.
Reposted by John Wilkins
In Today's Faltering Economy,
Donnie Downturn Has Only His Tariffs and Himself To Blame......
Donnie Downturn Has Only His Tariffs and Himself To Blame......
November 22, 2025 at 10:45 AM
In Today's Faltering Economy,
Donnie Downturn Has Only His Tariffs and Himself To Blame......
Donnie Downturn Has Only His Tariffs and Himself To Blame......
Reposted by John Wilkins
In case you missed it: our investigation into how Sky Bet relocated to Malta to avoid £55m of tax/year This kind of thing is often reported as "perfectly proper, and there's no suggestion that any laws were broken".
But here it looks improper. Laws may have been broken.
🧵
But here it looks improper. Laws may have been broken.
🧵
November 23, 2025 at 9:34 AM
In case you missed it: our investigation into how Sky Bet relocated to Malta to avoid £55m of tax/year This kind of thing is often reported as "perfectly proper, and there's no suggestion that any laws were broken".
But here it looks improper. Laws may have been broken.
🧵
But here it looks improper. Laws may have been broken.
🧵
Could be remade as an Orwellian movie?
23rd November, 1968:
"Doctor Who: The Invasion" episode 4. #DoctorWho
"Doctor Who: The Invasion" episode 4. #DoctorWho
November 23, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Could be remade as an Orwellian movie?
Reposted by John Wilkins
Twitter implemented a new feature last night that displayed the country an account is in. So many of the ‘America First’ accounts were from foreign countries that they had to disable the feature within hours. 🙄
November 22, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Twitter implemented a new feature last night that displayed the country an account is in. So many of the ‘America First’ accounts were from foreign countries that they had to disable the feature within hours. 🙄
The press has done longstanding damage to the UK. Like the Daily Mail — Rothermere & the Daily Express — Beeverbrook — appeasing Hitler & fascism, which continues!
Only 2 papers (Guardian & Daily Mirror) decided the sentencing of ex-Reform politician Nathan Gill to 10.5 years in prison for accepting Russian bribes, warranted front page coverage
The Telegraph, Independent, Daily Express, Daily Mail, The Times, FT, & The Sun all failed to do so
#bbclaurak
The Telegraph, Independent, Daily Express, Daily Mail, The Times, FT, & The Sun all failed to do so
#bbclaurak
November 23, 2025 at 9:42 AM
The press has done longstanding damage to the UK. Like the Daily Mail — Rothermere & the Daily Express — Beeverbrook — appeasing Hitler & fascism, which continues!