William French
@wtfrench76.bsky.social
Head of Communications at @theelders.bsky.social. Stop me if you think that you've heard this one before. 🇬🇧🇩🇪🇪🇺
Reposted by William French
So the Mail would love the BBC to grovel but who else apart from the fake patriots (faketriots?) on the hard right? Labour should take this chance to ‘speak for England’ - or about 75% of us.
November 11, 2025 at 9:30 AM
So the Mail would love the BBC to grovel but who else apart from the fake patriots (faketriots?) on the hard right? Labour should take this chance to ‘speak for England’ - or about 75% of us.
Reposted by William French
Nowhere in the hysterical pile-on against the BBC in the British press has anyone mentioned that BBC News now has 77 million viewers & listeners in the US and has established itself as the second most trusted news source there.
November 11, 2025 at 8:37 AM
Nowhere in the hysterical pile-on against the BBC in the British press has anyone mentioned that BBC News now has 77 million viewers & listeners in the US and has established itself as the second most trusted news source there.
"It was never my intention that collapses in standards at an underfunded and demoralised Sketch would lead to inaccuracies about people I agreed with." Getting to the heart of the matter with the deadly accuracy of a hurled bowler hat...
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 5:13 PM
"It was never my intention that collapses in standards at an underfunded and demoralised Sketch would lead to inaccuracies about people I agreed with." Getting to the heart of the matter with the deadly accuracy of a hurled bowler hat...
Reposted by William French
Mail Online reports Nigel Farage says that the BBC may have no future.
He imagines bringing to an end century of public service broadcasting in the UK - because the populist politician and his US political ally Donald Trump do not want the BBC to survive
No thanks, Nigel.
No thanks, Donald
He imagines bringing to an end century of public service broadcasting in the UK - because the populist politician and his US political ally Donald Trump do not want the BBC to survive
No thanks, Nigel.
No thanks, Donald
November 10, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Mail Online reports Nigel Farage says that the BBC may have no future.
He imagines bringing to an end century of public service broadcasting in the UK - because the populist politician and his US political ally Donald Trump do not want the BBC to survive
No thanks, Nigel.
No thanks, Donald
He imagines bringing to an end century of public service broadcasting in the UK - because the populist politician and his US political ally Donald Trump do not want the BBC to survive
No thanks, Nigel.
No thanks, Donald
Bad news for the yoghurt makers of France (cc @agnescpoirier.bsky.social).
France’s Sarkozy freed from prison after 3 weeks as he awaits appeal on.ft.com/3X7zlo9
France’s Sarkozy freed from prison after 3 weeks as he awaits appeal
Former president granted conditional release while contesting Libyan financing conviction
on.ft.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Bad news for the yoghurt makers of France (cc @agnescpoirier.bsky.social).
Reposted by William French
The fact that the BBC has made serious culpable errors does not negate the point that there is a real and concerted right-wing media campaign to destroy it. Both points can be true at the same time and the campaign would not end even if the errors did.
November 10, 2025 at 1:08 PM
The fact that the BBC has made serious culpable errors does not negate the point that there is a real and concerted right-wing media campaign to destroy it. Both points can be true at the same time and the campaign would not end even if the errors did.
I can remember right-wingers' affected outrage when Joe Biden jokingly told a BBC reporter "I'm Irish!" rather than answer his question.
NEW: Donald Trump has threatened legal action against the BBC amid claims the broadcaster edited speech by the US president.
November 10, 2025 at 1:48 PM
I can remember right-wingers' affected outrage when Joe Biden jokingly told a BBC reporter "I'm Irish!" rather than answer his question.
Nico hors du nick.
🇫🇷⚖️Procès libyen: la justice ordonne la remise en liberté de Nicolas Sarkozy.
November 10, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Nico hors du nick.
Presumably the Reform lead in the "historical fiction" category is due to Sven Hassel?
📕 With the Booker Prize winner set to be announced tonight, how does voting intention vary by favourite book genre. Reform’s highest score is with fans of horror, while Labour enjoys a landslide lead among fans of self-help books. *Read* into that what you will.
November 10, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Presumably the Reform lead in the "historical fiction" category is due to Sven Hassel?
Pity the poor BBC correspondent charged with reporting this story "with balance". www.nytimes.com/2025/11/10/u...
Trump Pardons Giuliani and Others Involved in Effort to Overturn 2020 Election
www.nytimes.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Pity the poor BBC correspondent charged with reporting this story "with balance". www.nytimes.com/2025/11/10/u...
Is he still paying Boris Johnson's rent too?
Tory donor Anthony Bamford’s company donates £200,000 to Reform UK on.ft.com/3WNoNKx
Tory donor Anthony Bamford’s company donates £200,000 to Reform UK
JCB to contribute equal amount to Conservative party
on.ft.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Is he still paying Boris Johnson's rent too?
Carter USM, because a kid at school I really didn't like always wore their T-shirts.
What is your biggest musical blindspot for someone precisely your age?
For me - an elder millennial - it is that I have never knowingly listened to INCUBUS, nor could I name even one of their songs if you put a gun to my head.
For me - an elder millennial - it is that I have never knowingly listened to INCUBUS, nor could I name even one of their songs if you put a gun to my head.
November 10, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Carter USM, because a kid at school I really didn't like always wore their T-shirts.
Chance would be a fine thing.
The BBC will fuck things up from time to time. Lots of major news organisations do; just look at The Times having to memoryhole several fake news stories in a matter of weeks.
No one is calling for the abolition of The Times, however.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
No one is calling for the abolition of The Times, however.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
UK newspaper editor calls Bill de Blasio fake interview blunder ‘humiliating’
A Times associate editor reportedly addressed situation in an email to staff, saying: ‘We should have been on our guard’
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Chance would be a fine thing.
In an ideal world, the next BBC DG would be a job-share between @samiraahmeduk.bsky.social and @aiannucci.bsky.social.
November 10, 2025 at 8:18 AM
In an ideal world, the next BBC DG would be a job-share between @samiraahmeduk.bsky.social and @aiannucci.bsky.social.
What a cheap, dreary and stunted life you must live if you never watch or listen to the BBC.
November 9, 2025 at 8:59 PM
What a cheap, dreary and stunted life you must live if you never watch or listen to the BBC.
Reposted by William French
Be clear, the American far right are coming for British democracy.
November 9, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Be clear, the American far right are coming for British democracy.
Reposted by William French
Glad that someone has finally taken responsibility for the appalling assault on democracy that was the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
November 9, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Glad that someone has finally taken responsibility for the appalling assault on democracy that was the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
Cometh the hour, cometh the man, a-ha?
November 9, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Cometh the hour, cometh the man, a-ha?
Reposted by William French
We should defend the values and effort at accuracy of the BBC in a Trumpian world of wilful inaccuracy and hypocrisy, but this seems on the face of it to be an excessive response to a politically motivated attack
November 9, 2025 at 6:19 PM
We should defend the values and effort at accuracy of the BBC in a Trumpian world of wilful inaccuracy and hypocrisy, but this seems on the face of it to be an excessive response to a politically motivated attack
Craven. Is it too much to hope for that the next DG will actually have a spine and care about journalism?
This is absolutely nuts
Trump did incite the January 6 riot. Splicing a video to make that point is shoddy editorial but hardly a resignation event
When BBC is needed more than ever, Telegraph/Boris Johnson running the show
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cd...
Trump did incite the January 6 riot. Splicing a video to make that point is shoddy editorial but hardly a resignation event
When BBC is needed more than ever, Telegraph/Boris Johnson running the show
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cd...
BBC director general Tim Davie and News CEO Deborah Turness resign over Trump documentary edit
Davie says
www.bbc.co.uk
November 9, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Craven. Is it too much to hope for that the next DG will actually have a spine and care about journalism?
Reposted by William French
Today marks 32 yrs since the destruction of Mostar’s Old Bridge by Croat nationalist forces under command of war criminal Praljak during the Bosnian War. One of the most grotesque acts of “culturcide” of the 20th century.
Recent events suggest a renewed surge in nationalist extremism in Croatia.
Recent events suggest a renewed surge in nationalist extremism in Croatia.
November 9, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Today marks 32 yrs since the destruction of Mostar’s Old Bridge by Croat nationalist forces under command of war criminal Praljak during the Bosnian War. One of the most grotesque acts of “culturcide” of the 20th century.
Recent events suggest a renewed surge in nationalist extremism in Croatia.
Recent events suggest a renewed surge in nationalist extremism in Croatia.
Absolutely fascinating thread.
🧵 The Lost Imperial History of Remembrance: A Thread 🪦
Honouring the war dead, a moment of universal human respect. We think we know it.
But the silence didn't start as universal.
It started in Cape Town. And it tells us something about 1919: about Britain, and its empire.
Honouring the war dead, a moment of universal human respect. We think we know it.
But the silence didn't start as universal.
It started in Cape Town. And it tells us something about 1919: about Britain, and its empire.
a field of red poppies with a lot of flowers in it
ALT: a field of red poppies with a lot of flowers in it
media.tenor.com
November 9, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Absolutely fascinating thread.
Just seen a random Instagram post from the Harvard student newspaper (thanks, algorithm) quoting some professor that Zohran Mamdani should "avoiding falling into the Obama trap" [sic]. Even more preposterous than Zack Polanski claiming affinities. With friends like these... #enoughalready
November 9, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Just seen a random Instagram post from the Harvard student newspaper (thanks, algorithm) quoting some professor that Zohran Mamdani should "avoiding falling into the Obama trap" [sic]. Even more preposterous than Zack Polanski claiming affinities. With friends like these... #enoughalready
"In a story of theft and security lapses, “Fedora Man” is a gentler counterpoint — a teenager who believes art, style and a good mystery belong to ordinary life." Bien fait, jeun'homme, and beautifully written wire copy too.
Loving today's news that the mysterious "fedora man" outside the Louvre heist was actually a 15-year-old museum visitor who dresses like a 1940s French detective all the time, just because. apnews.com/article/louv...
Fedora man unmasked: Meet the teen behind the Louvre mystery photo
Fifteen-year-old Pedro Elias Garzon Delvaux has become an internet sensation after an Associated Press photo captured him outside the Louvre on the day of a crown jewels heist.
apnews.com
November 9, 2025 at 2:57 PM
"In a story of theft and security lapses, “Fedora Man” is a gentler counterpoint — a teenager who believes art, style and a good mystery belong to ordinary life." Bien fait, jeun'homme, and beautifully written wire copy too.
Charlie should have hosted his state banquet here.
November 9, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Charlie should have hosted his state banquet here.