Recent posts by Global News and Politics Professionals on Bluesky

Horrific. Political violence in the US continues to both widen and deepen.

There is only one side in American politics that consistently supports and endorses political violence. People need to stop being afraid to say so.

Reform are reactively policing the racism boundary when overtly racist candidates are exposed by others. But this incessant producer of racist harassment against me (long ago muted) is keen to post proof that he is a party member, active in his local branch. He calls Zia Yusuf a "gay paki"

Seagull drinks coffee, steals mug of man installing anti-bird spikes www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Seagull sips coffee, steals mug of man installing anti-bird strikes www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Could a Right wing populist become Mayor of London? Writing under a pen name, I explored the theme in my London novel Frightgeist. Purchase here: www.pagesofhackney.co.uk/webshop/prod.... #london

Delighted to see this anxiety dream, though it has reminded me of a time when in a moment of sheer panic I described myself to the Evening Standard Diary as the Jarvis of Post-Truth (because Matt D’Ancona and Evan Davis had a book of the same title out the same day, and were the Blur/Oasis).

The government can boost the entire UK economy and all its nations and regions by backing its capital city or it can let Faragism set its agenda. It can't do both: www.onlondon.co.uk/dave-hill-sp.... #london #spendingreview

Wake up kids, Nigel Blackwell just released a new song about complete bellends! open.spotify.com/track/2nrYYW...

Once more, for those not paying attention at the back. London is, apart from wider southeast and east, the only part of the UK that gets less spent on it than it contributes (graph from Commons library). You want it to give still more? Then don't cheer when it gets starved:

I have been suggesting *for ages* that Labour branches do stuff like this every other month. But we’d rather discuss pointless motions on foreign policy that will do nothing. Community activity should be core to a leftism that gets beyond the seminar room. We shouldn’t cede it to the right.

shout out to the TWO paying subscribers who saw this latest post and thought "Oh fuck that I'm off", genuinely slightly in awe

London depends massively on public transport and its public transport is massively used. That is why it needs masses of public transport. Does it get an unfair share? Don't think so: www.onlondon.co.uk/rest-of-uk-r....

Important story this, for both London and UK politics:

The extraordinary persistence of the idea that London - all of it - is "rich": trustforlondon.org.uk/news/poverty....

You should follow Rachel because she's a great reporter, has to put up with me, and has been bullied onto this platform by me despite being Gen Z and therefore not understanding why anyone ever bothered with Twitter.

Meanwhile in Gaza: "Gazan medics: At least 15 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire near aid center; no comment from IDF" www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_ent...

Right wing/far right commentators need to familiarise themselves with the no recourse to public funds rule

I noticed the phrase“military-aged males” was deployed by Zia Yusuf and I do wish that either the host or another panellist had drilled him on why, exactly, he was using that particular phrase. What did he mean by it? As I think when it’s used people should have to say the quiet part out loud.

NEW: Substack’s founder talks about speaking to Washington Post about the Post hosting pieces from Substack writers. Part of plans to start curating opinion pieces (after narrowing its own) Hamish McKenzie: It “could be really good for everyone” Cc. @maxtani.bsky.social @brianstelter.bsky.social

Thinking today (and frankly, always) of Grenfell tower. Of the 72 people who lost their lives, their bereaved families, survivors and all those impacted by the fire. Justice must be served.

South Africa not falling into a heap in a final - brave new world. #WTC25

Four Weeks Today I am doing a 10k walk for Race for Life and I would love it if you would consider donating.

Happy Trump's Birthday everyone. Here's what you missed overnight. 5 unhinged Donald Trump moments as storms threaten his birthday tank parade www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

I don't know much about Sabrina Carpenter or her genre, but please tell me the album is called "Smell the Glove"...

When is steak really good?

Check out my latest show @brumradio.com ... 🎙️ @helenchase.bsky.social talks about the legendary Magazine 🎵 Mama ft Antonella @theassistband.bsky.social White Stripes @niluferyanya.bsky.social The Fall, Swansea Sound www.mixcloud.com/BrumRadio/ad...

NEW EPISODE: "Cuts to overseas aid 'could cost 600,000 lives'". @goldbergradio.bsky.social is joined by @adrianlovett.bsky.social @onecampaign.bsky.social From @bylinetimes.bsky.social podfollow.com/byline-podca...

Also this shocking photo of her injury (from The Onion/s)

Truly gorgeous piece of writing. I didn't know Agnes very well, but the beauty of the writing reflects the woman I did know a bit and makes me sad I didn't know her more.

On the balcony at Dover House this morning

Good morning! My first lily of the year...

NEW: A good news media story! The Assembly, whose interviewers are autistic, neurodivergent and learning disabled people, had more international commissions than The Traitors last year. Commissions in 19 countries already. Authentic, new - & just a great show: www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...

Genuinely unsure if this is active misinformation or just taking the mickey out of the sort of people who lap this stuff up (Telegraph writers, Robert Jenrick, Matt Goodwin, etc) youtube.com/shorts/3nkVy...

Why can I not find a mobile hairdresser in London?!? Do I just not know how to use the internet properly?

It’s not an either/or decision or zero sum game. A weakened London economy is bad news for the entire UK economy, which depends on it heavily, and means lower tax revenues for supporting public services and investment in the rest of the UK. A strong London is good for the whole country.

This is a beautiful piece of writing about a truly marvellous person. I never met Agnes but I never forget how she reached out on DM when I was really struggling in lockdown. She was so kind.

Now playing on my show @brumradio.com .... 'Futures and Pasts' by The Fall Listen live here brumradio.com/player/

A very moving piece about a beautiful person

Why is it that like clockwork when I write something I actually like, three weeks later I don’t like it at all? Is there a cure for this?

Come and join me at 10 @brumradio.com - this week talking about the great Magazine with their biographer @helenchase.bsky.social PLUS some great #newmusic Listen live here brumradio.com

Good summary of what spending review means for #london & Londoners by @susanamendonca.bsky.social: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... A purportedly pro-growth national government has made an overt political point of declining to put fuel into the growth engine of the entire UK economy. Risky.

In the latest ep of The Northern Agenda podcast, me & @robparsonsna.bsky.social chat to the always ace @henrimurison.bsky.social about what the Spending Review means for the north We also laugh at cringey Commons questions and talk about Rob’s hangover pain podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/r...

It also helps when many of the people are all for your jingoism

Trying to make sense of what the tube graffiti viral video really *means* and the Dom Cummings-backed group behind it. Plus a picture of Kemi Badenoch’s new personalised confectionery range, featuring her wit and wisdom as inspirational quotes. www.londoncentric.media/p/looking-fo...

Was walking up the Royal Mile in Edinburgh circa 2012, saw Bill Murray, said "shit, you're Bill Murray" and he just replied "yup" and shook my hand.

It'll be two years, this Monday night. Time, at last, to write about Agnes.

Wonderful piece about Agnes Frimston, who I still think about and miss every day, from @jonnelledge.bsky.social as we approach the second anniversary of her death. In a word, she was glorious – that could encompass gloriously kind, gloriously funny, gloriously bitchy, or any number of other things.

Saturday listening fun: Mosquitos! POWs! Bouncing bombs! Amnesia! His best mate's wife!

Sister in law’s birthday present for Otti’s 2nd birthday next week will blow everyone else’s out of the water

Waking up to three killed and dozens wounded in central Israel from five barrages of Iranian missiles overnight. Iran reporting at least 78 killed in Israeli strikes, including senior military officials, and 320 wounded as Israeli strikes continue www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

Reflectively I want to hate this feature providing an AI summary of the 4,147 comments on this article, but I…quite like this?

The astounding hypocrisy of the UK’s DOGE-obsessed politicians

“Israel is reliant on the US being on its side. Despite that, its government felt confident that it could publicly and spectacularly disregard the wishes of Trump, undermine his negotiations, and get away with it. As public displays of disrespect towards an ally go, there are few cases to match it.”

Always useful to find a piece whose premise one disagrees with so comprehensively (NB not about Wilson specifically). www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...

Went to Glyndebourne. Cos Bluesky told me to. www.thetimes.com/article/f348...

Farewell for a while to Vietnam. Homeward stretch now but a stop in Malaysia.

Thomas Frank seems like a very good appointment for Spurs: troublingly so. So I enjoyed this smart @jonawils.bsky.social piece, which set out many of the reasons I am fearful but also explained why it might end badly:

Congratulations to my friend, coauthor and colleague @profstoker.bsky.social‬ who has been awarded an OBE in the King's Birthday Honours for services to local governance and to the study of democracy!

What has Israel hit in Iran and who were the generals and nuclear scientists killed? www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

These numbers have started to move, but aren't done yet. Data via @gelliottmorris.com.

Finnish govt supports proposed changes to EU asylum law re "safe countries of origin", including common EU list

Brexit law Implementing (part of) the reset - EU Member States to adopt their negotiation positions on formally extending Brexit deal rules on fisheries and energy next Tuesday - www.consilium.europa.eu/media/50ylhz...

70% of Americans are positive about Britain, while 50% of British people are positive about America. The radical right 'Britain has fallen' view pushed by Vance & Musk (and parroted by their allies on the UK media ecosystem) is a minority view even within the US right

Welcome to martial law America.

What a joke approach to governance...

Exactly this. PIP allows you access to many other things, like travel access. Cutting people off from PIP will cut them off from much of society.

Nervy Washington DC braces for Donald Trump's tank parade: 'This is f*****g weird" www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

Ah well, nevertheless.

Though I don't doubt that Nik came up with the chorus for this first and then struggled to build a song around it. #totp

I Won't Let the Sun Go Down On Me and Wouldn't It Be Good (especially the latter) are proper tunes. #totp

Ozzy Osborne really went off the boil as a solo artist. What is this overblown piffle? #totp

Ozzy Osborne really went off the boil as a solo artist. What's is this overblown piffle? #totp

Having Obsession as the dance outro - great choice. #totp

It pains me that some people only remember Sister Sledge for Frankie. #totp

Funny how Sister Sledge have all gone for a normie look, except Joni who's sporting fetish wear. #totp

You always know a song is good when the film it soundtracked is barely remembered. #totp

Some of those cartoon clips were massively racist. Still, every little bit helps the BBC cater to its Reform-supporting viewership. #totp

To be fair to #totp, they tried their damnedest to ensure All Saints got to number one. Has there been a single episode of the last eight where they weren't on?

Hold on a moment. A genuinely good song - Bernard Butler's Stay - got bumped for the dreadful All Around the World. No wonder #totp was circling the drain by this point.

Shabbat shalom x

High is probably the Lighthouse Family's least objectionable tune. #totp

Did not remember this insipid cover of the KC classic. And in 10 minutes, I'll probably have forgotten it again. #totp

Rialto's Untouchable is indeed untouchable. In a good way. #totp

Jesus fucking Christ.

Always used to enjoy Space's Bond-esque flourishes #totp

Friends and relatives of passengers killed in the Air India crash are still in deep shock One woman I spoke to found out her friend had died a stranger who had seen the flight manifest sent her a message request on Instagram, others learned through news coverage www.nytimes.com/2025/06/13/w...

I am writing a column about the air crash tragedy and British-Indian relationships So I putting the spending review and politics of the government on hold as a theme, for the anniversary of the election instead

Remember that the Trump administration has been arresting and intimidating elected Democrats who have tried to exercise their right to inspect these facilities.

It’s Donald Trump’s birthday tomorrow, and he’s getting just what he’s always wanted.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, a man whose political success in part came from pretending to be as posh as David Cameron, a man whose political success in part lay in pretending to only be as posh as Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Correct position bsky.app/profile/andy...

👇 This is v astute. Obviously I write for a business newspaper so the focus of my columns on gaming is “why you, the leader of a major organisation, should take this medium seriously”. But there’s a challenge to much *of the industry* to treat the medium seriously.

Outcome of today's meeting of EU home affairs ministers www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/...

The Telegraph is not really a newspaper anymore, it's a campaign group with products attached. Via Staines' blog (Telegraph to offer Reform UK members free subscriptions)

IMO obvious to anyone who plays Football Manager that this tournament is not going to last - the juice is not worth the squeeze for the biggest clubs.

Politico: Campaigners against the government imposing VAT on private school fees have lost their court battle to overturn the move. My snap analysis: haha! Full judgement here: www.judiciary.uk/judgments/al...

ICYMI - Politico: "Former Conservative MP Craig Williams and 14 other defendants will appear at Southwark Crown Court on July 11 charged with gambling offenses relating to the 2024 election. Williams did not enter a plea when appearing at Westminster Magistrates Court this afternoon"

John Bolton on BBC R4 PM claimed the only ballistic missile attack in history was on Israel by Iran. What were the 3,000 V2s launched at Britain then? No wonder people struggle to understand history and geopolitics when nonsense like this goes unchallenged?

NEW: Darren Jones finally admits he was wrong to say most small boat arrivals are babies, children and women. But he's also right to say Zia Yusuf's claim that more than 90% are men was also wrong. www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/darren...