Top recent posts by Global News and Politics Professionals on Bluesky

With this there would have been no Mo Farah. No Freddie Mercury. No Lenny Henry. No George Michael. No Meera Syal. No Sadiq Khan. No Sajid Javid. No Salman Rushdie. No Hanif Kureishi.

On the one hand, I’ve seen Zarah Sultana with my own eyes. On the other, everything else increasingly suggests she can’t possibly be a real person.

Fuck Keir Starmer's spokesman, and fuck the cowards running the Labour party.

This statement appears to be untrue for 95-99% of British people convicted and imprisoned abroad

But the good news is, by doing this, we defeated racism in the UK.

If the headlines spinning this as a win for Peggie seem pre-written, I guarantee it's because they were, however carefully couched they might seem after some hasty editing.

The justice system has the opportunity to launch the funniest* investigation here news.sky.com/story/badeno...

Delighted this piece is now live on @theverge.com: I've spent months investigating how a supposed war against the "censorship-industrial complex" has been used by the US right to wage war against misinformation research – and free speech itself – across the world. Please do give it a read.

Susan, you're shouting at biscuits

"The UK’s politics have already changed. Our electoral system hasn’t, and it’s holding the country back" ICYMI this is a truly brilliant, simple explainer of everything that's wrong with FPTP by @emmacampaigner.bsky.social od @makevotesmatter.bsky.social www.opendemocracy.net/en/uk-needs-...

I think this is the right policy, but I am perplexed as to why Rachel Reeves thinks it is the right policy for London, but 'why don't we have less investment in exchange for a freeze' is a *good* policy for the rest of England, where the railways need more investment to start with?

Wondering what the longest period between Keir Starmer making a statement about race and Reform that it is not immediately undermined by something done by his ministers or aides has been. Three days?

Reuter's own graph shows this change is within the margin of error... yet they still manage to narrate this as positive for Trump.

I’ve become convinced that the most tedious psuedo-clever argument is that something is kind of like religion

Watching The War Between the Land & Sea and I'm trying to suspend my disbelief here but there is absolutely no way UNIT would get planning permission for that massive pipe in the middle of Westminster, they'd be tied up in challenges for literally years

I have no idea how you reach this headline from the press summary of the judgement unless it's the closest headline to the one you pre-wrote. Bulk of claims dismissed, rulings in favour of Upton's right to have been using the female changing rooms, findings that Peggie was misleading in evidence...

Ofcom is reviewing how one major platform is dealing with hate crime - including antisemitism and anti-Muslim prejudice. It does not want to publicly say which platform. It is opaque as to whether all forms of racism have similar or assymetric levels of priority www.politicshome.com/news/article...

"They're eating the free speech!"

Government has now - belatedly -published the impact assessment for the changes to skilled worker and care worker visas announced in May. Impact is estimated between -£2 billion and £-10 billion (central - £10 billion). assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6937e6...

Feel quite sad for Salah, who must at same level both a) know he’s been crap this season and b) fear he will never recover his old form and c) has gone through a shock bereavement. (Which IMV continues to be crazily under-discussed when people talk about Liverpool’s poor form)

Excellent piece by @gideonrachman.bsky.social - which frames the NSS correctly and walks through the three plausible implications for Europe. All of them are worrying, and will be a big part of our research coverage at Eurasia Group going forward

Cllr George Madgwick, the Reform Uk group leader in Portsmouth, has been facing down a barrage of overt racists on X who object to a Bangladeshi student being identified as a local campaigner for the party

Government should simply stop pressing the button in the DfE marked “low quality degrees” and instead start pressing the button marked “high quality apprenticeships”, duh!

Fantastic piece of work this

YouGov founder Peter Kellner estimates there is now a majority of 8.1 million in favour of rejoining the EU. Nine years is a long time in politics. Story by @katenicholson.bsky.social 👇 www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/ex-pol...

This is just an extremely stupid bit of spin that the government is going to have to walk back, which it will probably do agonisingly slowly.

If Paramount succeeds in buying Warner Bros....then Netflix will end up buying Paramount-WB in 2035.

Real “you had one job” stuff from TfL at Finsbury Park here.

And that's why Paramount is the 'normal' owner of WB in some ways, because 'wait a second, this is harder than it looks!' is the history of so much of Warner Bros.

I would be interested to see the statistics per country per year behind this statement “We, the UK, take back our citizens if they’re convicted of criminal offences overseas. It’s only reasonable to expect other countries to do the same thing" www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

This is a great example of people being confused about what uncertainty means. In this case, the problem wasn’t uncertainty (if it had been, investment would have picked up) — to the contrary it was the absolute certainty of material additional barriers to trade *at least* post Lancaster House.

Indeed, Musk has not been personally designated as a very large online platform, so logically can't be an addressee of the decision

A lot of people on here think she is fulminating at biscuits for no reason. I prefer to think that she has badly misunderstood what the little dots are meant to represent.

My line of columns for The Herald will come to an end on Boxing Day, so I've little concern about bodying this now... This is not accurate. Peggie lost most of her claims against NHS Fife, and only partially won her harassment claim on process grounds.

Come off it. The UK government, including the prime minister, says stronger stuff than this (IMV to an unwise degree) about China *all the time*.

The modern left coalition yearns for double liberalism. (ok, it doesn't yearn for the economic bit, but basically you can get away with that, you claw off some of the right via that route, you can have more generous social policies as a result, and the social liberalism holds things together)

Disgraceful of Kemi Badenoch to say Jackie Long has not said anything about grooming victims/survivors when Jackie has done so much empathetic and important reporting on this issue & platforming victims/survivors.

I’m at a Kemi Badenoch speech on welfare where her opening sentence was: “On Friday, I worked a shift in a cafe with James Cleverly.” That would have been quite a surprise for customers. About the dignity of work, apparently.

Honestly think the *least* bad thing about this advert is that the writers refined it using AI prompts. The big problem with it is that the message is 'are you a misanthropic loser? Try McDonalds!'

My column in tomorrow’s FT: on how Netflix and streaming created a huge consumer surplus, but at the cost of a supply side crisis for the artists that produce their material:

We need to stop talking about "territory" & talk about people. People living in their homes, with their families & memories. People going to school, raising kids, having jobs, enjoying retirement. People who, under occupation, face torture, rape, murder, imprisonment, abduction, hunger. People.

Oh look, coverage that isn't premised on the briefings folks got from FWS or Peggie's lawyers.

How about monkey tennis?

Brutal attack on the decision to leave the EU from the leader of the L̶i̶b̶e̶r̶a̶l̶ ̶D̶e̶m̶o̶c̶r̶a̶t̶s̶ Conservatives.

UK will go further to stop ‘abusive’ Slapps lawsuits, Lammy says www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

I applaud this mission (and welcome Dan to BlueSky) and hope that something can be done about kleptocrats wherever they are.

A magnitude 7.2 quake struck off the coast of Aomori and Hokkaido in Japan triggering Tsunami warning. metro.co.uk/2025/12/08/t...

We're probably going to miss our target... donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05... But if you donate to this excellent cause by noon today your money will be doubled and (if you drop me an email) I'll give you free access to the members-only London Centric stories I'm working on.

You simply cannot just trust mainstream reporting of cases like this. It is designed to mislead

My first time hosting an episode of @ohgodwhatnow.bsky.social was made so much easier by @jonnelledge.bsky.social and Olivia Brown being equal parts fascinating and funny as we discuss how the far-right online eco-system is warping our perception of reality... open.spotify.com/episode/0icp...

Reid realises that, in this case, everything regarding Upton, including her right to use the female changing rooms, was upheld by the tribunal, right? "Enemies of the People" with added dehumanisation. What a disgrace.

EU tech/competition law Commission begins investigation into whether Google has breached EU competition law by using online content for AI purposes - ec.europa.eu/commission/p... nb this is applying 'ordinary' competition law, not the Digital Markets Act or AI Act

Finding this quite bizarre, the (growing) number of MPs who will say 'problem is the PM has no politics, is not politically experienced....answer is that we need a *different* hunky man with a long and impressive pre-politics career'.

How Labour should respond to the Green surge – and why it’s not calling them “nuts”. Enjoyed discussing with @rmcunliffe.bsky.social on today’s NS podcast. m.youtube.com/watch?v=k_mc...

Just one of the best bits of journalism and storytelling I've heard in the last year.

🔴British taxpayer's money is being used to fund violence and death on the border with France, rights groups say. In one instance, a 16-yo autistic boy had a gun held to his head by smugglers. Four people have been shot dead in northern France. bylinetimes.com/2025/12/09/k...

On the whole customs union debate, worth bearing a few things in mind. The 'research' on which the claims of economic benefit are based isn't about a CU but about the EU accepting 'deep alignment on goods and services' - which it won't. 1/3

Some guy on Substack cross that this focuses on men, telling me that gender is irrelevant when exploring the rise of the FR. Told him that no, it’s certainly not irrelevant, and he’d like to read more about why I also wrote this just a few months ago www.thenewworld.co.uk/zoe-grunewal...

Is this better or worse than the 1994 solution of stopping the match every time anyone fell over so that an electric car could carry them off and the Americans could watch some ads?

Now approaching 1,000 press ups in my 100 press ups a day challenge. I’ve done press ups in pubs, on pavements and in corridors. Tiring work bit the money we have raised has kept me going - we are at 80% of our target, please consider a donation to help us get there! www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-he...

On international day to recognise the victims of genocide, I’m resharing my story from last month about how Russia’s child abduction programme & alleged war crimes near the hallmarks of genocidal violence www.opendemocracy.net/en/ukraine-r...

this was such an interesting episode

Why Starmer’s ever-shifting priorities leave all sides disappointed. www.newstatesman.com/politics/lab...

Some thoughts on the Australian social media ban... a significant, symbolic step. A government that is trying to put the well-being and interests of its young people ahead of vested interests. British politicians should take note @theleaduk.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/theleadu...

Kept thinking of this skeet while reading our excellent piece about Paramount going 'why aren't you answering? We've bit well in excess of what you are worth'.

Check again in two weeks and he'll have figured out a way to respond. It's Starmer's fortnight to be forthright rule.

Joke country with joke institutions.

Senior Tory Triggers Backlash After Getting Bent Out Of Shape About A Biscuit www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/senior...

Badenoch admits Brexit damaged UK economy - www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...

"Left safely" = outside, on the ground, in the pissing rain. It was lucky I happened to be looking out the window at the time, tbh.

SCOOP: After U-turns on winter fuel payments, welfare reform and the 2-child benefit cap, Labour MPs now believe they can force a change of heart on the scrapping of jury trials as well. www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/exclus...

"Across the world, newsrooms and NGOs are being shuttered or even raided by authorities, all in the name of a crusade to protect free speech. And it’s just getting started." www.theverge.com/features/839...

If you read one comment piece today it should be this for sure, so subtle and interesting www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

NEW - Chair and panellists for the grooming gangs inquiry is expected to be announced today by Shabana Mahmood

Latest RocknRoll Politics podcast: Brexit- Is this the beginning of the end? podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/r...

I dreamt about chocolate covered ready salted crisps last night so vividly I can remember how they taste and I woke up without any Not acceptable

Paramount's approach to WBD me of my approach to buying our flat, except with the crucial difference that our plan is to sell our flat when we die, so it didn't really matter if we overbid, whereas Paramount does actually need to make *money* at some point.

Deporting the Irish and British-Israelis will surely go down well.

Moving piece by @anooshc.bsky.social on reading to her toddler and why the Bookstart scheme is a model of progressive universalism. www.newstatesman.com/politics/soc...

In fairness, I've been heartened by the number of columnists for Scottish papers who are pushing back on the, frankly stupid, spinning of the Peggie case we're seeing. Who'd have thought that the people you pay to think might have nuanced thoughts?

First full day working at @uofgpolicy.bsky.social today in the lovely new ARC building. Lots of exciting work to come with the Holyrood elections coming up. Watch this space!

In 2022, a cocaine conspiracy and a damning corruption inquiry sent shockwaves through the British Virgin Islands What went wrong? And has anything really changed? Our reporter travelled to the BVI to find out 👉 bit.ly/4oHeyCS

Is there a word for the specific form of enshittification where an app bombards you with so much extraneous crap it becomes much less suited to its original purpose? [please, Spotify: I just want to LISTEN TO MUSIC - which is literally what I pay you for 🤷🏻‍♀️]

This is such an insightful post from @peterhyman.bsky.social. It’s amazing how uninterested so many in government seem to be in getting from A to B or even in what B is. A rare exception was Shabana Mahmood’s sentencing reforms open.substack.com/pub/peterhym...

Does Lisa Taddeo usually write like this? Because this is not what I expected from her reputation. It’s a tad ripe

The other side of this that no one talks about. I wrote a story about a guy with dual nationality who evaded justice for years. I recently learned he renounced his Brit citizenship and got deported under the rules www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

EXC: Richard Tice has been accused of discouraging racism victims from coming forward after dismissing the allegations against Nigel Farage. Lord Mann, the Government’s independent advisor on antisemitism, says Tice may have "retraumatised a victim" www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

Time to open another window on the "British General Election of 2024" advent calender. Today we ask - which party leader won the 2024 campaign? Read on to open the window and find out!

I wrote a SubStack about my books of the year, enjoy! The photo is in no way related to the books, it is just from the section feat. links to my latest articles. open.substack.com/pub/sianushk...

extremely good piece by @jamesrball.com, this

🆕 When it rains it pours… not only has the UK government published its new Anti-Corruption Strategy today, HM Treasury has also put out the latest annual report on anti-money laundering #AML supervision.

A not very good photo I took on Saturday of the Travellers' Christmas ride as it went down Oxford Street. #london #truelondon

A very nice tribute to Robin Edwards, a regular on the cast at @pitlochryft.bsky.social and a dear old family friend, who sadly passed away last month.

The Australia ban on social media for children is now underway Catch up on my interview with Labour MP & chair of the Children's Online Safety APPG @joanireid.com who thinks the UK should follow suit if the Australian ban is effective 👇

👇 Here's our initial take on today's announcement of the UK government's new anti-corruption strategy.

Today in Israel's Knesset, the far-right Jewish Power party wore hangman's noose pins to a discussion of their bill to legislate the death penalty for terror convicts

Channel 4 are showing all of the African Cup of Nations games live. (With 3-4 games a day, I would have thought there would be an audience for a nightly highlights programme, but can not see any plans to produce one) www.channel4.com/press/news/a...

No 10 declines to comment on White House claim Europe facing 'civilisational erasure' due to migration, speech laws and EU - www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...

New Substack: why Labour Together's membership survey matters. And how to define "helpful" maguirepatrick.substack.com/p/how-not-to...