šŗšš¬š§šŖšŗšā³ļøšāāļøFormer Worcs Half-Marathon team gold medallist. Cynophobic
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Right wing media has had it in for Angela Rayner from the start - they couldnāt bear a working class woman being so powerful & dynamic. She made a mistake and has paid heavily for it. Very much hope sheāll return at some point in the future - our politics desperately needs more voices like hers
Angela Rayner accidentally pays less tax than she should have, resigns, and the media gives her hell. Nigel Farage deliberately pays less tax than he should have, and the media gives him a free pass. That, right there, is the problem.
Shame about #angelarayner. Right that she goes. But standards commissioner isn't impugning her integrity. But sickening to hear Farage doing the 'they are all the same' shtick.
Farage got called a 'Putin-loving free-speech imposter' in Congress Why can't Labour do this instead of getting all weird about flags while pretending their houses are shrines to the Jubilee? Instead they fan Farage's flames, turn up the dial on racism & embolden his base while repulsing their own.
Compulsory viewing, surely.
This Lineghan thing. Surely if x was moderated as Twitter used to be, the whole matter gets nowhere near the Police.
Something is being completely missed in the Graham Linehan / broader UK āfree speechā row ā and itās that much of this is a direct consequence of Elon Musk no longer doing anything like whatās required to moderate X in line with UK and European law. š§µ
It makes me chuckle that even if you sent back every migrant to where their journey began on a deportation flight tonight, not a single far right protestor would be better off, work harder, or notice a single benefit to their lives, other than those they already claim.
I disagree. Before 2016 you'd be correct. Brexit has killed the Tories and is now doing the same to Labour. It's not about facts anymore. Let's have clowns on the left as good as Farage is at click bait and tiktok. Spectacularly bad economic policy both Greens and Reform. But electorate don't care
It's just so very tiring. But it looks like it needs to be said again and again.
Total debacle #engvsa In no other sport would its leading exponents stop playing domestic sport in the format that 'the 'world cup is played, in favour of a lucrative beer match format in which they cosplay as crisp packets. The ECB hates #cricket
Weird that a bunch of players that haven't played a domestic 50 over game in years if at all as they're too busy dressed as crisps aren't very good at 50 overs. Also the disrespect for the Blast knockouts every year drives me wild
"For the government itās quite mad to keep using X. Itās active participation in its own destruction and against its own interests. I cannot fathom the logic of doing it. It would be like a Reform government communicating entirely through the Guardian comments section."
Really good fightback by Maguire. ~AA
Feels like the flag debate has been kicking around my whole life and it still boils down to: Civic institutions should fly the flag routinely. Sporting occasions and national events, sure get it out. Year round flag on your house, bit weird, trashy. Doing it to "intimidate the forrins", obvs bad
I wonder how many Labour activists at the General Election thought "In less than 18 months, the party I'm working my arse off for will be nodding along politely to policies previously associated with the BNP and National Front."
Each day I am astounded and mortified by this countryās descent into open and brazen racism I am equally astounded and mortified that rather than push back on the malign forces taking us to these dark places - an elected Labour government appears more interested in trying to learn from them
I turn on my TV and a TV presenter is asking a Govt minister why they are talking about rolling out free childcare when the big issue is asylum hotels. This is objectively insane.
The asylum seekers who aren't allowed to work and are granted a pittance to live on - those ones? How are they supposed to benefit areas economically? Are they crowding out those wealthy homeless people who are just waiting to trickle all their money down to everyone?
Well Reform certainly are.
Yes. I refer you to my earlier comment about punching themselves in the face. Before Brexit there was not one recorded instance of an asylum seekers trying to enter UK by small boat. Not a single instance. Zero. Nada.
There comes a point at which sympathy for people who keep punching themselves in the face and scapegoat those at the bottom rather than those at the top for their frustrations runs out.
At what point is the Government going to stop saying it "understands the frustrations" of people actively trying to destroy them?
I've literally no idea what Labour are doing. Massive hemorrhaging of votes coming to Lib Dems, Greens, Nationalists and even Corbyn.
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Hate speech? Probably 'understandable concern' these days.
'Patriots' in #halesowen take note. You've hung some of the Union flags in Manor Way upside down. #disrespect
Big #cricket day today. #onedaycup semi-finals.
Reform, Conservatives and 'checks notes' Labour are on the side of the mob.
This by @sundersays.bsky.social now ongoing useful and necessary fact check against the total nonsense most UK papers are still spouting out. As if they still really want to make it happen. I am so sick and tired of it.
Which actually are extremely low.
OH LOVELY! Just Sky News this morn giving airtime to a near-80 yr-old teacher in YORKSHIRE, whining that smallboats (nay "this invasion!") is the reason her life is shit Smallboats. In Yorkshire. Asylum costs < Ā£10bn Tax avoidance costs > Ā£100bn Brexit > Ā£100bn
This whole summer only one story has dominated our entire politics & it comes down to literally 30,000 people in hotels. Ridiculous. The government needs to get a GRIP itās pathetic.
Seems to me that #wwfc under Fosun since Nuno/Mendes departure/marginalisation play a 35 game sesson. 1st 3 matches invariably a write-off as we don't sign players early in window. Mad 'strategy'. 4%5 seasons we have lost 1st 2 games. One season we will pay for this, quite possibly 2025/26.
news.sky.com/story/masked... 'concerned fathers'
Darren Fletcher summed it up well there. You can't referee games via slow motion replays. A crazy decision to add to a long litany. Then again #ffc one of 19 that voted to retain #var last summer. #CHEFUL
Quite possibly. I just think all football fans are hypocrites on aligning personal political views with who they support. You, Liverpool fans and all of us. The most left wing person i know unashamedly supports Chrlsea.
Ah. The disconnect between real life and football support. I mean I am very nervous about Chinese human rights record and them owning UK assets. Proud #wwfc supporter. Some clubs are even owned by oil rich nation states with appalling human rights records, and not a murmur from fans.
No it bloody doesnāt, and no they bloody donāt.
Lessons from the fall of Manchester United (including a Brexit parallel) - brilliant column by Janan Ganesh www.ft.com/content/7d6f...
What the hell is this nonsense from @skynewss.bsky.social ? Why are they even toying with the āpolitical judiciaryā line? Dangerous foolishness from a respectable news outlet. @sophyridge.bsky.social any chance of an internal editorial chatā¦ news.sky.com/story/politi...
Here, @lewisgoodall.com really describes the essence of how Labour (like other social democrats in Europe) contributes to the normalization of the far right and to shaping public opinion against immigration. Because they have given up on challenging far-right narratives...
Pretty sure Real Bedford have black players. Saw them lose to Halesowen the other week.
The founder and chair of Real Bedford.
This is my flag.
www.halesowennews.co.uk/news/2541388... A great example of lack of critical thinking. Neither #dudley council nor #halesowen news seem to be asking a) who is doing this? and b) why? Some of this is ordinary people being patriotic. Some of it is being organised by far right.
It's no longer clear to me that the direction of travel is towards an ever more progressive, inclusive society and the gains of recent decades are being reversed and will continue be so unless we are more robust in tackling public displays of bigotry.
Post-Brexit, it feels like there's been a dam burst and all those people who felt too intimidated to say the awful things they were thinking can now increasingly give vent.
Reads more like doubling down than backtracking. But it illustrates the problem. People have lost their ability to think critically. They believe perception above facts.
Scene: Jim Ratcliffe's Monaco office, the air hangs heavy with the overpowering stench of defeat and tax-free income. Minions cower. "Sack more dinner ladies. SACK THEM ALL!"
Beagrie and Nevin ripped us apart. Remember it well. 1991 not 1893, obvs.
I agree.
Lovely of ManYoo to bring a divided country together. Excellent.
Well, enough of the public will vote in a foolish way if the media and other political parties keep acting as if immigration is the only issue at the moment.
Starmer seems to be forgetting the strength of feeling against people like Farage and Jenrick who malign immigrants. Those honest members of the public are the ones who uphold "British values" and could do with some vocal political support even if he ignores Jenrick and their ultra-right followers.
This is outstanding. God knows what Labour is doing: legitimising the racism that'll be its undoing, losing the coalition which put it in office, trying to secure voters who will never support it, digging its own moral grave. observer.co.uk/news/opinion...
Well. That's my fear. Just need the media and progressive politicians to dig a bit and then will feel able to tear them down.
Correct. Lab need to wake up...and fast. Union and st georges flags springing up everywhere. Typical Lab MP response is 'good to see patriotism being celebrated' as opposed to asking who is putting them up and why? You don't beat Reform by making their single issue the national priority.
I donāt want to be too shrill about this but I think the BBC, ITV and Sky have disgraced themselves in their coverage of the anti-refugee protests. A massive failure of judgement. But now we know the next time a progressive protest āisnāt newsā that itās nothing to do with numbers
This is just getting ridiculous. Nothing that has happened (or is reported below the headline to have happened) this weekend remotely justifies talk of an explosion or mass protests. The media are confecting a crisis, and, in some sections of it, hoping to provoke one. 1/3
At some point Labour are going to realise that this rhetoric born of chasing RefUK votes that are never going to come Labour's way is alienating both ordinary voters and party members. The realisation will come too late though and result in a well deserved pummelling at the next GE.
It is very sad to see our flag abused and taken over by the racist far right. Farage, Tories and much of the media have a lot to answer for in the destruction of our country. www.kentonline.co.uk/faversham/ne...
The story of the weekend looks like about 3000+ people protesting asylum, 2000+ counterprotestors while 210k people do parkrun
There are more parkrun *volunteers* than anti-asylum protestors (and counterprotestors). Let's hear their voices & stories! What are they hoping for this bank holiday?
Yep. But its the optics and the coverage. 10s of union flags amd St. George's crosses went up in my town overnight last night. I can guess why and the type of people who put them up. Not a murmur of discontent amongst general populace.
š¬š§ "We have a choice. As a nation, we can drift further into a world of division and hate." š¤ "Or we can celebrate British values of fairness, tolerance and compassion, and focus on the importance of a shared community that so many Britons believe in." https://bit.ly/3HBbngO
@itvnews So a few meatheads 'protesting' in Epping is a more worthy news story than a 'checks notes' famine.
Sky News have a big splash up about #asylumseekers. The population of #dudley is 323,000. There are 658 asylum seekers here apparently. 0.2% of the population. 8%of these (52) live in hotels or 0.016% of Dudley population. One day the media and politicians might talk about something else.
Its like as if its a situ that if you dare to be successful it's built in that you'll probably slide soon afterwards. Not only applies to #cpfc. As for historically bigger clubs from less attractive parts of the country, destined to be overtaken permanently by likes of Palace, Brighton etc
The Eze tfr has peed me off. On one hand the largesse of PL plus move in economic wealth to London/SE has allowed 'small' clubs like #cpfc to sustain in top flight for 1st time in their history. But on the other because of economic model they can't hold onto Crown Jewels straight after 1st trophy.
What is it with all these St George's and Union flags? Assume it's a RW thing but not entirely sure. Loads of them in #Tipton yesterday with Better Together' written on them.
Tv debate. Best archer? Paul Jessop from #herewego or John Sugden #emmerdale?
Quite. It does seem as though appeasing and playing to that demographic is the main electoral strategy of Lab, Tory and Reform. It has to stop.
Two in five arrested for last summerās UK riots had been reported for domestic abuse www.theguardian.com/society/2025... 'protect are wimmin and kids'.
Every voter has agency and is responsible for the vote they cast. But actively pushing people to positions which could well enable the election of a right-wing nationalist government that will end the UKās liberal democracy on 35% of the vote is unforgivable.
Morgan McSweeney and his mates doing a world class job of making sure the focus is relentlessly on Reformās only selling point. Top work lads!
A bit t20, this #usopen mixed doubles
Pensions: - there to ensure more people have a secure retirement - not there to support tax planning
All politicians & media need to fight back on this racist rhetoric More than 100 women's rights groups have warned "racist" attempts to link sexual violence with immigration are putting victims at increased risk In letter to Starmer and Cooper they said politicans are hijacking survivors' trauma
Here's a fact for you all. Prior to 2017 there was not a single documented case of any individual travelling by small boats across the English Channel to caim asylum in the UK. Not ONE. This current 'boats' crisis has been largely caused by Brexit. But for some reason NOBODY is saying that.
bsky.app/profile/tabo...
Ffs
A very neat illustration of the Tory Party's rapid collapse into dimwit dog-whistle populism. It's not Grieve's party anymore
Trump looked every inch, the real estate agent, showing an uninterested billionaire client around a property in the desperate hope of getting his 3%. And in a sense, that's what just happened.
Ah. The missing piece in the jigsaw. #wwfc
They all supported Brexit. Is that the company you want to keep?
Shameful scenes in Alaska.
Or narrow it if you do!
I just dont get it. Whatever the rights and wrong of the policy, being a single issue Government in a policy area 'owned' by an insurgent party can only result in the insurgent party becoming the Govt. Who is going to vote for Reform-lite when the real thing is there?
Slightly off topic. But two thoughts. 1. Why is it that fish & chips is the most expensive dish at a chippy and yet cheapest in a pub? 2. Why isnt the rest of UK like the West Mids? I doubt more than 30% of t/o in a chippy here is fish & chips. Kebabs, southern fried chicken, orange chips etc.
Any other match going #epl supporters feeling less inclined to bother this season? 'Welcome to the show' Sky say. And that's exactly what it has become...a tv show with fans as extra paying for the privilege. 215 games plus 45 on Tnt. Only 360 matches in all. Line has been crossed.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
1 in 3 doctors were born overseas. 1 in 5 university academics were born overseas. 1 in 7 UK business founders were born overseas. 1 in 2 builders were born overseas. 1 in 5 nurses were born overseas. 1 in 4 transport workers were born overseas. The media, their framing, IS the problem
The official UK Prime Minister Twitter account has posted 6 tweets so far in August. All 6 have been about immigration. Every one of them could have been authored by our next government, Reform. Ludicrous levels of validation. x.com/10downingstr...
Calls for a "huge nationwide wave" of protests in last 48 hours saw about 300 people attend one locally-organised protest in Nuneaton (serious charges in local case) + 19 protests range from 6 peoole (Wolverhampton) with about four more reaching 100-200 people (Altrincham,Canary Wharf) Total < 2000
I think this is an interesting example of how news journalism can often bring the framework/shape of a previous story to a new story, in an unhelpful way. Seeking āoldsā - existing narratives. Trying to fit something thatās happening now into a pre-existing box rather than understanding it in itself
The rich donāt spend the money they have, and the poor donāt have money to spend. This is a problem when 70% of the economy relies on consumer spending. Closing our nation's wealth gap isnāt just the right thing to do. Itās essential to save our economy. https://youtu.be/S6dCh48b4oI?feature=shared
Where 2024 Labour voters are now: Still Labour: 52% (5m) Don't know: 13% (1.3m) Now Lib Dem: 10% (1.0m) Now Green: 8% (0.8m) Now Reform UK: 7% (0.7m) Now Won't Vote: 4% (0.3m) Now Conservative: 3% (0.3m) Now SNP/PC: 2% (0.2m) Now Other: 1% (0.1m) Dead: 1% (0.1m)