Was made late to the footy today by this beautiful otter on the River Wear. Having a great time. I do love an otter.

🧵 Four years ago, John Hendy (an incredibly well respected labour movement barrister, & chair of The Institute of Employment Rights) handed over his Status of Workers Bill to Andy McDonald MP in the House of Commons. 1/8

Apparently Burnham is being blocked because ‘it would be a distraction to have him in the House in the lead up to the May elections’; ‘Reform might win the Manchester Mayor by-election’; ‘Andy’s just doing too good a job where he is’. (1/3)

Happy Birthday, Antonio Gramsci. Alongside Tony Benn, my politics have been most shaped by Antonio Gramsci, who was born on this day in 1891. Here’s why: open.substack.com/pub/mrbensel...

Since my kids left school, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about education. I recognise that I need to do more reading, but there are some more instinctive principles that have hardened - opposition to academisation being at the top of that list. Here’s why: open.substack.com/pub/mrbensel...

Another example of how to talk about the “Globalise the Intifada” chant, for those who seem to find it difficult: www.icjpalestine.com/2025/12/18/j...

I’ve had a novel experience over the last couple of days. I don’t think I’ve ever had a ‘pile on’ before - at least not on Facebook & not on this scale. open.substack.com/pub/mrbensel...

I sometimes wonder why the far right are so upset with Starmer. In many ways, he’s one of them - from his advocacy of war crimes against the Palestinians to letting hunger strikers fade away in jail - he’s an odious, small minded pub bore. At least give him some credit for trying.

It’s being reported tonight that Heba Muraisi, Kamran Ahmed, and Lewie Chiaramello have ended their hunger strike, after the news that Elbit Systems UK was denied a vital £2 billion army training contract with the Ministry of Defence - one of their key demands. (1/2)

As it’s unravelled & a fuller picture of the murder of Renee Nicole Good has come to light, via video clips & eye witness statements, what it shows is that Good wasn’t scared of ICE officer Jonathan Ross, but laughed at him, alongside her wife, Becca. 1/

What does the video of the killing of Renee Nicole Good tell us, in reality? It tells us that the ICE officer, now identified as Jonathan Ross, shot her two or three times, at point blank range, in the face, because he was angry. open.substack.com/pub/mrbensel...

I wonder what other potential invasions our state broadcaster would describe as “options to acquire”. Mind boggling & embarrassing from the BBC.

🧵 Several years ago, I spoke at a joint fringe meeting with Liam Young - organised as part of the Durham Miners’ Gala weekend. (1/7)

This is both obvious to anyone who has been paying attention & vital when looking at the renewal of the trade union movement. It’s way over time this culture was challenged. Good that Andrea Egan is being so clear about it: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Excellent piece by @rogermckenzie.bsky.social on the corruption destroying the ‘beautiful game’. And he’s right - we need a revolution in football. morningstaronline.co.uk/article/fifa...

Please watch & share this powerful & moving documentary about UK Spy Planes operating out of Cyprus by @declassifieduk.org. It is damning of @Keir_Starmer, his government & the MoD & their direct role in aiding the genocide in #Gaza. youtu.be/0fk3t28TiAc?...

Watering down the Employment Rights Bill is a massive own goal in the fight against Reform. Me on The World Turned Upside Down blog: theworldturnedupsidedownne.wordpress.com/2025/12/11/w...

Quite seriously, it requires some honesty about where we are with the Employment Rights Bill & how we got here. Long before the Lords got their hands on it, much that was transformative had been stripped out. I wrote this earlier in the year: theworldturnedupsidedownne.wordpress.com/2025/03/13/t...

I’m not sure the concession worked guys. What can we concede next?

🧵 One more thing on the Employment Rights Bill: this is (was) a potentially life-changing piece of legislation for many workers. There was a lot of work left to do to get it to that point, but that was the potential. (1/4)

As a labour movement, we must care about gig workers & casualisation. Me, on the government’s many climbdowns on the Employment Rights Bill & what it means for the most precarious workers: open.substack.com/pub/mrbensel...

The government's climbdown on day one rights against unfair dismissal was sold to us as a way out of the impasse on the Employment Rights Bill. Pragmatism, eh? Well guess what? The business lobby (via the Lords) isn’t giving up & is pushing for more concessions. Funny that. 🤔

I’m slightly worried about some of the narrative around Zack Polanski from other parts of the left, particularly those attracted to Your Party. Read here: substack.com/@mrbenseller...

[thread 🧵] In its journey from Labour’s 2019 Manifesto to its current iteration, the Employment Rights Bill has been watered down in many ways, including: (1/10)

I’m not going to be in Liverpool this weekend. If someone had said to be even a year ago that I wouldn’t be involved in the foundation of a new, left party, I would have laughed at them. I’m not all that important, but I think it is a tiny example of what has gone wrong with Your Party.

We should be really clear that the effect of this climbdown on day one rights throws Deliveroo riders, Uber drivers, those on casual, temporary & agency contracts under the bus. That’s the reality of what this is about. It has real world impacts.

Here we go. The Govt has u-turned on its manifesto pledge to give all workers protection against unfair dismissal from their first day in a job. A predictable u-turn for Starmer’s Labour, this was a crucial jigsaw piece if you want to protect the most precarious workers. (1/2)

This is how it works: 🫵🏻 A tiny number of sexual assault cases amongst the asylum seeking community are highlighted by the far right and are recycled relentlessly to tar a whole group …

There are now so many nails in Labour’s coffin that the corpse inside will have problems being identified. If it could be, it would surely be a not-very-funny Reform parody. (1/7)

Important union busting story involving @rockstargamess.bsky.social Worth watching the video that accompanies the piece on @ieruk.bsky.social website (link below). www.ier.org.uk/news/say-sor...

Overnight, there have been multiple Israeli attacks across Gaza – from Beit Lahiya in the north to Khan Younis in the south. Israel has now killed at least 245 Palestinians and wounded 627 in Gaza since the ‘ceasefire’ came into force on October 10.

👉 Mamdani’s key policies: 1. Freeze rent: Mamdani says he will immediately freeze the rent in rent-stabilised housing, which he says is home to more than two million people in New York.

‘Be careful who you hate. It could be someone you love.’ - Bodo/Glimt tifo.

**Coming to Redhills Durham this Saturday. Really looking forward to it.** We are the Lions, Mr Manager! The story of Jayaben Desai and the Grunwick Strike Written by Neil Gore & Directed by Louise Townsend. Tickets here: redhillsdurham.org/event/we-are...

Hmm. I’m not sure that’s how a ceasefire works …

My latest blog on The World Turned Upside Down: Momentous mistakes - ten Momentum failures and what we might learn from them: theworldturnedupsidedownne.wordpress.com/2025/10/19/m...

🧵 The point about this protest isn’t that Britain First or the two men invading the pitch were trying to prove Gary Neville wrong, but that voicing an opinion in opposition to the far right-led, ‘raise the flags’ nonsense is “treachery”. (1/4)

The IDF are still acting with complete impunity, in case there was any doubt. Yesterday, they killed 11 members of the same Palestinian family in Gaza, the largest single violation of the “ceasefire” since it took effect 8 days ago. 7 children and 3 women were among those killed.

🧵 We know Starmer has thrown his lot in with Zionist Israel, but why is he going in so hard in defence of a load of Israeli football hooligans? Would he do the same for violent, racist supporters of any other nation, or even our own? 1/7

In the Palestinian context ‘Intifada’ means civil disobedience & resistance against an occupying force. Living under that occupation, Palestinians have the right to self-defence under international law, incl the use of force in defence of their cities, villages & communities. 1/7

Of course we’re all relieved that Israel are out of the World Cup, unable to qualify after another defeat, 3-0 against Italy. But they should never have been in the competition, not during a genocide in #Gaza. Shame on FIFA for their hypocrisy & complicity. #FreePalestine

They got me. 😂

We need to get democracy & accountability right from the start. I’ve joined with Eric Barnes, Mike Forster, Ian Hodson, Ken Loach, Audrey White & Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi to write an Open Letter to those currently leading ‘Your Party’. Add your name here: shorturl.at/Iv4xA

Tragically, I think we’ll now see a more accurate reflection of the loss of civilian life in Gaza, as displaced Palestinians return to the bombed out, flattened landscape they used to call home & search through the rubble. www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/10...

I have friends & comrades at this conference. To call them transphobes is nonsense akin to the antisemitism weaponisation. When will we learn that the answer to complex differences on the left isn’t simplistic sloganeering, toxic labelling or violence but real, honest discussion?

Geordies are Black & White. #StopTheFarRight

“Despite these acts of aggression, the flotilla continues its course with determination. Our mission remains clear: to challenge Israel's illegal siege on Gaza, stand with the Palestinian people, and deliver aid to a besieged population facing starvation and genocide.”

Launching our new publication by Ben Crawford & Jamie Houghton: Shareholders' Rights v Workers' Rights! The ERB is a big step for workers - but can it succeed without tackling corporate law & shareholder power? Blog: www.ier.org.uk/comments/emp...

Assembly point: Side, on the way down to the Quayside. #NoPasaran