We have become truly adept at shooting ourselves in the foot, haven’t we? You could not make it up. I cannot believe how self-defeating this Labour government has become.

Important from @bearlypolitics.co.uk —  ~ Why are Goodwin, Farage and Lowe so terrified of me? ~ https://www.bearlypolitics.co.uk/p/why-are-goodwin-farage-and-lowe-so

“The true threats to our country are not being brought in by immigrants. We are looking at an economy that is faltering from external influence from certain geriatric game show hosts sitting in the White House having little incursions into the Middle East.” Great piece from @bearlypolitics.co.uk

Why is Matt Goodwin so terrified of me? Apparently because I can speak more than one language. His latest argument about “civilisational decline” collapses the moment you understand what EAL actually means.

Almost as though the far-right just isn’t welcome in my city. Thank you to everyone who took part. 🐻

Someone DM’d me about an unforgivable omission from my list: Poesklap Literally (I am sorry): a vagina-slap. This describes a slap that’s so emphatic, so incredibly hard, that it becomes a defining life event. Deeply expressive. Not to be deployed lightly.

I do this! Somewhere along the way I just decided that I will not be learning the difference between the multiple different small orange fruits. They’re all naartjie. Simple.

In light of recent panic about people having more than one language in their heads, I thought I’d do something deeply unpatriotic: A thread of my favourite weird Afrikaans words 🇿🇦 You’re welcome / I’m sorry. 🐻

Maybe the anti-DEI dunces could *actually* appoint people on merit rather than whatever this is 👇, and see if that works better?

If you’re one of those people (like me) who have the audacity - nay, the temerity! - of having two languages in one head: What is your second (or third or fourth) language? And would you consider speaking that language around someone like Matt Goodwin, monolingual champion, just to annoy him? 🐻

Come on, every British person knows that speaking foreign languages is a form of sorcery.

Among the people I know IRL and here who can make English sing and dance, show the magic and beauty and how it can flow, are often L2 English speakers. One is @bearlypolitics.co.uk Bilingualism helps. My L1 English is a lot better having learned French

Why do these Reform types celebrate ignorance and stupidity? Matt Goodwin says "Bilingualism undermines our shared culture and nation". What of the Welsh, Scottish, and Cornish bilingual people, able to communicate in two home languages? www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...

Fake quotes, factual errors and ChatGPT links – my bizarre journey into Matt Goodwin’s new book... Andy Twelves reports for the Nerve www.thenerve.news/p/matt-goodw...

Brilliant thread by @nickdickinson.bsky.social of the “debate” - I think it fair to say that Goodwin did not come out smelling of roses in this one. Truly well played by @twelves.bsky.social. 🐻

I kind of love that with 44,000 followers, and after over half an hour online, I’m the very first interaction this Daily Mail piece on Goodwin has had. Not a share. Not a like. Not a comment. Not an iota of a flicker of interest. BlueSky really is a different world. I love it.

Also, just a massive shoutout to @twelves.bsky.social for the magnificent work he’s been doing to dismantle Goodwin’s utter nonsense. A big damned hat tip to you, Sir. If you’re not following him yet, absolutely well worth it.

All their learning was in English and, unless they had additional needs, were achieving similar or better than their monolingual peers by the end of KS1. The ability to speak more than one language fluently, to switch effortlessly from school to home language, is probably beyond his comprehension.

I worked in Early Years in a school with many children who started with little or no English, from Eastern European, African or Asian home backgrounds. These little learners are absolutely astounding in their ability to absorb language.

Why is Matt Goodwin so terrified of me? Apparently because I can speak more than one language. His latest argument about “civilisational decline” collapses the moment you understand what EAL actually means. I discuss it all in this episode of “Not a Podcast.”

@bearlypolitics.co.uk is the best bear 🐻!

If flying is statistically safe, why does it feel anything but? This contribution from @claireaj.bsky.social captures the tension between fear and awe at 30,000 feet - and why our brains are perfectly capable of holding both at once.

Or become a weird born-again Christian type that sells fake holy water for £9.99 a bottle an and if you buy 10, you get one free personally blessed by an angel.

Of course they are - we need to get to the point where we all acknowledge that everything that comes out of the Orange Geriatric Gameshow Host’s maw is either a senile delusion or just a straight up lie. That’s it. Those are now our options.

This is witty and eloquent as usual. And quite a fucking relief if you sensibly detest Reform.

Acute piece on the ever-more evident contradictions within Reform

A great article. My favourite quote: “In practice, however, Reform very clearly remains a one-man band that’s hired a few extra musicians, all of whom are playing slightly different songs.”

My 'Read of The Day'.

You can’t really run as the anti-establishment when your front bench looks like a reunion special titled “Where Are They Now? (And Why Are They Still Here?)” Another great article by The Bear.

Reform UK has lost a lot of momentum of late - which is exactly what happens when you’re chronically incapable of actually running a council and keep hiring the people you’re supposed to be replacing. Almost as though there isn’t very much of a plan, right?

Quick clarification - does this mean we’re also binning the Passion Play Performance set for Good Friday? Would be good to get some clarification.

Heading to Birmingham for the first time ever today - what are the tips and tricks everyone has? 🐻

Whoop whoop! 🐻

A great example of Trump using others as pawns in his game. Also a very positive end point about modern SA.

TLDR 🧵: South Africa is violent. That’s not controversial - it’s true. But that reality has been twisted into something else entirely: a narrative that white South Africans are uniquely persecuted and in need of refugee status. That’s where things start to fall apart.

South Africa is, by any measure, violent, but the people most affected aren’t the ones boarding charter flights to America. So why are Afrikaners being rebranded as a refugee crisis - and what happens when the myth meets reality? And why does it feel like even they're being failed?

The Bear is on top form. It takes white hot anger to write like this. So, thank you fucking much, Trump.

This post is off the clock good.

Want to have a South African Bear swearing into your ear during your commute about oil prices, bright white thighs and Nigel Farage? Have I got the thing for you! 🐻

This looks like it could be absolutely fabulous!

Really excited about my new tour of the British Museum!!! This time based around the 12 (cough... 13 actually...) star signs of the Zodiac. Hellish stories about heavenly bodies, weird objects and one overexcited historian to guide you! Tickets below: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/stars-in-t...

An asbestos gloves response. Utterly superb.

Your gentle reminder that “energy shock” doesn’t just mean your gas bill - it means everything. Food, transport, inflation, all of it. This episode of Not a Podcast also featuring a minor car incident, bright white thighs in short-shorts and some truly questionable life choices.

Pete Hegseth, "Our ungrateful allies in Europe should be saying one thing to President Trump: thank you"

So, let me get this strait: - Bomb Iran. - Iran retaliates by shutting down the Strait of Hormuz. - Lift sanctions on Russia to keep oil flowing. - Respond by lifting sanctions on Iran - who you have just bombed. - Iran and Russia make a shit ton more money. - We all pay the price. 🤦‍♂️

What an absolutely superb piece of writing Says what so many of us are thinking but articulates it in a way far far better than I think many of us could emulate

A Tongue-in-cheek response to Trumps insanity..sometimes you just have flip the script From the @bearlypolitics.co.uk

Pete DUI Hegseth, the US Secretary of “War” has insisted that we all instantly prostrate ourselves and say “thank you” to Donald J. Trump. Fine. Here it fucking is.

“No shit, Sherlock” feels like an insufficient response here.

Nearly 13 million households facing fuel poverty - a “very small price to pay”, surely. A heartfelt thank you to our Glorious and Beneficent Donald J. Trump.