For people asking me about the loud tick-took that can be heard every time a picture of the PM comes up - I don’t know what I think. I’m not keen at all on the instability that his resignation will cause. But. It is seriously questionable that he hired Mandelson when he knew about the Epstein

The countryside story is really about the right wing press confecting outrage (and getting clicks) from virtually nothing, and a fair bit of dishonesty.

Is the British countryside really being “made less white” like we’re being told by The Telegraph? And can private medical insurance really replace the NHS? @monkemma.bsky.social and I discuss the above and more in the fourth episode of Bear and Monk Debunk - you can listen at the link below.

Is the British countryside really being “made less white” like we’re being told by The Telegraph? And can private medical insurance really replace the NHS? @monkemma.bsky.social and I discuss the above and more in the fourth episode of Bear and Monk Debunk - you can listen at the link below.

This Saturday morning’s long read comes from @markbraund.substack.com, and in it he revisits the political philosophy of John Rawls and asks what it still offers us in a world shaped by inequality, resentment, and fragile democracies. Thoughtful and really well worth your time. 🐻

A new post from me today, this one published at Bearly Politics. Thank you @bearlypolitics.co.uk. In it I examine the work of the American philosopher John Rawls and its relevance for the world today. www.bearlypolitics.co.uk/p/rawls-reve...

A quick small update from my teaspoonless serviced apartment in Manchester. Long and short of it, I have a new job! Whoop whoop! 🐻

So, sadly The Rest is Politics USA is well off my list of podcasts that I listen to. There is just no good reason for Anthony Scaramucci to have still been in contact with Epstein. I’m not implying that he did anything criminal, but these messages are from 2018, long after Epstein’s first arrest.

I am in a serviced apartment in Manchester, which is beautiful and I love it, BUT… There are no teaspoons. And I am fully scandalised. I just made myself a cup of coffee with what looked like a ladle. A ladle! Would it be wrong for me to just go buy some teaspoons for the flat? Or overbearing?

America is approaching a genuine inflection point: Phones, citizens and visibility on one side. State power, fear and authoritarian drift on the other. @claireaj.bsky.social brilliantly analyses where the US currently finds itself, and where we go from here. Well worth a read and a follow. 🐻

A damned good question.

The anatomy of Making America Obey Again—A must read from @bearlypolitics.co.uk tactics exposed, agenda exposed and how our biggest export is lies, lies, lies.

Heed the Warnings for USA and UK: "This is what the normalisation of authoritarianism looks like in real time: state violence reframed as regrettable procedure, protest recast as existential threat, and dissent pre-emptively delegitimised as manipulation." #Project2025 #HeritageFoundation

Terrifying read Bear of how quickly the US has been turned into a country we no longer recognise as the land of the free. What scares me more is that it’s also happening here in full sight of our government and being promoted by journalists from organisations we used to trust.

@bearlypolitics.co.uk clearly explains the final stage of The Telegraph's descent into pure propaganda vehicle for the far right open.substack.com/pub/iratusur...

The Telegraph is at it again - this time publishing what can only be described as weapons-grade propaganda straight from the Heritage Foundation. Because of course they did.

Horrified by Trump’s ICE thugs? Farage has similar plans for the UK. Chilling stuff here courtesy of @bearlypolitics.co.uk… open.substack.com/pub/iratusur...

A small personal update from my side, a de facto out office and a huge thank you to everyone both on here and over on Bearly Politics for all the incredible support over what has been a very difficult few months. I honestly could not have done it without you guys. See you all next week! 🐻

Grateful to @bearlypolitics.co.uk for the space to explore this: What happens when governments prioritize deportation numbers over accuracy? My piece on the Reform UK’s ICE-inspired enforcement plans and why the risks go beyond immigration 👇

So weird how standing up to a would-be authoritarian bully is really popular. Almost like voters respond to competence, backbone, and not treating them like idiots. I can think of a few politicians in the UK who should be taking notes from Mr Carney.

Very good article Affects ALL of us with the label ‘immigrant’ but - make no mistake - also every single UK citizen, whether you were born here or not And I am under no illusion that just because many of us fall under the EU/UK withdrawal a’ment we’d s’how be safe… Farage will try and rip it up

Reform's immigration policy is unworkable, uncosted, unimaginably cruel. We don't want the same thing happening here as happened in Minneapolis. Migrants are people, they're our neighbours, care workers, delivery drivers, our colleagues, friends, even us. Reform could deport ME after 35 years here!

I've subscribed to Brown reporter's RSS feed, because this sort of thing ↓ seems to be in the right place for me.

What happens when the state builds machinery designed to prioritise numbers over accuracy? A reader contribution from @brownreporter.substack.com on Reform's ICE-inspired enforcement plans, and why the risks go far beyond just immigration policy - and why our track record could make it even worse.

@bearlypolitics.co.uk is right - Matt Goodwin is the worst possible choice of candidate for Gorton & Denton, possibly except for whoever the tories put up. Let's hope the voters there agree with us. open.substack.com/pub/iratusur...

Neither Reform UK nor Matt Goodwin speak for the working class - the former because of policy, the latter because of misplacement. The veneer is starting to turn transparent, and voters in Gorton and Denton deserve better than the culture-war politics that are the only thing on offer.

If you can find 15 minutes today, please read this piece by @adamserwer.bsky.social in @theatlantic.com. This is one of the best, most human accounts on the rising authoritarianism in the US, and even more importantly, the steely resistance rising up against it in Minnesota. Breathtakingly good.

Episode 3 of the podcast by the Bear (@bearlypolitics.co.uk) and Emma (@monkemma.bsky.social) is quite brilliant. I urge you to listen to it. You can do so here. monkdebunks.substack.com/p/no-go-lond...

They’ve burst through the bottom of the proverbial barrel and now risk digging down to the water table.

“Each issue we now face was made. Deliberately. Recently and by the exact people who are now loudly pointing at the rubble, but strangely reluctant to discuss who was holding the sledgehammer”. Great blog as ever. There is suffering, exacerbated by global politics. But the people of UK are awesome.

Another great article by The Bear. If you're not following him, take yourself to one side, have a quiet word with yourself and then hit his follow button. You won't regret it.

So, in the past 8 days since I updated you all on the State of the Bear (my monthly accountability/feedback mechanism to you guys) I have, somehow, seen an increase from 110k views over 30 days to 150k, a 26% increase. What the hell is happening guys? (Also, thank you so much, I am very grateful)

I personally did not know about the Boar, but now I'm glad I do. A brilliant piece on the strategies used by the far-right to take advantage of the reactions to their own provocations. Really well worth a read. theboar.org/2026/01/cllr...

How long does everyone imagine it’s going to take Liz Truss to shamble her way over to Reform? Because she’s obviously next, right?

This parade of senior ex-Tory ministers brazenly telling us ‘Britain is Broken’ is ridiculous. Super piece here by @bearlypolitics.co.uk… open.substack.com/pub/iratusur...

There’s something weirdly convenient about discovering that Britain is broken only after you yourself have spent years running the place. A coincidence, I’m certain. (Warning: Swearier than usual).

Really is very good.

On your way to work and want some company? Let @monkemma.bsky.social and I join you for the ride with episode 3 of Bear and Monk Debunk. This week we discuss whether London is a post apocalyptic hellhole and the myth of the Muslim dog ban. In both cases, it’s mostly nonsense. Listen below 👇

So - quick question. We are now on episode three of Bear and Monk Debhnk, and @monkemma.bsky.social and I are enjoying the hell out of it. We’ve covered various issues, from ostriches to immigration to London itself, and would love to hear from everyone: What would you like us to cover next? 🐻

Listen & give this fledgling podcast a go. 😊 This week. No-go areas in London - nope (unless you're Trump). Last week a great episode debunking myths about immigrants in UK. Also you don't have to have a Substack account to click & listen.

Quote of the day? via BBC - Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said "Farage has recruited yet another Conservative minister with selective amnesia - one who complains about broken Britain while conveniently forgetting they helped break it." @bearlypolitics.co.uk @dorseteye.bsky.social

Is London really a fiery dystopian hellscape? Is Islam calling for Dog Bans? Do we only use 10% of our Brains? The answer is - no, no and also no. Episode 3 of Bear and Monk Debunk addresses both of these persistent myths with facts, context and just a mild bit of swearing. Out now.

Farage ‘Britain is Broken’ (So let’s hire everyone who broke it)

Oh look, Suella Braverman has also joined the retirement home for grievance filled Tories. If Reform UK is starting to look a lot like Conservatives 2.0, well… that’s because it is.

Seventeen breaches of disclosure rules by Farage with exactly zero consequences. The excuse? He's far too busy, important, overwhelmed and confused by computers. This, however, isn’t a one-off failure - it’s a system that now treats confusion and busyness as mitigation rather than misconduct.

This is deliciously meta. The most savage review of a class-coded savage review I've read in ages, possibly ever--one nicely rounded out with equally coded returned fire.

Glorious - Cultural Class Politics that gives Slavoj Žižek a run for his crypto - how to turn Waitrose customer reviews of bubbly into cultural commentary - nice one @bearlypolitics.co.uk. www.bearlypolitics.co.uk/p/you-are-mo...

This Substack post is such a clinically precise dissection of the British class system…

Best thing I've read this week

Who'd think a review of Pol Roger could elicit such a put down? H/tip to @bearlypolitics.co.uk for their article on class war in the Waitrose Cellar comments!