Starmer has distanced himself a bit from Trump on Iraq. The lesson from Harold Wilson & Vietnam in the 1960s is that the more protest, the more the distance. That said heard from Kate Hudson (ex-GS CND) in a meeting earlier that numbers of US planes flying from Lakenheath & Mildenhall (East Anglia)

It's British Pie Week & tests for Beard Friendly Pies are underway. This Steak & Old Peculier Pie passed the test

ABInBev bought Camden Town Brewery in 2015 for a reported £85m. On 2nd March 2026 Tilray bought the UK ops of Brewdog for £33m wp.me/p15p2Q-gg6

NATO, Cyprus & British bases. A post-1953 history wp.me/p15p2Q-fXl

Found a relevant set of 19th century notes on open shelves, related to what I was looking for in the earlier vestry minutes but not in the catalogue. This is why we repeat, "most history is not digitised: we still need historians; we still needs local studies libraries run by local councils."

an interesting fall out from the Brewdog sale debacle is what will happen to the Brewdog beer franchise at Lords Cricket Ground and the London Stadium (West Ham)

484 workers got sacked but.... Brewdog, James Watt & Martin Dickie on the Sunday Times Rich List 2020-25 kmflett.wordpress.com/2026/02/15/o...

Funny how both the founders of BrewDog end up with a personal net worth of £400 mil, while what's left of the business is valued at a tenth of that – and most of their employees, plus anyone gullible enough to buy a 'share', end up with nothing at all. Just one of those things, I guess.

484 workers got sacked but.... Brewdog, James Watt & Martin Dickie on the Sunday Times Rich List 2020-25 kmflett.wordpress.com/2026/02/15/o...

solidarity with @unitetheunion.bsky.social members

Brewdog sold to a US Corporate. Lots we don't know about the financials but the 484 workers who have lost their jobs deserve our solidarity. They have paid the price for James Watt wp.me/p15p2Q-gfD

On a personal note most of the London Brewdog bars I drank in (with others) back in the day have long since closed but sorry in particular to see Bristol and Cardiff go today. Some memories there...

NATO, Cyprus & British bases. A post-1953 history wp.me/p15p2Q-fXl

As Brewdog sale & bar closures announced a reminder@ Unite the Union General Secretary speaks out on Brewdog: 'catastrophic mismanagement' kmflett.wordpress.com/2026/02/25/u...

Brewdog bar closures being announced. Cardiff just posted

the sale of Brewdog has now been announced in the US by the new US owner but not it appears in the UK yet. As expected it doesnt look like great news for the bars

Morning Advertiser reporting that New York based Tilray a 'global cannabis & wellness leader' is involved in talks to buy Brewdog. & its not April 1st either...

& lo behold etc reports indicate Starmer has now given the US permission to use the bases for 'defensive' missions'

for those interested in the Brewdog debacle, Sky are reporting that a PrePac Admin deal is likely today (Monday) & James Watt is not involved. A small relief for Brewdog workers but their jobs are the bottom line here (or should be) @unitetheunion.bsky.social

finally caught up with the end of Traitors Ireland (BBC IPlayer). The winners will come as an unpleasant surprise to Nigel Farage (& perhaps for the matter to fans of the UK series as well)

Finally a St David's Day nightcap. A glass of Penderyn, Welsh whisky

Earlier on Sunday. I was there at the start of the Stop the War Coalition in 2001/2 & protesting has never been more essential. If you don't think it makes a difference look at the result in the Gorton and Denton By-Election. The difference needs to be a lot more than elections but they're important

reading the Sunday Times (1st March). Labour's latest plan is to 'let Starmer be Starmer'. There will be (more) trouble ahead

& lo behold etc reports indicate Starmer has now given the US permission to use the bases for 'defensive' missions'

& then some Indy Welsh beer

Followed by some indy Welsh beer

Socialist History Seminar Mon 26th January. Vassilis Fouskas, How NATO powers divided Cyprus 1954-1974. Recording. Covers the UK/US military bases, relevant given Trump's war kmflett.wordpress.com/2026/01/19/s...

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed." -Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1953