My seat and many around me are a straight LAB/RFM contest at the moment. More votes to LD/G would mean they don't finish 4th and 5th in the next GE. LAB/LD/GN will probably have more votes between them than RFM/CON, as they do now, and we will have a RFM MP.

Second listen, @clppng.bsky.social just as good. Checked and it is the same Kid Koala I remember listening to on John Peel xx years ago. Occasionally listen to old Peel shows and have come across early Captain Ahab, Drexciya, amongst all else.

The fundamental problem: 58% of voters want public spending maintained or increased. 67% want taxes to stay at their current level or be cut. In reality, it’s a binary choice. Taxes go up, or spending is cut. That’s it.

Nelson's Victory crew included a Brazilian and a Russian, 2 Indians, 2 Swiss, 2 Portuguese, 3 Danes and 3 Norwegian sailors. There were 3 Germans, 4 Italians, 6 Swedes, 7 Dutchmen, 9 West Indians and an African, as well as 21 Americans, 63 Irish, 64 Scots, 441 English.... oh, and 3 French men, too.

This would be good if we had PR (which we should) and you could the SNP seats in Scotland into a coalition. But we don't. We have fptp and so long as polling stays where it is, particularly Labour, things may go for the minority group.

For what it's worth, I don't think the government should be commenting on every repulsive thing said by Conservative backbenchers. (Though their own leader should take a view). What it *should* be doing is articulating a clear position of its own. It's *that* silence which is the big problem.

Never used spotify, never will precisely for these reasons. Aside from something like YTube to check out someone I haven't heard before buying (if they aren't on bandcamp), I don't use any streamers. Support artists, buy their music, books, pictures, etc.

BRAND NEW Far Side from Gary Larson just dropped

Read this earlier, I note the only real publisher on this panel spoke out against. Though didn't get as much emphasis. No reputable publisher would go down this route.

There is no need for a moral panic about the UK's welfare system. Far from perfect but recent discourse is nuts Spending is controlled, not spiralling Worklessness is near record lows My column www.ft.com/content/ee67...

Happy 18th birthday to @thebugle.bsky.social! Day off, listened to Top Stories with Vanity Smurf, watched @alicefraser.bsky.social and @harikondabolu.bsky.social on the new ep. (go Team Bugle), and Alice again on Realms Unknown. Will get round to booking the livestream ticket soon.

Yes, though numbers are more transient. I still remember the first home number we had from a house we moved out of when I was 11. I have a new mobile and haven't the faintest idea of what the number is (yet) without looking it up.

Sharing as I lose track of where to find these tracks. And because more people should see them.

Anyone know what time Scotland start playing?

I'm shocked, I tell you, shocked. Never saw this coming.

The Empire Strikes Bollocks Saving Private Bollocks Jurassic Bollocks The Bollocks of Wrath...

Though I read a lot, I'm no expert and know the first two of these three claims are bullshit as detailed by @alanbeattie.bsky.social. The author is either extremely bad at basic facts/research or a straight-forward liar. Either way the book is not worth spending any time on.

Looking at that list I hope Specsavers are feeling very foolish. *insert joke about helping MPs find their remaining support*

First bandcamp friday of the evening is Autechre, before 'adding to basket' listen. Thinking, this track seems to be playing a while, then seeing the 58 minute runtime. Excellent album. #musicsky

I don't recall reading a major news org headline of 'Man elected as new pope'. "Dame Sarah... in historic first". Was that so difficult?

Day off work, so by way of light relief I am starting on this series. Got the Patreon emails for part two.

There are potential arguments for ID cards, to deal with migration (if that is your aim) certainly isn't one of them. Even if they worked, or were a priority as Zoe highlights.

On old twitter I disagreed with Dan H on pretty much everything. The one thing he was good at was summarising party management & strategy. In the past that was criticising tories from BJ onward (possibly before). Though what he says here is pretty obvious, it is right.

Reminds me of the old joke, three SWP people in a room forming two parties and a splinter group.

Starmer should have spoken up today, or at least senior ministers. If there is nothing meaningful by tomorrow there needs to be change.

Currently downloading and my actual box set is in the post. #musicsky

Repost so I remember to listen later! You should too.

Have been watching @thebugle.bsky.social with @alicefraser.bsky.social and @natogreen.bsky.social about the various current highlights in nation states. Now to catch up on what's happening in the world, maybe things have picked up a bit...

The latter bit is so obvious from all surveys, analysis, etc. it is impossible that Labour are not aware of it. So either they are being wilfully dumb, or are taking the approach they are taking because they want to.

I see some of you dragging a shit take from the fascist site over here to dunk on it, a) why are you still on the fascist site to find that shit, b) why are dropping shit onto this site, c) when you dunk on it you just give it a new audience. Leave shitty fascist takes on the shitty fascist site.

People are too gloomy on here at least, such is the nature of social media. One caveat to this - cost of living is by far the top concern in surveys for a reason, and growth may have improved but won't do so further without serious and intelligent engagement with our closest trading partner.

Elon Musk has *personally*posted in favour of the racist remigration agenda of the maximalist racist abusing the Home Secretary with this on X & endlessly posting racist harassment on X This should be a story. It should be a scandal. Musk should have to account for this, in person, in parliament

From this weeks Private Eye.

The Fellowship of the Twats

My @prolapseband.bsky.social CD has landed.

Seems that the patriotic roofer from Carshalton who has gone around the country putting up flags.... has something of a blot on his copybook

Another day, yet ANOTHER stupid, pointless announcement on immigration from this stupid pointless government. Today: you are a student - we're going to write you a stern letter about how you better not be thinking of staying! Insanity. Racist, cowardly, insanity. #r4today

Yvette, I'm confused.

Cooper in 2021: "If there arent the safe legal routes for family reunion we end up with more people being driven into the arms of criminal gangs" Cooper yesterday: "we are bringing forward new rules to temporarily suspend new applications under the existing family reunion route"

I occasionally see these pop up on my timeline and it takes me a minute to realise it's my shop. Thank you to @profaliceroberts.bsky.social for the RT. Also, I joined @humanists.uk early in the year and just about finished the podcast series. A positive change to a lot of what I see on here.

That's the Carswell who (wiki) was born in Africa, immigrated to the UK as a teen and more recently became an immigrant in the USA.

Starting first listen via bandcamp while I figure out where to order the CD. New @prolapseband.bsky.social! #musicsky

Heard about this last week. My general view of such things is that if people pay for these things, they are the fools, not these folk. Eau dear.

I see amazon has a generative ai which is just as shite as the rest. Not that I'm ordering from there, but just looked at the new @prolapseband.bsky.social CD/vinyl for availability and 'Ask Rufus' first suggested question underneath is "Is this a paperback". #musicsky

Interesting that even with RFM voters this is 35% in favour, 50% against. The failure of senior govt figures to counter these batshit extremely offensive ideas and narrative is ridiculous.

The Times has long since moved from being a "conservative with a small c" paper of record, to a "racist with not a particularly small r" tome.

Perhaps @rosatkins.bsky.social and Katie Razzle could cover the increasingly dreadful news decisions and coverage in the next Media Show. Endless stories about protests which attracted 500 people nationwide, and now this and whatever comes next in the endless cycle.