Cllr Barry Smith 🔶
@barrysw19.bsky.social
Liberal Democrat Councillor for Abbey Ward, Merton. Following (back) 🔶 LibDems 🔶 Promoted by P. Gilbert on behalf of B. Smith (Liberal Democrats), all at 181 Merton Road, London, SW19 1EE.
Got to love those games where you learn from your blunders but also get a win. My opponent resigned here, thinking their queen was lost. Can you spot their winning move (which I also missed in my calculations)? #chesspunks
Andy Burnham has said he supports Proportional Representation, devolving power and rejoining the EU. If he follows through he'll be a great Liberal Democrat Prime Minister.
Proud to make my maiden speech as a Councillor for Abbey Ward.
Council, 15 July 2026 6.00pm
YouTube video by Merton Council
youtu.be
Rule No. 17: "Bishops are better than knights in an endgame with pawns on both sides of the board." #chesspunks
Me: "That was a great victory. Stockfish, show me how well I played." Stockfish: "You suck" #chesspunks
I beat the easiest bot on chess.com! Ok, not the greatest achievement in the world, except I played it blindfold. #chesspunks
One of my best games in a while I think - lichess.org/TnZpyHb1ubRf #chesspunks
All the AI talk seems to suggest that, once an AI system becomes capable of producing a better version of itself, it will result in exponential growth in machine intelligence. I think a more likely scenario is that it rapidly approaches a limit based on the available quality of training data.
It seems to me we could avoid the whole Labour leadership contest if Keir Starmer could just manage a decent Northern accent.
The Guardian@theguardian.com · 3mo agoBurnham to back Shabana Mahmood’s immigration changes, allies say
Every British Prime Minister gets a statue in Westminster. I think they're going to need to open a new wing for them all soon.
How perverse is an electoral system which sees Labour's vote fall 28% but they end up with a seat more than last time? No wonder the country is losing faith in the political system when results bear little relevance to votes.
One thing the LibDems and Reform agree on is that politics is broken. The difference is that the LibDems believe the solution is to give power back to the people, moving power from Westminster to local groups and politicians. Reform believe the answer is to give all the power to one strong Leader.
It's not 2022 any more. Ukraine now has an army bigger than Britain, France and Germany combined. And their army is one of only two experienced in modern warfare. We need European alliance and we need Ukraine in it.
Ukraine's role in European security
YouTube video by Anders Puck Nielsen
youtube.com
All we need to update from four years ago is the election date. Vote for the team that's committed to serving South Wimbledon for the long-term.
There is an alternate reality where Ukraine surrendered to a Russian occupation then, when Orban lost the Hungarian election he invited Russian troops from Ukraine to occupy Hungary to overturn the result. Ukraine is the barrier keeping the Russians out of Europe.
Ukraine is paying commercial companies on the basis of how many Russian drones they destroy. This has become, quite literally, a war of capitalism versus state managed economy.
Another by-election - another victory for the LibDems over Reform.
The Reform spokesman who said 'fires happen' has been fired.
Reform sack housing spokesman over ‘deeply dehumanising’ Grenfell comments
Simon Dudley said ‘everyone dies’ and claimed ‘the pendulum has swung too far’ on building safety regulations
independent.co.uk
The USA is not about to leave NATO and abandon all these military bases.
Meet your ward team for Abbey! You can find out more about Klaar, Barry & John, and their priorities for the community, here: www.mertonlibdems.org.uk/abbey
Right now there are only two countries which know how to fight modern warfare - Ukraine and Russia. If Russia wins this war, and conscripts Ukraine's forces, they will be the only country experienced in modern war and no European country would be ready to resist. Ukraine is Europe's war.
Interesting analysis from the New Statesman - the Green Party is not really much of a green party any more. www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTpW...
How green are the Green party? | UK Politics | The New Statesman
YouTube video by The New Statesman
youtube.com
Since the launch of Sora every day is April 1st on the internet.
