Chris McKeon
@cjmckeon.bsky.social
Political correspondent for PA, former local journalist, amateur sportsman, ex-historian, other things
Provisional IRA to Tory councillor is a hell of a journey
Mark Wallace@wallaceme.bsky.social · 8h agoTory former Croydon councillor had been a member of the IRA www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/maria-g... Bradford Labour councillor was previously convicted of attacking a man with a pickaxe handle www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/2588786...
Yeah, go on then (no promises as to the quality of books to be mentioned)
Mo 🌸📚@moplayspoke.bsky.social · 2d ago1 like = 1 book question 📚💙
25% turnout in Greater Manchester - down on the (also pretty anaemic) 32% in 2024 - seems not great for local democracy.
We learn today that the name of our country has changed - in Cambodia. Apparently, the direct translation of the Khmer term for the UK was "English Empire and Northern Ireland", which has now been changed to something closer to "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland".
The hero we need. Also, probably the only time Liam has been compared to a young Michael Douglas.
Liam Thorp@liamthorp.bsky.social · last wk.I was so proud of my confrontation with a man playing loud music on the train that I wrote about it - grumpy face included
One of the things I remember most from volunteering at Citizens Advice was the number of people who came in because they'd lost benefits by returning to education so they could retrain - often for jobs we really needed like nursing. They were, obviously, really struggling as a result.
Duncan Weldon@duncanweldon.bsky.social · last wk.I think, in general, we devote too much time to debating 14-21 education and not enough time to life time education/training/retraining.
Absolutely outstanding dedication here - any guesses what book it’s in?
GCSE English involved: A Tale of Two Cities (absolute slog aged 14/15, further evidence school ruins the classics) Animal Farm and 1984 (great then, great now) A Moment of War (actually pretty good) A View From The Bridge (I remember nothing about this play) Some utterly forgettable poetry
Tenebrous Press@tenebrouspress.bsky.social · 2y agoUS and UK friends, I'm curious: What books were part of your required reading for highschool literature class? Which of them do you remember loving, and which did you loathe?
One of the things about Instagram’s non-chronological feed is it’s still serving me Foreign Office posts with Yvette Cooper, like the world’s slowest news service.
At the Oval for the start of the Hundred, where for some reason they’ve decided to pronounce MI London as “My London”
Guess defence really will be the no.1 priority at the spending review, then
Does anyone know why the BBC coverage is so keen to emphasise that there’s no actual kissing of hands involved in “kissing hands”?
Stop sharing that Peter Thiel “tweet” about Argentina, it’s fake (obviously).
"It could be that one more strike of the ball is what's needed" it's going straight into the wall, isn't it?
What is it about Americans that they can't just watch the sport? They have to have a little distraction in the middle of it.
Nothing says football like, erm, Madonna singing in a bunker
We are better without Harry Kane I’m sorry #ENGFRA
Now one of the top 10 highest scoring games at a world cup
Chris McKeon@cjmckeon.bsky.social · 3w agoOn the other hand, two more goals for this to be in the top 10 highest scoring world cup games
On the other hand, two more goals for this to be in the top 10 highest scoring world cup games
Can't believe England are going to conspire to lose this game 5-4
Can't believe they'd ignore Tuchel's instructions like this
My main prediction for the Burnham premiership is we're going to see a lot more MPs making statements along the lines of "my constituency is the Manchester of [the South/the West Country/Wales etc etc]"
Giles Wilkes@gilesyb.bsky.social · 3w agoOne of the stranger things I've heard on the radio was an MP complaining that he didn't like the sound of Manchesterism because his constituency is nowhere near Manchester. It's really, really not about "doing more for Manchester".
By my count, this takes the total membership of the House of Lords to 798. Still some way to go to rival the Chinese People’s National Congress’ 2,800-odd though.
Chris McKeon@cjmckeon.bsky.social · 3w agoNEW: Sadiq Khan is to become Lord Khan, one of 26 new peerages announced by Downing Street as Keir Starmer's time in office draws to a close.
Understand the now Lord Khan doesn't want to be a minister and will continue as Mayor of London (and is still weighing up whether to go for a fourth term in City Hall)
Chris McKeon@cjmckeon.bsky.social · 3w agoNEW: Sadiq Khan is to become Lord Khan, one of 26 new peerages announced by Downing Street as Keir Starmer's time in office draws to a close.