Being racist to people providing healthcare, the most patriotic thing a person can do in my opinion, is the clearest example of how this wave of “patriotism” we’re being told to accept was never about patriotism It’s white nationalism, pure and simple

When highly unpleasant people die, it is polite not to remark upon their great unpleasantness. But we do not have to pretend to think that they were a decent person.

HT @abnormal4norfolk.bsky.social @big-move-tracker.bsky.social @mrmjlewis.bsky.social @warmatters.bsky.social who all suggested on #BlueSky *4 weeks ago* that John Healey might be appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer

I'm sure Wes Streeting is briefing he will be Chancellor but I'm struggling to see it. He is not just politically on a different wing of Labour to Burnham, he also is a big character who wants to be PM, who will compete for space and narrative. The obvious choice to me... John Healey.

We're about to have our second ever Scouse Prime Minister. The first was Gladstone 150 or years ago. I have no meaningful analysis or thoughts to add but as a politics nerd based in Liverpool it felt worth mentioning.

I started a podcast about political ideas. Here's the page on Spotify. open.spotify.com/episode/5cR8...

What is Politics?

State of Mind - The Political Ideas Podcast · Episode

open.spotify.com

This is bullshit I'm afraid. As a queer left-wing Jew am I meant to pick? It is not a competition. It is awful that there hasn't as strong a response to homophobic attacks. You can campaign for better without pitting communities (which intersect) against each other. This is whataboutism at the least

Jack D 🏳️‍🌈@jackdunc1.bsky.social · 3mo ago

LGBT+ bar burned down last week by a homophobe, now a guy in critical condition after a homophobic attack in Bristol. Media footnote. Whereas the 2 guys in Golder's Green - who are both alive/home, warrant PM statements, wall to wall media & the police saying this? Guess some count more than others

Antisemites pretending to be antizionist: “If the Jews that don’t live in Israel - and have nothing to do with Israeli government - want to be safe and not stabbed or attack in the street or at synagogue they simply have to denounce Israel 😘” If you want a formula for creating Zionists, this is it

I've never been one of those "it's getting too dangerous for Jews to live here" people but this is getting really fucking scary. Not that there's anywhere better to go.

Alona Ferber@aloner.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Two stabbed in knife attack in Golders Green

And just to say, before allegations start about intentions, as a Masorti Jew I can’t even get married in Israel as a Jew - or buried in Israel, for that matter For ‘right of return’ I’m alright, but I’m not viewed as equally Jewish as Orthodox Jews Israel is deeply, deeply flawed But exists!

Last thing I’ll add is: Jews time and again throughout history have been genocided en masse over and over and over again - including in living memory If your intention is to convince Jews that having a Jewish state is not necessary for survival, you might wanna start by not being antisemitic 🤷🏽‍♀️

Does thinking China has the right to exist - or even ordering stuff off Shein or Temu - mean you support the genocide of Uyghur Muslims? For the average person, it doesn’t For a certain type of progressive it does when it applies to Israel (except when it comes to Israel tech in iPhones etc)

I find the idea that believing in the existence of a state meaning you support the government bizarre Does thinking the US has the right to exist means you support Donald Trump & ICE raids? Does thinking Russia has the right to exist mean you support Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine?

In my personal life, I do not know a Jewish person who is a Zionist and approves of the current Israeli govt Millions of Israelis themselves also detest the current government - hence mass protests and the fact Netanyahu is relying on extreme religious minority parties to prop up his government

Actually it’s why 100% of the Zionists I know are Zionists

All rampant antisemitism, demonisation, and mischaracterisation of Jews and Jewish intentions does is further cement the belief (informed by millennia of genocide & persecution) that Jewish people can never be safe unless there is a Jewish state That is why 99% of the Zionists I know are Zionist

Oh I’m not blocking you, I’m sharing this for the world to see MMost Jews in Europe do back Zionism and do support the existence of Israel (largely because of rampant antisemitism and fear of annihilation) Most Jews do not support this Israeli government or this “expansionism” that you speak of

Paul Treanor@antireactionary.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Jewish minorities in western Europe overwhelmingly back Israel and Zionism, as surveys repeatedly show. They have clearly taken the side of Israel in its wars with Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran ,which suggests that they approve the current shift to expansionism in Israeli politics.

If I lived in Gorton and Denton I would probably be voting Green. I think they are the best bet in that seat to beat Reform. Labour is deeply unpopular and its a mid parliament by-election.

Millions of Americans didn't vote for Trump and people, particularly the most vulnerable across the US, are suffering under tyranny. Directing anger at the administration and supporters is more than deserved, but US/European citizens blaming and scolding each other hurts us all, and helps nobody.

And its also worth noting that regardless of whether Trump flip-flops on this in the future, the damage is already done. NATO is weakened, Putin and Xi Xingping emboldened. The transatlantic alliance is de factor over. PM Carney is right that mediun powers need to band together.

Lewis Goodall@lewisgoodall.com · 7mo ago

I wouldn’t get too excited about the Trump line on force in Greenland. He’s been spooked by the markets and possibly by US public opinion. It’ll be the line until it’s not where he’ll hint at it again. Which might be later today.

"I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace"

Finding the reactions to this bleakly funny. Lads, the point isn’t that you are sending enough people to “win”, because we in fact, can’t win. It is just to have a tripwire! If you are going “why not 13, like Germany?” you have not understood how bad things are.

Peter Stefanovic@peterstefanovic.bsky.social · 7mo ago

BREAKING: The UK is sending a single military officer to Greenland at the request of Denmark to participate in a multi-nation exercise

This. Greenland defense is a tripwire—putting various European countries’ personnel in harms way in an attempt to deter attack—not an effort to win a war with the US. A real Europe-US war would destroy the world. The goal is to not have one. Which was more than accomplished by a robust NATO. Alas.

Stephen Bush@stephenkb.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Finding the reactions to this bleakly funny. Lads, the point isn’t that you are sending enough people to “win”, because we in fact, can’t win. It is just to have a tripwire! If you are going “why not 13, like Germany?” you have not understood how bad things are.

In the world of Great Powers with sphere of influence that we are returning to there are now three poles: USA Russia China. If the USA is set on openly threatening NATO allies, NATO is de facto over. This has several consequences.

respectful disagreeing & learning is v much the top thing the world could learn from Jews, IMO. the argument l'shem shamayim, for the sake of heaven. every person has a fragment of the infinite truth of the eyn sof. when someone disagrees with you they are sharing another perspective of the divine.

So for the first time in my life I have an exit plan. If Reform get in, I do not know how I could continue to live in the UK safely. I left Labour 9 months ago but I would tactically vote for them to keep Reform out if thats the choice in my seat.

The Labour Party has a tradition of antiracism campaigning. It’s supposed to be in the party’s DNA. That they cannot say it’s just straightforwardly wrong to alarm families who choose Britain to live, work and raise children in is a total moral failure.

Adam Bienkov@adambienkov.bsky.social · 11mo ago

Keir Starmer’s spokesperson asked for the PM's response to Nigel Farage’s plan to deport hundreds of thousands of people living and working completely legally in the UK, replies that he thinks it is “unworkable” and “unfunded”. So his objection is that they’ve got their sums wrong

The government is, y’know, the government. They could announce policies of their own in Monday’s papers, which the media would cover. But instead they just leave an endless news void, and end up chasing their tails trying to keep up with Reform on its strongest issue. It’s woeful.

Read every word of this thread. Far too many people are not taking seriously the violence that Musk is encouraging.

Sunder Katwala (sundersays)@sundersays.bsky.social · 11mo ago

There is a serious failure in UK govt, politics & media to take sufficiently seriously what Musk said & meant with "fight back or die" = Violence (interethnic civil war) is inevitable so pre-emptive violence - vs migrants, minorities & political opponents - is necessary to avoid existential erasure

Listening to the @newsagents.bsky.social and I just want to pick them up on something. The original letter written by Diane Abbot did not say that Jews, travellers and Irish people suffer a different kind of racism to people of colour. Her point was that they don't suffer racism AT ALL