Owen Jones

@owenjones.bsky.social

Socialist, antifascist, writer in various places, geriatric millennial, GQ's 9th Worst Dressed Man in 2016. He/him. YouTube channel http://bit.ly/33iARb3 🏳️‍🌈

The UK has had rolling heatwaves. Nearly 3,000 are estimated to have been killed by them - so far. Half of England is in drought. Much of the south has had no significant rainfall for 33 days. And there's no sense of how serious this is - at all!! - from those in power?!

The answer to hate is not more hate. This was a heinous attack on Berlin's LGBTQ+ people by a suspected ISIS terrorist. For British LGBTQ+ people, it evokes memories of the far-right Soho nail bomber. Both attackers wanted to turn entire communities against each other.

Sky News reporting: "People are trying to divide our society and set some people against others. As the CSD in Berlin, we will not allow this."

The organisers of Berlin Pride say yesterday's attack must not be used "for political ends".

Trans people have been marginalised, demonised and attacked. Britain now has one of the worst records on trans rights in Europe. But they have so many allies who will never give up on them.

Wes Streeting has been made Defence Secretary. In his released correspondence with Peter Mandelson, he said: “Israel is committing war crimes before our eyes.” Journalists should ask him: 1) Does he stand by that? 2) What legal obligations does the UK therefore have?

Appointing John Healey as Chancellor is a big red flag. There's no evidence he supports any sort of transformative economic agenda. He does support hiking diverting money from the NHS, education and frontline services in favour of bombs, though!

50% of British voters think that Israel is committing genocide. Just 17% disagree. 55% think the UK should no longer consider Israel an ally. 15% think the UK should be an ally of Israel. That's the latest YouGov polling. Support for Israel is a fringe position in Britain.