Gavin Esler
@gavinesler.bsky.social
Writer, broadcaster, new book “Britain Is Better Than This” gavinesler.substack.com Contact: lfennimore@noelgay.com
American academic abroad finds that foreign countries have their own currencies. And then explains it to the rest of us.
Bad Baltic@badbaltictakes.bsky.social · yesterdayThe world’s wrongest man, John Mearsheimer, says he was effectively penniless during his recent visit to Russia because the “Russia expert” didn’t know his US credit card wouldn’t work there.
Isn’t Sir Jim Ratcliffe an immigrant to Monaco? Happy to be corrected on this of course …. And do British people abroad only consider themselves “expats?” And never “immigrants?”
Adam Bienkov@adambienkov.bsky.social · 2d agoWhy does the BBC have as one of its lead news stories this morning another Britain-hating interview with Jim 'the UK has been colonised by immigrants' Ratcliffe? What public interest is this serving?
My mom had polio when she was five. She was living on a US military base in Japan (1947). Four kids on the base died. She was the only survivor.
Kathleen Bachynski@bachynski.bsky.social · 3d ago“On Thursday, Mr. Gorton said that “the success of the polio vaccine was a massive medical fraud” and that widespread vaccination was a “public health disaster.” He received a standing ovation… Mr. Kennedy spoke next, linking arms with the group even as measles cases continue to rise”
Just look at the glee on Nigel Farage’s face as he watches a Piddington resident cry about the overt racism she, her Caribbean heritage husband, and their two children have felt in the village during the referendum. Time and again he’s showing us exactly who he is.
Today's Spectator e-mail has absolutely knocked it out the park in terms of offering me an article I would rather go swimming in shark infested waters than read, truly the Trump Vs Musk of comment pieces.
Things really shaping up for Republicans in the mid-terms
Those of us who had measles as a child - invluding me aged five - remember it as one of the most horrible experiences of our childhood. It’s child cruelty to push this unscientific nonsense.
Dimitri Drekonja, MD, MS@dimitridrekonja.bsky.social · 5d agoTo do this during the worst measles outbreak in 35 years just after 4 Americans have died is pure psychopathy and tells you exactly where he stands on vaccines 🤬🤬🤬
Federal employees were paid $9.5 billion not to work in 2025 under DOGE. As part of the Trump-Musk DOGE program to shrink the federal work force, paid administrative leave costs rose by 435%.
Federal Employees Were Paid $9.5 Billion Not to Work in 2025 Under DOGE Effort
As part of the Department of Government Efficiency’s program to shrink the federal work force, paid administrative leave costs rose by 435 percent.
nytimes.com
..and for my followers in London: There are a few tickets left for this 👇 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dear-brita...
Dear Britain: An Evening with Annette Dittert
What does Britain look like through German eyes?
eventbrite.co.uk
Very interesting from @theguardian.com and for those good journalists at The Telegraph a moment to decide what the job of reporting is supposed to be. Or not.
Michael Savage@michaelsavage.bsky.social · 5d agoNEW: Reform again accused of leaking the Telegraph a story it had been approached about by another outlet. This “spoiler” tactic is causing concerns among some at the Tel. Insiders say this isn’t fair - reporters didn’t know it was a spoiler. Story: www.theguardian.com/media/2026/s...
Perhaps someone needs to explain “inheritance tax” and its connection to … er … death rather than work.
Alex Andreou@sturdyalex.bsky.social · 6d agoHelen Whately on Sky News: "We want to bring down the tax burden on working people. Kemi has asked her economic unit for a fiscally responsible way to bring down inheritance tax, another tax that hits hard working people hard." One of the dumbest people in politics. Liz Truss levels of stupid.
The fallacy that University leaders pushing AI are falling into is thinking that the point of undergraduate research is to find things out. It isn't. What students find out is typically already generally known. The point of undergraduate research is to learn how to find things out.
This mail arrived today - it’s what I used to get through a whole week … and now it seems only to be delivered once a week. I don’t blame post office or “Royal” Mail workers , but is it time to stop pretending there’s anything “Royal” about the mail in Britain? Any suggestions for a better name?
Follow the money? Worth a listen: @bunkerpod.bsky.social
The Bunker podcast – News without the nonsense@bunkerpod.bsky.social · 7d agoReform and Farage have raked in mega donations the likes of which British politics has never seen before. What does this money mean for democracy? @gavinesler.bsky.social joins @jacobjarvis.bsky.social to discuss the fallout and other news to look out for this week. ➡️ linktr.ee/bunker_pod
Thank you Count Binface - absolutely the right question- anyone know the answer ….?
Count Binface@countbinface.bsky.social · last wk.Riddle me this. If somebody donates £36 million to a political party and £5 million to its leader, how is the £5 million not political? Asking for a parliamentary standards commissioner.
And what you really think is the most hackneyed bunch of Westminster talking points imaginable
Reform is the richest party in Britain. Its leaders are almost all millionaires. It is funded almost exclusively by billionaires. It has a supportive TV station and widespread media backing. So naturally, this donation comes with the usual attack on "elites". www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reform UK given record £36m donation by British crypto billionaire
Ben Delo was convicted in US for failing to implement adequate anti-money laundering controls but pardoned by Trump
theguardian.com
Maybe something here needs to be investigated….
Peter Geoghegan@petergeoghegan.bsky.social · last wk.The Ben Delo who has just given Reform £36m is the same Ben Delo who US prosecutors said was the leader of a ‘criminal enterprise’ But hey ho, it’s fine for him- and any other crypto bro - to buy British democracy lock stock and barrel democracyforsale.substack.com/p/reforms-4m...
