John Cotter
@drjohncotter.bsky.social
Senior Lecturer in Law at Keele University, England. Research in EU constitutional law, especially defence of democracy, and impeachment. Irishman living in Cheshire. Views are my own.
It’s a feature of the English right that the more they bang on about the war, the less knowledgable they seem to be about that war; the more they insist on the primacy of the English language, the lesser their own grip on it; the more they insist on Christian values, the more unchristian they are.
Just got caught in one of those very atmospheric Bavarian thunder storms.
I obviously welcome the idea in principle, but am on holiday so won’t have the time nor the energy to point out continuously that there are models other than the US and those models do work fine if conditions x, y, and z are also in place.
The Guardian@theguardian.com · 4d agoDevolution plans strengthen case for written UK constitution, says Burnham
I reckon Infantino can win Farage over with the 2027 FIFA Peace Prize.
Politics UK@politicsuk.com · 6d ago🚨 NEW: Nigel Farage has called for Gianni Infantino to resign as FIFA President
Hear me out: UEFA and the other regional organising bodies form a new global body to regulate football. FIFA continues on as regulator of a new code: kayfabe football. Every four years there’s a kayfabe World Cup in some dictatorship or other which either Messi or Ronaldo always win.
Chris Philp: “You ought to have a basic grasp of the British shadow cabinet from 20 yards if you’re going to be in the French navy.”
I’d imagine if Telegraph readers start embracing what they understand the Mediterranean lifestyle to be, the police will be busy.
Roland Smith@rolandmcs.bsky.social · 7d agoNighty night.
I always laugh at these “Trump’s approval rating at 34%” celebratory headlines and posts. Like, no-one would say, “oh wow, only one in three people are now flesh-eating zombies; I like those odds.”
Re Fauci, I’m reminded of the story of how a great American, who had dedicated much of his life to the service of his country, stood tall in the Privy Council in London in 1774 while members hurled insults at him. That was Benjamin Franklin, of course. And we know that ended for his accusers.
Important for public understanding of the importance of judicial review in Ireland by @cathalmalone.bsky.social. Worth noting this has been UK Govts' playbook for years, and that arguably courts have adjusted behaviour (inc on standing) to head off criticisms: www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...
The phrases “game’s gone” and “Brexit football” are revealing of a good section of British political *feeling*. The former usually refers to modern, perfectly sensible innovations in football that are objectionable merely because they offend against some sense of objectively meaningless nostalgia /1
Detective: “Where were you between 9-10pm on the night of the 24th?” Suspect: “I was scrolling on Bluesky?” Detective: “What’s your take on the Odyssey then?” Suspect: “Hmm, I don’t have one.” Detective: “A Bluesky user without an Odyssey take? There’s no such thing. You’re lying to me.”
One wonders whether the Jodrell Bank telescope’s greatest sin is that it is pointed at space, which is foreign. “Where are all the telescopes pointing at English towns? We should be pointing telescopes at our own and not at the great beyond!”, cry the market town mid-afternoon vox pops.
Tbh, if Mayo can win an All-Ireland, I no longer see why Trump can’t be impeached.
This summer a team wearing white ended decades of hurt. Congratulations, Mayo.
Recently rejoined LinkedIn and the difference in the depiction of Elon Musk there is quite something. Over there his neo-Nazi ideas are ignored completely. You’d be forgiven for thinking he’s just some hardworking, ingenious business leader, rather than the nasty threat to liberal democracy he is.
Chambers has a degree in law and political science, so the pure ignorance you get from your garden-variety ignoramus of a TD isn’t at play here. Genuinely shocking attack on the rule of law.
Joe Noonan@joenoonan.bsky.social · 2w agoMinister attacks Court oversight under the Constitution. Dangerous.
In the 1960s, there was a fringe US conspiracy group called the John Birch Society who imagined communists everywhere. Sadly, the Republicans now basically mainstream the Birchers’ ideas, and they’re talking about commies again. So, here’s Bob Dylan on the OG nutters: m.youtube.com/watch?v=JJB7...
Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues (Live at Philharmonic Hall, New York, NY - October 1964)
YouTube video by Bob Dylan - Topic
m.youtube.com
Tbh, the sense of hope Andy Burnham gave some people was as inexplicable to me as people being moved by Coldplay. But retaining Mahmood in the Home Office indicates he’s a completely unserious politician, who isn’t going to address any of Britain’s social and economic problems.
I like to imagine Infantino leaning over and saying to Trump, “Well, I’m glad this over, because the hardest thing has been pretending you’re not an absolute moron. Oh, and one more thing, there’s no such thing as the FIFA Peace Prize. We made it up. We’re a football regulatory body, dumbass.”
I mean, he also looks like a magazine competition winner any time I see him in the White House.
Will Jennings📉🗳️@drjennings.bsky.social · 2w agoCompletely predictable
Trump managed something this evening I assumed up to now was impossible: he made Gianni Infantino feel embarrassed.
Narrator: “Days later, President Trump would be forced to hand Spain’s football team a lump of gold so heavy he couldn’t carry it himself.”
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 4w agoTrump: "Spain is a wasted cause. We don't want to do any trade business with Spain anymore, by the way. I'd like to cut it off. Spain is a terrible partner in NATO. Cut off all trade with Spain, please. Including visits. We don't want anything to do. They're hopeless. Bad people."
I have to watch that back. Rodri definitely looks at Trump, waits for him to shuffle off, and then makes a ‘go away’ gesture with his hand.
John Cotter@drjohncotter.bsky.social · 2w agoDid Rodri just beckon Trump off the stage? 😂
Paredes making a late play for this year’s FIFA Peace Prize.
Unai Simon definitely gave Trump a bit of a cold shoulder in comparison to his warmth for Carney and it was noticed 😂 .
