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Phil Wood

@blaurock.bsky.social

Writer| Political Theology, history, poetry| Birder, Anabaptist-Mennonite, rejoiner, Marxist, Green| Trees should count as FB friends.

2,597 Followers  |  5,726 Following  |  137 Posts  |  Joined: 23.12.2023
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Posts by Phil Wood (@blaurock.bsky.social)

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The Polanski effect? These charts reveal how much the Greens have advanced The Green party has made gains under its leader – but there is also uncertainty ahead

The Polanski effect? These charts reveal how much the Greens have advanced

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

29.01.2026 09:57 β€” πŸ‘ 15    πŸ” 7    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Happy New Year Renita. Thanks for sharing. It's a very different picture in the UK. There are probably less than 100 Mennonites in the entire country. I'm only aware of 1 church, in Shropshire. I worship in a local Methodist church, but I must admit I miss my Mennonite congregation all the time.

05.01.2026 14:39 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Oh yes, contemporary politics are even worse. But oddly the extremes have opened up some fresh possibilities too.

21.12.2025 13:18 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Maybe so, Ryan. Unsurprisingly there's issues around money and migration, personalities and politics. But yes, it happened after WW2 and 2026 will be a new mission field.

21.12.2025 12:49 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Mennonites in the UK? All in the same telephone box! There's still a few of us looking for an Anabaptist-Mennonite future.

21.12.2025 12:31 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

A friendly hello from London. I greatly enjoyed co-organising the Anglican-Anabaptist colloquy at the London Mennonite Centre some ago. The conversation continues, though sadly reduced following the closure of the LMC.

21.12.2025 10:21 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Sadly, too many formerly on the left have drifted rightwards over the years & forgotten that supping with the devil requires a long spoon. There are reasons for using the billionaire media - as we're doing now - but it's always wise to have someone like George Monbiot around for good advice.

14.12.2025 06:35 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Zack Polanski grilled over Calais trip

Zack Polanski grilled over Calais trip

GB News grilled me apparently?

Only problem with this is I've never been on their nonsense channel.

They lie - obsessively.

Help us grow an alternative to all the bollocks:

Join.greenparty.org.uk

13.12.2025 19:20 β€” πŸ‘ 2308    πŸ” 626    πŸ’¬ 72    πŸ“Œ 40
REAL HOPE. REAL CHANGE.

180,000
Green Party Members

Green Party
Promoted by Chris Williams on behalf of The Green Party, both at PO Box 78066, London SE16 9GQ

REAL HOPE. REAL CHANGE. 180,000 Green Party Members Green Party Promoted by Chris Williams on behalf of The Green Party, both at PO Box 78066, London SE16 9GQ

🎯ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY🎯

The Green Party has passed 180,000 members!

That's enough to fill Ally Pally 18 times - and we're not getting any littler πŸ˜‰

All across the country, thousands of people are joining to build a positive movement of hope.

Be part of it. Join today ‡️

09.12.2025 08:00 β€” πŸ‘ 1073    πŸ” 326    πŸ’¬ 31    πŸ“Œ 46

Hi Owen. The past couple of years have been disruptive for communication. I had a major coronary collapse early in 2023 which coincided with shifting to Bluesky. I came to London for health reasons but will be heading back to Bangor in the new year. I'll be glad to keep a watchful eye out.

09.12.2025 05:39 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

He was part of the G8 for years. The annexation of Crimea ended the G8, but clearly Putin was capable of acting differently on the evidence of his behaviour before 2014.

03.12.2025 15:55 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Where did I say 'trust Putin'? Keeping up communication isnt the same thing.

03.12.2025 11:05 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Putin is a threat, but that doesn't mean we can't talk to him or that some in Europe aren't profiteering from arms manufacture and public alarm. Zack has rightly emphasised a politics of hope. I agree, but I think that also involves understanding how fear works in manipulating public opinion.

03.12.2025 08:50 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Google the conversation between Zack Polanski & Yanis Varoufakis. I don't always agree with Varoufakis. I still want to rejoin the EU, but he's right about hawks in Europe. They've been ramping up the fear & scraping populations, UK included, over sandpaper.

03.12.2025 08:32 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

On the 500th anniversary of the German Peasants War & the origins of Anabaptism, I came to Barts, near Smithfield for a heart operation. Given the surgery, I'm amazed I found the time to visit the execution site. As a UK Anabaptist, deeply poignant. In early modernity, the origin of martyr history.

01.12.2025 07:12 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
What's next for the Green Party? Zack Polanski interview
YouTube video by PoliticsJOE What's next for the Green Party? Zack Polanski interview

Another fabulous interview with Zack. Spreading hope not hate. Green Government 2029!!!

22.11.2025 14:27 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Looking forward to this one!

24.11.2025 11:57 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Really excited for the double bill this week! πŸ‘‡πŸΌ

24.11.2025 10:43 β€” πŸ‘ 346    πŸ” 83    πŸ’¬ 15    πŸ“Œ 0
Greens Party Leader Zack Polanski featured on the front page of The Observer newspaper

Greens Party Leader Zack Polanski featured on the front page of The Observer newspaper

Things move quickly in politics. The idea of a Sunday broadsheet dedicating it's entire front page to @greenparty.org.uk is huge, and let's be honest, a sign of changing times.

People are sitting up and noticing @zackpolanski.bsky.social

join.greenparty.org.uk

23.11.2025 12:27 β€” πŸ‘ 659    πŸ” 169    πŸ’¬ 22    πŸ“Œ 12

Thanks Stella. πŸ™ŒπŸΌ

Join.greenparty.org.uk

19.11.2025 17:28 β€” πŸ‘ 369    πŸ” 55    πŸ’¬ 20    πŸ“Œ 2

It was 1987 and the Washington summit. Gorbachev - Reagan. I was 26 and remember the bravado ... the hope too!

19.11.2025 21:08 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Huge.

And I meet more and more over 50s too who will be voting for the Green Party as well!

Join.greenparty.org.uk

18.11.2025 23:23 β€” πŸ‘ 1149    πŸ” 241    πŸ’¬ 99    πŸ“Œ 34

I'm that Beatles age and still tacking left. Longstanding Green with periodic rebellion. Growing older (and Greener) disgracefully.

19.11.2025 08:22 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Cruel. Callous. Cowardly.

The public are seeing this Labour government for exactly who they are.

We all have a responsibility to make them pay at the ballot box.

Reject the hate. Reject them.

This is not who we are. Let's make hope normal again.

Join.greenparty.org.uk

17.11.2025 17:19 β€” πŸ‘ 1926    πŸ” 603    πŸ’¬ 66    πŸ“Œ 33

A thoughtful, grown-up conversation, Zack. I watched you talking with Christiane Amanpour earlier. It's hard to miss the irony: CNN doing the kind of interview we should be seeing on the BBC. George Monbiot was right about the loss of progressive voices. We're still waiting.

14.11.2025 14:40 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

There's lots you can and should criticise the BBC for.

But it's our BBC - and it's important.

Great to speak to CNN - Donald Trump shouldn't have his hands anywhere near our public services.

14.11.2025 09:24 β€” πŸ‘ 1056    πŸ” 258    πŸ’¬ 57    πŸ“Œ 13
Post image

I've signed this cross party letter with many other politicians and leaders across civil society.

The Labour Government is making a disastrous mistake with nuclear weapons expansion - this will not make us any safer.

The opposite is true - more info below πŸ‘‡πŸΌ

@cnduk.bsky.social

13.11.2025 19:04 β€” πŸ‘ 926    πŸ” 244    πŸ’¬ 36    πŸ“Œ 10
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Housing secretary tells Labour MPs to vote down planning bill amendment Amendment restricts protection for animals to allow faster house building

Watching Labour MPs take a wrecking ball to nature makes me so angry & so sad. Their action tonight voting down amendments to the #PlanningBill intended to protect wildlife & habitats from destruction is so reckless & so counterproductive. People didn’t vote Labour for this πŸ‘‡

13.11.2025 21:06 β€” πŸ‘ 744    πŸ” 307    πŸ’¬ 31    πŸ“Œ 24

The leader isn't Labour's problem

Their problem is that people elected them to reverse the damage done by the Tories

Whereas they just carried on doing more damage

They need to tax wealth and invest in public services

And challenge the oligarchs dominating our economy

And focus on fairness

12.11.2025 08:02 β€” πŸ‘ 136    πŸ” 48    πŸ’¬ 12    πŸ“Œ 4