Stephen Knowles

In 2022, Nadhim Zahawi’s solicitor sent me a libel threat - and said I wasn’t even allowed to say he’d written to me.

The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal ruled that was improper.

Now he’s appealing.

A 🧵 on why it matters.

If you look at trade surplus per head of population, Ireland's surplus is 30 times that of China.

Perhaps there is very little logic behind the tariffs? Heard Island may have a view on this.

#SpotTheScammer

@juliethecatmom.bsky.social preemptively blocked me. This is another fake cat rescue account. I know it's fake because it blocked me. Same MO as other previously suspended accounts, using content scraped from the internet.

#SpotTheScammer

@havencares.bsky.social preemptively blocked me - this is another fake cat rescue scammer, using the same MO as previously suspended accounts. Content is scraped from the internet.

#SpotTheScammer #SpotTheBot

@esther221.bsky.social - bio pic is of model Jaclyn Swedberg.

Account opened 4 days ago; this bot has already used AI to generate >1300 responses. Previous account using same MO was @esther196.bsky.social which has been suspended.

The discussions are undertaken by a joint commission involving MPs/4 Nations Reps/Citizens (relative numbers TBD) to identify a solution which works and is also required to meet the Copenhagen Criteria.

Wrecking/misdirection/partisan dogmatic influences will be expected

The principle is fine but I wonder about the practicality. How do you condense 68 million into a manageable body of well informed (and intentioned) citizens? Maybe the national political parties outline their preferred options which, after an election, form a basis for discussions.

For the HoL I'd opt for membership based on experience/competence, with a term of 15 years, max 2 terms. That's not too different from a lot of the current Life Peers. Too many of the rest paid for their seats one way or the other

Not just populism unfortunately. I can't help thinking the media encourage magical thinking because it leads to disillusionment. Then there are the lies...

The bullet points before were:

Crack down on antisocial behaviour with more neighbourhood police
Tough new penalties for offenders
A plan to get knives off our streets
A specialist rape unit in every police force
A new network of Young Futures hubs

Not sure how RefUK Ltd match any of these

Extract from Labour's manifesto explaining ‘take back our streets’

The phrase ‘take back our streets’ was probably intended to be in language to have wide appeal (I'm being generous). This is what the text said:

Here’s a 🔥🔥exchange between me and Mick Mulvaney during @mehdirhasan.bsky.social's brilliant interview of Mulvaney on Al Jazeera's Head to Head. The whole episode is worth a watch, and you can find it on @aljazeera.com's YouTube channel.

"Fewer immigrant workers means a smaller economy"

This was the point I was making in the Observer yesterday and on Today this morning.

This network of hijacked Bluesky spam accounts with repetitive biographies has continued to expand. The growth can be monitored by watching the Bluesky firehose for changes to the biographies and display names of established accounts.
bsky.app/profile/cons...

Conspirador Norteño has posted about GAN images a lot - the eyes stay in pretty much the same place on all of them.

In this case, the pic carries the label "StyleGAN2" in the bottom left hand corner! Maybe part of a network?

Moderation list "The Troll Silencer" had already caught this for me

wanviking.bsky.social

Just another MAGAt scumbag.

I saw this on here the other day. I hate having to refer to the other site but this is relevant:

x.com/TheRedRoar/s...

There are lots of different PR systems but this one emphasises the power of the party above the votes for the representatives.

I'd welcome a form of PR but I think there's a long discussion required about which PR suits. While any discussion needs politicians, it isn't up to them alone.

More than fifty private schools shut since Labour put VAT on fees Department for Education defends ending tax breaks for independent institutions, after parents lost a legal battle at the High Court this year — view map

The headline here should say:

"Number of private schools increases by 35 - showing fears of an exodus to be unfounded".

(The increase is mentioned way down the article.)

www.thetimes.com/article/19ef...

How? From the Graun: "The second part was meant to be an investigation into the relationship between journalists and the police."

#SpotTheScammer

@clearancedelas.bsky.social impersonating ‪@clearancedeals.bsky.social‬ and has spelled the name wrong in its handle.

2 more "badge" offers this AM from kristorarian.bsky.social
& @baltofan95.bsky.social both obviously HACKED. All I know to do is make them aware & ask them to REPORT it to
@support.bsky.team @safety.bsky.app @bsky.app. Anyone DOING anything abt this crap?

Nigel Farage appearances on Sky News spark thousands of complaints It comes after Reform UK set up its own broadcast studio to pump out slick, TV-style videos online

Nigel Farage appearances on Sky News spark thousands of complaints

www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

an archived copy

archive.is/TzaaS

If anybody is interested, the Guardian now reporting that although they 'revealed' last week that the Chancellor was considering overruling the Supreme Courts's decision (which hadn't even been handed down) she isn't. But it got a few clicks and some Labour bashing so job done eh.

Ukraine has entered the conversation

Seriously though its literally what governments have to consider because sh*t happens

*archive

Have an arcive version without clutter

archive.is/4almz