Mark Lazarowicz

Pretty difficult to refute a single thing in this perfect assessment of where the f**k we are, from @iandunt.bsky.social:

Wow did something happen in the US in January 2025?

Polish rail operator launches special "unhurried" weekend trips in 1980s trains

Polish state rail operator PKP Intercity is launching a series of special "unhurried" weekend journeys along picturesque routes in restored 1980s carriages with historical locomotives to celebrate its anniversary.

2026 asylum reforms share core principle with 2022 Bill of Priti Patel

Why Starmer + Mahmood harder line than Patel
- 2022 bill was temporary status for unauthorised arrivals. Labour for all refugees
- 2022 5 years for safe route refugees. Labour: 20
- 2022 bill was 10 years for boats, Lab: 30

Excellent article by @stellacreasy.bsky.social If Labour followed the agenda she outlines - very much in (what used to be) the mainstream of Labour values, it would not be facing the massive loss of support which the 'Blue Labour' agenda is bringing about.

ICO writes to Meta over 'concerning' AI smart glasses report Videos, including of glasses-wearers using the toilet or having sex, are sometimes reviewed by a Kenya-based subcontractor.

Last year when I was checking into a hotel, the desk person was wearing Meta glasses. I kindly asked them to take them off. They were annoyed. I said, “I do not consent to you looking at my credit card and ID with Meta glasses on.” My instincts were correct: www.bbc.com/news/article...

Cruelty to immigrants is not what my party stands for. It’s time for True Labour, not Blue Labour | Stella Creasy We must get back to the party’s roots before it is too late. That means embracing difference, rejecting division – and fighting for opportunities for all, says MP for Walthamstow, Stella Creasy

"There is an alternative way forward: being True – not Blue – Labour. True Labour doesn’t fear those who are different. Instead, it demands everyone contribute their abilities to society – and works to unlock such skills."

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

So, sometimes there’s a good reason why previous governments haven’t done something: because it’s a really bad idea that makes things worse rather than better. It’s a lesson Shabana Mahmood seems determined to relearn.

Read these words from 100 years ago about immigrants in Britain – and see how history is chillingly repeating itself | George Monbiot Shabana Mahmood’s new rights clampdown looks outlandish until we remember that this kind of hardline action is part of our country’s fabric, says George Monbiot

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

A Europe of clean, green cities and resurgent industry is a fantasy – unless we get really creative | Hans Larsson If we want things to be ‘Made in Europe’ again, we need to be realistic about how grimy and grey our centres of commerce once were, says architect Hans Larsson

A Europe of clean, green cities and resurgent industry is a fantasy – unless we get really creative | Hans Larsson

Commission registers European Citizens\' Initiative calling for a European social media platform Today, the European Commission has registered a European Citizens\' Initiative (ECI), entitled ‘European Public Social Network\'.\nThe initiative invites the Commission to establish, through a legisla...

EU Commission registers European citizens initiative calling for European social media platform
ec.europa.eu/commission/p...

Read these words from 100 years ago about immigrants in Britain – and see how history is chillingly repeating itself | George Monbiot Shabana Mahmood’s new rights clampdown looks outlandish until we remember that this kind of hardline action is part of our country’s fabric, says George Monbiot

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

4 March 1923 | Norwegian Jewish man, Arvid Dworsky, was born in Trondheim.

In #Auschwitz from 1 December 1942.
He perished in the camp on 24 January 1943.
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📖 Jewish prisoners at KL Auschwitz: https://lekcja.auschwitz.org/29_zydzi_en/

@inta.europarl.europa.eu negotiating team majority want legal clarity from the US and clear answers from @ec.europa.eu on the consequences of the new tariff regime before taking decisions on the Turnberry 'deal' says Chair @bernd-lange.bsky.social . I wouldn't hold my breath.

Lorries with unsafe meat imports skip border checks, UK government says Data provided to Commons committee highlights major flaw in post-Brexit inspection regime

It is so tiring having to say "told you so"...
@nick1webb.bsky.social

Subscribe to read
www.ft.com/content/77b3...

EU UK Reset Efforts Urged to Accelerate in 2026 MEPs call for EU UK reset efforts to be decisively accelerated in 2026 as Brexit marks ten years and geopolitical pressu

🇪🇺MEPs from across the political divide have called for the proclaimed EU–UK “reset” to be “decisively accelerated”.

The UK must go further and faster in our reset with the EU.

Want to stop Farage with your vote? At the moment you can’t – and Starmer must fix that | Polly Toynbee The PM’s in-tray is overflowing. But he can’t afford to neglect the real issue that is distorting our politics and the way we live, says Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee

Want to stop Farage with your vote? At the moment you can’t – and Starmer must fix that | Polly Toynbee

New today: Transport for London is directly commissioning solar power projects to help run the Tube.

New collaboration "could deliver up to 65,000 megawatt hours of renewable electricity" - e.g. around two-thirds of the est. annual consumption of the Victoria line.

Teaching Scottish legal system classes interesting to learn we apparently have new courts from the tango man

YouTube video by Shifter Cities are failing women on bikes, but we can fix it

Great video on the many facets of why women cycle less than men. This can be a contentious issue so it's good to see such a dispassionate discussion that teases out some critical aspects of the gender gap.

youtu.be/EelTzxPd3Oo?...

I particularly resent rags like Daily Mail gleefully reporting Trump’s bullying of Starmer. It’s disloyal and hypocritical - they’d be screaming from rooftops if U.K. meekly followed European diktats, yet would have us unquestioningly kowtow to Trump. Starmer’s task is incredibly difficult.

‘Land’. Exhibition of Contemporary Ukrainian Art You are very welcome to visit this thought provoking exhibition of Contemporary Ukrainian Art  curated by the visual artist Alina Litvinova. Including paintings and photography, you will have the chan...

Also on May 9: Polish Heritage Day, Glasgow festivalofeuropescotland.org/event/polish-heritage-day/ Spanish films festivalofeuropescotland.org/event/a-special-series-of-three-spanish-films/ Ukrainian Art festivalofeuropescotland.org/event/land-exhibition-of-contemporary-ukrainian-art/

Connecting Europe Fair Drop in anytime between 10am – 5pm to this all day free event. A variety of stallholders will be on hand to provide information and answer questions on their opportunities for young people (aged 16 – ...

Day 3, May 9. 10 am, Future of UK-EU-US Relations festivalofeuropescotland.org/event/the-future-of-uk-eu-us-relations; 2 pm, The High North, Scotland & Europe’s Arctic Frontier with @scga.bsky.social; all day, "Connecting Europe Fair" www.festivalofeuropescotland.org/event/connecting-europe-fair/...

Europe Day – European Comedy Short Films screening - Institut français · Écosse Join us to celebrate Europe Day exploring humor from different European countries!  The event will feature a selection of comedy short films from Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Romania, Spain and Fr...

Day 2, May 8. Join us to celebrate Europe Day exploring humour from different European countries! With a selection of comedy short films from Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Romania, Spain and France. 7 pm at French Institute, Edinburgh
For details, tickets:  www.ifecosse.org.uk/events-agend...

Edinburgh tourist tax means £90 million for the needs of city communities. More police, more social housing, street improvements, paths, community projects, are just some of the projects that the tax will fund. Cities, towns in rest of Scotland, and UK could similarly benefit if politicians let them

Edinburgh tourist tax means £90 million for the needs of city communities. More police, more social housing, street improvements, paths, community projects, are just some of the projects that the tax will fund. Cities, towns in rest of Scotland, and UK could similarly benefit if politicians let them

Edinburgh tourist tax to fund extra police and help tackle housing emergency From July 2026, Edinburgh will charge a 5% tax to visitors who come to the city and stay in hotels, B&Bs and Airbnb's

Edinburgh tourist tax to fund extra police and help tackle housing emergency news.stv.tv/east-central...

Scotland's Festival of Europe 2026 programme is now out! Day 1, May 7, in Edinburgh, features: Focus on Poland @Studies in Photography Gallery; Live Music Now Vienna @Scottish National Gallery, Mound. And the first in series of 3 Spanish films. Details: www.festivalofeuropescotland.org/events

Trump's trying to find the guy who did this.

Alignment with EU law is easier said than done - UK in a changing Europe Joël Reland outlines the key trends in UK-EU regulatory alignment and divergence over the last five years, as exlpored in our new report 'UK-EU alignment and divergence: the road ahead'.

"But this alignment journey looks far from plain sailing."

As Labour pursues closer aligment with the EU in an effort to reduce trade barriers, @jreland.bsky.social points out that aligning with EU rules is not as simple as it seems

🔗 ukandeu.ac.uk/alignment-wi...