@josiahmortimer.bsky.social
Chief Reporter at UK political outlet Byline Times. I cover democracy, campaigning, and Britain's media. Followers can reply to posts (ask to DM me). Open to news tips. 'Fake news w*nker' - Tommy Robinson.
"The 2026 local elections look promising when it comes to new democratic innovations. The government has partnered with 4 local authorities across the country to launch flexible voting pilots" electoral-reform.org.uk/early-voting...
The potential security breaches here are staggering. Companies House could be in a lot of trouble.
"A major vulnerability in the Companies House website enabled free access to the "dashboard" of any of the five million registered companies. It revealed directors' home addresses and email addresses"
"Posing as would-be attackers in the US and Ireland researchers at the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) and CNN asked 10 popular chatbots if they could assist with school shootings, antisemitic bombings and political assassinations. Eight in 10 chatbots helped in over half of responses"
AI chatbots had “assisted in planning assassinations of named elected officials on both sides of the aisle”.
“Political violence is already rising. When AI starts providing tactical guidance to attackers, it becomes a direct threat to democracy.”
open.substack.com/pub/grahamlo...
Good point
Yeah true. Take up is going through the roof at the minute though apparently, which is understandable and v good obvs
Haven't noticed any significant wear so far, but we don't use it tons tbh
I'll message you Warren
Most people don't have the upfront cash available, but I hope lots more mortgage providers add the 0% finance option. I feel like more solar firms should offer payment in installments too, would be a big selling point.
Bit of trial and error to be honest, but I got a lot of targeted ads once I started searching, then I checked their reviews (Google and Trust pilot), and I used quotes on the SolarUK subreddit to compare to what's 'normal'
Congrats! You won't regret it. Good luck with the charger. I'm looking for an electric cargo bike next if you or others have any tips.
One thing that will be interesting to watch is Reform's ground campaign. They have a lot of money. But Plaid Cymru have hundreds of cllrs in Wales and tons of experienced activists around them. Reform mainly have defectors
Welsh voters probs won't look too kindly on bus loads of activists from Kent
Ofc, the SNP are coming at this as a long serving party of Govt, whereas Plaid are hoping to topple a quarter century of Labour rule. They can say the fight is, as Caerphilly byelection showed, Plaid v Reform
The system is much more proportional this time so coalition (or minority govt) is v likely
The May elections in Wales & Scotland will be interesting for lots of reasons. The dynamics are v different.
The SNP is pitching its campaign as "vote SNP, sack Starmer"
Plaid Cymru have deliberately chosen to avoid that Westminster narrative. They want the focus to be on Wales (& stopping Reform)
Politico: "The Times reports that Starmer didn’t actually speak to Mandelson before handing him the U.S. ambassadorship, instead handing scrutiny of his Epstein ties to Morgan McSweeney and Matthew Doyle — both personal friends of Mandelson. That is quite some delegation for such a high-profile job"
With everything else going on I missed Badenoch committing the Tories to a policy of “enforced” assimilation into officially approved culture.
🔴Reform UK’s Crypto Provider on Register That Housed North Korean Money Laundering
Byline Times investigation prompts calls by MPs to ban crypto donations, as alarm is raised about the methods used to finance Nigel Farage’s party
bylinetimes.com/2026/03/12/r...
Davey says Elon Musk is "clearly not a fit person to operate in our energy industry."
On Elon Musk's firm being approved by Ofgem to supply energy to British homes, Lib Dem leader Ed Davey:
"Ed Miliband must step in and bar Tesla from holding an energy licence.
"Elon Musk is a threat to our national security...We can’t have the lights go out because he’s having a strop on X.”
PoliticsUK, owned by former Tory MP Ben Howlett, is keeping overheads to a minimum I see (h/t Politico)
🔴 Reform UK’s Crypto Provider on Register That Housed North Korean Money Laundering
Byline Times investigation prompts calls by MPs to ban crypto donations, as alarm is raised about the methods used to finance Nigel Farage’s party
bylinetimes.com/2026/03/12/r...
The firm which processes Reform UK's crypto donations, Radom Pay, is not regulated by the FCA here, making things potentially tricky for any potential investigations or enforcement action (not aware of any, but it's possible)
bylinetimes.com/2026/03/12/r...
A detailed legal analysis provided to @bylinetimes.bsky.social exposes fundamental structural weaknesses in Poland’s Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) registration system – the framework through which crypto firms, such as the one used by Reform, obtain regulatory cover.
EXCL: Reform UK have been processing cryptocurrency donations through Poland, under a 'lax' regulatory regime which previously housed a Cambodian crime syndicate sanctioned by the US Treasury for laundering $4 billion in illicit funds (inc. proceeds from North Korean state-sponsored cyber heists)
Here's Hannah Spencer's maiden speech without the fiddling around on the Parliament website.
youtube.com/watch?v=PTcS...
The Rector of St Andrews University, Stella Maris, has won her appeal against the uni's decision to dismiss her.
Maris will now be reinstated with the title and office of Rector until her term ends Oct 2026
It's the 2nd time the Court has tried & failed to remove Maris (after a statement on Gaza).
Multiple MPs pressed Jarvis on threats from Russia, China, Iran & hostile state-linked disinformation
Jarvis confirmed the independent Rycroft review into foreign interference is due to report to ministers "in the near future" (this month actually) with recommendations fed into the elections bill
Minister Jarvis pointedly noted to Lam that if Parliament couldn't unite on protecting democracy and elected officials, "as we stand and sit in the shadow of the shields" for murdered MPs Jo Cox and David Amess - "then what can cooperate on?"
Far-right shadow minister Katie Lam got up to lambast Jarvis for the Govt's proposed Islamophobia definition, & on grooming gangs
Jarvis: "[She] chose to segue into matters that were not within the scope of this statement [on defending democracy]...I'm genuinely so sorry that she decided to do so."
