David Beckett

Farage is asked about another two of his MEPs, who made the same pro-Russia statements that Nathan Gill has now pled guilty to being bribed to make.

"Opinions are opinions."

Farage's defence seems to be that they arrived at those views independently and it has nowt to do with him.

Hmm. 🤔 ~AA

Farage: epic grifter

I have a very bad feeling about this...

Really, Reform UK? THIS is what you're going with? That this man, who served as an MEP next to Nigel Farage for years and was made leader of your party in Wales by current deputy, Richard Tice, is just "one of tens of thousands of people Nigel meets on an annual basis"?~AA

Ricky Hatton’s fights were more than sporting occasions - they were joyous and exciting, fitting his all-action style and the suspense of wondering if his fragile skin would last

He was a very skilled boxer with one of the most vicious body punchers I’ve ever seen, and is one of Britain’s best

Ricky Hatton dead: Obituary of Manchester's former world champion boxer Former boxing world champion Ricky Hatton, who has died aged 46, achieved all he dreamed of and more, writes Chris McKenna.

Though some hours have passed since the awful news of Ricky Hatton’s death, I can’t believe that one of the most exciting fighters I’ve ever had the privilege of watching has died

I hope he is at peace and my thoughts are with his friends and family at this time💔

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing...

A very good and compelling argument for legislative scrutiny of the monarchy, the institution to which all Members (our representatives) swear an oath of allegiance

There is a typo (film flam) in the penultimate paragraph which you may want to correct

Just had the interesting experience of going through the process of verifying my age for @bsky.app, following an emailed link to do a facial scan, which estimated my age

I’m not sure how mature-looking teenagers will fare or how the program deals with people in their 20s or 30s with youthful faces🧐

The process of receiving a phone call from a resident about an overgrown tree to hearing from them again after substantial work had been done to it was quicker than expected and very rewarding, knowing it’s been life changing for that couple

www.facebook.com/share/p/1CPL...

The fact that Putin thinks the meeting with Trump was “very useful” and a way to discuss ending the “Ukrainian crisis“ shows how the discussion was on Putin’s terms and will have emboldened the Russian war criminal - Trump was naive to be manipulated by the dictator www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c2...

I know you are fan of Substack, @mrjamesob.bsky.social, so I highly recommend @joshuarozenberg.bsky.social's, including today's post on how the criminal justice system has come very close to collapsing in the last couple of years

Justice meltdown avoided But only just, says independent review

If you're in any doubt about the mess this government inherited, this blog post by @joshuarozenberg.bsky.social clearly explains the desperate state of the criminal justice system and how it was on the verge of collapse during the general election campaign
open.substack.com/pub/rozenber...

Nigel Farage says he is “very pleased” to be joined by Ann Coulter, who has previously described immigration as “white genocide” and said European settlers to America “should have killed more Indians”, saying she “has written and said many interesting things” which have "come true".

85% of Gaza is on the brink of death due to starvation. Israel could let aid in at any moment. And some people (like these men tried to do with me on Friday) are still trying to justify this atrocity.

There is no justification. This could stop at any moment. End the blockade now.

However, because of the damage to Hadrian’s Wall the crime is more like damage to a national monument like Stonehenge and exacerbated by the repeated denials, so understand the harshness
2/2

I always thought the best punishment for this crime would be for them to do many hours of community service, specifically relating to trees and nature
1/2

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso can't have any complaints about that red card – it was a reckless and dangerous act that could've led to a serious injury

Steve Borthwick will need a new winger for his tour squad to Argentina and the USA; Adam Radwan should be the next man up #ENGVFRA

Blimey, Chris Philp is unnecessarily shouty and abrasive in his first #PMQs

@mrjamesob.bsky.social wondered if he would be better or worse than Kemi Badenoch at PMQs - I think they are both terrible at this

Bath have been the best team all season with a deep and quality squad that other teams couldn’t match, so it’s almost impossible to deny they are worthy winners and champions

Fair play to Leicester for pushing them all the way today and making this final so entertaining and memorable

Congratulations to @bathrugby.bsky.social on winning the 2024/2025 #Premiership and commiserations to @leicestertigers.bsky.social on a brilliant, 3 try losing effort

I really feel for Ben Youngs and Dan Cole to end their careers this way, especially Cole, who didn’t deserve that yellow card #rugby

Your analysis of Trump’s response to the demonstration in LA and a need to scapegoat is very similar to this exchange in The Light Years by Elizabeth Jane Howard @mrjamesob.bsky.social

Given how unpopular Starmer is this is quite a reflection on Farage and Badenoch.

A very clear explanation of how Parliament, the CPS, and the defendant herself gave a judge no other option but to sentence Lucy Connolly to 31 months in prison, so thank you @davidallengreen.bsky.social for this blog post and the article in Prospect (www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/law/th...)

Maybe they will follow up with a ban on tartan paint and left handed pencils

If it was about smarter political operators and not Reform UK, it would be tempting to interpret a promise to remove something that doesn't exist as a canny way of guaranteeing success in the future (no DEI officers in Lincolnshire or low traffic zones in their councils) @mrjamesob.bsky.social

I hope this is the start of a new era in British politics, one in which the government can be honest with the public about Brexit, acknowledging that it was always going to be economically damaging, and say that steps are being taken to ameliorate that financial harm

One remarkable thing which shows how far we have come. There will be a vote in parliament on the agrifoods deal with the EU.

Once, that would have been the top line of every news story. Starmer is first PM in more than a decade who doesn't have to worry about that vote at all.

Call me Andrea Dworkin, but I just think it’s corrosive that there are quite so many references to sexual acts in the British right’s response to this deal.

Romanian election exit polls suggest surprise win for pro-western candidate Nicusor Dan Exit polls from the Romanian presidential election suggest pro-Western centrist Nicusor Dan is on course for a surprise win over hard-right populist George Simion

I hope the exit polls are accurate and Mr Dan is duly elected as the next president of Romania