Heath Monk

I liked The Smiths enough to make me regret choosing not to listen to them any more. And I take great comfort in the fact that Robert Smith has never let me down.

The Smiths are, for me, the test case in this respect.

This is the worst West Ham team I have ever seen. #avlwhu

I am a West Ham fan, but I was living in Walkley at the time, so watched this game in the Kop with some Wednesday supporters. You never like to lose 5-0, especially surrounded by your jeering mates, but that performance was special.

Shohei and his dog Decoy

omg

Welcome to all of our new users, and a special welcome to the UK, which had the most Bluesky signups of any country for 5 out of the last 7 days!

What makes Bluesky different? Some key features: 🧵

So it is, as you say, seriously grim. And the largest party in the Senate is the BBB, who are a populist farmers’ party. Not far right, but also a possible coalition partner with Wilders.

Wilders has been much more moderate during the campaign. If he drops some of the PVV platform, there is probably a viable coalition. PVV is, after all, the largest party and VVD / NSC both favour stronger immigration controls.

It depends on whether the VVD and NSC will back him. But their alternative is a coalition led by the PvdA / Groen Links (with Timmermans as premier).

Pieter Omtzigt: the Netherlands outsider whose politics is firmly in the centre A much-admired MP who launched his own party in the summer is hoping for electoral success

Interesting from @jonhenley.bsky.social about the rise of Peter Omtzigt in Dutch politics. It quotes Rem Korteweg whose analysis of Dutch politics I have always appreciated over the years. www.theguardian.com/world/2023/n...

Running on Empty The King’s Speech and the dance of the dividing lines

New post just out:

"Running on empty" - the King's Speech and the dance of the dividing lines.

Or why there really is no route to a surprise Tory win.

(Free to read)

open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/r...

Locke, Kant, Wittgenstein. Live in Netherlands, but originally from the UK.

All good - just making the switch to here from the other place. Hope all well with you.

Hello, BlueSky 👋

Let’s try a thread.

We need to talk about UK graduate wages, and the idea that Britain sends too many people to university.

American readers should stick around for the UK/US comparisons 👀

First up: the UK graduate wage premium has fallen substantially over the last 25 years

Have deactivated my account on the other place due to the owner’s overt white supremacy. Is there any other way of sending you an invite code?

Welcome, Chris. With your arrival, my last reason for remaining on Twitter has disappeared, for which many thanks.