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Reposted by Sue

Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 1h

All of this is being put out to placate the right wing press...

In the meantime, it's causing fear & confusion. As I understand it:

● this only applies to some people on skilled visas
● it's not "A level English" it's something called SELT
● much the same requirement exists elsewhere in EU

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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 2h

The whiplash from 'we are going to build responsible AI' and 'were worried about the addictive nature of these tools'

To:

'Were going to build a porn bot', 'were building a additctive, endless scroll social media app' and 'were bringing back the addictive model'

Is pretty big

The Verge @theverge.com · 15h

Sam Altman says ChatGPT will soon sext with verified adults

ChatGPT is about to get flirty.

buff.ly

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Pete @countzerorepeat.bsky.social · 2h

UK media. Ask Labour about the Chinese, don't ask Farage about Russian bribes, or mysterious bankrolling of Leave. If you do minimise it, laugh it off. Repeat the process for Russian money swilling through the Tory party.
The majority of the British media stinks.
It's as bent as a corkscrew.

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Full Fact @fullfact.org · 1h

Multiple social media posts wrongly claim that Sir Keir Starmer has pledged £40 billion to rebuild Gaza.

This figure appears to be based on an estimate for the cost of rebuilding the territory, not what the UK has committed. fullfact.org/world/starme...

The UK has not pledged £40 billion for Gaza reconstruction – Full Fact

This figure appears to be based on an estimate of the total cost of rebuilding the territory, not the amount being committed by the UK.

fullfact.org

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JWexTheSpa @jwsidders.bsky.social · 1h

Cue loads of nonsense about just rejoin the EU, then. Meanwhile, in the real world Reform tops all the opinion polls and, combined with the Tories, is on around 50%. There is no way on earth the EU will ever entertain even beginning accession talks until the pro-Brexit is irrevocably defeated.

Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 4h

"There is no doubt that the impact of Brexit has been severe and long-lasting", Rachel Reeves tells Sky News, as she suggests that taxes will now have to go up as a result to "make sure the numbers add up".

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Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 4h

"There is no doubt that the impact of Brexit has been severe and long-lasting", Rachel Reeves tells Sky News, as she suggests that taxes will now have to go up as a result to "make sure the numbers add up".

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Reposted by Sue

The News Agents @newsagents.bsky.social · 3h

"Whether you agree with Zack Polanski or not it is important to have a different view articulated as effectively as some of the radical right have been doing.

"Potentially it helps rebalance the scales a little bit in everyday media discourse"

www.thenewsagents.co.uk/article/zack...

Zack Polanski: Can the Green Party leader ‘rebalance the scales’ of UK politics? | The News Agents

In little more than a month of leadership, Zack Polanski has grown the party’s membership and become a powerful figure on the left-wing of UK politics. Can he, and the Green Party, take this further…

www.thenewsagents.co.uk

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Reposted by Sue

Doug Parr @dougparr.bsky.social · 2h

This from the International Renewable Energy Agency is pretty mindblowing compared to a decade ago

www.irena.org/-/media/File...

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Michael McDonald @electproject.bsky.social · 14h

It is to the shame of all the male reporters in the room that they do not immediately leave

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 14h

Trump ignores a question from a woman reporter but says, "I just like to watch her talk. Good job. Thank you darling."

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Peter Stefanovic @peterstefanovic.bsky.social · 17h

Labour has already delivered or making progress towards two-thirds of its manifesto pledges

www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/lab...

Labour has already delivered or making progress towards two-thirds of its manifesto pledges

The Labour government has already delivered or is making progress towards around two thirds of its manifesto pledges.

www.thelondoneconomic.com

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Reposted by Sue

Peter Jukes @peterjukes.bsky.social · 1d

To all you patriots (and UK authorities)

Is this not political interference of the most egregious and socially divisive kind?

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Warren Oates @warrenoates1.bsky.social · 17h

What is GB Energy?

The Chief Secretary to the PM explains it all in the latest installment of his 'Darren Explains' series.

For this one, they even let him out of the office!

www.instagram.com/p/DPy0I0YlLiB/

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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 1d

Faintly amusing that the IFS' argument to Reeves on tax reform is basically: You're fucked either way, so you might as well do something decent for the country while you're taking all this pain www.reuters.com/world/uk/uks...

UK's Reeves should use budget to reform tax system, IFS says

British finance minister Rachel Reeves should use her budget in November to carry out a long overdue reform of the taxation system which could help her to raise more revenue while limiting the hit to the economy, a think tank said on Monday.

www.reuters.com

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Reposted by Sue

Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 2d

"They need us more than we need them"

EU Council @consilium.europa.eu · 2d

Today, the entry/exit system gets underway.

This new digital border system will streamline travel, enhance security, and improve the efficiency of border controls for non-EU nationals entering or exiting the EU.

Full implementation is planned for 10 April 2026.

More info → link.europa.eu/mnYbcy

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Reposted by Sue

Chris Grey @chrisgrey.bsky.social · 1d

If true, it's an open question which of them this reflects more badly upon.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Tommy Robinson says Elon Musk is paying his legal costs as trial begins

Far-right activist is accused of refusing to comply with counter-terrorism police request at Channel tunnel

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Sue

National Trust @nationaltrust.org.uk · 1d

When you manage to match your outfit to the colour of the season.

Blue tit on a branch of a tree in autumnal yellow colour matching the feathers on its chest

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Sue @suescishaw.bsky.social · 1d

Maguire showing his true colours with that tweet..

Although not surprising with his endless search to find the next Labour scandal to write about from his so-called "sources".

BTW whatever happened to the donkey field & trust fund story...

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Reposted by Sue

Best for Britain @bestforbritain.org · 1d

It seems to me a strange brand of "patriotism" to disbelieve praise from the closest source to this process, because it does not fit with the political narrative on which you have decided. ~AA

Patrick Maguire
@patrickkmaguire
Can you tweet something like
Quote
Special Envoy Steve Witkoff

@SEPeaceMissions
·
3h
I would like to acknowledge the vital role of the United Kingdom in assisting and coordinating efforts that have led us to this historic day in Israel. In particular, I want to recognize the incredible input and tireless efforts of National Security Advisor Jonathan Powell.
9:42 AM · Oct 13, 2025
·
19.9K
Views

Simon Clarke
@SirSimonClarke
·
54m
Haha *absolutely*

Pure Anichebe vibes

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Reposted by Sue

Thomas I-G @thomasig.bsky.social · 1d

Lol, actually wild stuff to say on today of all days when it's pretty good news all round.

The Guardian live page update from today:

Referring to the post from Steve Witkoff this morning (see 9.53am), Badenoch said:

■ I was not born yesterday. I think it is actually very sad that the government is having to beg people to send tweets to say something nice about Jonathan Powell.

The American ambassador to Israel has actually criticised the government, saying they are delusional for saying that they have anything to do with this peace deal.

I think that that is quite tragic, the way that the UK's reputation is falling under this Labour government.

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Sue @suescishaw.bsky.social · 1d

Genuinely surprised by "the Witkoff was pushed to release that complimentary tweet" narrative that's going on over at X, including by particular journalists.
Once upon a time, all "sides" would be celebrating U.Ks involvement...

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Best for Britain @bestforbritain.org · 1d

In other shocking news, Reform UK's tax-cut promises now just "an aspiration". ~AA

Screengrab from the Guardian's live political rolling feed:

Richard Tice confirms Reform abandoning firm commitment to most of £90bn tax cuts in 2024 manifesto
Richard Tice, the Reform UK deputy leader, has confirmed that the party has dropped its commitment to most of the £90bn tax cuts it was promising in its election manifesto last year.

In a significant change of tack, the party is now saying that it will not implement tax cuts until it has cut government spending first.

Tice and Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, still believe that colossal cuts in public spending are achievable, and that these could be used to fund big tax cuts. But they have abandoned the bravado of the 2024 Reform manifesto, which implied rebalancing the economy in that way was relatively straightforward.

At their party conferences Labour and the Conservatives both claimed that Reform’s irresponsible economic policies would crash the economy just like Liz Truss’s mini-budget, and it is now clear that this line of attack seems to have had an impact.

In its manifesto, Reform proposed tax cuts worth £90bn, alongside spending commitments worth £50bn. The key tax cut would have been lifting the tax-free personal allowance to £20,000.

Today Tice told Times Radio that this was no longer a commitment, but just an “aspiration”. He said Reform remained committed to getting rid of net zero environmental levies, but he went on: “All the other details [in the manifesto] go because we’re in a different time.”

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Reposted by Sue

Best for Britain @bestforbritain.org · 2d

Oops. ~AA

Ambassador Mike Huckabee
@GovMikeHuckabee
I assure you she’s delusional. She can thank
@realDonaldTrump
anytime just to set the record straight.
Quote
Sky News
@SkyNews
·
Oct 12
'We've played a key role behind the scenes in shaping this'

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson says the UK government has been involved in diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza.

https://trib.al/GMH8aBc #TrevorPhillips

📺 Sky 501 and YouTube
1:40 PM · Oct 12, 2025
·
2.2M
Views

Special Envoy Steve Witkoff

@SEPeaceMissions
I would like to acknowledge the vital role of the United Kingdom in assisting and coordinating efforts that have led us to this historic day in Israel. In particular, I want to recognize the incredible input and tireless efforts of National Security Advisor Jonathan Powell.
6:53 AM · Oct 13, 2025
·
657.1K
Views

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Sue @suescishaw.bsky.social · 2d

These are excellent ideas but as you say, no quick fixes.
Definitely think there should be more awareness about this - public health campaign? Need "neutral" well known figures to front this.
Plus need conversations to start in schools/education.

Sue @suescishaw.bsky.social · 2d

Very true but what can be done about it?
People simply do not believe what they read/see anymore. They question facts and doubt what experts say.
Aided by politicians questioning what "truth" is and X/media amplifying this.

Struggling to think how this can be turned around...

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Reposted by Sue

Alex von Tunzelmann @alexvont.bsky.social · 2d

I bang on about this a lot: I think the combination of a global pandemic, underregulated internet/SM, collapse/corruption of trustworthy media, plus now unregulated genAI, is a wildly toxic environment for radicalisation & mental health. We see the results of that in our politics & lives every day

James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 2d

Everyone knows at least one person (normally, but not exclusively, a guy) whose gone properly mental due to net rabbit holes.

We see public figures regularly go mad and destroy themselves.

And we have, at a policy level, just decided to put our fingers in our ears and go nahnahnah

Alastair Meeks @alastairmeeks.bsky.social · 2d

Last night I heard of another friend of a friend who has been lost to a rabbit hole of online propaganda. We need to start treating this as a serious public health concern.

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