David Thompson
@davesthompson.bsky.social
Old Man from the North - and now a widower. Science, art, photography, cycling. 2 daughters & 2 sons - and a recently arrived granddaughter! Still Pro EU.
Northumberland & Edinburgh
Northumberland & Edinburgh
Reposted by David Thompson
Crypto investor gives £9m to Reform UK as donations exceed those to Tories.
Super rich don't donate, they invest to shape party policies to secure advantages for their class.
Normal people can't match them.
Direct donations to political parties must be criminalized.
Super rich don't donate, they invest to shape party policies to secure advantages for their class.
Normal people can't match them.
Direct donations to political parties must be criminalized.
Crypto investor gives £9m to Reform UK as donations exceed those to Tories
Christopher Harborne’s record gift revealed in Electoral Commission figures prompts renewed calls for cap on political donations
www.theguardian.com
December 4, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Crypto investor gives £9m to Reform UK as donations exceed those to Tories.
Super rich don't donate, they invest to shape party policies to secure advantages for their class.
Normal people can't match them.
Direct donations to political parties must be criminalized.
Super rich don't donate, they invest to shape party policies to secure advantages for their class.
Normal people can't match them.
Direct donations to political parties must be criminalized.
Reposted by David Thompson
This article is absolutely a riot from start to finish. Imagine being a journalist taking a punt on investigating a weird business rates dodge and ending up writing this!
The snail farm don: is this the most brazen tax avoidance scheme of all time?
The long read: Terry Ball – renowned shoe salesman, friend to former mafiosi – has resolved to spend his last years finding ways to cheat authorities he feels have cheated him. His greatest ruse? A ta...
www.theguardian.com
December 4, 2025 at 9:28 AM
This article is absolutely a riot from start to finish. Imagine being a journalist taking a punt on investigating a weird business rates dodge and ending up writing this!
Reposted by David Thompson
Very much looking forward to a @danneidle.bsky.social commentary on this one.
This article is absolutely a riot from start to finish. Imagine being a journalist taking a punt on investigating a weird business rates dodge and ending up writing this!
The snail farm don: is this the most brazen tax avoidance scheme of all time?
The long read: Terry Ball – renowned shoe salesman, friend to former mafiosi – has resolved to spend his last years finding ways to cheat authorities he feels have cheated him. His greatest ruse? A ta...
www.theguardian.com
December 4, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Very much looking forward to a @danneidle.bsky.social commentary on this one.
Reposted by David Thompson
Most of the quote tweets of Reform UK's tweet are too fluent in Glasgow's other favourite language (🤬) to share, but this one from the Education correspondent at The Scotsman newspaper is a favourite...
December 3, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Most of the quote tweets of Reform UK's tweet are too fluent in Glasgow's other favourite language (🤬) to share, but this one from the Education correspondent at The Scotsman newspaper is a favourite...
Reposted by David Thompson
Feeling proud of the intelligent multi-lingual children in our city!
This tweet and the Farage video in it about "the cultural smashing of Glasgow" is getting rightly roasted by the good people of Glasgow on the other place...
This tweet and the Farage video in it about "the cultural smashing of Glasgow" is getting rightly roasted by the good people of Glasgow on the other place...
December 3, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Feeling proud of the intelligent multi-lingual children in our city!
This tweet and the Farage video in it about "the cultural smashing of Glasgow" is getting rightly roasted by the good people of Glasgow on the other place...
This tweet and the Farage video in it about "the cultural smashing of Glasgow" is getting rightly roasted by the good people of Glasgow on the other place...
Reposted by David Thompson
December 3, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Reposted by David Thompson
Does this wee guy not understand it's supposed to be winter now? I thought ladybirds grouped together to hibernate! #ladybird #Northumberland
December 2, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Does this wee guy not understand it's supposed to be winter now? I thought ladybirds grouped together to hibernate! #ladybird #Northumberland
Reposted by David Thompson
The Daily Mailification of the BBC. For all the focus on its supposed “left wing bias”, the BBC’s heavy coverage of Conservative allegations of dishonesty against Rachel Reeves shows how its political coverage is still largely led by the right-wing press
bylinetimes.com/2025/12/01/r...
bylinetimes.com/2025/12/01/r...
Rachel Reeves and the Daily Mailification of the BBC
For all the focus on its supposed "left wing bias", the BBC's heavy coverage of Conservative allegations of dishonesty against Rachel Reeves shows how its political coverage is still largely led by th...
bylinetimes.com
December 2, 2025 at 7:33 AM
The Daily Mailification of the BBC. For all the focus on its supposed “left wing bias”, the BBC’s heavy coverage of Conservative allegations of dishonesty against Rachel Reeves shows how its political coverage is still largely led by the right-wing press
bylinetimes.com/2025/12/01/r...
bylinetimes.com/2025/12/01/r...
Reposted by David Thompson
US-Russia talks may press Kyiv for concessions, says EU foreign policy chief
US-Russia talks may press Kyiv for concessions, says EU foreign policy chief
Kaja Kallas says negotiators should not ‘lose focus that it’s actually Russia who has started this war’
*
Europe live – latest updates
The EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has said she fears talks between the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, will pile pressure on Ukraine to make concessions with the two men expected to meet on Tuesday.
Witkoff, the property developer turned envoy recently exposed for coaching Russian officials on how to win Trump’s favour, is arriving in Moscow after leading a US delegation in talks with Ukraine at the weekend, nearly four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
December 1, 2025 at 5:55 PM
US-Russia talks may press Kyiv for concessions, says EU foreign policy chief
Reposted by David Thompson
Prime Minister Mark Carney: “We know that this decades-long process of our ever-closer economic relationship between Canada and the United States has ended.”🇺🇸🇨🇦
December 1, 2025 at 1:56 AM
Prime Minister Mark Carney: “We know that this decades-long process of our ever-closer economic relationship between Canada and the United States has ended.”🇺🇸🇨🇦
Reposted by David Thompson
We have a cabinet level Secretary of State, a diplomatic corps, Special Envoys, and Defense team to do this work.
“Son-in-law” is not a government job. Kushner does not represent us.
“Son-in-law” is not a government job. Kushner does not represent us.
November 30, 2025 at 11:25 PM
We have a cabinet level Secretary of State, a diplomatic corps, Special Envoys, and Defense team to do this work.
“Son-in-law” is not a government job. Kushner does not represent us.
“Son-in-law” is not a government job. Kushner does not represent us.
Reposted by David Thompson
A bird of prey has been shot dead illegally in Aberdeenshire, prompting a police investigation
Bird of prey shot dead illegally as police launch investigation
www.thenational.scot
December 1, 2025 at 3:53 PM
A bird of prey has been shot dead illegally in Aberdeenshire, prompting a police investigation
Reposted by David Thompson
"The change promised by Labour at the last general election doesn’t seem to be materialising, with the gaps between rich and poor and North and South as wide as ever.
An opinion poll from Find out Now published on 19 November contained sobering news for Kier Starmer’s Labour Party..."
An opinion poll from Find out Now published on 19 November contained sobering news for Kier Starmer’s Labour Party..."
Where do progressives go from here? Part one
Truly progressive government policies would help to make Britain a much better, fairer, and more decent society
northeastbylines.co.uk
December 1, 2025 at 9:51 AM
"The change promised by Labour at the last general election doesn’t seem to be materialising, with the gaps between rich and poor and North and South as wide as ever.
An opinion poll from Find out Now published on 19 November contained sobering news for Kier Starmer’s Labour Party..."
An opinion poll from Find out Now published on 19 November contained sobering news for Kier Starmer’s Labour Party..."
Reposted by David Thompson
Full story online and in the latest issue: www.private-eye.co.uk/columnists
For the rest, including cartoons, Pseuds, Dumb Britain and all the other regulars, you’ll have to buy the magazine.
🧵3/3
For the rest, including cartoons, Pseuds, Dumb Britain and all the other regulars, you’ll have to buy the magazine.
🧵3/3
Private Eye | The Agri Brigade
: Batters of import
‘Bio-Waste Spreader' writes…
SIX months after being commissioned by the government to carry out a
www.private-eye.co.uk
December 1, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Full story online and in the latest issue: www.private-eye.co.uk/columnists
For the rest, including cartoons, Pseuds, Dumb Britain and all the other regulars, you’ll have to buy the magazine.
🧵3/3
For the rest, including cartoons, Pseuds, Dumb Britain and all the other regulars, you’ll have to buy the magazine.
🧵3/3
Reposted by David Thompson
Having sought views from across the farming industry, her 50,000-word document proposes a farm policy “reset” that will focus on encouraging farmers to increase food production. But will the government pay any attention?
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December 1, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Having sought views from across the farming industry, her 50,000-word document proposes a farm policy “reset” that will focus on encouraging farmers to increase food production. But will the government pay any attention?
🧵2/3
🧵2/3
Reposted by David Thompson
NEW: I just wrote up an explainer for the BBC about Airbus's recall of 6,000 aircraft late last week - after a malfunction caused by space radiation.
Includes some detail on why this extraordinary phenomenon can happen and why we need to prepare for it more.
www.bbc.com/future/artic...
Includes some detail on why this extraordinary phenomenon can happen and why we need to prepare for it more.
www.bbc.com/future/artic...
December 1, 2025 at 4:02 PM
NEW: I just wrote up an explainer for the BBC about Airbus's recall of 6,000 aircraft late last week - after a malfunction caused by space radiation.
Includes some detail on why this extraordinary phenomenon can happen and why we need to prepare for it more.
www.bbc.com/future/artic...
Includes some detail on why this extraordinary phenomenon can happen and why we need to prepare for it more.
www.bbc.com/future/artic...
Reposted by David Thompson
I think it's important to say that NHS Scotland has NOT agreed to use Palantir. English people may not realise (as I didn't) that SCOTLAND, so often demeaningly portrayed in Unionist media, provides an alternative, centre/left government (often working with the Greens) on your very doorstep.
December 1, 2025 at 11:57 AM
I think it's important to say that NHS Scotland has NOT agreed to use Palantir. English people may not realise (as I didn't) that SCOTLAND, so often demeaningly portrayed in Unionist media, provides an alternative, centre/left government (often working with the Greens) on your very doorstep.
Reposted by David Thompson
A reminder that one of Wes Streeting's junior ministers is talking enthusiastically about 'cashing in' on NHS data (www.ft.com/content/0531...).
December 1, 2025 at 10:20 AM
A reminder that one of Wes Streeting's junior ministers is talking enthusiastically about 'cashing in' on NHS data (www.ft.com/content/0531...).
Reposted by David Thompson
I'm at a Kemi Badenoch event where *yet again* the Guardian has not got a question. Aside from broadcasters it was Mail, Sun and FT (the latter presumably only because we're at an accountancy body in the City). I've probably been to seven or eight such events with no question.
December 1, 2025 at 10:32 AM
I'm at a Kemi Badenoch event where *yet again* the Guardian has not got a question. Aside from broadcasters it was Mail, Sun and FT (the latter presumably only because we're at an accountancy body in the City). I've probably been to seven or eight such events with no question.
Reposted by David Thompson
Chris Mason should have a read of this thread by his BBC Verify colleague Ben Chu
Did Rachel Reeves and the Government “mislead” people about the state of the public finances and the need for tax rises before the Budget?
I think this is a rather complex question & the answer is not black and white.
A thread…🧵1/12
I think this is a rather complex question & the answer is not black and white.
A thread…🧵1/12
December 1, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Chris Mason should have a read of this thread by his BBC Verify colleague Ben Chu
Reposted by David Thompson
Nous serons notre meilleur client et nous bâtirons grand grâce à la main-d’œuvre, à la technologie et aux matériaux canadiens.
November 30, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Nous serons notre meilleur client et nous bâtirons grand grâce à la main-d’œuvre, à la technologie et aux matériaux canadiens.
Reposted by David Thompson
We will be our own best customer — and build big with Canadian workers, Canadian technology, and Canadian materials.
November 30, 2025 at 9:47 PM
We will be our own best customer — and build big with Canadian workers, Canadian technology, and Canadian materials.
Reposted by David Thompson
Perhaps Professor Deborah Prentice, vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge, was swayed by JD Vance's buddy and Cambridge Uni colleague, Dr. James Orr, associate professor of the philosophy of religion at the university??
Meet JD Vance’s English philosopher king
Conservative academic James Orr has been described as the Republican vice presidential candidate’s “British sherpa.”
www.politico.eu
November 30, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Perhaps Professor Deborah Prentice, vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge, was swayed by JD Vance's buddy and Cambridge Uni colleague, Dr. James Orr, associate professor of the philosophy of religion at the university??