Elio España
@elioespana.bsky.social
Writer & Filmmaker. Formerly of London, now of Folkestone. https://www.aftershocks.co http://spiritlevelcinema.co.uk
Utterly insane. I wouldn’t now visit a US National Park, & suspect that I would be in the majority. What about the businesses that benefit from foreign tourism generated by the parks? feel terrible for them.
The Interior Department has announced it will charge $100 per head for non-US residents to visit the most popular 11 national parks.
Stupid and self-defeating. Millions have visited those parks and left with with affection for America. No more, except those who can afford $400 per family per park.
Stupid and self-defeating. Millions have visited those parks and left with with affection for America. No more, except those who can afford $400 per family per park.
November 26, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Utterly insane. I wouldn’t now visit a US National Park, & suspect that I would be in the majority. What about the businesses that benefit from foreign tourism generated by the parks? feel terrible for them.
Incredible morning under a low autumn sun.
November 26, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Incredible morning under a low autumn sun.
Who gets battered, everywhere they go?
November 23, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Who gets battered, everywhere they go?
The leadership of the Democratic Party should volubly make clear that a US government controlled by the Democrats has absolutely no intention of defending this Quisling settlement, and will not honour any of its provisions, including around admitting Ukraine into NATO.
Hi All, just released my free weekend update. Its fascinating who backed the Trump-Putin 28 point plan, and what it means about the US government being a mouthpiece for Russia. Plus, you cannot back Trump and Ukraine--if you back Trump, you can only have one master open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
Weekend Update #160: The US Becomes A Mouthpiece To Pass On Putin's Demands
Vance To The Fore; The 28 Points—Is It More Interesting Who Backed Them?
open.substack.com
November 23, 2025 at 1:53 PM
The leadership of the Democratic Party should volubly make clear that a US government controlled by the Democrats has absolutely no intention of defending this Quisling settlement, and will not honour any of its provisions, including around admitting Ukraine into NATO.
If Europe does not step up now, and tell that mobster in the White House what he can do with each one of his 28 points, we will face a very dark future.
This attempt to strengthen Russia & extort Europe & Ukraine must not stand, and must not become a reference point for a future settlement, either.
This attempt to strengthen Russia & extort Europe & Ukraine must not stand, and must not become a reference point for a future settlement, either.
November 22, 2025 at 12:14 PM
If Europe does not step up now, and tell that mobster in the White House what he can do with each one of his 28 points, we will face a very dark future.
This attempt to strengthen Russia & extort Europe & Ukraine must not stand, and must not become a reference point for a future settlement, either.
This attempt to strengthen Russia & extort Europe & Ukraine must not stand, and must not become a reference point for a future settlement, either.
The worst betrayal & enforced capitulation. In the battle between democracy and violent dictatorship, violent dictatorship claims comprehensive victory, that’s the world now. Why is reporting in the US not wrapped in crushing shame?
Here is Trump's full 28 point plan for Ukraine. It would destroy Ukraine as a sovereign state and leave it helpless to face a Russian attack in the future. It would also give Putin full vindication and immunity from prosecution.
www.axios.com/2025/11/20/t...
www.axios.com/2025/11/20/t...
Trump's full 28-point Ukraine-Russia peace plan
The full plan was obtained by Axios and verified by Ukrainian and U.S. officials.
www.axios.com
November 21, 2025 at 7:13 AM
The worst betrayal & enforced capitulation. In the battle between democracy and violent dictatorship, violent dictatorship claims comprehensive victory, that’s the world now. Why is reporting in the US not wrapped in crushing shame?
"The Labour Party, in chasing the votes of people who will not vote for it, abandons those who do; it profanes the principles of the Labour movement; it intensifies the extreme Right-wing venom that ravages our politics".
Immigration and Abjection
There have to be red lines, this was mine.
www.aftershocks.co
November 20, 2025 at 9:12 AM
"The Labour Party, in chasing the votes of people who will not vote for it, abandons those who do; it profanes the principles of the Labour movement; it intensifies the extreme Right-wing venom that ravages our politics".
Genuinely shocking. I really hope that Europe hasn’t been as complacent as it appears, and has planned for this.
Well, once again it was shown that Trump's "support" for Ukraine was a con. He has been working with Putin in secret to craft a "peace" deal which the US and Russia will now try to shove down Ukrainian and European throats. Just sent out this free piece. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
Trump Was Working With Putin The Entire Time
And Now Europe and Ukraine Will Pay The Price
open.substack.com
November 19, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Genuinely shocking. I really hope that Europe hasn’t been as complacent as it appears, and has planned for this.
Excellent from @pluralistic.net.web.brid.gy on some of the issues around copyright and the creative industries cartels.
Pluralistic: Disney lost Roger Rabbit (18 Nov 2025) – Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow
pluralistic.net
November 19, 2025 at 7:31 AM
Excellent from @pluralistic.net.web.brid.gy on some of the issues around copyright and the creative industries cartels.
Remember walking out of my CLP at the height of the Corbyn madness & Stella talking me down - “critical to remain in the party & fight” etc. Now it’s the opposite extreme of the party and I don’t think I can do it this time, it’s just too disgusting. Greens aren’t the answer. It all feels very bleak
Plans to leave refugees in a state of perpetual uncertainty about where and if they can rebuild their lives are not just performative cruelty, they are counterproductive to integration and the economy. It doesn’t have to be like this - 1/2
November 17, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Remember walking out of my CLP at the height of the Corbyn madness & Stella talking me down - “critical to remain in the party & fight” etc. Now it’s the opposite extreme of the party and I don’t think I can do it this time, it’s just too disgusting. Greens aren’t the answer. It all feels very bleak
Please consider a small donation to a great fundraiser.
Folkestone Care Leavers Christmas Dinner 2025 www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/folkestone...
Folkestone Care Leavers Christmas Dinner 2025 www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/folkestone...
Folkestone Care Leavers Christmas Dinner 2025
A Christmas Day event for care-experienced young people 18-25 years who may otherwise be alone at Christmas.
www.crowdfunder.co.uk
November 16, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Please consider a small donation to a great fundraiser.
Folkestone Care Leavers Christmas Dinner 2025 www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/folkestone...
Folkestone Care Leavers Christmas Dinner 2025 www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/folkestone...
Typically have zero interest in hearing guff about Royals, but given recent events I thought, “go on then”.
Summary: My god.
Not sure why British Republicanism remains such a fringe position.
Summary: My god.
Not sure why British Republicanism remains such a fringe position.
Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York: The Rise and Fall of the House of York (Audio Download): Andrew Lownie, William Collins: Amazon.co.uk: Books
Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York: The Rise and Fall of the House of York (Audio Download): Andrew Lownie, William Collins: Amazon.co.uk: Books
amzn.eu
November 12, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Typically have zero interest in hearing guff about Royals, but given recent events I thought, “go on then”.
Summary: My god.
Not sure why British Republicanism remains such a fringe position.
Summary: My god.
Not sure why British Republicanism remains such a fringe position.
He doesn’t intend to “sue” in the form of asking the court, in good faith, for a judgement in his favour, because the probability is that he’ll lose.
This is just his tactic of coercion and intimidation. This might be a good opportunity for someone to finally stand up to it and go to court.
This is just his tactic of coercion and intimidation. This might be a good opportunity for someone to finally stand up to it and go to court.
Trump says he has 'obligation' to sue BBC over speech edit
The US president indicates he will go ahead with a lawsuit against the BBC over how his speech was presented by Panorama.
www.bbc.com
November 12, 2025 at 7:23 AM
He doesn’t intend to “sue” in the form of asking the court, in good faith, for a judgement in his favour, because the probability is that he’ll lose.
This is just his tactic of coercion and intimidation. This might be a good opportunity for someone to finally stand up to it and go to court.
This is just his tactic of coercion and intimidation. This might be a good opportunity for someone to finally stand up to it and go to court.
Kemkaran is former BBC News employee. This kind of obtuse bullshit is a textbook example of the opportunism, dishonesty and tactical conspiracism characteristic of Reform and its entire political project.
The KCC leader has had film crews following her for a documentary, but has now raised some concerns about how it might be edited
Read more: www.kentonline.co.uk/kent/news/kc...
Read more: www.kentonline.co.uk/kent/news/kc...
November 11, 2025 at 9:39 AM
Kemkaran is former BBC News employee. This kind of obtuse bullshit is a textbook example of the opportunism, dishonesty and tactical conspiracism characteristic of Reform and its entire political project.
The real governance failure, and failure of ministerial oversight, is that the fifth columnists and political appointees inserted into the BBC by the Conservative Party have not been removed.
The biggest threats to impartiality are the ceaseless efforts by the Right to direct or destroy the BBC.
The biggest threats to impartiality are the ceaseless efforts by the Right to direct or destroy the BBC.
BBC board member with Tory links ‘led charge’ in systemic bias claims, say insiders
Sources say Robbie Gibb amplified criticisms of Trump, Gaza and trans rights coverage, and had ‘a lot of oxygen in the room’
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:09 PM
The real governance failure, and failure of ministerial oversight, is that the fifth columnists and political appointees inserted into the BBC by the Conservative Party have not been removed.
The biggest threats to impartiality are the ceaseless efforts by the Right to direct or destroy the BBC.
The biggest threats to impartiality are the ceaseless efforts by the Right to direct or destroy the BBC.
“it has become “socially acceptable to be racist”, the health secretary said.” - I fear this is true, I’ve noticed it more and more over recent months, particularly on X & Facebook.
NHS staff face ‘ugly’ racism akin to the 70s and 80s, says Wes Streeting
NHS staff face ‘ugly’ racism akin to the 70s and 80s, says Wes Streeting
Health secretary and NHS England chief warn of winter pressures and rising levels of abuse
An “ugly” racism reminiscent of the 1970s and 1980s has become worryingly commonplace again in modern Britain and NHS staff are bearing the brunt of it, Wes Streeting has warned.
Incidents of verbal and physical abuse based on people’s skin colour now happen so often that it has become “socially acceptable to be racist”, the health secretary said. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 4, 2025 at 8:06 PM
“it has become “socially acceptable to be racist”, the health secretary said.” - I fear this is true, I’ve noticed it more and more over recent months, particularly on X & Facebook.
First saw this at the cinema as a 12 year old. Still stands up - an absolute classic. Think it’s my favourite Evil Dead.
November 3, 2025 at 8:16 PM
First saw this at the cinema as a 12 year old. Still stands up - an absolute classic. Think it’s my favourite Evil Dead.
Glorious Sunday, autumn surfers
November 2, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Glorious Sunday, autumn surfers
She’s at it again. Moron.
The moderate left needs to challenge this kind of nonsense. NATO is a diminished alliance that is finding its feet at a critical moment – pushing back against an actual imperialist power.
October 28, 2025 at 5:19 PM
She’s at it again. Moron.
“A realist”????!!
As in “let’s be real, we all know that there are too many black people on telly”??
Risen Jesus, who is responsible for the script? Did the producer have a stroke shortly before recording?
As in “let’s be real, we all know that there are too many black people on telly”??
Risen Jesus, who is responsible for the script? Did the producer have a stroke shortly before recording?
Is the Reform MP who says she’s driven mad by TV adverts full of Black & Asian people a racist or realist? How many migrants would the Tories expel? & should the UK be selling fighter jets to Türkiye?
Join LIVE at 9PM on X & YouTube or on ITV1 at 1045PM 📺
#Peston
Join LIVE at 9PM on X & YouTube or on ITV1 at 1045PM 📺
#Peston
October 28, 2025 at 1:01 PM
“A realist”????!!
As in “let’s be real, we all know that there are too many black people on telly”??
Risen Jesus, who is responsible for the script? Did the producer have a stroke shortly before recording?
As in “let’s be real, we all know that there are too many black people on telly”??
Risen Jesus, who is responsible for the script? Did the producer have a stroke shortly before recording?
Zarah Sultana is a moron.
We take no joy criticising a young left-wing UK political figure who has often spoken up for workers' rights and progressive causes. But these barely coherent comments from Zarah Sultana on Ukraine sum up much of what is wrong with her wing of the left www.instagram.com/reel/DQT62ys...
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www.instagram.com
October 28, 2025 at 7:18 AM
Zarah Sultana is a moron.
I would add “The Paperhanger” by William Gay. Memorably disturbing.
‘It’s insanely sinister’: horror writers on the scariest stories they’ve ever read
Bloodthirsty ghosts, sadistic supercomputers, creepy childhood games ... Mariana Enríquez, Paul Tremblay, Daisy Johnson and others on the tales that kept them up at night
www.theguardian.com
October 27, 2025 at 7:19 AM
I would add “The Paperhanger” by William Gay. Memorably disturbing.
This does not require a whole bank of questions, it needs immediate denunciation. The “clarity” is in the morality not the bureaucratic details.
“Bit worried about how your neo-Nazi remigration scheme would work in practice. But now you’ve cleared up the details that should be fine then”.
“Bit worried about how your neo-Nazi remigration scheme would work in practice. But now you’ve cleared up the details that should be fine then”.
Labour demands clarity on Tory plan to strip thousands of right to stay in UK
Anna Turley says legally settled people threatened by Katie Lam’s proposals deserve urgent clarification
www.theguardian.com
October 26, 2025 at 8:07 AM
This does not require a whole bank of questions, it needs immediate denunciation. The “clarity” is in the morality not the bureaucratic details.
“Bit worried about how your neo-Nazi remigration scheme would work in practice. But now you’ve cleared up the details that should be fine then”.
“Bit worried about how your neo-Nazi remigration scheme would work in practice. But now you’ve cleared up the details that should be fine then”.
Hayward’s illustration that a majority left-wing block coalesced to defeat the extreme right is an encouraging relief.
The nastiness of politics in the Reform era continues to be disturbing.
Agree 💯 that Labour’s focus must be to *improve life* as fast as possible. They need far more ambition.
The nastiness of politics in the Reform era continues to be disturbing.
Agree 💯 that Labour’s focus must be to *improve life* as fast as possible. They need far more ambition.
Plaid smash Reform to win in Caerphilly
These are the key takeaways from a massive night in Welsh politics
open.substack.com
October 24, 2025 at 7:09 AM
Hayward’s illustration that a majority left-wing block coalesced to defeat the extreme right is an encouraging relief.
The nastiness of politics in the Reform era continues to be disturbing.
Agree 💯 that Labour’s focus must be to *improve life* as fast as possible. They need far more ambition.
The nastiness of politics in the Reform era continues to be disturbing.
Agree 💯 that Labour’s focus must be to *improve life* as fast as possible. They need far more ambition.
Agree with this. We are in an ongoing political crisis, and struggle against the far right. Constitutional reform, including some form of PR and a written constitution (one which codifies fundamental rights) is an essential task before the next election, when it may be too late.
We must act now: without a written constitution, Reform UK will have carte blanche to toxify our nation | Goerge Monbiot
It means breaking with hundreds of years of tradition, but it can’t wait. As hard-right figures spread division and laud autocrats, a fail-safe is vital, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
www.theguardian.com
October 23, 2025 at 6:56 AM
Agree with this. We are in an ongoing political crisis, and struggle against the far right. Constitutional reform, including some form of PR and a written constitution (one which codifies fundamental rights) is an essential task before the next election, when it may be too late.