Sir Almaviva
@ilcontealmaviva.bsky.social
Lover of trams, classical music, maths, tea and cats. Member of the cycling lobby. 🇮🇹 immigrant in 🇬🇧. Refugees are welcome, racists are not.
Lover of "Italian Effeminacy and Italian Nonsense" (i.e. opera, according to Jonathan Swift)
Lover of "Italian Effeminacy and Italian Nonsense" (i.e. opera, according to Jonathan Swift)
Pinned
Let's see if I can keep it up, but I am going to try to do a thread with all the books I read in 2025, starting from the following post.
Michael Gove was made a Lord, which does seem like the reward all the worst people in the country get
Tucker Carlson is a rightwing conspiracy theorist and Putin apologist who was sacked by FOX.... yes FOX
BUT The Spectator is happy to pay him to talk down our capital city... despite it thriving and crime falling.
Whose side are you on Mr Gove?
BUT The Spectator is happy to pay him to talk down our capital city... despite it thriving and crime falling.
Whose side are you on Mr Gove?
November 29, 2025 at 7:31 AM
Michael Gove was made a Lord, which does seem like the reward all the worst people in the country get
"I steal from the rich and give to the poor! I'm trying to be a myth. Give us cash."
"No, I'm not giving you cash."
"Go on. Are you rich?"
"No, I'm comfortable."
"I can't steal from people who are comfortable and give to the moderately impoverished. That's not gonna swing, is it?"
"No, I'm not giving you cash."
"Go on. Are you rich?"
"No, I'm comfortable."
"I can't steal from people who are comfortable and give to the moderately impoverished. That's not gonna swing, is it?"
November 28, 2025 at 8:33 PM
"I steal from the rich and give to the poor! I'm trying to be a myth. Give us cash."
"No, I'm not giving you cash."
"Go on. Are you rich?"
"No, I'm comfortable."
"I can't steal from people who are comfortable and give to the moderately impoverished. That's not gonna swing, is it?"
"No, I'm not giving you cash."
"Go on. Are you rich?"
"No, I'm comfortable."
"I can't steal from people who are comfortable and give to the moderately impoverished. That's not gonna swing, is it?"
"...on the first day he created light and air and fish and jam and soup and potatoes and haircuts and arguments and small things and rabbits and people with noses and jam, more jam, perhaps, and, er, and soot and flies and tobogganing and showers and toasters and grandmothers and Belgium."
November 28, 2025 at 7:36 PM
"...on the first day he created light and air and fish and jam and soup and potatoes and haircuts and arguments and small things and rabbits and people with noses and jam, more jam, perhaps, and, er, and soot and flies and tobogganing and showers and toasters and grandmothers and Belgium."
Reposted by Sir Almaviva
November 28, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Reposted by Sir Almaviva
In 1971, 1 in 3 NHS doctors were overseas born
Given the avg patient age, those born in the 1890s were quite likely to meet a migrant doctor
Whatever some commentators born in the 60s/70s/80s say, most ppl (incl their grandparents) regularly & positively interacted w/migrants their entire lives
Given the avg patient age, those born in the 1890s were quite likely to meet a migrant doctor
Whatever some commentators born in the 60s/70s/80s say, most ppl (incl their grandparents) regularly & positively interacted w/migrants their entire lives
November 28, 2025 at 10:03 AM
In 1971, 1 in 3 NHS doctors were overseas born
Given the avg patient age, those born in the 1890s were quite likely to meet a migrant doctor
Whatever some commentators born in the 60s/70s/80s say, most ppl (incl their grandparents) regularly & positively interacted w/migrants their entire lives
Given the avg patient age, those born in the 1890s were quite likely to meet a migrant doctor
Whatever some commentators born in the 60s/70s/80s say, most ppl (incl their grandparents) regularly & positively interacted w/migrants their entire lives
When some people talk about O'Brien as one of the "reasonable" Tories it's a huge red flag
British politics is now just about making up a guy and assuming he will vote for you
November 28, 2025 at 7:11 PM
When some people talk about O'Brien as one of the "reasonable" Tories it's a huge red flag
"Fate attenzione ai mimimmi"
(This will be understood only by those who know Italian and have watched "Fascisti su Marte" by Corrado Guzzanti)
(This will be understood only by those who know Italian and have watched "Fascisti su Marte" by Corrado Guzzanti)
November 28, 2025 at 6:42 PM
"Fate attenzione ai mimimmi"
(This will be understood only by those who know Italian and have watched "Fascisti su Marte" by Corrado Guzzanti)
(This will be understood only by those who know Italian and have watched "Fascisti su Marte" by Corrado Guzzanti)
He's still far-right and racist today. So we judge him by that.
November 28, 2025 at 2:59 PM
He's still far-right and racist today. So we judge him by that.
In 'early Christian times' quite a few things were different
November 28, 2025 at 11:46 AM
In 'early Christian times' quite a few things were different
It will make no difference politically, because the people who say they are concerned about "net migration" aren't actually concerned about net migration, they just don't like foreigners and don't want any of them. That includes the Starmer government.
NEW: Net migration falls sharply to 204,000 in the year to June.
That’s a fall from 649,000 in the year to June 2024. It is a drop of nearly 80% from its 2023 peak.
That’s a fall from 649,000 in the year to June 2024. It is a drop of nearly 80% from its 2023 peak.
November 28, 2025 at 8:45 AM
It will make no difference politically, because the people who say they are concerned about "net migration" aren't actually concerned about net migration, they just don't like foreigners and don't want any of them. That includes the Starmer government.
Finally tried this today and it's really good, it has made my commute significantly better, I now don't have to squeeze past gridlocked cars anymore 🥰
November 28, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Finally tried this today and it's really good, it has made my commute significantly better, I now don't have to squeeze past gridlocked cars anymore 🥰
November 28, 2025 at 7:32 AM
"UKIP guy living in a chateau in France" tells you everything you need to know about Brexit.
‘Speaking outside his chateau in France, former Brexit Party and UKIP MEP Coburn answered "no" when a BBC journalist asked him whether he had ever been paid to give a speech to promote pro-Russian campaigners.’
Great work from @BBCWales. Keep going
Great work from @BBCWales. Keep going
November 28, 2025 at 7:22 AM
"UKIP guy living in a chateau in France" tells you everything you need to know about Brexit.
Reposted by Sir Almaviva
Maybe the most 'I am someone the 20th century didn't happen to' post imaginable, in which you think that 'the far right take power' and the consequence is just that after five years, boom that's over but your preferred political outgroup is out of action.
We have to start thinking about what we want Britain to look like in 2034 after the far right have been in power. There will be no status quo to return to. Centrism will be stone cold dead.
November 27, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Maybe the most 'I am someone the 20th century didn't happen to' post imaginable, in which you think that 'the far right take power' and the consequence is just that after five years, boom that's over but your preferred political outgroup is out of action.
Starmer using the far-right term "Boriswave" which now has sadly entered the mainstream. Also, when people complain about "post-2021 immigration" what I hear is that my wife should not have joined me in the UK according to them.
The Prime Minister is now openly using the term “Boriswave,” a far-right online term originating on X that carries strong racist undertones and is used to label post-2021 arrivals.
(More about its origins: www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s… @archiebland.bsky.social)
(More about its origins: www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s… @archiebland.bsky.social)
November 28, 2025 at 6:52 AM
Starmer using the far-right term "Boriswave" which now has sadly entered the mainstream. Also, when people complain about "post-2021 immigration" what I hear is that my wife should not have joined me in the UK according to them.
Some Like It Hot, 50% feels too low
6. What film do you think you could quote 50% of the dialogue while watching?
November 27, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Some Like It Hot, 50% feels too low
9/11
1. What was the first major news story you remember as a child?
November 27, 2025 at 10:49 PM
9/11
The xenophobia will continue until morale improves (it won't)
Labour immigration policy explained:
✅ Net immigration rising: CRACKDOWN REQUIRED
✅ Net immigration plummeting: CRACKDOWN REQUIRED
✅ Net immigration rising: CRACKDOWN REQUIRED
✅ Net immigration plummeting: CRACKDOWN REQUIRED
November 27, 2025 at 8:21 PM
The xenophobia will continue until morale improves (it won't)
"Reduce net migration" has always been the polite society version of "Ausländer raus"
Net migration is a dreadful measure.
Voter: "Hey, I'm concerned about the level of immigration."
UK state: "Ok, I hear your concerns. Let's sort that out. How about if loads of young British people left the country? Would that make it better?"
Voter: "No?"
Voter: "Hey, I'm concerned about the level of immigration."
UK state: "Ok, I hear your concerns. Let's sort that out. How about if loads of young British people left the country? Would that make it better?"
Voter: "No?"
November 27, 2025 at 5:12 PM
"Reduce net migration" has always been the polite society version of "Ausländer raus"
My commute 😍
November 27, 2025 at 4:42 PM
My commute 😍
Reposted by Sir Almaviva
“What’s the optimal number of bread loaves to ship to your town each year?” “That’s an absurd question—I have no idea. Let the market figure it out.”
“What’s the optimal number of foreign workers to immigrate to the U.K. each year?” “Less than 205,000”
to paraphrase @chrisfreiman.bsky.social
“What’s the optimal number of foreign workers to immigrate to the U.K. each year?” “Less than 205,000”
to paraphrase @chrisfreiman.bsky.social
PM describes net migration of 205k as "a step in the right direction". His govt has no public position on a sustainable level of immigration is, nor any known process to decide what, why & how. Starmer is now implying he wants it significantly lower
www.standard.co.uk/news/politic...
www.standard.co.uk/news/politic...
Net migration drop ‘step in the right direction’ – Starmer
Net migration peaked at a record 944,000 in the year to March 2023 but has fallen sharply since then.
www.standard.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 2:54 PM
“What’s the optimal number of bread loaves to ship to your town each year?” “That’s an absurd question—I have no idea. Let the market figure it out.”
“What’s the optimal number of foreign workers to immigrate to the U.K. each year?” “Less than 205,000”
to paraphrase @chrisfreiman.bsky.social
“What’s the optimal number of foreign workers to immigrate to the U.K. each year?” “Less than 205,000”
to paraphrase @chrisfreiman.bsky.social
Starmer and his government have made it very clear — through their actions — that they ideally don't want any immigrants at all, even though they haven't had the courage to say it openly.
PM describes net migration of 205k as "a step in the right direction". His govt has no public position on a sustainable level of immigration is, nor any known process to decide what, why & how. Starmer is now implying he wants it significantly lower
www.standard.co.uk/news/politic...
www.standard.co.uk/news/politic...
Net migration drop ‘step in the right direction’ – Starmer
Net migration peaked at a record 944,000 in the year to March 2023 but has fallen sharply since then.
www.standard.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Starmer and his government have made it very clear — through their actions — that they ideally don't want any immigrants at all, even though they haven't had the courage to say it openly.
Do they mean...a chippy?
new favourite New York Times term for a British thing just dropped
November 27, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Do they mean...a chippy?
This is what angers me the most.
Solidarity to your friend, it is indeed awful. A lot of talking about "people following the rules" and then they just change the rules, saying you should have followed a different set of rules instead.
November 27, 2025 at 7:27 AM
This is what angers me the most.