James O'Malley
@jamesomalley.co.uk
@Psythor on Twitter. Freelance writer covering politics/tech/nerd stuff.
Read my content: takes.jamesomalley.co.uk
Yes, I inevitably have a podcast too: abundancepod.com
Free the Postcode Address File!
Read my content: takes.jamesomalley.co.uk
Yes, I inevitably have a podcast too: abundancepod.com
Free the Postcode Address File!
Reposted by James O'Malley
Restore is to Reform as UKIP was to Conservative
On any issue where Reform end up having to recognise any real world realities - eg Jenrick saying they would keep the OBR and Bank of England - Lowe will be able to run on fantastical authoritarian talking points, because he is not constrained at all by a hypothetical government existing
February 18, 2026 at 1:52 PM
Restore is to Reform as UKIP was to Conservative
Reposted by James O'Malley
Sad for the athletes. But every other European nation should follow suit. A stain if we compete. A line has to be drawn.
BREAKING: Ukrainian officials have said they will not be taking part in the Winter Paralympics, following Russia's participation
February 18, 2026 at 12:55 PM
Sad for the athletes. But every other European nation should follow suit. A stain if we compete. A line has to be drawn.
Reposted by James O'Malley
This captures something I’ve found too recently- a threshold has been passed and LLM are now remarkably capable. 2 long delayed projects completed with LLM support, one using fully automated approaches.
Scientifically they’re still poor at *concepts* but there’s a lot of opportunities elsewhere.
Scientifically they’re still poor at *concepts* but there’s a lot of opportunities elsewhere.
How I've used AI to improve my work <-- I've written about my adventures in vibe coding!
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/how-ive-us...
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/how-ive-us...
How I've used AI to improve my work
My adventures in vibe coding
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk
February 18, 2026 at 11:43 AM
This captures something I’ve found too recently- a threshold has been passed and LLM are now remarkably capable. 2 long delayed projects completed with LLM support, one using fully automated approaches.
Scientifically they’re still poor at *concepts* but there’s a lot of opportunities elsewhere.
Scientifically they’re still poor at *concepts* but there’s a lot of opportunities elsewhere.
ICYMI:
How I've used AI to improve my work <-- I've written about my adventures in vibe coding!
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/how-ive-us...
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/how-ive-us...
How I've used AI to improve my work
My adventures in vibe coding
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk
February 18, 2026 at 10:35 AM
ICYMI:
Reposted by James O'Malley
A shocking indictment of the intimidation and danger MPs now routinely experience.
The hostility routinely whipped up against "Westminster" and "politicians" has a real human cost.
The hostility routinely whipped up against "Westminster" and "politicians" has a real human cost.
...my team has to spend a reasonable part of their week trying to make sure none of us get murdered.
This also a greater burden for women, MPs of colour, LGBT MPs, so they effectively get less staff time to focus on what actually should matter...
6/?
This also a greater burden for women, MPs of colour, LGBT MPs, so they effectively get less staff time to focus on what actually should matter...
6/?
February 17, 2026 at 10:37 PM
A shocking indictment of the intimidation and danger MPs now routinely experience.
The hostility routinely whipped up against "Westminster" and "politicians" has a real human cost.
The hostility routinely whipped up against "Westminster" and "politicians" has a real human cost.
Reposted by James O'Malley
Just crossing my fingers that moving from “we’re an abstract funnel of anger and one-man force for change” to “we’re a proper political party, let’s hear from Suella Braverman and Richard Tice” harshes the buzz a bit
February 17, 2026 at 2:31 PM
Just crossing my fingers that moving from “we’re an abstract funnel of anger and one-man force for change” to “we’re a proper political party, let’s hear from Suella Braverman and Richard Tice” harshes the buzz a bit
Looks like they found the single worst person for the job.
February 17, 2026 at 4:59 PM
Looks like they found the single worst person for the job.
Reposted by James O'Malley
Sorry, but the guy who has survived longer an achieved more of his priorities than anyone else in politics over the past two decades, who has outmaneuvered multiple leaders of two larger parties and reoriented politics around his priorities is not “bad at politics”. This is cope.
A thing we've forgotten over the past 18 months but is becoming increasingly clear again: Nigel Farage is quite bad at politics
February 17, 2026 at 3:52 PM
Sorry, but the guy who has survived longer an achieved more of his priorities than anyone else in politics over the past two decades, who has outmaneuvered multiple leaders of two larger parties and reoriented politics around his priorities is not “bad at politics”. This is cope.
Reposted by James O'Malley
Good overview of the workload on staff and MPs, and what the role of the MP is/could/should be.
I prioritise dealing with casework quickly over replying to policy emails because e.g. helping a person access disability support is more important to me...
1/?
I prioritise dealing with casework quickly over replying to policy emails because e.g. helping a person access disability support is more important to me...
1/?
The workload facing MPs and their staff is growing, in ways that aren't visible to the public: casework and the inbox.
For @thehousemag.bsky.social, I delved into what the workload looks like, why it's growing, and what this means for how MPs can balance the different aspects of their role
For @thehousemag.bsky.social, I delved into what the workload looks like, why it's growing, and what this means for how MPs can balance the different aspects of their role
Casework Crisis: Increase In Constituency Caseload Takes Its Toll
The inexorable growth in casework is stopping MPs from fulfilling their other roles. Alice Lilly sifts through the inbox looking for what might be ...
www.politicshome.com
February 17, 2026 at 2:33 PM
Good overview of the workload on staff and MPs, and what the role of the MP is/could/should be.
I prioritise dealing with casework quickly over replying to policy emails because e.g. helping a person access disability support is more important to me...
1/?
I prioritise dealing with casework quickly over replying to policy emails because e.g. helping a person access disability support is more important to me...
1/?
Reposted by James O'Malley
How I've used AI to improve my work <-- I've written about my adventures in vibe coding!
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/how-ive-us...
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/how-ive-us...
How I've used AI to improve my work
My adventures in vibe coding
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk
February 17, 2026 at 12:23 PM
How I've used AI to improve my work <-- I've written about my adventures in vibe coding!
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/how-ive-us...
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/how-ive-us...
Reposted by James O'Malley
📣 Announcing our 'Union and civil society responses to public sector AI' panel.
Hear from @adamc-c.bsky.social, @kate-jones.bsky.social, Caroline Selman @publiclawproject.bsky.social and @jamesomalley.co.uk
📆 Fri 6 Mar
🕰️ 10:00 - 17:00
🏢 Manchester
🔗 connectedbydata.org/events/2026...
Hear from @adamc-c.bsky.social, @kate-jones.bsky.social, Caroline Selman @publiclawproject.bsky.social and @jamesomalley.co.uk
📆 Fri 6 Mar
🕰️ 10:00 - 17:00
🏢 Manchester
🔗 connectedbydata.org/events/2026...
February 17, 2026 at 12:00 PM
📣 Announcing our 'Union and civil society responses to public sector AI' panel.
Hear from @adamc-c.bsky.social, @kate-jones.bsky.social, Caroline Selman @publiclawproject.bsky.social and @jamesomalley.co.uk
📆 Fri 6 Mar
🕰️ 10:00 - 17:00
🏢 Manchester
🔗 connectedbydata.org/events/2026...
Hear from @adamc-c.bsky.social, @kate-jones.bsky.social, Caroline Selman @publiclawproject.bsky.social and @jamesomalley.co.uk
📆 Fri 6 Mar
🕰️ 10:00 - 17:00
🏢 Manchester
🔗 connectedbydata.org/events/2026...
How I've used AI to improve my work <-- I've written about my adventures in vibe coding!
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/how-ive-us...
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/how-ive-us...
How I've used AI to improve my work
My adventures in vibe coding
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk
February 17, 2026 at 12:23 PM
How I've used AI to improve my work <-- I've written about my adventures in vibe coding!
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/how-ive-us...
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/how-ive-us...
This is an *absolutely extraordinary* AI video. Update your expectations of Hollywood collapsing from "maybe in a few years" to "next month??".
www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5AF...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5AF...
Apex
YouTube video by The Dor Brothers
www.youtube.com
February 16, 2026 at 10:56 PM
This is an *absolutely extraordinary* AI video. Update your expectations of Hollywood collapsing from "maybe in a few years" to "next month??".
www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5AF...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5AF...
February 16, 2026 at 9:45 PM
Evening crew! This week's pod is a good one!
New YIMBY Pod!
🔋How ONE planning complaint killed neighbourhood battery storage in Banbury
🚀 Why Europe needs better rockets to protect itself from Musk and Trump
☢️ And we speak to @zionlights.bsky.social about her new book, Energy is Life!
Listen/subscribe:
www.abundancepod.com/p/europe-nee...
🔋How ONE planning complaint killed neighbourhood battery storage in Banbury
🚀 Why Europe needs better rockets to protect itself from Musk and Trump
☢️ And we speak to @zionlights.bsky.social about her new book, Energy is Life!
Listen/subscribe:
www.abundancepod.com/p/europe-nee...
Europe needs better rockets
Plus how just one complaint killed a neighbour battery project in Banbury, and Zion Lights on why Energy is Life!
www.abundancepod.com
February 16, 2026 at 8:57 PM
Evening crew! This week's pod is a good one!
Reposted by James O'Malley
EXC: Robert Jenrick has been mocked for using Ozempic and told “you can't take an injection for personality”…by his Reform colleague Matt Goodwin. In previous interviews, Mr Goodwin also said Jenrick had “no charisma”, and Reform risked becoming a Tory tribute act”
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
Reform candidate made fat jab jibe at Jenrick and warned over 'Tory tribute act'
Matt Goodwin, who is running in Gorton and Denton, has made repeated attacks on his new colleagues, and also warned Nigel Farage that Reform risks becoming a 'Tory tribute act'
www.mirror.co.uk
February 16, 2026 at 4:06 PM
EXC: Robert Jenrick has been mocked for using Ozempic and told “you can't take an injection for personality”…by his Reform colleague Matt Goodwin. In previous interviews, Mr Goodwin also said Jenrick had “no charisma”, and Reform risked becoming a Tory tribute act”
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
Nothing to worry about here with China have a seemingly enormous edge in humanoid robots!
(As I wrote previously: takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/rise-of-th...)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUml...
(As I wrote previously: takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/rise-of-th...)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUml...
Martial arts robots dazzle at 2026 Spring Festival Gala
YouTube video by CGTN
www.youtube.com
February 16, 2026 at 4:28 PM
Nothing to worry about here with China have a seemingly enormous edge in humanoid robots!
(As I wrote previously: takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/rise-of-th...)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUml...
(As I wrote previously: takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/rise-of-th...)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUml...
Reposted by James O'Malley
New YIMBY Pod!
🔋How ONE planning complaint killed neighbourhood battery storage in Banbury
🚀 Why Europe needs better rockets to protect itself from Musk and Trump
☢️ And we speak to @zionlights.bsky.social about her new book, Energy is Life!
Listen/subscribe:
www.abundancepod.com/p/europe-nee...
🔋How ONE planning complaint killed neighbourhood battery storage in Banbury
🚀 Why Europe needs better rockets to protect itself from Musk and Trump
☢️ And we speak to @zionlights.bsky.social about her new book, Energy is Life!
Listen/subscribe:
www.abundancepod.com/p/europe-nee...
Europe needs better rockets
Plus how just one complaint killed a neighbour battery project in Banbury, and Zion Lights on why Energy is Life!
www.abundancepod.com
February 16, 2026 at 10:23 AM
New YIMBY Pod!
🔋How ONE planning complaint killed neighbourhood battery storage in Banbury
🚀 Why Europe needs better rockets to protect itself from Musk and Trump
☢️ And we speak to @zionlights.bsky.social about her new book, Energy is Life!
Listen/subscribe:
www.abundancepod.com/p/europe-nee...
🔋How ONE planning complaint killed neighbourhood battery storage in Banbury
🚀 Why Europe needs better rockets to protect itself from Musk and Trump
☢️ And we speak to @zionlights.bsky.social about her new book, Energy is Life!
Listen/subscribe:
www.abundancepod.com/p/europe-nee...
Afternoon crew! A podcast for you!
New YIMBY Pod!
🔋How ONE planning complaint killed neighbourhood battery storage in Banbury
🚀 Why Europe needs better rockets to protect itself from Musk and Trump
☢️ And we speak to @zionlights.bsky.social about her new book, Energy is Life!
Listen/subscribe:
www.abundancepod.com/p/europe-nee...
🔋How ONE planning complaint killed neighbourhood battery storage in Banbury
🚀 Why Europe needs better rockets to protect itself from Musk and Trump
☢️ And we speak to @zionlights.bsky.social about her new book, Energy is Life!
Listen/subscribe:
www.abundancepod.com/p/europe-nee...
Europe needs better rockets
Plus how just one complaint killed a neighbour battery project in Banbury, and Zion Lights on why Energy is Life!
www.abundancepod.com
February 16, 2026 at 2:43 PM
Afternoon crew! A podcast for you!
Reposted by James O'Malley
"AI detectors" are themselves AI, and yet are endlessly trusted by people on here if they say that a newspaper article is AI.
AI detectors are snake oil. None of them reliably works. And UK broadsheet are not yet using AI to write articles. No, that link to the deal you found doesn't prove it.
AI detectors are snake oil. None of them reliably works. And UK broadsheet are not yet using AI to write articles. No, that link to the deal you found doesn't prove it.
Just because I keep seeing those "I checked this piece and it's written by AI" - this is an old article of mine, before AI was available. So could we not?
February 16, 2026 at 10:44 AM
"AI detectors" are themselves AI, and yet are endlessly trusted by people on here if they say that a newspaper article is AI.
AI detectors are snake oil. None of them reliably works. And UK broadsheet are not yet using AI to write articles. No, that link to the deal you found doesn't prove it.
AI detectors are snake oil. None of them reliably works. And UK broadsheet are not yet using AI to write articles. No, that link to the deal you found doesn't prove it.
Maddening story as:
(a) Literally everyone could see we'd have to further increase defence spending when the initial increase was made
(b) Of course we're going to Treasurybrain ourselves to death to solve the problem, rather than increase taxes
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
(a) Literally everyone could see we'd have to further increase defence spending when the initial increase was made
(b) Of course we're going to Treasurybrain ourselves to death to solve the problem, rather than increase taxes
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
February 16, 2026 at 10:43 AM
Maddening story as:
(a) Literally everyone could see we'd have to further increase defence spending when the initial increase was made
(b) Of course we're going to Treasurybrain ourselves to death to solve the problem, rather than increase taxes
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
(a) Literally everyone could see we'd have to further increase defence spending when the initial increase was made
(b) Of course we're going to Treasurybrain ourselves to death to solve the problem, rather than increase taxes
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
New YIMBY Pod!
🔋How ONE planning complaint killed neighbourhood battery storage in Banbury
🚀 Why Europe needs better rockets to protect itself from Musk and Trump
☢️ And we speak to @zionlights.bsky.social about her new book, Energy is Life!
Listen/subscribe:
www.abundancepod.com/p/europe-nee...
🔋How ONE planning complaint killed neighbourhood battery storage in Banbury
🚀 Why Europe needs better rockets to protect itself from Musk and Trump
☢️ And we speak to @zionlights.bsky.social about her new book, Energy is Life!
Listen/subscribe:
www.abundancepod.com/p/europe-nee...
Europe needs better rockets
Plus how just one complaint killed a neighbour battery project in Banbury, and Zion Lights on why Energy is Life!
www.abundancepod.com
February 16, 2026 at 10:23 AM
New YIMBY Pod!
🔋How ONE planning complaint killed neighbourhood battery storage in Banbury
🚀 Why Europe needs better rockets to protect itself from Musk and Trump
☢️ And we speak to @zionlights.bsky.social about her new book, Energy is Life!
Listen/subscribe:
www.abundancepod.com/p/europe-nee...
🔋How ONE planning complaint killed neighbourhood battery storage in Banbury
🚀 Why Europe needs better rockets to protect itself from Musk and Trump
☢️ And we speak to @zionlights.bsky.social about her new book, Energy is Life!
Listen/subscribe:
www.abundancepod.com/p/europe-nee...
This is very reminiscent of stories in 2021 that were like "doctors say we should lockdown and social distance forever".
‘It’s the most urgent public health issue’: Dr Rangan Chatterjee on screen time, mental health – and banning social media until 18
‘It’s the most urgent public health issue’: Dr Rangan Chatterjee on screen time, mental health – and banning social media until 18
The hit podcaster, author and former GP says a failure to regulate big tech is ‘failing a generation of children’. He explains why he quit the NHS and why he wants a ban on screen-based homework
www.theguardian.com
February 16, 2026 at 10:19 AM
This is very reminiscent of stories in 2021 that were like "doctors say we should lockdown and social distance forever".
Yesterday I did a very mean post about this Basildon councillor, and today I discover he has written this very good post about the need for town centre regeneration.
So I guess... people are complicated?
cllrgavincallaghan.substack.com/p/regenerati...
So I guess... people are complicated?
cllrgavincallaghan.substack.com/p/regenerati...
February 15, 2026 at 9:02 PM
Yesterday I did a very mean post about this Basildon councillor, and today I discover he has written this very good post about the need for town centre regeneration.
So I guess... people are complicated?
cllrgavincallaghan.substack.com/p/regenerati...
So I guess... people are complicated?
cllrgavincallaghan.substack.com/p/regenerati...
Reposted by James O'Malley
Just a total collapse of the right's cordon sanitaire! A Tory MP and the Tory leader in the London assembly are both on the board of this movement!
It *literally* does.
Thats what it is. A document which says youre British.
Thats what it is. A document which says youre British.
February 15, 2026 at 1:44 PM
Just a total collapse of the right's cordon sanitaire! A Tory MP and the Tory leader in the London assembly are both on the board of this movement!