Author | Lightnews

John de Waal KC @johndewaalkc.bsky.social · 13h

Fans of #CurbYourEnthusiasm will recall the episode about the ‘cut off time’. When do you think it is? I get up early and go to bed early so for me it’s 9pm. I say this because I was called 3x last night by one persistent person after 9 which I consider very unsociable.

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Dee Lomas @deelomas.bsky.social · 2d

The reform party nativity scene.

No unmarried mothers. No Middle Eastern people. No refugees. No people seeking emergency accommodation.

And not a wise fvcking man in sight…

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John de Waal KC @johndewaalkc.bsky.social · 2d

Today’s Gospel was from Luke. I cannot see how anyone who calls themselves a Christian can associate themselves with a policy to deport people who are legally in this country from the UK. 3/ ends.

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John de Waal KC @johndewaalkc.bsky.social · 2d

I felt ashamed to be English and to be associated with such vile racism promulgated now by Cons and Reform. I feel no ‘cultural congruence’ with such values but belong to an England that is liberal and tolerant. 2/

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John de Waal KC @johndewaalkc.bsky.social · 2d

I spent yesterday with my 96yo father who lives in a care home not far from Katie Lam’s constituency. His carers are overwhelmingly from South Asia or Africa who have I hope IRL. They look after him brilliantly. 1/

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John de Waal KC @johndewaalkc.bsky.social · 4d

I’m getting this in mediations too…

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John de Waal KC @johndewaalkc.bsky.social · 4d

Ray of hope here.

Peter Jukes @peterjukes.bsky.social · 4d

Good point from @adambienkov.bsky.social - if the massed ranks of the right wing press with BBC boosting, plus the vast amount of money (and foreign social media bots) couldn’t get Reform over the line, what will?

Byline Times @bylinetimes.bsky.social · 4d

🔴The Reform Backlash: Caerphilly By-Election Result Shows Nigel Farage’s Party Is Much Weaker Than It Looks

Despite widespread media predictions of a Reform victory on Thursday, Farage’s defeat shows his party continues to be overestimated, argues @adambienkov.bsky.social

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John de Waal KC @johndewaalkc.bsky.social · 4d

LAFRA J/R dismissed. Useful LinkedIn post from counsel for govt. Great news for tenants.

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John de Waal KC @johndewaalkc.bsky.social · 11d

I am doing a remote mediation today and someone has brought their 11-month old baby, which is wonderful, but I’m not sure how he’s going to sign the confidentiality agreement…

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Caroline Churcher @newforestchild.bsky.social · 13d

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John de Waal KC @johndewaalkc.bsky.social · 13d

View from where I am mediating today.

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John de Waal KC @johndewaalkc.bsky.social · 14d

View from where I am mediating today.

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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 21d

The Bishop of Birmingham has written to the Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick about his comments about Handsworth

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John de Waal KC @johndewaalkc.bsky.social · 22d

Isn’t Jenrick revolting?

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Alex Andreou @sturdyalex.bsky.social · 23d

Many pundits today are pushing the line that everyone who protests the genocide in Gaza is basically either antisemitic or tolerant of antisemitism. But isn't that precisely the conflation of the actions of the Israeli gov't with all Jewish people, which is at the heart of this wave of antisemitism?

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John de Waal KC @johndewaalkc.bsky.social · 25d

Misogyny is often precursor to terrorism.

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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 26d

A call for those outside the Jewish community to share a message of solidarity when Yom Kippur ends at 723pm tonight. Please do join if you can. This is an initiative coordinated by the Together coalition, talking among networks of all faiths + none this afternoon
bsky.app/profile/sund...

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 26d

On Yom Kippur many Jewish people in Britain have their phones off to mark the holy day.

As it ends at 723pm, some will hear the tragic Manchester news for the first time.

At that time, please join many of us to send a message of solidarity to British Jews.Thanks Together coalition for proposing.

To everyone in Britain's Jewish Community: you are not alone.

We will not let hate or those who spread it win.

We stand with you.

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Caroline Lucas @carolinelucas.bsky.social · 26d

Tory party’s long journey away from science, reason, responsibility, common sense and truth is complete

Kemi Badenoch vows to repeal Climate Change Act

Tory leader says she would replace it with ‘cheap energy’ strategy, ending decades-long consensus on climate

www.theguardian.com

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John de Waal KC @johndewaalkc.bsky.social · 28d

Late night mediation.

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John de Waal KC @johndewaalkc.bsky.social · 29d

Personally, I’m in favour of a good citizenship test for all those who go on right wing demonstrations and marches, if they fail they could be re-educated in British values of tolerance and liberalism. Immigrants are not the problem.

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Carnegie Russia Eurasia @carnegierussia.bsky.social · Sep 23

How did the White House end up brokering a peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan?

In a new article for @foreignaffairs.com, Senior Fellow Thomas de Waal unravels how a shared rejection of Russian dominance in the South Caucasus drove both parties down "an unlikely road to peace."

Thomas de Waal @tomdewaal.bsky.social · Sep 22

Just published, my piece on the U.S. Armenia-Azerbaijan deal and its prospects. There is a lot of hard work still to be done, I argue, but the shared coincidence of interests that neither country wants Russia as a guarantor has been transformative. www.foreignaffairs.com/armenia/unli...

An Unlikely Road to Peace in the South Caucasus

How common cause against Russia enabled an American deal.

www.foreignaffairs.com

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Sawn Bones KC @seanjones.org · Sep 15

TLDR: Make racism shameful again. While you’re at it add fascism too.

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Adam Schwarz @adamjschwarz.bsky.social · Sep 6

A political party, that's topping the polls, lauding someone who called for human beings to be burned to death should be a moment for national self-reflection.

This is not who we are nor who we should become.

Reform UK are a plague on our national humanity. We must never permit them to govern.

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John de Waal KC @johndewaalkc.bsky.social · Aug 31

And compare Euston, the worst London terminus, with Marylebone, the nicest.

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John de Waal KC @johndewaalkc.bsky.social · Aug 26

That was my submission if I recall: it was the ‘sinking freehold’. I wouldn’t have dared make it in the Chancery Division.

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