John McTernan
@johnmct.bsky.social
Reposted by John McTernan
‘Don’t reproduce and don’t eat meat were twin mantras for anyone who wanted to reduce their carbon footprint over a lifetime. That second piece of advice still holds. But the first was a misunderstanding.’
David Runciman on depopulation, online now from the next issue.
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
David Runciman on depopulation, online now from the next issue.
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
David Runciman · Are we doomed? The End of the Species
Are we doomed to die out? We find ourselves at the only point in the history of the species when the rate of population...
www.lrb.co.uk
November 11, 2025 at 5:06 PM
‘Don’t reproduce and don’t eat meat were twin mantras for anyone who wanted to reduce their carbon footprint over a lifetime. That second piece of advice still holds. But the first was a misunderstanding.’
David Runciman on depopulation, online now from the next issue.
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
David Runciman on depopulation, online now from the next issue.
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Reposted by John McTernan
Trump administration declares CFPB funding illegal
Trump administration declares CFPB funding illegal
The decision, disclosed in a court filing, puts the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on track to shut down in ‘early 2026’ when its remaining cash runs out.
dlvr.it
November 11, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Trump administration declares CFPB funding illegal
Reposted by John McTernan
‘No measure has succeeded in turning a society in which the rate has fallen below replacement levels into one where it is above 2 again. That has never happened anywhere.’
David Runciman on depopulation, online early from our next issue.
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
David Runciman on depopulation, online early from our next issue.
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
David Runciman · Are we doomed? The End of the Species
Are we doomed to die out? We find ourselves at the only point in the history of the species when the rate of population...
www.lrb.co.uk
November 11, 2025 at 12:10 PM
‘No measure has succeeded in turning a society in which the rate has fallen below replacement levels into one where it is above 2 again. That has never happened anywhere.’
David Runciman on depopulation, online early from our next issue.
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
David Runciman on depopulation, online early from our next issue.
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Reposted by John McTernan
Not resiling from this one iota in spite of the feeding frenzy, the resignations, and the talk of a billion dollar law suit of the last few days. If those on the right in this country seriously think that lining up with Donald Trump against the BBC is a good call, then I say good luck with that.
The attention the Tory party in the media and in the Commons are giving to this story is a reflection of just how far off the deep-end both have gone in recent times. Sure, they have a long-term vested interest in trying to undermine faith in the Beeb. But this is such a non-issue for most voters.
The BBC is apologising for its Panorama edit. It shouldn’t. First, the narrative is true: Donald Trump *did* incite the Capitol riot. Second, the apology won’t appease those attacking it. So why not at least stand for something?
Wrote this on it earlier this week:
inews.co.uk/news/world/b...
Wrote this on it earlier this week:
inews.co.uk/news/world/b...
November 11, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Not resiling from this one iota in spite of the feeding frenzy, the resignations, and the talk of a billion dollar law suit of the last few days. If those on the right in this country seriously think that lining up with Donald Trump against the BBC is a good call, then I say good luck with that.
Reposted by John McTernan
Trump is incredibly unpopular here! including amongst Tory voters. What are they doing?
Conservative Shadow Culture Secretary Nigel Huddleston tells GB News that the BBC should "grovel" to Trump.
Amazing how many British 'patriots' are spending their time telling our national broadcaster to prostrate itself before a hostile foreign leader
Amazing how many British 'patriots' are spending their time telling our national broadcaster to prostrate itself before a hostile foreign leader
November 11, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Trump is incredibly unpopular here! including amongst Tory voters. What are they doing?
Reposted by John McTernan
BREAKING: Epping Forest Council has LOST its bid to close The Bell Hotel.
The High Court has rejected its claim following a full hearing of the case.
The hotel will remain open to asylum seekers.
The High Court has rejected its claim following a full hearing of the case.
The hotel will remain open to asylum seekers.
November 11, 2025 at 12:05 PM
BREAKING: Epping Forest Council has LOST its bid to close The Bell Hotel.
The High Court has rejected its claim following a full hearing of the case.
The hotel will remain open to asylum seekers.
The High Court has rejected its claim following a full hearing of the case.
The hotel will remain open to asylum seekers.
Reposted by John McTernan
Tory culture spox demanding the BBC "grovel" to Trump is baffling. Who is this supposed to chime with?
Just a bizarre line that no one who doesn't use X would ever think.
Just a bizarre line that no one who doesn't use X would ever think.
November 11, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Tory culture spox demanding the BBC "grovel" to Trump is baffling. Who is this supposed to chime with?
Just a bizarre line that no one who doesn't use X would ever think.
Just a bizarre line that no one who doesn't use X would ever think.
Important speech to a vital organisation
Was honoured to speak at the 60th anniversary of the Child Poverty Action Group last week:
open.substack.com/pub/alisonmc...
open.substack.com/pub/alisonmc...
speech for 60th anniversary of Child Poverty Action Group
[Edited slightly for ease of reading]
open.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Important speech to a vital organisation
Reposted by John McTernan
So, indeed, Trump can no longer bring a defamation claim in the English High Court. He apparently wants to file one in Florida, but I doubt Panorama was actually broadcast there. Proving damages seems tough in my non-expert view (coupled with higher bar for defamation of public figures in the US).
November 11, 2025 at 9:18 AM
So, indeed, Trump can no longer bring a defamation claim in the English High Court. He apparently wants to file one in Florida, but I doubt Panorama was actually broadcast there. Proving damages seems tough in my non-expert view (coupled with higher bar for defamation of public figures in the US).
Reposted by John McTernan
One amusing thing that just occurred to me in the whole Trump/BBC furore: because the Panorama documentary was first broadcast over a year ago, isn't he time-barred from bringing a defamation claim in English courts anyway?
November 10, 2025 at 11:37 PM
One amusing thing that just occurred to me in the whole Trump/BBC furore: because the Panorama documentary was first broadcast over a year ago, isn't he time-barred from bringing a defamation claim in English courts anyway?
Reposted by John McTernan
It’s already started - the BBC allows Newsmax boss to opine about bias, suggest some of the Jan 6 mob were merely innocent tourists visiting Congress, without pushback
November 11, 2025 at 8:35 AM
It’s already started - the BBC allows Newsmax boss to opine about bias, suggest some of the Jan 6 mob were merely innocent tourists visiting Congress, without pushback
Reposted by John McTernan
The improvement in the employment rate of non-EU migrants to the UK over the past 15 years is remarkable, especially since the pandemic.
www.ons.gov.uk/employmentan...
www.ons.gov.uk/employmentan...
November 11, 2025 at 8:09 AM
The improvement in the employment rate of non-EU migrants to the UK over the past 15 years is remarkable, especially since the pandemic.
www.ons.gov.uk/employmentan...
www.ons.gov.uk/employmentan...
Reposted by John McTernan
The decision to keep paying Ros Atkins but basically stop him doing any of the analysis or explainers which he was a) good at and b) seemed to be quite popular in favour of co-hosting a podcast about the media is really, really baffling.
November 10, 2025 at 10:05 AM
The decision to keep paying Ros Atkins but basically stop him doing any of the analysis or explainers which he was a) good at and b) seemed to be quite popular in favour of co-hosting a podcast about the media is really, really baffling.
Reposted by John McTernan
Well, unfortunately
Threat of victory looms large over Election Day as an ominous portent of a future that could leave Dems in array; party elders scramble to contain the risk
The framing of this is hilarious: Democrats deeply worried about the repercussions of a victory
www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/m...
www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/m...
November 10, 2025 at 10:26 AM
Well, unfortunately
Reposted by John McTernan
License plate readers were sold as tools for finding stolen cars, but records have shown that they're being used in abortion investigations. States must ban law enforcement from using ALPRs to investigate healthcare decisions and prohibit sharing data across state lines. www.eff.org/deeplinks/2...
Flock Safety and Texas Sheriff Claimed License Plate Search Was for a
New documents and court records obtained by EFF show that Texas deputies queried Flock Safety's surveillance data in an abortion investigation, contradicting the narrative promoted by the company and
www.eff.org
November 9, 2025 at 10:03 PM
License plate readers were sold as tools for finding stolen cars, but records have shown that they're being used in abortion investigations. States must ban law enforcement from using ALPRs to investigate healthcare decisions and prohibit sharing data across state lines. www.eff.org/deeplinks/2...
Reposted by John McTernan
For that, you've got to look to the Senate's century long commitment to ensuring that Black Americans could be legally lynched. I am not being hyperbolic. Because in 1922, the House passed legislation to make lynching a federal crime. naacp.org/find-resourc...
naacp.org
November 9, 2025 at 10:05 PM
For that, you've got to look to the Senate's century long commitment to ensuring that Black Americans could be legally lynched. I am not being hyperbolic. Because in 1922, the House passed legislation to make lynching a federal crime. naacp.org/find-resourc...
Reposted by John McTernan
The Senate exists for the same reason that the ACA doesn't have a public option: it was negotiated to placate the necessary votes. Slave states were nervous about being beholden to public will so we massively over-elevated state representation. www.law.cornell.edu/constitution...
The Great Compromise of the Constitutional Convention
www.law.cornell.edu
November 9, 2025 at 10:00 PM
The Senate exists for the same reason that the ACA doesn't have a public option: it was negotiated to placate the necessary votes. Slave states were nervous about being beholden to public will so we massively over-elevated state representation. www.law.cornell.edu/constitution...
Reposted by John McTernan
That essay grew into this entire book of Dispatches from an Age of Last Things. amzn.to/3JEzcW4
Is There God after Prince?: Dispatches from an Age of Last Things
Is There God after Prince?: Dispatches from an Age of Last Things [Coviello, Peter] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Is There God after Prince?: Dispatches from an Age of Last Things
amzn.to
November 8, 2025 at 11:08 PM
That essay grew into this entire book of Dispatches from an Age of Last Things. amzn.to/3JEzcW4
Reposted by John McTernan
As Trump's shutdown hits the skies, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warns that far more dramatic flight reductions could come—and quickly.
Trump's shutdown hits the skies
Disruptions, so far, are said to be limited. But the Transportation Secretary warns that far worse could come—and quickly.
www.motherjones.com
November 8, 2025 at 3:53 PM
As Trump's shutdown hits the skies, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warns that far more dramatic flight reductions could come—and quickly.
Very good report on Global Progress and Morgan is spot on about the Spanish approach.
I wrote about the lessons the Danish social democrats want to offer Labour last month, and noted a distinct uptick in Denmark Chat at conference. As I discuss in the piece, I am more convinced by the arguments for Spain-as-model.
www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/oc...
www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/oc...
November 8, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Very good report on Global Progress and Morgan is spot on about the Spanish approach.
Reposted by John McTernan
If your annual income is $100,000 (a good salary by European standards), then you'd earn a million dollars in ten years. But to earn a trillion dollars, you'd need to work for ten million years--which is about 30 times longer than our species has existed.
November 8, 2025 at 2:58 PM
If your annual income is $100,000 (a good salary by European standards), then you'd earn a million dollars in ten years. But to earn a trillion dollars, you'd need to work for ten million years--which is about 30 times longer than our species has existed.
Reposted by John McTernan
There’s several stories likely to come out of next years locals but for me, two key ones: all-outs in Labour mets that could switch to Reform control in one go, as happened in counties this year; and the fragmentation of its vote in cities, where Labour is fighting on both flanks
And there are a lot of Labour held places up for election with large numbers of such voters - London of course, and also other big cities with Labour councils - Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds. Could be big swings to Greens in many such places.
November 8, 2025 at 3:35 PM
There’s several stories likely to come out of next years locals but for me, two key ones: all-outs in Labour mets that could switch to Reform control in one go, as happened in counties this year; and the fragmentation of its vote in cities, where Labour is fighting on both flanks
Reposted by John McTernan
Thune really does seem to think he and his caucus are like the 300 at Thermopylae on taking away everyone's health care and jacking up premiums and they think it's a winning look. So I guess okay guys please proceed and all that.
November 8, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Thune really does seem to think he and his caucus are like the 300 at Thermopylae on taking away everyone's health care and jacking up premiums and they think it's a winning look. So I guess okay guys please proceed and all that.
As I say in this @FT piece: “The issue is never the manifesto or its specifics per se. The issue is trust. It is: what is the point that the voter decides they can’t trust somebody.”
and
“People voted in 2024 for change, they didn’t vote for social democratic austerity.”
on.ft.com/47LNlsy
and
“People voted in 2024 for change, they didn’t vote for social democratic austerity.”
on.ft.com/47LNlsy
The politics of breaking manifesto promises
The history of politicians who go back on their words has lessons for Rachel Reeves as she mulls raising taxes
on.ft.com
November 8, 2025 at 3:41 PM
As I say in this @FT piece: “The issue is never the manifesto or its specifics per se. The issue is trust. It is: what is the point that the voter decides they can’t trust somebody.”
and
“People voted in 2024 for change, they didn’t vote for social democratic austerity.”
on.ft.com/47LNlsy
and
“People voted in 2024 for change, they didn’t vote for social democratic austerity.”
on.ft.com/47LNlsy
Reposted by John McTernan
Seems also to be a very rare, charismatic and likeable guy. Enjoys what he is doing, is witty, believes what he says and sounds authentic as a result.
November 5, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Seems also to be a very rare, charismatic and likeable guy. Enjoys what he is doing, is witty, believes what he says and sounds authentic as a result.