Kit Roberts
@kitrobertsjourno.bsky.social
Journalist interested in culture, history, language, and MENA region • they/them • Views own etc
Well it’s not looking great.
November 25, 2025 at 10:51 PM
Well it’s not looking great.
As a 32-year-old I recently had an episode where I blacked out started getting excited about my new hoover. I came to while comparing life insurance policies.
As someone who just turned 33 this month, I can confirm I’m already obsessing about square footage and tut-tutting about the “youth of today”.
Adolescence lasts to 32, say brain scientists
November 25, 2025 at 8:22 PM
As a 32-year-old I recently had an episode where I blacked out started getting excited about my new hoover. I came to while comparing life insurance policies.
Oh wow it's actually worse than I thought
Justice secretary wants most jury trials scrapped
Only cases of alleged murder, rape or manslaughter will be decided by a jury under new proposals to cut court backlogs.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Oh wow it's actually worse than I thought
Reposted by Kit Roberts
This government has not taken a single meaningful step to tackle the causes of the horrendous inefficiencies in the criminal justice system, instead rushing to dismantle trial by jury.
Legal professionals have offered numerous alternatives to address the backlog.
Ministers are not listening.
Legal professionals have offered numerous alternatives to address the backlog.
Ministers are not listening.
MoJ to remove right to trial by jury for thousands of cases in controversial overhaul
MoJ to remove right to trial by jury for thousands of cases in controversial overhaul
Exclusive: Courts minister says change needed to stop criminals opting for juries to delay cases, sometimes by years, and clear huge backlog
*
UK politics live – latest updates
Criminals will be stopped from “gaming the system” by choosing trial by jury in order to increase the chances of proceedings collapsing, the courts minister has said, promising to enact radical changes to limit jury trials by the next election.
Drug dealers and career criminals were “laughing in the dock” knowing cases can take years to come to trial, Sarah Sackman told the Guardian, saying inaction would be a road to “chaos and ruin”. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 21, 2025 at 7:57 AM
This government has not taken a single meaningful step to tackle the causes of the horrendous inefficiencies in the criminal justice system, instead rushing to dismantle trial by jury.
Legal professionals have offered numerous alternatives to address the backlog.
Ministers are not listening.
Legal professionals have offered numerous alternatives to address the backlog.
Ministers are not listening.
So let me get this straight, Labour's plan to resolve the appalling crisis in the criminal justice system is to undermine the right to trial by jury?
Between that and anti-protest laws you could be forgiven for seeing an alarming authoritarian streak in Labour.
#labour #ukpolitics #politics
Between that and anti-protest laws you could be forgiven for seeing an alarming authoritarian streak in Labour.
#labour #ukpolitics #politics
MoJ to remove right to trial by jury for thousands of cases in controversial overhaul
Exclusive: Courts minister says change needed to stop criminals opting for juries to delay cases, sometimes by years, and clear huge backlog
www.theguardian.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:58 PM
So let me get this straight, Labour's plan to resolve the appalling crisis in the criminal justice system is to undermine the right to trial by jury?
Between that and anti-protest laws you could be forgiven for seeing an alarming authoritarian streak in Labour.
#labour #ukpolitics #politics
Between that and anti-protest laws you could be forgiven for seeing an alarming authoritarian streak in Labour.
#labour #ukpolitics #politics
Some absolutely insane context here.
What on earth happened?
What on earth happened?
For context on just how far the Overton Window has shifted to the right on this issue, here’s a snippet from the BNP’s 2010 manifesto.
November 17, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Some absolutely insane context here.
What on earth happened?
What on earth happened?
Let me get this straight - the same government that has claimed to want to protect asylum seekers from exploitation by criminal gangs now wants to pick their pockets?
#labour #immigration #politics
#labour #immigration #politics
Asylum seekers’ jewellery could be seized to pay for processing costs, says Home Office minister
Idea borrowed from Denmark is latest attempt to reduce number of people seeking asylum in UK
www.theguardian.com
November 17, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Let me get this straight - the same government that has claimed to want to protect asylum seekers from exploitation by criminal gangs now wants to pick their pockets?
#labour #immigration #politics
#labour #immigration #politics
Seeing Ahmed Al-Sharaa go from having a $10 million bounty on his head to being personally spritzed with cologne by Donald Trump is a surreal reminder of just how much things have shifted in Syria.
November 13, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Seeing Ahmed Al-Sharaa go from having a $10 million bounty on his head to being personally spritzed with cologne by Donald Trump is a surreal reminder of just how much things have shifted in Syria.
A brave and important piece by @jessothomson.co.uk on biases in the judiciary.
Please give it a read.
#uk #law #transrights
Please give it a read.
#uk #law #transrights
"As someone working in law, it’s heresy to say this, and it might even kill my chances of a career... But as a trans person, and someone fighting for the rights of my community, I refuse to remain silent. To me it just seems obvious: a heavily prejudiced society produces prejudiced institutions."
It’s no surprise that only 31% of trans people trust a legal system built to enforce prejudice, says Jess O’Thomson.
It’s no surprise that only 31% of trans people trust a legal system built to enforce prejudice, says Jess O’Thomson.
goodlawproject.org
November 11, 2025 at 6:42 PM
A brave and important piece by @jessothomson.co.uk on biases in the judiciary.
Please give it a read.
#uk #law #transrights
Please give it a read.
#uk #law #transrights
When I'm out and about in Manchester lately I often get this sixth sense of something off or hostile in the atmosphere, like a gut feeling?
This is recent, and not something I would associate with such a welcoming and diverse city.
It's unsettling. I'm sure I'm not the only person who has this.
This is recent, and not something I would associate with such a welcoming and diverse city.
It's unsettling. I'm sure I'm not the only person who has this.
November 6, 2025 at 9:11 PM
When I'm out and about in Manchester lately I often get this sixth sense of something off or hostile in the atmosphere, like a gut feeling?
This is recent, and not something I would associate with such a welcoming and diverse city.
It's unsettling. I'm sure I'm not the only person who has this.
This is recent, and not something I would associate with such a welcoming and diverse city.
It's unsettling. I'm sure I'm not the only person who has this.
Seeing how Dawn Butler was treated by the speaker of the House of Commons while responding to Sarah Pochin is appalling and entirely unsurprising.
In the U.K. calling someone out for racism is treated with greater severity than actually saying or doing something racist.
#ukpolitics
In the U.K. calling someone out for racism is treated with greater severity than actually saying or doing something racist.
#ukpolitics
October 28, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Seeing how Dawn Butler was treated by the speaker of the House of Commons while responding to Sarah Pochin is appalling and entirely unsurprising.
In the U.K. calling someone out for racism is treated with greater severity than actually saying or doing something racist.
#ukpolitics
In the U.K. calling someone out for racism is treated with greater severity than actually saying or doing something racist.
#ukpolitics
Absolutely disgraceful treatment of Bury Times journalist @lvalentinejourno.bsky.social here
#journalism #manchester
#journalism #manchester
My rejection from covering King Charles' visit raises questions for local media
Bury Times reporter Lisa Valentine shares a frustrated account of King Charles' visit to Greater Manchester - and an 'indifference' to the local…
www.burytimes.co.uk
October 23, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Absolutely disgraceful treatment of Bury Times journalist @lvalentinejourno.bsky.social here
#journalism #manchester
#journalism #manchester
Police forces across the U.K. regularly bar football fans of a wide variety of clubs from attending some away matches when police have reason to believe allowing fans to attend may pose a risk to public safety. That’s a decision for the police and should have been the end of the matter.
#ukpolitics
#ukpolitics
October 19, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Police forces across the U.K. regularly bar football fans of a wide variety of clubs from attending some away matches when police have reason to believe allowing fans to attend may pose a risk to public safety. That’s a decision for the police and should have been the end of the matter.
#ukpolitics
#ukpolitics
Somewhere two metal detectorists who look eerily like Mackenzie Crook and Toby Jones are muttering into the pints they bought with muddy loose change detected that afternoon
A man digging for worms in southeastern Sweden discovered a medieval hoard containing pearls, pendants, silver rings, and an estimated 20,000 coins. Archaeologists determined that most of the silver coins date to the 12th century.
Up to 20,000 coins from Early Middle Ages discovered by man digging for worms near Stockholm
A man digging for worms at his summer house in Sweden has unearthed a stupendous treasure: a silver hoard of up to 20,000 coins from the Early Middle Ages.
www.livescience.com
October 16, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Somewhere two metal detectorists who look eerily like Mackenzie Crook and Toby Jones are muttering into the pints they bought with muddy loose change detected that afternoon
Trump announcing plans for an “Arc de Trump”
Because sometimes you look at the news and think “god is it really April already?”
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Because sometimes you look at the news and think “god is it really April already?”
www.bbc.com/news/article...
October 16, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Trump announcing plans for an “Arc de Trump”
Because sometimes you look at the news and think “god is it really April already?”
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Because sometimes you look at the news and think “god is it really April already?”
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by Kit Roberts
All of this is being put out to placate the right wing press...
In the meantime, it's causing fear & confusion. As I understand it:
● this only applies to some people on skilled visas
● it's not "A level English" it's something called SELT
● much the same requirement exists elsewhere in EU
In the meantime, it's causing fear & confusion. As I understand it:
● this only applies to some people on skilled visas
● it's not "A level English" it's something called SELT
● much the same requirement exists elsewhere in EU
October 15, 2025 at 7:59 AM
All of this is being put out to placate the right wing press...
In the meantime, it's causing fear & confusion. As I understand it:
● this only applies to some people on skilled visas
● it's not "A level English" it's something called SELT
● much the same requirement exists elsewhere in EU
In the meantime, it's causing fear & confusion. As I understand it:
● this only applies to some people on skilled visas
● it's not "A level English" it's something called SELT
● much the same requirement exists elsewhere in EU
Write a 500 word essay on dominant themes in Dracula or we’ll deport you.
“Dracula can be read as an allegory of the fear of foreigners and immigra-“
NO NOT LIKE THAT
#ukpolitics
“Dracula can be read as an allegory of the fear of foreigners and immigra-“
NO NOT LIKE THAT
#ukpolitics
Migrants will be required to pass A Level standard of English
Migrants will be required to pass tough new English language requirements under a law introduced in Parliament today.
www.gov.uk
October 15, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Write a 500 word essay on dominant themes in Dracula or we’ll deport you.
“Dracula can be read as an allegory of the fear of foreigners and immigra-“
NO NOT LIKE THAT
#ukpolitics
“Dracula can be read as an allegory of the fear of foreigners and immigra-“
NO NOT LIKE THAT
#ukpolitics
Happy anniversary of the Battle of Hastings to those who celebrate
October 14, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Happy anniversary of the Battle of Hastings to those who celebrate
The boy this man stabbed to death was just 16 years old and had fled war in Homs to find a better life for himself in the UK.
Heartbreaking and horrifying.
Heartbreaking and horrifying.
Man who fatally stabbed teenage Syrian refugee detained for life
Alfie Franco, 20, stabbed 16-year-old Syrian refugee Ahmad Al Ibrahim after he brushed past his girlfriend
www.independent.co.uk
October 10, 2025 at 11:14 PM
The boy this man stabbed to death was just 16 years old and had fled war in Homs to find a better life for himself in the UK.
Heartbreaking and horrifying.
Heartbreaking and horrifying.
Starmer in India: “This is the biggest trade mission that the United Kingdom has ever sent to India.”
Not *quite* sure that’s true. 😬
#starmer #india #uknews
Not *quite* sure that’s true. 😬
#starmer #india #uknews
Sir Keir Starmer has begun Britain's first full-blown trade mission to India since Theresa May was prime minister, bringing 125 UK CEOs, entrepreneurs, and university leaders to Mumbai. Sky's Sam Coa...
TikTok video by Sky News
www.tiktok.com
October 8, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Reposted by Kit Roberts
🗳️ Sir John Curtice has warned Labour that Reform UK is not their only electoral threat, with left-wing parties also posing a challenge.
My latest for @labourlist.bsky.social here ⬇️
labourlist.org/2025/10/labo...
My latest for @labourlist.bsky.social here ⬇️
labourlist.org/2025/10/labo...
Labour making a 'mistake' to focus entirely on Reform, Sir John Curtice warns - LabourList
Sir John Curtice has warned Labour that Reform UK is not their only electoral threat, with left-wing parties also posing a challenge.
labourlist.org
October 7, 2025 at 5:32 AM
🗳️ Sir John Curtice has warned Labour that Reform UK is not their only electoral threat, with left-wing parties also posing a challenge.
My latest for @labourlist.bsky.social here ⬇️
labourlist.org/2025/10/labo...
My latest for @labourlist.bsky.social here ⬇️
labourlist.org/2025/10/labo...
Was in Manchester City centre today and passed by outside the Tory party conference.
A fair few police but not loads, and basically zero protestors. You’d barely know it was happening.
Feels like it means something, though not sure what… 🙄
#toryconference #tories #politics
A fair few police but not loads, and basically zero protestors. You’d barely know it was happening.
Feels like it means something, though not sure what… 🙄
#toryconference #tories #politics
October 7, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Was in Manchester City centre today and passed by outside the Tory party conference.
A fair few police but not loads, and basically zero protestors. You’d barely know it was happening.
Feels like it means something, though not sure what… 🙄
#toryconference #tories #politics
A fair few police but not loads, and basically zero protestors. You’d barely know it was happening.
Feels like it means something, though not sure what… 🙄
#toryconference #tories #politics
Absolutely awful.
JUST IN: A UK mosque was set ablaze with two people still inside in a suspected arson attack that police are treating as a hate crime.
UK mosque set ablaze with two people inside, police investigating suspected hate crime | CNN
A UK mosque was set ablaze with two people still inside in a suspected arson attack that police are treating as a hate crime.
edition.cnn.com
October 5, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Absolutely awful.
Solidarity with Manchester's Jewish community today following the horrific attacks.
October 2, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Solidarity with Manchester's Jewish community today following the horrific attacks.
October 1, 2025 at 6:34 PM