Amyn Merchant
@amynmerchant.bsky.social
Musician, Bookworm, Europhile, Family Man & #AutismParent. All views are personal.
Anyone in the UK considering voting for Farage’s pro-Putin Reform Party should watch this.
Doesn’t this rhetoric sound familiar?
In 1947, the U.S. Army released "Don't Be a Sucker" to show how a nation can be divided, reminding Americans that prejudice isn't natural and is created by those who gain from it.
Via @builders on IG
#Pinks
In 1947, the U.S. Army released "Don't Be a Sucker" to show how a nation can be divided, reminding Americans that prejudice isn't natural and is created by those who gain from it.
Via @builders on IG
#Pinks
December 2, 2025 at 1:09 AM
Anyone in the UK considering voting for Farage’s pro-Putin Reform Party should watch this.
Reposted by Amyn Merchant
Doesn’t this rhetoric sound familiar?
In 1947, the U.S. Army released "Don't Be a Sucker" to show how a nation can be divided, reminding Americans that prejudice isn't natural and is created by those who gain from it.
Via @builders on IG
#Pinks
In 1947, the U.S. Army released "Don't Be a Sucker" to show how a nation can be divided, reminding Americans that prejudice isn't natural and is created by those who gain from it.
Via @builders on IG
#Pinks
December 1, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Doesn’t this rhetoric sound familiar?
In 1947, the U.S. Army released "Don't Be a Sucker" to show how a nation can be divided, reminding Americans that prejudice isn't natural and is created by those who gain from it.
Via @builders on IG
#Pinks
In 1947, the U.S. Army released "Don't Be a Sucker" to show how a nation can be divided, reminding Americans that prejudice isn't natural and is created by those who gain from it.
Via @builders on IG
#Pinks
Reposted by Amyn Merchant
has to play with a runner. "hmm nope can't see any mobility issues here"
December 1, 2025 at 7:52 PM
has to play with a runner. "hmm nope can't see any mobility issues here"
Reposted by Amyn Merchant
FFS you truly cannot win. Sit at home being really, really disabled? Lazy. Play sport? Not disabled enough. Ghoul shit.
December 1, 2025 at 7:51 PM
FFS you truly cannot win. Sit at home being really, really disabled? Lazy. Play sport? Not disabled enough. Ghoul shit.
Reposted by Amyn Merchant
The guy's literally got one leg, but that's apparently one too many for the DWP to consider him disabled www.mirror.co.uk/money/dwp-fi...
DWP demands £36k PIP back from one-legged dad filmed playing cricket
Shaun Rigby lost a leg when he was a child
www.mirror.co.uk
December 1, 2025 at 7:45 PM
The guy's literally got one leg, but that's apparently one too many for the DWP to consider him disabled www.mirror.co.uk/money/dwp-fi...
Reposted by Amyn Merchant
Feel like I'm going mad. The Budget's 'headroom' is based on frankly irresponsible and wildly optimistic claims about what Labour will do in the final year of the forecast, and on ignoring a bunch of upward pressures on spending, and the claim is that she was being exaggeratedly *pessimistic*?
Suggestion Rachel Reeves exaggerated fiscal pressures is absurd
Chancellor was instead far too optimistic about public finances and government’s ability to secure cuts
www.ft.com
December 1, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Feel like I'm going mad. The Budget's 'headroom' is based on frankly irresponsible and wildly optimistic claims about what Labour will do in the final year of the forecast, and on ignoring a bunch of upward pressures on spending, and the claim is that she was being exaggeratedly *pessimistic*?
Reposted by Amyn Merchant
Watched BBC 6 o clock news. Just a completely unserious broadcast. Chris Mason, acting like a children's entertainer, giving a prolonged impenetrable editorial. Not a whiff of informative content about the Budget or what it means for the country. Just playschool blah blah bollocks.
December 1, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Watched BBC 6 o clock news. Just a completely unserious broadcast. Chris Mason, acting like a children's entertainer, giving a prolonged impenetrable editorial. Not a whiff of informative content about the Budget or what it means for the country. Just playschool blah blah bollocks.
Reposted by Amyn Merchant
There is an actual interesting little deceit in the budget, namely ther have the OBR still forecasting based on increasing net immigration back to 300-350k whilst the Home Secretary is promising to bring it down from 200k, which does dissolve about half the headroom, but somehow we're doing vibes.
Think this is exactly right - political journalism that is completely abstracted from policy, which was not the norm before 2017, has become the default. Impossible to have a serious attempt to either shrink what the state does or widen the tax base (have to do at least one) on that basis.
All this budget news, claims, counter claims is confusing, but two things of consequence.
1. We're all talking about that, not any financial benefits (or losses) of the budget.
2. Yet more focus on the very weird few weeks and politics of it all. Starting to feel dangerously like a norm.
1. We're all talking about that, not any financial benefits (or losses) of the budget.
2. Yet more focus on the very weird few weeks and politics of it all. Starting to feel dangerously like a norm.
December 1, 2025 at 1:38 PM
There is an actual interesting little deceit in the budget, namely ther have the OBR still forecasting based on increasing net immigration back to 300-350k whilst the Home Secretary is promising to bring it down from 200k, which does dissolve about half the headroom, but somehow we're doing vibes.
Reposted by Amyn Merchant
"An exodus of UK citizens is being driven by tens of thousands of eastern Europeans moving home and taking British partners with them."
Going over there, taking their jobs, etc. ~AA
Going over there, taking their jobs, etc. ~AA
December 1, 2025 at 5:13 PM
"An exodus of UK citizens is being driven by tens of thousands of eastern Europeans moving home and taking British partners with them."
Going over there, taking their jobs, etc. ~AA
Going over there, taking their jobs, etc. ~AA
Reposted by Amyn Merchant
Mind-blowingly cool use of AI
“Altogether, these findings are leading us to an extraordinary conclusion: Whales may possess a communication system more intricate than our own, one that possibly predates human language by tens of millions of years.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/o...
“Altogether, these findings are leading us to an extraordinary conclusion: Whales may possess a communication system more intricate than our own, one that possibly predates human language by tens of millions of years.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/o...
Opinion | I’m a Marine Biologist. This Is How I Talk to Whales.
www.nytimes.com
November 30, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Mind-blowingly cool use of AI
“Altogether, these findings are leading us to an extraordinary conclusion: Whales may possess a communication system more intricate than our own, one that possibly predates human language by tens of millions of years.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/o...
“Altogether, these findings are leading us to an extraordinary conclusion: Whales may possess a communication system more intricate than our own, one that possibly predates human language by tens of millions of years.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/o...
Reposted by Amyn Merchant
Translation: Pete may well go down for this. But I’m not going with him.
Reporter: If there were a second strike that killed wounded people, would that be legal?
Trump: I don’t know that happened and Pete said he did not even know what people were talking about. I wouldn’t have wanted a second strike. The first strike was very lethal. It was fine.
Trump: I don’t know that happened and Pete said he did not even know what people were talking about. I wouldn’t have wanted a second strike. The first strike was very lethal. It was fine.
November 30, 2025 at 11:21 PM
Translation: Pete may well go down for this. But I’m not going with him.
Reposted by Amyn Merchant
The death of browsing is part of the reason art is the way it is now. Our opinions are largely fed to us by algorithms. Spending a spare 15 minutes wandering around a bookstore or comic shop or video rental place was how you found stuff you wouldn't ordinarily pick up and thereby expanded your taste
Bookselling is like the most "people go to the store and buy what looks cool to them without a particular agenda" type business left, and your purchases have a huge influence on what is ordered, what is displayed, and what is recommended.
November 29, 2025 at 6:44 PM
The death of browsing is part of the reason art is the way it is now. Our opinions are largely fed to us by algorithms. Spending a spare 15 minutes wandering around a bookstore or comic shop or video rental place was how you found stuff you wouldn't ordinarily pick up and thereby expanded your taste
Reposted by Amyn Merchant
Experts say it’s highly unusual for the White House to tell agents to give up custody of potential evidence in an investigation, as it did with the Tates.
“I’ve never heard of anything like that in my 30 years working,” an ex-DHS official said.
“I’ve never heard of anything like that in my 30 years working,” an ex-DHS official said.
The White House Intervened on Behalf of Accused Sex Trafficker Andrew Tate During a Federal Investigation
Federal authorities were chided for seizing electronic devices from Tate and his brother, and told to return them, records and interviews show. Experts said the intervention was highly inappropriate.
www.propublica.org
November 28, 2025 at 4:00 AM
Experts say it’s highly unusual for the White House to tell agents to give up custody of potential evidence in an investigation, as it did with the Tates.
“I’ve never heard of anything like that in my 30 years working,” an ex-DHS official said.
“I’ve never heard of anything like that in my 30 years working,” an ex-DHS official said.
Reposted by Amyn Merchant
🔥 The mood in Brexit-world is changing...
November 29, 2025 at 10:19 PM
🔥 The mood in Brexit-world is changing...
Reposted by Amyn Merchant
Can't wait until he's convicted of murder. 💥
November 29, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Can't wait until he's convicted of murder. 💥
Reposted by Amyn Merchant
The country is losing £90 billion a year in tax revenue because of Brexit
Which Sunak campaigned for
He can shut the F up about powering the country's economy
Which Sunak campaigned for
He can shut the F up about powering the country's economy
So much winning...
Brexit is costing the average Briton £2,700 to £3,700 a year
Brexit is costing the Treasury up to £90bn a year in lost tax revenue
Analysis from the House of Commons Library
Brexit is costing the average Briton £2,700 to £3,700 a year
Brexit is costing the Treasury up to £90bn a year in lost tax revenue
Analysis from the House of Commons Library
Brexit costing UK up to £90bn in lost tax revenue , new analysis shows
Exclusive: Britons also up to £3,700 worse off, leading to calls for the Labour government to improve relations with the EU
www.independent.co.uk
November 30, 2025 at 8:35 AM
The country is losing £90 billion a year in tax revenue because of Brexit
Which Sunak campaigned for
He can shut the F up about powering the country's economy
Which Sunak campaigned for
He can shut the F up about powering the country's economy
Reposted by Amyn Merchant
🧵A legal scholar finds the killing by special forces of survivors in the Navy attack on an alleged drug boat to be a war crime and murder.
"the currently governing DOD Manual in Section 5.9 states clearly that persons “placed hors de combat may not be made the object of attack.” ...
"the currently governing DOD Manual in Section 5.9 states clearly that persons “placed hors de combat may not be made the object of attack.” ...
A Dishonorable Strike
Indulging all assumptions in favor of the administration’s boat strikes, killing helpless men is murder
open.substack.com
November 29, 2025 at 4:58 PM
🧵A legal scholar finds the killing by special forces of survivors in the Navy attack on an alleged drug boat to be a war crime and murder.
"the currently governing DOD Manual in Section 5.9 states clearly that persons “placed hors de combat may not be made the object of attack.” ...
"the currently governing DOD Manual in Section 5.9 states clearly that persons “placed hors de combat may not be made the object of attack.” ...
Reposted by Amyn Merchant
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74... - Sign the petition in confidence. Personal details, name, address, etc are kept confidential. So please sign and keep the pressure up on crooked MP's who take Russian money.
Petition: Call a public inquiry into Russian influence on UK politics & democracy
We are concerned about reported efforts from Russia to influence democracy in the US, UK, Europe and elsewhere. We believe we must establish the depth and breadth of possible Russian influence campaig...
petition.parliament.uk
November 28, 2025 at 11:41 AM
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74... - Sign the petition in confidence. Personal details, name, address, etc are kept confidential. So please sign and keep the pressure up on crooked MP's who take Russian money.
Reposted by Amyn Merchant
"A question for history will be whether Putin entertained this approach in the interest of ending the war, or as a ploy to pacify the U.S. while prolonging a conflict he believes is his place in history to slowly, ineluctably win"
November 29, 2025 at 5:38 AM
"A question for history will be whether Putin entertained this approach in the interest of ending the war, or as a ploy to pacify the U.S. while prolonging a conflict he believes is his place in history to slowly, ineluctably win"
Reposted by Amyn Merchant
Reposted by Amyn Merchant
Historical precedent of note...
November 28, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Historical precedent of note...
Reposted by Amyn Merchant
In other shocking news, adjascent apples in same barrel also appear brownish.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
PS I know it shouldn't surprise me, but OF COURSE he lives in France.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
PS I know it shouldn't surprise me, but OF COURSE he lives in France.
Former Brexit Party MEP denies taking payment from pro-Russian campaign
A prominent former MEP for Nigel Farage's old party denies taking bribes in a pro-Russian campaign.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 28, 2025 at 9:46 AM
In other shocking news, adjascent apples in same barrel also appear brownish.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
PS I know it shouldn't surprise me, but OF COURSE he lives in France.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
PS I know it shouldn't surprise me, but OF COURSE he lives in France.
Headline on The World at One just now:
"Sir Keir Starmer has denied putting the Labour Party before the country by ending the two-child benefit cap".
Can we please go back to reporting the actual news, not someone's partisan take on it?
"Sir Keir Starmer has denied putting the Labour Party before the country by ending the two-child benefit cap".
Can we please go back to reporting the actual news, not someone's partisan take on it?
November 28, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Reposted by Amyn Merchant
By all means cover the attack lines and rebuttals in the report that follows. But the actual headline here should be not be shaped by either side's partisan briefings.
November 27, 2025 at 1:11 PM
By all means cover the attack lines and rebuttals in the report that follows. But the actual headline here should be not be shaped by either side's partisan briefings.
Reposted by Amyn Merchant
Headline on The World at One just now:
"Sir Keir Starmer has denied putting the Labour Party before the country by ending the two-child benefit cap".
Can we please go back to reporting the actual news, not someone's partisan take on it?
"Sir Keir Starmer has denied putting the Labour Party before the country by ending the two-child benefit cap".
Can we please go back to reporting the actual news, not someone's partisan take on it?
November 27, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Headline on The World at One just now:
"Sir Keir Starmer has denied putting the Labour Party before the country by ending the two-child benefit cap".
Can we please go back to reporting the actual news, not someone's partisan take on it?
"Sir Keir Starmer has denied putting the Labour Party before the country by ending the two-child benefit cap".
Can we please go back to reporting the actual news, not someone's partisan take on it?