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bobrien.bsky.social
B O'Brien
@bobrien.bsky.social
90 followers 51 following 3.9K posts
Pro-Labour, anti-anti-politics. Enjoy rational debate, despise populism of Left or Right, supporter of parliamentary democracy. "That which can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence." (Christopher Hitchens).
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Reposted by B O'Brien
rentouljohn.bsky.social
I have read Zack Polanski's interview with Laura K. Good grief docs.google.com/document/d/1...
November 23, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Reposted by B O'Brien
edjwilson.bsky.social
Zack Polanski is as politically naive as the fools at Your Party. In a world shared with Putin & Trump they all want to leave Nato; a move so dangerous & stupid it rivals Brexit for putting a smile on Putin's face. Voting Green, Your Party or Reform could be lethal.
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
Zack Polanski: ‘People will have to find some other way to hurt me’ | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 23, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Reposted by B O'Brien
hughster.bsky.social
I'm sorry but those on here doing "what Polanski actually said on NATO was…" are doing exactly what Corbynites were doing and it's getting pretty tedious. Just accept that on this he is deeply unserious and he will need to do something about it if he wants to get anywhere
Sultana recently described Nato as an “imperialist war machine” and demanded that the UK should immediately withdraw from the transatlantic alliance. Polanski agrees. “We should be more willing to stand on our own two feet and build relationships with our neighbours, rather than outsourcing our national security to the United States,” he says. “We need to create an alternative alliance based on peace and diplomacy.” Polanski was also asked about his position on Nato, after previously suggesting the UK should leave the military alliance. He told the BBC he did not support withdrawing from Nato "immediately" as "the world is in political turmoil, and we need to make sure our country is defended". However, he added: "Once we've created an alternative alliance with our European neighbours, we should absolutely be looking at a different way that is focused on peace and diplomacy, rather than on nuclear weapons." 3 Oct 2025 17.00 BST Polanski argues for peace through diplomacy, saying he does not agree 'strength comes from might' In his Radio 5 Live interview Zack Polanski was asked how the Greens would defend the UK given his support for leaving Nato. He said he was not arguing for leaving Nato “right now”. His argument was that under Donald Trump the US was not a reliable partner, and so it was time for UK to work with its European neighbours on security. Matt Chorley put it to him that, without relying on the US, and without having a nuclear deterrent, Britain would not be able to stop Russia invading European countries. Polanski replied: That’s why we have to start from first principles. And I think the first principle is looking how do we build peace and diplomacy in the world. I just disagree with Keir Starmer that strength comes from might. That’s actually how you have an arms race. And we’ve been dangerously close in this country and in the world before to literally complete annihilation and utter destruction. So I think the first place to start, from first principles is, how do we de-escalate? How do we neutralise existing threats and threats that are growing quicker? And I think we do that through dialogue. Polanski cited the ANC in South Africa, the civil rights movement in the US, and the peace process in Northern Ireland as examples of how “sworn enemies” could make peace. Zack Polanski has said he would try to persuade Vladimir Putin to give up Russia’s nuclear weapons if he becomes prime minister. The Green Party leader said “it would be sociopathic behaviour to say you wouldn’t negotiate with a president or a prime minister” to bring about world peace. He told Sky News: “I want to see everyone denuclearise, including Vladimir Putin.” Presenter Trevor Phillips told him: “That would be in the realms of the miracle.” But Polanski told him: “You’re laughing at it but I think it’s important that we don’t laugh at peace.” Phillips replied: “No, I’m laughing at the idea that Vladimir Putin is going to give up his nuclear weapons because someoby asks him to.” The Green leader said: “Well you could have laughed at the point of Nelson Mandela negotiating with the ANC or we could have laughed at the Irish during the Troubles. “I think it’s always impossible until it’s done and I think it’s really important. I don’t think it’s likely, I think that’s a different question, but I think the first question has to be ‘do you think we can work for peace and diplomacy in the world’.
November 23, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Reposted by B O'Brien
warrenoates1.bsky.social
Thank you Labour!

For the first time in 30 years, rail fares are to be frozen and will NOT be increased in January.

It will save some people hundreds of pounds a year compared to if prices had risen as usual.

I know some people want fares to go down, but Ice said before having them...

1/2
First rail freeze in 30 years to ease the cost of living
Rail fares frozen for the first time in 30 years in historic intervention to deliver real savings for millions of commuters.
www.gov.uk
November 23, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Reposted by B O'Brien
chadbourn.bsky.social
UK PM Keir Starmer has demanded an investigation into Reform’s Russia links after the party's ex-Wales leader was jailed, Sky News reports.
November 21, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Reposted by B O'Brien
redpeter99.bsky.social
It's more subtle but the way the press and TV indulge and excuse Boris Johnson's conduct is very similar to what happens to Donald Trump in the US.
Johnson was directly responsible for the needless deaths of 23000 people. He's not a loveable tousle haired scamp.
November 21, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Reposted by B O'Brien
viviane49.bsky.social
I can’t see an MP that is called ‘very left of centre’ and see a potential PM. Not one of them has the gravitas of Starmer. They just have more socialist ideas. But in my view that doesn’t make them
Leaders. Listen guys Starmer is your best bet. Get behind him FFS
November 19, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Reposted by B O'Brien
bphillipsonmp.bsky.social
🚨 NEW: Half a million more children to get access to Labour’s free breakfast clubs next year.

We’ll target support to the areas that need it most, boosting parents’ work choices and children’s life chances.

National renewal in action.

www.lbc.co.uk/article/brea...
500 more school breakfast clubs could save families up to £450, Government claims | LBC
Sir Keir Starmer said the breakfast clubs are prioritising communities
www.lbc.co.uk
November 20, 2025 at 7:57 AM
Reposted by B O'Brien
hibou2.bsky.social
Government debt as share of GDP.

🇮🇹 Italy: 136%
🇫🇷 France: 116%
🇬🇧 United Kingdom: 103%
🇧🇪 Belgium: 107%
🇪🇸 Spain: 100%
🇩🇪 Germany: 64%
🇵🇱 Poland: 60%
🇳🇱 Netherlands: 44%
🇨🇭 Switzerland: 36%
🇹🇷 Turkey: 24%
🇷🇺 Russia: 23%
November 16, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Reposted by B O'Brien
trabimechanic.bsky.social
When you say "I don't want to be out on strike today", yes you do. You ... have had a 28.9% pay rise, the highest in the public sector, two years in a row ... The leadership of your union are not honest enough that some of this change takes time. Wes Streeting rightly to the BMA resident doctors.
November 15, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Reposted by B O'Brien
viviane49.bsky.social
Oddly enough despite the ‘toxicity’ alleged in Downing Street, Labour continue to deliver time and again every single day. These 11 are all announcements from this week.

Impressive no?
1. 5m extra NHS appointments delivered 2. Military driving examiners mobilised to cut test backlog 3. King Charles III coast path now runs through Hampshire 4. Billions to be redirected back into patient care with NHS reform 5. New law to tackle AI child abuse images at source as reports double 6. Tough new laws to strengthen the UK's defences against cyber attacks on NHS, transport and energy 7. Education Secretary sets roadmap to improve attendance levels 8. Tough new powers to clean up local politics  and mayorships 9. Office for the Impact Economy to partner with philanthropists, social investors and businesses 10. Animal testing to be phased out faster UK unveils plan for alternative methods 11. Veterans support centres to be rolled out across the country 12. Independent investigation launched to tackle rising youth inactivity 13.
November 12, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Reposted by B O'Brien
dailyherald.bsky.social
Rules for MPs are that you cannot claim for daily travel. Does a nurse get to claim daily mileage? No. Does a road worker? No. Does a teacher? No.

Why does the Mayor? Especially with an £86k salary.

Pay back your travel expenses, Andrea! It’s the right thing to do.
November 12, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Reposted by B O'Brien
warrenoates1.bsky.social
One of the good things about watching some of the wider debates in the Commons is seeing some of the junior ministers at the Despatch box.

Here is part off the closing speech @dantomlinson.bsky.social gave for the government on the opposition day debate on taxes.

1/2
November 12, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Reposted by B O'Brien
peterjukes.bsky.social
I've always felt that Johnson and Farage put self-interest over the national interest - hence their dallying with Putin and his oligarchs. But directly colluding with a foreign government to take down the BBC feels like an act of supreme treachery
November 10, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Reposted by B O'Brien
lewisgoodall.com
The reaction to the Panorama edit has been nothing short of hysterical. Yes the BBC has some impartiality problems. But its biggest isn't the one you think.

New piece from me.

open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
The truth about impartiality at the BBC
And the hysteria of the current "crisis"
open.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Reposted by B O'Brien
viviane49.bsky.social
The Greens are not the antidote to Reform. Sadly Polanski is a left leaning version of Farage. Both are populists, both have great answers but neither is capable of the hard work needed to develop workable solutions to benefit Britain.

Look under the hood.
November 11, 2025 at 6:51 AM
Reposted by B O'Brien
brendanmay.bsky.social
Good luck with that.

God the hard left is tiring.
😂😂😂😂😂
November 9, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Reposted by B O'Brien
sturdyalex.bsky.social
Another very pertinent fact that I have not seen mentioned ANYWHERE: In 14 years of Tory rule we had 14 Prisons Ministers - six in a single year, at one point - and a total of 11 Justice Secretaries, including Grayling, Raab, and Truss. In 13 years of Labour it was three: Irvine, Falconer, Straw. 🤔
November 9, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Reposted by B O'Brien
csav55.bsky.social
The polls aren't good for Labour but in the polls that matter, Reform haven't been winning. In the last 20 or so LE by-elections the Lib Dems have done better than them by a country mile and in the big one, Caerphilly they lost bigly. Yet the media continues to use the polls to set the agenda, why.
November 8, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Reposted by B O'Brien
viviane49.bsky.social
Sunak’s government raised the rate of National Insurance contributions by 1.25 percentage points in 2022 (and introduced a new Health & Social Care Levy) despite the Conservatives’ 2019 manifesto promising “no increase in the rates of income tax, VAT or National Insurance”
November 4, 2025 at 9:56 AM
Reposted by B O'Brien
viviane49.bsky.social
Some of the many, many things Labour have achieved for our children. Lots more but here’s few. #LabourAchievements
Info
November 4, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Reposted by B O'Brien
mrmirth.bsky.social
Thugs who call themselves 'patriots', are tho opposite. They're the nearest the UK has to Hitler's fascist thugs who beat people up, if they dared to oppose what they want. This pensioner was a victim of the criminal fascists that are now emboldened in the UK by right-wing politicians & their media.
November 4, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Reposted by B O'Brien
warrenoates1.bsky.social
So this is Labour's response to Farage's speech this morning - but put out this afternoon across all the channels they are active on.

Very good Labour, very good!
November 3, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Reposted by B O'Brien
viviane49.bsky.social
A perfect 10 of #LabourAchievements. Busy #FixingBritain In just the last four days announcements covering veterans, military homes, people in work up and big savings on electricity costs for business. 👏👏👏#FixingBritain every week by hard work and good government
1. New Defence Housing Strategy, with £9bn to improve 40,000 military homes 2. More than 1/3 of manufacturing firms will accelerate investment projects as a result of the government’s modern Industrial Strategy. 3. ONS figures from Labour force survey show 475,000 more people in jobs compared to a year ago 4. Almost 60,000 knives removed from streets since July 2024 5. Veterans and families get safe homes as £4.5m awarded to housing providers 6. New Town of Culture competition to shine a spotlight on the contribution of towns that tell national story 7. British Businesses to Save over £400m a Year on Electricity Costs 8. £17.3 million from UK Government funding to boost Aberdeen’s Energy Transition Zone 9. Labour saved over £1bn by processing asylum seekers more rapidly 10. Labour has told hotel owners they must repay £46million in excess profits. 11. A £4bn data centre investment in the UK by Equinix
November 2, 2025 at 7:58 AM
Reposted by B O'Brien
warrenoates1.bsky.social
Digital ID

It will make your life easier. And it will be free.

Here is Josh Simons, Cabinet Office Parliamentary Secretary explaining just a few of potential uses.

I personally cannot wait for it. Most people will wonder what the fuss is all about when we get it.

www.instagram.com/p/DQb9v_igdEa/
November 1, 2025 at 5:19 PM