Jonathan
@callimachus05.bsky.social
Classicist and Lawyer. Anti-Brexit. At home in the South West of England. Lover of Italian language and culture.
Sounds lovely! You are so lucky in London. My local cathedral - Clifton Cathedral - only celebrated mass this morning during work hours. I am about to move to Devon and my church will become Buckfast Abbey. Hoping for good things!
December 8, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Sounds lovely! You are so lucky in London. My local cathedral - Clifton Cathedral - only celebrated mass this morning during work hours. I am about to move to Devon and my church will become Buckfast Abbey. Hoping for good things!
I was puzzled by (a) the insistence to “measure the impact” (the impact is clear); (b) the assertion that a customs union automatically means freedom of movement (bring it on, but Turkey … ); and (c) the notion that realignment will be an unwelcome jolt (have we really diverged that much?).
December 8, 2025 at 9:14 PM
I was puzzled by (a) the insistence to “measure the impact” (the impact is clear); (b) the assertion that a customs union automatically means freedom of movement (bring it on, but Turkey … ); and (c) the notion that realignment will be an unwelcome jolt (have we really diverged that much?).
Indeed. A common mistake among non-Catholics! Without I hope coming across as too pious (!) the solemnity really should be a holy day of obligation in England and Wales. Something seems to be missing (my own church did not even celebrate mass today).
December 8, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Indeed. A common mistake among non-Catholics! Without I hope coming across as too pious (!) the solemnity really should be a holy day of obligation in England and Wales. Something seems to be missing (my own church did not even celebrate mass today).
Agreed. I found the article shallow and shockingly disappointing. I have no idea what Labour wants and have no intention of voting for it in any future election.
December 8, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Agreed. I found the article shallow and shockingly disappointing. I have no idea what Labour wants and have no intention of voting for it in any future election.
Getting tired with Starmer’s addiction to rhetoric over action. So what does he actually propose? Tinker with the Trade and Cooperation Agreement? Or invest time/effort in agreeing significant improvements achieving arrangements akin to Switzerland’s framework?
December 2, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Getting tired with Starmer’s addiction to rhetoric over action. So what does he actually propose? Tinker with the Trade and Cooperation Agreement? Or invest time/effort in agreeing significant improvements achieving arrangements akin to Switzerland’s framework?
With you all the way.
December 1, 2025 at 3:09 PM
With you all the way.
I never said I was cherry picking. Happy to go for the full raft of non-negotiables (not that I am the one who is negotiating).
December 1, 2025 at 2:47 PM
I never said I was cherry picking. Happy to go for the full raft of non-negotiables (not that I am the one who is negotiating).
Bring it on! Freedom of movement needs to be back on the table …
December 1, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Bring it on! Freedom of movement needs to be back on the table …
No, not really. Reeves looked as if she was prepared to break a manifesto commitment on income tax only to back away from it without any fiscal advantage.
November 26, 2025 at 7:11 PM
No, not really. Reeves looked as if she was prepared to break a manifesto commitment on income tax only to back away from it without any fiscal advantage.
She’s right though: the handling of comms in the run-up to today has been pretty shoddy.
November 26, 2025 at 6:36 PM
She’s right though: the handling of comms in the run-up to today has been pretty shoddy.
Sure, but Brexit has from now on to be a substantial part of the conversation at least. £90 billion per year is a lot of public money!
November 26, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Sure, but Brexit has from now on to be a substantial part of the conversation at least. £90 billion per year is a lot of public money!
When will the truth be told? Brexit has stripped growth and investment out of our economy. Labour may not care about that. That’s fine. My vote goes elsewhere.
November 26, 2025 at 5:21 PM
When will the truth be told? Brexit has stripped growth and investment out of our economy. Labour may not care about that. That’s fine. My vote goes elsewhere.
Oh yes, indeed! I remember you became a solicitor! Congratulations on your Homer publication! I will have a look at your UCL profile! I hope you are very well, Simon!
November 25, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Oh yes, indeed! I remember you became a solicitor! Congratulations on your Homer publication! I will have a look at your UCL profile! I hope you are very well, Simon!
I basically owe my D.Phil to Jasper! He got me through it and out the other side!
November 24, 2025 at 8:16 PM
I basically owe my D.Phil to Jasper! He got me through it and out the other side!
Simon, are you still writing about Greek Prayer (our paths crossed at Oxford; I was doing a D.Phil on Greek tragedy with Jasper very much in charge!)?
November 24, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Simon, are you still writing about Greek Prayer (our paths crossed at Oxford; I was doing a D.Phil on Greek tragedy with Jasper very much in charge!)?
Very early for a Christmas tree indeed! Amazed that Archbishop Nichols allowed this! Not even Advent! Still lovely tree! Just listening to a livestream of the choir singing Langlais at the 12:00 Christ the King mass.
November 24, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Very early for a Christmas tree indeed! Amazed that Archbishop Nichols allowed this! Not even Advent! Still lovely tree! Just listening to a livestream of the choir singing Langlais at the 12:00 Christ the King mass.
Jasper was my D.Phil supervisor. He was beyond brilliant dropping everything to read and comment on my final draft. I owe him so much. A stunning scholar. I wish I had kept in touch after leaving Oxford.
November 24, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Jasper was my D.Phil supervisor. He was beyond brilliant dropping everything to read and comment on my final draft. I owe him so much. A stunning scholar. I wish I had kept in touch after leaving Oxford.
It will certainly be an interesting election. However, I think I will not be alone in wanting to look elsewhere (away from Labour and the Tories) and to reform the electoral system. Starmer has ruled out PR. Another reason to look elsewhere.
November 21, 2025 at 7:41 PM
It will certainly be an interesting election. However, I think I will not be alone in wanting to look elsewhere (away from Labour and the Tories) and to reform the electoral system. Starmer has ruled out PR. Another reason to look elsewhere.
Voting for me can never be about choosing the least worst option. I pay my taxes as you do: we deserve the best!
November 21, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Voting for me can never be about choosing the least worst option. I pay my taxes as you do: we deserve the best!
The Tories won’t win in 2029. It will be Reform or a coalition of LD and the Greens.
November 21, 2025 at 7:34 PM
The Tories won’t win in 2029. It will be Reform or a coalition of LD and the Greens.
I would applaud an end to 2 party politics I this country and a shift to PR.
November 21, 2025 at 7:33 PM
I would applaud an end to 2 party politics I this country and a shift to PR.