Gavin Compton
@gavincompton.bsky.social
Reposted by Gavin Compton
🧵 @jburnmurdoch.ft.com is spot on about the conditions in his FT piece. Liberal democracy held it together thanks to growth, good demographics, and the promise of a better future. Those days are gone, and that’s the "why" behind the erosion. However...
Democratic politicians have, though, pursued growth in GDP at the expense of other values. One response to @jburnmurdoch.ft.com pessimistic scenario is refocus on those values, combined with egalitarianism, sufficiency and quality of life. Not "it's the economy, stupid" but "it's the the society"
Is liberal democracy in terminal decline?
The old system worked under a set of conditions that are no longer present
www.ft.com
January 23, 2026 at 9:07 AM
🧵 @jburnmurdoch.ft.com is spot on about the conditions in his FT piece. Liberal democracy held it together thanks to growth, good demographics, and the promise of a better future. Those days are gone, and that’s the "why" behind the erosion. However...
Reposted by Gavin Compton
What happened in Minnesota today was not a mistake. It's a deliberate and inevitable outcome of ICE operations - part of the authoritarian script for state violence against citizens.
Regime thugs target minorities
Regime thugs kill protesters
Regime exploits larger protests to escalate repression
Regime thugs target minorities
Regime thugs kill protesters
Regime exploits larger protests to escalate repression
January 24, 2026 at 5:30 PM
What happened in Minnesota today was not a mistake. It's a deliberate and inevitable outcome of ICE operations - part of the authoritarian script for state violence against citizens.
Regime thugs target minorities
Regime thugs kill protesters
Regime exploits larger protests to escalate repression
Regime thugs target minorities
Regime thugs kill protesters
Regime exploits larger protests to escalate repression
Reposted by Gavin Compton
wikipedia turns 25 today! the last unenshittified major website! backbone of online info! triumph of humanity! powered by urge of unpaid randos to correct each other! somehow mostly reliable! "good thing wikipedia works in practice, because it sure doesn't work in theory" - old wiki adage
January 15, 2026 at 1:47 PM
wikipedia turns 25 today! the last unenshittified major website! backbone of online info! triumph of humanity! powered by urge of unpaid randos to correct each other! somehow mostly reliable! "good thing wikipedia works in practice, because it sure doesn't work in theory" - old wiki adage
Reposted by Gavin Compton
All time favourite Dilbert (maybe)
January 13, 2026 at 6:47 PM
All time favourite Dilbert (maybe)
Reposted by Gavin Compton
banning X is a national security issue for every country, plain and simple
its explicit goal is to amplify and empower the largest Nazi-adjacent party in every country in which it operates
it is also the largest deepfake porn generator in the world
this is not a difficult call to make
its explicit goal is to amplify and empower the largest Nazi-adjacent party in every country in which it operates
it is also the largest deepfake porn generator in the world
this is not a difficult call to make
January 8, 2026 at 5:43 PM
banning X is a national security issue for every country, plain and simple
its explicit goal is to amplify and empower the largest Nazi-adjacent party in every country in which it operates
it is also the largest deepfake porn generator in the world
this is not a difficult call to make
its explicit goal is to amplify and empower the largest Nazi-adjacent party in every country in which it operates
it is also the largest deepfake porn generator in the world
this is not a difficult call to make
Reposted by Gavin Compton
I keep going back to this. This is a taunt. They're taunting us. There is no other possible interpretation of what they're doing.
But media simply ignores this deranged behavior, because if they talk about it, one must conclude that DHS is a rogue agency, of villainous paramilitary thugs.
But media simply ignores this deranged behavior, because if they talk about it, one must conclude that DHS is a rogue agency, of villainous paramilitary thugs.
January 8, 2026 at 4:38 PM
I keep going back to this. This is a taunt. They're taunting us. There is no other possible interpretation of what they're doing.
But media simply ignores this deranged behavior, because if they talk about it, one must conclude that DHS is a rogue agency, of villainous paramilitary thugs.
But media simply ignores this deranged behavior, because if they talk about it, one must conclude that DHS is a rogue agency, of villainous paramilitary thugs.
Reposted by Gavin Compton
Every country needs to be following Finland's lead here. Media literary skills are going to be crucially important in the age of AI, where knowing what's real and what's not is going to be increasingly difficult
apnews.com/article/fake...
apnews.com/article/fake...
Finnish children learn media literacy at 3 years old. It's protection against Russian propaganda
Finland has been fighting fake news by teaching media literacy to children as young as 3. The Nordic nation includes this in its national curriculum to help citizens recognize disinformation, especial...
apnews.com
January 7, 2026 at 9:50 AM
Every country needs to be following Finland's lead here. Media literary skills are going to be crucially important in the age of AI, where knowing what's real and what's not is going to be increasingly difficult
apnews.com/article/fake...
apnews.com/article/fake...
Reposted by Gavin Compton
Elon Musk is worse at hiding it but this is the problem with all billionaires: they are a threat to democratic governance. They have an insatiable need to own and control everything. If you want to be free you have to curb their power, and demand political leaders who understand that
Elon Musk is against the European Union being the European Union —he posted this after X (fka Twitter) was fined for violations of the EU’s Digital Services Act.
December 6, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Elon Musk is worse at hiding it but this is the problem with all billionaires: they are a threat to democratic governance. They have an insatiable need to own and control everything. If you want to be free you have to curb their power, and demand political leaders who understand that
Reposted by Gavin Compton
The BBC are accidentally running the subtitles to Mrs Marple over the Mercury Prize, and it’s rather wonderful. A few of lines could plausibly have been written by Jarvis.
October 16, 2025 at 8:58 PM
The BBC are accidentally running the subtitles to Mrs Marple over the Mercury Prize, and it’s rather wonderful. A few of lines could plausibly have been written by Jarvis.
Reposted by Gavin Compton
Reposted by Gavin Compton
Technology can change the world in ways that are unimaginable until they happen.
Switching on an electric light would have been unimaginable for our medieval ancestors. In their childhood, our grandparents would have struggled to imagine a world connected by smartphones and the Internet.
Switching on an electric light would have been unimaginable for our medieval ancestors. In their childhood, our grandparents would have struggled to imagine a world connected by smartphones and the Internet.
September 11, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Technology can change the world in ways that are unimaginable until they happen.
Switching on an electric light would have been unimaginable for our medieval ancestors. In their childhood, our grandparents would have struggled to imagine a world connected by smartphones and the Internet.
Switching on an electric light would have been unimaginable for our medieval ancestors. In their childhood, our grandparents would have struggled to imagine a world connected by smartphones and the Internet.
Reposted by Gavin Compton
As Yvette Cooper pushes forward new laws to make it harder for child refugees to get safe passage to join their parents in the UK, here's a picture of her from 2020 campaigning for the complete opposite.
September 2, 2025 at 12:11 PM
As Yvette Cooper pushes forward new laws to make it harder for child refugees to get safe passage to join their parents in the UK, here's a picture of her from 2020 campaigning for the complete opposite.
Reposted by Gavin Compton
Very possibly the most British road sign in Britain:
August 14, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Very possibly the most British road sign in Britain:
Reposted by Gavin Compton
“Apparently, TV wildlife presenters can live as long as 99 years”
From the new Private Eye, in shops now.
From the new Private Eye, in shops now.
May 15, 2025 at 6:10 AM
“Apparently, TV wildlife presenters can live as long as 99 years”
From the new Private Eye, in shops now.
From the new Private Eye, in shops now.
Reposted by Gavin Compton
DAILY MIRROR: Farage’s Reform party sparks outrage by banning Ukrainian flags in council buildings, drawing accusations of appeasing Moscow amidst a historic VE Day commemoration.
- by Lizzy Buchan
- by Lizzy Buchan
Nigel Farage's Reform accused of 'sucking up to Moscow' in council flag spat
One of Reform's first acts on winning control of 10 local councils was to insist that town halls can't fly Ukrainian flags in solidarity with Kyiv against Russian aggression
www.mirror.co.uk
May 5, 2025 at 1:51 PM
DAILY MIRROR: Farage’s Reform party sparks outrage by banning Ukrainian flags in council buildings, drawing accusations of appeasing Moscow amidst a historic VE Day commemoration.
- by Lizzy Buchan
- by Lizzy Buchan
Reposted by Gavin Compton
To be clear, the centre ground on net zero is that the public are broadly supportive - even if there is some conditionality to that support.
The idea that net zero is a source of significant electoral discomfort for Labour is a zombie political fact.
The idea that net zero is a source of significant electoral discomfort for Labour is a zombie political fact.
May 2, 2025 at 9:58 PM
To be clear, the centre ground on net zero is that the public are broadly supportive - even if there is some conditionality to that support.
The idea that net zero is a source of significant electoral discomfort for Labour is a zombie political fact.
The idea that net zero is a source of significant electoral discomfort for Labour is a zombie political fact.
Reposted by Gavin Compton
On the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, we thought we'd answer a question that's often asked,
"If they raised the Mary Rose, why not raise the Titanic?"
Allow our scaled diagram to explain...
"If they raised the Mary Rose, why not raise the Titanic?"
Allow our scaled diagram to explain...
April 15, 2025 at 8:21 AM
On the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, we thought we'd answer a question that's often asked,
"If they raised the Mary Rose, why not raise the Titanic?"
Allow our scaled diagram to explain...
"If they raised the Mary Rose, why not raise the Titanic?"
Allow our scaled diagram to explain...
Reposted by Gavin Compton
Everyone loves sausage dogs, but are you familiar with the other sausage animals? Here's a handy guide.
If you like this cartoon, I can draw one for you. www.worldofmoose.com/products/sau...
If you like this cartoon, I can draw one for you. www.worldofmoose.com/products/sau...
April 9, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Everyone loves sausage dogs, but are you familiar with the other sausage animals? Here's a handy guide.
If you like this cartoon, I can draw one for you. www.worldofmoose.com/products/sau...
If you like this cartoon, I can draw one for you. www.worldofmoose.com/products/sau...
Reposted by Gavin Compton
Reposted by Gavin Compton
![Cartoon by Stephen Collins for The Guardian. Script as follows:
[scene is Winston Churchill in a bbc studio, giving his 'finest hour' speech]
1
CHURCHILL:
The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us.
2
CHURCHILL:
Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this Island or lose the war.
3
CHURCHILL:
If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free
and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sun-
BBC PRESENTER:
Thank you prime minister
4
BBC PRESENTER:
Mr hitler, your response?
5
HITLER [in the studio]:
Vell zis is hysterical woke nonsense as usual from mr Churchill
6
HITLER:
What we are proposing -
CHURCHILL:
Hang on
7
HITLER:
Let me finish - what we are proposing eez a simple power-sharing arrangement -
8
CHURCHILL:
What's he doing here
BBC PRESENTER:
It's important we hear both sides of the debate
9
CHURCHILL:
This isn't a debate
You don't debate fascists
10
HITLER:
Oh here we go with ze Godwins law!
11
HITLER:
Why must you people always compare ze things you don't like to 'fascists, Nazis, Hitler'...
CHURCHILL:
Because you are a fascist Nazi Hit-
12
HITLER [standing up, saluting]:
RAUSS!
BBC PRESENTER:
*Please* Mr Churchill let him speak
[ends]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4m3we4apbjayclzcnhwe3pfp/bafkreibw4ldc3fhslbvxgy2oqrof2oys5kpgh7zu6a5f3usmx3lf4547qm@jpeg)
Reposted by Gavin Compton
🇵🇱🇪🇺 "The paradox is that 500 million Europeans are asking 300 million Americans for help to protect them from 140 million Russians," — Tusk
❗️"We must rely on ourselves, fully aware of our own potential and believing that we are a world power," he said.
❗️"We must rely on ourselves, fully aware of our own potential and believing that we are a world power," he said.
March 2, 2025 at 2:28 PM
🇵🇱🇪🇺 "The paradox is that 500 million Europeans are asking 300 million Americans for help to protect them from 140 million Russians," — Tusk
❗️"We must rely on ourselves, fully aware of our own potential and believing that we are a world power," he said.
❗️"We must rely on ourselves, fully aware of our own potential and believing that we are a world power," he said.
Reposted by Gavin Compton
No, the meeting did not go badly for Ukraine. It exposed in the most undeniable, unequivocal way possible the pro-Putin commitments of the president and vice president. That was information Americans and allies needed to have clear before them.
February 28, 2025 at 5:57 PM
No, the meeting did not go badly for Ukraine. It exposed in the most undeniable, unequivocal way possible the pro-Putin commitments of the president and vice president. That was information Americans and allies needed to have clear before them.
Reposted by Gavin Compton
Trump cannot be given a state visit to the UK. It should never have been offered. The invitation must now be withdrawn. You might as well hand it to Putin.
February 28, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Trump cannot be given a state visit to the UK. It should never have been offered. The invitation must now be withdrawn. You might as well hand it to Putin.
Reposted by Gavin Compton
Supporters Praise Trump For Upholding Traditional American Value Of Supporting Murderous Dictators For Political Gain
February 28, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Supporters Praise Trump For Upholding Traditional American Value Of Supporting Murderous Dictators For Political Gain