irs_uk
@irsuk.bsky.social
Teacher. Music fan (CD, vinyl). Politics (left leaning/re-joiner/anti-Tory, anti-Farage, anti-Trump). Taking a second chance to make a first impression.
Reposted by irs_uk
Reposted by irs_uk
A lot of people -- very understandably -- shrug off the second (and only other full) Stone Roses album. I barely touch it myself. But "Begging You," lemme tell ya, if you haven't heard that one, you'll suddenly wish the entire album was like that.
November 20, 2025 at 8:09 PM
A lot of people -- very understandably -- shrug off the second (and only other full) Stone Roses album. I barely touch it myself. But "Begging You," lemme tell ya, if you haven't heard that one, you'll suddenly wish the entire album was like that.
Reposted by irs_uk
add this to the list of reasons why Trump's defamation claim would not stand a chance
November 20, 2025 at 5:26 PM
add this to the list of reasons why Trump's defamation claim would not stand a chance
Reposted by irs_uk
can't believe the BBC edited Donald Trump's posts to make it seem like he threatened violence against members of Congress
November 20, 2025 at 5:24 PM
can't believe the BBC edited Donald Trump's posts to make it seem like he threatened violence against members of Congress
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A former UK prime minister held responsible for tens of thousands of deaths while the US president calls for elected politicians to be hanged.
A jolt of a reminder that law and policy are ultimately about life and death.
And politicians are often not up to dealing with such things.
A jolt of a reminder that law and policy are ultimately about life and death.
And politicians are often not up to dealing with such things.
November 20, 2025 at 5:45 PM
A former UK prime minister held responsible for tens of thousands of deaths while the US president calls for elected politicians to be hanged.
A jolt of a reminder that law and policy are ultimately about life and death.
And politicians are often not up to dealing with such things.
A jolt of a reminder that law and policy are ultimately about life and death.
And politicians are often not up to dealing with such things.
Reposted by irs_uk
A very personal story of Covid tragedy and Dominic Cummings, which I wrote early in the pandemic in 2020.
bylinetimes.com/2020/05/27/c...
bylinetimes.com/2020/05/27/c...
Cummings' Contempt for Us All has Revealed the Real Man Behind the Myths
Otto English shares a personal story of tragedy during the lockdown which was unfolding at the same time as Dominic Cummings was conducting his Barnard Castle eye test. My family loves Easter Sunday. ...
bylinetimes.com
November 20, 2025 at 7:43 PM
A very personal story of Covid tragedy and Dominic Cummings, which I wrote early in the pandemic in 2020.
bylinetimes.com/2020/05/27/c...
bylinetimes.com/2020/05/27/c...
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Just reupping this #Mani
Honestly, if you have The Stone Roses “Second Coming” album to more-or-less any band on earth, it would be that bands Magnus Opus.
It’s never clear why most people simply wanted another 1 hour and 12 minutes of Fools Gold…
It’s never clear why most people simply wanted another 1 hour and 12 minutes of Fools Gold…
November 20, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Just reupping this #Mani
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Not everyone is unhappy about the Government's descent into anti-refugee politics
November 16, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Not everyone is unhappy about the Government's descent into anti-refugee politics
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They're openly telling us in advance what's going to happen
November 16, 2025 at 10:46 AM
They're openly telling us in advance what's going to happen
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NEW: Jeffrey Epstein said in emails that he had been advising the Russian government on how to deal with Donald Trump, one of several cases in which he wielded his connections to try to influence the course of foreign affairs. w @nahaltoosi
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
November 12, 2025 at 8:43 PM
NEW: Jeffrey Epstein said in emails that he had been advising the Russian government on how to deal with Donald Trump, one of several cases in which he wielded his connections to try to influence the course of foreign affairs. w @nahaltoosi
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
Reposted by irs_uk
Presumably this means they asked him for evidence that he'd been hacked and he couldn't provide any because he hadn't been hacked
NEW: Presenter Mike Graham has been dismissed from Rupert Murdoch’s digital channel TalkTV.
Company says he failed to cooperate with an investigation into a racist post that appeared on one of his social media accounts.
He said he has been hacked:
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
Company says he failed to cooperate with an investigation into a racist post that appeared on one of his social media accounts.
He said he has been hacked:
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
Mike Graham sacked from TalkTV after ‘failure’ to assist inquiry into racist post
Broadcaster suspended presenter last month over Facebook post he said happened after account was hacked
www.theguardian.com
November 12, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Presumably this means they asked him for evidence that he'd been hacked and he couldn't provide any because he hadn't been hacked
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NEW
The letter the BBC could send back to Trump
A proposal for a reply to his $1bn claim
By me. Enjoy.
emptycity.substack.com/p/the-letter...
The letter the BBC could send back to Trump
A proposal for a reply to his $1bn claim
By me. Enjoy.
emptycity.substack.com/p/the-letter...
The letter the BBC could send back to Trump
A proposal for a reply to his $1bn claim
emptycity.substack.com
November 12, 2025 at 12:00 PM
NEW
The letter the BBC could send back to Trump
A proposal for a reply to his $1bn claim
By me. Enjoy.
emptycity.substack.com/p/the-letter...
The letter the BBC could send back to Trump
A proposal for a reply to his $1bn claim
By me. Enjoy.
emptycity.substack.com/p/the-letter...
Reposted by irs_uk
In 1996 I did a little in internship at BBC Westminster. At the time, Robbie Gibb was one of the producers there. Even in that period, he was self evidently a pro-Tory apparatchik, who made no attempt to hide his agenda from his colleagues or even from the little work experience kid.
November 11, 2025 at 9:37 AM
In 1996 I did a little in internship at BBC Westminster. At the time, Robbie Gibb was one of the producers there. Even in that period, he was self evidently a pro-Tory apparatchik, who made no attempt to hide his agenda from his colleagues or even from the little work experience kid.
Reposted by irs_uk
Brilliant piece as usual, and my respect probably increased tenfold by this exchange. Good work. 👏👏
November 10, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Brilliant piece as usual, and my respect probably increased tenfold by this exchange. Good work. 👏👏
Reposted by irs_uk
Pundit critics: “We need to disrupt orthodoxies!”
BBC (just occasionally) runs some daring coverage
Same critics: “no, not my orthodoxies!”
BBC (just occasionally) runs some daring coverage
Same critics: “no, not my orthodoxies!”
November 10, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Pundit critics: “We need to disrupt orthodoxies!”
BBC (just occasionally) runs some daring coverage
Same critics: “no, not my orthodoxies!”
BBC (just occasionally) runs some daring coverage
Same critics: “no, not my orthodoxies!”
Reposted by irs_uk
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...
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
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...
New piece from me.
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
Reposted by irs_uk
If you haven't read @markurban.bsky.social's insider takes on the BBC 'crisis' (scare quotes since there is one every five years or so- see the experience of almost every previous DG), they are very worth it and an interesting contrast with @lewisgoodall.com
markurban.substack.com/p/the-bbc-is...
markurban.substack.com/p/the-bbc-is...
The BBC is Deep in Crisis
Some inside scoop on what's happened and why
markurban.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 10:02 PM
If you haven't read @markurban.bsky.social's insider takes on the BBC 'crisis' (scare quotes since there is one every five years or so- see the experience of almost every previous DG), they are very worth it and an interesting contrast with @lewisgoodall.com
markurban.substack.com/p/the-bbc-is...
markurban.substack.com/p/the-bbc-is...
Reposted by irs_uk
New Politics on the Couch - the world’s most erratically scheduled politics podcast - this time on immigration, storytelling and changing even the most hostile minds (maybe). shows.acast.com/6462652801a2...
Changing minds about immigration | Politics on the Couch
How to talk about immigration with ‘authoritarian’ voters: Rafael Behr in conversation with Dr Tessa Buchanan from the Cambridge Political Psychology Lab
shows.acast.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:48 PM
New Politics on the Couch - the world’s most erratically scheduled politics podcast - this time on immigration, storytelling and changing even the most hostile minds (maybe). shows.acast.com/6462652801a2...
Reposted by irs_uk
The Culture Secretary who wasn’t there: my SKETCH of Today in Saving the BBC.
thecritic.co.uk/the-...
November 11, 2025 at 9:11 PM
The Culture Secretary who wasn’t there: my SKETCH of Today in Saving the BBC.
thecritic.co.uk/the-...
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“Of Nigel Farage there was no sign at all, except in a question about him appearing on BBC Question Time more often than he’s appeared in his own constituency”
I watched Lisa Nandy defend the BBC in Parliament so you didn’t have to
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
I watched Lisa Nandy defend the BBC in Parliament so you didn’t have to
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
Lisa Nandy's BBC balancing act
The culture secretary attempted to take the heat out of the debate
www.newstatesman.com
November 11, 2025 at 9:11 PM
“Of Nigel Farage there was no sign at all, except in a question about him appearing on BBC Question Time more often than he’s appeared in his own constituency”
I watched Lisa Nandy defend the BBC in Parliament so you didn’t have to
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
I watched Lisa Nandy defend the BBC in Parliament so you didn’t have to
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
Reposted by irs_uk
A majority of the days the government has ever been shut down, Donald Trump was president. www.howtoreadthisch.art/red-versus-b...
November 8, 2025 at 7:04 PM
A majority of the days the government has ever been shut down, Donald Trump was president. www.howtoreadthisch.art/red-versus-b...
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And I want to see more malteasers in a tin of celebrations, Zack. Just because you want something to happen doesn't mean it, will.
Zack Polanski: "I want to see everyone denuclearise, including Vladimir Putin."
November 9, 2025 at 10:09 AM
And I want to see more malteasers in a tin of celebrations, Zack. Just because you want something to happen doesn't mean it, will.
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Polanski is an unserious politician leading an unserious party. He is peddling simple solutions to complex problems in a way that would make the most deranged Brexiteer blush.
Zack Polanski: "I want to see everyone denuclearise, including Vladimir Putin."
November 9, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Polanski is an unserious politician leading an unserious party. He is peddling simple solutions to complex problems in a way that would make the most deranged Brexiteer blush.
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Polanski is almost a parody of a sixth-form radical who hasn’t grown up.
Zack Polanski: "I want to see everyone denuclearise, including Vladimir Putin."
November 9, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Polanski is almost a parody of a sixth-form radical who hasn’t grown up.
Reposted by irs_uk
Note from my notebook (2018). Still relevant.
November 9, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Note from my notebook (2018). Still relevant.