Max Freedman
@maxiefreedman.bsky.social
Kingstonian, Labour, Trade Unionist, Sport(s) fan and various musings...
Was Chair of the Unite Parliamentary Staff Branch for 15 years.
Was Chair of the Unite Parliamentary Staff Branch for 15 years.
The Conservative Party is Re-forming in teal.
Former home secretary Suella Braverman defects to Reform UK
Former home secretary Suella Braverman defects to Reform UK
Braverman becomes third sitting Conservative MP to join Nigel Farage’s party in little more than a week
www.theguardian.com
January 26, 2026 at 5:34 PM
The Conservative Party is Re-forming in teal.
Evergreen image - Rosindell “urged to think again”
January 18, 2026 at 8:35 PM
Evergreen image - Rosindell “urged to think again”
Reposted by Max Freedman
I call on my party and my government to remove themselves entirely from X and communicate with the public where they actually participate online and can be protected from such illegality.
January 8, 2026 at 12:31 PM
I call on my party and my government to remove themselves entirely from X and communicate with the public where they actually participate online and can be protected from such illegality.
Reposted by Max Freedman
There is, to my mind, no justification for the continued use by the UK Government of X as a platform for official comms. There hasn't been for some time, in fact, but if the latest developments around AI-generated image abuse and CSAM don't change the policy I really don't know what will.
NEW: People are using Elon Musk's chatbot, Grok, to alter images to depict real women being sexually abused, humiliated, hurt, and even killed.
futurism.com/future-socie...
futurism.com/future-socie...
Grok Is Being Used to Depict Horrific Violence Against Real Women
People are asking Elon Musk's Grok chatbot to alter images to depict women being sexually abused, humiliated, and even killed.
futurism.com
January 2, 2026 at 9:18 PM
There is, to my mind, no justification for the continued use by the UK Government of X as a platform for official comms. There hasn't been for some time, in fact, but if the latest developments around AI-generated image abuse and CSAM don't change the policy I really don't know what will.
Dirty Harry (2/10) Movie CLIP - Do You Feel Lucky, Punk? (1971) HD
YouTube video by Movieclips
youtu.be
November 5, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Clearly a step in the wrong direction. We need more transparency about our legislators (definitely including those with lifetime appointments) and others with access to parliament, not less.
Peers had registered more than 3,700 non-financial interests - such as directorships or being a trustee - before a rule change allowed them to wipe them from the public record
Exclusive by @ktriley.bsky.social and myself for @theobserveruk.bsky.social
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
Exclusive by @ktriley.bsky.social and myself for @theobserveruk.bsky.social
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
Behind closed doors: Lords decide their interests need le...
Peers had registered 3,738 non-financial interests before a rule change allowed them to wipe them from the public domain, analysis by The Observer has es...
observer.co.uk
August 17, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Clearly a step in the wrong direction. We need more transparency about our legislators (definitely including those with lifetime appointments) and others with access to parliament, not less.
As always the lesson is that a culture of bullying persists in Parliament, committed by politicians you like as well as ones you don’t. Allegations shouldn’t be thrown around for political advantage because they easily rebound.
I hope the ICGS does its job and the facts help change the culture.
I hope the ICGS does its job and the facts help change the culture.
Reform is investigating its MP Rupert Lowe, after complaints of "serious bullying" of female members of staff and allegations of "threats of physical violence" against the party chairman
Lowe has said the allegations are "untrue and false"
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Lowe has said the allegations are "untrue and false"
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Reform Investigating MP For Alleged 'Serious Bullying' Against Female Staff
Reform UK is investigating the conduct of its MP Rupert Lowe, after complaints of 'serious bullying' were submitted by two female members of staff ...
www.politicshome.com
March 7, 2025 at 6:38 PM
As always the lesson is that a culture of bullying persists in Parliament, committed by politicians you like as well as ones you don’t. Allegations shouldn’t be thrown around for political advantage because they easily rebound.
I hope the ICGS does its job and the facts help change the culture.
I hope the ICGS does its job and the facts help change the culture.
Reposted by Max Freedman
Concerning if this leads to more people drinking in their offices instead- less oversight and fewer people keeping an eye on bad behaviour
Strangers’ bar in parliament to close after alleged spiking incident
Strangers’ bar in parliament to close after alleged spiking incident
House of Commons spokesperson says bar will close while security and safety are reviewed
Parliament’s Strangers’ bar will close from Monday while security and safety arrangements are reviewed after an alleged spiking incident, a House of Commons…
www.theguardian.com
January 17, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Concerning if this leads to more people drinking in their offices instead- less oversight and fewer people keeping an eye on bad behaviour
Reposted by Max Freedman
First Democratic Party president to die since 1973.
December 29, 2024 at 9:08 PM
First Democratic Party president to die since 1973.
RIP Jimmy Carter
December 29, 2024 at 9:22 PM
RIP Jimmy Carter
Reposted by Max Freedman
Hey, that headline looks good for a modern, popularist royal *reads article* oh he's being forced to by legislation and has actually been fighting this all the way
December 22, 2024 at 7:44 AM
Hey, that headline looks good for a modern, popularist royal *reads article* oh he's being forced to by legislation and has actually been fighting this all the way
Reposted by Max Freedman
New polling for @38degrees.bsky.social highlights how unpopular foreign interference is from billionaires like Musk. The government is on strong ground to take action to protect our democracy. This is a fight they should take on.
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
December 22, 2024 at 4:40 PM
New polling for @38degrees.bsky.social highlights how unpopular foreign interference is from billionaires like Musk. The government is on strong ground to take action to protect our democracy. This is a fight they should take on.
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
I don’t recall Alberto Costa discussing this with parliamentary staff trade unions before speaking out on it.
The fact that bullying has led to MPs losing their seats is a great strength of the ICGS system, not one to be watered down.
The fact that bullying has led to MPs losing their seats is a great strength of the ICGS system, not one to be watered down.
December 19, 2024 at 2:21 PM
I don’t recall Alberto Costa discussing this with parliamentary staff trade unions before speaking out on it.
The fact that bullying has led to MPs losing their seats is a great strength of the ICGS system, not one to be watered down.
The fact that bullying has led to MPs losing their seats is a great strength of the ICGS system, not one to be watered down.
Probably not shocking that I loved this book as a child!
In elementary school, my teacher told my mother I was “unteachable.” I was behind in every subject, including reading. Then I found this one book in the school library and connected with it, reading it hundreds of times. I made a career in reading, writing, and editing.That’s what a book can do.
December 17, 2024 at 8:42 PM
Probably not shocking that I loved this book as a child!
Reposted by Max Freedman
I increasingly think that tech companies, specifically, should be subject to a punitive carbon tax. If you want to build inaccurate plagiarism machines, fine, but you should be strongly discouraged from warming the planet as a result. No one *needs* this extra fossil fuel use
December 12, 2024 at 7:08 AM
I increasingly think that tech companies, specifically, should be subject to a punitive carbon tax. If you want to build inaccurate plagiarism machines, fine, but you should be strongly discouraged from warming the planet as a result. No one *needs* this extra fossil fuel use
Reposted by Max Freedman
This chart, from the latest Compass report, purports to show that there is an almost neverending progressive majority in the UK... by treating the Lib Dems as progressives during the time when they were part of a coalition with the Conservatives which implemented austerity.
December 10, 2024 at 1:30 PM
This chart, from the latest Compass report, purports to show that there is an almost neverending progressive majority in the UK... by treating the Lib Dems as progressives during the time when they were part of a coalition with the Conservatives which implemented austerity.
For the first time on this platform I’m going to marvel that every MP’s office is daily sent the propaganda of a major world power. No letters page, just boosterism and undermining rivals!
December 9, 2024 at 11:31 AM
For the first time on this platform I’m going to marvel that every MP’s office is daily sent the propaganda of a major world power. No letters page, just boosterism and undermining rivals!
A shame Sarah Olney’s 10 minute rule bill passed first reading.
But next month’s debate will be able to point out First Past The Post has given British voters maximum power to hold politicians to account (100s of incumbents defeated this year) and a stable government unlike most of Europe under PR.
But next month’s debate will be able to point out First Past The Post has given British voters maximum power to hold politicians to account (100s of incumbents defeated this year) and a stable government unlike most of Europe under PR.
December 3, 2024 at 3:24 PM
A shame Sarah Olney’s 10 minute rule bill passed first reading.
But next month’s debate will be able to point out First Past The Post has given British voters maximum power to hold politicians to account (100s of incumbents defeated this year) and a stable government unlike most of Europe under PR.
But next month’s debate will be able to point out First Past The Post has given British voters maximum power to hold politicians to account (100s of incumbents defeated this year) and a stable government unlike most of Europe under PR.
Reposted by Max Freedman
Sign a proper petition this evening, not one of those comedy Musk ones...
Ban Driven Grouse Shooting!
It destroys ecosystems, is ridden with criminality, causes flooding, concentrates land with a tiny minority of bloodthirsty maniacs, and after all that, is a shit excuse for a sport anyway.
👇
Ban Driven Grouse Shooting!
It destroys ecosystems, is ridden with criminality, causes flooding, concentrates land with a tiny minority of bloodthirsty maniacs, and after all that, is a shit excuse for a sport anyway.
👇
21,000 and counting. Thank you bluesky people for your support! petition.parliament.uk/petitions/70...
UK citizens (all over the world) and UK residents can sign - please see if you want to.
The new Labour government needs to hear from you, please.
Petition: Ban driven grouse shooting
Chris Packham, Ruth Tingay and Mark Avery (Wild Justice) believe that driven grouse shooting is bad for people, the environment and wildlife. People; we think grouse shooting is economically insignifi...
petition.parliament.uk
December 2, 2024 at 7:24 PM
Sign a proper petition this evening, not one of those comedy Musk ones...
Ban Driven Grouse Shooting!
It destroys ecosystems, is ridden with criminality, causes flooding, concentrates land with a tiny minority of bloodthirsty maniacs, and after all that, is a shit excuse for a sport anyway.
👇
Ban Driven Grouse Shooting!
It destroys ecosystems, is ridden with criminality, causes flooding, concentrates land with a tiny minority of bloodthirsty maniacs, and after all that, is a shit excuse for a sport anyway.
👇
Few safe seats under First Past The Post
Under-appreciated election fact...
Number of MPs with majority greater than 10,000:
Labour: 115
Lib Dem: 25
Conservative: 5
Green: 2
Plaid: 2
Number of MPs with majority greater than 10,000:
Labour: 115
Lib Dem: 25
Conservative: 5
Green: 2
Plaid: 2
November 26, 2024 at 7:45 PM
Few safe seats under First Past The Post
Further listening to staff trade unions and cracking down on bullying and controlling behaviour comes ahead of changing the paintings for me…
A group of Labour MPs is working on proposals to make Parliament a "healthier" workplace
Ideas include curbing alcohol provision during working hours, diversifying art on display, and creating more natural light
Ideas include curbing alcohol provision during working hours, diversifying art on display, and creating more natural light
Labour MPs Push For 'Healthier' Parliament By Tightening Alcohol Sales And Creating More Natural Light
A group of MPs want to look into the provision of alcohol in Parliament during working hours, increase the number of paintings of women and ethnic ...
www.politicshome.com
November 25, 2024 at 8:19 PM
Further listening to staff trade unions and cracking down on bullying and controlling behaviour comes ahead of changing the paintings for me…
If Musk is going to start paying undue and unwanted attention to our parliamentary instruments, I look forward to his lobbying on more important matters, like the next time Jim Shannon tables a tribute to Dolly Parton
edm.parliament.uk/early-day-mo...
edm.parliament.uk/early-day-mo...
50th anniversary of I Will Always Love You - Early Day Motions - UK Parliament
That this House celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Dolly Parton's hit song I Will Always Love You; notes the sentiment behind this song and what it means to so many, including the wife of the hon. Mem...
edm.parliament.uk
November 24, 2024 at 10:30 PM
If Musk is going to start paying undue and unwanted attention to our parliamentary instruments, I look forward to his lobbying on more important matters, like the next time Jim Shannon tables a tribute to Dolly Parton
edm.parliament.uk/early-day-mo...
edm.parliament.uk/early-day-mo...
Reposted by Max Freedman
Do you like the REBRANDING of the LONDON OVERGROUND? Do you like WOMEN?
Then please read this delightful guest post in which @isabelleroughol.com offers a women’s history guided tour along the newly renamed Suffragette line
Then please read this delightful guest post in which @isabelleroughol.com offers a women’s history guided tour along the newly renamed Suffragette line
Guest post: A women’s history guided tour along London’s Suffragette line
Nuns, jiu-jitsu and the first women’s football match.
jonn.substack.com
November 23, 2024 at 12:27 PM
Do you like the REBRANDING of the LONDON OVERGROUND? Do you like WOMEN?
Then please read this delightful guest post in which @isabelleroughol.com offers a women’s history guided tour along the newly renamed Suffragette line
Then please read this delightful guest post in which @isabelleroughol.com offers a women’s history guided tour along the newly renamed Suffragette line