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Alex Mair

@alexmairyorks.bsky.social
1.2K followers 1.8K following 314 posts

Writer. Former charity worker and probation worker. Reformed intemperate personality. Watermelon = Red/Green straggler. Yorkshire native. Seasoned outdoorsman. Partner to Rosie. Friend to cats and dogs. Core group plus.

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Reposted by Alex Mair
Brian Groom @groomb.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
York-born poet W.H. Auden died on this day 1973 (photo by Jane Bown). On former lead mines of the north Pennines: In Rookhope I was first aware Of Self and Not-Self, Death and Dread: There I dropped pebbles, listened, heard The reservoir of darkness stirred.
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Alex Mair @alexmairyorks.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Absolutely zero self-awareness to acknowlede that a month ago this women defended a literal neo-nazi activist she had hired in an advisory role despite the man serving a custodian senrance for harassing a female Jewish MP.
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Alex Mair @alexmairyorks.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
This may legitimately be the worst opinion column of all time. Turns out all those catatrophic energy price rises, low wages, high inflation, it was all just one big mirage.
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Alex Mair @alexmairyorks.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Dolly Parton was a brilliant singer and songwriter whose public image often disguised how witty and clever her songs were. A massively underrated songwriter, not acknowledged enough for the craft and skill that went into her songs. I will miss her. RIP.
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Alex Mair @alexmairyorks.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
This thread is quite amusing.
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Jonny Morris @jonnymorris.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
THE DOCTOR WHO - LABOUR LEADER CORRELATION. 1. WILLIAM HARTNELL - HAROLD WILSON's 1st term 1964-1966 Hugely popular as the public are dazzled by the white heat of technology.
HartnellWilson
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Toby Buckle @polphilpod.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
the left was blamed for stagflation in the 70s & has been less trusted on the economy ever since the right has been catastrophically wrong about climate change, financial deregulation, multiple wars, & immigration control & it's always forgotten by the next election
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Philip Larkin Society @plsoc.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
As we consider the beauty and mystery of the solar eclipse today, do read Philip Larkin's poem SOLAR. Some would argue this is the closest Larkin ever came to writing a prayer.
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Alex Mair @alexmairyorks.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Mature and sensible take on Andy Burnham from former Labour MP and member of the Socialist Campaign Group, Alan Simpson. www.morningstaronline.co.uk/article/bank...
morningstaronline.co.uk
Banking on Burnham: How Labour must ride the crisis
BARELY a week into his premiership, Andy Burnham had to navigate an avalanche of political interviews, all expecting answers to issues we’ve ducked for decades. He did so with remarkable good grace an...
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Alex Mair @alexmairyorks.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Since when did Rod Liddle become Princess Diana?
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Alex Mair @alexmairyorks.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Four months ago.
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Alex Mair @alexmairyorks.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Don't post much on here but I'm astonished at the love on this platform for Bridget Phillipson. She tried to strip SEND children of their legal rights and under her watch every university in southern England is in financial crisis. Good riddance.
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George Eaton @georgeeaton.bsky.social · 21/06/2026
The idea that Starmer failed because he didn’t appeal enough to Reform voters ignores all the evidence: *six times* as many Labour supporters defected to the Greens/LDs. It’s a classic example of motivated reasoning used to justify a reactionary platform that would leave Labour unelectable.
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Good Trailcams @goodtrailcams.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
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Alex Mair @alexmairyorks.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
Excellent article in Prospect. The Abundance movement has always been an elite project, and has been from the word go. prospect.org/2026/06/12/n...
prospect.org
New Documents Detail Nine-Figure, Silicon Valley–Funded Abundance Movement - The American Prospect
The Prospect has obtained a fundraising pitch and historical manifesto from inside the movement.
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Good Trailcams @goodtrailcams.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
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Abilu Tangwa. @abilutangwa.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
The horn of Africa is grieving because their -Their farms are no longer yielding -Advancement of desert is alarming -Our major rivers are drying -Proliferation of pest and pathogens -Development of tropical diseases. -Our crop are dieing out. Climate change is a reality.
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Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
This is the "pure cold rage" they were calling for
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Clive Lewis MP @labourlewis.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Privatised water is such an obvious scam that it's achieved the impossible: getting 82% of Brits to agree on something. The only issue to score higher was the public’s desire for Tony Blair to stick to retirement.
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Michael LaFrance @mlafrance.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
A livestream of a volcano in the Philippines captured a meteor crashing to Earth today. What are the odds? Mayon Volcano, Location: Albay, Luzon, Philippines
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T.J. Stiles @tj-stiles.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
The tech bros gave us crypto currency that isn’t currency, artificial intelligence that isn’t intelligence, and prediction markets that are inside-trader scams. On the other hand, they have given us gigantic data centers that employ no one and destroy communities. So there’s that.
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John Foot @footymac.bsky.social · 16/05/2026
And in 2017 Labour got 40%. The result that no political commentator can ever mention.
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Jim Caris @jimcaris.eurosky.social · 21/04/2026
So now we've established that Mandelson is a corrupting force that sullies everything and everyone in his sphere of influence, what are we going to do about the fact he hand-picked the entirety of Labour's 2024 intake of new MPs?
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Anna Horroridge @anna-orridge.bsky.social · 04/04/2026
Just fascinated about why this journalistic finger-wagging at Hannah Spencer for supposedly over-simplifying complex problems was not applied to Starmer when he fully suggested tackling fly-tipping by tracking down the culprits with drones and crushing their vehicles.
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Chaucer Doth Tweet @levostregc.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
Some brave souls choose to face the feare of failure and the terror of a blanke page. Thrugh harde worke and luck thei come back wyth storyes that bringe us mirthe, or horror, or thrilles, or beautye, or wisdom, or delighteful surreal confusioun. Gen A.I. ys nothinge lyke that. Long live artists.
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Andrej @tepid.meme · 01/04/2026
Princess Anne continues to merge with the Christopher Walken meme
Princess Anne meeting the King’s Royal Hussars at Salisbury Plain, wearing a camouflage jacket, scarf and shadesChristopher Walken in Plots with a View aka Undertaking Betty (2002) wearing a beige jacket, scarf, shades and smoking a cigar
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Alex Mair @alexmairyorks.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
James Meadway is the genius who came up with Covid Recovery Bonds. A policy that no-one could understand and sank like a stone. The Green Party would be well advised to keep him at arms length.
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Ida B Wells' Winchester Rifle @dytsras.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
You could say that Rock n Roll was born 111 years ago today in Arkansas, but probably not where you'd think. Before there was a Chuck Berry or Little Richard, there was those who wanted to be like her. Rosetta Nubin better known as Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the godmother of Rock was born on this day
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Dr Laura Varnam @drlauravarnam.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
One of my favourite ‘after’ poems- Mary Ruefle’s Red, a response to William Carlos Williams’ Red Wheebarrow.
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Alex Mair @alexmairyorks.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
Had the great misfortune to accidentally listen to Maurice Glasman for 30 seconds. Best avoided. I haven't forgotten how he advised the Tories.
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John Harris @johnharris1969.bsky.social · 15/02/2026
Latest from me: on the govt's imminent Special Needs revolution, and a familiar (old) Labour story: of lofty aims undermined by meagre budgets, constant anonymous briefings – and a drive to remove families’ basic rights www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
I fear that Labour’s special needs revolution will instead be a catastrophic letdown | John Harris
A familiar Labour story is unfolding: of lofty aims undermined by budgets, constant anonymous briefing – and a drive to remove families’ basic rights, says Guardian columnist John Harris
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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 22/12/2025
England water company CEO says long-term water security is under threat. Customers already paid, companies didn't build reservoirs, dumped sewage in rivers, neglected investment, paid dividends Now want to charge customers again, not raising capital from shareholders. End the scam. Nationalise.
bbc.co.uk
Suffolk water boss says new reservoirs needed to address demand
Water company says it needs two new reservoirs and a recycling plant to cope with demand in Suffolk.
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Simon Pegg @simonpegg.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
Can't believe it's Christmas, and David Walliams is going to be visited by three Ghostwriters to show him the error of his ways.
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Jamie K @crumpsalljamie.bsky.social · 04/12/2025
The British army wanted an armoured monster truck with a gun on it. £6 billion and 31 hospitalised soldiers later, they got one of the biggest procurement fuckups of all time defence-blog.com/insider-says...
defence-blog.com
Insider says only hull redesign can save British Ajax
The British Army’s troubled Ajax armoured fighting vehicle has returned to the centre of national criticism in recent days, after new noise-related injuries forced the suspension of training and sent ...
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Alex Mair @alexmairyorks.bsky.social · 05/11/2025
A good piece by Mehdi Hasan political editor of New Stateman during 9/11 wars. As a keen young reader of papers from 2001-10, I can tell you opening a posh paper was just basically a public school Trot screaming at you and frothing at the mouth for the US to bomb more black and brown.
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Paul Hebden @paulhebden.bsky.social · 04/11/2025
The "consensus" in 2010 was that our economy was on the verge of collapse, we were at the mercy of "bond vigilantes", & it would be crazy to borrow money at 0 interest rates. Instead the "consensus" was that we needed austerity. That "consensus" was wrong & no-one has been held accountable.
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Kelly @broadwaybabyto.bsky.social · 27/10/2025
The Walton family (who own Walmart) are worth over $400 billion, yet many of their employees are on SNAP. Bezos is worth over $400 billion, many Amazon employees require SNAP. The people who need help are not the problem. It’s corporate greed. It’s an unwillingness to pay a living wage.
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Alex Mair @alexmairyorks.bsky.social · 26/10/2025
The SEND white paper has been kicked back to 2026 because the givernment know it's a crock of shit which will go down like a lorry load of whale shite. So, when Keith is removed in a Palace coup after the local elections next May, a new labour PM can quietly abandon it.
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Alex Mair @alexmairyorks.bsky.social · 08/10/2025
Articles like this reflect no credit on The Graun. The 'one-nation' wing of the Tory party hasn't existed for decades. Under Cameron, cabinet had 1 genuine moderate Tory, Ken Clarke. That's 1 minister since the year 2000. And he was aged about 395. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
theguardian.com
Has Kemi Badenoch sounded the death knell for one nation Conservatism?
The Tory leader’s shift to the right has left its centrist wing wondering if its tradition still has a future
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Nicholas Grossman @nicholasgrossman.bsky.social · 04/10/2025
One path to a successful career as a columnist is to be repeatedly wrong. Not to have unique takes on matters of opinion, but confident declarations proven wrong by events. If you can condescend to people proven right no matter how often you are wrong, the most prominent media would like to pay you.
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HOPE not hate @hopenothate.org.uk · 02/10/2025
HOPE not hate condemn the appalling, violent attack at a synagogue in Manchester which has taken place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Our thoughts are with the Jewish community and all affected.
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David Roberts @volts.wtf · 30/09/2025
We laugh at this shit -- I mean, how can you not? -- but it's serious: these guys want to infuse reactionary thinking into AI and then infuse AI into every nook & cranny of American life. They can't win the argument so they are trying to blunt-force their views onto us with money & power.
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Alex Mair @alexmairyorks.bsky.social · 26/09/2025
Also, Keir Starmer is banging the immigration drum because he knows he is doomed. The anti-democratic forces which got him elected have turned on him. Every government back to Margaret Thatcher has done it when they are in trouble. After politics, I predict he will vanish. Not a politician.
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Alex Mair @alexmairyorks.bsky.social · 26/09/2025
Here's the thing, there's no way of attacking New Labour's immigration policy without also admitting that New Labour's economic policy didn't work - which it didn't. So, why is Keir Starmer and the Labour right so obssssed with finding the button back to the late 90s? 1/2.
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Paul Bernal @paulbernal.bsky.social · 21/09/2025
A short thread on digital ID (cards) just to bear in mind. There are a few myths that I keep hearing about this idea that need clarifying/debunking. 1/10
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Alex Mair @alexmairyorks.bsky.social · 25/09/2025
I've given Rachel Reeves some advice if she wants to rescue her government. Perhaps she'll give me a phone call and invite me in to explain why she's getting everything wrong over a cappucino.
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Trussell @trusselluk.bsky.social · 22/09/2025
This is how much the price of food has risen in 5 years... 🤯 🥛Milk, eggs and cheese: +47% 🍖 Meat: +35% 🧈 Oil and butter: +60% 🍞 Cereal and bread: +34% 🍓 Fruit: +26% 🥦 Vegetables: +35%
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Alex Mair @alexmairyorks.bsky.social · 19/09/2025
Unilaterally criticising your own party in public only emboldens your party's opponents. Unfortunately, the lesson still hasn't been learned that if you make a public statement that is 99% supportive of your own party and 1% critical - it's the 1% of criticism that will dominate the media cycle.
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Alex Mair @alexmairyorks.bsky.social · 14/09/2025
Just doing a bit of research on the OBR for an article I'm writing. It is the stupidist, most pointless thing ever invented in the history of pointless, stupid things. Rarely has the public had to pay for such an ideologically-driven waste of money. Abolish it.
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Alex Mair @alexmairyorks.bsky.social · 13/09/2025
Charlie Kirk's killer is a 22 year old, white, male Utah native and the son of registered Republicans. Yet Kirk's murder is going to be used to justify more gun violence against blacks, latinos, women, gay people, trans people, Asylum seekers and immigrants.
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