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B O'Brien

@bobrien.bsky.social
182 followers 70 following 7.4K posts

Pro-Labour, anti-anti-politics. Enjoy rational debate, despise populism of Left or Right, supporter of parliamentary democracy. "That which can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence." (Christopher Hitchens).

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Max Roser @maxroser.bsky.social · 8h
The share of children who died before they were 5 years old in 1950 and 75 years later. Africa: 33% ↘ 6% Asia: 25% ↘ 2.5% Oceania: 9.3% ↘ 2% Latin America: 21% ↘ 1.5% Northern America: 3.8% ↘ 0.6% Europe: 10.5% ↘ 0.4% Globally: 23% ↘ 3.5%
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CHILLPILL @broplz.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
The Green Party: “We stand against racism” Also the Green Party: “If Jews go to a synagogue we don’t like, they will be punished”
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Daniel Sugarman @danielsugarman.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
This is like saying “we will never tolerate fire” as your house goes up in flames behind you.
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Daniel Sugarman @danielsugarman.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
What it comes down to is this. If you’re determined a motion on Zionism isn’t seen as antisemitic, you pass this amendment. Obviously. It was instead rejected twice. First in a pre-conference meeting re: all amendments, then by conference members in the hall. This is now what the Green Party is.
Suggested amendment: This motion shall not be used to pressure, proscribe or discipline members based on affiliation with Jewish community institutions, such as Synagogues, community centres or denominational groups, that describe themselves as Zionist, or used to discipline or sanction Jewish members for holding views that would be non sanctionable if expressed by non Jewish members (such as supporting a binational state, or two state solution).

The amendment was rejected.
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David Beech @davidbeech.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Those people currently destroying the Green's are so obsessed with their own superior morality and the 'rightness' of their beliefs they can't see what many of them actually are which is antisemites. Yeah you can be young, progressive, 'believe all the right things' and basically be an antisemite.
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JWexTheSpa @jwsidders.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
The greatest service Keir Starmer did the Labour party was to drive the anti-Semitic left out of the Labour party. He deserves immense credit for that. The Greens welcoming them with open arms was absolutely always going to prove a disastrous decision
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Legal C @legalclaret.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
It is rather notable that, one day after Burnham announced his vague but significant policy positions on the triple lock and EU ties, neither the Tories nor Reform are making much noise about the EU position. Given this, and the rather positive reaction to social care, perhaps moderate centrism
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YouGov @yougov.co.uk · 29/09/2026
SNAP POLL / By 48% to 28%, Britons support Andy Burnham's proposal to change the triple lock in order to help fund part of a national care service yougov.com/en-gb/daily-... yougov.com/en-gb/daily-... yougov.com/en-gb/daily-...
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B O'Brien @bobrien.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Sharon Graham on Today was extremely shouty, which made her sound like a completely unreasonable person, irrespective of any merits in what she was actually saying. Does she always talk like that?
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Joe Molloy 🇨🇺 🏳️‍⚧️ @freelancewebdev.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
"Away with ya now and don't bother coming back ya gobshite."
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Count Binface @countbinface.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
You might have to turn up for the results of this one, Nige.
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B O'Brien @bobrien.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
A pensioner being taxed at the basic rate for a £200 pa Winter Fuel Allowance would pay an additional £3.33 a month. It would not be £33 a month.
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South-East London for Europe (Selfe) @selfe.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
If no other picture survives Reform UK conference this year, let it be this one. It is a teachable moment. #ReformAssault #Fascism
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Peter Smith @redpeter99.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
How Farage has been covered by the BBC versus How Farage has been covered by Channel 4
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Parody Nigel Farage @parodypm.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Reform UK will increase the efficiency of HMRC by encouraging everyone to spend all day repeatedly phoning them.
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Glen O'Hara @gsoh31.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
What do marginal middle class voters want in the middle of Suffolk, say, or in Nuneaton or Bognor? Ah yes, race hatred, huge numbers of people thrown out of the country, climate change denial and war with France! Do me a favour.
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Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Reform’s electoral record at parliamentary by-elections: win by five votes when the previous Labour MP had literally decked one of his constituents. Lose. Lose. Lose. Lose. Lose. Beat a novelty candidate with no ground game while doing worse than the Tories in the same seat in 2019.
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Glen O'Hara @gsoh31.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
The sheer hatred of Keir Starmer was something to behold. People spat out his name like he was the devil. 'Covered up for [Jimmy] Savile'; 'thinks men can become women'; 'Zionist'; 'communist'. Heard it all. With that fury taken out of the equation, politics opens up again.
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Alex Andreou @sturdyalex.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Burnham: Social Care is a huge challenge that demands a proper longterm solution. It can be done if parties work together. Most parties: PM is right and we'll work with him for a solution. Tories: PM is right and we'll work with him for a solution. BUT ONLY IF HE CAN DO IT FOR FREE. Grow TF up.
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Phil Edwards @philedwards.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Con+UKIP(etc) vote in Clacton: 2010: 53% (Con only) 2014(b): 84% 2015: 81% 2017: 68% 2019: 72% (Con only) 2024: 74% 2026: Conservatives not standing, Farage mobilises activists from across the country as he is worried about being outpolled by Count Binface.
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Peter Smith @redpeter99.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
Love the smell of a Reform lead evaporating in the late morning.
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The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 02/07/2026
Yesterday, for the first time in 50 years, we reached the point where deaths in this country overtook births. As of last year, we also reduced net migration to its lowest level since the last decade, and it looks to be even lower. We are very rapidly heading to a massive demographic crisis.
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Peter Smith @redpeter99.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Tony Benn also said the first duty of a government is to make its citizens feel safe.
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Bridget Phillipson MP @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
I stand by my record – including putting us on course for a record reduction in child poverty – and if the Tories think that makes me a 'spiteful class warrior', it tells you everything you need to know about them.
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Richard Corbett CBE @richardcorbett.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Which part of UK has outperformed the rest since Brexit? Northern Ireland of course, as it has effectively stayed in the EU’s single market!
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George Eaton @georgeeaton.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
The Starmer government was one of the most left-leaning we’ve had that was almost never identified as such.
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Roland Smith @rolandmcs.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
The lowest moment... for Steve Bray. Mate, you've done your thing. And we've enjoyed it. Time to exit.
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Blue Fairylicious Girl🧚 @bluesnowflake.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
Just a reminder, if you deface the Reflecting Pool you will be arrested…. Oops wrong picture
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Mark Wallace @wallaceme.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
“Mother, I've weighed the risks - which I prefer to living in a world dominated by Nazis. Bill" Thank god for Bill and so many more like him (Pic from @profpeterdoyle.bsky.social on X)
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Peter Smith @redpeter99.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
Have Reform every considered not fielding a complete tosser as a by-election candidate?
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B O'Brien @bobrien.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Good to hear. I can't remember what it was. Putting "Labour supporter" in your bio seems to be regarded as a green light for abuse
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Mike D London @mikedlondon.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
The Tories from 2010 to 2024 spent the lowest % of GDP on defence of any Govt in the last 75 years, never once hitting 2.5%. And every Tory Govt since the early 1950s has ended their term spending a lower % of GDP on defence than they did at the start. But it's all Labour's fault...
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Miti 💙🕊️ @miti24.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
Who else agrees that President Obama was one the coolest presidents we ever had? ✋🏻 #ObamaAppreciationDay
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David @thefatfryer.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Reform isn’t the change you are looking for or deserve.
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B O'Brien @bobrien.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
Well done, America. For the first time in the history of international sport, the whole world is united in wanting your team to fail. You have done this to yourselves.
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Dean Obeidallah @deanobeidallah.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Trump can’t make a deal with Iran because Trump doesn’t understand he lost the war. He has been lied to by Pete Hegseth and others.
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MrMirth @mrmirth.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
Japanese reporters astonished, as a new Maglev train passes by at approx. 500kph. (Don't blink, or you will miss it).
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🆆🆁🅴🆂🆃🅻🅸🅽🅶 🅳🅰🅽 @wrestlingdan.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
Dear American politicians Your country is a an absolute shit-show that genuinely makes a mockery out of democracy Please focus on that before sticking your stupid beaks into the business of anything going on in Europe
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Mike D London @mikedlondon.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
From the 1950s to 2010, every Tory Govt dramatically cut defence spending as a share of GDP - and every Labour Govt kept it relatively stable. After 2010, the Tories never hit 2.5% of GDP on defence, leaving Labour to now push spending upwards. Yet to the Right, it's somehow all Labour's fault. 🤔
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Sonia Silva ❤️ @vallygirl.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
I guess they got the non-woke president they were looking for.
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Daily Herald #FBPE #NAFO 🇬🇧🇺🇦🇬🇱 @dailyherald.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
Robert Peston wasn’t letting Robert Jenrick’s nonsense lie and it showed up the Reform UK man for exactly what he is www.thepoke.com/2026/06/04/r...
thepoke.com
Robert Peston wasn’t letting Robert Jenrick’s nonsense lie and it showed up the Reform UK man for exactly what he is
To the studios of ITV’s Peston, where presenter Robert Peston was entertaining Reform UK’s Robert Jenrick. And it’s fair to say their exchange got heated – very heated – after thoughts turned to how F...
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AndroidMark @marksheekey.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
The root of a lot of this country's problems is Nigel Farage.
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James Ball @jamesrball.com · 01/06/2026
The National Farmers Union is dominated by "farmers" who own plans that is worked by other people. Labour ended up backing out of exactly the kind of "tax wealth not work" policy the left supposedly wants. But as ever with any real wealth type tax, support vanished as soon as it was controversial.
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B O'Brien @bobrien.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
I'm a bit concerned that Andy Burnham's policies seem designed to be closely aligned with the obsessions you see on social media.
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Dean Craddock @dean5150.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
From West England Bylines.
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Allison Gill @muellershewrote.com · 19/05/2026
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Matt Turmaine @turmaine.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Many of our party members are extremely frustrated by the current shenanigans, especially as economic good news starts to emerge in a challenging international context. Worth a read: lauragriffiths1992.substack.com/p/where-do-w...
lauragriffiths1992.substack.com
Where do we go from here?
Thoughts from a Labour Party member
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Alex Gallagher @alexgallagher.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Do nothing Labour.
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Mike D London @mikedlondon.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
'Invasion': LATEST Looks like the Refukkers and Tories don't need to strip us of our human rights, after all.
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