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Reposted by Armando Martino

Caroline Lucas @carolinelucas.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

My speech from the conference debate on 'Zionism is Racism’ motion

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

It makes one ponder the meaning and ideology of "Centrism".

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

As a Green campaigner, I should say that we expected this and the drop in our support. We are hoping that, as the constraints on Burnham become clear, the bounce will fade. But, yeah. People on the doorstep are willing to give Labour a chance again, from what I can see.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Younger voters don't turn out as much, and so the big two parties do not prioritise them. Good strategy in the short term, bad in the long term. Narrowing both the tent and internal party democracy will make this worse.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Yes. Partly, the issue is that concerns of safety - which parents are subject to as much as the kids - means that children are simply not allowed to independently explore/function/play as they used to. Going to the corner shop, playing in the street, etc etc. This sets them up for isolation.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

This is correct. But the AIs are doing something which really looks creative....kinda. (They are more plausibly not that smart, but have instant access to all knowledge at once which is somewhat superhuman.) Could this lead to, eg, a cure for cancer? I don't know. Maybe?

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

I'm a mathematician and AI is outperforming us sums people on a bunch of metrics now. I'm not saying that's good at all, but it is a thing. I worry that anti-AI sentiments (which are politically correct, imho) drift into saying that AI is useless and limited. Its not always.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

She seems to really believe that it's collective insanity on the part of her opponents. This makes dialogue quite difficult, of course. It makes me think - for myself - that I should take care even when my indignation is righteous.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

I'd go further and say that the consensus that the Thatcherite model is non-negotiable, in a sustained period of low growth, is almost guaranteed to cause a democratic legitimacy crisis. Again, this doesn't mean the alternatives are better.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

The problem is that the (post)-Thatcherite model *hasn't* been working well for a while. It doesn't mean the alternatives will be better, of course. But TINA+low growth+things just get worse is not an especially attractive position, politically.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

Its downstream of the belief (on the Right but more broadly) that many of the UK's problems - high energy costs, low growth - are down to Milliband.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

I know what you mean, but there is an element of "No True Centrist would be so unpopular/incompetent". Starmer wasn't New Labour, but he really did embrace anti-left and pro-establishment stances. He was generally seen as centrist in GE2024 - and this *hurt* him, by protecting him from scrutiny.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Is a mass cabinet intervention likely to either happen or change things?

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

I hope it was decent wine though. This makes it all better.....

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

Exactly. This is the sort of "accountability sink" that @dsquareddigest.bsky.social talks about, I think? "Nothing to do with me, the *rules* stop me from..." blah blah blah.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

For Labour, defining itself negatively as “not the horrible Left” has been hugely damaging and distorting. This is one consequence. Predictable though.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

I live in Portswood. Riots were about 5 mins away from my house - never reached us thankfully. Community here is great. Local Greens have been good. But this is scary stuff. And lots of blame for Robinson+Farage around.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

I live in Portswood, Southampton, about 5 minutes away from where the riot was last night. Scary stuff, lots of helicopters, trashed streets. Local community is great, warning everyone to stay indoors. But how have we come to this?

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

Flip side is that if MPs choose the leader and the leadership selects MPs, you quickly get a party which cannot renew itself.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

I more or less agree with this. But I would really urge (other) Blair supporters to acknowledge that saying "growth" a lot is not, in itself, a strategy for growth. The fact that Sunak really did believe most of what Blair believes should be some evidence that the problems are hard.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

Its a code that allows journalists and politicians to say they technically told the truth while knowingly giving the public the opposite impression of what happened. Far too naive for Westminster, I guess. But most people actually consider that lying.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

I liked the "intellectual wasteland of the Corbyn years" bit. The left temporarily winning power meant that no centrist was able to think for a decade and a half.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

Should be appreciated that Blair in 97 is unacceptably left wing to Blair in 26.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

I really think we should retire "grown-up" in political jargon. It functions as both twee authoritarianism and a lazy consensus which denies interrogation. Fuck you, I'm just right!

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

I am probably naively idealistic about this but I strongly support PR whilst also thinking it needs a democratic mandate. Either a referendum or a manifesto promise. The latter is better.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

It matters to the Greens. To the activists and the loyal voters. I mean, sure, many Green voters are fungible and I suspect we won't do well there regardless. But it sends too negative a message to stand down, I think.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

I am not sure how our press compare to other countries, but it is pretty bad. Narratives develop that feel much more like groupthink than expert opinion. Scrutiny of actual parties and policies is largely absent.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

AFAICT, he really does believe in coalition building *and* has been fucked over personally by the right on more than one occasion. So is likely to avoid fights, while keeping a lid on the worst excesses. This lines up with being helped by Josh Simons into a seat.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

I keep feeling I am missing something. This confirms what I thought about voting intention. How can Streeting not know this? He is going for leader, but there is no scenario I see where he achieves it.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

He clearly holds you in total contempt. And I am sure he feels justified in that. That level of rage directed at a stranger, pretty much instantly, is slightly disturbing to watch however.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

From the eternal sea he rises, Creating armies on either shore, Turning man against his brother, 'Til man exists no more. Though a bit harsh on Wes for my money.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

Exactly. And in what sense is it pragmatic if it doesn't actually allow you to govern or solve the nation's problems? What if "pragmatic centrism" is another dogma?

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

I think that hollowing out parties so that members have no say and power is increasingly centralised will not improve stability. As a Green, I can see that we would benefit from Labour making such a change. Not sure its good for democracy.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

She was quite scathing during the last leadership elections IIRC, if ineffectually.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

Thats my point. Never. They have shrunk the membership to make it as favourable as possible to a candidate from the right. And it isn't enough. He only wins if the membership aren't really given a choice. I don't see how that happens, which means he should settle for a big job. *shrug*

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

The thing I don't understand is that Streeting seems to be clearly angling for the leadership (rather than CX or something) but I just don't see how the membership approves him and I don't see how a coronation happens. I feel like I am missing something.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

Whatever your politics, it is clear that the PM can't effectively lead at this point.

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Reposted by Armando Martino

London Review of Books @lrb.co.uk · 09/05/2026

‘Starmer implored voters to “choose progress over the politics of anger”. It is a classic Starmer line, all injunction and no argument. Why shouldn’t voters be angry? Britain is not working.’ @piercepenniless.bsky.social on the local elections, from our next issue. www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

lrb.co.uk

James Butler · Labour’s Failure

Despite a few halting steps towards devolving power in Britain, England itself remains a profoundly centralised country...

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Reposted by Armando Martino

Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

This is just the beginning. Join our movement of hope: Join.greenparty.org.uk

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

This is beautifully brutal in such an elegantly understated way.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

As a Green, this is electorally great for us. The more Labour pitch to the "centre", the more of their voters we pick up.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

Yes, demonise the Greens plus appeal to their votes to keep out Reform. Lots of people seem to think this is a smart strategy. But I just don't think it is reasonable to expect votes from people you treat with contempt.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

But its the fallacy that suits both their priors and their politics.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 02/05/2026

This issue has become somewhat toxified. Using the banning of protests as a test for anti-semitism is not helpful, imho. So thanks for this.

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 26/04/2026

Actually tricky imo. Spoiling their fun is no good. But also saying nothing could be bad. Maybe hint that you liked his music but didn't like him? So then it is less of a shock, and may make them pause before overly investing into him?

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Armando Martino @bouncymandy.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

Would you count it as part of the media's role to convey accurate information and analysis to their readers? If not, OK. If yes, then creating an environment where being honest is easier would seem to be part of that.

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