Sign in

David Frier

@dgfrier.bsky.social
238 followers 81 following 433 posts

Retired academic in Portuguese Studies. Lives in Portugal. From Scotland. Enjoys talking about books, football, music, history and politics. Some would say disturbingly Leftie. Enjoys his red wine and nice food.

PostsRepliesMedia
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
What a load of crap! You cannot compromise on this particular issue: either that march goes down the Garvaghy Road or it does not. And, as for nobody in N. Ireland wanting to go back 28 years, just what makes you think that is a fair description of the Orange Order?
042
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Well, since I don't have any kids it's easy for me to say, but I would not want any children of mine to be forced to sing an explicitly anti-Scottish song which requires voluntary self-abasement before an unelected ruler and the continuation of British imperialism. Call me a Leftie if you want: I am
020
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Oh, my goodness. These look like the famous shot of Daleks on Westminster Bridge in London in the 1960s. But this is real life, not sci-fi.
003
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
In which the UK's self-proclaimed Prime Minister in waiting announces his intention to force the RNLI to conduct criminal investigations on people drowning at sea before actually pulling them out of the water. 'Let them all drown' is the motto. Just let that sink in.
031
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Very sad...
021
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
This whole thread is well worth reading and sharing onwards. Thanks to Richard Haviland for forwarding it.
000
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
And these people have the barefaced cheek to talk about the UK being 'invaded' while they get to lead their balaclaved fascist militias through city centres?
000
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Reform could not give out seats in the Lords because their donors are almost entirely from outside the UK. The donors would not be eligible to take their seats. This is pseudo-democracy, and not one word of questioning the very existence or functioning of the upper House, which is far more important
000
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
This is a female protestor being physically manhandled by conference participants at the Reform UK Rally, ahem, conference, in Birmingham yesterday, while Farage mocks her. On the day when his party and he himself were exposed as law breakers, he presides over the actions of the fascist mob.
010
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Richard is citing here an earlier post from Andrew Sparrow, which said "Reform UK says it would declare 'national emergency' on day one in power, not letting judges or officials 'get in our way'". Precisely. Any parallels to Germany in 1933 are, of course, entirely coincidental.
000
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
A powerful statement here. I am not sure I am 100% in agreement with all that is said, but, as one other person remarked, plenty people in Ireland are talking about Andy Burnham's recent dismissal of a border poll. But then Irish opinion never really counted for much in the UK...
010
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
An important message about humans in opposition to AI here... it sounds like there is some hope for us carbon-based lifeforms after all! (Provided we are prepared to put our faith in our own bodies, that is.) Thanks to Alec Mackinnon for posting this.
021
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Tee hee... childish, I know, but I kind of liked it.
010
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
I do find it rather amusing that Farage's knowledge of naval matters extends to sticking huge maritime mammals on the top of Royal Navy boats. No wonder the vessels are too high!!
000
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
This is what we are dealing with today. And we are seeing the fruits of the pronouncements of Musk, Tommy Robinson and all the other vile racists today in places like Glasgow Green on Saturday. It comes down to the local level. Everywhere. So it needs to be combatted everywhere.
020
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
If these allegations are true, this is a very serious incident indeed. No European country should be allowing the diplomats of the USA to arbitrarily determine who is or is not a security threat on the soil of the host country.
110
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Excellent news that Colin Bramwell's Scots translations of Fernando Pessoa have won the Oxford Weidenfeld translation prize for this year. 'Fower Pessoas' was a wonderful read: I recommend it heartily. @billykayscot.bsky.social. www.carcanet.co.uk/978180017464...
carcanet.co.uk
Fower Pessoas
Shortlisted for the Oxford-Weidenfeld Translation Prize 2026 A Times Literary Supplement Book of the Year 2025 Shortlisted for the Scots Book O' the Year Awa...
031
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
Worth bearing in mind in view of the events in Belfast overnight (and all the pop-up protests elsewhere around the UK organised by chancers like Tommy Robinson). Outrage can be selective at times.
010
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
Indeed...
010
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
'Predictive policing'? This sounds suspiciously like racial profiling to me. And Starmer is still wanting to pass huge sections of the UK public sector over to Palantir? (Palantir, which is owned by arch-right winger Peter Thiel, remember...)
010
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
Yes, well said, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez.
031
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
I'm honestly not having a go at Plaid Cymru politically (and there probably is an issue there about rail funding in Wales), but why have they located their party at the very northern tip of the Scottish mainland? Should they not be out canvassing in Wales?
000
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
Brilliant!!
010
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
This is a very powerful read about the present international crisis. Jonathan Cook has good qualifications to comment in depth on the whole Israel/Iran/Gaza/Lebanon/USA imbroglio that threatens to engulf us all.
000
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 15/02/2026
An interesting and provocative piece here. Is the author overstating the case? I honestly don't know, but it is worth hearing the pushback against Starmer's pseudo-statesmanlike posturing in Munich. He certainly didn't go there as a disciple of Chamberlain. I think we can say that much at least.
000
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
Well worth reading on current events in Iran. I have no idea how the big demonstration in Berlin at the weekend went. I am afraid I have seen absolutely no news coverage of it, but there has to be a third way between the present disastrous regime and the US-led re-imposition of the old monarchy.
000
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
Indeed... and scroll down below the comment here by James to see what this is specifically referring to (the latest pronouncements from UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, if you need to know in advance).
000
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 02/02/2026
Wow. This is powerful. Please pass this on widely.
144
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 31/01/2026
Personally I am against the slogan 'Globalise the intifada', whatever Tactchell may say about the meaning of the word in Arabic. The problem is what it has come to mean for many in English, on both sides of this dispute. But the words 'Non-vioient resistance' seem transparent to me in their meaning?
100
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
See the comment below from Richard Haviland (@rfhaviland.bsky.social). I reproduce Lord Frost's actual comments in a screenshot here.
000
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 20/01/2026
These are the thoughts of Shabana Mahmood, currently Home Secretary in the UK. Bringing in nineteenth-century moral philosophers sounds very positive... but then look at the detail of what she is proposing: essentially predicting who will be deemed as criminals before the event.
011
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 11/01/2026
It's always worth knowing the historical context around events in countries which we only tend to hear about in negative terms... and not least when we are talking about legacies of imperial hubris.
010
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 11/01/2026
Indeed... for those of us who try to engage our brains to conduct a bit of critical reading of journalistic language, this barely requires further commentary. Sadly, there are many who are probably fooled by this type of doublespeak from the BBC and other media outlets.
010
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 10/01/2026
Worth signing if you are a UK citizen. Please feel free to sign and share.
010
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
Mustn't offend the Donald, eh?
000
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 04/01/2026
In which even the Secretary General of the United Nations plays shy of openly condemning Trump's aggressive and illegal attack on Venezuela yesterday, as well as the kidnapping and abduction of the country's President and his wife.
010
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 02/01/2026
Wonderful... and touching from Len Pennie. Happy New Year, a'body!
030
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 21/12/2025
Yes... precisely that!
010
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
Why not, Mr. Starmer?
000
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
Ignore experience and bow to dogma and prejudice.
010
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
On the creation of 'unanimity'...
000
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 17/12/2025
Some strong language here, but the sentiments expressed seem totally justified to me.
010
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
Anas Sarwar gives Lord Offord of Reform UK a total dressing down on TV last night.
030
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 05/12/2025
Nigel Farage ('Not a racist'). Nigel Farage ('Not a racist'). Nigel Farage ('Not a racist'). No more convincing than Father Ted was thirty years ago...
020
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 02/12/2025
Tee hee... the spirit of satire is not dead.
000
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 21/11/2025
Ah, delightful: the latest from the White House....
000
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 20/11/2025
Strong language, but this is very powerful...
010
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 18/11/2025
Indeed: what Cathal Malone says.
030
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 15/11/2025
Please consider signing and sharing this petition about the proposed cancellation of programmes in Modern Languages at the University of Nottingham. Thank you! www.change.org/p/stop-the-r...
change.org
Sign the Petition
Stop the removal of Modern Languages courses at the University of Nottingham!
040
David Frier @dgfrier.bsky.social · 10/11/2025
Very good here from Richard Haviland on pragma tism vs. morality in political decision making. bylines.scot/politics/sta...
bylines.scot
Starmer’s moral cowardice on refugees
The Labour leadership is tacitly accepting, and reflecting, Farage’s perverted notion of patriotism
010