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Ian Mackay

@ianmackay.bsky.social
1.3K followers 913 following 4.4K posts

Occasional gardener up in the North Highlands. Independence for Scotland. Politics on the left. Love Celtic FC.

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Reposted by Ian Mackay
Paul Bernal @paulbernal.bsky.social · 8h
Of *course* the ‘AI boom’ will make us poorer. It’s a ‘boom’ created by tech bros for tech bros, and they’re pretty much the worst human beings on the planet. How could it possibly do anything else?
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Ian Mackay @ianmackay.bsky.social · 20h
There's a reason you rarely see economists like Ann Pettifor on your tv.
annpettifor.substack.com
Its Time to Ignore Defeatists on Both Right and Left
The Left must reject Neoliberal Political Framing. Taxes do not pay for government spending. Taxes are a consequence of spending.
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Mark E Thomas FB99% FBPE @mrmarkethomas.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
(4/4) ... a percentage which is mysteriously NOT unaffordable to many of our peer countries today.
A table from the OECD that shows that 7.7% of GDP is less than France, Austria, Spain, Germany, etc already spend today
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Neil Drysdale @neildrysdale.bsky.social · 21h
Any players who take part in this tournament should be ashamed of themselves. This is like competing in South Aftica during the apartheid years. No excuses, there are plenty of these T20 travesties without pandering to the Taliban! www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricke...
bbc.co.uk
England players told to think of 'daughters, sisters or mothers' before committing to Afghanistan Premier League T20 tournament
English cricketers aiming to play in a men's T20 franchise tournament organised by the Afghanistan Cricket Board have been urged to think about their "daughters, sisters or mothers".
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Claire Mullaly @clairemullaly.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Brendan Behan: "I have never seen a situation so dismal that a policeman couldn't make it worse”.
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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Macron: “Brexit is the biggest lie of the last 30 years. “Those who said, "We will be richer" - eight points of GDP less ten years later. "”We will solve the problem of immigration" - it is more complicated than before. "”We are going to crush it in international trade" - it is worse.”
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Carole Cadwalladr @carolecadwalla.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Here’s the moment @labourlewis.bsky.social read out the letter at a fringe event at Labour conference hosted by @the-citizens.bsky.social bsky.app/profile/the-...
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Dr Craig Dalȝell @thecommongreen.scot · 30/09/2026
AI Data Centres Why are they popping up in Scotland? Who benefits from them? What can we do about them? My discussion with @pensioners4indy.bsky.social and @scottishindypod.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=RD5d...
youtube.com
Data Centres: Fracking All Over Again?
YouTube video by Scottish Independence Podcasts: IndyPod Extra
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BladeoftheSun @bladeofthes.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Netanyahu can 'hack' your phone because Israel has such close relationships with Google, Apple and Microsoft it might as well own them. Not because it needs to do any actual hacking.
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Democracy Now! @democracynow.org · 29/09/2026
Has the Gaza ceasefire "ended up just buying more time for the genocide"?
democracynow.org
“Buying More Time for the Genocide”: Muhammad Shehada on Trump’s Gaza Plan 1 Year Later
The Palestinian death toll from Israel’s war on Gaza has surpassed 74,000, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza. While this figure represents the official death toll as confirmed by local autho...
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Drop Site @dropsitenews.com · 28/09/2026
💢 Israeli forces killed 4 Palestinians across Gaza on Sun., including a teenage boy & a man struck in his tent, & wounded several others, according to Palestinian media. 🔸 In Khan Younis's al-Mawasi area, an Israeli strike on a tent killed Oday Adli al-Assar, 28. 🔸 Israeli troops shot & killed...
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Dr Craig Dalȝell @thecommongreen.scot · 28/09/2026
And we're told we need more hyperscaler data centres so that we can do this 10x faster.
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Sarah Murphy @13sarahmurphy.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
The Times - which has v much joined in the rightwing clamour to reduce immigration - now reporting that Mahmood’s “success” has cost the economy £4- to £7Bn. Would they like to now honestly confirm that fewer people = less spending power for all. There’s a high price to pay for this nasty obsession.
Patrick Maguire
Chief Political Commentator Oliver Wright Policy Editor

Falling migration numbers could cost the chancellor as much as £7bn in fiscal headroom as he writes his first budget, The Times has been told.
Government insiders believe that John Healey, who already faced an uphill battle to balance the books next month, is likely to have an even bigger challenge after immigration undershot projections from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).
The Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank estimated last month that the success of Shabana
Mahmood's
reforms, which have cut net migration to the low hundreds of thousands, could cost Healey some £4bn.
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Brendan Harkin @brendanjharkin.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Just to fully underline how spiteful this shit is for those unaware: On the left is the route the Orange Order have been ordered to take for the past 3 decades without trouble. On the right is the route that has brought hundreds of cops to Drumcree. The only motivation is sectarian antagonism.
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BladeoftheSun @bladeofthes.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Ban Israel from UEFA.
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The Palestine Project @palestineproject.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Daniel Levy, a former Israeli peace negotiator under Prime Ministers Ehud Barak and Yitzhak Rabin, says Israel’s growing diplomatic isolation “needs to be translated into action” like sanctions, arms embargoes and other forms of accountability.
democracynow.org
“Grotesque”: Ex-Israeli Negotiator Daniel Levy on Netanyahu’s U.N. Speech & Israel’s Impunity
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a half-empty chamber at the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, after dozens of delegations walked out in protest at the start of his speec...
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Greenpeace International 🌍 @greenpeace.org · 25/09/2026
97% of people live in countries with enough sun and wind to generate at least 10 TIMES the electricity they use today. Modern, decentralised renewable energy systems are POSSIBLE and AFFORDABLE. Don’t let oil and gas executives, or the politicians enabling them, tell you otherwise.
ember-energy.org
The Age of Power | Ember
How the electrotech and information revolution are converging – and what this means for energy, markets and geopolitics
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Oliver @oliver48.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
If, unlike tax-avoiding emigrant billionaires you've been paying taxes and NI for decades you'll know that our NHS & pensions aren't 'free stuff' mememvia Dark Woke Anti Capitalists
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Ian Mackay @ianmackay.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Maybe AI has gone rogue by deciding it hates genociders as well.
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Paul Bernal @paulbernal.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
If all the financial cheats had all their titles taken away….
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Drop Site @dropsitenews.com · 24/09/2026
📌Tue in Gaza under the Board of Peace-led “ceasefire”: ➤ 12:40 am — Israeli vehicles opened fire south of Khan Younis. ➤ 12:45 am — Israeli vehicles opened fire east of Gaza City. ➤ 12:50 am — Israeli forces demolished buildings west of Beit Lahia. ➤ 12:50 am — Israeli drones fired explosive...
➤ 12:50 a.m. — Israeli forces demolished buildings west of Beit Lahia.

➤ 12:50 a.m. — Israeli drones fired explosive munitions near the “Yellow Line” east of Al-Tuffah.

➤ 1:00 a.m. — Israeli warplane struck a home in Al-Tuffah.

➤ 6:20 a.m. — Israeli helicopters opened fire east of Khan Younis.

➤ 6:55 a.m. — Israeli helicopters opened fire east of Deir al-Balah.

➤ 8:35 a.m. — Israeli vehicles fired artillery east of Khan Younis.

➤ 8:40 a.m. — Israeli vehicles opened fire south of Khan Younis.

➤ 10:55 a.m. — Ghada Mohammad Abu Jazar, 35, was wounded by Israeli gunfire in the Maan area of Khan Younis.

➤ 1:40 p.m. — An Israeli quadcopter opened heavy fire around Abu Hmeid Roundabout and several streets in central Khan Younis.

➤ 2:10 p.m. — Israeli artillery shelled Al-Shuja’iyya, east of Gaza City.

➤ 5:15 p.m. — Israeli drone strike near Masqat School in western Al-Tuffah.

➤ 5:15 p.m. — Israeli drone strike near Al-Aqqad Mosque, west of Khan Younis.

➤ 5:20 p.m. — Two Palestinians were killed and several wounded in an Israeli drone strike on civilians inside a café in Al-Zarqa, Al-Tuffah.
➤ 5:29 p.m. — Israeli drone struck a vehicle next to Fares Beyk Restaurant in Al-Mawasi.

➤ 6:00 p.m. — Israeli vehicles opened fire toward northeastern Nuseirat.

➤ 6:15 p.m. — Arafat Sarour Saudi, 51, was wounded by Israeli quadcopter gunfire in Gaza City’s Al-Daraj neighborhood.

➤ 10:10 p.m. — Israeli vehicles and quadcopters opened fire north of Al-Bureij camp.

➤ 10:31 p.m. — One Palestinian was killed and several wounded in a drone strike near Tamraz Petrol Station on Al-Nafaq Street, Gaza City.

➤ 10:36 p.m. — Israeli forces demolished buildings northeast of Khan Younis.

➤ 10:50 p.m. — Israeli vehicles opened fire northeast of Khan Younis.

➤ 10:54 p.m. — Israeli vehicles opened fire in northwestern Gaza.

➤ 11:05 p.m. — A Palestinian was critically wounded by Israeli gunfire north of Khan Younis.

➤ 11:40 p.m. — Israeli vehicles opened fire east of Beit Lahia.

➤ 11:55 p.m. — Israeli artillery shelled areas east of Khan Younis.

The Palestinian side documented 26 Israeli ceasefire violations and 3 Palestinians killed and several wounded in a report shared with mediators and obtained by Drop Site. More below ⬇️
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Ian Mackay @ianmackay.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Stepping back? They've been pushed back. Iran have significantly reduced the US' footprint in West Asia by destroying so many of their assets there. Trump's attack on Iran has been a strategic disaster of epic proportions.
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Celtic Supporters Limited @celticsupporters.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Members meeting October 21st 7pm
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Celtic Supporters Limited @celticsupporters.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
🍀
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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
There is a lot of misinformation about the UK social security spending. The chart below shows Total UK social security spending as a percentage of GDP, 2013/14 to 2030/31 (spending & forecast) 55% goes to pensioners, the remainder covers everything else. lordslibrary.parliament.uk/welfare-refo...
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Oliver @oliver48.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Confessions of a genocidal Zionist ... via Khalid Zar
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Ian Mackay @ianmackay.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Nicolson: 'the club will come together'. No we fucking won't. The board have proved their incompetence; the fans fucking hate you and want you ALL to fuck off as far away as possible. #celticfc
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Grace Blakeley @graceblakeley.substack.com · 21/09/2026
The far right is winning because people are scared for the future. The left has to combat this fear head on by showing that decline is not inevitable. Another world is possible - but only if we can take on the power of capital. Me for @euractiv.com www.euractiv.com/opinion/econ...
euractiv.com
Economic hardship doesn't create the far right. But it wins them supporters | Euractiv
It is the fear of loss – not the experience of it – that activates the authoritarian reflex. That sense of decline has become pervasive
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The New Arab @thenewarab.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
As talks stall, Israel is deepening its military presence in south Lebanon, destroying infrastructure and entrenching a permanent security zone
newarab.com
’Scorched earth’: How Israel is remaking south Lebanon
Analysis: As talks stall, Israel is deepening its military presence in south Lebanon, destroying infrastructure and entrenching a permanent security zone
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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 21/09/2026
The Government has made a nerve-janglingly-specific pledge to deliver growth in every postcode. So we thought we'd plot how the last Parliament performed on that metric - safe to say 100 per cent growth would be a considerable step up ⤵️ buff.ly/s8wGf6Z
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Algarve Celtic @algarveceltic.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
If you’ve time this is a great paper from @celticsupporters.bsky.social celticsupporters.net/celtic-paradox
celticsupporters.net
The Celtic Paradox | Celtic Supporters Limited
A strategic review of Celtic PLC by Celtic Supporters Limited, built on Celtic plc's own audited accounts and public regulatory records.
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Ian Mackay @ianmackay.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Watched this for the first time last night. Absolutely brilliant. 👏
bbc.co.uk
Cyprus Avenue
David Ireland's award-winning dark comedy about sectarian hatred in Northern Ireland. Eric Miller, a Belfast loyalist, mistakes his five-week-old granddaughter for Gerry Adams.
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Celtic Supporters Limited @celticsupporters.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
8,224 people hold exactly one Celtic share and a growing number can no longer be found. No accounts, no vote, and a dividend unclaimed for twelve years may be forfeited. We are asking the board to appoint @CelticFC own registrar to find them. It costs the club nothing upfront.
celticsupporters.net
Support the CSL Resolution | Celtic Supporters Limited
Celtic Supporters Limited is a shareholder body formed by Celtic fans to build a real ownership stake in Celtic FC. We buy shares, coordinate proxy votes, and push for governance reform.
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Ian Mackay @ianmackay.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
When a journalist asks 'but how will you pay for it?' to a politician over a policy choice, i'd love the politician just turn round and say, 'i'd get the Bank of England to create the money'. The journos heads would explode.
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Ian Mackay @ianmackay.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Looks like Trump is going to attack Iran again. Diesel is already £2.06 up here and i'm guessing that's the cheapest it's going to be for some time. Fucking geriatric cunt.
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Ian Mackay @ianmackay.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Desmond's 'being better than Rangers' strategy going well then? #celticfc
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Blue Oleta @blue-oleta.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
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Al Jazeera English @aljazeera.com · 19/09/2026
Israeli soldiers' Gaza testimony causes backlash across much of the country's political establishment.
aljazeera.com
NAZA: Why are old Gaza allegations causing new fury in Israel?
Israeli soldiers' Gaza testimony causes backlash across much of the country's political establishment.
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Ian Mackay @ianmackay.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
The BBC asking why we don't do better at Eurovision when most of us are asking why we're not boycotting it. These fuckers really do live in a parallel universe.
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Miaganga @miaganga.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
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Seth Polansky @sethpolansky.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Yes. That is the EXACT message I've been screaming at you since 2018.
twitter post showing that boomers are starting to realize that other people might think they're bad people for supporting trump.
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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
As former Labour minister Tom Watson joins Palantir, please read this devastating exposé by @petergeoghegan.bsky.social & @lucasamin.bsky.social of how the company, with Peter Mandelson's help, wormed its way into the UK government to sell its dire & dangerous products. www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
lrb.co.uk
Peter Geoghegan and Lucas Amin · ‘This looks absolutely rubbish’: Palantir and the NHS
A decade ago Palantir was largely unknown in the UK. It now holds public contracts worth hundreds of millions of pounds...
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Ian Mackay @ianmackay.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
When is The Economist going to do a piece on the billionaires subverting democracy not just in the UK but everywhere?
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The New Arab @thenewarab.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
In Gaza’s displacement camps, Ghazal Radwan and a group of Palestinian girls are using boxing to release fear, anxiety and trauma For the girls, boxing is not only about throwing punches. It is a way to reclaim control over their bodies, hold on to hope and imagine a future beyond the war.
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Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
In May of 1940 there was a mass panic in Britain - stirred up by the tabloid press - about 'fighting aged men' who had come to Britain as 'refugees' posing a threat to the women and children of this country - and essentially forming a 'fifth column' that could, at any moment rise up against everyone
static.klipy.com
WW2 Soldiers in Croatia: Ivan Janjic Storefront
ALT: WW2 Soldiers in Croatia: Ivan Janjic Storefront
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Democracy Now! @democracynow.org · 16/09/2026
“For too long, Israel’s policies in the West Bank have been treated or looked at as isolated events,” says Ori Givati, director of international relations at B’Tselem. “We actually find that there is one very coherent logic behind all of them, and this is the logic of elimination."
democracynow.org
“The Elimination Project”: Israel's Systematic Dismantling of Palestinian Life in West Bank: B'Tselem
A major new report by the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem titled “The Elimination Project” accuses Israel of “dramatically intensifying its attacks on every aspect of Palestinian life in the West Bank.” “For too long, Israel's policies in the West B...
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Richard Murphy @richardjmurphy.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
The OAP triple lock isn’t a problem. The cost of pension tax relief is. youtu.be/BfcjgWXk36c?... Commentators are saying we cannot afford pensions for the most vulnerable. But none of them is questioning the £83 billion a year spent subsidising the pensions of the wealthiest. Why is that?
youtu.be
The OAP triple lock isn’t a problem. The cost of pension tax relief is.
YouTube video by Richard J Murphy
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The Electronic Intifada @intifada.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Since Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza began, night raids – often targeting children – have become even more common.
electronicintifada.net
Night raids rise in Palestine
Spike in detentions and incursions since October 2023 only accelerate decades of military abuses.
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The New Arab @thenewarab.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Israel has stepped up strikes on Gaza and closed key border crossings as Netanyahu seeks to create a tough image ahead of elections due in October:
newarab.com
Israel steps up strikes on Gaza as elections approach
Israel has stepped up strikes on Gaza and closed key border crossings as Netanyahu seeks to create a tough image ahead of elections due in October
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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
The state we are in. 7.28m hospital appointments awaited. 4m waiting for a social home. Universities in financial crisis. Rivers polluted with sewage. Half of schools unfit for use. Manufacturing declined from 30.1% of economic output in 1970 to 8.5% by 2026. Must abandon neoliberalism.
leftfootforward.org
Here’s how the chancellor can raise the billions needed to improve the quality of life of millions
Prem Sikka is an Emeritus Professor of Accounting at the University of Essex and the University of Sheffield, a Labour member of the House of Lords, and Contributing Editor at Left Foot Forward. Mi...
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