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Jan O’Brien

@irishnan.bsky.social
2.7K followers 2.8K following 136 posts

Anglo Irish European. Pro EU, NHS, democracy, peace, compassion, kindness

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Reposted by Jan O’Brien
Sarah Murphy @13sarahmurphy.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Farage honks his mouth off about ongoing police investigations, when told not to. His Welsh leader is in prison for taking bribes from Russia. He whips up riots. He’s in bed with Trump, foreign money, crooks and crypto billionaires…. A massive problem with national security is Farage himself.
sky news

'We have a massive problem with national security': Farage challenged on Fairford speculation
Reform UK leader told his social media followers the five men arrested after an RAF Fairford situation were "Iranian nationals". Sky's Rob Powell spoke to him after it was confirmed the men arrested are British nationals.
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Katie Phang @katiephang.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
“From Bordeaux to Paris, via Rennes in Brittany and Die in the southeast, thousands – 120,000, according to organizers – turned out ‘for the climate, for life, for peace, for social justice.’”
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Eddie Smith @eddsmitty.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
⚠️WOKE CONTENT⚠️™️ 🧵On Feb. 26, 1931, the INS under the orders of Herbert Hoover deported up to 1.8 million people to Mexico. An investigation in 2004 revealed 60% were U.S. citizens. Pull up a seat🪑. (cont) #ProudBlue #ResistanceRoots #USDemocracy #Voices4Victory www.history.com/articles/the...
history.com
The Long History of Anti-Latino Discrimination in America | HISTORY
School segregation, lynchings and mass deportations of Spanish-speaking U.S. citizens are just some of the injustices...
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Anton Gerashchenko @antongerashchenko.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
My God. This is the center of Kyiv. A civilian building, a historic one, built in the 1850s. Russian terror knows no bounds. They are attacking and killing Ukrainian civilians just because they can. If Russia is not stopped, it will expand its terror and violence.
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National Trust @nationaltrust.org.uk · 23/09/2026
Our wildfire petition has reached 100,000 signatures in four weeks - that’s 100,000 people urging the Government to take action on climate change.
An Fire and Rescue Service vehicle is parked on a passage between charred remains of heathland
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David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
The techbros don't want you to see this trailer. Pass it on.
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Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
"The one thing your viewers can know for sure is that we believe in controlling spending and reducing taxes, not increasing taxes," says Conservative Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp, whose own government raised taxes to their highest level in more than 70 years, just two years ago.
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Naomi Smith @pimlicat.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
What an incredible young woman who leads England to victory. "I'm happy to do it, but I want to keep going and keep making history as well, instead of just stopping here." www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Bodhana Sivanandan: British schoolgirl becomes youngest woman grandmaster
The 11-year-old has broken another chess record after a remarkable performance representing England.
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Sarah Murphy @13sarahmurphy.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
The Tories disgust me in opposition as much as they did in power. Driven mad chasing Reform votes. Incapable of decency and responsibility. And so goddam wet. Not one of them prepared to admit they got it wrong, that Brexit is a shitshow and more of that ruinous EU-phobia is the wrong way to go.
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Jonathan Portes @jdportes.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Rayner is correct: these proposals are economically damaging and politically counterproductive. Pretty clear that view is now almost universal in the Cabinet/Labour Party and the informed public. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
thetimes.com
Angela Rayner condemns Labour’s migrant visa crackdown
Speaking before the party conference, the housing secretary says Shabana Mahmood’s immigration plans would affect care workers
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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
The chipping away at citizenship, which started with Shamima Begum, is utterly poisonous. Anytime now, Restore will support the removal of citizenship on the basis of race or religion.
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12 Spoons 🇺🇦 @johnfw.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
How about domestic terrorism as he clearly spreading fear and undermining the political system
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Holly Thomas @holstat.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
OK, this ups the ante. Still not clear on the exact charges, though. bsky.app/profile/yeom...
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Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan @london.gov.uk · 27/09/2026
London’s rivers are getting the clean-up they deserve. This World Rivers Day, I’m celebrating our waterways and the work underway to transform 10 rivers across London over the next decade. We’re restoring nature, tackling pollution and creating better spaces for Londoners to enjoy.
A stylised map of London highlighting ten waterways restoration projects across the city. Each project area is marked in a distinct colour with labels describing local environmental improvements such as habitat restoration, flood‑risk reduction, new wetlands, better public access, and rewilding. Borough names are listed for each site. The map features the “Mayor of London” logo and a background image of a leafy waterway with buildings. A caption states that partners are working to revitalise waterways in ten locations to improve the environment for millions of Londoners.
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Rachel Maddow @maddow.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
"At least six babies in Pennsylvania have been born infected with measles, with two so sick they had to be admitted to intensive care. Congenital measles is a disease that’s rarely, if ever, seen in the U.S..." www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
nbcnews.com
America had wiped out measles. Now babies are infected at birth.
Congenital measles has rarely been seen in the U.S. That’s changing as vaccination declines and more pregnant women become infected.
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Fionna O’Leary @fascinatorfun.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
These Rejoin polls seem to be coming up pretty thick & fast these days. Early days one this one with 75% for Rejoin, but we know how these can reverse! www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
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Byline Times @bylinetimes.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
📚 CULTURE & IDEAS (Edition 90) The reinstatement by Ghent University of a key figure in the Jason Arday affair followed pressure from Trump’s State Department. Read the full piece below.
subscribe.bylinetimes.com
The reinstatement by Ghent University of a key figure in the Jason Arday affair followed pressure from Trump’s State Department. It reveals a wider ideology of ‘injustice as illusion’. Karam Bales reports
The reinstatement by Ghent University of a key figure in the Jason Arday affair followed pressure from Trump’s State Department. It reveals a wider ideology of ‘injustice as illusion’. Karam Bales reports
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Peter Jukes @peterjukes.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
What a vivid and inspirational tribute to @bonniegreer.bsky.social from my great friend and collaborator (and hers) @stephencolegrave.bsky.social Bonnie Greer: The Golden Thread – @bylinetimes.bsky.social bylinetimes.com/2026/09/21/b...
bylinetimes.com
Bonnie Greer: The Golden Thread
Stephen Colegrave pays personal tribute to our much-loved Byline Times contributor, who died last week
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Peter Jukes @peterjukes.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
The more we looked at the Jason Arday story, the more obvious it was that the British press operated on a “presumption of guilt”. A shocking tragic episode
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Kara Chrome @karachrome.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
bsky.app/profile/kara...
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Prof Sheena Cruickshank @sheencr.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
More political gameplay over tragic deaths by RFKJr as the CDC abruptly change how death information is counted and continue to avoid fully acknowledging the 3 recent fatalities of people infected with measles as being due to having the infection. Measles is preventable - please do get a vaccine
theguardian.com
Trump administration changes how it counts measles deaths amid Pennsylvania outbreak
CDC announces changes to how it reports measles deaths as Pennsylvania continues to confirm more cases
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Saganism @sagan.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Dr. Anthony Fauci urges Americans not to accept "Normalization of Untruths".
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Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Lord, President Xi just insulted Trump and the USA, right to Trump's face-in the White House. Xi referred, yet again, to the "Thucydides trap". This is an reference to the US being in decline and China replacing it. And Trump sits their making moo eyes like a lovestruck teenager
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Helene von Bismarck @helenebismarck.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
An excellent&long overdue essay on British (lack of) resilience, explaining just how dependent the UK is on circumstances it cannot guarantee itself, and why protecting your security means a lot more than to just spend more money on arms (although that is necessary, too). www.ft.com/content/ba80...
ft.com
How resilient is Britain?
As climate and geopolitical risks cast doubt on the UK’s ability to cope in a crisis, leaders are turning from ‘just in time’ to ‘just in case’ as a governing philosophy
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Celeste Headlee @celesteheadlee.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
So, Banksy bought a used yacht, repaired it and retrofitted it to serve as a rescue boat to save migrants in the central Mediterranean. The whole project cost the artist $860,000. Since 2020, the boat has saved more than 3,800 people. londondaily.com/banksy-funds...
londondaily.com
Banksy funds refugee rescue boat operating in Mediterranean - London Daily
Exclusive: UK artist finances bright pink motor yacht that set sail in secrecy to avoid being intercepted by authorities
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davidcamburn.bsky.social @davidcamburn.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
I’m following @lgspace.bsky.social will you?
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Cornish/Manc Parallel Realist (Worldwide Dept.) @leftymuso.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
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kaybell27.bsky.social @kaybell27.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Peter Thiel/Palantir seeks to undermine western democracy with his extreme right wing views, views that would fundamentally have us all working as slaves for the wealthy. As with many of the wealthy tech leaders the new tool to make money and intrude on our privacy is AI. Why it needs regulating.
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Arthur Snell @snellarthur.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
And if you find this subject interesting and important, there's a book, hailed as a "masterpiece" by Rory Stewart, waiting for your attention: uk.bookshop.org/p/books/elem...
uk.bookshop.org
Elemental: The New Geography of Climate Change and How We Survive it: The first comprehensive account of the geopolitics of climate change
'An extraordinary mastery of geopolitics, combining years on the ground in the most challenging places, a raw instinct for politics and a deep ethical concern for the world in the face of climate cata...
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Mark Thompson @sonofathomp.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Death camps.
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Guy Shrubsole @guyshrubsole.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Awful. Capital overrides communities once again. Frome's bid for a community-led housing & regeneration project at Saxonvale lies in tatters: the council's agreed a deal with a London-based real estate company instead. Similar story in Totnes with Atmos project www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
theguardian.com
‘Devastating’: council rejects Frome residents’ bid for regeneration project
Locals raised £1m for Mayday Saxonvale scheme involving homes and park but Somerset officials agreed deal with London-based real estate company
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Jan O’Brien @irishnan.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Brave lady & a voice of sanity and decency. The BBC needs to reflect such voices much more. They represent the majority but you wouldn’t know it given the coverage in most of the mainstream media.
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Roland Smith @rolandmcs.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Very nice to hear a sane voice from Piddington. Serious respect to this woman, who is apparently already being othered by more bigoted villagers.
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The Rest Is Politics @therestpolitics.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
AI CEOs hiring AI lawyers and donating money to (human) politicians to lobby for AI rights. A frightening future prospect by Yuval Noah Harari.
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Alastair Gittner @agittner.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Brexit has been a disaster for so many communities including our own I hope @danjarvismp.bsky.social @stephanie-peacock.bsky.social will attend the vote
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Met Office - weather and climate @metoffice.gov.uk · 24/09/2026
Global climate in 2025: How did the UK compare? 🌍 Record ocean heat, declining sea ice, droughts, extreme rainfall and the UK’s warmest year on record.
Met Office infographic titled “Global and UK warmest years”. A horizontal bar chart compares annual temperature rankings for 2014 to 2025. Orange bars show UK temperature ranking in a series dating back to 1884; yellow bars show global temperature ranking in a series dating back to 1850. Rank 1 represents the warmest year. The chart shows 2025 ranked 1st for the UK and 3rd globally; 2024 ranked 5th for the UK and 1st globally; 2023 ranked 3rd for the UK and 2nd globally; and 2022 ranked 2nd for the UK and 10th globally. Other years shown are 2021 (22nd UK, 11th global), 2020 (7th UK, 6th global), 2019 (17th UK, 7th global), 2018 (12th for both), 2017 (10th UK, 8th global), 2016 (21st UK, 5th global), 2015 (27th UK, 9th global), and 2014 (4th UK, 14th global). The graphic uses a blue gradient background with the Met Office logo at top left.
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Anton Gerashchenko @antongerashchenko.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Yesterday, during a Russian ballistic missile attack on Kyiv, a baby boy was born in the shelter of a Kyiv maternity home that was damaged by the Russian strike. Mom Alyona and her son Kyrylo are doing well, thanks to the doctors and staff who were with them.
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Anton Gerashchenko @antongerashchenko.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Today, President Zelenskyy visited them, and thanked everyone at the hospital for working in these challenging conditions.
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Patrick Barkham @patrickbarkham.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Gorgeous visit to the sunny Lincolnshire coast yesterday to see the latest golf course given back to nature. Credit to @nationaltrust.org.uk for being brave. This is nature as human regen too – fantastic new green infrastructure for Mablethorpe and Sutton-on-Sea. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
Skylarks and sandwich terns among new birdies on reserve created from ‘boring old golf course’
National Trust has transformed Sandilands in Lincolnshire into a nature reserve with wetlands and wading pools
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Sarah Murphy @13sarahmurphy.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
“Between 2019 and 2025, export volumes slumped 31 per cent as Brexit added border checks and trade complexity, pushing up costs for businesses” … and threatening our food security. Why TF would *anyone* want this for our businesses and our country? giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
giftarticle.ft.com
Brexit and Donald Trump’s tariffs push UK’s food and drink trade deficit to £21bn
In the first half of 2026, the sector’s export volumes fell 11.7% to hit their third-lowest level on record
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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
A short thread on “legitimate concerns”. The phrase is used repeatedly by UK government ministers. The Home Secretary is at it again this week. But only ever - as far as I can tell - in one context: people’s response to the arrival of asylum seekers. Please read whole 🧵before responding - thanks
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Nicola Kelly @nicolakellywrites.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
I have spent weeks shadowing the RNLI and I can tell you, they do it out of nothing more than compassion. Wrote about the heroes I've met over the years in this free-to-read post. nicolakelly.substack.com/p/the-rnli-a...
nicolakelly.substack.com
The RNLI aren't traitors; they're heroes
I have spent weeks shadowing lifeboat crews. Here's what they do and what it's like.
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The Guardian @theguardian.com · 24/09/2026
Police arrest far-right activist Daniel Thomas after dinghy slashed in Channel
theguardian.com
Police arrest far-right activist Daniel Thomas after dinghy slashed in Channel
Thirty-seven-year-old in custody suspected of committing crimes including ‘criminal damage to endanger life’ Daniel Thomas, the far-right agitator and anti-migrant activist, has been arrested on suspicion of “criminal damage with intent to endanger life”, two days after he filmed himself slashing the side of a dinghy in the middle of the Channel, while a rescuer was on board. Hampshire and Isle of Wight constabulary issued a statement saying that a 37-year-old man, of no fixed abode, had been arrested on Wednesday night “on suspicion of destroying ships or fixed platforms or endangering their safety under section 11 of the Aviation and Maritime Security Act 1990”. Continue reading...
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ContempraInn 🌹 @contemprainn.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
A 12 years old, Cai Thomas has a treble voice so pure and clear that the moment he begins singing Laudate Dominum, the whole atmosphere seems to become more serene.
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Oliver Bullough @oliverbullough.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
The fact something as fundamental and superb as the RNLI is a charity is one of the most magical and strange things about Britain. You can support them here. rnli.org/support-us/g...
rnli.org
Donate to the RNLI and help save lives at sea
Your donations really make a difference. We depend on your generosity to educate people to stay safe and prevent tragedies on and offshore. Donate here.
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Natasha Devon @natashadevon.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
George will be coming on my show this weekend to discuss this very important article.
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Sarah Kay @k-interarma.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
And he’s not an activist. The BBC keeps proving that it is incapable of the type of journalism that would hold such violence to account. And it’s fine in the sense that we have lower expectations for state media than we would for independent publications. But that’s irresponsible. And false.
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Lynn O'K @lynnok.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
@therestpolitics.bsky.social Antonio Guterres may not have brought world peace but he's always been solid on climate change and pollution. An equally important topic that will also lead to mass extinction of not resolved.
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Stephen Kinsella @stephenstroud.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
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Climate News @climatenews.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Benedict Cumberbatch presents How to Live on Earth. “Living on Mars would be horrible. Let’s try to live on Earth.”
youtu.be
How to Live on Earth | Feature Documentary | Presented by Benedict Cumberbatch
YouTube video by Open Planet
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