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Ken Crook

@kencrook.bsky.social
78 followers 16 following 237 posts
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Reposted by Ken Crook
Nick Cohen @nickcohen.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Interview with @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu on America’s corrupt empire “The U.S. we once knew is never coming back” Podcast and piece on the end of the liberal order
nickcohen.substack.com
Anne Applebaum: America’s corrupt empire
The U.S. we once knew is dead and gone
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Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
It will never not be wild to me that the Russians attacked Keir Starmer's home, successfully spread falsehoods about Starmer's love life, and this didn't changed British politics and British political elite behaviour *at all*.
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Roland Smith @rolandmcs.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
'Which taxes do you want to raise instead?' should be the default question to anyone who calls for reductions in immigration.
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Peter Geoghegan @petergeoghegan.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
The online far right conspiracy theorists’ obsession with the Fabians - stoked massively by GB News, Talk TV et al - is one of the weirdest, most disturbing things in British politics right now (and that’s saying something) Like a mini British QAnon Must be awful working for Fabians rn
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Nick Cohen @nickcohen.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
The crypto threat to democracy: how the crypto industry is buying up the radical right – and why Podcast and piece on the crypto-political scandals hitting the US, UK and Poland
nickcohen.substack.com
Crypto corruption: Who buys politicians and why
Watch now (13 mins) | Crypto pays the radical right for immunity
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ron-hill.bsky.social @ron-hill.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Fascinating point of view. Controversial in liberal circles, which means it should probably be read. @helenlewis.bsky.social www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
theatlantic.com
How to Destroy a Lesbian Bar
The scourge of COVID led to drive-by whinings disguised as activism.
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The Atlantic @theatlantic.com · 26/09/2026
Abdul El-Sayed isn’t afraid of starting an argument—but the Michigan Democrat doesn’t always pick his fights carefully, @helenlewis.bsky.social writes. She spoke with the candidate ahead of the midterm elections: theatln.tc/uDvy8VPI
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Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Liar. Small boat crossings peaked under Johnson in 2022 reaching 46,000 in 2022. In current year they are 18,565 and falling. Also prior to Boris Johnson's Brexit there were none.
It's a disaster, and it can all be traced to
Labour ideology. Burnham has no mandate
from the people. He has no real ideas, and
no plan,

Johnson on X
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Kate from Kharkiv @kateinkharkiv.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
This is a 29-year-old journalist, Mariya Yizhvenko, she was killed in a Russian strike on a business center in Kyiv yesterday 💔🕯 ​Her death was shared by her husband, combat medic Danylo Yivzhenko, and her former colleague Oleksandra Nekrashchuk. ​
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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Kirsti, an architect - directly affected - on her MP not appearing to understand that protecting [only] care workers would mean forcing out vets, architects, chefs and many others (but perhaps unwittingly for most MPs + ministers who have not spotted this) bsky.app/profile/heri...
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Will Lloyd @willoyd.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
I’ve spent a few weeks asking some very intelligent people whether Britain is resilient - can it get back up after being whacked in the face - and the short answer is no, not really. It also seems like a few whacks in the face are quite likely in the future. 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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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
But most people told they had 10-15 year path to settlement would lose their legal status by 2030-31. Mahmood's draft policy was remigration by stealth for about a million people - by accident? By design? Just exempting care workers would be a Burnham remigration by stealth plan for 250k people.
Few of those offered a hypothetical 15-year wait in principle will be able to stay long enough to qualify in practice. Those who do not earn the £50,000 salary needed to meet new visa renewal rules in 2030 would have to leave.

The vocal demand of the champi­ons of “remigration” on the political right is that what they call the “Bo­riswave” must be made to leave. Without significant changes, the gov­ernment’s own proposals are a recipe for mass remigration by stealth. How far that was by design or unwitting accident has never been quite clear.

Exempting care workers from the new settlement rules protects three-quarters of those who could have been forced out – but leaves 250,000 other workers at risk of losing their legal status.
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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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Peter Geoghegan @petergeoghegan.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
🔴 BREAKING: BP, Uber, Amazon and more paying Tony Blair's think tank $25,000 for “networking” opportunities with politicians and policy makers at party conferences Experts say "looks and smells like cash for access" Full story on Democracy for Sale democracyforsale.substack.com/p/breaking-t...
democracyforsale.substack.com
BREAKING: Tony Blair Institute’s $25,000 corporate network “smells like cash for access”
Exclusive documents show Tony Blair's think tank offers corporate members such as BP and Uber "networking" at party conferences and "a stronger voice" in policy debates.
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Michael Savage @michaelsavage.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
NEW: BBC reducing the number of local specialist correspondent roles. Instead, each BBC region going down to two dedicated, multi-platform correspondents (generalists, not specialists). Will no doubt prompt concerns about reduced local knowledge and expertise. Story coming.
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Andrew Harrison @nndroid.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Most British people’s idea of the real crime rate is enormously out of whack with reality… but extreme politicians and rightwing newspapers have zero interest in enlightening them. This is a brilliant edition that you really should share with any Reform-curious or Daily-Mail-afflicted relatives.
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Bellingcat @bellingcat.com · 25/09/2026
In a new investigation Bellingcat and @jeuneafrique.com reconstruct and analyse more than a dozen Malian military drone strikes, that have repeatedly hit civilian areas and reportedly resulted in the deaths of non-combatants.
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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Incredible. First Secretary Mullin claimed that DHS had identified 15,903 noncitizens on Nevada’s voter roll. Then DHS officials told a skeptical Nevada, no no no, that’s just people we flagged. Here are the names of 185 people we KNOW aren’t citizens. All 185 were citizens. DHS got 100% wrong.
When the Department of Homeland Security sent Nevada a list of 185 names last month that it claimed identified noncitizens who had been improperly allowed to register to vote, state election officials got to work.
On Tuesday, the state sent a strongly worded rebuke to the federal government: Every single person on the list was a lawful citizen.
"As for the 185 individuals, our records indicate that they were citizens," Greg D. Ott, a deputy attorney general in Nevada, wrote, according to a copy of a letter sent to Department of Homeland Security officials obtained through open records requests.
"You have provided nothing of substance to suggest otherwise."Following the meeting, Ms. Vogt sent a clarifying email to Nevada officials. "I also wanted to be sure I clarified that we did not reduce the 15,903 to 185," she wrote. "We've manually reviewed some of the 15,903 and confirmed 185 are not U.S. Citizens."
Now, Nevada officials are saying even that 185 number is wrong. They also took issue with a letter D.H.S. sent them in early September, in which the agency reiterated its initial claims about nearly 16,000 noncitizens on the rolls and pressured state officials to review each case in a letter to Nevada officials in early September.
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Chemjobber @chemjobber.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
As a fellow (Anglo first name) (Asian last name), I'm kicking this dude out of the club. Multiplication tables??!? I was disappointed when my (then)-second grader didn't have them fully nailed down
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Roland Smith @rolandmcs.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
These guys are protesting about 'groups of fighting age men threatening local areas'. You've got to admire the irony.
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Mark O’Neill 🐻 @radiobeartime.com · 24/09/2026
“Defence barrister Helen Easterbrook said Somerville had been "caught up" in the disturbances. She said he had been attempting to be a "calming influence" on the crowd but had thrown the bottle "in frustration".”
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Nick Cohen @nickcohen.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
The crypto industry is trying to protect itself from scrutiny by bulk-buying politicians in the UK, US, Poland and Latin America Piece from me on the corruption organised crime’s favourite means of exchange is unleashing
nickcohen.substack.com
Crypto corruption goes global
A criminal currency buys politicians by the score
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Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu · 24/09/2026
Interesting. The Phillipines pivoted to the US, away from China, and now, under Trump, are beginning to regret it www.worldpoliticsreview.com/philippines-...
worldpoliticsreview.com
The Philippines Chose to Align with the U.S. Now It Regrets It
Despite Manila’s efforts, it is increasingly evident that Washington cannot be trusted to uphold its commitments.
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Dr Robert Davis @chairrdrf.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Off normal topics because it's important. nickcohen.substack.com/p/crypto-cor... HT @nickcohen.bsky.social
nickcohen.substack.com
Crypto corruption goes global
A criminal currency buys politicians by the score
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Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Good Resolution Foundation piece that makes a similar argument to my @ippr.org one. Who would win and lose from a proportional property tax replacing council tax and SDLT can be seen here. benwansell.github.io/property-tax/
benwansell.github.io
Proportional Property Tax
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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Mad little deal going on at the i paper right now. The usual £79.99 annual subscription as been cut to just £20 for the whole year. You can unlock it by going to my last article inews.co.uk/opinion/trum...
inews.co.uk
Trump threatened genocide. So why does the UK ignore his moral depravity?
Ian Dunt: America has wised up to what the US President represents. When will we?
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Katie Martin @katie0martin.ft.com · 24/09/2026
At what point do we stop saying the AI has gone rogue and start accepting this is what it's for? Hacking and nudifying and killing the internet and maybe some useful speak-and-spell. And then killing humans obv as.ft.com/r/dc864f30-7...
as.ft.com
OpenAI ‘agent’ hacked an Australian health service website
AI lab took months to spot the problem, which Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called ‘obviously unacceptable’
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David Higham @oldtrotter.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Well said by @theguardian.com Rather a problem when you’re increasingly dependent on those American big tech companies to generate growth and also when the US President is assiduous in spreading falsehoods about the U.K.
Mr Burnham is right to highlight the threat, but he told only part of the story.
The Kremlin would be wasting its money pumping out disinformation if large US tech platforms didn't provide convenient channels for the toxin to spread, if there weren't a complicit audience in Britain sharing the offending material and if the market for spreading pernicious propaganda weren't so lucrative. Information warfare is only effective when it exploits structural vulnerabilities in the target society. Far-right material sowing hatred against migrants is most fruitful where the terrain has been fertilised by domestic politics.
Earlier this year, analysis by the Guardian found that more than half of accounts on X that were posting about racially aggravated riots in Belfast and civil disorder in Southampton were based outside the UK. Seven of the most-read tweets originated in the US, including one posted by X's proprietor, Elon Musk, the world's richest man.
Mr Musk has been assiduous in promoting a warped, dystopian idea of Britain as a failed state whose culture is being corroded by mass migration.
His platform has been invaluable to far-right activists who have mustered gangs of masked men into mobs that obstruct roads, intimidate people and threaten asylum claimants at British ports. Last year, Mr Musk addressed a rally organised by the far-right activist Tommy Robinson, where he called for the Labour government to be removed. Earlier this year, Mr Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, travelled to Moscow on a trip funded by the Musk Foundation. He said the purpose of the trip was to "see the beauty of a civilised society".
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Steven Beschloss @stevenbeschloss.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
50 percent tariffs for our beloved neighbor and historic ally, Canada. A red carpet and a military flyover for Communist China’s leader. Donald Trump is a sick man and a danger to America.
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Jacob Öberg @profjacob.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
🚨🚨 #MAGA is making the world safe for #corruption. Strong piece by @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu on how far-right ideologies have transformed #American #foreignpolicy into a tool of private gain and anti-democratic reaction. www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...
theatlantic.com
MAGA Is Making the World Safe for Corruption
Far-right ideologues have transformed American foreign policy into a tool of private gain and antidemocratic reaction.
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Nick Cohen @nickcohen.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
The latest grim assertion from an emboldened far right is that, however hard they try to integrate, migrants and their descendants can never be English Piece by me on a modern revival of dark racial fantasies
nickcohen.substack.com
If you’re not white, you can’t be English
Neo-fascism, modern style
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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Why does the UK press continue to treat Trump like a normal politician when he is demonstrably wicked and insane inews.co.uk/opinion/trum...
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Mujtaba Rahman @mijrahman.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Europe has spent a long time fretting about the US under President Donald Trump. It should worry more about Russia and China, who both have clear incentives to escalate rather than compromise in their dealings with the EU. My latest for @theguardian.com www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
Europe frets about Trump. But soon he could be the least of our problems | Mujtaba Rahman
The US relationship is stabilising, but how will Europe face up to Russia and China if President Le Pen is in power, asks political risk consultant Mujtaba Rahman
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Simon Harries @simonharries.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
It is very hard to explain how deeply shocking and depressing this is. The worst point of all is not even the existence of racist fanatics but the total lack of response by politicians. Why and how is this the case?
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"Sources close to" Bob Borsley @bobborsley.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Good piece by @nickcohen.bsky.social on those who are obsessed with who is and who is not ethnically English. Either they are engaged in a pointless bit of labelling, or they have a racist agenda. They should tell us which: open.substack.com/pub/nickcohe...
open.substack.com
If you’re not white, you can’t be English
Neo-fascism, modern style
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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
A) 70/80 hour weeks? Right. When are you working on air con? 9 at night? B) NHS, free education, welfare system, bin collections, roads, wider state services. Go fuck yourself Dave
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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
The Guardian at least leading with the actual story here
theguardian.com
Far-right activist Daniel Thomas slashes dinghy in Channel with blade while rescue worker onboard
Thomas called followers to protest against arrival of asylum seekers in Gosport, but Border Force instead transported them to Dover
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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
This is dream territory for Labour surely - Reform and the Tories splitting the right vote between them. For the last few months, Labour needed two things: a poll boost, and a modest Tory resurgence. Seems like it's getting them both.
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Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
The difference between the performance of immigrants in England and Western Europe is staggering. (20 pts equals a year of learning.) I looked at this in detail in the post - it can't be explained away by language or relative advantage of different immigrant communities. There is a policy factor.
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Nick Davies @njdavies.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Great to hear the PM say “We are going to be much prouder in standing up for our values and the rule of law” re foreign information warfare. I wonder if he or the Home Secretary might consider doing the same when it comes to masked vigilantes shutting down infrastructure and harassing the RNLI
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Nick Stone @typejunky.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Just emailed Burnham to ask him why the fuck he’s not doing anything about the coked-up blackshirts infestation. Will almost certainly achieve nothing but: subject ‘Blackshirts’ to andy.burnham.mp@parliament.uk from enough people might.
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Dylan Difford @dylandifford.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
I mean, at this point, it's fairly unambiguously paramilitarism. You've got a non-state actor using violence to further political objectives. It's flagrantly in breach of democratic principles several times over. Inaction would be the most ultimate failure of a democratic government.
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Lewis Baston @lewisbaston.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
I thought Keir should have done one of these in October 2024 to do a fiscal U-turn. But Andy doing a broadcast now on ‘British values’ and the threat of the far right would be salutary.
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Lewis Baston @lewisbaston.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Arrest this thug and proscribe his organisation. It’s a dangerous criminal conspiracy.
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Ken Crook @kencrook.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
🧵
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Tom Roberts @tpgroberts.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Arrest the lot, you cannot tolerate this level of antisocial behaviour disrupting official business and it's very clear he will not stop. bsky.app/profile/yeom...
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Tom Roberts @tpgroberts.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Frankly, I don't think it would be unreasonable to prosecute this given the clear intent, probably hard to charge with attempted murder but very clearly that was the intent. bsky.app/profile/yeom...
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Tom Roberts @tpgroberts.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
The complete and total collapse of state function in the face of far right extremists. It is frankly ludicrous that Daniel Thomas continues to be at large given the series of crimes committed which he has literally filmed.
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Bellingcat @bellingcat.com · 22/09/2026
A UN fact-finding mission has claimed that a Feb. 28 missile strike on the Shajareh Tayyebeh school in Minab, Iran, that killed more than 150 people likely constitutes a war crime. Bellingcat was the first to identify the weapon that hit the school as a US Tomahawk missile.
youtube.com
Video Analysis Shows Two Waves of Bombings in Iran Elementary School Strike
YouTube video by Bellingcat
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Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
I think this is pretty hard to justify. The education reporters might I suppose argue that the Orr story is a politics one and hence goes to that desk. But we also have the student complaints, mentioned in the FT long read and apparently reopened this week.
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