iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Paul Bernal @paulbernal.bsky.social · 15h

I lost friends over antisemitism in Labour. I tried to argue that the fact that people on the right were trying to use antisemitism as a weapon against Labour (and they were, in bad faith) did not mean that antisemitism did not exist in Labour (it did). This argument still echoes.

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ironeconomist.bsky.social @ironeconomist.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

In the simplest and most reductive way, the Uk political class seems to have resolved to pay 4% of gdp a year to investors to avoid raising taxes by 2% if gdp a year. It sounds mental when you put it like that but that’s actually the situation.

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Steven Seggie @stevenhseggie.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

The death penalty is barbaric and has no place in civilized society.

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Robert Saunders @robertsaunders.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

It’s a mark of the corruption of our whole way of thinking about the world that trying to meet a planetary emergency is routinely described as “ideological”, while continuing to accelerate it is presented as “pragmatic” and “economic”.

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Rob Blackie @robblackie.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

@jamesomalley.co.uk The 'democratic control' over social housing is almost certainly about housing associations. They have a huge chunk of housing stock - are completely unaccountable (because they are legally charities) and are effectively feral companies. Knocking on doors in London there's...

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macbeth lines bot @macbeth-quotes.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Alas, poor country! / Almost afraid to know itself. (Ross, Act 4 - Scene 3)

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labcoatjoe.bsky.social @labcoatjoe.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Why do levels of immigration have anything to do with racism against people like me? This argument is totally nonsensical. I know she believes it but didn't live the 1980's here in places with few immigrants and loads of racism. It is a choice to allow racism under cover of "legitimate concerns"

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labcoatjoe.bsky.social @labcoatjoe.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

It is quite funny to be making big noises about changes to Vets to make the bills less expensive and then expel a bunch of Vets. How will this help the cost of living crisis?

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labcoatjoe.bsky.social @labcoatjoe.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I look forward to this. @sarahoconnorft.ft.com’s book is excellent and everyone should read it

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Jonathan Portes @jdportes.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

This is *not* the result of "the success of Mahmood's reforms", but of earlier measures/other factors. Her proposals could make it considerably *worse* in future years. A few other points linked below.. archive.ph/0psJ8

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 significantly 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 seen net migration cut to the low hundreds of thousands, could cost Healey some £4bn.

Labour sources familiar with the budget process, however, said that the figure was now closer to £6.5bn. The OBR’s migration forecasts have been consistently higher than real numbers in recent years.

Treasury officials, who have long expected Mahmood’s reforms to cause a hit to headroom, described the number as “pure speculation” but did not deny that Healey would have to contend with a larger funding gap than expected because of falling migration

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Jonathan Portes @jdportes.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

"In order to deliver the PM's promise to save social care we need a permanent class of indentured migrant workers without labour rights".

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Kirsti M @heritage-meisie.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Trying to get a surgery with my MP to explain to her that the exemption for care workers won’t help me (she keeps sending me the same response saying she supports care workers) & am being ignored…I don’t think they understand in the slightest.

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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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David Beech @davidbeech.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

No-one in the mainstream of Labour whether they would be described as more on the right like me or more on the soft left describes people as medicalised layabouts. For once fuck off and join the toriies is an appropriate response

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labcoatjoe.bsky.social @labcoatjoe.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

If the government is offering 30 hours of free childcare why do these nurseries need £1.1 million of local gov subsidy? Could it be because the government doesn't pay the actual cost of the care?

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Philip Stephens @philipstephens.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

One day everyone is going to realise that Heathrow is never, ever, going to have a third runway and at last begin a useful discussion about Britain's airports.. www.ft.com/content/0206...

ft.com

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Dan Davies @dsquareddigest.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I mean, we've apparently lifted the ban on right wing hooliganism so what's the point keeping the stable door bolted I guess

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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Braverman should be asked if she rejects Ed Miliband being English (Jewish European parents). It would be highly racialised to say "no, Jews can't be Englieh for 5-6 generations" which is her logic. But perhaos even more racist to say "Miliband yes, Sunak no" (on visible skin colour, not ancestry)

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Will Jennings📉🗳️ @drjennings.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

It is disgraceful and wilfully misleading that the BBC do not report that Danny Tommo was filmed slashing the boat.

bbc.co.uk

Migrants taken to Dover after more than 30 hours at sea

Protesters gathered in Gosport after initial reports the small boat would be brought further west.

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Ash Oro @ashoro.co.uk · 22/09/2026

4/23 The distinction matters. A person does not stop being a person in distress because somebody believes they entered the sea illegally. Search and rescue is not an immigration hearing conducted offshore. The legal status of the person can be dealt with afterwards. First, you stop them dying.

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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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thebelovedaunt.bsky.social @thebelovedaunt.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Feral lawless scum raising the next generation of lawless scum.

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Institute for Public Policy Research @ippr.org · 21/09/2026

Both left and right agree that Capital Gains Tax (CGT) can be reformed to raise revenue while supporting investment and growth. It was Conservative chancellor Nigel Lawson who first equalised CGT rates with income tax in the first place. 1/2

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labcoatjoe.bsky.social @labcoatjoe.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

I think this is broadly good but the defence of Rwanda spoils it. But the comments btl in the Times.. my word

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James Ball @jamesrball.com · 19/09/2026

Dario Amodei's biggest PR success might just have been convincing a huge portion of usually sceptical observers that he is a materially different character than Sam Altman. I wonder how much of their antipathy stems from their similarities, rather than their supposed differences?

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James Ball @jamesrball.com · 19/09/2026

I think it should be a source of deep embarrassment – and perhaps even shame – that Rishi Sunak has spoken out on this before Andy Burnham has.

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sianushka.bsky.social @sianushka.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

I have a lot of thoughts about this terrible policy suggestion of criminalising parents for their children’s crimes. We need to be honest, it will disproportionately impact MOTHERS not parents - see similar offences such as truancy. And it therefore goes against repeated commitments to reduce

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Leonardo Carella @leonardocarella.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

This is fascism and no amount of language policing can change that. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...

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Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

While Piddington dominates the news, at Leicester Crown Court this man was sentenced today Ivan Jennings, a former Conservative councillor, called for terror attacks on small boat migrants and Muslims and shared target ideas, telling fellow white supremacists to kill as many “subhumans” as possible

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labcoatjoe.bsky.social @labcoatjoe.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

I will never forgive the normalisation of overt racism permitted by the last government. I had hoped for better from this government but fear disappointment. This woman represents what it really feels like to be brown or love people who are brown. She is so brave and it breaks my heart

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Paul Bernal @paulbernal.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Step one: stoke the (wrong) fear Step two: tell the world they can deal with the (wrong) fear. All the while avoiding talking about the real problems with AI

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labcoatjoe.bsky.social @labcoatjoe.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

No cheating. Share the last photo of the sky from your camera roll.

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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

In thisa piece for @thenewworldmag.bsky.social I express the wish for a better level of public discourse around AI that doesn't leave us hanging on every word of the alleged tech gurus. www.thenewworld.co.uk/philip-ball-...

thenewworld.co.uk

Apocalyptic AI fantasies are a stupid, annoying distraction from its real problems

The people who work in AI are not gurus and most of their predictions have been wrong. Working in the industry makes them less reliable commentators, not more

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Jesse Hawken @jessehawken.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

"One more thing Miss Barlow... you were about 14 in 2001, and you grew up in the UK, so why did they dismiss your school at noon on 9/11, when the attacks would have happened around 2 pm your time? I just don't understand how the school knew the attacks would be happening later"

Columbo (Peter Falk) asking one more question

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Luke Turner @luketurner.com · 12/09/2026

As Ben Delo's record £36m Reform donation is headline news, I can't emphasise enough that the media ought to be reporting on Delo's heinous funding of antisemitic conspiracy theorists in the High Court – anonymous contributors to the horrifying neo-Nazi account shown below. bsky.app/profile/luke...

A sample of neo-Nazi posts by the @ParallaxOptics account, displaying grotesque antisemitic caricatures and violent Jew hate.

The @ParallaxOptics account's banner image depicting Adolf Hitler.

Post by @ParallaxOptics of an article anonymously written by Nina Power and Daniel Miller: ON CULTS II "If we're proposing the the Left is a cult, the first question is what do cults want in general?"

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Dan Kaszeta FRHistS @dankaszeta.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

“The pogrom had bad intelligence” is really a bad stance for a Labour MP to take

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Judah Grunstein @judah-grunstein.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

I think we'd see a lot more urgency about regulating AI in Silicon Valley if the AI agents suddenly developed a sense of restorative justice, and instead of them threatening humanity with total extinction, they just wanted to redistribute wealth and reverse power hierarchies.

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Mic Wright @brokenbottleboy.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

By the way, Rajan loved Roger Scruton and wrote for The Salisbury Review so he was hardly hiding his alignment before he arrived at the BBC.

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Dan Neidle @danneidle.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

We like to assess tax cuts by the "bang for the buck": the amount of GDP growth that each pound of tax cut creates. Here's our updated rough and ready estimate for fifteen different tax cuts: Universities UK's proposal is right near the bottom.

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Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

According to a column in the Times, gangs of masked vigilantes blocking roads have demands which "represent a consensus view across the country". This is very patently utter bollocks. Daniel Thomas, the organiser, is a far-right racist thug. His views are not in any way mainstream.

Should anyone wonder that groups of angry white men in balaclavas have now started occupying Dover and blockading coaches sent to ship more and more men into this utterly negligent system? It’s astonishing it hasn’t happened sooner. I don’t mean I want to see gangs of masked bricklayers marauding around ports. I don’t. But I do think that if you have spent three years allowing masked Gaza activists to take over the streets because police are too scared to stop them, and five years blocking policies such as Rwanda that would actually stop the boats, you cannot start hyperventilating the moment working-class British men take to the streets non-violently, as in Dover if not Portsmouth, to make their feelings known.

The non-violence is obviously critical. This was not a riot, as we saw in 2024. It was not a campaign of harassment. It did not target random people. And unlike the Gaza marches or “stop oil” stunts, its demands represent a consensus view across the country and relate to something under the government’s direct control. They amount to: “Can the government please do what it promised and stop ferry-loads of undocumented foreign men arriving on our beaches to fill up regional hotels and roam around town centres?” They might reasonably also ask for the Home Office to stop handing out asylum to the thousands who falsely claim it while visiting on student or work visas.

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David Klemperer @dmk1793.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Frustrating that in an era that demands strength, firmness, and a willingness to face up to and act upon harsh truths, we've been lumped with a weak, soft-touch, liberal Home Secretary still clinging to long 1990s illusions about permanent social peace and the power of rational dialogue

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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Media presenters in UK may have skewed perceptions of balamce of Jewish opinion towards Israeli govt. Centre of gravity aligns with Miliband (attached to Israel & critical of Netanyahu). Varies by faith/denomination & politics: many cons & mainstream orthodox disapprove Netanyahu govt too. See IJPR

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labcoatjoe.bsky.social @labcoatjoe.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

I find this an interesting way for the Chief Rabbi to discuss the actions of our Jewish Foreign secretary who has family in Israel and is the child of holocaust survivors

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HOPE not hate @hopenothate.org.uk · 08/09/2026

HOPE not hate spoke to one person who was so disturbed by these plans that they contacted the Counter Terrorism Police.

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HOPE not hate @hopenothate.org.uk · 08/09/2026

Residents of Preston-next-Wingham, a tiny village of just 921 people, raised the alarm after hundreds of men dressed in black took over their roads, gardens and driveways to park their cars on Friday.

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labcoatjoe.bsky.social @labcoatjoe.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Not generally a fan of the open letter but I feel pretty safe signing this one.

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Yair Wallach @yairwallach.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

While they are calling to maintain normal trade relations with Israeli settlements in the occupied territories, creating one Jewish state between the River and the Sea, the Board of Jewish Deputies once again complains about protestors who shout "from the River to the Sea". You can't make this up.

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Jonathan Portes @jdportes.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

What Sam said. Meanwhile, in Denmark, migrants' kids lag 20/30/40 points behind on average -and there are still people here who think *we* should copy *them* on immigration/integration.

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