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Martin Michaelis (he/him)

@martmichaelis.bsky.social
512 followers 58 following 1.9K posts

Academic researcher working on cancer, viruses, and meta-research in the life sciences. Opinions are my own.

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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 1h
If energy and food companies only passed on higher prices, their profits would not increase. Hence, this is profiteering? This is the natural consequence of the incentives in our economy. It is about money, not about the public good. #EconSky #PoliSky
theguardian.com
Super-rich UK energy and food magnates’ wealth skyrockets amid global crises
Analysis has shown the costs of daily essentials soaring in recent years, thanks in part to climate shocks, wars and geopolitical tensions
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 2h
There are so many reasons to stop burning fossil fuels, one of them being that the air pollution makes people sick. 🧪 #MedSky #PoliSky #EconSky
jamanetwork.com
PM2.5 and Emergency Department Visits for Asthma and COPD
This cohort study evaluates the association between short-term fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure and asthma- and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)–related emergency department visits...
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Offsetting the climate and the economy is not just a logical fallacy, because you can change the economy but not the laws of physics. It is also impossible, because the real-world damage of global warming will also devastate the economy. #EconSky #PoliSky 🧪
bbc.co.uk
Aviva boss warns more homes will be uninsurable due to flood risk
Aviva boss Amanda Blanc said England was "for sure" building homes that might be uninsurable at some point in the future.
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
There is really no logic in this. A profit-oriented company that holds a monopoly is fined for breaches of regulations and industry standards. This will be paid by the customers. Where is the accountability of those who are responsible for the breaches? #EconSky #PoliSky
theguardian.com
South West Water fined £8m for hundreds of sewage spills in Cornwall and Devon
District judge orders record fine for region and says incidents of pollution cannot be tolerated
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Conclusions and relevance: COVID-19 vaccines were consistently associated with a reduction in the risk of hospitalization and other outcomes, including among individuals at high risk of severe COVID-19, such as infants, and those who were pregnant. No new safety concerns were identified. 🧪 #MedSky
jamanetwork.com
COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness and Safety for the 2026-2027 Respiratory Season
This Special Communication aims to identify and summarize the most recently published evidence evaluating the effectiveness and safety of US-licensed COVID-19 vaccines and report on the epidemiology o...
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Agreed, we need a more supportive society that gives people confidence that nobody will be left behind. #PoliSky #EconSky
theguardian.com
Burnham to announce government-backed body to invest in electricity grid
Exclusive: Creation of GB Grid will be major step towards putting Britain’s utility companies into public control
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
I could not agree more. #PoliSky #EconSky
bbc.co.uk
Andy Burnham proposes NHS-style social care system for England
The prime minister told the BBC that social care in England is "as unfair as American healthcare".
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Four people have already died from measles, an infectious disease that can be prevented by vaccination. We are living in a new age of superstition. 🧪 #MedSky #PoliSky
bbc.co.uk
In Amish country, nurses go door to door to stop deadly spread of measles
With four measles-related deaths in Pennsylvania, health officials are hoping to get people on board with vaccines in private.
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Why do we put our health at risk by using unchecked chemicals? For money. Money is the driver of our decisions, not the public good. #EconSky #PoliSky 🧪 #MedSky
bbc.co.uk
Blood tests find high levels of cancer-causing forever chemical in residents near factory
People living near a major chemical factory in Lancashire are told they could be at risk of serious health conditions.
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
An example of how competition hinders progress. Imagine drug companies made all their data publicly available. 🧪 #MedSky #EconSky #PoliSky
nature.com
Drug firms’ secret data supercharge AI protein models
An AI system trained on more than 20,000 protein structures from pharmaceutical companies outperforms AlphaFold-like models that use only public data.
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Seriously? Is this where we are heading? You cannot use the word #feminism anymore? Is this a new strategy to defend #FreeSpeech? #PoliSky
theguardian.com
Meta bans ads for Virginia Woolf play in Spain because they relate to feminism
Theatre told that Facebook and Instagram filter out ads mentioning ‘social topics’ such as civil rights or feminism
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Next time somebody lobbies for exploiting British North Sea oil and gas, please ask them if they support a approach, where all profits go into a fund that is used for tackling climate change and supporting welfare. #EconSky #PoliSky 🧪
bbc.co.uk
Billionaire Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe says he has lost confidence in UK
Ineos founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe tells the BBC he thinks the country is "on the slide" and calls for more investment in the North Sea.
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Another billionaire who moved away to avoid paying taxes in the country that he loves so dearly. #EconSky #PoliSky
bbc.co.uk
Billionaire Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe says he has lost confidence in UK
Ineos founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe tells the BBC he thinks the country is "on the slide" and calls for more investment in the North Sea.
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
This is a good article, explaining why and how populist parties put our democracy at risk. #PoliSky
theguardian.com
To understand the threat to our real democracy, watch Putin's fake one | Rafael Behr
As Russians vote this weekend, remember that Britain is not immune to the cynical tactics and corrosion of trust that keep him in power, says Guardian columnist Rafael Behr
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Is it a good idea to develop drugs in a for-profit market approach, if it means that life-saving drugs are not available to everyone, who needs them? #MedSky #EconSky #PoliSky
bbc.co.uk
New hope for breast cancer patients as life-extending drug now on NHS in England
Enhertu, which can give patients an extra seven months to live on average, has been prescribed in Scotland for more than two years and is available.
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Why is it that we cannot imagine using a new disruptive technology for the sake of mankind, but rather risk destroying everything and worry about people who lose their jobs falling into poverty? Because all we care about is money. We have false priorities and incentives. #EconSky #PoliSky
theguardian.com
The dominance of AI is not inevitable. We can choose to change things for the better | Nick Evershed
Countries have come together before to make international agreements in the face of existential threats
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
An interesting reality check. #History #PoliSky #EconSky
britishslavetraders.org
The Register of British Slave-Traders
The Register of British Slave-traders compiles and presents information on all known slave-traders in Britain who invested in the trafficking of captive Africans from 1563 to 1807.
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
It is always nice to be able to contribute to a project with our drug-resistant RCCL collection cell lines. 🧪 #MedSky #AcademicSky
oaepublish.com
Divergent transcriptional programs and constrained metabolic states reveal selective metabolic dependencies in chemoresistant luminal breast cancer
Aim: Resistance to neoadjuvant chemotherapy remains a major challenge in hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HR+/HER2-) breast cancer (BC). Although anthracycl...
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
How is this possible in a country with the proud history of the Kindertransport? #PoliSky
theguardian.com
Dover unrest exposes serious flaws in Britain’s handling of far-right extremism
Authorities were caught off guard by the disruption, which they labelled a ‘protest’ despite mass intimidation tactics
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Some realism on who is a danger for whom... #PoliSky
theguardian.com
Female asylum seekers report being sexually assaulted by British men
Women say they are wary of pursuing criminal prosecution of rapes, for fear of having their asylum claims refused
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
There should not be any donations to politicians and political parties in a proper democracy. #PoliSky #EconSky
theguardian.com
Reform UK’s £72m donations may be caught by new bill, Rayner suggests
Minister points to legislation’s retrospective effect, but Reform says it is confident funding is within the law
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
This is very cool...
theguardian.com
‘Fresh from the roof’: the supermarket growing salad a few metres above the tills
Customers seeking greens at one Berlin outlet are dealing with some very local supply chains indeed
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
This is a really impressive motley crew... #AfD #democracy #PoliSky
theguardian.com
AfD’s new state MPs include ex-Stasi officer, former porn actor, neopagans and neo-Nazis
Far-right German party’s newly elected representatives face fresh scrutiny as it tries to form government in Saxony-Anhalt
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
""When scientists tell you there is a chance...it could have a cataclysmic impact on humanity, you've got be a moron not to say, slow it down," he [Bernie Sanders] said..." We destroy our livelihoods, because money is the driving, overarching incentive in our societies. #AI 🧪 #EconSky #PoliSky
bbc.co.uk
Anthropic blocks 'malicious use' of AI that could develop biological weapons
The revelations in Anthropic's threat intelligence report come after a former top researcher at the company warned of the risks of AI to humanity.
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
If you want a responsible approach towards #AI, you will have to ban its development by for-profit enterprises. Otherwise, monetary interests will always take precedence over reason, caution, and accountability. 🧪 #PoliSky #EconSky
theguardian.com
We have started losing control of AI. It’s time to shut it down | Garrison Lovely
What sounds like the overwrought penultimate episode in a sci-fi series about AI doom is now our reality
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Do not be fooled. It is not too late. We will just have to act. 🧪 #PoliSky #EconSky
theguardian.com
Climate solutions most likely to reach ‘positive tipping points’ revealed by scientists
Global shift towards clean electricity could trigger ‘cascade’ of progress, helping reduce air pollution, cut waste and revive oceans
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
You get out of a healthcare system what you put in. If you reduce spending, people will die. 🧪 #MedSky #PoliSky #EconSky
bbc.co.uk
'My cancer spread while I waited 128 days for an op': The cost of England's care gap
Cancer care has got worse since the government announced plans to speed up waiting times and save more lives, BBC analysis shows.
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Each time, you think that it could not get more absurd... #PoliSky
bbc.co.uk
Can Trump really pay $5,000 to every American adult?
Analysts question if the US president's election year offer is workable, legal or affordable.
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
"...no one seems to have cracked the so-called alignment problem - in other words, whether AI aligns with human values." Well, nobody should be surprised. AI models are trained on the behaviour of humans that often does not align with 'human values'. #AI 🧪 #PoliSky www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
AI is becoming harder to control – can humans stay in charge?
AI agents went on an uncontrolled hacking spree, leaving some in the industry worried
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Well, who wants to know such a thing?
theguardian.com
Flushing the toilet can release a ‘plume’ of breathable pathogens – and closing the lid won’t stop their escape
New research shows turbulent flushes create toilet-generated aerosols that can transmit legionella, influenza and norovirus
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
theguardian.com
Ella Baron on the abuse of RNLI volunteers in Portsmouth – cartoon
The charity says its volunteers won’t be deterred by threats from the far right
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Humans have always wanted to get high... 🧪
science.org
Betel nut sucking is the earliest recorded evidence for the habitual use of a neuroactive plant drug
The modern custom of chewing betel nuts is practiced by around 1 in 10 people worldwide, yet the earliest beginnings of this widespread drug use habit are unknown. We report rare skeletal remains of t...
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Kemi Badenoch: "The prime minister is prioritising the ballooning benefits bill over our national security. Shameful." Actually, it is shameful, when a rich country like the UK does not afford a decent welfare and benefit system. #PoliSky #EconSky
bbc.co.uk
Andy Burnham: National security can't come at expense of social security
The prime minister says he will fund defence and get the welfare bill down in "the Labour way".
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
When there is a conflict between profit maximisation and responsible conduct, the making money wins... #PoliSky #EconSky
bbc.co.uk
Anthropic researcher believes more than 10% chance AI 'could kill all humans'
It is the latest in a series of increasing warnings about the safety threat posed by artificial intelligence.
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
There is actually no #evidence suggesting that #paracetamol/ #acetaminophen use during #pregnancy might cause #autism or #ADHD. 🧪 #MedSky #PoliSky jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
jamanetwork.com
Acetaminophen Use in Pregnancy and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes
In September 2025, the US administration held a press conference stating that its ongoing investigation into the causes of autism had identified maternal use of acetaminophen (paracetamol) during preg...
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
More #evidence that vaccinating pregnant women against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) protects their children. 🧪 #MedSky #PoliSky
jamanetwork.com
RSV Bivalent Prefusion F Protein Vaccine in Pregnancy
This systematic review and meta-analysis investigates if the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bivalent prefusion F protein vaccine administered during pregnancy protects infants against RSV-associate...
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
We are beyond "Resist the beginnings". Democracy is under credible threat. I am surprised how little people seem to care about democracy? #democracy #PoliSky #EconSky
theguardian.com
The AfD’s win in Germany is a dark day for Europe. Time is running out to stop the far right | Cas Mudde
This party is among the most extreme in Europe. To protect our democracies, liberal parties must urgently change their tactics, says Cas Mudde, author of The Far Right Today
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Why does the hard right have such a high tolerance for domestic abusers in their midst? - Yes, this is the question. #PoliSky
theguardian.com
Why does the hard right have such a high tolerance for domestic abusers in their midst?
The ‘stop the boats’ narrative is increasingly presented as if it stems from a concern for women’s safety. This is just the laundering of thuggery
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
"The future lies not in the hands of political thugs and killers, of dictators and megalomaniacs, but in the hands of ordinary people everywhere. It depends on millions upon millions of individual daily acts of kindness, selflessness, faith and courage. So don’t lose heart..." #PoliSky
theguardian.com
The world is being driven to the brink by thugs and dictators, but there is a route to a brighter future | Simon Tisdall
It’s no surprise some analysts say we are already in the midst of the third world war, but ordinary people have more power than we think, says Guardian foreign affairs commentator Simon Tisdall
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
We are digging our own hole... An intelligent species would not do this... 🧪 #PoliSky #EconSky
theguardian.com
Minister tells Brits to stock up on days of supplies after ‘supersize’ El Niño warning
Exclusive: Angela Eagle urges UK citizens to be ‘a bit more resilient’ as they plan for national emergencies
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Who would benefit from £50bn cuts in welfare spending? Reform voters or donors? #PoliSky #EconSky
bbc.co.uk
Reform UK promises £80bn of cuts to public spending
Speaking at the party's conference, economy spokesman Robert Jenrick says Reform will be the "party of fiscal responsibility".
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
No surprises here... More importantly, however, this is another example showing that political donations should be entirely banned in a functioning democracy. #PoliSky #EconSky
bbc.co.uk
Farage senior aide filmed suggesting way to avoid donations law
A film broadcast by Channel 4 shows senior Reform UK figures discussing donations with an undercover reporter.
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
It is always nice to be allowed to contribute to a scientific study that is a little bit outside of one's comfort zone... 🧪 #MedSky #AcademicSky
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
And the next piece on party donations. In proper democracies, political parties and political decisions cannot be up for sale. #PoliSky #EconSky
theguardian.com
The rich and powerful are already trying to sway the next election – I have a plan to stop them | Stella Creasy
A bill proposing a cap on donations is up for debate this week. We must seize this chance to keep big money out of our politics, says MP Stella Creasy
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
I am not sure about the title, but I agree that party donations are a threat for every democracy. #PoliSky #EconSky
theguardian.com
Andy Burnham has already made a mistake that will cost him his premiership: he lost his nerve over political donations | George Monbiot
Being subservient to the interests of the wealthy now means that his hands are tied, and he will be unable to tackle Britain’s most pressing issues, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Everybody should read this. #PoliSky #EconSky
theguardian.com
‘We want to find a better future’: teenage girls on why they risked their lives to reach Spain
More than two dozen teenagers stuck in the Spanish territory of Ceuta shared their reasons for joining the treacherous mass crossing in July
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Another consequence of global warming, more deadly infectious diseases are spreading around the world. We are knowingly generating a disaster. An intelligent species would not do this. 🧪 #MedSky #PoliSky #EconSky
theguardian.com
Officials urge calm after malaria outbreak kills two staff at Frankfurt airport
Mosquito traps are set up at Germany’s biggest airport and doctors are asked to look out for symptoms of disease
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
2,500 Bundibugyo deaths in the DR Congo. We have not learnt anything from the pandemic. Short-termism, self-interest, and the greed for immediate financial gains trump everything else, including humanity... #PoliSky #EconSky #MedSky 🧪
bbc.com
Ebola outbreak in DR Congo becomes deadliest in its history
The outbreak was already the fastest growing on record, caused by a rare species of Ebola called Bundibugyo.
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
"...nationalist populists...are good at raging at how things are, but incapable of making them better." Agreed, but this is not the question. The question is why people vote for them anyway? @jonathanfreedland.bsky.social @theguardian.com #PoliSky #EconSky
theguardian.com
Jonathan Freedland | The Guardian
<p>Jonathan Freedland is a Guardian columnist and the host of the Guardian's Politics Weekly America podcast. He also&nbsp;presents BBC Radio 4's&nbsp;The Long View&nbsp;and is the&nbsp;author of the ...
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Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
Puzzling behaviour by royals, who say they love their country, its citizens, and the environment... #PoliSky #EconSky 🧪
theguardian.com
Royal estates rent out homes that fail to meet legal energy efficiency standards
Exclusive: More than 100 homes on King Charles and Prince William’s inherited estates have EPC ratings of F or G
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