mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 13hThey have form. Osborne’s austerity was based on a spreadsheet error. www.theguardian.com/politics/201...theguardian.comThe error that could subvert George Osborne's austerity programmeThe theories on which the chancellor based his cuts policies have been shown to be based on an embarrassing mistake 010
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 15hI think it goes beyond that. Don't forget the leave (and remain) campaign was cross party. There's every possibility Labour figures were also beneficiaries of Russian money and/or propaganda. I think there's been a reluctance to look too closely for fear of what will be found. 031
Reposted by @mjpm69.bsky.socialCarole Cadwalladr @carolecadwalla.bsky.social · 18hNEW: Prime Minister Andy Burnham finally breaks a decade of UK govt silence…& reveals there was ‘clear’ Russian interference in the Brexit vote. 1/ 18354132215
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 16hIt was released years ago. The only redactions refer to classified intelligence that would never be made Public. The committee never found a "smoking gun"because the government hadn't looked for one. Something the committee was quite damming about. isc.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/u...isc.independent.gov.uk 061
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 16hThat said, I wouldn't be surprised if some Russian money was filtered into the Remain side too. To make Brexit as acrimonious and divisive as possible. 000
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 16hAlways worth remembering that Vote Leave was a cross party campaign. Labour Leavers woudl, I'm sure, have benefitted from Russian money or, at least, propaganda. 221
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 16hOf course, they were aided by a few politicians who saw an opportunity for self advancement. It’s notable, however, that the Euroscptics of old were mostly sidelined by the leave campaigns. 010
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 16hAs many of these individuals were already were socially acquainted with Russian oligarchs, they were perfect candidates for Russian intelligence operations. 100
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 16hMy theory about Brexit has always been that a cohort of moderately wealthy individuals looked at the growth of the Russian oligarchy following the collapse of the USSR and thought they could get some of the same by imploding the EU (after all, they did call it the EUSSR). 100
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 16hThe "Russia Report" was published in full years ago. It even states that there was opensource evidence of foreign interference. The only sections not made public contain details of intelligence activities which are never made public in any context. isc.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/u...isc.independent.gov.uk 011
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Yes it has. Brexit has been a disaster for British Business, for the treasury and for the ordinary people. And for what? To appease a group of ignorant bigots who will never be satisfied. Treasonous scum who should be tarred and feathered. 110
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 29/09/2026and wage growth is lower. That’s not only unsustainable, it’s manifestly unfair. I’ll be able to receive the state pension in ten years but I wouldn’t blame today’s 20 and 30 year olds if they voted to scrap the pension altogether. 000
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 29/09/2026You didn’t save though did you? You paid the pensions of those who were retired while you worked. There was no triple lock for most of your working life (it was introduced 16 years ago). Today’s workers, though, have to pay for today’s pensions that increase by 2.5%/year even if inflation 200
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Rejoining the EU is a process, not something that will happen overnight. The process will likely take a decade or more. Andy Burnham probably won’t be PM by the time it happens. Farage may be long gone. The process has to start sometime and it may as well start now. 010
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 29/09/2026So no more rescue packages for Thames? It’ll be allowed to go bankrupt and then be nationalised at a rock bottom price? Tough on the investors but I remember the warnings that accompanied share issues. 100
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 29/09/2026The journey back to the EU has to start sometime. I expect it’ll take more than one Parliament to achieve accession. It took about 12 years first time round. 120
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Personally, and I may be wrong, I think he dropped the wrong ‘lock’. I find the 2.5% guarantee indefensible; if inflation and wage growth is lower, why should pensions increase by more? I can only assume they’ve done the maths and think wages will grow by more than 2.5%. 030
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 29/09/2026“Super intelligence” 😂 it’ll always be AI to me, artificial ignorance. 000
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 29/09/2026That’s a good question and one I’ve been pondering. It seems there’s some intelligence indicating a specific threat against RAF Fairford and looks like police were running a counter terrorism operation in the area. Has this tipped off the real terrorists and have they now gone to ground? 310
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 29/09/2026(With apologies to Monty Python) All things dull and ugly, All creatures short and squat, All things rude and nasty, Suella tops the lot. 000
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Yes. 1) not being from the area, or anywhere near a military base, they probably didn’t even consider the implications. 2) the stupidity of petty criminals is usually why they get caught. 010
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 29/09/2026I’d imagine they could easily get 1000L or so in each van. As in this recent case. www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/2658567... As for the five suspects, they look like typical lads from London. Probably not very clued up on the countryside which may well have been their downfall.thetelegraphandargus.co.ukThieves cut through fencing to steal 1,000 litres of fuel in Bradford districtPolice are investigating a spate of rural crime, including the theft of 1,000 litres of fuel. 220
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 29/09/2026If that’s the case, they’d still be in Paddington Green (or wherever the police hold terrorist suspects these days). Not so clear on that screenshot but, on the original footage, at least some of those barrels (the smaller ones) look like these 100L water butts. The larger ones could be 210L. 100
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 29/09/2026I understand it’s about 94% ammonium nitrate and 6% diesel so probably not that indistinguishable. However, a copper sticking his nose in the van, seeing barrels and smelling diesel may fear the worst. Especially if there have been warnings of an attack. 010
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 28/09/2026There’s no accounting for the stupidity of petty criminals. A police officer once told me about a thief who broke into someone’s shed one winter night. He left footprints in the snow right back to his house. 100
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 28/09/2026I keep coming back to the idea that the Gloucestershire police who arrested them have a quick look in the van, see barrels and smell diesel. It’s suspicious (especially if there have been warnings of a possible attack) so they call in CTO and EOD and it snowballs. 100
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 28/09/2026That’s not entirely true. As they were arrested on suspicion of an offence under the terrorism act 2000, police had 14 days to question them before charge. The fact they were bailed after one day suggests there was no evidence of terrorism. 052
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 28/09/2026I suspect Farage may not understand the significance of “suspected”. Then again, I also suspect Farage is a disingenuous ****. 020
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 28/09/2026There’s speculation they were stealing diesel. Remember the Oklahoma City bomb, for example, used explosive made of fertiliser and fuel oil. 100
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 28/09/2026They haven’t been charged. They were initially arrested on suspicion of an offence under the explosives act. That could simply be “there are barrels in the back of this van, I suspect they may contain explosives”. 220
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Whelford? Were there two groups of vans? This poses a worrying question. Is there an active terror cell preparing an imminent attack on UK soil? Following the events of the last few days, has that cell gone to ground? If so, is it now more difficult for the security services to disrupt any attack? 010
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 28/09/2026police received the first call. The farmer saying she called about an hour after the Acting Chief Constable said the police were called about vans driving suspiciously near RAF Fairford. Were there two calls? Were police responding to the first call when the second was made about the vans at 100
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Donald Trump’s comments last night (news.sky.com/share/13592462) and Wes Streeting’s comment that the farmer who called 999 didn’t see the whole picture. It may also explain the speed with which police were able to respond to the call although there are contradictory reports about when Wiltshirenews.sky.com'We got them': Trump comments on five people arrested after RAF Fairford incidentThe US president briefly spoke to reporters about five terror arrests in the UK near an airbase used by the US military. 100
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 28/09/2026It seems likely to me that, regardless of what these men were actually doing, the UK and US intelligence services are aware of a specific threat against US bases in the UK. It has been reported that the threat level at Fairford had recently been raised, as it had at RAF Lakenheath. This may explain 100
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 28/09/2026A short thread on the events around RAF Fairford. What we know: - the five men are British Nationals from London. - they have been released on bail. What we can surmise: - the police didn’t find any explosives or the men would still be in custody www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...bbc.co.ukRAF Fairford suspects are bailed, what happens now?The men were all UK nationals in their 20s who live in London and were arrested under the Explosives Act and on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. 220
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Maybe they would. The intention, however, is clearly to discourage them from switching to self checkouts. 100
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Feel free to remain ignorant It’s your choice. 100
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 28/09/2026My guess is fuel theft. That would explain the empty barrels and the “Fuel 2 you” logo would be excellent cover if a passer by spotted them lurking around a farm’s bulk fuel tank. bsky.app/profile/mjpm... 261
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Absolutely. I’ve long thought “the land of the free” is not just a misnomer, it’s an insult to the people. 100
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 28/09/2026As far as I know, there been no official confirmation they were stealing fuel although it’s a logical conclusion. I said as much on here last night when Trump was saying “we were watching them”. Finally, under the UK system, there is no “bond”. 100
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Sorry that’s wrong. The purpose of the 14 days detention prior to charge is to investigate suspects, find evidence and build a case that’s sufficient for the Crown Prosecution Service to make a charging decision. 14 days is longer than police can hold suspects for other crimes. 200
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 28/09/2026First of all, under our system, there is no bail fee. Suspects can be released on police bail/under investigation or, after an initial appearance in a magistrate’s court, under court bail awaiting trial. My suspicion here is the police will be investigating other, non terror, offences. 100
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 28/09/2026If that were the case, they’d still be sitting in a high security nick. Meanwhile CTP would be searching their home addresses, the addresses of family, the addresses of associates and so on. 120
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 28/09/2026This won’t have been anywhere near a judge. The police had another 13 days to question them, before charging them, under terrorism laws. They must have ruled terrorism out very quickly. UK police are not novices at this. 100
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Under the Terrorism Act 2000, police have 14 days to question suspects before they have to charge them. If they’ve been released after a day, I think we can be confident they ruled out a terrorism connection fairly quickly. 100
mjpm69.bsky.social @mjpm69.bsky.social · 28/09/2026As for the empty vans, my guess is fuel theft. Farms are attractive targets and a van marked “Fuel 2 you” would be good cover. 120
