Reposted by Paul SmithTim Bale @timbale.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Sorry to be a (Conservative) party pooper, butcentrewrite.brightblue.org.ukThe Keminaissance is a myth. The Tories are still like a weird uncle.Badenoch’s increasing tendency towards being ‘extremely online’ has led the party to paint itself into an ‘anti-woke’ corner that, to the majority of Brits who do not spend much time online… 1415239
Reposted by Paul SmithGiles Wilkes @gilesyb.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Mildly surprised how many people think "yeah Burnham's speech went down well but did you not notice how he failed to solve the (checks notes) 20 year growth and fiscal problems he inherited" is a devastating and insightful critique. 1527233
Reposted by Paul SmithTarik Abou-Chadi @tabouchadi.bsky.social · 02/10/2026For my new research unit Politics of Democracy at the Berlin Social Science Center @wzb.bsky.social, we have 3 open research positions. 2 postdocs: 4 + 2 years (100%) 1 doc: 2 years (75%) Starting date: 1 March 2027 (negotiable) Application deadline: 1 November 1186146
Reposted by Paul SmithJamie McKelvie @mckelvie.bsky.social · 30/09/2026The problem I have with so many AI evangelists is they are fundamentally anti-human 1124151
Reposted by Paul SmithDr Katie Twomey @k2mey.eurosky.social · 28/09/2026This is quite cool. My university is the first organisation in the world to force Microsoft to allow us to turn off copilot summaries in Word 365, after a backlash against it from staff (including, very vocally, me). That cannot have been easy for our heroic IT people so hats very much off to them! 895445937
Reposted by Paul SmithPhilippe Auclair @philippeauclair.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Reading the independent report into Man City's financial "arrangements" now, stopping after every paragraph, saying "Jesus"..."JESUS!"..."Holy fuck!" and again. This is beyond anything anyone imagined. Also started to wonder whether criminal proceedings are in the picture now. 40539120
Reposted by Paul SmithDan Neidle @danneidle.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Luxury retailers want taxpayers to fund a 20% tax break for foreign tourists. They paid consultancy Cebr to claim this will raise £2.6bn for the UK. That convinced Sadiq Khan and Kemi Badenoch. But it's false: a free lunch. Four basic errors mask a £600m loss. Thread: 6498226
Reposted by Paul SmithTim Bale @timbale.bsky.social · 28/09/2026"Since Healey is in a Labour government that will not slash spending, this means higher taxes. The UK is not in truth a high-tax country, at least by the standards of its European peers. Labour must now dare to recognise that reality." Martin Wolf telling it like it is www.ft.com/content/aa0a.... 24113
Reposted by Paul SmithAcyn @acyn.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Room empties out at the UN as Netanyahu begins his speech. 1882285806978
Reposted by Paul SmithMichael @michaeljsc.bsky.social · 23/09/2026they should study him in a lab. I don’t think I could write this badly on purpose. still, glad this has higher billing than coverage of last night’s far right escalation 78627138
Reposted by Paul SmithAnna Landre @annalandre.com · 22/09/2026My latest for @lbc.co.uk: If politicians want to reduce the PIP and wider benefits bill, they should make basic investments in accessible infrastructure and services ⬇️ 23820
Reposted by Paul SmithMatt Owen @mjowen174.bsky.social · 22/09/2026I am a writer of the words & sentences (some funny). I’ve done most things: written gags, speeches, scripts, TV ads - if you require such an individual, then I am that person. Website (here) www.mathew-owen.co.uk any RTs (or whatever they’re called on here) gratefully received. Cheers👍👍mathew-owen.co.ukMathew Owen | Speech Writer | ManchesterBespoke wedding speeches from a professional comedy writer. 258107
Reposted by Paul SmithAaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 21/09/2026LMFAO -- Trump is holding an event at the White House right now but there's no audio because the press pool isn't there. The Newsmax host notes that this is an example of Trump's attacks on the press "backfiring just a little bit" 2410218555339
Reposted by Paul Smitha frightful hobgoblin stalking throughout Europe @supermathskid.bsky.social · 18/09/2026I really need a job, if anybody knows of somewhere looking to hire a good writer with connections in scientific academia and a few random folks in government please lemme know 36596
Reposted by Paul SmithPavlos Vasilopoulos @pavlosvas1.bsky.social · 16/09/2026The government should grant the request immediately just to see them desperately trying to migrate to the UK only to be caught in the horrific asylum and immigration system www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...bbc.co.ukPiddington in Oxfordshire votes to leave UK over asylum plansPiddington residents vote over proposals to house up to 1,256 male asylum seekers nearby. 001
Reposted by Paul SmithGareth Watkins @garethwatkins.bsky.social · 15/09/2026Reposting because I have under one month left of an interminable three-month notice period, and any and all bits of freelance work I can get in the meantime is going to help me through a financially difficult time as I start working for myself. 12618
Reposted by Paul SmithJohn Oxley @joxley.jmoxley.co.uk · 15/09/2026I remember a world where if you tried to sell the US out for Russian money you went to a Supermax jail for the rest of your life. 713040
Reposted by Paul SmithHarbourmaster Productions @harbourmasterrr.bsky.social · 12/09/2026I keep forgetting to post this here. Come and see my band play in South Shields' finest café (please). 086
Reposted by Paul SmithStella Creasy MP @stellacreasy.bsky.social · 11/09/2026It’s not too late to stop this madness - the government has said the uk mega donors are a problem. The lords can bring in a cap on UK donors to stop any attempt to buy the next election. Share this and ask your MP to join us protecting British democracy. 114957510
Reposted by Paul SmithJohn O'Connell @jdpoc.bsky.social · 08/09/2026Oh, dear, Mr Ferguson. Oh, dear. ID'd through your Instagram, cross-checked against your self-published photos of you at your place of employment, and a phone call. Your head office is talking to your boss, right now. Enjoy the rest of your week. 63952242
Reposted by Paul SmithDaniel Sugarman @danielsugarman.bsky.social · 08/09/2026This Neo-Nazi is attempting to target RNLI volunteers. The police have to act, and the Prime Minister should be making a public statement. 3710279
Reposted by Paul SmithSteve Bullock @guitarmoog.bsky.social · 06/09/2026Thank fuck disability’s cool now. Here was I thinking spending 23+hrs/day in bed alone for 7yrs, missing every family/social event, missing half my kid growing up, losing my job and hobbies, burning through savings, pain, brain fog, passing out from standing up & losing all sense of self was bad. 822847
Paul Smith @paulysmith.bsky.social · 05/09/2026As a rule I think blaming the Ref is lazy but this is exactly how it looked from where I was. Jones is always terrible #nufc 0131
Paul Smith @paulysmith.bsky.social · 23/08/2026Wissa is a different player man. Fit as anything. What a performance. Bodes well for the rest of the season #nufc 2111
Reposted by Paul SmithSunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 16/08/2026Presenter: [The argument was put that DEI advanced people not on merit] Woolley: "There are 975 Professors at Cambridge. How many do you think are black? Paddy O'Connell: "Its a fair question you're asking me. So I am going to say 30%" Woolley: "I tell you: less than half a per cent" 21928230
Paul Smith @paulysmith.bsky.social · 15/08/2026At the match today I was set next to one kid with a vuvuzela and another with those fucking clackers and I swear I will torch St James’ if I ever have to go through that again #nufc 030
Reposted by Paul SmithDisabled People Against Cuts - DPAC @dis-ppl-protest.bsky.social · 15/08/2026#NHS #SocialCare Ravi Mehta, who has a life-limiting disability, was admitted to hospital in September 2025 for a routine appointment to fix his ventilator settings He’s still in hospital www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... Please sign & share the petition you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/re...bbc.co.ukDisabled man 'rotting' on a hospital ward - despite being told he is fit to go homeRavi Mehta says his care could be terminated if he self-discharged. His NHS care board says its decisions have not been driven by costs. 12718
Reposted by Paul SmithWheels for Wellbeing @wheelsforwellbeing.org.uk · 12/08/2026Paid opportunity for Disabled people: Please share Are you interested in floating bus stops? Are you a Disabled person based in the UK? Why not apply to the Floating Bus Stops Disability Advisory Group? Applications close midnight Wednesday 09/09/2026 wheelsforwellbeing.org.uk/floating-bus...wheelsforwellbeing.org.ukFloating Bus Stops Research Disability Advisory Group - Information and Application FormWheels for Wellbeing is an award-winning charity supporting disabled people of all ages and abilities to enjoy the benefits of cycling. 22834
Reposted by Paul SmithDrMaxPolitics @drmaxpolitics.bsky.social · 05/08/2026Hi, I'm being made redundant by the University of Southampton at the end of this month. I'm desperately looking for work. I'll consider all offers but have particular skills in policy, strategy and research. I also have a consultancy service I offer. Please let me know if you hear of anything 65686
Paul Smith @paulysmith.bsky.social · 30/07/2026FFS. This comparison is bullshit. The club had no choice but to sell our best players. The PL Cartel is designed to stop teams progressing. It’s not the club or Eddie’s fault #nufc 1140
Reposted by Paul SmithAlex Hall Hall @alexhh.bsky.social · 29/07/2026🔥🔥🔥Yet another beautifully written piece by @rafaelbehr.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...theguardian.comSuddenly the British right feels a political chill. It’s getting cold in Andy Burnham’s shadow | Rafael BehrThe Tories and Reform had it easy when Keir Starmer was self-destructing – but a new PM with ideas exposes how vacant the opposition has become, says Guardian columnist Rafael Behr 87016
Reposted by Paul Smithj-o-h-n270.bsky.social @j-o-h-n270.bsky.social · 26/07/2026Sorry, don’t post much. Bit of a personal promotion, my mum makes bags, handmade. Really good quality (she’s been in the textile business for a long time). She made one in Newcastle colours. If your interested, please check it out at julianadesigns.co.ukjulianadesigns.co.ukJuliana Designs 034
Reposted by Paul SmithZoë Grünewald @zoegrunewald.bsky.social · 25/07/2026The Reform donations story is obviously exploding right now, and it just so happened that on Thursday I spoke to Ben Habib, Reform's former deputy leader, about what he knew and what he thinks of Farage now. It's worth a watch, it's pretty excoriating. Some key bits: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq_L...youtube.comBen Habib reveals the truth behind Farage's by-election battleYouTube video by Politics Uncensored 16378175
Reposted by Paul SmithJohn Milton @geordioca.bsky.social · 24/07/2026If anyone has any contact with @kerouac151.bsky.social can you please reach out to him? 167
Reposted by Paul SmithAdam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 16/07/2026These years of anti-immigration hysteria we're living through right now are going to look utterly incomprehensible in the coming era of closing schools, ageing populations and massively understaffed public services 501206412
Reposted by Paul SmithResolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 09/07/2026Is welfare spending ''out of control''? It's estimated to be 11.1 per cent of GDP this financial year. That's just 1.1 per cent of GDP higher than in 2007-08, and total welfare spending has actually fallen by 0.9 per cent of GDP since 2012-13 ⤵️ 22829
Reposted by Paul SmithJosiah Mortimer @josiahmortimer.bsky.social · 08/07/2026This is absolutely shameful - from both Tice and the Telegraph 25941347
Reposted by Paul SmithTom Phillips @tom-phillips.com · 06/07/2026Every lifelong football fan I've ever met is like "I think players are supposed to serve their suspension" and every adult convert is like "the Archon of Constantinople's epistle on the Pentacostine rites of the eucharist clearly states handballs are mandatory." 302427509
Reposted by Paul SmithJonathan Portes @jdportes.bsky.social · 30/06/2026Summary of the Home Office Impact Assessment for Asylum Bill is hilarious (if it weren't so depressing). HO analysts say "basically no evidence to suggest *any* of these policies will work *even on their own terms*" (but will probably cost money). assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a43e1... 10319166
Reposted by Paul SmithAlistair Coleman @alistaircoleman.bsky.social · 30/06/2026Well. www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/2624087...oxfordmail.co.ukRaise the Colours Oxfordshire leader to stand trial over 'indecent child images'A leading figure in the Oxfordshire's Raise the Colours movement is due to stand trial accused of making indecent child images. 77686332
Reposted by Paul SmithSarah Murphy @13sarahmurphy.bsky.social · 30/06/2026Another stupid Mahmood idea - getting “trained” members of the public to decide asylum cases - is ripped to shreds here by someone who knows what they’re talking about… Politicians have truly lost their minds on immigration. It’s making us a very wretched and angry place. 52918361