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Philip Challinor

@pchallinor.bsky.social
182 followers 162 following 2.4K posts

Pedantic malcontent. Author of all this stuff lulu.com/spotlight/challinor07 and worse thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com

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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 8h
A typical triumph of Britishness to admit, after ten years, that a vote for xenophobic idiocy was wrong - and then blame it on the beastly foreigns www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
theguardian.com
Andy Burnham says it is clear Russia interfered in Brexit referendum
PM says he asked question upon entering No 10 but does not reveal who gave him ‘clear answer’ that Russia meddled
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 12h
Entrusting onself to thoughts and prayers after booking surgery seems rather a belt-and-braces sort of faith www.theguardian.com/world/2026/o...
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 15h
Having been militarily attacked by the US, Iran now seeks to retaliate against US allies and drive a wedge between them. Certainly is a good thing we have professional journalists to work this stuff out for us www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
theguardian.com
After RAF Fairford incident, how big a threat to the UK is Iran?
Although there is scepticism about Tehran’s capabilities, it has become clear it wants Britain to feel it poses a risk
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 15h
Conventional, corrupt authoritarianism, though not without a few characteristic flourishes among the English-speaking peoples thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com/2026/10/avai...
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 15h
Christian nationalists don't go to church much, which may possibly help to explain why the church named after the greatest country in the world has thus far omitted to endorse them thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com/2026/10/deny...
thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com
The Curmudgeon: Deny Yourself
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 16h
A great comfort, no doubt
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 16h
"The church is and has been since its inception a multi-ethnic, multinational group, and may not rightly be equated with any nationality or ethnicity" - unless Jesus doesn't count, the church at its inception consisted entirely of Jews www.theguardian.com/world/2026/o...
theguardian.com
Christian nationalism in Britain driven by people who seldom go to church, says report
Research challenges the notion that the growing visibility of crosses and other symbols reflects a revival of Christianity
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
As the verdict looms regarding the strutting Caudillo and one of his smaller billionaire bungs, at least two frėres et semblables of the Farage Falange are making noises about the possible second by-election in Clacton thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com/2026/10/wort...
thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com
The Curmudgeon: Worthy Opponents
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Apparently an execution becomes more inhumane if too many people see it. Either that, or a lot of good Christian folk dislike being treated too obviously as the baying barbarians they are
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
AI technology and European retrenchment as vehicles for patriotic insight thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com/2026/10/avai...
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Looks as if it's time for Sir Edward to fall into some more canals www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
theguardian.com
Ed Davey faces growing revolt against leadership as senior Lib Dem MP quits
Treasury spokesperson Charlie Maynard reportedly resigned in attempt to unseat leader as party slips in polls
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Remarkably enough, the party that brought us the chancellorships of George Osborne, Kwasi Kwarteng, Nadhim Zahawi and Fishy Rishi seems to be having trouble with its figures thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com/2026/10/fidd...
thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com
The Curmudgeon: Fiddling Digits
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Good Christian folks www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
theguardian.com
Pentagon says execution of Fort Hood shooter will be livestreamed
Nidal Hasan, army psychiatrist who killed 13 people, will be executed by firing squad on 3 December
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
We have the word of the Trumpster and his head-tribble, for whatever that word may be worth, that no major new war crimes will be perpetrated against Iran before next month's mid-term elections thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com/2026/10/prud...
thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com
The Curmudgeon: Prudent Peace
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Reposted by Philip Challinor
Phil Burton-Cartledge @philbc3.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
"Badenoch can campaign on these priorities as much as she likes. Undoubtedly, the Tory leader will be applauded for doing so. But that's not the same thing as posing Labour a credible threat."
averypublicsociologist.blogspot.com
The Clear Blue Water Strategy
The media has told us there was a buzz around Conservative Party conference. Heaven knows why. Kemi Badenoch is riding a wave of positive pr...
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Conventional, corrupt authoritarianism, though not without a few characteristic flourishes among its English-speaking peoples thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com/2026/10/avai...
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Satellite imagery appears to show that the Heathen Chinee are conducting cunning operations in South-east Asia thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com/2026/10/enig...
thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com
The Curmudgeon: Enigmatic Escalation
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Chinese military trainer aircraft detected at Chinese military base. Oh, the subtle, insidious fiendishness of it www.theguardian.com/world/2026/o...
theguardian.com
Satellite images show attack jets at Chinese military facility in Laos
New ‘support and training centre’ prompts concern in region but China says it is ‘not directed at any third party’
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Well, that should certainly settle matters www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
theguardian.com
Reform clears its own officials of breaking party funding laws despite police investigation
Internal inquiry clears Dan Jukes and James Orr, who were filmed talking about scheme involving US donor
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Badenoch has gained some ground, but has she yet achieved sufficient toxicity to appeal to Liberal Democrats? www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
Badenoch made the best of it – but the Tories still have a mountain to climb before any hope of No 10 | Henry Hill
Conference announcements on inheritance tax and childcare boosted the party’s mood, but the task is still holding off Reform, rather than any realistic bid for power, says the political editor of the ...
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
It's known as the Black Death, so maybe injecting cleaning fluid might really help this time www.theguardian.com/world/2026/o...
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Golly, what larks www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Conventional, corrupt authoritarianism, though not without a few characteristic flourishes among its English-speaking peoples thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com/2026/10/avai...
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Those who still believe that Britain's national security has anything much to gain from vassalage to the World Cop will be relieved at the announcement that the USAF base at Fairford is safe thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com/2026/10/bomb...
thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com
The Curmudgeon: Bombed Out
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Shabana Mahmood tells a clown and a war criminal that she's in the wrong job www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
theguardian.com
Nearly all women arriving on small boats have been raped, says Shabana Mahmood
Home secretary warns people traffickers will exploit asylum seekers because they decide who comes to the UK
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Caution is no doubt advisable. The great English nation is quite capable of voting to rejoin one year and then electing a Farage Falange government the next www.theguardian.com/world/2026/o...
theguardian.com
Half of UK wants to rejoin EU and backing it could drive up Labour vote, megapoll finds
Exclusive: Findings will bolster those in No 10 who want to negotiate on re-entry but some senior figures remain wary
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
I've gone and done it again thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com/2026/10/avai...
thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com
The Curmudgeon: Available Now
YOU'LL COME FOR THE CURSES. YOU'LL STAY FOR THE MUDGEONRY.
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
French students protest at the Britishness of their education www.theguardian.com/world/2026/o...
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Anyone who thinks privatised public services are not fit for purpose must have a very strange conception of the purpose in privatising a captive market www.theguardian.com/business/202...
theguardian.com
Bosses of three firms that supply trains to UK railways made £3.5m last year
Rolling stock companies, which also paid out nearly £400m to shareholders, accused of profiting at passengers’ expense
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Perhaps because there's a minor functional difference between borrowing and stealing
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Even the most venerable heritages are not immune to controversy, and that of Egypt is no exception thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com/2026/10/poli...
thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com
The Curmudgeon: Political Pareidolia
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Reposted by Philip Challinor
Chris Grey @chrisgrey.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Brexit revisited. New, unscheduled, post on my Brexit & Brexitism Blog on why Burnham's conference speech was a significant development in the Brexit saga, the questions and concerns it raises, and why it might come to be seen as a historic moment: chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2026/09/brex...
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
The Christian state of Tennessee has declared a moratorium on terminally correcting its enemies in the wake of yet another botched execution thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com/2026/10/inco...
thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
As always, the solution to the climate catastrophe is to enable those primarily responsible for it to keep doing more of the same thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com/2026/09/simp...
thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com
The Curmudgeon: Simple, Simone Says
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Fossil fuel profiteers and blanched radioactive pachyderm salesmen consider new fossil fuel projects a no-brainer. Apparently this is news www.theguardian.com/business/202...
theguardian.com
New UK gas and oil projects are a ‘no-brainer’, says EDF boss
Developing North Sea fields does not contradict net zero goals, according to Simone Rossi
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Apparently all that squealing about imminent threats and being unprepared was just genial, statesmanlike banter
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Reposted by Philip Challinor
Phil Burton-Cartledge @philbc3.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
"If Burnham follows through and this programme is visibly making headway by the next election, then he may well get to oversee the fruits of his 10-year plan."
averypublicsociologist.blogspot.com
Andy Burnham at Labour Party Conference
There was something for almost everyone. Andy Burnham's speech at Labour conference was what most of the party's voters were hoping for. It ...
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Reposted by Philip Challinor
Chris Dillow @chrisdillow.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Praise for Burnham's speech is OK; it was better than Healey's vacuous drivel. But it misses a key point about politics - that we over-rate words & under-rate power, interests, administration etc.
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Concerning the interwebs, from Ancient Times until now, by One Who Was There www.thejudge.me.uk/Not_blog/Not...
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
London's railway stations have been privileged to host the latest glorious manifestation of technological Britishness, namely the automation of witness unreliability thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com/2026/09/dete...
thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com
The Curmudgeon: Detectable Advantages
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Patriots will no doubt rejoice to discover that, although British awareness of the Holocaust did not necessarily begin with Mr Churchill's personal liberation of Auschwitz, British values regarding the victims were about as robust as ever thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com/2026/09/not-...
thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com
The Curmudgeon: Not Altogether Why We Fought
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
While visiting France amid the Church of Rome's customary trappings of poverty and humility, the Pope has once more called for a healing of the church's "deep wounds, infidelities and painful errors" thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com/2026/09/lour...
thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com
The Curmudgeon: Lourdes, Art Thou Not Worthy to Receive Me
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Having spent so much time and effort protecting their realm from the perils of science and history, the Trumpster and his head-tribble will be relieved that an embarrassing document penned by a Founding Father is about to be auctioned off thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com/2026/09/doub...
thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com
The Curmudgeon: Doubtful Thomas
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Sort of easy to see why it might have that effect
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Government policy linked to government policy, inquiry hears www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
theguardian.com
Overcrowding and racism at Manston asylum centre linked to government decisions, inquiry hears
Kent facility became dangerously overburdened after ministers halted transfers to hotels
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
"it is extraordinary that we are now probably more than half-way through the Labour government’s term of office and virtually nothing concrete has been achieved in terms of the EU reset it promised to deliver"
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Tired grown-up and sulking infant
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Dear me, how very unfortunate www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...
theguardian.com
Israel facing water shortages caused by destruction of Gaza’s treatment plants
Five desalination plants shut down for days, while Gaza remains in grip of severe water and sanitation crisis
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
In an instance of knife crime which even critics of Sadiq Khan may be inclined to tolerate if not to condone, a soul-mate of the Dover and Portsmouth Blackshirts has done his bit for Britain by stabbing a dinghy thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com/2026/09/patr...
thecurmudgeonly.blogspot.com
The Curmudgeon: Patriotic Deflation
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Philip Challinor @pchallinor.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
A photographer asserts that the truth is inevitably partial and contingent, and a journalist does not understand. Imagine that www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...
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