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Phil

@philparsons.bsky.social
30 followers 45 following 418 posts
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Reposted by Phil
Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
NHS faces exodus of ADHD and autism services staff to private clinics. Low wages have caused brain drain, loss of skilled staff. Part of privatisation of the NHS by stealth. Private sector picks up NHS contracts, profiteers, higher cost to public purse, increases NHS queues.
theguardian.com
NHS faces exodus of ADHD and autism services staff to private clinics
Brain drain of psychologists, psychiatrists and nurses leaves NHS ‘weaker’, driving patients to seek care elsewhere
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Anyway, I doubt any of the stuff in the article will happen, especially the extending of the Elizabeth Line to Southend. I don't understand how people want this, but also want a faster train service to London. The Elizabeth line would be so slooooow!
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Seems like the Echo's Bluesky share link doesn't work. If you can be bothered (I'm sure you can't) to copy the link into your browser's address bar, you will see someone has created a map on Canva. It is odd.
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Anyway, none of this will happen. I don't understand how people keep wanting the Elizabeth Line extended to Southend, but also want a faster service to London. The Elizabeth Line would be slooooooooow.
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
I really don’t come here much anymore. I kind of cured my Twitter addiction when I had no WiFi/4G in north Wales on holiday the other year, and now I have quick looks on Instagram, and that it. Podcasts on the other hand…
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
I had to have an ECG at my doctors surgery (everything is fine) but the nurse got a razor out to shave my chest. She was hacking away at it. Now I’m moaning that it’s annoying and my wife is not very sympathetic
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Reposted by Phil
Phil Syrpis @syrpis.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Donations apart… the immediate state of emergency; getting Parliament to sit 24 hours a day, 6 days a week; the threats to stuff the House of Lords, gut the Civil Service, and neuter the judiciary; and the policy of deporting immigrants en masse… ought to be ringing alarm bells.
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Also my neck of the woods!
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Ron Woodley getting his stupid comments in the Echo again. It's been a while. So a drugged up woman stole a car and crashed it. His suggestion is to lower the speed limit to 20. I don't think that would have stopped her somehow. www.echo-news.co.uk/news/2648525...
echo-news.co.uk
Car flipped in Southend crash highlights need for new measures, councillor says
A Southend councillor called for stronger enforcement after a crash left a woman in hospital.
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
Train is very quiet though!
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
Just spotted the one skinhead guy, holding a can of beer, wearing an England shirt this morning.
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
It was lovely and sunny and warm when I walked out of Fenchurch Street station this morning. I decided to go for a bit of a wander - took a scenic route around the City. Was a bit late to work though. It’s Friday!
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
😂
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
We were talking about that over dinner last night. Well, not me obviously, but apparently we’re planning to see it!
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
😂
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
I walk past a cab firm on Hamlet Court Road every day. Today I saw a taxi from another firm drop off someone who works there. They obviously don’t get free travel to work.
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
I wasn’t up to anything with @dopaminedeficit.bsky.social! We haven’t even met 😂
Facebook notification saying “remember what you were up to with Vikki Greer”.
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Reposted by Phil
Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
A leading 'Raise the Colours' flag activist, who claims to be fighting to "protect our women" from migrants, has pled guilty to assaulting a woman bylinetimes.com/2026/05/18/f...
bylinetimes.com
'Flag Man' Behind Nazi-Linked Anti-Migrant Protests Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Woman
Craig Kitts, who says he is fighting to 'protect our women and children' from migrants, admitted to assault by beating
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Reposted by Phil
C🎃s! @algernonentity.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
i googled this image's text because i thought it was funny and google's ai result nearly killed me
google search "twenty eight eggs up your shitpipe"

AI result: That is definitely too many eggs.
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
*cheeky ffs! I’m tired!
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
@dopaminedeficit.bsky.social there’s a Stena Line over there somewhere, so I’m sending a wave and a checks hug!
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Reposted by Phil
Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
Curse of Private Equity Modella Capital, owner of former WH Smith stores, charging stores £2.9m royalty fees to use fictitious ‘family’ brand. PE shifts profits, disguises returns, dodges taxes. Methods include: Royalty fees Management fees Intragroup interest payments Transfer pricing Opacity
theguardian.com
Revealed: owner of former WH Smith stores is charging fee to use fictitious ‘family’ brand
Exclusive: Documents show Modella Capital, which bought the chain last year, is so far owed £2.9m in royalty fees
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Reposted by Phil
Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
Just met a Reform UK voting couple who had no idea that it opposed: Recent rise in the minimum wage End of the two-child benefit cap Expansion of free school meals, free breakfast clubs Help with school uniforms Horrified that they would lose big from Reform How many others voted without knowing?
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Reposted by Phil
Byline Times @bylinetimes.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
"All of this was the entirely predictable result of McSweeney’s ‘Blue Labour’ strategy. Indeed this is the very outcome that Byline Times has long predicted in these pages." ✍🏼 @adambienkov.bsky.social subscribe.bylinetimes.com/edition/75/t...
subscribe.bylinetimes.com
The Myth of Morgan McSweeney – Byline Times Digital / Print Edition
The established press’ focus on supposedly ‘all powerful’ individual advisors often obscures the more important structural issues that come to define politics, writes Adam Bienkov
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
Maybe people will have realised what a mess they make by then?
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
Looks like Labour are still just about the biggest party on Southend Council (my ward thankfully didn't go further to the right) but after reorganisation in a couple years, we'll have the influence of many more Reform voters from the rest of Essex. www.echo-news.co.uk/news/2608971...
echo-news.co.uk
History made as Reform UK win Essex County Council elections from Conservatives
History been made in Essex as Reform UK has officially taken control of Essex County Council from the Conservatives.
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
My daughter has been taking about doing her masters at Nottingham for over a year. She has applied (for September) but she waiting to hear back from them. She just messaged to say she been accepted at Manchester! When did she apply there?!
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
People saying the tree was rotten and should have been taken down, but how many times has the council removed trees saying they're rotten for people to also complain about that? www.echo-news.co.uk/news/2606495...
echo-news.co.uk
Woman 'ten feet' from tree that crushed car during heavy winds in south Essex
A woman was just "ten feet away" from a tree fall which crushed a car on a residential road in Southend.
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
True!
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
I checked this out yesterday and it was true! It’s back to being Aldwych now though!
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
I’m on the train and I keep getting BBC #ytfc notifications. What is going on?!
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
Pick up the nearest book, turn to p. 42, and post the second sentence: “When William Hague declared that he was ‘someone we have never heard of’, Banks promptly raised the donation to £1 million.”
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Reposted by Phil
Anon Opin @anonopin.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
If you've got an opinion you want on here - submit it to the form: forms.gle/1gNMupaNHQf8xeRE6
Yeah, yeah. I know. America is important. But I'm so fucking sick of it absolutely dominating the UK news cycle. I get it. You voted in a turd and now you're swimming in fascist shit. But we have our own rightwing wanklord problems that need more national coverage.

anon_opin GOLD from 9th October 2025
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Reposted by Phil
Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
When Angela Rayner underpaid £40,000 in stamp duty, Richard Tice said it was "morally completely indefensible” and she should resign if she had “any moral decency”. Now we learn he set up four shell companies that let him avoid paying £100,000 he owed in tax and to then transfer the cash to Reform
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Reposted by Phil
Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
Wes Streeting supports welfare cuts to fund defence. He lets private equity make billions from outsourcing NHS, social care. Silence on corporate welfare spending. Since 2010 HMRC failed to collect £500bn in taxes. Capital gains and dividends taxed at lower rates than wages.
independent.co.uk
Labour warned against ‘ill-thought-out’ welfare cuts to boost defence budget
The suggestion has been branded ‘extremely concerning’
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
I stayed for drinks at work and was listening to a geeky podcast on the train, which has encouraged me to listen to A-Ha on Spotify 😬
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
So it's got to come from poor, vulnerable people rather than the rich, according to this Labour government. Shocking.
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
Keep a check on the Echo for when they're back and want to use the NHS, or want their state pension... www.echo-news.co.uk/news/2602084...
echo-news.co.uk
‘We don’t miss anything’ – family loving life after move from Basildon to Spain
‘We don’t miss anything’ were the words from a father who moved from Basildon to Majorca with his wife and two kids
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Reposted by Phil
Jon Cooper @joncooper-us.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
Cartoon by @deadder.bsky.social.
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
But inside it turns out it’s a Reform leaflet. Looks like they don’t have any proposals or anything positive to say. Not surprised.
The inside of the leaflet is white and lists what Reform think are bad things the council has done.  The Reform logo is at the bottom.
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
This leaflet got put through our letterbox this morning
A red leaflet with white writing saying “what a Labour council has done for Southend”
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
Will I ever grow up? I don’t think so.
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
What about conversations about the birds though?
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Reposted by Phil
Military HeroCon @militaryherocon.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
Our apologies! Maybe one day? 😃
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
I guess you’ll be also thinking about this!
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
Ah…not even sure what I do 😂. Something to think about when I can’t sleep tonight 😂
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
Haha! Mind are always under my pillow!
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
I’m really not!
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Phil @philparsons.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
“Think she feels the same”. Sure.
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Reposted by Phil
TensegrityFan🐝🍯 @tensegrityfan.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
When satire appears to no longer exist spectator.com/article/ai-d...
THE SPECTATOR

There is no doubt the book contains a few errors and typos - which I regret and are currently being corrected. It is one of the potential perils of deliberately choosing to publish a book outside the woke publishing industry.
For instance, I do, mistakenly, describe Boris Johnson as being 'in opposition' when he promised the British people, in 2019, that he would 'lower the overall number' of immigrants.
In reality, he was already prime minister.
Some of my historical quotations are also imperfect. For instance, in the book I write that the great Roman orator Cicero said: "The state should begin with those who are closest to us. As a 'world expert' on Cicero confirmed to the Times a few days ago, what Cicero said was:
"The supreme duty of the state is to protect its own citizens.
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