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Michael Sparkes

@sparkesmichael.bsky.social
3.9K followers 3.8K following 57 posts

An exile happy to be in this new land. Looking to explore and understand this crazy world and help others when I can. Pro EU, Ukraine, NHS and democracy! Where is Leveson II? 🇪🇺🇺🇦🇸🇩

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Michael Sparkes
Anton Gerashchenko @antongerashchenko.bsky.social · 15h
Moscow has already drawn up an "indictment" against the Baltic states. Russia is following exactly the same stages as it did with Ukraine. The final stage is the announcement of a "denazification" operation. We have already seen and heard all of this in 2014 and 2022.
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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 8h
On by-election eve, the betting odds imply Labour has a 93-95% prospect of victory & the Greens about 5-7% in Holborn + St Pancras.
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Jennifer Shin - WTAF @jennifershin.bsky.social · 16h
I don't think we'll ever be done with the "I fucking told you so's." The Food Research & Action Center reported that these changes would weaken safety nets and worsen food insecurity for low-income families: frac.org/blog/project...
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4fuxake @blueheartedly1.bsky.social · 8h
Truth 👇
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Olga Nesterova @onestpress.onestnetwork.com · 8h
Trump to press at the Oval: "I have a call set up. Today is his birthday. Today is Vladimir Putin's birthday. I'm sure you're going to celebrate. Are you going to celebrate his birthday? No, I have a call set up."
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Prospect Magazine @prospectmagazine.co.uk · 9h
If you think of GB News as the media wing of Nigel Farage’s political project, the total subsidy funnelled his way by its owners and his crypto donors (just four men) tops £200m, writes Alan Rusbridger
prospectmagazine.co.uk
Farage and the £130m even his detractors have missed
GB news has provided relentless positive PR for Nigel Farage while racking up tens of millions in financial losses. And now there is a new channel in ...
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The Kyiv Independent @kyivindependent.com · 16h
⚡️ EU provides Ukraine 1.2 billion euros for drones and missiles. "The money will be spent on drones, drone interceptors, drone ammunition, and missiles manufactured by Ukrainian entities," reads a European Commission press release.
kyivindependent.com
EU provides Ukraine 1.2 billion euros for drones and missiles
"The money will be spent on drones, drone interceptors, drone ammunition, and missiles manufactured by Ukrainian entities," reads a European Commission press release.
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YouGov @yougov.co.uk · 11h
Although the Conservative conference has featured speculation the party could win the next election, just 10% of Britons currently see Kemi Badenoch as the most likely victor of the next general election Andy Burnham: 37% Nigel Farage: 13% Kemi Badenoch: 10% Someone else: 9%
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RoseMarie @rosesbloom24.bsky.social · 11h
Since launching on Oct. 7, 1996, Fox News has spent the past 30 years airing a nonstop stream of bile, misinformation, bigotry, and stupidity. www.dailykos.com/stories/2026...
dailykos.com
Fox News celebrates 30 years of lies, racism, and smears
Since launching on Oct. 7, 1996, Fox News has aired a nonstop stream of bile, misinformation, bigotry, and stupidity.
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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 9h
Trump: "I could've done very bad things to Hillary Clinton. I could've done very very bad things to Joe Biden. I could've done very bad things to Barack Hussein Obama ... I can do whatever I want, if I want."
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Jon Cooper @joncooper-us.bsky.social · 9h
Can just one reporter please ask Trump to name the “eight wars” that he settled? 🤨
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Sarah Murphy @13sarahmurphy.bsky.social · 21h
Leader of party - that sold its own shrivelled soul to the devils of austerity and Brexit - will use her conference speech to slag off Labour (yawn) and make the only promise the Tories ever make - cutting taxes… They have nothing new or credible… or just plain nice… to say any more.
THE
TIMES
Wednesday October 7 2026

Badenoch promises tax cuts in 'battle for the soul of this nation'
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Chasbell 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇮🇪🇮🇹🇨🇦 @chasbell.bsky.social · 20h
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Chasbell 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇮🇪🇮🇹🇨🇦 @chasbell.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
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Anti-Reform @antireform.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
"Inside the chaos at Reform's flagship northern council" 'A Sky News investigation reveals the dramatic inside story of the chaos within Durham's Reform-led council' news.sky.com/story/inside...
news.sky.com
Inside the chaos at Reform's flagship northern council
A Sky News investigation reveals the dramatic inside story of the chaos within Durham's Reform-led council.
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Peter Smith @redpeter99.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
The Tories have had over two years to come up with a broad set of new policies and they've reverted to their same old mean spirited small minded ones they have had for decades. More austerity and the type of deregulation that led to Grenfell.
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Onkar @onkar01.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
The same Jeffrey Archer who used sex workers and was convicted of two counts of perjury and two counts of perverting the course of justice? That Jeffery Archer?? #abolishthemonarchy #grifters
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Graham Simpson @grahambs.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
The dinosaur party heading for extinction…
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Jake Broe @realjakebroe.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
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Knitting Cat @dameknittingcat.bsky.social · 19h
This should have been done years ago.
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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 20h
Ofwat appoints Grant Thornton to help improve South East Water performance l £6m wasted. Similar exercise at Thames Water yielded zilch. SEW has £1.7bn debt, can't raise new money, loses 100m litres of water a day to leaks, customers fleeced for decades. End the scam. Nationalise water.
news.sky.com
Ofwat lines up independent monitor for troubled South East Water
The water regulator plans to appoint Grant Thornton to a multimillion-pound contract overseeing the utility's performance and turnaround plan, Sky News learns.
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Chris Smith @ledredman.bsky.social · 19h
The USA has pretty much removed itself from all international conventions and obligations, but it doesn't stop these entitled pompous arseholes demanding that others observe rules they have no intention of following themselves.
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Alt National Park Service @altnps.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
A naked, gold-covered Trump statue has been unveiled inside the European Parliament in Strasbourg. It’s called “Orange Plague,” also known as “King of Injustice,” and shows him sitting on another man’s shoulders holding an enormous golf club. Covered in reportedly 23-karat gold, of course.
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MommaT @tweetmommybop.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Treason is the crime of betraying one's country by waging war against it or helping its enemies.
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Patrick - Here for the craic❗️🤷🏼‍♂️😉 @paddyopatrick.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Badenoch says proposed £10bn air defence system would be 'specific' to UK threats Experts have said it will cost circa £80bn As we know 14 years of Tory Govt’s demonstrated massive overspending — • Test and Trace circa £29.5 billion • Wasted Vaccines and Fraud £7bn or more HSC, Rwanda etc etc 🤦‍♂️
bbc.co.uk
Kemi Badenoch says proposed £10bn air defence system would be 'specific' to UK threats
Asked by the BBC how the plans would be paid for, Badenoch says the Conservatives have already announced savings in areas such as welfare and net zero.
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Ron Filipkowski @ronfilipkowski.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
I would like to believe that these batshit crazy Trump rallies are hurting Republican candidates in the midterms, but it’s extremely rare for any broadcast network or local news to cover and air his craziest and most repulsive statements so they might not matter much.
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Lexxi 🦋 🦋 🇺🇲 / 🇨🇦 💙 @lexximagic.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
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Jon Cooper @joncooper-us.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Barack Obama is back in his role as Democrats’ closer-in-chief. He just cut ads for 24 Senate & gubernatorial campaigns—targeting races where he can help move persuadable voters. At 57% favorability, Obama is the most popular living president. Expect to see much more of him before Election Day. 💙
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Kodiak149 @kodiak149.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
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ebisback.bsky.social @ebisback.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Seriously 🙄
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Jane @localnotail.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
aka Gyles Brandeath © @privateeyenews.bsky.social
Satirical article from Private Eye 1662 (2025) with a picture of Gyles Brandreth having tea with Prunella Scales, published after her death. 

The Grim Brandreth caught on camera

FOR possibly the first time ever, the Grim Reaper has been snapped in the act of reaping, or l "having a cup of tea and a giggle", as Gyles Brandreth describes his modus operandi.

Brandeath, wearing his trademark "pushing up the daisies" jumper, has been linked in the past to a number of high-profile celebrity fatalities, mysteriously appearing just before their sad passing.

His victims have included Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, Len Goodman, Prince Philip, Harry Secombe, Barry Humphreys, Rod Hull, Hinge or Bracket, and Jilly Cooper (see Private Eye issue 1660, The Pale Riders).

But now, the late, great Prunella Scales has succumbed to the summoning of the spectral TV presenter and there is photographic evidence to prove it.

Has Gyles Charondreth taken her on a final canal boat trip across the River Styx? And, now that Brandeath has been uncloaked, will elderly famous people see sense and avoid possible encounters, whether at the Oldie of the Year Awards, a visit to the Teddy Bear Museum or on the soon-to-be renamed Good Mourning, Britain?

(To be continued...)
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Jane @localnotail.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Is Gyles Brandreth an emissary from Paddington Charon?
LEICESTER SQ THEATRE event poster 

GYLES BRANDRETH IN CONVERSATION WITH JEFFREY ARCHER [who died the next day]

4 OCTOBER 2026

EVENT FINISHED
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Alt National Park Service @altnps.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
The White House today prohibited Politico from traveling on Air Force One.
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Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
This really dents Katie Price's image as a serious political figure, and I'm not convinced there's any coming back.
STARS CUFFED Katie Price &
Suella Braverman chained
together for C4's Celebrity
Handcuffed - as pair are
seen debating in street
Rod McPhee, TV Editor Felicity Cross, Showbiz Editor
Published: 13:23, 5 Oct 2026 |
Updated: 14:33, 5 Oct 2026
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Stephen Graham @stephengraham.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
I had this bit about Jeffrey Archer from the 1995 HIGNFY video memorised for whenever I needed a handy fact about him.
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Matt 🇨🇦 🏳️‍🌈 🤔 @yupitsmatt.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Thank you @katiephang.bsky.social for all you are doing to #SpeakTruthToPower and hold the #GrifterInChief accountable for protecting #SexCriminals who hurt children. #TrumpEffect #Blues
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Ron Filipkowski @ronfilipkowski.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
How is it not news when the president nods off in public meetings and press conferences dozens of times? If you follow independent media, you see it and know about it. But why hasn’t CBS, NBC or ABC showed a montage of it on their evening news? They simply refuse to ever show it.
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Andrew Cutting @andrewcutting.coe.int · 05/10/2026
📢A new megapoll has found that 53.4% of people in the UK want to stay in the ECHR versus 24.2% of people against👇 🔗 www.theguardian.com/world/2026/o... via @theguardian.com The ECHR is on the side of the people, and vice versa.
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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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Air passengers flying into Moscow from Irkutsk where a lab technician died of the plague are now being given mandatory temperature checks by masked staff before they’re allowed to disembark.
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Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Early voting is already underway in some states. From now until Nov 3, I urge you all to... 1) Help get out the vote 2) Protect our electoral machinery from interference 3) Not succumb to complacency, defeatism, or cynicism We are the only ones who can end this nightmare.
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South-East London for Europe (Selfe) @selfe.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
As Badenoch embraces her inner Boris Johnson in an effort to out-brexit Farage, it's clear that the "party of business" isn't a serious party when it comes to the UK economy.
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Best for Britain @bestforbritain.org · 05/10/2026
Ofcom rules say broadcasters cannot use politicians as newsreaders, interviewers or reporters in any news programmes. So why is Nigel Farage allowed to host his own primetime show on GB News? Demand that Ofcom takes immediate action ⬇️
bestforbritain.org
Farage on GB News: Demand that Ofcom takes immediate action - Best for Britain
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Rob Baron @rob-baron.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
I have heard rumours that Richard Tice heads a company called Britain Means Business, that has no employees and sells no products but takes in very large donations from foreign based people and forwards them to Reform UK Ltd. I can't believe this is true, but if it is it should bring down Reform.
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W.M. @minuteman04.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
The rats are Jumping off the SS Trump. Republican candidate in Georgia wipes all references to Dinnie from his campaign website.
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Raider @iwillnotbesilenced.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
One person was taken this morning outside of LAPD's metropolitan detention center jail near the corner of Los Angeles & Temple; goon is seen pepper spraying a legal observer and the driver of another vehicle.
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4fuxake @blueheartedly1.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
I'm with Stephen King on this.
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24Hours Ukraine @24hoursukraine.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
🇷🇺An approved Communist Party rally in central Moscow did not go as planned. Protesters chanted “Fair elections,” “We want freedom,” “Freedom for political prisoners” and “Down with the Tsar” — referring to Putin. Police detained around 60 people.
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tomwellborn3rd @wellborn.net · 05/10/2026
Fuckface hit Brazil with a 50 percent tariff for prosecuting his coup buddy, planned to fund groups attacking its courts, and froze US consular services two days before the vote. He screams that our elections are rigged while Brazil's police investigate him for meddling in theirs.
rawstory.com
Suspected Trump election interference sparks police raids in Brazil: report
Computer equipment and communications were seized in Brazil’s largest city as part of a new Brazilian investigation announced Sunday into “possible external interference by the United States” in the n...
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The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Why is 🇺🇸 media not reporting on this 128 day Albanian protest of Kushner and Ivanka’s insane corruption?
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lukewarm24.bsky.social @lukewarm24.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Has farage been sacked as MP yet??? If not now, when?? Uk can’t involve third world style politics and fraud Enough is enough
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