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Mick Burns

@unionred.bsky.social
98 followers 185 following 24 posts

Trade Union Industrial Organiser. Views my own.

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Mick Burns @unionred.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Unfortunately a significant number of British people are beginning to act but mainly focus on refugees, the weak and vulnerable....and not on the actual culprits.
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Emily, a Two-Shoes-Gooder @rebelmusicteach.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Turned on the radio this morning & the DJ said “there’s no fall music.” I disagree. Toss on your most reliable fall-coded (or overtly autumnal) music. I’ll start with the painfully obvious. youtu.be/N3VDATV6dmY?...
youtu.be
The Kinks - Autumn Almanac (Official Audio)
YouTube video by The Kinks
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Mick Burns @unionred.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Fleetwood Macca & The Bizzies (The Police)
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Tanita Tikaram @tanitatikaram.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
White professor ‘ MattGPT ‘ whose most recent book contained fabricated quotations, non-existent source references, & left ChatGPT URLs accidentally embedded in footnotes is sad about Jason Arday’s death but still wants Arday & all black academia held to higher standards than his own writing .
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Mick Burns @unionred.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Looks like; sounds like loser talk to me
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Mick Burns @unionred.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Classic distraction strategy - seen many numerous times before - particularly with the Boris Johnson governmemt. Facing challenging questions about dodgy finances? Then declare war on the French - the media will lap it up!
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Mick Burns @unionred.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
Got this for Christmas (hardback copy) absoloutely loved it. Couldn't put it down. Have recommended it to friends/colleagues to go and buy it.
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Mick Burns @unionred.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
Chris Mason is noticeable by his absence this morning - I wonder why🤔
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Warwick Mansell @warwickmansell.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
New: Academy trust that brought in the nine-day fortnight “needs classes of 120 to allow it to continue” educationuncovered.co.uk/news/academy... Detailed piece on union concerns about goings-on at Dixons Academies Trust, with redundancies proposed.
educationuncovered.co.uk
Education Uncovered | News| Academy trust that brought in the nine-day fortnight “needs classes of 120 to allow it to continue”
Dixons Academies Trust policies under the spotlight as it consults on redundancies.
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Bellingcat @bellingcat.com · 08/03/2026
New video footage shows a US Tomahawk missile hitting an IRGC facility in Minab, Iran, on Feb 28, showing for the first time that the US struck the area. The footage also shows smoke already rising from the vicinity of the girls’ school, where 175 people were reportedly killed, including children.
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Mick Burns @unionred.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
This article has just reminded me to stop following Newsweek - thanks!
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Mick Burns @unionred.bsky.social · 01/03/2026
Spineless...hopefully the final nail for Starmer...
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Jim McMahon MP @jimmcmahon.co.uk · 26/02/2026
This is an assault on the safety net in retirement for millions of working people. Bin collectors, home care workers, and all the people who keep local services going. 76% of the Local Gov Pension Scheme are women, 54% part time, and the average pension is £5,400 a year. (1/3)
bbc.co.uk
Reform vows to overhaul pension schemes for new local government workers
Reform plans to end more generous defined benefit pension schemes for new local government workers if it wins office.
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Mick Burns @unionred.bsky.social · 11/01/2026
Looking foward to this being the case over here when/if Farage and his fellow Reform grifters get elected 🤔
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Mick Burns @unionred.bsky.social · 26/12/2025
Seems appropriate to get @benjaminmyers76.bsky.social latest book for Christmas!
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Mick Burns @unionred.bsky.social · 23/12/2025
I think Ian Byrne would have something to say about that! But, take your point, there must be somebody - close to retirement - who could step aside.
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Mick Burns @unionred.bsky.social · 23/12/2025
Apologies, 2024 election data below. Safest seats 18k plus commonslibrary.parliament.uk/2024-general...
commonslibrary.parliament.uk
2024 general election: Marginality
The number of marginal seats increased significantly at the 2024 general election. 46 seats were won with a margin of less than 2%.
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Mick Burns @unionred.bsky.social · 23/12/2025
Here's a link to the safest seats in the UK based on last election. Most are Labour and have a 30k plus majority. Surely there is scope for Burnham to slot in somewhere? Starmer's approval ratings are appallingly bad. He's a liability. commonslibrary.parliament.uk/ge2017-margi...
commonslibrary.parliament.uk
GE2017: Marginal seats and turnout
The 2017 General Election had the highest turnout since 1997, and some very marginal wins made headlines. In this post, we look at the figures on
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Mick Burns @unionred.bsky.social · 23/12/2025
Tory/Reform electoral pact looking more likely from current trends. Reform minority government propped up by Tory Party most likey outcome. More work needs to be done to prevent this. Replacing Starmer with Burnham would be a good start.
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Mick Burns @unionred.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
Mannish Boy by Muddy Waters, no particular reason other than it's brilliant. Additional screams by Johnny Winter add to the quality.
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Barb Milne @barbmilne.bsky.social · 01/11/2025
Chris Allnutt reviews @benjaminmyers76.bsky.social @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social 'Jesus Christ Kinski', this wkend's ed of the Financial Times 'Sometimes they look like poetry, sometimes they verge on prose. Sometimes the letters go completely astray and come out like chunks of vomit on the page.'
Pink newspaper sheet with a headline, photograph of the front cover of a book, print.
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Dawn Butler MP @dawnbutlerbrent.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
I've written to the Standards Commissioner alongside many MPs, regarding the racist comments made by the MP for Runcorn and Helsby. We are calling for a formal investigation as to whether the MPs' Code of Conduct was breached. Our joint cross-party letter.👇🏾
Dear Mr Greenberg,

Following advice from the Deputy Speaker, we are writing regarding comments made by the Member of Parliament for Runcorn and Helsby, Sarah Pochin, which we believe constitute a breach of the Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament.

On Saturday 25 October 2025, during a TalkTV phone-in, Sarah Pochin MP stated: “It drives me mad when I see adverts full of black people, full of Asian people.”

Although Ms Pochin later issued a statement describing her comments as “poorly phrased”, she repeated her belief that the advertising industry had gone “DEI mad” and that adverts were “unrepresentative of British society as a whole.”

We believe these remarks are racist. They single out Black and Asian people and frame their visibility as a problem.

Members of Parliament are required to uphold the highest standards of integrity, accountability, and respect as set out in the Nolan Principles of Public Life.

It is our collective view that Ms Pochin’s remarks undermine the Nolan Principles of Objectivity and Honesty, as her claim that the representation of Black and Asian people in advertising suggests that whiteness is the normative identity, while minoritised communities are outsiders or exceptions. However, Black and Asian people have lived, worked and contributed to Britain for centuries and almost 20% of the UK population are Black, Asian, or Minority Ethnicity.
Ms Pochin also fails to demonstrate Leadership, Integrity, and Selflessness by promoting division based on skin colour. This rhetoric risks emboldening those who view diversity as a threat, normalising racial exclusion and hatred. The Nolan Principles require Members to uphold the integrity and reputation of the House, act with respect, and avoid conduct that discriminates against others. Ms Pochin’s comments clearly fall short of these standards.

We ask you to formally investigate whether the Member of Parliament for Runcorn and Helsby’s remarks constitute a breach of the Code of Conduct and assess her conduct against the Nolan Principles of Public Life.

Public office is a privilege that carries moral responsibility, and the public expects Members of Parliament to lead by example. Statements that single out or diminish entire groups of people based on race have no place in public life. We therefore urge you to take this matter seriously and ensure that the standards of this House reflect an inclusive, respectful, and diverse Britain.

Thank you for your consideration of this matter. Due to the public interest in this subject, we will publish this letter.

Yours sincerely,

Dawn Butler MP 
Member of Parliament for Brent East
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ASLEF @aslefunion.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
👌😘 This train driver has the perfect response to media elites complaining about wages...
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Mick Burns @unionred.bsky.social · 05/10/2025
Dear @bbclaurak.bsky.social Penny Mordant has misinformed the public in stating: 'You have to be a member of a particular trade union in order to get the indemnities to be a teacher or an independent social worker. Some of those organisations are openly antisemitic.' Please set the record straight?
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Blackford Safe Routes @blackfordsaferoutes.co.uk · 03/10/2025
Fab to see the bike racks full and shot of the group passing the “famous” conker tree
The inside of a covered bike rack. There are two rows of Sheffield stands. Every bike stand is occupied by mostly kids bikes In the distance, kids cycle in a group towards the camera, taking up the whole lane. The street is straight and slightly damp. There are trees overhanging the street, with leaves turning yellow (and the famous Conker tree)
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Blackford Safe Routes @blackfordsaferoutes.co.uk · 03/10/2025
Kids out in force for today’s bike-bus! Reclaiming the streets for the best start! 😍 Thanks also to local PC Lawrence accompanying the crew by bike👮🏻‍♂️🚲
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Best for Britain @bestforbritain.org · 08/09/2025
Quite apart from Tice going out to defend Farage's shady house purhcase and making things ten times worse, for the guy who says he will be the next UK Chancellor of the Exchequer to end on: "I'm not a tax expert - you're asking the wrong guy," is objectively hilarious. ~AA
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Michael @michaeljsc.bsky.social · 06/09/2025
Chris Mason is the worst BBC political editor of my life.
Simpsons Movie meme template: Bart says it’s the worst day of his life, Homer says it’s the worst day of his life *so far*
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Caroline Lucas @carolinelucas.bsky.social · 05/09/2025
Right wing media has had it in for Angela Rayner from the start - they couldn’t bear a working class woman being so powerful & dynamic. She made a mistake and has paid heavily for it. Very much hope she’ll return at some point in the future - our politics desperately needs more voices like hers
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Graham Simpson @grahambs.bsky.social · 01/09/2025
“The First-Past-the-Post voting system is under growing strain as British politics experiences unprecedented fragmentation and volatility. This threatens to produce increasingly chaotic and unrepresentative election results, further undermining trust in politics” @alexsobel.co.uk
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Marc Riley. @marcrileydj.bsky.social · 01/09/2025
If you want to learn to play the guitar… or you want to properly get to grips with it further… this is the go to guy. Jason is an absolute genius and has decided to share his talent! Contact details below! 👇🏼👊💥 🎸 ⭐️ 🩵
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Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 31/08/2025
Why has Trump been attacking unions and workers’ rights? He wants working people to feel helpless and divided. Trump and his billionaire backers realize that the collective power of a unified labor movement outweighs their own power. Know this: Workers outnumber the oligarchs.
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L.E. Harrison @leharrison.bsky.social · 17/08/2025
#Booksky #Readersky #Books #Reading
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Greenpeace UK @greenpeaceuk.bsky.social · 15/08/2025
Oil giants like Shell are fuelling climate chaos. Share this video.
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John Simpson @johnsimpsonnews.bsky.social · 09/08/2025
Some @privateeyenews.bsky.social are only so-so. Others are for the ages…
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Rock The Bells @rockthebells.bsky.social · 27/07/2025
Love moments like this. Public Enemy meets Mavis Staples ❤️
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Mick Burns @unionred.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
Solidarity from the Y&H picket line!
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Unite at the NEU @uniteneu.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
Day two on the picket outside NEU offices — a 🧵 So many messages of solidarity have poured in from NEU and multiple union districts and branches across the UK. Thank you so much…
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Unite at the NEU @uniteneu.bsky.social · 15/07/2025
NEU staff are on strike today and tomorrow. We can’t beleive it’s come to this. Striking as a trade union worker requires an absurd amount of things to go wrong — because you spend everyday making the union you love the kind of organisation people want to join - you only ever want to see it win.
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Mick Burns @unionred.bsky.social · 26/06/2025
Thanks for supporting this amendment, Alex. I'm glad that my Local MP is doing the right thing.
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General Federation of Trade Unions @gftu.org.uk · 21/02/2025
Essential viewing from last night’s @gftuet.bsky.social. trade union and working class history with Marx Memorial Library and @wcmlibrary.bsky.social 👇
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Yorkshire Bylines @yorkshirebylines.co.uk · 11/02/2025
✍️ Poor coverage of Gaza at the BBC: failure of journalism A BBC report on the ceasefire in Gaza fails to fact check Israeli violations, while obscuring key context – this isn’t journalism, it’s neglect By Steve Pottinger @bigstevepoet.bsky.social
yorkshirebylines.co.uk
Poor coverage of Gaza at the BBC: failures of journalism
A BBC report on the ceasefire in Gaza fails to fact check Israeli violations, while obscuring key context – this isn’t journalism, it’s neglect
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Mick Burns @unionred.bsky.social · 05/02/2025
Interesting article Agree with most of this. The progressive left should be offering some hope to disconnected voters. Wealth taxes, nationalisation of energy and investment in public services would be a good start. Reform are a real threat and even more so when they eventually merge with the Tories
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Mick Burns @unionred.bsky.social · 30/01/2025
Well, there you have it. Trump is so devoid of any empathy he is unable to even feign it.
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GFTU Educational Trust @gftuet.org.uk · 16/01/2025
Our trade union and history series is back 🔥 Come along and hear from John Foster to talk about the General Strike 1926 chaired by @MarxLibrary's Mary Davis. 👩‍💻Join now: bit.ly/GeneralStrike1926 #GFTUET #GFTU #History #TradeUnions
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Mick Burns @unionred.bsky.social · 09/01/2025
Notre Dame 6th Form (Leeds) NEU on the picket line this morning striking for a fair pay settlement. Undaunted and standing strong despite the subzero temperatures. @neunion.bsky.social #PayUp
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Mick Burns @unionred.bsky.social · 07/01/2025
@neunion.bsky.social NEU picket line at Notre Dame 6th Form stading strong this morning! Government needs to #PayUp24. 🚩See the list of colleges in the below video and find your nearest picket line here: strikemap.org/union/neu #StrikeMap #Solidarity
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Mick Burns @unionred.bsky.social · 07/01/2025
NEU members standing strong at Notre Dame Sixth Form (Leeds) Taking three further days of strikes this week in their fight for pay justice. #solidarity #PayUp @neunion.bsky.social
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