Two fab sessions in Kirkcudbright Book Festival on the power of collective & individual joy. One on football saw Julie McNeiil & Ged O'Brien launch We are Saints. The other had Carrie Marshall & DJ McDowall on music, LGBT community & people coming together. Affirming & empowering.
These soldiers have lost their lives because of the Epstein files.
Kirkcudbright Book Festival today sees the launch of 'We are Saints': a new book with writer Julie McNeill drawing on stories & writing created with St Cuthbert Wanderers & published by the club & Kirkcudbright Fringe. 1.00pm, Scout Hall. Tickets on door. www.kbtbookfestival.org
The debasement of political judgement of Tory leader Kemi Badenoch & the neoconservative war advocates over Trump & Netanyahu's war with Iran is a watershed moment. Badenoch, Farage & the British right have lined up unconditionally behind Trump's war.
The aging out of touch Supreme Leader of a failing regime. Trying to justify itself with the cover of fake theologians while its supposed domestic revolutionary movement falls apart. Not Iran post-1979. But Trump's America now.
This emotive reading of the narcissistic, self-serving leadership of the US, Israel & elsewhere is not enough. The rise of such leadership is a product of the kleptocratic, corrupt capitalism of recent decades, hollowing of democracy by the billionaire class & trashing of the West's social contract.
Another sign Trump has no real clue about the war with Iran that he & Netanyahu started. If the below is true it means that Trump's pro-Putin stance & easing sanctions on Russia is assisting the Russians provide support to Iran who the US is attacking. The idiotic world of Trump.
Kemi Badenoch sending out unambiguous signals that she is a warmonger. One who wants the UK to unconditionally sign up to Trump & Netanyahu's war with Iran.
“Can I have a show of hands - how many of you think this is a war that Britain should be involved in?” asks Fiona Bruce about whether the UK should take part in the US-Israel attack on Iran.
Hardly anyone in the #bbcqt audience raises their hand.
“Can I have a show of hands - how many of you think this is a war that Britain should be involved in?” asks Fiona Bruce about whether the UK should take part in the US-Israel attack on Iran.
Hardly anyone in the #bbcqt audience raises their hand.
Despite everything the myth of Great British Power continues. Tory Shadow minister James Cleverly declares of Starmer's stance on the US-Israel war with Iran: "We have lost our seat at the top table of global influence because he has been slow off the mark." #bbcqt
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood follows the disastrous Starmer strategy of naming both Farage's Reform & the Greens as "extreme". Mahmood calls the Green Party "Zack Polanski's Revolutionary Green Party". Desperate stuff & counter-productive when the UK does need radical change!
Reform dare to pretend they are an anti-establishment party. But in truth they are the party of crony corporate capitalism and the elites funded by such people to look after their own interests. Latest figures from the Electoral Commission on political party donations.
On #WorldBookDay & opening day of Kirkcudbright Book Festival worth remembering how many people in the UK do not read a single book. 40% of people had not read a single book in the past year; median number: 3 books in a year; am in the hyper-book category of 51+ over a year!
Kirkcudbright Book Festival opens today: four days on books, ideas, culture, writing, creativity, imagination & fun. Lots of events for every taste & while there are some sold out events most still have tickets available at the door. Fab coverage in the Galloway News just out today. #buyapaper
Trump and Iran. Private Eye's front cover.
US Senate blocks Iran War Powers Act to curtail Trump by 47-53. One Republican votes against Trump's war: Rand Paul; one Democrat votes for Trump's war: John Fetterman.
Trump and Israel's war on Iran and the Epstein Files. From Michael de Adder.
"Miliband led revolt to Trump's Iran war: Minister sided with Cooper and Reeves in refusing to let US use British bases" says the Telegraph as if this was a bad thing. Alongside a photo of the UK political classes dancing like it was 1789.
US military intervention & lying abt it did not begin with Trump:
1. The US lied abt the Gulf of Tonkin in 1964 to escalate the Vietnam War.
2. The US lied abt Saddam Hussein & WMDs to launch the Iraq War in 2003.
3. They have repeatedly lied abt Iran & their own motivations to launch this war.
Absolutely bang-on cartoon about a Dubai expat having their "first ever geopolitical thought". Love the humour & work of Stephen Collins who is having yet another golden era. www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
The Washington Post declares "Democracy dies in Darkness." Democracy also dies when a kleptocratic corrupt class control the mainstream media making them apologists for corporate capitalism and war.
While the US and Israel wage a regional war against Iran and across the Middle East the British political classes show how clueless & out of touch they are. Engaging in Strictly Come Dancing in Parliament.
American exceptionalism & stupidity in one statement. Pete Hegseth marks the US sinking of an Iranian ship saying this is the "first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since the Second World War."
On 2 May 1982 British torpedoes sank the Argentinian cruiser Belgrano.
news.sky.com/story/iran-l...
Scot Parl voting intention; SNP ahead; Lab 2nd; Green 3rd on list; Reform 4th on list:
FPTP
SNP: 36% (+1)
LAB: 20% (+4)
REF: 16% (-2)
LD: 10% (+1)
CON: 9% (-2)
GR: 7% (-2)
List
SNP: 26% (-2)
LAB: 19% (+1)
GR: 16% (-1)
REF: 14% (-3)
CON: 11% (-1)
LD: 10% (+3)
Via Ipsos Scotland
19-25/2
Ch 27/11-3/12
Unity is one option; seriousness is the other & surely the basic prerequisite for national leadership.
Kemi Badenoch does not seem to know how to do seriousness & depth even at a time of war. What we get is her "attack dog" style even as she ties herself to Trump's America & its lack of any war plan. All lacking political judgement while clinging to Trump. #PMQs
People can ridicule Starmer's half-way house understandably. But they forget this is the sort of position Wilson took on the US & Vietnam War. Wilson refused to send troops & refused to condemn US involvement: meeting condemnation from left & right. Half-way houses do have logic.
Fascinating column from Danny Finkelstein on Starmer, Trump & Iran. What Finkelstein misses I think is that there are no good options for the UK. Trump's America is not our ally; they have said so. Starmer's position may be ridiculous but he is trying to carve out a middle position.
Who thinks they have the respect and authority to assess that key issue of UK Prime Ministerial competence? For some reason Liz Truss thinks she is that person.
