David Beech

David Beech

@davidbeech.bsky.social

Yorkshire based. Interested in politics. Labour member but not a cultist.

2.4K followers2.6K following10.3K posts

David Beech reposted

Tom Hunter
@onelifestand87.bsky.social

It’s vastly underated that one of the main reasons the far right hate Zelenskyy so much is he stayed & fought for what he believes in while they go from posting like this to fleeing the country within 48 hours

George Pearkes@peark.es

Aw nuts *BOLSONARO EN ROUTE TO THE US, FOLHA REPORTS CITING ALLIES

David Beech
@davidbeech.bsky.social

The saddest - saddo- that I remember about cars was the guy I worked with in my mid 20s. We were all on decent salaries most of us doing the stuff you do in your 20s and this guy committed himself to a porche on lease hire. Took up so much of his money and gained him precisely zero girlfriends.

David Beech
@davidbeech.bsky.social

It's good that Andy is talking about Europe again and all the other things we like to talk about on here but *this* is what comes ahead of all that stuff for a lot of voters and anyone who thinks it doesn't is kidding themselves.

The Guardian@theguardian.com

UK shop price inflation ‘highest since 2024’ as retailers struggle to limit price rises

theguardian.comUK shop price inflation ‘highest since 2024’ as retailers struggle to limit price risesBritish Retail Consortium says ‘dam is starting to break on the huge wave of costs’ being kept from consumers Shop price inflation has risen to the highest level in two and a half years, according to the British Retail Consortium, which warned that “the dam is starting to break” when it comes to retailers trying to limit price rises for customers. The lobby group said shop price inflation was 2.1% year on year in October, a sharp rise compared with 1.4% in September, and an indication that retailers were beginning to pass on the rising costs of energy and food ingredients since the Middle East conflict broke out. Continue reading...
David Beech
@davidbeech.bsky.social

Which btw is why I struggle to see how this lasts 3 years. Andy is not actually doing anything really. I just don't see how a 'bare with me for the next 3 years' survives contact with *gestures at the world*.

David Beech
@davidbeech.bsky.social

The pub I'm in seems to be intent on playing club hits from the 90s and frankly I don't think this conducive to a productive day at work for me tomorrow, ngl.

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David Beech
@davidbeech.bsky.social

The pub I'm in seems to be intent on playing club hits from the 90s and frankly I don't think this conducive to a productive day at work for me tomorrow, ngl.

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David Beech
@davidbeech.bsky.social

Best random night out was a few years ago in manc on way home from the gym got to chatting to an Irish guy with his gf in via who'd been sacked for decking his boss that aft and was planning on travelling instead. Started with just the 3 of us by the end of the night there was 10 +. Crazy night.

David Beech
@davidbeech.bsky.social

The pub I'm in seems to be intent on playing club hits from the 90s and frankly I don't think this conducive to a productive day at work for me tomorrow, ngl.

David Beech
@davidbeech.bsky.social

The pub I'm in seems to be intent on playing club hits from the 90s and frankly I don't think this conducive to a productive day at work for me tomorrow, ngl.

David Beech
@davidbeech.bsky.social

My feeling on the bbc is it's run by people who feel terribly guilty about being middle class and feel it's Very Important that working class voices are heard. What they could do is ask their staff who *do* come from w/c backgrounds how to go about that. But no, it's this instead.

Alex Andreou@sturdyalex.bsky.social

BBC News just interrupted its coverage to go, live, to Nigel Farage - a man with no contitutional standing in our setup - responding to the budget - a document which nobody has seen yet. WHY

David Beech
@davidbeech.bsky.social

Been having an annoying experience with my bank over a basic thing I need them to do, really poor service and two friends have separately told me I should 'write to my MP'. Do people write to their MPs about poor service? MPs should auto reply with 'this isn't an MP sorts it out for you problem' fgs

David Beech
@davidbeech.bsky.social

I don't want my MP to speak to the twats in the division of Lloyd's I'm dealing with I'm getting to know each and everyone of them personally every time I have to bloody ring them thank you very much. Thinking of asking to go to their staff Xmas party tbf.

David Beech reposted

Stephen Bush
@stephenkb.bsky.social

Replying to @cjterry.bsky.social

It's remarkable the endurance of 'what does it matter? It's another country'. The single most important contributor to the Conservative defeat in 2024 happened in another country, and the same will likely be true for Labour in 2029!

David Beech
@davidbeech.bsky.social

I wonder what Starmer's team make of Burnham now? For all my misgivings about him I can't think of a single negative headline that's stuck to him or the government for more than a day or so. Compare and contrast the lead up to Reeves budget last year 🥶

David Beech
@davidbeech.bsky.social

I mean happy memories of the chacellor interrupting everyone's breakfast last year to report we might be getting big tax rises....only to not go ahead in the end...just a master class in, well, something not entirely sure what.

David Beech reposted

Rob Ford
@robfordmancs.bsky.social

I was having conversations with journalists just a few months ago about whether democracy was doomed. Look at this year: Orban defeated. Vukic defeated. Bolsonaro Jr defeated. Trump heading to likely defeat in midterms. That’s the beauty of democracy. Voters can respond. Don’t count it out yet.

David Beech reposted

Paul Brand
@paulbrand.bsky.social

Andy Burnham tells Good Morning Britain ”We’re way away” from rejoining the EU and he is not proposing rejoining within this Parliament. But Burnham says there has been a “harder Brexit” than the Leave referendum campaign promised. “I think we can make it better”.

David Beech reposted

Peter Smith
@redpeter99.bsky.social

Just heard Hunt on the radio saying Labour needs to "put the economics before the politics" in the Budget. The bloke who created an unaffordable cut in National Insurance prior to the election, which he knew the Tories would lose. Utter charlatan.

Peter Smith@redpeter99.bsky.social

The reinvention of Jeremy Hunt as a sage and elder statesman overlooks his role as a participant in the creation of the current shitshow. #BBCLauraK

David Beech reposted

Ian Dunt
@iandunt.bsky.social

Again, worth analysing Burnham as if he is really good at politics: moving red lines from things EU can't accept (free movement) to things it might (euro). Changing terms of debate on an issue from negative (uncontrolled immigration) to positive (Brits can go abroad for work).

Mujtaba Rahman@mijrahman.bsky.social

I think @andyburnham.bsky.social wants to rejoin the EU. Not spin. It's incredibly bold to even raise free movement. Perhaps testing the water to see if public opinion on immigration has changed. The Europeans are paying attention

David Beech reposted

Chaminda Jayanetti
@cjayanetti.bsky.social

Don't want to get too sucked in to election chat (the devil makes work for idle Blueskyers) but if the point of an election is to secure a looser tax policy mandate, then you can be sure tax rises will become a central focus of an election campaign. and you don't want that amid high inflation

David Beech
@davidbeech.bsky.social

Yeah it's nice to see Labour ahead and it absolutely should be the tories who are leading in the polls at this time but not to be all neg ferret about this come back to me after winter when everyone has lived through massive hikes in energy bills and inflation is still rising...

David Beech reposted

Chris Terry-Enescu
@cjterry.bsky.social

The number of times I've seen calling an unnecessary early election backfire at this point has gotten me all

James Ball@jamesrball.com

1. Call an early election because the opposition is in chaos 2. Early election causes opposition to stop being in chaos 3. Polls move against you 4. Oh. *Really* against you (Conservatives will be majority government). 5. Resign

canadianaffairs.newsEby’s election gamble appears to backfireB.C.’s premier called an election while the Conservatives were in turmoil. But his bid for a stronger mandate could become a decisive loss

David Beech reposted

Sunder Katwala (sundersays)
@sundersays.bsky.social

Opinium have a poll in the Observer with Labour extending their lead from 5 to 8 points over Reform, who do remain ahead of the Conservatives in this poll. (Those two parties within margin of error of each other in most polls) 🌹LAB 30% (+1) ➡️REF 22% (-2) 🌳CON 20% (n/c) 🌍GRN 10% (+1) 🔶LD 9% (n/c)

David Beech
@davidbeech.bsky.social

I mean on the one hand yes ok but on the other you called an election you knew you'd lose because you didn't want to -oooh lets pick something at random, prison places - to deal with the hard choices while also cutting taxes twice which you knew we couldn't afford apart from that what you say?

The Times and Sunday Times@thetimes.com

John Healey and Andy Burnham are delaying hard choices with numbers that won’t add up. I have three theories about why

thetimes.comRishi Sunak: This budget will be built on a fairytale
David Beech
@davidbeech.bsky.social

The biggest irritation is Hunt being allowed to act the wise old sage when he deliberately screwed the economy over to fuck Labour's chances after the election 🗑

David Beech reposted

Will Jennings
@willjennings.bsky.social

So in a few weeks, the BBC have edited out a "Protect the dolls" trans rights t-shirt and now also some simple rainbow badges. I like the BBC, I used to like it more when it did actual journalism and arts coverage, but it's really making itself hard for me to like it right now.

Leicester Gazette@leicestergazette.leicester.news

Two University of Leicester students speak out over ‘absurd’ and ‘Orwellian’ decision by the BBC and ITV Studios to edit out pride pins worn on University Challenge

leicester.newsBBC edits out pride pins on University Challenge in ‘Orwellian’ move* * * This story was published by **The Leicester Gazette** : a local, independent newspaper about Leicestershire. 1,000 people have already joined our community. Just use those buttons below to download our app and **sign up for free**. * * * Astrophysics student Samuel Carlier and History student Emmeline Hague-Wright were shocked to find that their LGBTQ+ pride pins had been edited out of their University Challenge appearance earlier this year. The episode, initially scheduled for BBC Two on 24 August, was delayed twice before airing on 7 September 2026. The pins showed the progressive LGBTQ+ pride flag, the bisexual pride flag and a rainbow feather. Speaking to the Leicester Gazette, Sam said: “Living in a liberal democracy and having the state broadcaster tell you ‘we’re editing how you look’, seems very Orwellian.” Sam described the choice to remove the pins before broadcast as “weird” and “absurd”. He said: “[Censoring] that seemed weird. If I had worn a rainbow shirt, would they have censored that? If the idea is to keep things impartial, where is that line in the sand?” A side by-side image of Sam wearing the pin and with it having been digitally removed. Photograph: supplied Sam contacted the BBC to try to understand why his pins had been edited out. He told the Gazette: “The BBC people said they’d ring me, and I chased them, they just said go to the complaints website and file a complaint there, that’s what I did.” Since then, Sam hasn’t had a response from the BBC as to why his pins were removed. After the episode had aired, Sam noted that his shirt ‘melted’ into itself occasionally, as a result of the editing. Photograph: supplied ## Students believe the decision was made following online transphobia Emmeline was also shocked when she found out that the feather pin she wore was due to be removed from the episode she was in. It was understood by Emmeline that there was online transphobia in response to previous episode of University Challenge, and she had been contacted by the BBC, anticipating support from the broadcaster. When the BBC contacted her, instead of an offer of support, she was told her pin was going to be removed. “At first it was mostly confusion,” she said. “I heard that they had received a lot of nastiness online from people and I thought they were going to call me to say ‘we have support services if needed,’ and that wasn't what I got at all.” Instead, Emmeline was notified that the episodes were going to be delayed. “It was out of left field, I was confused for a while,” she said. “This entire delay has been because of a feather and two badges on a teammate that were basically impossible [for viewers] to see.” Emmeline had expressed her frustrations with the repeated delays from the BBC, spanning from mid-July to early-September. She said: “We were announced on the website and then delayed again, and then announced on the website a second time, and delayed even further. Speaking about the removal, she said: “It takes a lot of time” she said. “Making it [the edit] look good would be even more expensive and time-consuming. It seems like drastically a lot of effort.” ## Join the conversation Our app is more than just a way to keep up – it's a gateway to award-winning journalism and the local community. __Want to support our work?__ Click here for membership__.__ ## Wider criticism on LGBTQ+ support The pins Sam wore during the episode. Photograph: supplied According to leading LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall UK, two in five LGBTQ+ students will hide their identities at university for fear of discrimination. Stonewall has reported that more than 36 per cent of trans students have received hostile conduct from university staff due to their gender identity. Reflecting on the digital removal of the pins, Sam spoke about how disheartening the choice was. He said: “There was maybe like a span of eight years where someone could be uncontroversially out in the open queer – now that’s gone again.” he said. The BBC has also been widely criticised for ‘an attack on the LGBTQ+ community’ by pulling its involvement with the popular show, RuPaul's Drag Race. The broadcaster pulled its involvement in September following “significant financial pressures” as the reason for axing their involvement. The criticism follows another recent controversial edit by the BBC. On its hit show, Strictly Come Dancing, a decision was made to edit out ‘Protect the Dolls’ from contestant Bethany Antonia’s T-shirt. It’s a slogan which has become widely used to support the rights of trans women. The BBC defended their decision, saying the changes were made to meet editorial guidelines. It comes as the LGBTQ+ community has faced challenges amid an increasingly less tolerant political climate. ## What the BBC had to say When we asked them about editing out the pins worn by Leicester’s University Challenge team, a BBC spokesperson said: “In line with our editorial guidelines, we advise that no badges, flags, and emblems or symbols are worn or visible during filming, along with clothing with obvious branding or slogans. If such items are not removed for any reason then a decision is made between the programme makers and the BBC regarding any edits to the programme.” The BBC said the delays to the episode were unrelated to the decision to edit out the pins. A spokesperson for ITV Studios said: “University Challenge is an entertainment quiz show and is made in accordance with the BBC Editorial Guidelines requirements for impartiality.” The University of Leicester refused to comment on the matter. * * * **Before you go…** We’ve recently surpassed 1,000 subscribers, which is amazing considering we’re a small team on a shoestring budget. Now, we’re ready for the next stage of the Leicester Gazette. **Download our new app and get all of our journalism anytime, anywhere.** The app connects with **Bluesky** , **Mastodon** and **Threads** , giving you access to a network of around 60 million people. It’s a safer, more meaningful alternative to mainstream social media – owned by the community. * * *

David Beech reposted

Adam Schwarz
@adamjschwarz.bsky.social

Mark Carney on Elon Musk crippling Ukraine’s Starlink: “I search for the right adjective to describe whoever took this decision… against a country that is literally fighting for the lives of its citizens against naked aggression."

David Beech reposted

Alexander Brown
@alexofbrown.bsky.social

EXC: Reform's new "newspaper" features a councillor who said Muslims shouldn't hold public office and that all mosques should be shut. Councillor Phil Tierney also described himself as Islamophobic and signed a petition supporting Tommy Robinson www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

mirror.co.ukReform 'newspaper' features councillor who called for all mosques to closeEXCLUSIVE: Nigel Farage’s party featured Councillor Phil Tierney in its campaign newspaper, despite his calls for all mosques to be shut and for Muslims to be banned from office
David Beech
@davidbeech.bsky.social

Even before you read a word you know Glasman is one of those who attended. A ridiculous character of whom we have heard very little about since Burnham took over 👌

Byline Times@bylinetimes.bsky.social

🔴 NEW Three Labour Peers Spoke at a Festival Sponsored by a Reform Mega-Donor – And Which Hosted a Far-Right Bookshop By @josiahmortimer.bsky.social Read below. ↓

bylinetimes.comThree Labour Peers Spoke at a Festival Sponsored by a Reform Mega-Donor – And Which Hosted a Far-Right BookshopLabour MP Phil Brickell says “no respectable person” should be associated with the event and accuses his colleagues of "legitimising" Reform's billionaire crypto donor
David Beech
@davidbeech.bsky.social

Very easy to take the negative view on this but why not encourage young people to think about setting up on their own? Something I did (in my late 20s tbf) and it was one of the best experiences in work I ever had. Taught me so much and gave me lots of transferable skills.

David Beech
@davidbeech.bsky.social

Also I had the benefit of doing it during the last Labour government but the message I got from that era was yeah actually working class young people like me could do this stuff and I should just go for it. I assume those criticising it have never actually run their own business...