Stuart Gregson

Stuart Gregson

@berwicklad.bsky.social

Retired diplomat. Pro-Europe. Anti-right wing. Berwick Rangers supporter.

170 followers290 following241 posts

Stuart Gregson reposted

Ian Dunt
@iandunt.bsky.social

Just the dumbest collection of halfwit confetti emerging out of that conference. Tax cuts everywhere, paid for with imaginary spending cuts. Huge spending projects with precisely zero utility, except to anchor their 'defence day' narrative. Clowns.

The Guardian@theguardian.com

Badenoch calls for UK ‘Iron Dome’ missile defence system - UK politics live

theguardian.comBadenoch calls for UK ‘Iron Dome’ missile defence system - UK politics liveConservatives plan ‘new integrated air and missile defence system to protect Britain from attack – in essence, a British “Iron Dome”’ Good morning. Kemi Badenoch is doing a round of interviews this morning at the Conservative conference, and she will be talking about her plans for the UK to have its own version of Israel’s “Iron Dome” missile defence system. That phrase is not just journalists’ hype; it has come from the first line of the party’s press release, which says the party has plans for a “new integrated air and missile defence system to protect Britain from attack – in essence, a British ‘Iron Dome’.” Here is our story by Jessica Elgot and Dan Sabbagh. The first duty of government is to defend the country and keep people safe. Labour are failing that basic test. The world will not wait for Britain to get ready. War has returned to Europe. Missiles and drones are transforming warfare in the Middle East. Cheap weapons can now threaten cities, military bases and critical infrastructure in ways that would have sounded like science fiction a generation ago. Continue reading...

Stuart Gregson reposted

Ian Dunt
@iandunt.bsky.social

Pisspoor response from a pisspoor leader, who clearly does not have the moral clarity or the conviction to prevent racism in his party greenparty.org.uk/2026/10/05/z...

greenparty.org.ukZack Polanski reaction to Zionism is racism motion - Green PartyGreen Party leader Zack Polanski said: “Antisemitism and criticism of the Israeli state are, and must always be, completely distinct – blurring the line between the two is not only wrong but antisemit...

Stuart Gregson reposted

Pam Nash
@pamnashes.bsky.social

If the England FA were cunning they would write to FIFA today asking whether Quansah can play in the next game or does the exception only apply to American players. And publish the letter.

Stuart Gregson
@berwicklad.bsky.social

BBC PMQ headline - "Badenoch accuses Starmer of leaving defence spending 'mess' for Burnham" I wonder if that would be the same mess that her party left the current Government.

Stuart Gregson reposted

Alex Andreou
@sturdyalex.bsky.social

I cannot adequately express just how much I despise Kemi Badenoch. I know politicians who fail to read a room and get their tone wrong. I have never come across one with such an unerring ability to adopt the least appropriate stance on every single occasion. She is a twitter troll made flesh. #PMQs

Stuart Gregson reposted

Farrukh
@implausibleblog.bsky.social

Alistair Campbell after the 2016 Brexit referendum, "Just shocked that we've made such a catastrophically stupid decision. And the world is looking on thinking: didn't you used to be a serious country?" "It's a catastrophe and we're only at the beginning of the consequences playing out"

Stuart Gregson reposted

Ian Dunt
@iandunt.bsky.social

It's great, with lots to be excited about and lots to be worried about. This is a particularly striking observation.

Stephen Bush@stephenkb.bsky.social

Absolutely terrific magazine piece by @jenwilliamsft.bsky.social. You can read it here, or in the FT Mag in the @ftweekend.com on Saturday:

ft.comThe decade that made Andy BurnhamWhat 10 years covering the Manchester mayor’s many reinventions taught me about the man who wants to lead Britain
Stuart Gregson
@berwicklad.bsky.social

Taken completely out of context from Josh Simons’ statement resigning his seat for a Burnham challenge are the seven words “radical, courageous reform will make a difference." Put a capital R on reform and it makes embarrassing reading. Maybe he should have re-read his draft resignation statement.

Stuart Gregson reposted

Ian Bond
@cerianbond.bsky.social

Excellent piece.

ECFR@ecfr.eu

It would be strategic lunacy for Europe to support the US/Israeli war on Iran. It is an illegal war that comes with huge costs: regional spillover, higher energy costs, helping Putin in Ukraine. It risks drawing Europe into a new regime change quagmire ecfr.eu/article/stra...

ecfr.euStrategic lunacy: Why Europeans must stand up to Trump’s illegal war in Iran – European Council on Foreign RelationsToo many Europeans are quietly aligning with America and Israel’s war against Iran. Instead, they urgently need to pursue difficult diplomacy to halt a spiralli

Stuart Gregson reposted

Ian Bond
@cerianbond.bsky.social

The US-Israeli attack on Iran, with its destabilising economic & security effects on Europe, just underlines my point: the UK shdn't stay leashed to a dangerously unpredictable US that doesn't even calculate its own interests, let alone ours, before bombing. And the EU wd be stronger with the UK.

Centre for European Reform@centreeuropeanref.bsky.social

According to @cerianbond.bsky.social, co-operation between London & Brussels should focus particularly on shared economic and security interests, including strengthening European strategic autonomy. buff.ly/bBu3Y5M

Stuart Gregson reposted

Peter Ricketts
@lordrickettsp.bsky.social

My letter @thetimes.com today. Trump can achieve ALL his security objectives in Greenland by cooperating with Denmark (under their 1951 Treaty) and NATO. To show that Arctic security is a genuine NATO endeavour, the UK, France and others should also make military deployments in and around Greenland

Stuart Gregson reposted

David Osland
@davidosland.bsky.social

Newmarket MP Matt Hancock gave a £37bn Covid testing contract to Jockey Club director Dido Harding, who subcontracted it to Grand National sponsor Randox, employer of Tory MP Owen Paterson, whose late wife chaired Aintree racecourse. That's how the Tories handled the pandemic.

Stuart Gregson reposted

Ian Bond
@cerianbond.bsky.social

As Ukraine marks Holodomor Remembrance Day, mourning millions of victims of Stalin's genocidal famine, it feels as though the Trump administration is happy to give Putin another chance to finish off what Stalin started. Europe should do everything in its power to help Ukraine & defeat Russia.

Stuart Gregson reposted

Ian Dunt
@iandunt.bsky.social

Reform will apparently pledge today that they'd abolish indefinite leave to remain - including retrospectively, to people already granted it. Obviously this is a moral abomination but it is also a practical and legal impossibility.

Stuart Gregson
@berwicklad.bsky.social

I hope no-one watches it. The obvious solution, not to disappoint the contestants who took part, would be to have them on the next show to compete again - also a second chance for those who didn't win. That's if it's worth continuing with the show at all. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.ukMasterChef: Unseen series with Gregg Wallace and John Torode will be broadcastThe amateurs series was filmed last year featuring sacked hosts Gregg Wallace and John Torode.

You are up to date.