Howard Green

Howard Green

@howardigreen.bsky.social

Lapsed mathematician, serial migrant, Silicon Valley Survivor, Scottish Green

404 followers206 following744 posts

Where did this bizarre story about "if Zack Polanski doesn't win in Holborn, he'll be replaced as leader" come from? I see John Crace flogging this in the Guardian even. Anyone who knows anything about the Greens knows this is just nonsense. He needs to do well (and he will). I hope he wins.

Howard Green reposted

we keep getting told the press don’t need regulatory reform. this is just racism. it’s not even being smokescreened or obfuscated. they’re calling a politician a race traitor for no reason other than that they don’t like him.

The Economist@economist.com

These days many British Jews see Zack Polanski as a traitor to his origins, not a disciple of Jewish ideas. Our profile explores how he has embraced the anti-Israel fervour that has swept the new left

Howard Green reposted

I don't suppose the Daily Fail would want you to re-post this, so please refrain.

Zack Polanski@zackpolanski.bsky.social

Daily Mail posts lies about the Greens that are spread far and wide. I wish half the number of people saw their apologies. Solidarity with Kamel.

Howard Green reposted

As misleading headlines go, that has to be up there with some of the worst! As is the claim that "Immigration is fuelling mass unemployment among under-25s." The "shocking new study" does NOT show that at all 🙄 🧵 1/21

There is a Philip K Dick short story in which the dictator appears on TV every day, and you can press buttons to determine what he says. This is the LP now. Burnham is now against PR, rejoining the EU, and for persecuting migrants. He keeps telling us what he won't do. What is the point of him?

What a bizarre contest. Streeting is running rings round him, by discussing real issues. Therein the lesson -stop trying not to offend, start proposing real concrete change.

Sensible thinking from Harry Eccles. On balance I think now that the Greens should stand against Burnham provided they can find a really good local candidate, unless we get a cast-iron offering on PR (whipped bill establishing decent system before election). substack.com/@harryeccles...

substack.comHarry Eccles (@harryeccles94)Is Burnham better than Starmer? Absolutely. Will he save Britain? Absolutely not. Let me explain… https://harryeccles94.substack.com/p/is-andy-burnham-britains-saviour?r=4lqkun&utm_medium=ios

The rumour about Andy Burnham standing in the Rusholme constituency sets up a truly delicious fantasy. It's a top Green target seat. Turnout in 2024 was awful. Gorton & Denton round 2 looms?

This is a disgusting piece. What are we doing, when the supposedly left-liberal press repeats a frankly irrelevant piece of right-wing smear three days before an important election. Any slur will do, for the wrong kind of Jew. What is the Guardian doing? www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

theguardian.comZack Polanski falsely claimed to be British Red Cross spokesperson, charity saysGreen party leader also accused of incorrectly stating he was a full member of the National Council of Hypnotherapy

Howard Green reposted

Another day, another national newspaper publishing a cartoon with Zack Polanski with a massive hook nose. Another day of silence from mainstream politicians self-proclaimed great antisemitism fighters on the antisemitism faced by Zack. Solidarity with Zack and ALL the victims of antisemitism.

Howard Green reposted

On a day when the @greenparty.org.uk is being attacked re antisemitism, let's remind ourselves that the Greens have among the least antisemitic supporters in the country If you vote today, vote for a kinder, hopeful future where all people and the planet are respected and supported. #votegreen

Howard Green reposted

Deeply disturbing to see number of politicians who see protest against the murder of children, medics and journalists as inciting violence while marches by far right extremists who frequently actually incite racist violence is quite acceptable - politics & media in this country is rotten & racist

Howard Green reposted

Scotland wouldn't be the country it is today without people coming here from all over the world. Their contributions to our economy, society and culture are incalculable. Scotland must always remain an open and welcoming country.

I say mostly: there are still niggles. Polly has long had something against inheritance tax. I am for raising it massively - we have enough inequality already without inherited advantage. If we did that, her proposal for IHT- free bonds might fly.

Any sane person will condemn the knife attack on Jewish people in Golders Green. Sadly, it has already been weaponized by those wishing to distract us from the behaviour of the Israeli state, led, it seems, by the prime minister. Protest against genocide is not "venerating the murder of Jews".

We are back in the McSweeney playbook. Anything, it seems, is justified in smearing the left. The "terrorism threat level" (whatever that is) has been raised. Presumably this is because of the pensioners and vicars holding up placards in support of Palestine? Meantime, the world is on the edge.

At least we have so far been spared the invention of a foreign war. We will, however, continue to support the logistics of Trump and Netanyahu, whilst voicing tepid reservations about the thousands they are killing.

Any sane person will condemn the knife attack on Jewish people in Golders Green. Sadly, it has already been weaponized by those wishing to distract us from the behaviour of the Israeli state, led, it seems, by the prime minister. Protest against genocide is not "venerating the murder of Jews".

Currently, it seems that the target is Zack Polanski, the only Jewish UK party leader. He, in common with many courageous Jews, is prepared to stand with the Palestinians against Netanyahu, Trump and (it seems) Starmer. The media will, no doubt, pile on enthusiastically.

A strange mixture of reality and lack of imagination. The issue is to figure out what defence really is. Does defence require aircraft carriers? Bases in the Indian ocean? American nuclear warheads? I say no. Undersea drones and software? Perhaps. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

theguardian.comRachel Reeves warns other budgets may be cut to lift defence spendingChancellor says she is ‘working through a range of options’ to boost the armed forces but does not want to put up taxes

A strange mixture of reality and lack of imagination. The issue is to figure out what defence really is. Does defence require aircraft carriers? Bases in the Indian ocean? American nuclear warheads? I say no. Undersea drones and software? Perhaps. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

theguardian.comRachel Reeves warns other budgets may be cut to lift defence spendingChancellor says she is ‘working through a range of options’ to boost the armed forces but does not want to put up taxes

We don't need a massive increase in defence spending. We need a radical rethink of defence. We don't need to be Robin to a US batman. We don't need global physical scope. We need European partners and new technology. Ukraine shows the way. Drones (underwater?) and software.

The proposed data centres have aggregate electricity demand about 3x total current scottish consumption. This is renewable power we desperately need for transport and home heating. I see very little in it for Scotland.

Howard Green reposted

The fact the Labour Party, Tories and Reform all have specific policies to make it harder to come here and be a social care worker is absolutely disgraceful when this country is going through a social care crisis. #bbcdn

Congratulations to Ross Greer for his performance in the leaders debate. Answered questions concretely, said clearly what we want, took no nonsense from Offord and Finlay, and avoided the silly shouting match.

Howard Green reposted

Pretty persistently frustrating that enviro opposition to data centres get clumsily dismissed as "NIMBY" when, as you can see here, it's well-evidenced and packed to the brim with real-world examples of material harm. And GP goes further than most in pointing out the end-goals of the system:

greenpeace.orgThe energy and environmental impact of AI and how it undermines democracy - Greenpeace InternationalThe AI boom is not progress if it deepens extraction, environmental harm and attacks on democracy. From Ireland to New Jersey, people are resisting a model of AI development that concentrates profit a...

Action to Protect Rural Scotland has done a great job in collating the current rash of plans for giant (allegedly "green") AI data centres which the Scottish government appears to be supporting. aprs.scot/data-centre-... In sum, they are asking for ~7Gw of 24/7 electricity.

aprs.scotData Centre Map - Action to Protect Rural ScotlandWe have made a map of the hyperscale data centre projects being planned in Scotland. Click on the map to find out information on the capacity, stage of planning, developer. And each proposed site has ...

7Gw all year long is about 3 times current Scottish electricity consumption. We desperately need more grid capacity and renewable power to electrify our transport and home heating, and insulate us from the fossil fuel market. We do not need further American platform capitalism and advertising.

Howard Green reposted

The Prime Minister’s plan to offer rapid routes to settlement for those earning six-figure salaries whilst punishing and making lower-paid workers wait up to 15 years appears to be based on the notion that care workers are “low-skilled” because they are low-paid - its a disgrace

Peter Stefanovic@peterstefanovic.bsky.social

THE PRIME MINISTERS SHAMEFUL IMMIGRATION PLAN WILL CHANGE THE RULES FOR MIGRANT CARE WORKERS It will keep them in a temporary status for a decade or more, make them more easily exploitable, poorer and marginalised. WHEN DID THAT BECOME THE POLICY OF A LABOUR GOVERNMENT? youtu.be/G7uTFllI5ks?...

Howard Green reposted

Renters are paying for the home they live in, plus their landlord's (unearned) profit These room rents are obscene Time to abolish landlordism We need a govt that sees affordable housing as its responsibility, not leave it to a deeply dysfunctional market

Zack Polanski@zackpolanski.bsky.social

Our housing market is in crisis. Renters are being ripped off. We need rent controls and a massive housebuilding programme to bring back social housing. Will the government act? news.sky.com/story/rents-...

BBC Today at its most irritating today. Emma Barnett thinks all interviewees need a good shouting at and interrupting several times a sentence. I would like to know what the government is doing about the Russian Shadow fleet, but no chance of finding out. When is the BBC going to clear them out?

I found this interesting, partly because no one is talking about it just now. Advertising is the engine of late capitalism, and increasingly a weapon of social control. Social and streaming media are more enshittified than ever. What is to be done?