Tabitha Potts

Tabitha Potts

@tabithapotts.bsky.social

✍️ UK Writer, host on Story Radio Podcast 🎙️. Longlisted #PMJWritersPrize. 🎬 Nominee #AustinSpotlightFilmFest 📖 👻 Horror novel 2026 with @rowanprosepub.bsky.social 🔗 https://linktr.ee/tabithapotts

2.7K followers4.3K following1K posts

Tabitha Potts
@tabithapotts.bsky.social

This was a real treat. The director only made two films, and the print of this one disappeared for decades. It’s very slow-burn, combining folk-horror elements with a modern setting (in the early 1980s). It’s on BFI

Tabitha Potts reposted

John Wiswell
@wiswell.bsky.social

You know what doesn't get enough love? Horror short stories. From today through Halloween, I'll update this thread with Horror short story recommendations. Stuff you can read in a sitting while feeling like the shadows are watching.

Tabitha Potts
@tabithapotts.bsky.social

Yes! Another right wing fascist motherfucker bites the dust. Let’s get rid of all of these bastards

James Murray@james-bg.bsky.social

The biggest and most important win for the environment in years. The pursuit of an end to Amazon deforestation and a fossil fuel phase out will now continue. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/o...

theguardian.comLula wins fourth term as Brazil president after historic upset over far-right Flávio BolsonaroLeftist incumbent Lula stages unprecedented comeback weeks after narrowly losing first round of election to Bolsonaro
Tabitha Potts
@tabithapotts.bsky.social

💔Tragic: swifts are finding their chicks dumped in skips and their nests blocked up by building work. 🚨We need an emergency system that forces police & councils to act IMMEDIATELY when nests are threatened. Sign the petition now 👇 you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/sa...

you.38degrees.org.ukSave swift nests before building work blocks or obstructs themSwifts are in trouble. Their UK breeding population fell by 70% between 1995 and 2024, and they are now on the UK Red List of birds of conservation concern. When a swift's nest entrance is blocked, e...

Tabitha Potts reposted

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. * * *

Tabitha Potts reposted

Peter Geoghegan
@petergeoghegan.bsky.social

🔴 REVEALED: Palantir led closed-door review of how MoD buys software The review was presented to defence minister Luke Pollard by Palantir UK boss Louis Mosley in Feb and has mostly been implemented None of this was made public New investigation🧵 democracyforsale.substack.com/p/revealed-p...

democracyforsale.substack.comRevealed: Palantir led secret review of how the MoD spends billionsThe Ministry of Defence asked the controversial US tech firm how to fix its procurement rules. Its answer? Fewer obstacles for companies like Palantir

Tabitha Potts reposted

Mark Chadbourn
@chadbourn.bsky.social

Small dick energy.

@amybisinthewoods.bsky.social 🍄🍄‍🟫@amybdogsandfungi.bsky.social

“Palantir cofounder and CEO Alex Karp states ‘AI will undermine the influence of highly educated, often female voters and give it to working class men. We have feminine energy running our cities and our courts,’ he complained.”

futurism.comCEO of Palantir Says AI Will Seize Power Away From College-Educated WomenPalantir CEO Alex Karp said AI would disrupt "humanities trained" and "Democratic voters" who are largely women.

Tabitha Potts reposted

Robert Reich
@rbreich.bsky.social

Remember: Wealth cannot be separated from power. We're seeing in real time how the extreme concentration of wealth is distorting our politics, rigging markets, and granting unprecedented power to a handful of people. Taxing the rich isn't just an economic issue, it's a defense of our democracy.

Tabitha Potts reposted

Tammy Komoff
@tammykomoff.bsky.social

📙 Fun Book Trivia 📚 At 154,250 square feet the (now closed) Barnes & Noble on 5th Ave in NYC was the largest bookstore on Earth. That title now goes to Powell's City of Books in Portland, Oregon. 68,000 square feet with over one million books it's definitely on my bucket list!

Tabitha Potts reposted

Robert Reich
@rbreich.bsky.social

Americans are relearning the lesson we learned during the Gilded Age of the late 1890s, when robber barons ran the government and the economy for their own benefit: Oligarchy is incompatible with the common good. I'm hopeful we'll respond with a new progressive movement.

Tabitha Potts reposted

hookland.bsky.social
@hookland.bsky.social

There are passageways where we cannot help but brush against phantoms. Places that narrow our movements till a spirit scraping is inevitable. Neither dead nor living will yield right of way. This may come from an unknowing of the other's presence or a terrible lack of manners. – #CJosiffe #Ghosts

Tabitha Potts reposted

Farrukh
@implausibleblog.bsky.social

Brexit voter in Makerfield tells Beth Rigby, "Everything seemed better when we were in the European Union. Boris Johnson just convinced everyone that we would be so much better off, didn't he" Another says he didn't make the right choice to vote for Brexit because Brexit ended FOM

Tabitha Potts reposted

Caroline Lucas
@carolinelucas.bsky.social

Government support for drilling at #Jackdaw takes a wrecking ball to any pretence of UK climate leadership & pours fuel on an overheating world - and for what? It’s equivalent to just 2 months of UK gas demand, creates just 27 direct jobs & has *no* impact on energy bills🧵1/4

Tabitha Potts reposted

Prem Sikka
@premnsikka.bsky.social

ITV footage shows racist, sexual, violent rhetoric among Reform members. These lunatics say “King Charles is a f***ing Muslim… " and want him to be beheaded. They want concentration camps for migrants, violence against minorities. Return of the Nazis, 100 years after the Cable Street resistance.

independent.co.ukThe bombshells from the undercover sting operation which plunged Reform into crisisThe party has been accused of ‘appalling behaviour’ and ‘extreme racism’ following staggering revelations

Tabitha Potts reposted

Scott Horton
@robertscotthorton.bsky.social

The White House says the malicious manipulation of Ukrainian access to StarLink and StarShield is over. Zelenskyy says it continues. And Zelenskyy, of course, is correct.

Tabitha Potts reposted

Max B 💙 🔶 🇺🇦 🇬🇧 🇪🇺
@maxbrockbank.com

Ukraine has struck another Russian data centre. If Moscow’s online propaganda machine starts going dark, how much of Trump’s supposedly enormous online support will vanish with it? And can Ukraine expose the machinery behind it before November’s midterms?

Tabitha Potts reposted

Sarah Murphy
@13sarahmurphy.bsky.social

The harsh reality of that ‘take back control’ Brexit myth… “Whether it’s… the cost of living, restarting industry, or keeping us secure, we lack the weight to act alone. In today’s world, we can’t take back control while being an outsider in Europe.” www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...

independent.co.ukUK must rejoin EU to combat growing threat from Russia and Trump, Burnham warnedIPPR urge Labour leader to ‘stop talking about Brexit’

Tabitha Potts reposted

paulusthewoodgnome
@paulusthewoodgnome.bsky.social

'The government’s £15bn warm homes plan – insulating Britain’s homes and investing in heat pumps – which is currently under threat of cuts, would do more to cut the cost of living, create jobs and boost the UK’s economy than drilling for new oil.' www.theguardian.com/environment/...

theguardian.comHeat pumps and insulation would cut UK living costs more than new oilfields, study suggestsWarm homes plan would create 50,000 jobs, compared with about 1,100 for Rosebank oilfield, thinktank finds

Tabitha Potts reposted

Marc Elias
@marcelias.bsky.social

The Department of Justice’s alarming lawsuit to stop California from counting roughly 20,000 ballots from people suspected of being noncitizens could lay the groundwork for challenges to Election Day results, experts warned. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...

democracydocket.comTrump DOJ suing California marks major ‘escalation’ in election interference attempts, experts warnThe concern extended beyond Democratic officials.

Tabitha Potts reposted

Prem Sikka
@premnsikka.bsky.social

UK ‘an outlier in Europe’ for letting Farage and other politicians present TV shows. GB News, owned by hedge fund manager, is the propaganda arm of Reform/Farage. Politicians must be scrutinized, and not allowed to present news or current affairs programmes.

theguardian.comUK ‘an outlier in Europe’ for letting Farage and other politicians present TV showsAnalysis of countries’ broadcasting rules confirms Ofcom code is highly unusual, amid concerns about impartiality

Tabitha Potts reposted

Sarah Murphy
@13sarahmurphy.bsky.social

Usual hand-wringing about returning to division and inaction, not getting the same opt-outs etc… but arguments to rejoin trump those what-ifs. Going it alone in a world dominated by Putin, Trump and China is strategically idiotic and economically ruinous. Shaking your head at that is red-flag-dim.

Farrukh@implausibleblog.bsky.social

George Monbiot explains why the UK should rejoin the EU, "There's a reason why Russia tried to intervene in the Brexit vote, they knew that it would harm the UK and the EU if we left" "They were very clear about that and boy have they been proved right"

Tabitha Potts reposted

WATERSHED Investigations
@watershed-i.bsky.social

Replying to @watershed-i.bsky.social

Many argue that the entire system of business water use in England is out of step with increasingly water-stressed times, + needs a complete overhaul to incentivise efficient water use: share.google/5bDmcEsjcOvR...

share.googleRevealed: how companies ‘secretly’ use billions of litres of public water in drought-hit EnglandExclusive: As millions of people face hosepipe bans, many companies are not required to report, let alone cut, use of public supply

Tabitha Potts reposted

Dominic Dyer
@dom70.bsky.social

So sad to see this. Why is the Labour Government blocking a Tuks Law private members Bill to prevent dogs not being scanned to identify owners before being euthanised

Tabitha Potts reposted

Mark Chadbourn
@chadbourn.bsky.social

Replying to @chadbourn.bsky.social

Carole is understandably annoyed.

Carole Cadwalladr@carolecadwalla.bsky.social

‘For years the Observer tried to get to the truth of Russian interference until we sacked the reporter involved for participating in union activities’