Varyl Thorndycraft

Varyl Thorndycraft

@varylt.bsky.social

#strideforpalestine https://medicalaidforpalestinians.enthuse.com/pf/varyl-thorndycraft/post/29856530 . He/him. Born 330ppm Dad 416ppm.

368 followers832 following187 posts

Varyl Thorndycraft reposted

flyingrodent
@flyingrodent.bsky.social

Lads, if I was you I would try to make it less obvious who it is that is baying for more fascism, crackdowns on democracy, corruption and looting of the world’s wealth

Varyl Thorndycraft reposted

Andrew D Thaler
@drandrewthaler.bsky.social

I live in a rural town and, like, I don't know how to tell you this, but the girls play on the boys team and vice versa all the time because otherwise we don't have enough players for a game and it's literally always fine so stop being weirdos about kids sports and just let trans kids play.

Varyl Thorndycraft reposted

George Monbiot
@georgemonbiot.bsky.social

The lessons from Brazil and Serbia? Don't concede one inch of ground to the far right. Don't appease. Don't triangulate. Don't grovel. Don't say they have "legitimate concerns". Mobilise your base, and fight them with all the democratic means at your disposal.

Varyl Thorndycraft reposted

Bruno Dies
@brunodias.dev

Genuinely I don't know that it comes across to people who haven't been here to watch how almost unbelievable this was, just people taking something that looked impossible and dragging it kicking and screaming all the way to inevitability.

Varyl Thorndycraft reposted

Simon Oldridge
@sioldridge.bsky.social

The UK gov was able to approve #Jackdaw because UK targets are woefully outdated. The current ‘Carbon Budget’ was set 15 years ago back when 2°C of warming was considered ‘safe’. It wasn’t tightened as the threat picture worsened due to concerns about public acceptance.

Varyl Thorndycraft reposted

Guy Shrubsole
@guyshrubsole.bsky.social

Victory for Lula, who has already reduced Amazon deforestation by 70% since 2022, means there is now a chance of ending deforestation of the rainforest entirely I’m weeping with joy for Brazil, for the Indigenous peoples of the Amazon, and for life on Earth 🇧🇷🌳🌎 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

Varyl Thorndycraft reposted

Leo Murray
@crisortunity.bsky.social

🧐

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. * * *

Varyl Thorndycraft 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

Varyl Thorndycraft reposted

Carla Denyer
@carladenyer.bsky.social

The government didn’t just approve Jackdaw, they also reiterated their support for so-called tiebacks - a dodge to allow yet more new drilling without new licenses. This deserves almost as much scrutiny as Jackdaw and has got barely any of it, so I raised it in the Chamber.

Varyl Thorndycraft reposted

Dave Vetter
@davidrvetter.bsky.social

Currently wondering what message the UK govt thought it was sending by dressing up the Minister for Net Zero in a literal Shell logo.

Varyl Thorndycraft reposted

Caroline Lucas
@carolinelucas.bsky.social

Some early morning reading for the Energy Minister #Jackdaw #Rosebank👇

UN Environment Programme@unep.org

The chance to keep global warming below 1.5°C with no overshoot is gone. But urgent action can still limit the overshoot and bring warming back to 1.5°C by 2100. Current policies, however, put the 🌎 on course for up to 2.8°C this century. New #EmissionsGap Report: https://ow.ly/SNHX50ZZz8l

Varyl Thorndycraft reposted

Jonathan Tonkin
@jdtonkin.bsky.social

I don’t want Elon’s flying car. I want clean, swimmable, drinkable rivers. I want thriving, diverse ecosystems. I want a stable climate. I want healthy communities. I want institutions that look beyond the next three years.

Varyl Thorndycraft
@varylt.bsky.social

On my first cycle of the trip I reflected on the opening scene of @naomiaklein.bsky.social & @astra.bsky.social 's End Times Fascism video which starts with Gaza as a real estate opportunity. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

theguardian.comNaomi Klein and Astra Taylor: the future according to end times fascism – videoIn a new video, Klein and Taylor outline a ominous evolution taking shape on the far right – and how to stay loyal to this planet and each other

Varyl Thorndycraft reposted

Stop Rosebank
@stopcambo.bsky.social

Delek Group, an Israeli energy giant known to operate in illegal settlements in the West Bank, is set to receive £200+ million if the Rosebank oil field is approved. So we've sent a letter to Burnham - warning him that approving Rosebank could breach his new sanctions. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.ukBurnham warned Rosebank oil field could breach West Bank sanctionsCampaigners and Green Party leader Zack Polanski raise concerns about Rosebank's ties to an Israeli firm.

Varyl Thorndycraft reposted

Zack Polanski
@zackpolanski.bsky.social

Previously unseen lobbying shows the oil and gas industry is misleading government on North Sea drilling. For now, it looks like Burnham is listening to them. Only a Green win tomorrow will force them to listen to us. New analysis from Influence Map 👇

Varyl Thorndycraft reposted

James Thorniley
@jamesthorniley.bsky.social

Political leadership has been tragically absent during this sustained campaign against trans rights that led to the new EHRC guidance. I'm proud that the motion proposed by Max at Oxford City Council passed, and there is much more to do.

Cllr Dr Max Morris@maxmorris.bsky.social

Green councillor Max Morris proposed the motion and described "unacceptable levels of abuse on social media" for representatives who had previously put forward a proposal... They said that experience is "something that many of us are all too familiar with" www.thisisoxfordshire.co.uk/news/2661155...

thisisoxfordshire.co.uk'Abuse' and 'intimidation' described as city approves trans rights planAn Oxford plan to protect trans and non-binary people's rights has been passed amid "abuse" and "intimidation" in a "manufactured moral panic".
Varyl Thorndycraft
@varylt.bsky.social

Quite depressing that George is having to spell this out. The contrast between the joy/positivity at the Oxford Green's AGM (1st since we won the popular vote in May) a fortnight ago vs the sadness at a scheduled campaign meeting on Monday - demotivated, loss of campaign managers and leafletters.😢

George Monbiot@georgemonbiot.bsky.social

Let me try this once more. It was a choice. EITHER the Greens adopted a slogan. OR they could have joined the next govt, where they could push for an end to arms sales, sanctions, support for the arrest warrants etc. It was never going to be both. Which one makes a material difference? #GazaGenocide

Varyl Thorndycraft reposted

Rage Against the Miocene
@organiccarbon.bsky.social

Over the past 40 years, we have basically said, 'To hell with it. We don't have to change. We can adapt.' And then we have catastrophically failed to adapt.

Climate Tracker@climate.skyfleet.blue

Revealed: Government quietly dropped plan to prepare England for wildfires #Climate

theguardian.comRevealed: Government quietly dropped plan to prepare England for wildfiresFOI request shows wildfire risk scheme scrapped, as data highlights many fire services lack proper protective gear
Varyl Thorndycraft
@varylt.bsky.social

Agree. I'm not at conference but have set up a proxy vote against the motion. We won the popular vote across Oxford in May through a lot of hard work which will be undone by an unnecessary and contested motion.

George Monbiot@georgemonbiot.bsky.social

The "Zionism is racism" motion, to be debated at the Green Party conference tomorrow, will not advance the Palestinian cause one inch. But, if adopted, it would marginalise and discredit the party. There are powerful ways to confront the genocide. Toxic gesture politics isn't one of them.

Varyl Thorndycraft reposted

The War on Cars
@thewaroncars.bsky.social

We were told that Caper Books, which has a huge selection of children's books, opened *after* the installation of the Low Traffic Neighborhood. Safe streets are good for business!

Cllr Emily Kerr 💚@emilykerr36.bsky.social

Absolutely delighted to host Sarah and Doug from @thewaroncars.bsky.social at the brilliant local East Oxford independent bookshop Caper. Inside an LTN and 20mph. ❤️

Varyl Thorndycraft reposted

Sam Burgess
@oceanterra.org

Replying to @oceanterra.org

#Climate change is not just raising temperatures. It is increasing the likelihood of prolonged periods when heat, water stress and wildfire risk occur simultaneously. Understanding these compound extremes is essential for building resilience across our water, food, energy and health systems.

Varyl Thorndycraft
@varylt.bsky.social

This..... My 5 yo rode 13 km across Oxford last Sunday for Kidical Mass - children's version of the Critical Mass cycle protest. oxfordclarion.uk/kidical-mass...

oxfordclarion.ukKidical Mass rides again180 riders took part in a joyous ride through the streets of Oxford today. Oxford’s Kidical Mass is just one of the many rides under this banner around the UK and worldwide this week. Our photographer...
Tom Flood@tomflood.bsky.social

“They’re too young to ride" Nope. They’re ready to ride, it’s our cities that aren’t ready.

Varyl Thorndycraft reposted

Beth Stratford
@bethstratford.bsky.social

Well, I for one am an economist who supports rent controls! Here’s why 🧵: Markets only work well if: -buyers & sellers have roughly equal power -producers respond to price signals & expand supply in response to scarcity -buyers can walk away if prices get too high

Saul Staniforth@saulstaniforth.bsky.social

Ash Sarkar: "The one thing the govt could do to improve the lives of young people is introduce some rent controls" Govt minister Jonathan Reynolds: "No economist supports rent controls" There you have it. Are you a young person trapped paying exorbitant rent? The Labour govt says f**k you.

Varyl Thorndycraft reposted

The Wire Magazine
@thewiremagazine.bsky.social

Two newly reissued albums showcase the seismic psychedelia of George Clinton’s Funkadelic at its rawest and most disruptive, writes John Morrison in The Wire 512 www.thewire.co.uk/in-writing/e...

thewire.co.uk“A trip through the other side of enlightenment”: Funkadelic reviewed - The WireTwo newly reissued albums showcase the seismic psychedelia of George Clinton’s Funkadelic at its rawest and most disruptive, writes John Morrison in The Wire 512

Varyl Thorndycraft reposted

Naomi Klein
@naomiaklein.bsky.social

The nation explicitly cast as a fortressed bunker ensuring "survivability" for the in-group. A.K.A. end times fascism.

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com

Hegseth announces "Fortress America," which will study "survivability"

Varyl Thorndycraft reposted

Defend Our Juries
@defendourjuries.bsky.social

94-year-old Jewish human rights barrister, Margaret Owen OBE, arrested under the Terrorism Act outside @labouruk.bsky.social conference. Her crime? Holding a piece of cardboard with the words “I oppose genocide - I support Palestine Action” on it. She was among hundreds doing the same.

Varyl Thorndycraft
@varylt.bsky.social

"What does “Hope Again” even mean? Is it an instruction? Have we all been hoping in a highly unsatisfactory way so far? Are we being sent back to hope school to learn how to be more upbeat?" Hope sponsored by Palantir / Nestle et al www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

theguardian.comReality pays a visit to the Labour party conference, but it’s the ‘Hope Again’ that kills youMost MPs are clinging to this year’s Beckettian slogan, but the chancellor brought his own brand of despair

Varyl Thorndycraft reposted

Amy Westervelt
@amywestervelt.bsky.social

We gotta start referring to data centers by both their mother and father's last names, Spain style. The Microsoft-Chevron data center, the Meta-ExxonMobil data center, and so forth. Absolutely no reason just the tech bros should be taking the heat on this shit

Varyl Thorndycraft reposted

Peter Geoghegan
@petergeoghegan.bsky.social

🔴 BREAKING: BP, Uber, Amazon and more paying Tony Blair's think tank $25,000 for “networking” opportunities with politicians and policy makers at party conferences Experts say "looks and smells like cash for access" Full story on Democracy for Sale democracyforsale.substack.com/p/breaking-t...

democracyforsale.substack.comBREAKING: Tony Blair Institute’s $25,000 corporate network “smells like cash for access”Exclusive documents show Tony Blair's think tank offers corporate members such as BP and Uber "networking" at party conferences and "a stronger voice" in policy debates.

Varyl Thorndycraft reposted

Dr Abeba Birhane
@abeba.blacksky.app

over the past few weeks several AI evaluation/cybersecurity experts have explained how what's happening is a result of human incompetence rather than "AI going rogue". I'm begging the media to show a shred of journalistic integrity and stop parroting what altman or amodei say

The Independent@the-independent.com

An OpenAI system has gone rogue again – and it is the most panic-inducing yet

trib.alAn OpenAI system has gone rogue again – and it is the most panic-inducing yet‘Our models took actions we did not intend,’ ChatGPT maker admits after latest outrage
Varyl Thorndycraft
@varylt.bsky.social

"These costs are not just in the form of energy and water use, or inflated household bills, but the opportunity costs involved as alternative, socially necessary and climate resilient development pathways are foreclosed." #datacentres

Patrick Bresnihan@pbresnihan.bsky.social

Myself, Seán Fearon and Pat Brodie have published a report today examining the exaggerated benefits and significant costs of data centres to Ireland. Below is a short thread on some of the key takeaways. Read the full report here: mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/id/eprint/21... 1/6

Varyl Thorndycraft
@varylt.bsky.social

“Mainly there are just too many cars. So moving people out of cars to more efficient spaces such as public transport, buses and bikes is part of that solution". Cars are bigger too... www.theguardian.com/uk-news/ng-i...

theguardian.comLondon buses in decline? Why public transport in global cities is slowing to a crawl – visualisedAs experts fear for future of UK capital’s bus network, some commuters are giving up entirely. London is not alone – with worrying implications for poorest in society

Varyl Thorndycraft reposted

Dr. Aaron Thierry
@thierryaaron.bsky.social

"The central problem is not the pace at which renewables are being added, but the social & economic system that determines trajectories of global energy use. A real transition can only happen through the rapid & permanent reduction in the absolute consumption of coal, oil & gas..." #ClimateCrisis

versobooks.comRenewables, ‘Electrostates’, and other Myths of the Green TransitionThe start of this month marked the publication of the 75th edition of the Energy Institute’s 2026 Statistical Review of World Energy, the flagship publicly available dataset on global energy productio...

Varyl Thorndycraft reposted

elia ayoub
@ayoub.bsky.social

This is surreal. Real the thread. The University of Brighton is destroying virtually all workers rights overnight, and derecognising the major unions.

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