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frankPodmore

@ frankPodmore @slrpnk.net

Posts
450
Comments
1538
Joined
3 yr. ago

London-based writer. Often climbing.

  • Your Party faction splits to form new party | New Statesman

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  • There will always be people who look at this and still say he should've been Prime Minister.

  • Police in Nowak murder row force ‘pressured’ by diversity course

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  • Agreed. As I said, I'm not defending the police.

  • Police in Nowak murder row force ‘pressured’ by diversity course

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  • what the actual fuck were these officers thinking?

    This is a fair question, but it does have an answer: people often lie to the police about being injured in order to try and get out of restraints. It was too dark for the police to see the chest wound. Novak had a visible, but not serious, facial wound, though, and the police seem to have assumed this was the injury he was referring to.

    Additionally, in this case, the actual perpetrator's brother was the one who'd called the police. It is very unusual for a murderer or an accomplice to call the police (my understanding is we still don't actually know why the killer's brother did this). The police believed they were attending a one-sided assault. When they arrived, two 'witnesses', including the person who'd called the police, pointed out Novak as the 'perpetrator', corroborating one another's stories. The police didn't realise they were lying until too late.

    I am not excusing any of the above. The police routinely treat suspects poorly and that's what happened here. However, they did have good reason to believe Novak had committed a crime, and that belief had nothing to do with anyone's race.

  • Widow of gambling addict takes Betfair to court in possible landmark UK case

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  • I hope she smashes them.

  • UK police under pressure after dying student was handcuffed as he lay dying from stab wounds after his killer falsely alleged a racist attack

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  • Yeah. Unfortunately it is a long time when you're bleeding to death. It's possible he'd have died even with immediate first aid because you really don't have that long once you're bleeding from a major artery.

    I think this shows the police need to change their practice when it comes to how they treat suspects, though, especially those under restraint.

  • UK police under pressure after dying student was handcuffed as he lay dying from stab wounds after his killer falsely alleged a racist attack

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  • How long did it take them to realise that he was injured?

    He was handcuffed for about one minute before the police began CPR, according to the judge.

  • UK police under pressure after dying student was handcuffed as he lay dying from stab wounds after his killer falsely alleged a racist attack

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  • UK police under pressure after dying student was handcuffed as he lay dying from stab wounds after his killer falsely alleged a racist attack

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  • I wouldn’t jump to assume race is the first thing the police go to.

    This is correct: it wasn't the false racist slur that made the police ignore Novak, it was the fact that the murderer had a witness to back up his line that he was attacked.

    Unfortunately, people who are handcuffed often fake injury or distress in order to get the police to free them so that they can then either escape or attack somebody. Tragically, the officers here wrongly believed that's what Novak was doing. He had a visible minor injury and they assumed that's what he was referring to, and that such a minor injury wasn't something for them to worry about. Possibly the police should change their procedures in order to properly medically assess detainees who claim to be injured.

  • Locked

    Hasan Piker, Cenk Uygur Denied Entry to UK Over Palestine Support

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  • Well, I actually agree with you, but actually the first quote was from The Times and the second quote was from Labour MP David Taylor.

    I just thought it was fair to extrapolate that the reasons the government banned him were the same as those who publicly called for the ban, not separate reasons that no one who actually supports the decision has cited.

  • Locked

    Hasan Piker, Cenk Uygur Denied Entry to UK Over Palestine Support

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  • I actually agree with Novara that Piker shouldn't be barred from entering the UK but this headline is very misleading.

    The UK government has said the ban is because of his use of '"antisemitic tropes, such as the claim that Israel controls America" and comments about grooming gangs he made on Piers Morgan's YouTube show' and because of his support of a 'proscribed terror group' (i.e., Hamas). Nothing to do with his support of Palestine (I don't think that Hamas represents Palestinians any more than I think that Putin's party represents Russians).

  • London @feddit.uk
    frankPodmore @slrpnk.net

    London recorded lowest level of cyclist deaths since pandemic in 2025, but TFL "deeply concerned" by rise in serious injuries

    road.cc /news/london-recorded-lowest-level-of-cyclist-deaths-since-pandemic-in-2025-but-tfl-deeply-concerned-by-rise-in-serious-injuries
  • UK Politics @feddit.uk
    frankPodmore @slrpnk.net

    The 35% strategy: It is both electorally expedient and morally correct to ignore large chunks of public opinion | Chris Dillow

    chrisdillow.substack.com /p/the-35-strategy
  • UK Politics @feddit.uk
    frankPodmore @slrpnk.net

    Blair wants to leave our future to the markets. I believe democracy can still shape our lives for the better | Wes Streeting

    www.theguardian.com /commentisfree/2026/may/27/tony-blair-labour-wes-streeting-markets-democracy
  • London @feddit.uk
    frankPodmore @slrpnk.net

    Lambeth: Second newly elected Green councillor resigns

    www.onlondon.co.uk /lambeth-second-newly-elected-green-councillor-resigns/
  • London @feddit.uk
    frankPodmore @slrpnk.net

    Buried WWII bombs removed from ground in Thamesmead

    www.newsshopper.co.uk /news/26109016.purland-road-thamesmead-wwii-bombs-removed-discovery/
  • UK Politics @feddit.uk
    frankPodmore @slrpnk.net

    Is it too late to choose chaos with Ed Miliband?

    www.newstatesman.com /politics/labour/2026/05/is-it-too-late-to-choose-chaos-with-ed-miliband
  • UK Politics @feddit.uk
    frankPodmore @slrpnk.net

    ‘Those who aspire to lead Labour must be clear about the party’s responsibilities to working people’ – LabourList

    labourlist.org /2026/05/labour-responsibilities-to-working-people/
  • Cooperatives @lemmy.world
    frankPodmore @slrpnk.net

    Shifting political backdrop for co-ops after local elections and King's Speech

    www.thenews.coop /shifting-political-backdrop-for-co-ops-after-local-elections-and-kings-speech/
  • UK Politics @feddit.uk
    frankPodmore @slrpnk.net

    Shifting political backdrop for co-ops after local elections and King's Speech

    www.thenews.coop /shifting-political-backdrop-for-co-ops-after-local-elections-and-kings-speech/
  • UK Politics @feddit.uk
    frankPodmore @slrpnk.net

    Rather Than Whining About the Media, We Should Fight to Win

    www.liberalcurrents.com /rather-than-whining-about-the-media-we-should-fight-to-win/
  • UK Politics @feddit.uk
    frankPodmore @slrpnk.net

    Who Is Labour For? • ThinkLabour

    thinklabour.co.uk /thinking/who-is-labour-for/
  • UK Politics @feddit.uk
    frankPodmore @slrpnk.net

    Public policy and inequalities: lessons for policymakers from the IFS Deaton Review

    ifs.org.uk /publications/public-policy-and-inequalities-lessons-policymakers-ifs-deaton-review

  • Worcestershire County Council: Conservatives team up with Greens, Lib Dems and independents to form a power-sharing alliance

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  • If the choice was Reform in government or work with the Tories, I'd take the latter. Of course, if the Tories refused, that would mean they're essentially backing Reform, in which case: fuck them.

  • Conservatives suspend Worcestershire group leader over coalition

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  • Well, exactly!

    By suspending their councillor for stopping Reform, they're aligning themselves with fascists. I don't like or agree with Conservatism, but it is better than fascism. The Conservatives on this council seem to have realised that and shouldn't be punished for doing the right thing.

  • Conservatives suspend Worcestershire group leader over coalition

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  • Conservatives dead wrong on this. They should work to block Reform wherever they can. Damning indictment that they won't!

  • Worcestershire County Council: Conservatives team up with Greens, Lib Dems and independents to form a power-sharing alliance

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  • I'm all for the republican front on this: work with anyone against Reform/Restore.

  • UK Politics @feddit.uk
    frankPodmore @slrpnk.net

    Labour MP to stand down to allow Burnham run for byelection amid leadership row

    www.theguardian.com /politics/2026/may/14/labour-mp-to-stand-down-to-allow-burnham-run-for-byelection-amid-leadership-row
  • UK Politics @feddit.uk
    frankPodmore @slrpnk.net

    Streeting would lose leadership contest against Keir Starmer, poll reveals – LabourList

    labourlist.org /2026/05/labour-leadership-challenge-polling-survation/
  • UK Politics @feddit.uk
    frankPodmore @slrpnk.net

    Worcestershire County Council: Conservatives team up with Greens, Lib Dems and independents to form a power-sharing alliance

    bsky.app /profile/lauraphillips.bsky.social/post/3mlsldtnzrc24
  • UK Politics @feddit.uk
    frankPodmore @slrpnk.net

    Angela Rayner cleared by HMRC over tax affairs paving the way for potential leadership bid

    www.theguardian.com /politics/2026/may/14/angela-rayner-cleared-hmrc-tax-affairs-labour-leadership-starmer

  • Ed Miliband Allies Say He Has Numbers for Leadership Challenge

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  • Labour leadership elections are conducted using preferential voting, so vote splitting shouldn't be a problem.

  • UK Politics @feddit.uk
    frankPodmore @slrpnk.net

    Ed Miliband Allies Say He Has Numbers for Leadership Challenge

    www.politicshome.com /news/article/ed-miliband-allies-say-numbers-leadership-challenge

  • King’s Speech: Government unveils 37 new bills for year ahead – full list – LabourList

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  • NHS England is the oversight body. They're not abolishing the NHS.

  • UK Politics @feddit.uk
    frankPodmore @slrpnk.net

    King’s Speech: Government unveils 37 new bills for year ahead – full list – LabourList

    labourlist.org /2026/05/kings-speech-2026-full-list-new-bills/

  • Wes Streeting plans to resign and mount leadership challenge, allies say

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  • Yeah, I doubt he'll be able to convince enough of the PLP to not have to go to the membership, where he would lose.

    Of course, since I'm a member of the party, this puts me in the potentially invidious position of having to actively vote for Starmer over Streeting in such a contest. Yeesh.

  • UK Politics @feddit.uk
    frankPodmore @slrpnk.net

    Standards watchdog launches probe into £5m Farage gift

    www.bbc.co.uk /news/articles/c0l26g01703o

  • Zack Polanski says he was wrong to call himself a Red Cross spokesperson

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  • For the record, it wasn't me who removed your comment.

  • Labour’s turmoil is now uncontrollable

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  • It's enough to make me think the Greens are onto something with their co-leadership model. Maybe we should have more of a Swiss-style thing, where the equivalent of the Cabinet collectively takes on the executive role, so you don't get one weird stubborn person blocking up the whole government.

  • UK Politics @feddit.uk
    frankPodmore @slrpnk.net

    Wes Streeting plans to resign and mount leadership challenge, allies say

    www.theguardian.com /politics/2026/may/13/wes-streeting-plans-to-resign-and-mount-leadership-challenge-allies-say