The Radical Redcoat

A very sad anniversary of a massive intelligence failure that did not prevent 29 innocent people and two unborn twins being killed by an evil group. My role in 1998 meant I was part of that failure to protect innocents; it haunts me to this day. bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northe…

@HistSyndicate @1642Author Yes, Charles I did have a choice. And as he mostly did, Charles I made a poor choice.

Did Charles I really have a choice after the First Civil War and was it just a case of all options were bad options doomed to cause friction and failure? @1642Author and I discuss on today’s episode… Available now

@haynesdeborah @YvetteCooperMP Why increase our defence budget to counter the so-called threat from Putin? The Russian military has proven itself exceptionally ineffective and is zero threat to Britain. Far more effective to counter threats to Britain by spending more on overseas aid.

BREAKING: Foreign Secretary @YvetteCooperMP has strongly signalled that the UK will increase defence spending even further, saying “any lingering cosy assumptions about our defence and security are gone. So too is the post-Cold War peace dividend”. She said the UK must "face up to the need to do much more so we properly protect our citizens". Speaking after a meeting of NATO foreign ministers, Ms Cooper said: “We discussed in the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting how Russia’s weakening on the battlefield against Ukraine is also making them more reckless and dangerous. “In the face of that threat and the ongoing global instability, the NATO Alliance is vital and enduring, but within it Europe and the UK must do more. We have already been stepping up with significantly increased defence investment. But we have to face up to the need to do much more so we properly protect our citizens. “Russia is now under huge pressure from Ukraine’s military response and from economic challenges, but that is making them more unpredictable with escalating attacks on Ukrainian civilians, increasing hybrid threats across the continent, and reports of drone incursions. The threat from Russia is increasing on air, land, sea, space, cyber and information warfare. “Any lingering cosy assumptions about our defence and security are gone. So too is the post-Cold War peace dividend. “That’s why we need to keep increasing our defence and security capabilities and maintain our support for Ukraine. NATO is the most successful defensive alliance in history and now we need to keep building a stronger Europe within NATO. The safety, stability and prosperity of our citizens depends upon it.”

Makes me wonder how many other establishment figures betrayed our country yet were never caught or, worse in my opinion, were let off and their callousness, greed, and selfishness covered up? Any royals amongst the traitors? I suspect so ... telegraph.co.uk/books/non-fict…

@Elainebks @iainoverton The psyops unit of the British military.

@iainoverton Who were they?

The British Army has taken down the website page for 77 Brigade.

@UKDefJournal Do we need to waste taxpayers money on the Red Arrows? They should have been disbanded a few years ago. bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan…

Aeralis, developing a potential Red Arrows replacement, has collapsed into administration blaming delays to the UK Defence Investment Plan. Click image for more. ukdefencejournal.org.uk/aeralis-collap…

@Sandbagger_01 Waging a battle with the aim to get a gong or two with zero interest in intelligence analysis and national security.

No Time to Assess... A plotline "highly likely" to see Bond, now in his career twilight years, as JIC chair, waging a bureaucratic battle across Whitehall.

Just shows that any idiot can call themselves a king, give out made up awards and honours, and wear silly baubles. Reminds me of our so-called royal family who started like this person, seizing land and claiming to be lords over us. thetimes.com/article/1c4e7f…

Good - next step is to remove the bishops - there is no place for religion to be part of our law making in Britain. Is it just us and Iran that have religious appointees as part of their Parliament? bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

@DrHelenFry Always had to double envelope document ts when sending them in the way 90s. Both had to have those red stickers with a signature from the sender on the envelope flaps to show if they had been tampered with.

I have not seen this label before!!

Nonsense to me; Mandelson appointed by Starmer so ministers, SpAds, civil servants instructed to ensure the paperwork allowed appointment post decision Vetting officer did job properly albeit overruled by PM's initial decision to appoint no matter what theguardian.com/politics/2026/…

Back in the day PV was the equivalent of PV - Positive Vetting. EPV - Extra Positive Vetting - was above however scrapped circa 1996 due to the cost of getting and reviewing it annually. Above DV is VRK and various code worded stuff to prevent even DV people having access.

During my vetting interviews I was always honest. When it came to the question of drinking, they said my answer zero alcohol was not believable as all soldiers drank. So they listed me as a light drinker! #DV #vetting

@jjgjourno It takes a lot to be denied DV - I had that level of clearance throughout my military career!

September 2025. independent.co.uk/news/uk/politi…

@RossKempsell I managed to have DV despite being against the monarchy - key is being honest during interview and form filling. In my interviews always openly expressed my desire to see monarchy abolished.

DV is required for frequent and uncontrolled access to Top Secret material / higher. In US-UK relations this is about defence and intelligence. The threshold for outright failing DV is high. Most people who need DV get it. A common reason to fail is dishonesty in disclosure

Crikey, even I managed to pass Developed Vetting - how badf must the info have been to fail DV? order-order.com/2026/04/16/man…

US: 'building rockets and landers with genuine urgency' Europe: 'actively debating how deeply to engage.' Difference between EU and US: inertia v innovation! bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

@Heccles94 Nope.

Does hard work pay?

How long does it take our PM to make a decision? I thought I was a procrastinator; Starmer takes procrastination to the next level and more! news.sky.com/story/fourth-c…

PIRA and INLA used to do this, hand cuffing the driver to the car with the RCIED and holding their family hostage at gun point, subjecting them all to violence and the threat of death, to force the driver to be a proxy bomb to kill and maim. bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

@TheUCS473 @SageDespatches Perhaps the claimants could have called me or one of many military intelligence analysts who served in NI during the 'Troubles' as a witness? Would be interesting!

Breaking news. @SageDespatches Thoughts? BBC News - Civil trial against Gerry Adams over IRA bombings withdrawn bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…