Síd Peacock

@joecrayston Woody has only one eye too. I mean…..

@sid1307 No. Missed a trick there.

#r4today did they mention Woody the Wonderdog who chased the ferrets of Rathlin Island?

Lovely tribute to Mr Rachmaninoff on International Women's Day. by @BBCr4today #BroadcastingHouse #InternationalWomensDay

"Defence was cut because we believed" Tories base a lot of stuff on beliefs. #r4today

#r4today We act on evidence not belief.

@dozecat007 😂

@sid1307 Where is that? #r4today news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/w…

Every primary in England should learn Welsh. #r4today

@thecarolemalone How does it feel now your'e campaign of vitriol has resulted in increased support for the PM?

What’s wrong with man. Doesn’t he see he has delivered nothing of the mandate he was elected on? And whoever he’s talking about fighting for it sure as Hell isn’t the British people. He has failed. Why doesn’t he see that?

The level of personal hostility directed at Keir Starmer over the last week deserves scrutiny in its own right. Not because he should be immune from criticism, but because the tone and intensity of the attacks tell us something unhealthy about the state of democratic politics. 1. Starmer is a conventional political figure. Cautious, legalistic, incremental. He frustrates people precisely because he is managerial rather than messianic. Yet the reaction to him often goes far beyond disagreement, tipping into visceral hatred more commonly reserved for authoritarians or demagogues. 2. Much of this hostility is disconnected from concrete policy. It is not about specific votes, proposals or outcomes, but about projection. A belief that Starmer embodies betrayal, bad faith or hidden malice. That kind of politics runs on suspicion rather than evidence. 3. This matters because democracy depends on the assumption of good faith among opponents. You can think a leader is wrong, timid, or misguided without believing they are fundamentally illegitimate. Once politics becomes moralised to the point of demonisation, compromise is reframed as treachery and pluralism as weakness. 4. The pattern is familiar. In fragmented, polarised systems, anger concentrates not on extremists, whose intentions are clear, but on moderates, who disappoint maximalists on all sides. The centre becomes the lightning rod precisely because it resists totalising narratives. 5. There is also a media and online dynamic at work. Incentives reward outrage, not proportionality. Algorithms favour contempt over analysis. Over time, this creates a political culture in which relentless personal attack feels normal, even virtuous, rather than disgusting. 6. None of this is a defence of Starmer’s decisions, instincts or record. Those should be argued over robustly as you do in a democracy. The problem is the substitution of critique with hostility and the quiet erosion of democratic norms that follows when political opponents are treated as enemies rather than rivals. 7. A democracy cannot function if every election is framed as an existential struggle against internal evil. At some point, the target may change, but the damage to trust, restraint and culture remains.

#r4today can't believe Afghanistan are welcome to the cricket World Cup. Says a lot for western values.

#r4today Zack of the hypno tits?

UK politics needs stability. Constant leadership changes creates a chaotic environment where corruption and cronyism can carry on unhindered. #IStandWithStarmer

@Keir_Starmer Don't resign.

I love this country. It is the greatest country in the world. We are tolerant, decent and respectful – and unity is our strength. But for too long, proud communities have been failed by politics and left powerless to do anything about it. Our Pride in Place programme changes that. We are giving people the power to build up their communities. We’ve already invested thousands into communities across Britain. Now, we are giving thousands more the opportunity to transform their local area. Putting local people in control and building a Britain that works for all.

I'm sure #r4today will bring bringing this level of scrutiny to the Royal Family next?

#r4today the motives for removing Starmer are self preservation and political opportunism. A leader change will mean business as usual. Starmer should stay.

@BGatesIsaPyscho I dunno, could it be cause they're smart, friendly and cooperative?

🚨🇬🇧🇨🇳 “It’s been eight years since British Prime Minister from Chinese soil” Keir Starmer land in China, and is really boring with Chinese delegate. Question is - why is the UK, Canada & Australia all of a sudden trying to become best friends with China?

@alrobcraws @PeterWilson @Keir_Starmer @peterkyle @LucyRigby Maybe I see the benefits of visa free travel and want the country I live in to benefit from it?

Welcome @keir_starmer @peterkyle and @lucyrigby and all the delegation to Beijing!

@Keir_Starmer This is great but perhaps explore getting a better visa deal for UK visitors to China? It costs from £150 to £300 plus costs of going to visa office. I can travel visa free on my Irish passport though.

Touched down in China – I’m here to deliver for the British people.