johnnyobrien

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johnnyobrien

johnnyobrien

@etchea

Glaswegian Irish and émigré from Brexit.

เข้าร่วม Mayıs 2011
1.7K กำลังติดตาม395 ผู้ติดตาม
johnnyobrien
johnnyobrien@etchea·
@afneil Because soft power matters and the BBC still has an international respect that the UK no longer has.
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Andrew Neil
Andrew Neil@afneil·
The BBC says it wants to orientate its News Channel to international rather than British audiences because it can generate revenues internationally. Fair enough. But why should British licence payers pay for it?
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Gideon Rachman
Gideon Rachman@gideonrachman·
If Andy Burnham becomes prime minister, he will be the first Cambridge educated prime minister since Baldwin in the 1930s. Also the first English literature student ever? A blow for diversity! After the dismal parade of Oxford PPE and law grads.
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Steven Swinford
Steven Swinford@Steven_Swinford·
One hell of a letter in The Times today from General Sir Nick Carter, a former head of the armed forces He warns that Britain risks becoming ‘Belgium with nuclear weapons’ unless it spends more on defence ‘Successive governments have hollowed our armed forces out to such a degree that if we do not spend what is needed now to arrest that decline, and transform them for the modern world, we risk becoming Belgium with nuclear weapons. And our enemies are watching’ Times letters: Britain’s slide down the Nato league table thetimes.com/article/5c3710…
Steven Swinford tweet media
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Gérard Araud
Gérard Araud@GerardAraud·
Il n’y a pas besoin d’être un jésuite pour prendre ses distances d’un clown qui ridiculise la religion chrétienne. Faut-il vous rappeler que des prêtres en soutane ont siégé à l’Assemblée Nationale ?
Gabrielle Cluzel@gabriellecluzel

Défendre le voile islamique. Dénoncer le Je vous salue Marie. Il faut savoir que les jésuites ont la main sur les aumôneries de toutes les grandes écoles.

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Amanda Ferguson
Amanda Ferguson@AmandaFBelfast·
Tell me you don’t understand Irish history and geography in one tweet. There will never be a land border here again. Belfast isn’t Finchley, David. And it was you and your entitled pals who delivered the disastrous self harm Brexit so I’m afraid you just have to deal with it.
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Christopher Hale
Christopher Hale@ChristopherHale·
“Dear migrants, before I say any other word to you, I want to bow before your dignity. “You are not numbers or case files. “You are people — with a family and a home left behind, with dreams that no one has the right to scorn.” — Pope Leo XIV
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Captain Obvious™️
Captain Obvious™️@TheFungi669·
Marco Rubio: “Birthright citizenship is a scam.” Grok: “Marco Rubio was born in Miami in 1971 before his parents became U.S. citizens.”
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bernoulli_defect
bernoulli_defect@BernoulliDefect·
There's a common narrative around transit: countries like France care about public investment in rail, while the Brits let it languish so fall behind. This appears to fit reality: after the turn of the millenium France has built 21 new tram systems while Britain managed 2, the French have 5 metro systems that have been significantly extended in the last two decades while Britain has only 1, and it's not just the result of us concentrating everything on London: the Grand Paris Express blows Crossrail out of the water in scale. Something odd happens when I examine the OECD's rail investment spending data, though. For almost every year post 2000, Britain outspends France on rail. For every Avignon Tramway project (€135m) there was a Birmingham westside extension (£149m), the core difference being the French project is 5.2km while the british one is nearly 5 times shorter at 1.2km. The more projects you research the more the picture starts to take shape. Britain cares deeply about rail, funds it generously, and yet manages to build very little. It's a testament to our love of trains that Treasury keeps rewarding our deeply inefficient (and thus low ROI) rail construction system with more and more money. So next time you see someone railing about British railways, tell them the money isn't the problem.
bernoulli_defect tweet media
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Matthew O'Toole
Matthew O'Toole@MatthewOToole2·
Just home from dealing with the consequences of tonight's lawlessness. Perhaps some of the English right wing influencers and local politicians enthusing about these protests would explain to children I met why they have no beds to sleep in tonight. Utterly disgusted.
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johnnyobrien
johnnyobrien@etchea·
@leinsterrugby Agree with all the disappointment being expressed, but one piece of context not mentioned is the falling attendances at Leinster home matches with the obvious resulting loss of revenue.
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Leinster Rugby
Leinster Rugby@leinsterrugby·
We can confirm that James Lowe will depart from Leinster at the end of the season. With 71 tries in 101 appearances, he leaves as our record try-scorer and a true-blue legend 💪 Let's give Lowey the send off he deserves at the URC Grand Final! 🙌 Thank you for everything 💙
Leinster Rugby tweet mediaLeinster Rugby tweet mediaLeinster Rugby tweet mediaLeinster Rugby tweet media
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Mike Pompeo
Mike Pompeo@mikepompeo·
Within hours of being announced as the nominee to be the U.S. Director of the CIA, I received a hand-delivered message on MI6 stationery congratulating me on my nomination. It was signed simply "C" in green ink. Legendary. I shared it with my son and even he thought I was now cool! More than that, this note, from Sir Alex Younger, Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service of the United Kingdom, confirmed what I already believed: the work that the CIA and MI6 did together mattered, that the partnership was critical, and that two leaders focused on the mission could save lives and provide tools for our nations to deter our adversaries. Alex's passing this week brought back so many memories of our time in service together. He flew to Langley to see me the day I was confirmed. We brought our two senior teams together in the UK to plan and coordinate and build in the first several weeks of my time on duty: making clear to them all that this relationship was more than special - it was critical for the security of our two countries. Alex was a remarkable intelligence partner. When we needed help, it wasn't "let me see;" it was "this matters to you and America we'll get it done." And he and his team always did. I think he knew we would do the same for him and his team and his nation. Many Americans are alive today because of his leadership of MI6, I never knew how to thank him enough. Alex became a friend as well. In the years since we both left office we would see each other from time to time. He was always so kind, so thoughtful, so smart. His deep love of his country was surpassed only by his deep commitment and love of his family. Decent and proper - and funny as hell - Alex was "C." As espionage requires, he was quiet, not attention seeking. He knew what evil was and he was ruthless in his efforts to crush it with every legal tool at his command. And he knew who his friends were and committed himself to supporting them. I miss Sir Alex Younger. He was a role model for me and a man with whom every minute I spent was valued and savored. Blessings to you Alex. Praying for you and for your family. Well done and may you rest in peace in His hands.
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James Treadwell
James Treadwell@James_Treadwell·
No it isn't. Real concern emerges precisely because many people really do feel the rising tensions and experentially and see changes, disoeder and crime. Commentators Fraser can never see anything but the official recorded figures, but never the limitations of official fugures.
Fraser Nelson@FraserNelson

It's not just the exploitation of a tragedy. JD Vance's picture of Britain - where migrants have led to a crime surge - is the opposite of the truth. comment.press/vance1234

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Dan Neidle
Dan Neidle@DanNeidle·
UK tax has gone up significantly over the last 25 years But the tax paid by the average UK worker has not This apparent miracle was achieved by taxing “other people”: higher earners, capital, property, banks, etc The strategy has run out of road A 🧵 on what happens next.
Dan Neidle tweet media
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Fraser Nelson
Fraser Nelson@FraserNelson·
It's not just the exploitation of a tragedy. JD Vance's picture of Britain - where migrants have led to a crime surge - is the opposite of the truth. comment.press/vance1234
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johnnyobrien
johnnyobrien@etchea·
@GerardAraud Should it be the E4 to include Poland? Don’t know enough to know the answer.
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Dan Neidle
Dan Neidle@DanNeidle·
Higher taxes that most people will pay? Or spending cuts that most people will feel? That's it. Pick one. If your answer is "government waste" or "tax the rich", then you're part of the problem. The strategy of taxing "other people" has run out of road.
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Anthologie de la répartie
Anthologie de la répartie@Antho_Repartie·
En 1955, la reine Élisabeth de Belgique se rend en Pologne, au festival Chopin. Elle demande au chef du protocole polonais qui l'accompagne à la messe : - Êtes-vous catholique ? - Croyant mais pas pratiquant. - Mais vous êtes aussi communiste ? - Pratiquant mais pas croyant.
Anthologie de la répartie tweet media
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Richard Moore
Richard Moore@XChiefMI6·
A beautiful tribute from @Eduard_Hellvig. Thank you, Eddie. Well said by the exceptional former leader of one of our closest partners, Romania’s SRI.
Eduard Hellvig@Eduard_Hellvig

Sir Alex Younger: viața unui anti-martini Alex Younger a fost directorul MI6 între 2014 și 2020. Ieri a murit într-un spital din Boston, iar această știre cu greu își va face loc în jurnalele de știri de la noi. Viața și cariera lui vor rămâne însă pentru totdeauna în gândurile și memoria mea afectivă. Alex Younger și-a petrecut aproape întrega carieră în serviciul secret britanic cu profesionalism și discreție, parcă în pofida rolului flamboaiant pe care i-l atribuie tradițional cinematografia. L-am cunoscut pe Alex la București în anul 2015. Era de puțin timp director, ca și mine de altfel, și venise în România în plină campanie Brexit, pentru a se asigura că, oricare ar fi rezultatul votului, serviciile noastre vor continua cooperarea. Ne-am revăzut ulterior în cîteva ocazii și ne-am auzit de mai multe ori. Alex era acel tip de profesionist care identifica rapid problemele și le definea clar și precis. Avea un fel de a fi, cordial și direct, pe care analiștii l-ar numi carismă. De fapt, era o bucurie permanentă de a dialoga, de a-și sluji țara și profesia, în moduri și tonuri care nu erau niciodată rigide sau convenționale. În omagiile care i se aduc în spațiul britanic regăsesc formula „a thoroughly decent and kind man”. Așa era Alex, dar și mult mai mult decât poate cuprinde o exprimare britanică rezervată. El nu a fost niciodată personajul prețios din filme, care rostogolește replici șlefuite în lumina unui candelabru de cristal. Alex Younger a fost însă cea mai apropiată versiune de erou real în lumea informațiilor. Frumosul acestei profesii este că nu are nevoie nici de explozii, nici de gadgeturi, nici de pahare cu picior. Câteva episoade din cariera sa ne arată un om care a trăit microbul profesional dincolo de orice scenariu de film. Alex Younger intrat în MI6 în 1991, după câțiva ani petrecuți în Afganistan ca militar. Rămâne în Afganistan ca voluntar într-o organizație care elimina minele antipersonal rămase în urmă. Războiul din fosta Iugoslavie îl găsește pe teren, înțelegând la firul ierbii treburile complicate ale Balcanilor. Întors la Londra după câțiva ani devine șeful contraterorismului britanic; în această calitate a coordonat, printre altele, securitatea Jocurilor Olimpice din 2012. În 2014 devine „C”. Sub mandatul său, MI6 îi identifică și îi expune pe autorii atacului cu Novichok de la Salisbury și coordonează cea mai mare expulzare de "diplomați" ruși din istoria NATO de până atunci. Ca previziune interesantă, în 2016 avertiza, cu ani înainte ca lumea să înțeleagă, că dezinformarea digitală amenință democrațiile în mod existențial. Nimeni nu l-a ascultat cu adevărat atunci, vorbele sale fiind probabil taxate ca exagerări de spook. Între timp, lucrurile au fost reevaluate. În 2018 este primul șef MI6 care vorbește public despre atribuirea unui atac cibernetic major unui stat ostil binecunoscut. În 2019, în plină funcție la MI6, Alex a fost lovit de o pierdere personală greu de suportat. A continuat să își facă datoria, a lucrat în fiecare zi și a purtat cu demnitate greutatea definitivării acordurilor post-Brexit. România nu va ști niciodată cu certitudine dacă și în ce măsură a beneficiat de prietenia unui astfel de om. Dar eu știu suficient ca să spun că Estul nu i-a fost indiferent și că prietenia sa a fost eficientă, cordială și discret-loială. A sprijinit personal întreg procesul de transformare instituțională a SRI și am lucrat împreună pe câteva dintre dosarele delicate ale Europei Centrale și de Est, cu ecouri indirecte atât în România, cât și în UK. Sir Alex Young a înțeles România și partea noastră de lume mai complet și mai nuanțat decât mulți dintre europeni. A murit ieri, în liniște, mult prea tânăr. Trecerea sa nu are nimic din dramatismul filmelor din vest. A fost răpus de o afecțiune comună, dar necruțătoare. Și tocmai în asta stă, paradoxal, ultima sa lecție, predată discret: în această profesie eroii sunt de fapt oameni simpli care fac lucruri extraordinare atunci când sunt animați de idealuri înalte. Gândurile mele se îndreaptă și către Sarah, cea care a știut cel mai bine ce înseamnă să iubești un om care aparține în același timp și altor zeci de milioane. Cea care a știut foarte bine, ani de zile, cum este să înțelegi fără să poți întreba. Drum bun, Alex.

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