Kmflett's Blog

Beard Liberation Front

25^th June

contact BLF Organiser Keith Flett @keithbeard.bsky.social

National Beard Week 2025 Gary Lineker shaves Michael Rosen to be voted Hirsute Broadcaster of the Year

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said that the vote for the Hirsute Broadcaster of the Year 2025 has concluded with veteran football commentator Gary Lineker shaving Word of Mouth host Michael Rosen for the annual accolade

Gary Lineker took 49% of the 6,600 votes cast on-line while Michael Rosen got 22.9%

In 2024 Test Match Special’s Aatif Nawaz topped the poll, 2023 the Award was won by Michael Rosen who shared it with Bob Harris in 2022

The campaigners say that the world of broadcasting remains largely Pogonophobic despite Jeremy Paxman’s high-profile comments on the matter in his final months as presenter of Newsnight in 2013

BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, Gary Lineker’s time as host of Match of the Day has just come to an end but his iconic goatee beard has made a lasting and positive public impact.

Hirsute Broadcaster of the Year

Bob Harris, The Country Show

Gary Lineker, Match of the Day

Michael Rosen, Word of Mouth

Alexei Sayle, Strangers on a Train

Michael Rosen has made the following statement

I would like to congratulate Gary for winning this. However, I need to draw attention the fact that Gary played for Spurs and that Keith Flett, esteemed Secretary-General of the Beard Liberation Front is a Spurs supporter. I am sure that this fact didn’t in any way have any bearing on the ultimate result of this superb contest. I am merely making readers aware of this coincidence of interest. I would also point out that whereas Michael Rosen has had a beard for as long as it was physically possible for him to do so, Gary’s beard is a relative newcomer. I accept that seniority of follicles doesn’t come into play here and yet I think we should bear in mind the seniority of chin-growth. Even so, I’m honoured to be in the same facial hair consideration as the great Lineker who expresses humanity through the shafts of his bristles. Like the great Arteta, I too must accept the runner-up position with grace and humility.

BLF Organiser Keith Flett’s measured response

Michael Rosen is right. As BLF Organiser I do not have any influence on the vote beyond determining (in the last resort after much advice) who appears on shortlists. I do not in fact even get a vote. The BLF block vote is a thing of legend but in 2025 its strictly OMOV….

MIchael Rosen further responded

It would only be fair here to consult the Wenger oracle. Two things are relevant here. Firstly, that Wenger would favour a one-nil result (as this is) and secondly that he wouldn’t have seen it.

Beard Liberation Front

26th June

Contact BLF Organiser Keith Flett @keithbeard.bsky.social

Shortlist for Beard of Summer 2025

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said that as part of National Beard Week, the vote is now open for the Beard of Summer 2025

There are two Close Shave Rounds of voting for the coveted seasonal accolade with a final Beard Off

Michael Rosen and Rishabh Pant won the first Close Shave Round and go to the Beard Off Final. Voting for the second Close Shave Round is now open

BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, clean shaven revisionism may be in fashion politically but we are looking for the most impactful beard of summer 2025

Beard of Summer 2025 Shortlist

Michael Rosen, Arsenal fan and trade unionist

Michael Eavis, Glastonbury legend

Thomas Tuchel, England football manager

Zohran Mamdani, US Democratic politician

Alexei Sayle, Tik Tok star & activist

Carlos Alcaraz, tennis player

Gary Lineker, Humanitarian, Podcaster

Rishabh Pant, Indian cricketer

Vote pinned @kmflett X or hit reply on BlueSky

So, farewell then the 205 bus from Paddington

Living partly in central Cardiff and partly in North London I have regularly used the TFL bus route 205 from Paddington rail station to either Kings Cross or Angel Islington. Here one can change for a bus to Tottenham. I could of course use the tube but like Lenin in 1902 I prefer to observe London life overground from a bus (this and the beard are my only real connections with Lenin).

Last Saturday the 205 bus from Paddington was withdrawn by TFL. I took my last ride on it from there last Wednesday. There was a good deal of opposition from local user groups but TFL claimed passenger numbers had not returned to pre-pandemic levels (it was always packed when I got on it).

The 205 is now re-routed to run to Marble Arch replacing the 30 which now runs from Hackney Wick to Euston.

The 205 is not one of the historic London bus routes from Edwardian times (many of which still exist albeit mostly in truncated form). In fact it has only existed since 2002.  I can’t help feeling however that like rail journeys cut by Beeching in the first half of the 1960s the end of sections of bus routes should be marked by a wake of some kind.

Of course here all that is solid does not melt into air. TFL is constantly changing bus routes, adding, deleting and rerouting.

In the meantime for those heading into central London from Paddington will have to rely on the 27 (change at Gower St)…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Buses_route_205

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has praised the founder of the Glastonbury Festival Michael Eavis for wearing a fully sustainable beard as part of National Beard Week 2025.

National Beard Week seeks to promote positive images of the hirsute and call out prejudice against facial hair.

Michael Eavis won Beard of the Decade in December 2009, but 16 years on his beard is still going strong:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/8433768.stm

Beard Liberation Front organiser Keith Flett said, With the gates of Glastonbury 2025 open Michael Eavis and his beard remain very much a national treasure, the very epitome of sustainable beard power.

Election Results for Haringey (North London) EU Referendum 23^rd June 2016

Here’s how Haringey voted in the EU Referendum 2016:

• Total electorate size: 150,098
• Turnout: 106,032
• Turnout as a percentage: 70.64%
• Number of valid votes cast: 105,846
• Number of spoilt ballots: 186
• Spoilt ballots as a percentage: 0.17%

In Haringey 75.4% of voters backed ‘remain’ on a 70% turn-out and this reflected the view of local trade unions, where a majority backed remaining in the EU. A significant minority from trade unions like the RMT and ASLEF were for leave underlining that those who backed ‘leave’ were often not anti-immigrant although those around Farage and UKIP often were.

The decisive remain vote in North London was thought at the time to be focused not so much on a deep love of the EU  but a concern that a Brexit vote would boost Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage and lead to an increase in racism. Something most in the North London Borough were and are rightly concerned about

Beard Liberation Front

25^th June

contact BLF Organiser Keith Flett @keithbeard.bsky.social

National Beard Week 2025 Gary Lineker shaves Michael Rosen to be voted Hirsute Broadcaster of the Year

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said that the vote for the Hirsute Broadcaster of the Year 2025 has concluded with veteran football commentator Gary Lineker shaving Word of Mouth host Michael Rosen for the annual accolade

Gary Lineker took 49% of the 6,600 votes cast on-line while Michael Rosen got 22.9%

In 2024 Test Match Special’s Aatif Nawaz topped the poll, 2023 the Award was won by Michael Rosen who shared it with Bob Harris in 2022

The campaigners say that the world of broadcasting remains largely Pogonophobic despite Jeremy Paxman’s high-profile comments on the matter in his final months as presenter of Newsnight in 2013

BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, Gary Lineker’s time as host of Match of the Day has just come to an end but his iconic goatee beard has made a lasting and positive public impact.

Hirsute Broadcaster of the Year

Bob Harris, The Country Show

Gary Lineker, Match of the Day

Michael Rosen, Word of Mouth

Alexei Sayle, Strangers on a Train

Michael Rosen has made the following statement

I would like to congratulate Gary for winning this. However, I need to draw attention the fact that Gary played for Spurs and that Keith Flett, esteemed Secretary-General of the Beard Liberation Front is a Spurs supporter. I am sure that this fact didn’t in any way have any bearing on the ultimate result of this superb contest. I am merely making readers aware of this coincidence of interest. I would also point out that whereas Michael Rosen has had a beard for as long as it was physically possible for him to do so, Gary’s beard is a relative newcomer. I accept that seniority of follicles doesn’t come into play here and yet I think we should bear in mind the seniority of chin-growth. Even so, I’m honoured to be in the same facial hair consideration as the great Lineker who expresses humanity through the shafts of his bristles. Like the great Arteta, I too must accept the runner-up position with grace and humility.

BLF Organiser Keith Flett’s measured response

Michael Rosen is right. As BLF Organiser I do not have any influence on the vote beyond determining (in the last resort after much advice) who appears on shortlists. I do not in fact even get a vote. The BLF block vote is a thing of legend but in 2025 its strictly OMOV….

MIchael Rosen further responded

It would only be fair here to consult the Wenger oracle. Two things are relevant here. Firstly, that Wenger would favour a one-nil result (as this is) and secondly that he wouldn’t have seen it.

Yvette Cooper (& Liz Kendall) wearing Suffragette colours in the House of Commons

Below is an extract from a BBC report from 2024 about how a section (not all) of the Suffragettes carried out a campaign of direct action to get votes for women before 1914 (the vote for women was implemented in 1918 and 1928- the tactics worked)

In March 1912 she and fellow members, armed with hammers, participated in a window-smashing campaign in London – and she was jailed for two months. In July 1912, following the arrest of the group’s leader, the suffragettes turned to arson. Lenton and Olive Wharry conducted a series of arson attacks, and were arrested. The arson attacks were initially extremely high-risk for the activists, though they were careful never to put the public at risk. “We only just got out in time on one occasion,” said Lenton.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/culture/article/20240307-in-history-suffragettes-speak-about-direct-action-and-their-brutal-treatment

One modern supporter of the suffragettes is the current Home Secretary Yvette Cooper. I’ve made the point before that I dont think she paid enough attention in history lessons when younger. Her attempt to classify the direct action tactics of Palestine Action as terrorism of course had an historic echo in how the State treated Suffragette activists.

Ultimately as I’m sure Cooper would agree they were on the right side of history and such tactics played an important role in creating the Parliamentary democracy we have in 2025

From Guy Debord to Donald Trump…..

In Defence of Drawn Cricket Test Matches

Steve James (Times 19^th November 2024) provided an interesting stat focused survey of what is happening in cricket Test wise across the world.

2024 saw just two drawn Test, one between the West Indies and South Africa in August and the Third Test between Australia and India in December 2024. That is an historic low.

In terms of Steve James Stat, there were eventually 46 Tests played in 2024. His Stat does not include a two match series between New Zealand and England and four of the five Tests between Australia and India (the 5^th Test was in January 2025). That means the percentage of drawn Tests in 2024 was in fact 5%ish

Bazball may be the culprit or hero depending on your view. England under McCullum play to win (or more recently lose) rather than draw. The idea is to bring the pace and excitement of short form cricket into Tests.

Of course better pitch preparation and better drainage reducing rain delays have also helped but it means that five day Tests have become less common.

Personally and I’ve been watching the cricket since the 1960s I think a hard fought draw can show cricket at its best, as a battle between bat and ball where neither quite prevails.

What I don’t like are one sided victories (even if the team I’m supporting wins) and run fests where huge first innings scores see a result achieved via short form methods in the second.

Of course there are wider issues. Firstly in many countries, the audience in person is not there for Tests and staging them is costly. Secondly we are talking men here. There should be a lot more Test Matches in the women’s game.

Beard Liberation Front

Press release contact BLF Organiser Keith Flett 07803 167266

24th June

National Beard Week Chip Butty named Beard Friendly Sandwich 2025

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said that the humble Chip Butty has been voted most Beard Friendly Sandwich 2025.

Each year during National Beard Week in June the campaigners search for a sandwich that does not have excessive mayo or salad which tends up in the beard rather than the mouth.

With the rise of designer sandwiches the bread around the sandwich filling, whether a traditional slice, flat bread or ciabatta, often fails to contain the contents which can then spill out into the beard even with the most careful eating.

BLF Organiser Keith Flett, of course a Chip Butty may have added vinegar, tomato or brown sauce or mayo but these are all under the control of the beard wearer. It is a simple but very beard friendly pleasure

Beard Friendly Sandwich 2025 Result

1 Chip Butty 40.5%

2 Smoked Salmon 21.6%

3 Bacon(or Facon) 18.9%

3 Cheese/Marmite or Onion 18.9

There were 1500 votes in an on-line poll