Kmflett's Blog

There may not be too many people who feel the need to leave a space after being criticised by Keir Starmer. Some might regard it as badge of honour.

Yet, and unusual full marks to Starmer here, that’s exactly what Farage and his crony MPs did at Prime Minister’s Questions in the Commons on 25th March after Farage was called out for the grifter that he is

Keir Starmer

My hon. Friend makes a powerful point. The Communities Secretary will make a statement later on the Rycroft review, which sets out the stark threats posed by illicit finance. I can tell the House that we will act decisively to protect our democracy. That will include a moratorium on all political donations made through cryptocurrencies, and I hope that will be welcomed across the House. There is only one party leader who has shown that he will say anything, no matter how divisive, if he is paid to do so.

Nigel Farage 

(Clacton) (Reform) “Smash the gangs”—that is what the Prime Minister promised us. “Trust me, I will stop the boats from coming.” 

Beard Liberation Front

25th March

Contact BLF Organiser Keith Flett @keithbeard.bsky.social

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has sent 76^th birthday greetings to Paul Mackney.

Mackney was declared joint Beard of the Year along with cricketer Freddie Flintoff in 2005.

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2005/jan/04/furthereducationdiary.furthereducation

He was General Secretary of NATFHE at the time and then became briefly joint General Secretary of the then newly formed UCU.

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

BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, we’re sending virtual beard power to Paul Mackney on his 76^th birthday. He was one of the great early supporters of and advisers to the Beard Liberation Front and we’re pleased that he and his beard remain very much intact.

Nigel Farage (or rather his PR team) posted this picture on his social media earlier in the week with the title ‘quiet day in the office’.

Firstly Farage is an MP and his Office is the House of Commons which doesn’t break for Easter until 26th March.

Secondly Farage and Reform generally take a hard policy line about working anywhere but the workplace. Assuming Farage hasn’t picked up yet another job as a barman, the pub is not is office…

25th March is the Feast of the Annunciation, when the Archangel Gabriel visits the Virgin Mary to inform her that she will bear Jesus Christ who will be born in exactly nine months time, Christmas Day.

Of course it is Lent in the Church of England calendar but Lent has its feasts. Consistency is not the Church’s strong point.

From 1155 to 1752 March 25th was also the start of the New Year. While it moved to January 1st, with a slight tweak- to April 5th- it remains the start of the financial year.

Lady Day is also the start of the contractual year for tenant farmers and a quarter day on which rents etc are due to be paid. It will be celebrated on the Archers on Wednesday evening…

Finally don’t expect to hear much if anything about all this from those who go on and on about British history and traditions even though this is one of the more significant ones.

This of course is not Allister Heath (Editor, Sunday Telegraph) but a New World random headline generator

Goodwin’s new self published book is reported as including factual errors, made up quotes and an over reliance on AI.

The Spectator has already slammed it so ‘Allister Heath’ may have it right here.

The need to fight anti-Semitism (and all forms of division and hate) in North London is not new and its still essential

There is a large and varied Jewish population in North and North-West London, and there has been for a very long time. It’s an important part of what the area is.

In the period when I was President and then Secretary of Haringey Trades Union Council (I’m now just a humble delegate) there were instances of anti-Semitic attacks. Without fail we called protests but it must be said that opinion on whether to protest or keep quiet to avoid encouraging further outrages was sometimes an issue. It’s good to see an understanding in the current moment that anti-Semitic attacks must ALWAYS be called out.

Of course others joined in protests, trade unions, community organisations, anti-racist campaigns like Stand Up to Racism and its predecessors.

The Golders Green attack has provoked some ‘false flag’ commentary a product more than anything of social media. When ambulances next to a Synagogue are set on fire its best to regard it as instance of anti-Semitism unless and until its proven otherwise.

Looking back social media had less or no influence but similar sentiments used to circulate. Jewish people might have been attacked but it was probably just a coincidence they were Jewish. It wasn’t of course.

Care also needs to be taken not to conflate anti-Semitism with the actions of the Israeli Government (a political not a religious issue) and Haringey TUC has for many decades stood in solidarity with the Palestinians

It’s a reminder about why Saturday’s central London march Together against racism is so important. Hate and division should have no place in British society but they will have unless actively opposed. See you there.

Matthew Goodwin, academic rigour & polemic

Matthew Goodwin was Professor of Politics at Kent University but took a pay off in 2024.

Since then he has become a presenter on GB News and was the losing Reform candidate in the recent Gorton and Denton By-Election.

Goodwin is the author of several best selling books and he did have a contract with Penguin. However his most volume is self-published. It has been criticised for a number of inaccuracies including misleading quotations which appear to have been picked up from ChatGPT but not properly checked.

Perhaps at the root of the issue is whether Goodwin should still be regarded as an academic or if he is now a polemicist, a rather different thing.

As the long time convenor of the socialist history seminar at the Institute of Historical Research, University of London, I try to keep a firm hold on academic rigour. The seminar is mostly focused on new research and we are interested in the research process.

One key indicator here is that when questions are asked they should not be ones to which the answer is already known (this works well in union negotiations but not in research). The research process may discover expected answers of course, but equally and more importantly it may discover unexpected results. These may well suggest a rethink to the premises of the research.

Matt Goodwin in 2026 seems to be in the game of knowing the answers first and then providing the research to prove it. There is nothing wrong with this as such but its polemic, stating an opinion, rather than something based on facts, however awkward the facts may on occasion be.

I’m a fan of polemics and sharp arguments and they can have their place in the seminar room provided its clear that is what they are and not original research. Sometimes of course the two can co-exist but I’m not sure Matt Goodwin is in that place currently.

Matt Goodwin – Wikipedia

The fall out from the sale of Brewdog to Tilray, the US medicinal cannabis and craft beer outlet on March 2nd.

It has been revealed that Brewdog had debts of over £550m when it went into administration

In an interview with the Morning Advertiser Tilray CEO Dwight Simon has revealed that he had talks with Martin Dickie and James Watt (instigated by them) in 2020 about forming a partnership. Simon notes that the global scale of Brewdog’s operations meant it wasnt a runner for Tilray at that point.

Simon also reveals that Tilray made a bid for Brewdog before Christmas 2025 (at a much higher price than the £33m they eventually paid) but it was rejected.

Hmmmmm

Italian PM Meloni was trying to push through changes that would have given the Government more control over the judicial process. This may sound familiar. Anyway in Italy at least it has ended well

She lost heavily in Italy’s three biggest cities: In the provinces of Rome, the “no” vote was 57 percent, Milan 54 percent and Naples 71 percent.

In Naples, about 50 prosecutors and judges gathered to open champagne and sing Bella Ciao, the World War II anti-fascist partisan anthem. Activists, students and trade unionists spontaneously marched to Rome’s Piazza del Popolo chanting “resign, resign.” 

Politico

Referendum defeat leaves Italy’s Meloni looking more vulnerable – BBC News

39% approve 56% don’t approve.

Source YouGov (published in the Economist)

The war with Iran is ‘broadly unpopular’ except with MAGA Republicans…