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Peter Sketch

@petersketch.bsky.social

119 followers 146 following 546 posts

Dragonfly-obsessed environmental consultant

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Stephen Bush's avatar Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social
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This piece sums up why the Tories lost, and not just for the reasons the author intends. “The things I failed to vocally oppose ultimately led to my defeat, our internal culture is terrible- anyway, here are some unpleasant asides about the Lib Dems and Liz Truss.

28 replies 34 reposts 130 likes

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Pascal Jacquemain's avatar Pascal Jacquemain @jacquep.bsky.social
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Not a victim, Fay. You just lost your seat.
You sobbed. You say the campaign lost its way courting Reform.
Did you vote for the Rwanda plan? Did you shed a tear for migrants?

I sobbed into a glass of wine, my phone melted down: the story of losing as a Tory MP www.standard.co.uk/comment/elec...

16 replies 16 reposts 90 likes

Peter Sketch's avatar Peter Sketch @petersketch.bsky.social
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It's a great little club. Enjoyed my one visit for what we already knew would be Cambridge City's last game there. We have similar problems in that the men's team isn't big enough to provide meaningful support beyond encouraging supporters to go along. But we no longer have to compete at tier 4.

0 replies 0 reposts 2 likes

Peter Sketch's avatar Peter Sketch @petersketch.bsky.social
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There's been a lack of #dragonfly and #damselfly content from me so far this summer, for which I can only apologise. So here's a rare sight - the UK's two Demoiselle species at the same spot. Beautiful Demoiselle sat on the leaf, Banded Demoiselle in flight. #invertebrates #ukwildlife

0 replies 2 reposts 15 likes

Peter Sketch's avatar Peter Sketch @petersketch.bsky.social
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By my rather shaky maths, if between 50 and 71 MPs quit the Tories, the Tories become smaller than the Lib Dems, but the breakaway faction aren't large enough to be the official opposition themselves...

0 replies 0 reposts 1 likes

Peter Sketch's avatar Peter Sketch @petersketch.bsky.social
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Exactly 50 MPs quite the Tories, leaving Badenoch 1 short to be LOTO. Jim Allister starts a bidding war to defect from Reform and gets promised he can write half the next manifesto in return for taking the Tory whip. Then there's a by-election and the Lib Dems win it.

0 replies 0 reposts 4 likes

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Peter Sketch's avatar Peter Sketch @petersketch.bsky.social
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It seems I have a Rough Hawksbeard growing in a crack in the paving near my front door. Which is noce, as I've already identified Beaked and Smooth hawksbeards earlier in the summer. I feel like I've completed the set now. #WildflowerHour

0 replies 1 reposts 8 likes

Peter Sketch's avatar Peter Sketch @petersketch.bsky.social
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Visited Tallinn many years ago and my friends took me round the town museum, explaining the exhibits. All fine until we got to the bit on WW2 and the display on their national war hero. Who of course was in German uniform because they were fighting the USSR. Had to spend a lot of time thinking.

0 replies 0 reposts 0 likes

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Peter Sketch's avatar Peter Sketch @petersketch.bsky.social
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I've just seen a mention on the other place that Shailesh Vara is gone from parliament, and immediately thought of the beginning of @garius.bsky.social 's Brexit Tapes all those years ago. This moment has been a very long time coming.

0 replies 0 reposts 1 likes

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John Bull's avatar John Bull @garius.bsky.social
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So to confirm, now we have near-final numbers: Every time 19 Tory MPs get a bit grumpy this parliament and stick their letters into the 1922 Committee... ...it'll automatically trigger a leadership contest.

12 replies 149 reposts 387 likes

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John Bull's avatar John Bull @garius.bsky.social
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SHAPPS GONE! DRINK FOR A PORTILLO MOMENT

3 replies 3 reposts 49 likes

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John Bull's avatar John Bull @garius.bsky.social
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Hahaha KINNOCK'S FACE when Galloway lost. 😆

5 replies 1 reposts 36 likes

Peter Sketch's avatar Peter Sketch @petersketch.bsky.social
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The PM is expected to delay their resignation until it's clear who can command a majority in Parliament and so be invited to replace them. Hence why Gordon Brown didn't resign for several days after losing the 2010 election - he had to wait until Cameron had a coalition agreed.

0 replies 0 reposts 4 likes

Peter Sketch's avatar Peter Sketch @petersketch.bsky.social
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Option 6. There are fireworks here too.

1 replies 0 reposts 2 likes

Peter Sketch's avatar Peter Sketch @petersketch.bsky.social
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At 10pm UK time tell them you've got a domestic emergency and need to check your phone.

1 replies 0 reposts 1 likes

Peter Sketch's avatar Peter Sketch @petersketch.bsky.social
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I used to love doing those things. Nowadays I get dragged along to the count working for Heidi Alexander. Let's get this done.

0 replies 0 reposts 0 likes

Peter Sketch's avatar Peter Sketch @petersketch.bsky.social
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Good morning! Happy Eject The Tories Day to those who celebrate. Please remember to vote before you start celebrating. #VoteLabour

0 replies 1 reposts 5 likes

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Twlldun 's avatar Twlldun @twlldun.bsky.social
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Looking forward to retweeting this thread when the exit poll drops

10 replies 41 reposts 151 likes

Peter Sketch's avatar Peter Sketch @petersketch.bsky.social
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Tory campaigners presumably live in a bubble where there's no-one around who's ever had the electricity cut off.

0 replies 0 reposts 2 likes

Peter Sketch's avatar Peter Sketch @petersketch.bsky.social
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This is a good point, but please remember to go out and vote for the destruction of the Tory party before you start celebrating!

0 replies 2 reposts 9 likes

Peter Sketch's avatar Peter Sketch @petersketch.bsky.social
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Not long now before my favourite building site near our office in Bristol will be finished and all the lovely wildflowers growing around the security fence will be gone. It's been lovely having them. Nipplewort, Bristly Ox-tongue, Narrow-leaved Ragwort and Spear Thistle. #WildflowerHour

0 replies 2 reposts 7 likes

Peter Sketch's avatar Peter Sketch @petersketch.bsky.social
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Water Speedwell beside the River Ray in Swindon yesterday, while I was dragonfly-hunting (with unexpected success). #WildflowerHour

0 replies 0 reposts 2 likes

Peter Sketch's avatar Peter Sketch @petersketch.bsky.social
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Back in 2020, if you'd told me Labour would even be largest party next election, never mind an actual majority, I'd have suspected you were drunk. Back in 2019 I wondered if the party would even survive the year.

0 replies 0 reposts 3 likes

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Peter Sketch's avatar Peter Sketch @petersketch.bsky.social
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I'm kind of getting Robin of Sherwood vibes from this. She takes toast from the rich and gives it to the poor. Or perhaps to the poets.

1 replies 0 reposts 2 likes

Peter Sketch's avatar Peter Sketch @petersketch.bsky.social
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This is kind of what happened in the UK in 2016 - "If leaving the EU was really going to be a disaster, the government wouldn't have given us a choice about it" is actually quite a hard argument to refute.

0 replies 0 reposts 1 likes

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John Bull's avatar John Bull @garius.bsky.social
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So a legit serious tip for content creators: The English Football Association have A BUNCH of free online courses on how to behave when minors are involved in what you do. Just go do them. Free courses. Also don't sext them. But that bit should be really sodding obvious.

3 replies 33 reposts 106 likes

Reposted by Peter Sketch

Twlldun 's avatar Twlldun @twlldun.bsky.social
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I think Stephen’s analysis here isn’t *quite* there in that it isn’t just that Rishi Sunak is extremely stupid (of course, he is) but Rishi Sunak is extremely stupid *but* think he is significantly cleverer than the general public. Essentially we are being patronised by a moron.

6 replies 8 reposts 58 likes

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Tobin Elliott 's avatar Tobin Elliott @tobinelliott.bsky.social
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Obviously, I need an entire do-over of my childhood. This is bullshit.

11 replies 17 reposts 98 likes

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Chris Terry-Enescu's avatar Chris Terry-Enescu @cjterry.bsky.social
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Horseshoe theory is having a great election

4 replies 8 reposts 31 likes

Peter Sketch's avatar Peter Sketch @petersketch.bsky.social
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A Bladderwort seen at Otmoor RSPB yesterday evening. Lots of leaves but just the one flower. Pretty sure it's Greater Bladderwort, but open to correction if anyone knows different. #WildflowerHour #ByTheWater

0 replies 0 reposts 2 likes

Peter Sketch's avatar Peter Sketch @petersketch.bsky.social
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One of my favourite Otmoor plants - Tufted Vetch. Yesterday evening after spending a lot of time watching the Marsh Harriers and Common Terns. #WildflowerHour

0 replies 0 reposts 2 likes

Peter Sketch's avatar Peter Sketch @petersketch.bsky.social
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Ever since 2015 I've had a running joke about the 2015 election - "Never mind the EU, I'm just disappointed we didn't get the free owls." So anyway, today's canvassing session took us to one of the streets that were added to Swindon South by the boundary changes. Promise delivered.

0 replies 0 reposts 0 likes

Peter Sketch's avatar Peter Sketch @petersketch.bsky.social
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Similar with the tactical voting site, IMHO - the fact that it looks like kicking the Tories out isn't now going to turn on a few votes in a few ultra-marginal seats does NOT make TV advice sites a bad idea. The best outcome from buying insurance is when you end up not needing to claim.

0 replies 0 reposts 4 likes

Peter Sketch's avatar Peter Sketch @petersketch.bsky.social
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If it's any consolation, I've spent several years campaigning for Labour in a seat that now looks like we're going to win by a country mile. One way of looking at that is that I wasted my time. The other is that there will be a few seats somewhere where the Labour campaigning made the difference.

2 replies 0 reposts 3 likes

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Sorrowscopes's avatar Sorrowscopes @sorrowscopes.bsky.social
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Leo: Love is in the air. Unfortunately, it’s toxic in concentrated amounts. Side effects include laughter & writing letters.

1 replies 23 reposts 85 likes

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Alastair Meeks 's avatar Alastair Meeks @alastairmeeks.bsky.social
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The bafflement of Conservatives about their unpopularity looks set to endure for years to come.

2 replies 1 reposts 13 likes

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John Bull's avatar John Bull @garius.bsky.social
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Being on European time on Bluesky is great, because you get to wake up and ignore whatever full drama discourse the yanks have been up to overnight.

4 replies 3 reposts 83 likes

Reposted by Peter Sketch

Reposted by Peter Sketch

Sean Jones's avatar Sean Jones @seanjones.org
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Hold on everyone! It’s only a year until we are all living in Dan Hannan’s Brexitopia! #Brexit

12 replies 52 reposts 132 likes

Peter Sketch's avatar Peter Sketch @petersketch.bsky.social
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If it's very close the agents will see all the spoilt papers because they'll be looking for any that could be argued to be a legitimate vote for their candidate. Otherwise only the team leader for one table at the count will see it and all the people who are entitled to see it won't bother.

0 replies 0 reposts 3 likes

Peter Sketch's avatar Peter Sketch @petersketch.bsky.social
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A couple of the big US engineering firms seem to be spinning off the bits of their operations that specialise in US Federal work into stand-alone companies. I'd been assuming the timing was just a coincidence, but now you come to mention it maybe they've just thought further ahead.

0 replies 0 reposts 0 likes

Reposted by Peter Sketch

Reposted by Peter Sketch