Michael Holms Coats
@m-holms-coats
architect, educator, European citizen. politics cannot be avoided. respecting named people, blocking misinformation. is the USA our friend?
good to see Reform facing some questioning on BBC #Newsnight, last night (Thurs 13 Aug). Katie Razzall cut through much of the mischief from McIvor ('that just doesn't fly') that most coverage just dodges.
SAVE COOLING TOWERS - join the campaign. c20society.org.uk/news/west-bu...
Andy, thanks for coming back on Mahmood. gosh, she's very unpopular within the party. puzzle is how she's got such a public reputation as an effective politician, given her nasty policies on immigration aren't actually winning over Reform-leaning voters. Ian Dunt characteristically blunt on this:
but the rest of Peston's commentary, on the risks of making Mahmood chancellor, was much more interesting ... 2/
if appointed (sigh), let's hope Mahmood will be forced to admit the economic and social need for orderly immigration (and an end to 'hostile environment' politics). @samfr.bsky.social expressed with more sanguinely, yesterday.
very good mix of info and pertinent commentary on @ohgodwhatnow.bsky.social. @zoegrunewald.bsky.social asks savvy commentators ... @jamesrball.com @hannahfearn.bsky.social @seththevoz.bsky.social ... if they can really support Burnham. [ no maracas required ] linktr.ee/ohgodwhatnow...
of course, she's not in a winter coat now. but Mahmood chose to over-step her authority on calling for a dismissal. more evidence, were it needed, that her authoritarianism is at odds with Burnham's hopeful 10-year mission. and why she should not be gifted a role in the new leadership.
am glad so hear + read there’s some pressure. much more needed. Mahmood’s adjustments are both cynical and insufficient. 1/
pretty bonkers. but glad it's critical of US corporate American culture. [ for health + sanity reasons I've not drunk Irn Bru since I was a wee laddie. ]
laughed out loud to Statesman's cover. but, actually can't deal with the tension. tomorrow (as in proper breakfast time) will come soon enough. @newstatesman1913.bsky.social
yes, Ubitricity is now (as of 2021, actually) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Shell.
got to this rather late ... but good to see the Architects' Journal engaging (positively, yet critically, I hope) with what the built environment issues are with both actual Manchester and 'Manchesterism'. @news.architectsjournal.co.uk @waitey.bsky.social
For a long essay, there are few excuses for failing to put political 'honesty' in context. @newstatesman1913.bsky.social @freddiehayward.bsky.social 1/
Will Hutton's 'hang on a minute' piece on Burnham and Manchesterism reads much better in its 'Forum' context ... as @theobserveruk.bsky.social's print edition.
'I was looking for a seat and then I found a seat and heaven knows I'm miserable now.' h/t @leftoutside.bsky.social @electionmaps.uk
as @tombaldwin66.bsky.social has written, 'an inward-looking contest' would be a very bad move. it would be seriously muddle-headed of #Labour MPs to panic now and throw away this Commons majority with a leadership contest.
have complained, too - though it's a week on from broadcasting. BBC seems to be saying, 'Move along, please. Move along now. Nothing to see here.'
good discussion on housing in Britain at (very first!) Barnsbury Book Festival 2026 on Friday - from renting to ownership and the wretched 'housing ladder' with @vickyspratt.bsky.social + @rowanmoore.bsky.social. ... but how might a productive 'adjustment' of rents + house prices be possible?
as @localnotail.bsky.social, Close Encounters was/is memorably compelling on obsession.
though ... Google AI now mirrors our clumsy behaviour and offers smooth approximation, side-stepping complexities, without providing something authoritative (which, of course, it can't).
Barnsbury Book Festival 2026 www.barnsburybookfestival.org don't miss the Barnsbury Book Festival 2026 17-19 April 2026 Islington, London N1
Orbán pushed out. his attempts to rig the vote not enough to cheat the public. excellent cartoon by @andrecarrilho.bsky.social
#BBCNews also repeatedly let this through, yesterday without a murmur - but increased commercial North Sea fossil fuel supply to global markets would simply add a little to that global supply (and related carbon emissions) without any guarantee of increasing energy supply for use in Britain.
on #newsnight Jenrick allowed to grandstand and 'mansplain' with his fact-free, pre-packaged propaganda. @bbcnewsnight.bsky.social must be sharper than this.