Matthew Paul

I love when American politicians say they have the greatest military in the world - lads, you spent $2.3trillion and 20 years to replace the Taliban with the Taliban.

No pasaran! 🇪🇸

God bless the Spanish for standing hard against this soulless, brutality. This is leadership:

Just Nick Robinson casually asking a guest on BBC Today if protests against the war 'should be allowed to go ahead' or 'ought to be banned in this country'.

Each & every day

PFOS 'forever chemical' can accumulate in bees—and their honey A study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology has revealed the toxic "forever chemical," PFOS, can accumulate in exposed honeybee colonies and transfer to their honey, threatenin...

No escape on this #PoisonedPlanet, for any species of animal, including us

#PublicHealth #NovelEntities #ForeverChemicals
phys.org/news/2026-02...

Notice how the Department of Homeland Security has changed the look of its concentration camps? It's so drones can't fly overhead to take videos of emaciated inmates covered in their own filth.

The stunning Primrose (Primula vulgaris) is this week's plant of the week! 🌱
These can be found in our six quarters and provide colour in the early months of the year. They can grow in most soils as long as they aren't too wet or dry, in sun or light shade.

Issue twenty-three — Bad Lilies

OUT NOW. Issue twenty-three: 'Wildfires' badlilies.uk/issue-twenty-three

Photo of The Evening Entertainment and The Last Corinthians, poetry collections by Matthew Paul

I’m very much looking forward to reading poems from these two, plus some new ones, at the Wells Fountain Poets on the evening of Monday 2nd March. Details here: wellsfountainpoets.wordpress.com/2026/02/08/n...

#poetry #poems

Reminder that many Russian people are bravely showing resistance to the Putin regime, and paying a deadly price

While the weather holds Annie Fisher reviews 'Michael Laskey: Collected Poems' ( The Poetry Business, 2026)

While the weather holds
open.substack.com/pub/thefrida...

The late great Tony Husband. I miss him so much. Our endless tours around the village halls of England.

A poster that reads: you can’t spell hatred without red hat accompanied by a drawing of a red hat

Everything is awful but the creativity behind some of these handmade posters gives me a glimmer of hope in humanity.

They are a beautiful form of community art

Boycott the World Cup

Not a foot should be set in that country until the madness stops

Latest polling. Only the greens can stop Reform in Gorton and Denton. Reform +12%, Greens +11%, -20% Labour

Labour have blown it. This is it. Time to take on Reform.

Manchesters first Green MP is coming. Join us to help get them elected on Saturday.

actionnetwork.org/events/a-gre...

The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.

An #Otwituary for BBC journalist #MarkTully

A voice comes through the heat-haze,
telling a billion stories of a billion lives,
separating truth from myth to camera,
reporting the spirit of a distant people,
unpicking the knotted braids of a nation.

@bbcindia.bsky.social @bbcnewsnight.bsky.social

I’m having a hard time wondering why the spat in some celebrity family is on the front page of the BBC app and taking up so much bandwidth in peoples’ minds. As a distraction from the awfulness of the world, the awfulness of a privileged family isn’t really going to cut it.

✨WORKSHOPS NEXT WEEK✨

🌙 Poetry’s Quiet Hours: Writing the Nocturne with Vicky Morris
Mon 26 January, 6.30pm

👁 The ‘I’ and the ‘Eye’: Writing Landscapes of the Self with Shash Trevett
Tue 27 January, 11am

Sign up: buytickets.at/thepoetrybus...

@vickymwriter.bsky.social
@shashtrevett.bsky.social

Poetry Blog Digest 2026, Week 3 A personal selection of posts from the Poetry Blogging Network and beyond.

A single blue tree, wormy things from the sea bed, and much more with @kristybowen.bsky.social @oyoguhito.bsky.social @robinhoughton.bsky.social @matthewepaul.bsky.social @rmhaines.bsky.social @shawnalemay.bsky.social @robmclennan.bsky.social
3/3 www.vianegativa.us/2026/01/poet...

Get Up Off Your Asses,Congress....

It’s a real shame that Nigel Farage is too unwell to do interviews the morning after Donald Trump threatens us with sanctions.

Here he is with “the bravest man he ever met”. He campaigned to make Trump President, and has spent the last year enjoying all the chaos he has caused.

The Greatness and Perfection of Julian Cope Revisiting the 1984 solo debut World Shut Your Mouth

Great to see the word being spread about this magnificent album: tonyfletcher.substack.com/p/the-greatn...

my friend was maced by ICE agents outside of the coffee shop where I do my homework. she was just standing there filming them and they maced her directly in the eyes and fled the scene. our communities are being terrorized.

GOP lawmaker said trans people “harm” children. Now he's going to prison for child porn. - LGBTQ Nation He was caught sharing hundreds of images of kids, including pictures of adults raping seven-year-olds.

Republican South Carolina state Rep. RJ May sentenced to 17.5 years in federal prison today.

5 counts of distributing child sex abuse material.

He shared hundreds of images of kids, including pictures of adults raping seven-year-olds.

Moms of Liberty had named him its Legislator of the Year.