John Owen

Behavioural scientist & operational change consultant. Founding partner at WDC. City fan. Proud Dad. Lucky husband

[Farrukh @implausibleblog]

Left: Rylan, "If I arrive on a boat in Calais, I get taken to a four star hotel"

Right: Newsnight show what one of these four star hotels looks like once it has been adapted to house four asylum seekers in a single room with two bunkbeds and a tacky divider

Dear @Rylan some of your concern is perfectly normal and valid, and with 70,000 spaces in asylum accommodation oversubscribed because the Conservatives cut funding to assessing asylum seeker claims resulting in setting up hotels to house asylum seekers, awarding some contracts well over £1 billion to hotel owners, some of who have also been donors to the Conservative party, the whole thing stinks

But what's worse is that you've repeated some mistruths and false statements about asylum seekers in your rant, and while I don't blame you for having expressed those views as Keir-island-of-strangers-Starmer, instead of challenging and correcting these falsehoods, has decided to become a pound shop Reform-like populist with his divisive rhetoric, who could blame you for being so misinformed?

I encourage you to seek better information, better explanations, and perhaps if it really bothers you, to use your huge reach and platform to petition our government to do better eg ending homelessness

Remember how at the start of covid we managed to end homelessness within a few days? Not only is it possible but it's simply a question of government policy (in fairness to Labour they are doing quite a lot, just not enough and not at the speed they could be doing it)

But, and I say this politely. Reform UK are not your friends. By wanting to take us out of the European Convention of Human Rights and repeal the Human Rights Act, they're taking away the very institutions that helped shape gay rights in our country and allowed you not only to flourish, but simply have the right to live your life however you wish - the moment those protections and rights are lost, society suffers

There's nothing worse than getting angry and upset at incorrect things e.g. the four star hotel trope often levied by the far right

Instead, become better informed, so you can get angry and upset at the actual things that are wrong with the system, and help campaign to change them

[Jon Sopel @jonsopel]

A word on @AllisonPearson free speech row and what she describes as a ‘Kafkaesque’ threat to it. Today on @TheNewsAgents, we asked her to appear. She said ‘No. And if you get any aspect of the story wrong my lawyers will be watching.’
You gotta love a free speech warrior

[Andrew—#IAmTheResistance @AmoneyResists]

Holy shit this is INCREDIBLE work from @ByDonkeys. And bonus points for projecting the entire thing on @Tesla headquarters, effectively turning @elonmusk’s building’s most visible exterior side into a cinema screen to broadcast the tale of his corruption and political malfeasance

[Led By Donkeys @ByDonkeys]

How Musk broke Twitter and helped elect Trump
(Location: Tesla European HQ, Amsterdam)

[John Owen @johnowen1966]

@HaringeyBoroFC @GeorgiosAresti Quite brilliant! A privilege to have been there 🙌

[John Owen @johnowen1966]

@bbclaurak WHY?

[Dale Vince @DaleVince]

For decades Paul Watson has worked tirelessly to protect marine life. Now he’s behind bars in Greenland, being held by Danish Police, at risk of being sent to Japan where he could spend the rest of his life in prison… for saving whales. Another environmental activist in jail while the environmental criminals walk free. You can show your support here: https://t.co/hjeaUXm8bS

@NeptunesPirates #FreePaulWatson

[Seth Abramson @SethAbramson]

(📣) The President of Brazil has issued a statement about Twitter:

“The world isn’t obliged to put up with Elon Musk’s far-right free-for-all just because he is rich.”

RETWEET if you agree. https://t.co/0LjrIoTBvi

[Fiona Sturges @FionaSturges]

Let's not forget that it is within the powers of big bands to keep tickets affordable, rein in resales and exorbitant fees and generally kick @Ticketmaster's arse for its venal behaviour – as demonstrated by Robert Smith.
Many simply choose not to.
https://t.co/ktRQExqfnO

[FanFair Alliance @FanFairAlliance]

The ticket touting website viagogo is listing tickets for all @oasis shows - except for Croke Park.

Resale of tickets for profit was outlawed in Ireland in 2021.

UK audiences deserve similar protections.

[Twickets @Twickets]

"Please note, tickets can ONLY be resold, at face value, via Twickets.”

[John Owen @johnowen1966]

One ticket reseller is at least trying to do their bit @StanCollymore

[Twickets @Twickets]

This is a disgrace…

[BladeoftheSun @BladeoftheS]

If you want to see Michelle Mone kicked out of the House of Lords and arrested until she pays the £232,000,000 she owes give this a RT.

If you want Rishi Sunak's involvement in the £14,900,000,000 PPE Fraud he covered up investigated, LIKE.

[alan rusbridger @arusbridger]

This is X’s official policy. Does it strike you that anyone in the company - starting with @elonmusk - has actually read it ?

[Farrukh @implausibleblog]

Left: Andrew Pierce, "We had this allegation from that MP yesterday that my newspaper has been part of this and she had absolutely no evidence to sustain that"

Right: A collage of Daily Mail front pages posted by 'that MP' @zarahsultana after the interview on GMB

[Lori Hellis, Lawyer, Author and Veteran @lorihellis]

Sing it Cicero

[BladeoftheSun @BladeoftheS]

Michelle Mone can be expelled from the House of Lords by a simple majority vote in the Commons, and then in the House of Lords.

Like if she needs to go.
RT if she has to go.

[John Owen @johnowen1966]

@markthomasinfo Thanks Mark 🙏