the end of British Council

I've been thinking to take a course of British Council Tokyo which may be disappeared sometime soon.
The way of diplomacy has been changed the direction from soft power to hard power because of Trump.

Why the financial crisis at the British Council matters as UK pushes soft power
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/jan/25/why-the-financial-crisis-at-the-british-council-matters-as-uk-pushes-soft-power

jarring (adj) < jar (verb) [Collins]If something jars on you, you find it unpleasant, disturbing, or shocking.
bolster [Collins]If you bolster something such as someone's confidence or courage, you increase it.
on the verge of [Collins]If you are on the verge of something, you are going to do it very soon or it is likely to happen or begin very soon.
plight
prosperous
onerous
at issue
league table
discourse
precondition
vibe shift
narrative
force multipliers [Cambridge]something that increases the effect of a force

[quote]As a precondition for what McClory calls a “vibe shift” in the national narrative, he urges the government to “end the collective complacency around the British Council and the BBC World Service.[unquote]
I agree with his opinion. British Council and BBC World Service have finished their roles.

government AI nicknamed Humphrey

The photo of Sir Tony made me click the article.
This is the article regarding the UK government plan of investing to AI recently.

Government AI assistant named after ‘machiavellian’ sitcom legend
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ai-humphrey-yes-minister-whitehall-politics-b2683343.html

dub [Collins]If someone or something is dubbed a particular thing, they are given that description or name.
machiavellian
archaic - remember!
greenlight - greenlit - greenlit
hit out at
overhaul
antiquated
nonsensical
in a bid to
teething [Collins] When babies are teething, their teeth are starting to appear through their gums, often causing them pain.
lock away

[quote]Sir Keir Starmer has already greenlit a plan to use the immigration system to recruit a new wave of AI experts and loosen up data mining regulations to help Britain lead the world in the new technology.[unquote]

UKAI
[quote]That immediately makes people who aren’t in that central Whitehall office think that this is something which is not going to be empowering and not going to be helping them.[unquote]

One of the comments on the article is the most concern.
[quote] Today the main problem is that such systems must have 100% integrity and security. [..] But any classified or personal data used in the data mining operation must not be handled by outside systems or sources. [..] The system solution to their process is possible but the non government (foreign owned) people who perform the data extraction of personal medical data should not be ‘cleaning’ it and passing copies around the world! [unquote]

Antique system should be better to be replaced but it doesn't reduce significant cost, I think. Don't make My Number Card. Don't use My Number Portal.

Boris Jonson's fiction

I saw 'the crowd' who supports Trump with great enthusiasm. It was like a cult church.
Tech billionaires were shared the enthusiasm which was created by technical approaches based on crowd psychology.
They may realise the power of social media which Populists talk fantasies which crowds want to hear.

This populist also told many fantasies when he was PM.

Work on some of Boris Johnson’s ‘40 new hospitals’ will not start until 2039
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jan/20/work-on-some-of-boris-johnsons-40-new-hospitals-will-not-start-until-2039

decrepit
spade
disrepair [Collins] the condition of being worn out or in poor working order; a condition requiring repairs
in/into disrepair
cramped
plague [Collins]If you are plagued by unpleasant things, they continually cause you a lot of trouble or suffering
comprise
[quote] Wave one projects will begin between 2025 and 2030 and will comprise seven hospitals
[quote] Labour will put £15bn into each of the three future waves, comprising an average of £3bn a year
shaky
countless
shoddy

[quote] Now this government uses the day of Trump’s inauguration in a shoddy attempt to bury bad news, showing an outrageous disregard for patients.[unquote]

We should find important news which is buried by big news.

digital driving licences

It's smartphone app, not a additional physical card like as My Number Card. it's 2020s.

UK set to introduce digital driving licences
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgkjjkjy4p8o

[quote]The new technology appears to stop short of being a broad digital ID card – as previously called for by Sir Tony Blair and Lord William Hague.[unquote]
to stop short of
[Collins]If someone stops short of doing something, they come close to doing it but do not actually do it.

[quote]Other forms of identification, such as national insurance numbers, could also be added - but it is not thought physical identification will be replaced entirely.[unquote]
Japanese government is insane. I mean LDP.

AI Opportunities Action Plan

I can understand using AI for certain purposes such as spotting potholes, diagnosing cancer, record-keeping. I don't know if it is useful for more creative works.

PM plans to 'unleash AI' across UK to boost growth
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crr05jykzkxo

rejuvenate
pothole
Matt Clifford
mirror [Cambridge]to be very similar to something
upfront [Collins](of money) paid out at the beginning of a business arrangement
underme
uninspiring
UKAI - UK AI
foothills (plural noun)

[quote] [..] chief operating officer of UKAI [..] said the proposals take a "narrow view" of the sector's contributors and focus too much on big tech.[unquote]
[quote] The AI Opportunities Action Plan is backed by leading tech firms, some of which have committed £14bn towards various projects, creating 13,250 jobs, the government said.[unquote]

Which companies are the "leading tech firms"?

I tried some English learning services using AI for Japanese this weekend.
It seems to me they are useful for elementary English leaners who need help with Japanese language. I don't want to translate every time to learn English.
For shadowing purpose, I don't need payed services. There are tons of free voice and texts on the internet. It was good to know about the leaning materials of shadowing.
I will continue the free trials until expired, though. I'm enjoying AI scoring my English. I realised that AI was still useful for some limited specific areas.

New US ambassador

I didn't have time to read his articles. I only listened to the radio news of him.
It's nice to be able to access to the FT article. It's good one. I want FT account!

Mandelson slammed as ‘moron’ by Trump adviser after being named US ambassador
https://www.ft.com/content/a789b816-e265-415b-abc3-b75d5380b2d0

[quote]But his extensive media record is also a risk. In a 2019 interview he called Trump “little short of a white nationalist and racist” and argued that even people who have a “sneaking admiration” for the incoming president view him as “reckless and a danger to the world”.[unquote]

little short
ambo
moron
whisperer
indecision
overwhelming [Cambridge]difficult to fight against
big hitter [Collins]A big hitter is a powerful or influential person, especially in business or politics.
slam dunk/slam-dunk [Collins](US) (informal) If you say that something is a slam dunk, you mean that a success or victory will be easily achieved.
league
head off [Collins]If you head something off, especially something unpleasant, you take action before it is expected to happen in order to prevent it from happening.
shed - shed a few pounds
less than [Collins]You use less than to say that something does not have a particular quality. For example, if you describe something as less than perfect, you mean that it is not perfect at all.
bridgehead [Collins]A bridgehead is a good position which an army has taken in the enemy's territory and from which it can advance or attack.
stint
Great Britain China Centre
non-departmental [Cambridge]in the UK, relating to an organization that is involved in government but is not part of a government department
China hawk
Xinjiang
formulation [quote]general genocide definition in the formulation of foreign policy
sweeping [Collins]comprehensive and wide-ranging / indiscriminate or without reservations
with its hands tied < have one's hands tied [Collins]to be wholly unable to act
hiatus
stop-gap / stopgap [Collins]A stopgap is something that serves a purpose for a short time, but is replaced as soon as possible.
in contention [Collins]If you are in contention in a contest, you have a chance of winning it.
formidable - remember!
from strength to strength - remember!
aneurysm
aorta << artery

Dame Karen Pierce - the Trump whisperer
Lady Cathy Ashton
Jonathan Powell
Morgan McSweeney
David Lammy
Lord Kim Darroch
Edwin Lutyens

Peter Mandelson: How the Prince of Darkness became his excellency
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cnv3edv21y7o

quitter
opulent
consolation. < console
in the doldrums
yank
Svengali
revered
charm (vern)
cajole
unabashed
temperamentally

Neil Kinnock
Oleg Deripaska

I'm dubious about reputations which Ben Wright of BBC or Kier beleive.I like the cartoon.

Chris Riddell on how Peter Mandelson’s meeting with Donald ‘Jabba the Hut’ Trump might go – cartoon
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/picture/2024/dec/21/chris-riddell-on-how-peter-mandelsons-meeting-with-donald-jabba-the-hut-trump-might-go-cartoon

Musk intervenes UK politics

It looks Elon Musk supports Reform and Robinson, but not Farage who called Must a hero, so far.
It seems to me that it's waste of time to read such ludicrous rubbish, but I'm afraid of the influence of Musk and X.

The latest:
Musk says Farage 'doesn't have what it takes' to be Reform UK leader
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c70ep8lp4jjo

Farage distances himself from Musk on Robinson
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7ve4m1q42vo

Nigel Farage ‘very pleased’ Elon Musk backs Reform UK, calling him a ‘hero’
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/jan/03/nigel-farage-very-pleased-elon-musk-backs-reform-uk-calling-him-a-hero

mogul - tech mogul
overexaggerate
weigh in [quote]The tech billionaire has been weighing in on British politics
contempt of court
the gloves are off [Collins]said to mean that people have decided to compete aggressively with each other
fakery
tick up
defect
eclipse [Collins]to overshadow or surpass in importance, power, etc
figment of sb's imagination
inexplicably

Kemi vs Farage. Musk vs Keir. Musk vs Farage. What's next?

Ed Miliband's energy plan

I couldn't complete this posting last week. I didn't have time to search about energy words.

Ed Miliband pledges ‘most ambitious reforms to UK energy system in generations’
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/dec/13/ed-miliband-pledges-most-ambitious-reforms-to-uk-energy-system-in-generations

canopy - canopies of solar panels
press ahead with
wean [Collins]If you wean someone off a habit or something they like, you gradually make them stop doing it or liking it, especially when you think is bad for them.
[quote] Ministers want to wean the country off its dependence on fossil fuels. - I'm still trying to wean myself off web surfing
lay bare [Collins]to reveal or explain
ravages
first come, first served - managed on a “first come, first served” basis
gigafactory
sluggish < slug
treble x3 - double x2
turbocharge

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP)
The East Coast Cluster - Teesside
carbon capture and storage (CCS)
Ørsted - Hornsea
Neso/NESO - National Energy System Operator

[quote]The plans come as low wind and solar power generation forced Britain to rely heavily on burning gas and wood pellets. As of Thursday, about 65% of Britain’s electricity was being generated from gas and biomass, with only 5.3% coming from wind.[unquote]
I didn't know biomass causes carbon emissions. I saw wind wheels everywhere in the countryside in the UK, but it's only 5.3%.

He appeared on Today to explain about the energy plan. It's been a while to hear his voice on the radio.
Nick Robinson's question about Ed's past statement on Syria was a bit of a straw man.

Ed Miliband defends blocking UK military action against Assad
https://pa.media/blogs/pa-editors-picks/ed-miliband-defends-blocking-uk-military-action-against-assad/

Badenoch is not conservative on lunch

I'm busy in December as usual. These articles are waste of time if it is written in Japanese, but I'm learning English from gossips!

Starmer and Badenoch's lunchtime sandwich split
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg8xdjexrvo

wimp
dig
buzzy
weigh in / weigh into
sip
vehement < vehemently

The Ed's bacon sandwich photo!
Sir. Kier is right. Sandwiches is a great British institution. And also UK's heritage as the British Sandwich Association says.

'I will not touch bread if it is moist': Kemi Badenoch sparks Westminster food fight
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/dec/12/i-will-not-touch-bread-if-it-is-moist-kemi-badenoch-sparks-westminster-food-fight

Not only lunch, but also a film for festive season.
Kier: Love Actually. Kemi: Die Hard. - She grow up in Africa and lived in America.

Badenoch stands by Nigeria comments after criticism
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2ygwxn9kzo

stand by [Collins]If you stand by and let something bad happen, you do not do anything to stop it.
denigrate
couch (verb) [Collins]If a statement is couched in a particular style of language, it is expressed in that style of language.
Abuja - Nigerian capital - I didn't know it...

She should respond to Nigeria, not criticise Kier for lunch.
[quote]Her experiences helped shape her conservative ideals and set her against socialism, she said.[unquote]
Her ideology is based on her life in Lagos.
I don't understand why she was elected as the leader of the Conservative Party. She is not conservative at all.

Labour renationalises railways

South Western Railways!

Three rail firms to be renationalised next year
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ceqlnrgjr79o

clamp down [Collins]To clamp down on people or activities means to take strong official action to stop or control them.
arms-length [Collins]An arm's-length situation or relationship is one where two people, businesses or organizations are connected but operate separately.

subsidy - remember!!
freight - remember!!
remuneration - remember!!
deadlock - break the deadlock

Rail Partners
Great British Railways

[quote]Four major operators - East Coast Mainline, TransPennine, Northern and South Eastern - have been taken under public control and are being run by the government's operator of last resort.
Transport for Wales was brought under Welsh Government control in 2021, and Scotrail was taken over by the Scottish Government the following year.[unquote]

ScotRail hasn't change after renationalisation. I didn't know that Great Anglia was a joint venture of Mitsui.

Labour hates Margaret Thatcher. I don't like Nakasone and Koizumi/Takenaka. I want 一億総中流 back to Japan!

UK populist right seek to use Trump win

Trump victory is good news for Farage, Robinson and their backers.

Nigel Farage and UK populist right seek to use Trump win to build momentum
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/nov/07/nigel-farage-populist-right-trump-win-build-momentum

embolden
behind the scenes
elation
backer
six-figure
plethora - a plethora of
light up [Collins]to make or become cheerful or animated
pull together [Collins]If people pull together, they help each other or work together in order to deal with a difficult situation.
heft
epochal
personable [Collins]Someone who is personable has a pleasant appearance and character.
contempt
clock up

I googled 'Urban Scoop wiki' and Google show 'List of fake news websites'. I couldn't find it in the Wiki, but I was surprised that there were many rightwing websites in the Wiki.

Far right is cult ideology. They believe what they want to believe.
[quote]The far right, whether they’re on the streets or in politics, have to sell a utopian idea to people. But with Trump as president they are able to effectively point to an actually existing example of what they want to do[unquote]

Trump is an existing example of cult ideologies.

Badenoch or Jenrick

Blimey! Tory is no more conservative. It's sunk to a right wing party as Reform.

Kemi Badenoch or Robert Jenrick will be Tory leader as Cleverly is eliminated
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/oct/09/kemi-badenoch-or-robert-jenrick-will-be-tory-leader-after-cleverly-eliminated

I predicted that one of these would win eventually, not Cleverly. but I haven't expected that he had lost before the final ballot.
I think Jenrick will win by process of elimination. Jenrick is right enough but Badenoch is far more right.

no words.

An interview with Earl of Devon

Today's Today in Focus was very interesting. I haven't noticed that there are summary articles about the podcast.

‘This is our culture’: what Earl of Devon thinks hereditary peers bring to Lords
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/sep/23/this-is-our-culture-what-earl-of-devon-thinks-hereditary-peers-bring-to-lords

<words>
second chamber = the House of Lords
hereditary (pronunciation) he-reditary
go (noun) [Collins]A go is an attempt at doing something.
affable
litigator (accent)
legislator (accent)
halfway [Collins]Halfway means reasonably.
scrutinise
cross-bencher
appointees
nefarious
warm [Collins] If you warm to a person or an idea, you become fonder of the person or more interested in the idea.
horizon [Collins]Your horizons are the limits of what you want to do or of what you are interested or involved in.
patriarchal (pronunciation)
primogeniture
limerick.
workaday
lightly [quote] I don’t take this lightly
shy [Collins]If you are shy of doing something, you are unwilling to do it because you are afraid of what might happen.
anachronistic [Collins]You say that something is anachronistic when you think that it is out of date or old-fashioned.

I agree with him. It's regret that it is ended by Tony and Kier who don't understand culture and tradition.
But they should had been changed by themselves before it is abolished. I'm sceptical about life peers. Transparency is needed for life peers as he says.

LibDem conference

I failed the LibDem conference last week. I'm not curious Labour conference which is currently holding.

Liberal Democrat conference: Sir Ed Davey pledges to be champion for carers in emotional speech
https://news.sky.com/story/liberal-democrat-conference-sir-ed-davey-pledges-to-be-champion-for-carers-in-emotional-speech-13216655

<words>
nanna/nana - grandmother?
blessing
undiagnosed - undiagnosed neurological condition
heartfelt
MS - Multiple sclerosis??
winterproof [Wiktionary]Resistant to the harsh weather conditions of winter.
stunt

Ali Fortescue says it's a victory lap. What struck he was LibDem thought their rival was Tory, even their ambition to go further.
<words>
parade - 71 Lib Dem MPs parading on stage
bob - bobbing along to ABBA
resonate
squarely

Lib Dem leader arrives at conference by jet ski
https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/czrmg1vr3pno

[quote] Sir Ed became known during the election campaign for his stunts, which continued during the conference, with him entering on a jet ski, playing beach volleyball, and building a stile. However, he revealed in his speech that health and safety stopped him from "putting my hand up a cow's behind or wing walking on a biplane". [unquote]

I like his stunts - jet skiing, bungee jumping... I think it works.

[quote]The spokesman said the cow idea had been seriously considered but did not go ahead due to health and safety concerns for both the cow and Sir Ed.[unquote]

Sue Gray’s salary

It's Chris Mason's. Sue Gray - £170,000 a year. Chris Mason - £260,000...

Why finding out about Sue Gray’s salary really matters
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czxgdgkew81o

<words>
[quote]But this story, at its crux, is not about her salary per se
crux
per se - can't remember, again!
tip off
fractious
calibrate
grievance
tenet - I don't understand the film Tenet [quote]they did not dispute the central tenets of our story
vindictive - can't remember, again!
warts and all [Collins]If you describe someone or accept them warts and all, you describe them or accept them as they are, including all their faults.
wart [Collins] A wart is a small lump which grows on your skin.

Sir Keir's freebies and Gray's salary show how fragile the Labour government is. They are sloppy.