Ben Furber
@benfurber.bsky.social
Software engineer turned medical student in Derby.
New Brompton owner, but I’m not going to mention it again. From now. I promise.
New Brompton owner, but I’m not going to mention it again. From now. I promise.
If Reform really wanted to spend some of this £72million correctly, they’d fund a Nathan Fielder education programme to ensure everyone gets the most out of the documentary next month.
September 12, 2026 at 4:00 PM
If Reform really wanted to spend some of this £72million correctly, they’d fund a Nathan Fielder education programme to ensure everyone gets the most out of the documentary next month.
Regardless of what happens next. I’ve been so starved of a PM identifying a big problem and excitedly proposing a big solution to it.
July 29, 2026 at 11:35 AM
Regardless of what happens next. I’ve been so starved of a PM identifying a big problem and excitedly proposing a big solution to it.
Football coach under pressure to score more goals or concede fewer goals.
July 25, 2026 at 1:51 PM
Football coach under pressure to score more goals or concede fewer goals.
Reposted by Ben Furber
I'd go further than that and say the discourse on this is emblematic of the broader British problem of not treating management itself as a valuable (learnable) skill.
I don’t think any departmental minister needs to have credentials in their own department. Most of the effective delivery minister, regardless of party, don’t. The problem is that there were only five SoSes you could say had strong credentials on that score under Starmer and WS was not one.
That being said what /are/ Streeting's defence credentials. Legitimate question
July 21, 2026 at 1:39 PM
I'd go further than that and say the discourse on this is emblematic of the broader British problem of not treating management itself as a valuable (learnable) skill.
@hankgreen.bsky.social I was delighted to her today that my mum (of often anti-vax and fringe views) is now a regular watcher of yours as well as me. Thank you for continuing to do what you do.
July 3, 2026 at 4:23 PM
@hankgreen.bsky.social I was delighted to her today that my mum (of often anti-vax and fringe views) is now a regular watcher of yours as well as me. Thank you for continuing to do what you do.
Lancet Commission on Migration and Health: review of the state of progress.
Key element that’s rarely part of the debate. The climate crisis will continue to increase the need for migration. We’ve got to get better at accepting this reality.
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Key element that’s rarely part of the debate. The climate crisis will continue to increase the need for migration. We’ve got to get better at accepting this reality.
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
June 19, 2026 at 12:12 PM
Lancet Commission on Migration and Health: review of the state of progress.
Key element that’s rarely part of the debate. The climate crisis will continue to increase the need for migration. We’ve got to get better at accepting this reality.
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Key element that’s rarely part of the debate. The climate crisis will continue to increase the need for migration. We’ve got to get better at accepting this reality.
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Reposted by Ben Furber
Another reason to be cheerful, thanks to effective policy deployment of fantastic science:
June 18, 2026 at 10:32 AM
Another reason to be cheerful, thanks to effective policy deployment of fantastic science:
Can you BELIEVE all this sports ball!? Great sport balling, everyone.
June 15, 2026 at 8:34 PM
Can you BELIEVE all this sports ball!? Great sport balling, everyone.
@watsoncomedian.bsky.social Strongly agree that Nero is above Starbucks in the chain ranking.
June 7, 2026 at 11:54 AM
@watsoncomedian.bsky.social Strongly agree that Nero is above Starbucks in the chain ranking.
Reposted by Ben Furber
Celebrities, rich people and ex-prime ministers should not make health policy. Prostate cancer screening is just not as simple as some are making out. There are real harms caused when people are treated unnecessarily.
May 28, 2026 at 3:48 PM
Celebrities, rich people and ex-prime ministers should not make health policy. Prostate cancer screening is just not as simple as some are making out. There are real harms caused when people are treated unnecessarily.
Reposted by Ben Furber
Just as with winter fuel, and with two child, and with the welfare cuts, never bet against Keir Starmer doing the maximum damage to himself and to Labour in his inability to accept the inevitable:
Keir Starmer vows to fight on ahead of Burnham by-election
Prime minister repeats desire to contest next general election
www.ft.com
May 18, 2026 at 5:32 PM
Just as with winter fuel, and with two child, and with the welfare cuts, never bet against Keir Starmer doing the maximum damage to himself and to Labour in his inability to accept the inevitable:
Breaking news: Person who likes their job, wants to keep their job and knows they'll lose their job if anything change, says change would lead to choas.
May 14, 2026 at 7:50 AM
Breaking news: Person who likes their job, wants to keep their job and knows they'll lose their job if anything change, says change would lead to choas.
I know you've got to say something if you just can't be bothered with a change of prime minister. But the silliest argument is the keep delivering the mandate one. "Sure, he hasn't done a good job for two years but he should be given another couple of years anyway."
May 12, 2026 at 5:02 PM
I know you've got to say something if you just can't be bothered with a change of prime minister. But the silliest argument is the keep delivering the mandate one. "Sure, he hasn't done a good job for two years but he should be given another couple of years anyway."
Good on Catherine West for stepping up and stepping forward. If you’re a Labour MP and you genuinely think Starmer is doing OK and/or the next GE won’t be a cluckerfuck, I suppose it’s fine to do nothing now. Otherwise, please act now.
May 9, 2026 at 5:10 PM
Good on Catherine West for stepping up and stepping forward. If you’re a Labour MP and you genuinely think Starmer is doing OK and/or the next GE won’t be a cluckerfuck, I suppose it’s fine to do nothing now. Otherwise, please act now.
Just had someone (from an org) knock at the door.
Perfectly reasonable thing to do, but as an ex-campaign organiser, there's two golden rules:
1. Say who you are.
2. Say who you're from/your role.
If you don't, you're either poorly trained and/or deliberately using boiler room sales tactics...
Perfectly reasonable thing to do, but as an ex-campaign organiser, there's two golden rules:
1. Say who you are.
2. Say who you're from/your role.
If you don't, you're either poorly trained and/or deliberately using boiler room sales tactics...
April 13, 2026 at 9:57 AM
Just had someone (from an org) knock at the door.
Perfectly reasonable thing to do, but as an ex-campaign organiser, there's two golden rules:
1. Say who you are.
2. Say who you're from/your role.
If you don't, you're either poorly trained and/or deliberately using boiler room sales tactics...
Perfectly reasonable thing to do, but as an ex-campaign organiser, there's two golden rules:
1. Say who you are.
2. Say who you're from/your role.
If you don't, you're either poorly trained and/or deliberately using boiler room sales tactics...
Reposted by Ben Furber
Happy Pi Day to all who celebrate.
March 15, 2026 at 12:35 AM
Happy Pi Day to all who celebrate.
**wave**
This season is full of fun, huge stories, and kicks off with surely our most annoying in-studio guest ever
Version History is back! Starting with the cute and cursed story of Furby. Watch the latest episode here, and subscribe to the Version History Podcast on YouTube for new episodes every Sunday. buff.ly/8doqSSx
March 8, 2026 at 7:00 PM
**wave**
Reposted by Ben Furber
‘Simply changing the uprating rules [of OBR forecasts] to the actual basis of UK government policy would transform the long-term projections of public debt. Instead of rising to 275% of GDP debt would fall to a completely sustainable 36%’
Good news from @chrisgiles.ft.com
www.ft.com/content/0b2b...
Good news from @chrisgiles.ft.com
www.ft.com/content/0b2b...
March 5, 2026 at 7:21 AM
‘Simply changing the uprating rules [of OBR forecasts] to the actual basis of UK government policy would transform the long-term projections of public debt. Instead of rising to 275% of GDP debt would fall to a completely sustainable 36%’
Good news from @chrisgiles.ft.com
www.ft.com/content/0b2b...
Good news from @chrisgiles.ft.com
www.ft.com/content/0b2b...
Reposted by Ben Furber
that's silly, it's not going to work, trains are too fast for that
February 19, 2026 at 10:22 AM
that's silly, it's not going to work, trains are too fast for that
The most important thread on Bluesky.
Back in the Twitter glory days I had a long-running thread where I was attempting to taste and rate every single sandwich available on the Tesco meal deal. Sadly Elon had to come along and ruin that, so I'm left with no other choice: I'm starting again. On here. Let's go ...
January 20, 2026 at 1:02 PM
The most important thread on Bluesky.
Reposted by Ben Furber
Reposted by Ben Furber
I'm perhaps naively hopeful that big news stories about AI hallucinations wiil make more people check sources.
January 14, 2026 at 10:39 AM
I'm perhaps naively hopeful that big news stories about AI hallucinations wiil make more people check sources.
Reposted by Ben Furber
We asked comedian @michaelspicer.bsky.social to respond to the opinion "Working with organised crime to improve health: a modest proposal" from our #BMJChristmas Issue 2025.
Read the opinion here: www.bmj.com/content/391/...
Read the opinion here: www.bmj.com/content/391/...
December 23, 2025 at 2:50 PM
We asked comedian @michaelspicer.bsky.social to respond to the opinion "Working with organised crime to improve health: a modest proposal" from our #BMJChristmas Issue 2025.
Read the opinion here: www.bmj.com/content/391/...
Read the opinion here: www.bmj.com/content/391/...
Advancing migration policy requires intersectoral collaboration.
“[Migrant] worker protections are absent from national preparedness and response plans.”
doi.org/10.1136/bmj....
“[Migrant] worker protections are absent from national preparedness and response plans.”
doi.org/10.1136/bmj....
Advancing migration policy requires intersectoral collaboration
Governments need to ensure meaningful inclusion of the health sector
Migrant integration, asylum policy, and immigration border control remain at the centre of political and public debates. Policies ...
doi.org
December 18, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Advancing migration policy requires intersectoral collaboration.
“[Migrant] worker protections are absent from national preparedness and response plans.”
doi.org/10.1136/bmj....
“[Migrant] worker protections are absent from national preparedness and response plans.”
doi.org/10.1136/bmj....
Reposted by Ben Furber
First ever research publication!
Ever been bored to tears by walls of slide text? Then this is for you.
I have no shame - please share widely.
(Thanks to @profnicolacooper.bsky.social for her support as co-author.)
#MedSky #MedEd #EdSky
asmepublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Ever been bored to tears by walls of slide text? Then this is for you.
I have no shame - please share widely.
(Thanks to @profnicolacooper.bsky.social for her support as co-author.)
#MedSky #MedEd #EdSky
asmepublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
December 10, 2025 at 8:39 PM
First ever research publication!
Ever been bored to tears by walls of slide text? Then this is for you.
I have no shame - please share widely.
(Thanks to @profnicolacooper.bsky.social for her support as co-author.)
#MedSky #MedEd #EdSky
asmepublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Ever been bored to tears by walls of slide text? Then this is for you.
I have no shame - please share widely.
(Thanks to @profnicolacooper.bsky.social for her support as co-author.)
#MedSky #MedEd #EdSky
asmepublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...