Author - 'THE INVENTION OF AMSTERDAM' out now! (https://amzn.to/2QJx3bh). Writer, aid worker, speechwriter, recovering Tory. Columnist @ADnl; articles NYT, Telegraph, New Statesman, Groene Amsterdammer etc. Buy my new book, it’s good!https://bsky.app/profile/bencoates1.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/bencoates1.bsky.social/post/3mjwgkimcm22zI am still taking a break from social media, but I did find time last week to send a letter to the New Statesman:20 Apr 2026 12:06 +0000at://did:plc:nitmwn5f5qx5yqebcj6ra73o/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjwgkimcm22zhttps://bsky.app/profile/bencoates1.bsky.social/post/3mhpmrbbh5225Individually you are all lovely, but I am tired of social media and taking a break from it. Back in a while23 Mar 2026 08:18 +0000at://did:plc:nitmwn5f5qx5yqebcj6ra73o/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhpmrbbh5225https://bsky.app/profile/bencoates1.bsky.social/post/3mhoe2tnzyk2nA perfect example of Trump sanewashing here: He posts a deranged, extremely racist rant about sending ICE into airports to catch Somalis It is reported as a sensible move aimed at reducing queues, with a reasonable-sounding quote from him The word Somali does not even appear in the article22 Mar 2026 20:10 +0000at://did:plc:nitmwn5f5qx5yqebcj6ra73o/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhoe2tnzyk2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/bencoates1.bsky.social/post/3mholrhfzec23If you have kids then this is a very good way to spend a couple of hours - funny and original and not a superhero sequel (For some reason it’s called Jumpers in some countries) [contains quote post or other embedded content]22 Mar 2026 22:28 +0000at://did:plc:nitmwn5f5qx5yqebcj6ra73o/app.bsky.feed.post/3mholrhfzec23https://bsky.app/profile/bencoates1.bsky.social/post/3mhoe2tnzyk2nA perfect example of Trump sanewashing here: He posts a deranged, extremely racist rant about sending ICE into airports to catch Somalis It is reported as a sensible move aimed at reducing queues, with a reasonable-sounding quote from him The word Somali does not even appear in the article22 Mar 2026 20:10 +0000at://did:plc:nitmwn5f5qx5yqebcj6ra73o/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhoe2tnzyk2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/bencoates1.bsky.social/post/3mhn52ntmck2dGood morning from the Frisian Islands22 Mar 2026 08:32 +0000at://did:plc:nitmwn5f5qx5yqebcj6ra73o/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhn52ntmck2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/bencoates1.bsky.social/post/3mhntm3q3i22mRutte is such a disappointment He was hired to hold NATO together, yes. But there are ways to do that without without constantly groveling at Trump’s feet, praising every fuckup as a masterful gambit and sucking his toes while the world burns At this point he’s a MAGA ambassador to cable news [contains quote post or other embedded content]22 Mar 2026 15:15 +0000at://did:plc:nitmwn5f5qx5yqebcj6ra73o/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhntm3q3i22mhttps://bsky.app/profile/bencoates1.bsky.social/post/3mhn52ntmck2dGood morning from the Frisian Islands22 Mar 2026 08:32 +0000at://did:plc:nitmwn5f5qx5yqebcj6ra73o/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhn52ntmck2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/bencoates1.bsky.social/post/3mhlrviejek2nMedia interest was fleeting but the UK dual nationality issues are still a thing I have a UK passport which expired; I’m waiting for a new one I have a valid EU passport which lets me go anywhere. Holiday in Canada, job in Lisbon, weekend in Goa, whatever But I cannot step into the UK, at all [contains quote post or other embedded content]21 Mar 2026 19:39 +0000at://did:plc:nitmwn5f5qx5yqebcj6ra73o/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhlrviejek2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/bencoates1.bsky.social/post/3mhkvwu7osk2uVisiting the Frisian / Wadden islands is always such a treat. Lovely food, nice people, some of the best beaches in Europe. Highly recommended.21 Mar 2026 11:19 +0000at://did:plc:nitmwn5f5qx5yqebcj6ra73o/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhkvwu7osk2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/bencoates1.bsky.social/post/3mhlmsxkog22iThis is good. You cannot complain that refugees don’t assimilate properly and always hang around outside etc while also making it impossible for them to have a job! [contains quote post or other embedded content]21 Mar 2026 18:08 +0000at://did:plc:nitmwn5f5qx5yqebcj6ra73o/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhlmsxkog22ihttps://bsky.app/profile/bencoates1.bsky.social/post/3mhlmns22a22iWhatever your politics, whatever else you think of him, Trump is just so transparently an awful, dreadful person [contains quote post or other embedded content]21 Mar 2026 18:06 +0000at://did:plc:nitmwn5f5qx5yqebcj6ra73o/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhlmns22a22ihttps://bsky.app/profile/bencoates1.bsky.social/post/3mhkvwu7osk2uVisiting the Frisian / Wadden islands is always such a treat. Lovely food, nice people, some of the best beaches in Europe. Highly recommended.21 Mar 2026 11:19 +0000at://did:plc:nitmwn5f5qx5yqebcj6ra73o/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhkvwu7osk2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/bencoates1.bsky.social/post/3mhj5y4ecek2mWe’ve spent years worrying that NATO would be killed off if Trump refused to help the Europeans when war broke out. And it looks like it’s actually being killed off by the Europeans refusing to help Trump when war broke out. [contains quote post or other embedded content]20 Mar 2026 18:38 +0000at://did:plc:nitmwn5f5qx5yqebcj6ra73o/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhj5y4ecek2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/bencoates1.bsky.social/post/3mhi2gcbct22jThe Caribbean? the South Pacific? No, the Wadden Sea 😎20 Mar 2026 08:01 +0000at://did:plc:nitmwn5f5qx5yqebcj6ra73o/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhi2gcbct22jhttps://bsky.app/profile/bencoates1.bsky.social/post/3mhiakgb2zs23the trouble with the Netherlands is it’s too damn full20 Mar 2026 09:51 +0000at://did:plc:nitmwn5f5qx5yqebcj6ra73o/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhiakgb2zs23https://bsky.app/profile/bencoates1.bsky.social/post/3mhiakgb2zs23the trouble with the Netherlands is it’s too damn full20 Mar 2026 09:51 +0000at://did:plc:nitmwn5f5qx5yqebcj6ra73o/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhiakgb2zs23https://bsky.app/profile/bencoates1.bsky.social/post/3mhi2gcbct22jThe Caribbean? the South Pacific? No, the Wadden Sea 😎20 Mar 2026 08:01 +0000at://did:plc:nitmwn5f5qx5yqebcj6ra73o/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhi2gcbct22jhttps://bsky.app/profile/bencoates1.bsky.social/post/3mheirexslc2eWhatever the results, please bear in mind that the FvD is not a normal party which can be discussed in the same way the VVD or CDA are. They are conspiracy theorists, racists, violent criminals, allied with groups which security services say are a threat, *literal* neo-Nazis. Not radical but insane. [contains quote post or other embedded content]18 Mar 2026 22:07 +0000at://did:plc:nitmwn5f5qx5yqebcj6ra73o/app.bsky.feed.post/3mheirexslc2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/bencoates1.bsky.social/post/3mhgr6bjcis25A lovely spring evening in Amsterdam19 Mar 2026 19:43 +0000at://did:plc:nitmwn5f5qx5yqebcj6ra73o/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhgr6bjcis25https://bsky.app/profile/bencoates1.bsky.social/post/3mhggmculbs2d“Ok, Mr President. This’ll be fine, we’ll keep your briefing short. There’s just one thing you have to do: not mention Pearl Harbor. Don’t mention Pearl Harbor. Not even once. Trade good, China bad, but nothing on Pearl Harbor. Ok sir?” Trump: [contains quote post or other embedded content]19 Mar 2026 16:34 +0000at://did:plc:nitmwn5f5qx5yqebcj6ra73o/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhggmculbs2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/bencoates1.bsky.social/post/3mhfkjekcfc2tI’m not sure you can read much into the Dutch election results, given they’re contested by completely different set of parties to national ones. Leefbaar Moordrecht winning more seats than Burgerbelangen Moordrecht doesn’t tell you much about the state of the world. But since we’re all here anyway:19 Mar 2026 08:11 +0000at://did:plc:nitmwn5f5qx5yqebcj6ra73o/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhfkjekcfc2thttps://bsky.app/profile/bencoates1.bsky.social/post/3mhgbsqtkjs2dAmerican Ayatollah [contains quote post or other embedded content]19 Mar 2026 15:08 +0000at://did:plc:nitmwn5f5qx5yqebcj6ra73o/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhgbsqtkjs2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/bencoates1.bsky.social/post/3mhfzovisac2kI wrote in this morning’s AD about how an FvD candidate in the Krimpenerwaard had called for large-scale remigration, attended meetings of far right groups, admired Trump’s ICE and joked about starting a new crusade. He won his seat quite comfortably. https://www.ad.nl/gouda/ik-vind-het-vreemd-dat-we-reclames-zien-van-partijen-waar-we-niet-op-kunnen-stemmen~a900e7de/19 Mar 2026 12:43 +0000at://did:plc:nitmwn5f5qx5yqebcj6ra73o/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhfzovisac2khttps://bsky.app/profile/bencoates1.bsky.social/post/3mhfwuze4fs2m“Dakloze Res van bijna 80” in een van de rijkste landen ter wereld https://www.ad.nl/binnenland/dakloze-res-van-bijna-80-slaapt-naast-graf-van-verongelukte-dochter-neem-me-mee~a91e1734/19 Mar 2026 11:53 +0000at://did:plc:nitmwn5f5qx5yqebcj6ra73o/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhfwuze4fs2m