If you've read this fine book you'll want to come along and meet Maff next week. And if you haven't read it please come along anyway, because I am pretty sure that once you've met the author you'll want to read the book!

If, as Maff Potts says, friends and purpose are the building blocks of a good life, what are the implications for public services? That's one of the questions Maff and I will explore in the Humanity at the Heart book club chat. Please join us -- see the @publicworld.bsky.social post for the link.

I am very much looking forward to this conversation with Maff Potts. He is great fun as well as having profound insights from many years of working with homeless people. Please join us!

Why are there so many ladybirds this year? My roses are delighted - no affid problem this summer - but, as usual, I can’t resist wondering about the sad story behind the happy one.

Artificial intelligence and human judgement. publicworld.com/news-blog/ar...

Will none of them ever remember Denis Healey’s sound advice about what to do when you’re in a hole?

Good advice.

beautiful scenes

My take on today's US court tariff ruling. This is an excellent opportunity for the EU and other trading partners to quit preparing packages of concessions, tell Trump to shove it and get on with trading without the US. First 300 clicks free. It being 3.42am here in London, I am now going to bed.

Delighted to publish a thinkpiece by social explorer and author Cormac Russell. One of our headline speakers for Stronger Things 2025. bit.ly/CormacRussel... To hear from him on the day, sign up here 👇 Last few in-person tickets left. Or join us online. www.newlocal.org.uk/strongerthin...

Too many people at the top of the BBC think that they should be competing with the private sector not providing an important thing that the market can't. Should focus on providing detailed coverage of 'what's in it?' that someone with the reading age of a seven year old can parse.

🥁 #StrongerThings 2025 speaker announcement 🥁 @cormacrussell.bsky.social, Managing Director at Nurture Development, will join us with provocations around community power, trust, dominant narratives, institutions and neighbourhoods. Make sure you're in the room. Book today 🏃‍♀️ buff.ly/ahDHhvH

Opinion from the FT's Editorial Board: 'The US and European countries that tout Israel as an ally that shares their values have issued barely a word of condemnation. They should be ashamed of their silence, and stop enabling Netanyahu to act with impunity.' www.ft.com/content/f5fd...

Excellent piece here from @publicworld.bsky.social associate @colintalbot.bsky.social about where to focus if we want higher public service productivity.

Jeni speaks for very many of us 🙏💜🔥

Drawn 6 years go today. It was rejected and called unfair and alarmist.

I think this is the most convincing explanation of Trump and his world view I have read. on.ft.com/3EMSSEx

Libdems to legislate on things I find irritating. Children leaving a tiny bit of milk in the bottle so they don’t have to wash it and put in recycling. The way you look forward to a deadline passing only for another one to appear. Celery in tuna mayo www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

@vibrantkatiekelly.bsky.social @cormacrussell.bsky.social @colintalbot.bsky.social @alirice.bsky.social @jesstud.bsky.social @hilarycottam.bsky.social on.ft.com/42IPouN

If anyone in Manchester or north east wales wants a perfectly functioning wheelchair lmk. Proving bafflingly difficult to give away, including to the Welsh NHS or social services. I guess they are famously well resourced after all

total clarity here from @edwardluce.bsky.social www.ft.com/content/4c4b...

What do these corporations have in common? Netflix Ford Tesla T-Mobile Duke Energy DISH Network Metlife Dominion Energy United States Steel In recent years, they all paid their execs more than they paid in taxes. This is what a corporate-rigged system looks like.

here is a belated link to the actual FT story www.ft.com/content/f207...

now *this* is the anecdote of the day

Hatching at @kneppwilding.bsky.social has started! 🐣 Scroll back to 11:33:30 on our YouTube live camera to see the first glimpse of the chick. @kneppwildlandfdn.bsky.social

Just had a great discussion with Henry Mintzberg about the 10th anniversary of his important book on REBALANCING SOCIETY. Hatching plans to promote the ideas with colleagues from a number of countries and backgrounds. If you haven’t you should read it.

Darby and Joan

Great story. @cormacrussell.bsky.social

My latest piece for @coopnews on the “origin stories” of co-operatives and co-operation. With a surprising Viking twist. online.flippingbook.com/view/465435528

My latest ….. consoc.org.uk/nhs-england-...

“It’s not the parents’ fault.” The risk is that we let “Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg be Mum and Dad”. Digital rights campaigner Beeban Kidron, in an important and moving interview with @emmavj.bsky.social on.ft.com/4j5hEyb

It’s an ill wind …

Launching April 9th 7 new modules to learn about Direct Payments from @tlap.bsky.social Find out more at our first virtual event of 2025/26 thinklocalactpersonal.org.uk/event/new-di...

One of my favourite pubs.

From @gstt-nhs.bsky.social in 2015 to Thistle Foundation today, we’ve learnt so much from introducing self-organised teamwork to #NHS and #socialcare over the last decade. My new blog.