Always follow the money …

Europe must absorb a hard truth: principles won’t buy influence in Washington anymore. Money will.

What a story! How France uncovered the mystery of the forbidden photos of Nazi-occupied Paris www.npr.org/2024/10/28/n...

„We don’t have a leader. We‘re an Anarcho-syndicalist commune. We take it in turns to be executive officer for the week …“ Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Can’t remember budget ‘case studies’ ever being quite so funny. Especially in newspapers that recently anointed Liz Truss a fiscal genius.

“Speaking outside his chateau in France…” I kid you not. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The UK is now the first major oil and gas producer in the Global North to shift away from fossil fuels - the kind of leadership needed to drive a global phase-out.

Amazing - why no widespread coverage?

Popped in here after the splendid Made in Ancient Egypt exhibition at the Fitzwiilliam museum in Cambridge

„Putin plays Trump for time. His goals are to impede the enforcement of oil sanctions that come into force on 21 November 2025“

MPs are still booking tickets for the National Emergency Briefing. Is yours coming to hear why UK top experts saying we're not doing enough? Whilst there's still time to act. www.nebriefing.org #NEB2025

For the sake of European security, Europe's leaders should agree to release Russia’s frozen assets for the support of Ukraine — and clearly state their willingness to defend Ukraine in the face of future Russian aggression. Read Bronwen Maddox's latest analysis for Chatham House⤵️

This, by @giacgrassi.bsky.social, remains one of the simplest and best climate visuals

The only good news in this deal is that it shows that both the Americans and the Russians know it’s actually the Europeans who hold all the cards here — because they hold the money

This is not a peace plan. It is a proposal that weakens Ukraine and divides America from Europe, preparing the way for a larger war in the future. In the meantime, it benefits unnamed Russian and American investors, at the expense of everyone else. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...

as Phillips O'Brien also points out, this plan has been in negotiation for a long time, probably since Trump took office. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...

Not just one bad apple, I‘d suggest …

Just stumbled over this solution for long-haul freight on roads: an additional trailer with battery and e-engine that leaves all of the rest as is. www.revoy.com

RIP Mani #stoneroses legend www.youtube.com/watch?v=4D2q...

excellent analysis of the UKs current hole but most importantly it outlines the policies needed to get it out of the hole. Essential reading for all MPs

👩‍⚕️👨‍🚒🤵 Doctors, firefighters, even the super-rich themselves can see it… so why can’t Rachel Reeves? It’s time to tax the super‑rich & invest in our collective future. Yesterday, we delivered over 700,000 signatures demanding that the govt delivers #TaxJustice at the budget.

The real BBC bias story, narrated by Anna Ford

“My experience of asylum seekers and refugees is that they have two wishes: one is to complete their education if they are of that age, and secondly what they want to do is get jobs and make a contribution to our country. Surely we should do everything we can to help them do that.”

Poor people are being abandoned by this country. Brian Eno telling it straight

Strictly speaking, it's not a façade that's cracking up at 432 Park Ave. in NYC; it's a "load-bearing, concrete exoskeleton." This makes the problem much harder to fix. The engineers called it back in 2012, but hubris and vanity overruled them. lloydalter.substack.com/p/schadenfre...

With the world heating up [and more pedestrians being killed], why are more SUVs being sold? “It’s the industry that has driven the demand through huge marketing & advertising campaigns in recent years. SUVs offered the industry a simple way of charging more for a vehicle that does the same thing.”

Born on this day, 1897, Nye Bevan, Minister of Health and Housing when Labour built 805,000 council homes between 1945-51. He believed high-quality council housing should reflect 'the living tapestry of a mixed community'.

Bit by me in the Big Issue: Municipalisation of private housing would be a fast, direct route out of the homelessness crisis. The government should support it www.bigissue.com/news/housing...

“Fearless journalism is what terrifies politicians, and it must not be cowed." The BBC must stand up to Trump's $1 billion lawsuit - or risk legitimising the president's false narrative of what really happened on January 6 www.thenewsagents.co.uk/article/if-t...

Oh dear. Just when it needs to show how high its standards are, the BBC decides to interview a former editor who showed has no clue about what "the truth" means. Compared to what he did, editing out 50 seconds of a speech is trivial.

In response to some of the comments: If you agree with *all* the reporting of a news organisation that is both independent *and* non-partisan, then it's very unlikely to be independent and non-partisan. This is true regardless of your politics. Agreeing with all its reporting is the wrong test

Can't believe there are conversations about ending the BBC. This is like listening to a family calmly discussing whether to shoot it's dog, or burn down the house.

Bring it on

We're delighted that tireless advocate for the natural world, @chrisgpackham.bsky.social CBE, will be opening the National Emergency Briefing in Westminster Central Hall on 27th November. Chris speaking with @bbclaurak.bsky.social earlier👇 Please make sure your MP is attending: nebriefing.org #NEB

The past is a foreign country!

A good day to listen to our proud, joyous history of the BBC: One of the greatest British inventions of the 20th Century. An institution which, even at its worst, is far better than its detractors podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...

The BBC: quite a big deal.

Brilliant article, which demonstrates the mad outcomes of changing council tax without revaluation. The tax system is already arbitrary, irrational and unfair. That must change, or the same old problems will persevere. www.politicshome.com/news/article...

Half a century of research on the ‘bystander effect’ confirms that the greater the number of bystanders who are present the less likely each of them is to provide help, but this doesn’t necessarily apply to violent emergencies. The bystander effect itself isn’t a myth it’s well established.

The world lost half a trillion dollars to a US-backed global gag order that stopped countries from revealing the names of multinational corporations found shifting profit into tax havens #NameTheTaxCheaters #TaxJustice2025 bit.ly/taxjustice25

Madness to row back on insulating Britain‘s housing stock. The cheapest energy is the energy you don’t use

In a year of disaster, last night was finally a very good night for Democrats -sweeping the board in Virginia and New Jersey (two states where they went seriously backwards in 24) -Mamdani win -California redistricting win Foreshadows potential blue wave in midterms

🔔 Nature is at risk, but your voice can help. The Planning Bill is nearly law. An amendment passed by the Lords yesterday offers vital protection - but it needs MP support to stay in. 📢 Tell your MP: please back Amendment 130. wtru.st/49ch28z

Christ, he is supernaturally good at this.

Osborne deserves a lot more condemnation, for not just doing austerity but doing it so cackhandedly: 1. Not borrowing to invest when borrowing costs were at essentially zero 2. Cutting spending by salami slicing every part of the public sector with no real analysis of where could take it

Beautiful photo of a stunning piece of slow art, caught by @damianward.bsky.social with the uplifting back story told here by Emma Croman. thehumblehome.uk/posts/the-sh...

Earlier today we published the Ringways Map, in collaboration with @maps.sabre-roads.org.uk. We are beyond excited to finally put it online - below is a thread explaining why it's so special, but to see it for yourself just follow the link: www.sabre-roads.org.uk/maps/index.p... 🧵

Next time someone tells you that train drivers "just push buttons" show them this from the BBC

Monty Python's Flying Circus (2nd November 1972). "You can keep your Marxist ways, for it's only just a phase".