The comfort of strangers. Reminded of this today on a train jouney to a family friend’s funeral. A man opposite me unplugged from all devices (as did I). An hour later, we’d covered global war/peace, civic responsibilities & history. And he listened to me solve a practical conundrum!

Snow in mid November in London

This morning when I woke up my to-do list was a tad daunting. Glad I squeezed in a run. Where I swim, there’s a sign saying ‘you never forget a swim’. Well, you rarely regret a run too!

Autumn beckons

Interesting. David Lammy to Justice Secretary- as well as Deputy PM. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c0...

After epic downpour

What did you get up to this Bank Holiday? Had the most brilliant behind-the-scenes tour of British Library. Absolutely fascinating. Saw a Hansard record of parliament from 1806, world’s largest book (until 2012) & details I never thought I’d want to know. All for a tenner. Recommend. #BankHoliday

Guess what this is propping up the window on a scorchiio day…… #heatwave

There’s a phrase at the reservoir, ‘You never regret a swim’. Yup, so true.

A series of crises….brewing over several decades’: highly respected Anne Owers lays bare the reality of prisons’ decision-making. Shame it’s August, this story definitely doesn’t belong in ‘silly season’. It’s serious stuff. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Last night I caught ‘Inter Alia’ the play starring Rosamund Pike as a judge at National Theatre. It’s due as a National Theatre Live (more reasonable cost). Electric performance with troubling reflections similar but different to Adolescence. If you can, I thoroughly recommend.

Wish I could be at this. Shame tech hasn’t found the way to clone us to be in two places at once! What a party. #GoLionesses www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Lucy Bronze: "I just played the whole tournament with a fractured tibia" 💪

They did it! #Lionesses #Euros2025

A mega busy media 24 hours. Check out ‘LGBT+ veterans fury at delays to reparation payments’ - Today programme, R 4 Independent, Standard & more. Loved a screen-detox run. Mum swan (presume it’s mum?) gets her perch back.

A film, Lollipop, hits cinema screens on 13th June. I was lucky enough to have a sneak preview, courtesy of @sohohouse.bsky.social @bigissue.com @isabellamcrae.bsky.social Wrote some thoughts over on LinkedIn. www.linkedin.com/posts/philip...

Love a buttercup

Beyond the headlines… Prisons building not a silver bullet to our criminal justice crisis. Better ways to address crime & the impact of crime lie in the community. But A key focus must be properly bolstering (staff/resources) probation to cope with new responsibilities Ditto for third sector

The Gauke sentencing review is out…. www.bbc.com/news/article...

@rachelsylvester.bsky.social led Times Crime & Justice Commission before moving to revamped @theobserveruk.bsky.social under @tortoisemedia.bsky.social. Here’s her take on the direction of travel for prisons ⬇️ observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

Releasing people in prison a third of way into their sentence ‘Digital prisons’ Reducing short prison sentences…. More community payback work. All floated in upcoming sentencing review. But govt adherence to prison-building persists. Probation in desperate need of investment.

Prepare yourselves. This week is expected to bring a much-needed sentencing review. For many justice & prison reformers it’s unlikely to hit the spot. Justice Secretary in @telegraphnews.bsky.social ⬇️ www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/05...

Hard to believe this story even needs to be written. Liz Stead is an incredible example of someone who absolutely NEVER should have had a criminal record. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

This goes on my catch-up list. Thanks @madlinsudn.bsky.social for flagging.

Prisons still in crisis, says prisons minister. Shame he - who knows the reality of people in/after prison well - has slipped into the ‘soft/tough’ binary presentation of responses to crime. www.bbc.com/news/article...

Stumbled upon this poem on the wall of a house in a Peak District village this weekend. By Paul Muldoon. #poetry #prison #PeakDistrict #BankHolidayMonday

On an April day - which pretended to be August - I’m lucky enough to have met & facilitated an influencing workshop with Roma community leader Simona Lazar in Ipswich. She has so much to say for positive change. With thanks to @lbfew.bsky.social for making it possible. I learnt so much. Buzzing!

Ooh. And The Observer goes digital…. Today is the first Sunday of the Observer online- under new owner @tortoisemedia.bsky.social. Been scratching my head as to why Tortoise wants to enter the ailing newspaper market. Not been easy transition. Let’s see.

Where would we be without @bigissue.com Issue? The incredible Lord Bird and team at the Big Issue must continue to shape our thinking on poverty. Really struck by this note this morning. bigissue-25501189.hs-sites-eu1.com/where-the-go...

Historic moment yesterday. This is the last Observer under the @theguardian.com Next Sunday the paper hopes to put a turmultuous few months behind it with a fresh start under @tortoisemedia.bsky.social #newspapers #Observer #Tortoise

A bluebell theme to the long weekend. Is it just me or are they especially beautiful this year?

Golden hour treat #blossom

The cost of giving into a binary view of soft and hard justice is evident in letters to @theguardian.com today. See the frontline criminal defence solicitor’s letter, in particular. The prisons crisis is time to re-think. Not dig deep on failing approaches www.theguardian.com/law/2025/apr...

Courts: places of ‘messy human realities’. Director Prof Jessica Jacobson of Birkbeck, University of London has delivered a fantastic lecture, ‘Reimagining the courtroom’. You can read about it ⬇️ www.linkedin.com/posts/philip...

Anna Foster smashed it this week. A brilliant first week at @bbcradio4.bsky.social Today programme where she co-presented from the Mynmar/Thailand border (earthquake). Only to be back on air for TV’s News at Ten. Have high hopes for Anna. #Today #news #Myanmar

Join Sounddelivery Media for a free online Learning Lunch on April 10th, 1-2pm! We’ll be in conversation with Jacob Dunne about his #livedexperience and its impact on the acclaimed play ‘PUNCH’ @oldvictheatre.bsky.social Register here: bit.ly/3E3SIs5 #SDMTalks #restorativejustice #theatre

Sentencing guidelines ditched after 'two-tier' row. That’s the headline. The sad subtext is that pre-sentence probation reports are a good idea across the board. Alas, those days seem to be over. Shame. www.bbc.com/news/article... @taniabassett.bsky.social @harryannison.bsky.social

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Ooh, new presenter on BBC’s flagship radio news programne is on air today. If you don’t know Anna Foster, she’s on the Today programme now. Good luck, Anna! @bbcradio4.bsky.social #Today

Everyone’s talking about it. Adolescece, THE TV drama of 2025 has got the nation talking: manosphere, teenage boys & toxic masculinity. The best interview IMO comes from @newsagents.bsky.social. An honest exploration with writer Jack Thorne (second half) . ⬇️ open.spotify.com/episode/4qyA...

I went with friends outside the justice sector. So wanted to reflect their perspective on ‘Punch’. ⬇️ The relevance feels even greater after Netflix hit, Adolescence has surfaced important questions re masculinity and teenage boys. www.linkedin.com/posts/philip...

Love a magnolia. Spring has well & truly sprung.

New police figures out this week about the link between suicide & domestic abuse. Such an important wake-up call. My eyes were opened by the report by @agenda-alliance.bsky.social @mcmanussally.bsky.social - well worth a look ⬇️ @nazirafzal.bsky.social

And then I realised there’s radio 4 series about the real lives behind the drama. Toxic Waste Scandal by reporter George Taylor who himself was affected. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/serie...

Is this in line with Meta's recent declarations on free speech? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... To be trusted, your actions need to be in line with your rhetoric. If not, your #reputation will suffer. #PR

Saw Punch at Young Vic theatre, London. Some impressions from me. www.linkedin.com/posts/philip...

Went to Punch at Young Vic last night . So much to think about. Crime & punishment, responses to both. The human cost of our current dominant vengeful approach as a society. More to say, for now thinking. Brilliant play, highly recommend. @longfordtrust.bsky.social

Hi @cleaskopeliti.bsky.social Got a story think would be up your street. Can you follow me and I’ll dm you. Thanks! Philippa

Good to be back in Brighton- meeting first year criminologists to talk about the media & justice. Each year Jon Robins lecturer & editor of Justice Gap invites me to do a doubleact with him, sharing insights from my radio journalism & media campaigning career. It’s always good to reflect.

Starting the week thinking about the cracking Toxic Town series. It looks at the terrible health consequences of steel industry in Corby. Starring Jodie Whittaker who is utterly believable. Got last ep to go so no spoilers pls! #ToxicTown #JodieWhittaker #justice