So my last post kinda blew up. Thought I’d add some context. I’m a former Labour branch chair in a pretty leftwing constituency still represented by a good Labour MP whose politics aren’t super reflected by the PM and leadership. I was also the campaign manager for a seat (which the Tories held…

It is beyond laughable that an MP whose party rule books say it is a “democratic socialist party” goes out on their social media attacking “lefties”. I hope their base deserts them in droves. I already have.

Love to have my entire working life being real wage stagnation. It’s so great.

Former Tory MP Ben Bradley has now defected to Reform. They really are taking all the worst people from the Boris era.

If a football club believes its supporters are so homophobic and transphobic that they can't be in the same space as a progress flag then that football club has catastrophically failed, and the only rational response from a club they are visiting is to ban away fans from the ground.

I noticed this on the front of the Observer today with the PM calling the Greens “nuts”. Seeing as Labour have left behind voters on the left with the assumption that they will vote Labour to defeat Reform, I think they’re the nuts ones - those voters will go Green or Your Party

Fuel Poverty is a euphemism. I grew up in a cold house - gas still costs more on a meter. It is exhausting and dispiriting - cold floors and walls. Getting into a bed that feels damp then being unable to sleep. Clothes that don’t dry after rain or snow. Seeing your breath indoors. It is shaming.

Beat Bosnia 🇧🇦 Beat either Italy 🇮🇹 or Northern Ireland Then off to Canada 🇨🇦 We can do this 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

This fetid landmark, this historical stain on humanity is primarily due to the stunningly reckless obliteration of America's foreign assistance agency earlier this year. Led by the richest man on earth. In secret, on a weekend. With zero analysis or discussion of its catastrophic impacts.

The line in this week’s @originstorypodcast.bsky.social on an 11-year old Andrew Marr’s activities made this even more of an unmissable aural highlight of the week. Thanks, Ian and Dorian. open.spotify.com/episode/16xs...

This has to be one of the best letters to a newspaper I’ve ever read, and completely reenforces the absolute vital importance of “Mickey Mouse” subjects. Art, not just great art, can illustrate the difficult and the impenetrable in such illuminating and surprising ways. Rest in Power, TS

‘There was rage and pain and iron in him’: Patrick Marber on the great hits – and fond smokes – he had with Tom Stoppard

I really shouldn’t be surprised when researching British politics in the 19th century and you find someone who sounds really interesting and then there’s the paragraph of “he was a virulent antisemite” or similar.

I’ve adored Tom Stoppard since I saw Travesties at Nottingham Playhouse in 2003. What a career and body of work: R&G are Dead, If You’re Glad, I’ll Be Frank, his adaption of Mrozek’s Tango. A good innings and a real loss.

Eddie Argos disco banger? Yes, please youtu.be/mDjKV6Az8Xs?...

Underwhelmed by the budget. Yes, two child cap has gone but Labour dragged their heels massively on that, and £5m for secondary school libraries. However, nothing major on tax justice, capital gains, a real wealth tax. Just more meh from the government.

A little choked up by the death of Jimmy Cliff today, who I got almost painfully into in my year 10 ska boy phase. One of the Caribbean’s great protest singers and a real political artist youtu.be/j1h6OR60dBk

Cricket really is the best.

‘We sent the kids home. Then all our cellphones went out’ – This is climate breakdown

Most asylum seekers arrive with their valuables long lost in bombed or abandoned homes, stolen, or sold to afford the dangerous clandestine passage to safety The real thing of value to be snatched from refugees under these proposals is far more painful: their families & futures Me, for @zeteo.com

I'm reading through the white paper or whatever it is. RESTORING ORDER AND CONTROL: A statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy www.gov.uk/government/p...

I wasn’t planning on voting Labour again (even with Nadia Whittome as my very good local MP) due to the sheer cloth earedness of the party in the face of such inhumanity to try and appease voters who’ll never vote for them anyway.

big ol article about me in GQ, if you go in for that sort of thing www.gq.com/story/john-d...

Saw Eureka Day at @nottmplayhouse.bsky.social last night and it was one of the best things I’ve seen in ages. Proper knotty drama. Gave me real Ibsen vibes.

Few things make me smile more than taking books out of a public library.

Luddites assemble www.nottinghampost.com/news/notting...

Who thought Robbie Savage was the correct co-comms for a televised Forest game?

So Ange lasted less than Clough at Leeds.

We take another priceless three points from a strong opening day with the ball. #NOTvWAR

The last time Forest played in Europe I was 7. We lost heavily to Bayern at the City Ground. I was there, stood on the seat on top of my bunched up coat so I could see, in the Main Stand. Never thought it would be 30 years until we next played a European game.

A priceless victory over the reigning champions! #SURvNOT | 📺 https://f.mtr.cool/vcmkrtruch

What a performance by @trentbridge.co.uk. God, I love the County Championship (to the point that I’m even nerding out on bonus points). Roll on Warks next week at Trent Bridge with a 15 point lead.

Finding out Danny Kruger’s mum is Prue Leith was today’s big shock before lunchtime.

it’s time, if you haven’t already done so, to shut down your twitter account, and tell the institutions you are part of to leave too. there’s no way any UK museum, university, politician or any of us should still be on that far-right platform

A year ago today, I was hospitalised completely out of the blue with heart issues. 2 weeks later, I had open heart surgery. The last year has been the hardest I’ve ever faced but I’m still here. Hoping the next one is better youtu.be/H7fBFtif9H4?...

Farage said today he would said women refugees back to the Taliban.

People who push Christian nationalism hate it when actual Christians speak up because of course “Christian” really means “white”

the juxtaposition of 'let's enjoy Paddington bear!' and 'let's deport human migrants to the Taliban!' is too perfect

Labour are a waste of space and we’re sleepwalking into our own Farage-led fascist state, a process started by the Tories and Starmer. All the energy is on the right and Magic Grandpa’s new party of student politics isn’t going to save us. Plague island is further doomed.

what the fuck is this headline from the BBC, I feel like I'm losing my mind www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

🔴NEW🔴 On Saturday, the far right attempted to protest outside a hotel housing asylum seeking people. I spoke to people on both sides of the police barrier. What I found was a far right full of glee that it is winning Read now, on @opendemocracy.net www.opendemocracy.net/en/bristol-f...

Every time I’ve been at a counter demo in Nottingham, the far right has never numbered more than about 40. Usually much less.

If you find yourself with a spare 20 minutes and have access to iPlayer, watch the Bowie at Live Aid set and absolutely bawl your eyes out to the genius of the man doing Heroes at the top of game.

😳 As more than 100 backbench Labour MPs prepare to rebel against the Government's cruel welfare cuts, Kemi Badenoch has offered Tory votes to push through the cuts. Labour and Conservatives teaming up to punish vulnerable people. Who'd have thought it... 🤷

Taiwo Awoniyi’s horrific injury is definitive proof that the current offside protocol is flawed and unsafe. Officialdom afraid to make mistakes but there isn’t a bigger one than a player getting needlessly hurt www.theguardian.com/football/202...

'Island of strangers' is Starmer's 'Rivers of blood' - he can't come back from this. Man has to go or UK Labour is dead as a party, and they'd have deserved it.

Austerity didn’t end. It got rebranded.

‘If I die, I want a loud death’: Gaza photojournalist killed by Israeli airstrike

As someone who got dangerously engrossed in local government squabbles and politics over the last few years, this is blaringly true. @stevebattlemuch.bsky.social you’ll enjoy the whole thread here.

Stonewall responds to today’s Supreme Court ruling. You can read the full judgement here: bit.ly/3ROPmMS