Today is Quartidi the 14th of Thermidor in the year 233. Thermidor is the month of heat. Today we celebrate basil.#JacobinDay More information on basil

I’ve come to the view that @joshbabarinde.bsky.social would be the best next @libdems.org.uk President. He knows us deeply, was at the forefront of our success in the last Parliament and GE, and is a great guy! So I’m now backing him and encourage to as well.

Dispensing with NHSE is not an unreasonable idea, though it’s clearly not the main issue. But I’m willing to bet anyone a few quid that in 5 years’ time (probably) or 10 years (definitely) there will be something called NHS England.

The biggest hope we have is that Trump’s unchecked lunacy blows up the Maga movement quite quickly. It’s looking quite promising ….

Brilliant!

keep thinking about the veteran-owned restaurant in Wyoming we went to last summer that was covered in enormous Republican election posters AND 'stand with Ukraine' flags, a& i really want to go back and ask how the owners (three-generation military family with European heritage) feel now

Nasdaq has now given up all its gains since November 5th. Hope it was worth it for the invitation to the inauguration guys!

How is all this playing in the US, esp with the Trump base?

Ukraine is Europe! We stand by Ukraine. We will step up our support to Ukraine so that they can continue to fight back the agressor. Today, it became clear that the free world needs a new leader. It’s up to us, Europeans, to take this challenge.

This is thuggery from Trump and Vance, plain and simple. They are bullying the brave true patriot Zelensky into accepting a deal which effectively hands victory to Russia. Unless the UK and Europe step up, we are facing a betrayal of Ukraine.

There is just the possibility of the return of a dynamic we haven't seen in British politics in a very long time: the Lib Dems reoccupying a place as a home for liberal/left/progressive protest against Labour. Clear space to do so with Trump- and they've been hitting that hard.

From last week whilst guiding up in Assynt, north west Scotland. #landscapephotography

Why is the government happy to cosy up to China, but won't even look at a better customs deal with our closest neighbours in Europe? Ministers say they’re looking everywhere for growth but are ignoring what is staring them in the face.

If you don’t like what Trump is doing in America don’t let Nigel Farage do it here - take action - join the Liberal Democrats today: libdems.org.uk/join

The (unloved) Brexit consensus across the Westminster parties is wobbling. Why Ed Davey's speech calling for a UK/EU customs union is a big moment. Me on Substack open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...

Worried about how to respond to Trump and Musk? @eddavey.libdems.org.uk has a plan - and it involves working much more closely with the #EU www.libdems.org.uk/news/article...

Today is Décadi the 20th of Nivôse in the year 233. Nivôse is the month of snow. Today we celebrate the winnowing fan.#JacobinDay More information on the winnowing fan

Today is Septidi the 7th of Frimaire in the year 233. Frimaire is the month of frost. Today we celebrate cauliflower.#JacobinDay More information on cauliflower

🚨 NEW 🚨 UK police forces quietly withdraw from X platform amid content concerns 🚓 www.reuters.com/technology/u...

On this day in 1952 Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap opened at London's Ambassador’s Theatre and went on to become the longest continuously running play in history. Maybe pause a moment to remember Dennis O'Neill (centre: 1932-45), whose death was the inspiration for the play.

Here’s my column for this week - hoping to shed some light about the thinking inside govt on the reaction to the budget…(and also warning of danger ahead…) www.theguardian.com/business/202...

This is very good ftedit.ft.com/Ju3k/3ji2p56g Britain squandered the best hand in the world

Said this on a reply, but just to emphasise... public sector bodies aren't rushing onto Bsky for three reasons. 1. Big audiences on X we don't want to lose. 2. Bsky only just emerging as the main alternative. 3. We can't easily cross-post yet and don't want to re-key everything. Bear with us...

Lib Dems often ask for a clear statement of what we stand for. Don’t forget our manifesto from the general election. Obv immediate context has gone – but it remains a very clear statement of what we’re seeking to do, and I know all our MPs are basing their work in Parliament on what we said in it.

Welcome to Bluesky to all my new followers! I’m not a great user of any of these, but I’ve preferred it to Twitter & Threads for a while now. No doubt lots of technical differences, but mostly I prefer the colour 😀 My main complaint used to be there was nobody here. So thankyou all for fixing that!

Blimey. UK life expectancy worst in Western Europe - OECD report www.thetimes.com/article/52c5...

Imagine what the ancients, who were much excited about the presence of a couple of planets, would have made of this

Would you like to join the strong @libdems.bsky.social group of complaints adjudicators? Particularly good for people who prefer a lower-profile but essential role. In an unglamorous way it's a key to helping us operate effectively. Do consider applying. www.libdems.org.uk/work-for-us/...

The most undiscussed fact in British politics: the average personal tax rate is at its lowest since 1975. ifs.org.uk/articles/how...

Keir Starmer 🤝 my local Oxfam

Good question. Am looking forward to reading the view of millionaire Daily Mail columnist Boris Johnson, who merely got donors to pay for his accommodation, holidays, wallpaper and takeaway meals.

Very happy to be back in Brighton for Lib Dem Conference #ldconf - where I first came to one thirty years ago - but this time with the largest number of MPs *for over a century*!

What is common knowledge in your field, but shocks outsiders? The NHS doesn’t have enough managers. It’s hard to plan strategically or spend money well without sufficient bureaucrats!

Fascinating

The latest polling on the UK riots from @yougov.bsky.social demonstrates how out of touch with public opinion many commentators (not to mention a lot of online discourse) are. There is little support for the view that sentences have been too harsh... quite the reverse, in fact.

A rather curious article, if you ask me, half about the corporate strategy of Gail’s and half about Lib Dem political strategy - but nice to see the great new #LibDem MP for Harpenden & Berkhamsted @VictoriaCollins featuring! www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

based on how often the naughty teens of major cities throw the rentable scooters directly into the river i've formed a theory that the many iron age swords and cauldrons found in lakes around europe that we've previously assumed were ceremonial and sacrificial in nature were in fact thrown by teens

The FT has done some interesting research on why Americans live shorter lives than the English at every level on the income distribution scale. The US myth of personal freedom’ over collective support seems to play a part. More guns, more unsafe driving, people slipping through the cracks…

‘Representing Clacton on the world stage’ is a magnificent and endlessly adaptable euphemism. ‘I can’t come out tonight, I’m representing Clacton on the world stage’ etc etc

Odd-looking table at beach bar turns out to be 1,700-year-old Roman coffin | Daily Mail Online - www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/...

Looong drive ahead tomorrow. Any recommendations for podcasts? Thanks.

and yet a trace of the true self exists in the false self

at no point was i able to predict what the next word in this sentence would be

I have watched or read all 139 first speeches by new MPs so far www.independent.co.uk/voices/the-n...

I found this really interesting

Perhaps Farage and Tice fear Reform will turn out to be like the Anarchist cell in G.K. Chesterton's The Man Who Was Thursday. In the course of the book, it's revealed that the cell's members are all police agents, there to keep an eye on the others. liberalengland.blogspot.com/2024/07/refo...

So: You’ve seen Ed Davey raising the most important issues with humour & humanity You’ve seen how popular Lib Dem manifesto ideas are with both voters and expert groups Join us and help our ideas become real. Lib Dems are friendly and it’s very painless! libdems.org.uk/join

Today we launch the Liberal Democrat manifesto upon the world! A bit interested but can’t face reading all 114 pages? Section 2 Our Fair Deal sets out who we are and what we’d do to make Britain and the world fairer in a few short paragraphs here: libdems.org.uk/manifesto

I wrote about Drippy Rishi

It’s time to get rid of this awful government. The @libdems.bsky.social are its main challengers in many parts of the country. If you share our values, now is the time to join us. www.libdems.org.uk/join