Bucket list moment for me yesterday when I got to go to the @edenproject.bsky.social Incredible place. Very busy with people from all over, and different age groups. Was really impressed how well they cater for disabled people. Always a good sign!

So sure, moan about the extreme heat, Kirstie, then spend an hour in the Rainforest Biome at Eden Project. Makes perfect sense 🥵😄

Shout out to anyone in UK who managed to sleep last night in this land of no air-con. You must be some kind of mythical creature. Or pure fiction.

I have faith in us. Those of us, I believe the most of us, who are not glamoured by tales of winner takes all & vast & empty wealth. Most of us want one thing: connection. We were given the harshest reminder of this in the early days of covid.

An hour before Pope Leo released his encyclical today, I was in a small chapel decidicated to another Pope, St Callixtus. I knew nothing about this holy man but believe he was a former slave who practiced forgiveness and welcomed people back into his church that had turned away from their faith.

Don’t know how I feel about the new season of Teletubbies

An example of a complex situation made more complex by misinformation & bad actors: The EHRC have decided in their guidance that they should be all things to all people & humour any objections to trans people that will be mostly based on ignorance and fear,

So Greens are anti-semitic And Labour are both anti-semitic and islamist at the same time And Lib Dem are a joke This is the level of discourse we have right now between us, fed and watered by a frenzied media.

Wondering why govt didn't celebrate the immigration figures today? My theory is it's like Richarlison scoring against Everton. He has to do it because it's his job but he doesn't like it! Personally I find the immigration figures a sad indictment of where we are as a country

So glad @thenewsagents.co.uk are talking about this today! It applies in the most extreme to Trump & also applies to our own versions. Pointless going after them on the things they say in some morally outraged way. Better to laugh & call them weak.

Really good @podsavetheuk.crooked.com episode exploring Labour, what it meant, what is means and what it could mean to many Labour supporters.

BBC today correct Nigel Farage's false claim to Nick Robinson on Political Thinking (13th February 2026) that net migration was only down due to an "exodus" of people leaving the UK since 90% of net migration fall was a fall in immigration. After my 3rd complaint! www.bbc.co.uk/helpandfeedb...

Reading socials from Green, Labour/Starmer & Labour/Burnham, I feel like I'm a parent on a journey with squabbling kids in the back. "If you all don't behave, I'm turning this car around & we are going home, & all you'll get is a Reform government for your tea!" Fight fascism not each other.

Should we really keep saying cost of living as if it is some external, can't be helped thing? It's a greed and selfishness crisis It's a wealth extraction crisis It's a moral and ethical crisis Caused by the broken brains of extreme wealth

Another weird side effect of the Green-Labour in-fighting & now the Labour-Labour in-fighting is that not only have I joined the Labour party to have a voice in the governing party rather than a tribal decision, but I have become more active in the areas I was most passionate about -

I swear the last few weeks has made me more politically active than I have been in years. Probably helps that my poorly brain is functioning on a few cylinders again, not sure what I have to thank for that. Now, if only I could sort out my poorly body too...

Finally got around to listening to Andy Burnham's speech. I liked the storytelling and it took me back to the 80s/90s in the north. I witnessed all of that.

This isn’t just politics – it’s identity, belonging, resentment Reform understands it – others still don’t See why it matters

I think there are some things we can agree on from left to all the way maybe to centre right: Rejoining EU - good Data centres that push up energy costs for everyone - bad Palantir in our data - bad

We can be better. It's a choice. Sometimes it doesn't feel like an easy choice when someone is telling you how you should feel about something Especially, when it's hard to tell what is real any more. But if we want to build a healthy society we do the work. Fight bigotry & fascism not each other.

Well Everton. That was pretty pants 😞

We don't have long to figure this out: There are still too many people on the same side, wanting the same things, attacking each other for differing on how to get there. Meanwhile more vulnerable people suffer & our collective decision-making (aka politics) only works for a privileged view.

This is exactly how I feel and I wonder how many of us feel the same? My focus now is how we bring the left/centre back together to fight fascism & everyone stops pretending we can play politics like it's 1998. If there has to be a challenge, prefer AB but *really* prefer democracy.

Right now there's no party I fully support. I'm warm to Greens but some of the economics are a fantasy. I'm traditionally Labour, but this right now isn't MY Labour. But mostly I want to stop things getting worse. Farage would be worse. No doubt at all. Absolutely horrific.

I am still watching Eurovision this year. There are 24 acts I would like to support as well promoting and celebrating 🏳️‍🌈✨🏳️‍⚧️

21st Century Luddite movement starting to happen?

It's truly inspiring to see Wes Streeting call for decisiveness in govt after a week in which he denied he'd resign; then resigned but said he wouldn't stand as leader; then said finally he intends to stand as leader, so we can rejoin the EU, a policy he was dead against last week.

Some of what Uma Kumaran said about the social climate of debate around today's rallies

If we are going to have a leadership challenge, is there any chance this can be a clean fight? The Greens look like they are starting to get the message about who the real fight is against (fascism)

Just reflecting on my old Labour roots... Are there any Gen Xers here that came to the Labour Party as a teen? Was it the Red Wedge movement that persuaded you? Billy Bragg, Paul Weller and, for me, Dr Robert from the Blow Monkeys most helped me understand the cause. (And his feather boa)

😄

I've always said Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want would make for a really honest campaign song

Wes Streeting has promised to end Starmer's timid incrementalism by starting a leadership campaign that isn't a leadership campaign, with the lofty ambition of coming second to somebody who isn't even an MP.

Well done Streeting. Not only did you pulled the attention from the King yesterday but today you are managing to pull it away from Farage and the £5m donation. Honestly, ego over party and country. That's quite special

I can't believe that after the events of this week I would find myself actually joining ...the Labour party! The Green Party no longer resonates with me although I will continue to support the local Greens here who are all pretty good people.

Presumably, all Farage has to do is provide the receipts for his security bill and apologise to us all for not declaring the £5 million. Shouldn't be a problem and as leader of a major party I'm sure he'll be absolutely delighted to clear up any misunderstanding.

Finally some good news! 🙌

Ok so I thought the Kings Speech was good. Not great, not bad and not full of hugs and puppies but babe, that's not the world we are living in. The reality is that security is paramount right now. You don't get any of the good stuff without it.

I think Streeting has committed a very British crime equivalent of sticking your feet on the seat in front of you on a train. Tut. You don't upstage the King! 👑

Wes Streeting? Really? Sorry love, we are just not that into you

So tomorrow we can all calm down a bit and watch our favourite unelected leader make a speech on behalf of our still very much elected leader. Hoping for something bold, a refresh, instilling hope and optimism. *Ducks various projectiles*

We just watched eps 1-3 of Widow's Bay. Couldn't stop myself as it was too good. Equal parts funny and terrifying. Well it is if you are a proper scaredy cat like me! 😱😄

I'm not saying this because I particularly think he should stand for leader but it does feel Quite Interesting that Labour actually has this other mayor who's been successfully running a much bigger city for a longer period of time but for some reason no one's waiting for him to save the party

If there is one essential quality for any Labour PM - actually any global leader - in the current environment, it is courage. Both leadership challengers are currently hiding behind a battalion of unknowns, sent out to inflict hourly papercuts on their own PM. This seems to me to disqualify them.

Listening to @alastaircampbell2.bsky.social on the latest Rest is Politics and he is expressing a very sensible and measured view. He is being honest and practical about the criticisms and most importantly the potentially dangerous consequences of rushing to change leaders.

Real news

The ME Association have signed an open letter, written by the group @longcovidadvoc.com  to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, urging them to align with current evidence. Read more: https://meassociation.org.uk/2c77 #RCPsychIC #MECFS #pwME #LongCovid #MEAwarenessDay

Spoke too soon. More disappointment

Journalists - in a Reform government you're not going to be getting awards for your coverage, or follow your journalistic standards of reporting what you believe is newsworthy for the sake of your own job performance & that of your employer.

Please sign and share. This institution has far too much sway over a biomedical condition and is listening to the wrong people. Please help @longcovidadvoc.com make a difference on #WorldMEDay #MEAwarenessDay