Dear friends at #EHFG2025, could I kindly ask you to monitor #Bluesky for online comments/contributions this year, as so many of our health community have left/are leaving X/Twitter including myself, @martinmckee.bsky.social @freekspinnewijn.bsky.social @carocostongs.bsky.social etc - Thank you 🙏

A suggestion for UK Parliament. Before passing any new law, consider plausible worst case scenario for how a future Reform government would use it. Then start to review existing laws. And if you don’t, don’t complain when it all goes wrong (assuming that government hasn’t locked you all up)

Leaving aside optics of attending at any time an event hosted by industry that does so much to create misery, transferring billions from the poor and desperate to billionaires, Rachel Reeves’ decision to do so ahead of a budget seriously questions her judgment www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Meanwhile on the dark side:

I know AI gets a bad name, with hallucinations and mistakes. But it can’t be worse than the two men doing a press conference in Chequers now. And even the worst versions would surely know the difference between Armenia and Albania.

I’m at yet another conference (this time in 🇨🇭) where a plenary speaker (African) is absent because he couldn’t get a visa. This is a disgrace. And it’s a direct consequence of the pathetic failure by our cowardly politicians to challenge racism.

Can anyone explain to me what counts as legitimate protest in the U.K. these days? I’m baffled. We should celebrate attacks on police as vibrant free speech but condemn pensioners with slogans on t-shirts and @ledbydonkeys.org with a projector?

Well played @ledbydonkeys.org If 'unauthorised projections' is an arrestable offence, how about all those 'unauthorised flags' @oxfordshirecc.bsky.social ?

Predictable and predicted. flipchartfairytales.wordpress.com/2017/03/18/b...

In London, hate will never win.

The primary aim must be getting the govt off X. This offers the possibility of a cascade effect taking journalists etc off it. We need to seperate the national debate from the extremism engine.

korean reporting is nightmarish on the conditions Korean workers were contained in

Since invoking Orwell seems to be in fashion, can’t help noticing that some form of speech are freer than others in England now.

Amused by the view that appointing Mandelson was worth it as U.K. got better trade deal than EU with US. But did it? UK 10% tariffs on top of existing ones (~4%) while 15% EU consolidated, several key bits (eg cars) subject to quotas, other bits not yet agreed (eg Pharma, which is agreed in EU deal)

That feeling of desperately wanting your elected government to loudly call out racism & far right violent extremists... And nothing. Labour so afraid to lose power, it has forgotten both how to use it & that with power comes responsibility. As America gets ever darker, too little light here.

Yesterday, the largest far-right protest in UK history marched through London, led by racist Tommy Robinson. Today, we say: They don’t speak for us — and they won’t have the last word. This Wednesday we come together against Trump and for a better future. Do everything to be there.

Astonishing display of EU flags at the Last Night of the Proms, tonight. Made me feel proud to be European. 🇪🇺

We need political support but also means to keep our activities. Support @eupha.bsky.social by committing individually and donating. EU Grant was 80% of our resources. While we are building a financial resilience plan, small gestures make huge differences. whydonate.com/fundraising/...

See our formal complaint with our colleagues from #EU4HealthCivilSocietyAlliance We must fight to keep the means to advocate for health, human rights peace, and justice. @martinmckee.bsky.social eu4health.eu/formal-compl...

A brand new @instituteforgovernment.org.uk explainer from @meganbryer.bsky.social the newest member of the Ministers team! Click below for a guide to the Labour Party deputy leadership election.

If Reform is so concerned about overcrowding in the U.K., was it a mistake to support Brexit, which made it so much more difficult for people to leave? The popularity of TV programmes on people moving to the Mediterranean surely points to an obvious solution? Or maybe it’s something else?

Over on @instituteforgovernment.org.uk live blog we're posting our 'cabinet flashcards' - key info on who's who in Starmer's reshuffled cabinet. Helping you prepare for - presumably - the hottest round at every pub quiz this week (if your local one hasn't been cancelled due to tube strikes...)

Which reminds me, it's that time of year again for National Trust members to vote. The easiest way is to use the 'quick vote' to keep out the traditionalist 'Restore Trust' candidates. secure.cesvotes.com/V3-3-0/nt25/... 1/2

Incredible clip of tech CEOs fawning over Donald Trump. Someone store this clip in the underground archive vault

“There are certain sections of New York, Major, that I wouldn't advise you to try to invade.” I think Rick would say the same of Chicago.

Yes, yes, I know, I’m being unprofessional. But it would be even more unprofessional—& in fact grossly negligent—to stand by, stay quiet, and do nothing. The vaccinology community is devoted to preventing disease & death. It’s time we fight for that, together.

The #FTWeekendFestival has to be one of my highlights of the year. From AI to domestic & geopolitics. Really should be near top of priority list for colleagues in public health in & around London @paula171.bsky.social & I getting lots of ideas for follow up of our forthcoming book on AI in health

Led By Donkeys have got Fartrage's number.

How did the ‘Island of Strangers’ speech impact Labour support? Negatively, especially among 2024 Labour voters.

Just a reminder that U.K. has new Foreign Secretary 4 days before start of UN General Assembly. Leaving aside scale of briefing to get through, worth recalling that these events rely hugely on personal relationships developed over time. Still, it’s not as if there are any important things to discuss

"The CDC shooting serves as a tragic reminder that political polarisation has become a public health emergency." @lucindahiam.bsky.social writes the first piece of her year in the US, discussing political polarisation as an overlooked determinant of health www.bmj.com/content/390/...

Kennedy may have had a grilling from the committee but what is the outcome? He clearly lied to senate both here and previously with conflicting statements throughout but one set actions to me is most concerning 🧵🧪

waka wake

Who would have guessed? Well, all of us who abandoned the cesspit that is now X. Morality as well as pragmatism. Yet I'm still wondering why the UK government remains there (not the only thing about it that makes me wonder) www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

We in @eupha.bsky.social unequivocally condemn the illegal attempt to dismiss Susan Monarez, CDC Director. Another outrageous attack on science. @standupforscience.bsky.social eupha.org/articles/sta...

🚨 #NoOneLeftBehind: ‘Health for people in vulnerable situations’ at 2025 European Health Forum @gasteinforum.bsky.social on 2 October Speakers include @freekspinnewijn.bsky.social @kristinesorensen.bsky.social @carocostongs.bsky.social Free online registration www.ehfg.org/conference/p...

🧵1/ In Serbia, students are leading a powerful movement for health, justice, and democracy. After a tragic building collapse in Novi Sad, young people mobilised nationwide, turning grief into civic action.

“Kennedy would be less hazardous if he decided to do cardiac surgery. Then he would kill people only one at a time rather than his current ability to kill by the thousands. Why is it that killing a single person is seen as murder but killing masses is excused if you are a politician?” Dr Bill Foege

BREAKING: Big moment as CDC staff stage a mass walkout. They have lined the street outside its HQ to greet and salute the four top officials who have resigned in protest at RFK Jr’s attack on the agency’s science base. (🎥 AP)

Dr. William Foege, 89, who helped end smallpox in the 1970s, recently wrote: RFK Jr.’s “words can be as lethal as the smallpox virus.” And his actions are more lethal still. He’s waging war on America. That’s an impeachable offense. He must be removed from office. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/h...

I’m in Toledo, where (at least at some times - can we leave the complexity aside for now) Christians, Jews, and Muslims lived in relative harmony - convivencia. Another reminder that things can go backwards

Y'days post: Reform and the UK press mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/08/refo... The recent celebration by the Mail, Sun and Telegraph of someone who pleaded guilty to inciting racial hatred makes the Mail's “Hurrah for the Blackshirts” in the 1930s sound rather tame.

Increasingly I feel that what once was considered the political mainstream in the U.K. has completely lost its moral compass. When did the question about concentration camps and mass deportations become one of practical feasibility?

Imagine doing a deal with a bunch of fundamentalist crazies with no interest in the rule of law. Don't know what the Taliban are thinking.

I think about this quote a lot...

It’s an enormous privilege to chair the @bma.org.uk Giving committee. There are so many amazing organisations doing wonderful things and I’m so pleased that can offer some support. Read about some of them 👇 www.bma.org.uk/news-and-opi...

Anyone, and I do mean anyone, who calls for leaving the ECHR is doing so because they want to deny Human Rights to as many people are possible and should be immediately ignored and shunned. And, because I am a rational person, that includes Labour MPs.

"Courts and lawyers should stay out of asylum cases!" - psst, have you heard about how you can use planning law against asylum seekers? "We should use courts and lawyers in asylum cases!" www.bbc.com/news/article...