Ofsted annual report warns against ‘profiteering’ in the children's homes sector. If only we had a bill that would tackle this! What's that? We do? Yes, the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill does exactly this. Only it's been held up in the Lords for months! 1/2

Before the last doctor strikes Wes Streeting offered a whole range of improvement measures to resident doctors, including more training places, covering costs of exams and better rotas. But the BMA rejected it, focusing only on pay. @mrjamesob.bsky.social

Right

The best description of Witkoff I’ve seen in that headline.

I wish more people were aware of this. Considering the scale of the threat, the media's near-silence is both remarkable and culpable. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

“Like all recent occupants of No 11, Rachel Reeves is struggling to inject growth into a moribund economy. In a break with predecessors, she has belatedly pointed the finger at Brexit and was right to do so.”

I’m 65 and want to make it clear to younger people that antisemitism was never a part of 70’s playground banter. For our parents generation WW2 and cruelty of the Nazis was still fresh in their minds. Farage’s claims that it was is utter bullshit! He is a Nazi! #GMB

So people are pissed off cause they THINK reeves lied about the economy. The economy is better than expected and the problem is they think she understated it. Let’s look at Tories. Economy tanked,very little growth since Brexit and they continued to ACTUALLY lie it was good. See the difference.

Nigel Farage’s Legacy — Brexit: the trillion pound ‘mistake’ The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)… confirms the Treasury’s 2016 analysis, claiming a relative fall in GDP of between 6% and 8%. yorkshirebylines.co.uk/opinion/brex...

What she got the money from is EXACTLY what the investigative journalist should be digging into. That is the story. (Spoiler - it was one Mr N Farage)

This Laure Ferrari, you mean? www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Is Farage still facing scrutiny over his partner’s £885k Frinton home. Is it aggressive tax avoidance? Has he misled voters? Where’s the transparency? What’s happening? Just asking questions. #FrintonGate

News blackout on this, I wonder why?

😬 Reminds me that my Eastern European grandfather was able to read animal farm as an approved agricultural tome before they realised

Great culture can save lives. Literally. Amazing letter in today’s @thetimes.com about Tom Stoppard

That is a fun number of subscribers that I now have. Though I do think 777,777 would be better.

If there was ever a man suited for Reform, it’s Jonathan Gullis - between him, Dorries and Kruger, the party is truly getting filled with the exact sort of politicians you’d expect.

Labour’s Employment Rights Bill - a rare effort to address inequality of power. “A large majority of voters backing Nigel Farage also want stronger working rights. Yet he and his MPs voted against every item in the bill.” But of course they did. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

28-min podcast Women defying #Iran laws for mandatory #hijab, 3+ years after “ #WomanLifeFreedom” protests sparked by death in custody of #MahsaAmini, beaten & detained for “inappropriate attire” Signs of loosening restrictions but economic problems, water crisis, & high rate of executions remain

#Ukraine strikes 4th #Russia tanker within a week Midvolga 2 attacked in the Black Sea, around 120 km off the coast of #Turkey #UkraineWar

@markhertling.bsky.social: “When you're talking about striking against someone who's wounded and clinging to debris…Deliberately targeting such a person isn't a tactical decision, it's a war crime by the Geneva Convention, the laws of land warfare, and the U.N. Charter.”

Interesting. If they succeed it will set an extraordinary precedent.

Legal aid was decimated under the Tories. In the last year, Labour have supported the system with small pots of funding in specific areas. But following a major review and consultation on funding, they have today announced an increase of £92m more funding to rebuilt after years of neglect!

When we were kids, we believed that a ring around the moon meant that fairies would leave sweets in the garden. Dad, bless his darling heart, would leave piles of sweets all over the garden for us to find when we got up in the morning. I am well aware I had a blessed childhood.

Brexit: the trillion pound ‘mistake’ The recent NBER report suggests the Treasury’s 2016 analysis – slammed by Brexiters as a ‘hoax’– actually understated the impact of Brexit.

If Nigel Farage wanted to investigate Russian infiltration into Reform, he’d have done it already. It’s time the Prime Minister launched a national investigation.

We have the next story which people will misunderstand and complain about! What is really happening here? The UK and US have struck a deal on pharmaceutical trade. In means: 1) the UK gets 0% tarrifs on medicines, medicial equipment exported to the US, helping UK pharmaceutical businesses. 1/4

All of us: Why, in our judgement, Chris Mason is misleading on most political points, all the time. Because he’s incapable of political commentary that isn’t marinated in his own rightwing bias. Allegations for Labour. Free passes for Tories/Reform. Every Single Time. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Thank you for taking the time to produce this data, which seems to have escaped the attention of the BBC site. Positive news like this flies in the face of the naysayers, who will be eagerly awaiting the arrival of the next boat in order to bash the Government. Please keep up the good work.

There have been no small boat crossing in the England Channel for 16 days now. This is the longest period without any since January 2024 &the 2nd longest since Feb 2020 (pre-COVID). Nov saw 2338 arrivals - down 25% on the year before. Sep-Nov quarter was down 18% on the year before. 1/3

Only 2 months since they did the same thing to Angela Rayner. There's a pattern here & it stinks like a fishmarket in late August

Kuntie Plopkins: Why, in my judgement, Chris Mason is a massive Tory Clungeferret BBC News - Chris Mason: Why, in my judgement, Reeves was misleading on one specific point - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The view from the bunker. Russia gets the land Donald gets a bribe Ukraine gets a lie youtu.be/790T13r61mc

When Nigel Farage says "Never trust a Tory", does he mean the endless amount of Conservative defectors to Reform UK? 😬

The new Environmental Improvement Plan has been launched today. It is an ambitious plan to restoring nature & protecting the environment for future generations. Also announced is £500m announced for recovery projects. Here the Environment Secretary visits an example recovery project. 1/2

The UK PM gave a speech today at Coin Street Neighbourhood Centre on 'a Britain built for all'. The speech (almost) in full can be read at the link. He says "the budget was a moment of personal pride" for him and that he does "not want to see a country where children grow up in poverty" 1/2

NEW: OBR head Richard Hughes resigns.

Whatever happened to Leveson 2? Chris Mason, Kuntsberg et al now completely out of control & Reform continue to be given a disproportionate amount of air time. This will continue until the BBC board is dismantled

I think we should all feel sorry for Jonathan Gullis. He lost his seat at the last election and, given his hideous behaviour as an MP, couldn't get another job. So he needs a new bite at the cherry. Of course I am joking. Fuck him.

Anyone else noticed how Chris Mason labels anyone who voices an opinion that's vaguely to the left of his (98% population I'm guessing) an "activist"

David Davis said there wouldn't be a single downside to Brexit. Yorkshire Bylines recorded >2,000 of them from 2021-2024.

OK Donny. During and after cancer treatment, I have had lots of MRIs. The part of the body they are examining is obvious and I remember it clearly. You are clearly not well. Does he have what used to be called Pick's disease ?

Well it wasn’t his ‘bone spurs’.

Poor Kemi. So dumb that she doesn't even realise that she is dumb.

I have no clue at all what the post is even referring to! In the clamour to encourage us to be outraged, I think the Lib Dem forgot to give us sufficient details to know what they are referring to!

For everybody who's wondering what this is about - www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Homes England has awarded a £23m infrastructure grant in latest step towards unlocking wide-scale regeneration in Thamesmead. Funding a new bus link, it is part of wider plans for up to 30k new homes & 2 new communities at Thamesmead Waterfront & Beckton Riverside, which includes the DLR extension.

Fallen Feathers is published today (yay me!) Indie authors only get launch days because readers show up. If you pick it up today: thank you. If you leave a quick review once you’ve read it: double thank you. Early reviews matter absurdly more than they should. www.amazon.co.uk/Fallen-Feath...

In support of my friend J who, having lost his beloved partner W to AIDS, is alive and well, 30+ years after being diagnosed with HIV, thanks to the wonderful drugs available.

I tell Trump my peace terms, Trump tells Witkoff what they are and then Witkoff tells me Trump's terms that I told him then I say they aren't enough so we both blame Ukraine for me not accepting my own terms and I keep attacking them. Rinse. Repeat.