Along with "hydration breaks" and stupid countdowns at the World Cup, I'd now like to add that annoying double clap thing at Wimbledon to my list of things to which we have been introduced and have promptly banished into the nearest bin.

The danger of using voxpops in place of real analysis. Cameras are a magnet for motivated activists. These two made it into four different reels + a dozen print pieces. The illusion is that we're getting an insight into "Clacton voters". In truth, we just know what Farage Megastans Jim & June think.

Viewers in England might like to know that up here in Glasgow, we already get a bank holiday in July. Every year. (we don't get one in August, but who wants one at the fag end of August anyway?)

- Open Instagram - Go to your profile - Tap the three lines in the top-right corner - Scroll down to the Sharing and reuse section - Toggle off "Allow people to use your content on Instagram and with AI features on Meta" for Posts and Reels

A wee follow up to the drone footage. Some details that help illustrate why Egyptian Halls is worth celebrating and saving. Cleared of traffic and scaffolding, you can see the potential of Union St. Even after the fire in March, it's such an architecturally rich and diverse thoroughfare. #Glasgow

How strong is that fan?!?

Has any other politician ever called a by-election on an explicitly anti-transparency, pro-sleaze ticket before?

Mood

The replies here are top notch.

This referee is...not very good, is he? He doesn't seem to be anywhere near the play. Hindered by his enormous shoulder pads, perhaps? #ENGGHA

Londoners, there is a webpage for you to see where your nearest "cool spaces" are when the extreme heat hits - places with water, air-conditioning & shade. Have a look and spread the word, especially to those who may need this but might not think to look for it: apps.london.gov.uk/cool-spaces/

Almost 5,000 people have joined the call for a halt to new hyperscale data centres in Scotland. The 24 applications in so far would require 1.5 times as much energy as all of Scotland uses at peak demand. We can't let this free-for-all continue. Please sign and share widely greens.scot/datacentres

I see Burnham's walked off with the pen after being sworn in. The Daily Mail will probably be up in arms.

Travelling into the Mediterranean heat dome this weekend and ngl, feel like the guys from Chernobyl. My Scottish bones are not ready for 41C

A reminder that the reason Richard Tice gave for Nigel Farage hiding in a cupboard for the last couple of months is that he wanted to show the breadth of talent among Reform MPs.

Aw I do love a bit of Mr Rashford and his lovely straight back. ❤️

<steps to lectern> <organizes notes> <clears throat> "AFFORDABILITY" PREDATES THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY BY 250 YEARS, YOU ACCURSED APPLEHEAD DOLL IN AN ILL-FITTING SUIT <straightens tie> <leaves lectern>

basketball’s all like gimme that pumpkin i need it and tennis is all like fuck this lemon you take it.

I've watched coverage of the Space X stock market launch on several TV channels, including BBC News, and all are tonally pitched as inspiring puff pieces, without a single mention of Musk's overtly racist fascist politics. Not even an inane footnote about being "controversial". NOTHING. NADA. ZILCH.

Counter protest against the far-right in Liverpool. Please share it. Even if you're not in Liverpool, you might have followers who are and help is gonna be needed

Farage is happy to be given money by American anti-abortion groups and christofascists. And it won’t be for nothing in return. It never is. Reform is making deals with authoritarian misogynists behind our backs. Farage’s greed will trump our rights every time. liveapp.inews.co.uk/category/444...

None of these tax dodging, foreign-based crypto billionaires and moneymen give a single shit about our country or democracy. They’re buying Farage power so he’ll remove our rights and protections to maximise their profits. It really is that simple and that corrupt. www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

Some of the extremely large number of cats I met in Greece. 1. Extremely persistent cat who appears every time you open the doors or the curtains, waiting to be petted. Like most Greek cats, doesn't try to come inside or jump up on tables. Except this table.

Athens is a city so covered in graffiti that I swear if you stood still long enough someone would come along and graffiti you. Much of it is excellent, and the artists do at least spare the ancient monuments.

I want to go out for a walk but my washing machine is in one of those "no, not *that* sort of one minute to go, the sort that is actually about 15 minutes, lol" moods.

I bet this guy is surprised

Greek cats have the correct approach to heatwaves

"Plenty of working class people do not use language like Reform's Robert Kenyon, and would absolutely abhor his views." "It's really ugly to use the idea of the working-man as being an excuse for what they're saying" www.thenewsagents.co.uk/article/the-...

Sorry to be missing the heatwave chaos

Our incompetence in managing to leave an entire night out of our travel bookings has led to the extremely happy result of ending up here. Drinking tea and reading Patrick Leigh Fermor on the balcony. I've had worse Saturdays.

The legend @cmatbaby.bsky.social said a lot more in her acceptance speech than what RTÉ are reporting. (Video posted by Lisa McLoughlin on Instagram - www.instagram.com/reel/DYnTKR3...) #Speirgorm

I have put together a little video guide to Nigel Farage's umm... evolving views on hecklers. They seem to be quite dependent on whether the heckler disagrees with him (bad, boring, frightening, dangerous), or shouts abuse at a woman in the street (buy him a pint/give him a peerage).

If AI is so clever, how come after years and years of predictive text, it still can't work out the appropriate use of its and it's?

..says man who wouldn't hold a by-election when he changed parties.

Got up early, caught a ferry, climbed a hill, home in time for tea. A fiver each way on good old CalMac (I know, I know). The best of days.

Interesting analysis for those of us interested in hope and aware of the big graph that shows Reform peaked in October last year and is sliding inexorably down.

My entirely unscientific polling information for the day. I live next to a polling place in Scotland and I've never seen it so busy. Our constituency is usually one of the highest turnouts in the country so maybe not representative but it looks busier than the last GE, which is quite wild.

His closest aide sentenced to 10.5 years for spying for the Russians. Failing to disclose £5m donation and how he bought a house in Clacton. A decade of school antisemitism and racism. Cavorting with Neo Nazis and planning mass deportations. What is the media love about Farage?

Lots and lots of feathers on show at the #MetGala last night. My question - are they farmed? I'm curious about the ethics (I mean, it's the fashion industry, so not sure what I'm expecting, but still).

Like when the monestries were dissolved, people aren't realising what they are doing away with until they they need it. A lot of voluntary work is done by older people who want to use their time productively but do not need remuneration.

If you'd told me a few years ago that I'd be agreeing with John Major... I don't think it's just a function of growing older and I'm in no danger of voting Tory, ever, but he's absolutely right. BBC News - UK should not keep changing prime ministers, warns John Major www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Spring sprang

Unsatisfactory situation involving this lump in which she now has coffee on her tail and I now have cat tail in my coffee.

THIS. The media would do well to add some more context here

This isn't just a problem of funding cuts, or of Loch Lomond. It's about the attitude of people who think it's fine to litter. Scotland has a *huge* litter problem, everywhere you go. I was in London recently and really struck by how *clean* it is compared to Scotland. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

NOIDON'TWANTTOGOSUPERDUOLINGOTHANKSVERYMUCHPLEASEGOAWAY

The Telegraph just gave a convicted criminal a two-page spread to explain why he's pumping £4 million into Reform UK. They tucked his criminal record away in the small print. So as a former financial crime specialist I’ll do their job for them👇

I think this might qualify as the most pointless article ever written. It sets out to compare various aspects of NHS Scotland with rUK and in each case ends up with "data is not comparable". www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

It’s time for my favorite cartoon of the year.