Merry Christmas!

Very sad that I felt I had no choice but to resign from The Infinite Monkey Cage - a victory for the transphobes and other bigots - I did it because so much of the media has chosen to believe the kind and empathetic people are a fiction - they are real and so often unrepresented.

An essential precondition for authoritarianism is the neutering of sources of real news.

Anyone else a little concerned about a foreign government interfering with, and influencing, the leadership of our state-run media? Just me? #BBC

Great night out last night at York Theatre Royal to see Louise Brooks in the gem Beggars of Life with live - and delightfully improvised - score by @dodgebrothers.bsky.social including @kermodemovie.bsky.social and special guest, the incomparable @neilkbrand.bsky.social. Loved everything about it!

Lewis is absolutely right here

Yay. Priceless. The right column at the right time. And a gleefully English two fingers to the haters.

@zoecrowther.bsky.social story: The BBC has apologised after airing a fast-spreading fake claim that Tony Blair's son's company is producing the digital ID scheme The Have I Got News For You episode which repeated the claim has been removed from iPlayer to be edited, the BBC told PolHome

Here I am in 2020 in the flimsiest, most pitful PPE - like so many other NHS staff, some of whom died from the Covid they caught in their hospitals. Tory peer Michelle Mone - who today lost her legal case & must repay the govt £122m - dares to claim she’s been ‘scapegoated’. What, Michelle? 🧵

Listen carefully to what Jimmy Kimmel said...

I paid a lot for 4 of us to watch this final. I can’t believe I have hours ahead of me to get in to Ashe

Genuinely embarrassing look for the US Open.

Posh, white bloke thought everything was fine, actually.

Forza!

Well this worked out pretty well.

1. Swiatek 2. Sinner 3. Sabalenka 4. Anisimova 5. Alcaraz 6. Fritz 7. Bencic 8. Djokovic But 7/8 I'm ok with.

Was that *two* champagne corks in one game? #Wimbledon #Tennis #Alcaraz #Fritz #CentreCourt

Exactly!!!

Those 5 little words to fill you with dread... in the hands of the gods now...

I hope Del Potro calls Grigor.❤️‍🩹

Hugh Muir recalls the response of London Mayor Ken Livingstone to 7/7 from Singapore. I agree that, despite his flaws & failings at other times, that this was an important message www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

My position on the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments Bill

It's 23 June and, in my heart and for the rest of my life, I'm still European #EU #BridgesNotWalls

Everyone should self-censor at work. In any workplace there are things it would obviously be inappropriate to say, and also it's just part of getting on with people and existing in a society. I feel like this research actually tells us 43% of white men self-censor and are whiny about it.

Also, Loïs Boisson has been given e spot in the qualifications of Wimbledon so she still has a shot to land in that main draw. Was given a special ranking of 153 (don’t ask me how/why lol).

No, sorry. If you're a historian, don't outsource the reading of the sources to an LLM. Who knows what amazong ideas your would have had, insights you might have gained, which you might bring to bear later in the project, if you'd actually read them?

Drop your favorite protest sign

bbc tennis correspondent challenge: say 'Tatijana Maria' without adding the words '37 year old mother of two'

Spread the word --> If anyone is interested in attending the WTA 500 in Berlin, a friend of mine has two tickets for sale (face value) for June 21st. Let me know and I'll put you in touch.

I actually *paid* to be insulted by my friends like this. You should pay them to insult you too...

Loving listening to the #RolandGarros women's final commentary on #BBCSounds. World no 1 against 2 and then me, an impartial listener. Momentum shifts making it compelling so far! #tennis #Coco #Sabalenka

Thrilled for #Carlitos. Gutted for #Musetti. No-one wants a retirement. #RolandGarros #Tennis

Mega historical bust ups. A thread. 1. King John and Philip of France The powerful foreigner cynically helped put the incompetent, odious sex offender on the throne only to launch an all out war against him. John bankrupted his kingdom, fell out with everyone and shat himself to death

Take a bow #Boisson - what a legend! #Legend #RolandGarros #Tennis #FrenchOpen

This!

Blimey, this is compelling! #tennis #RolandGarros #Boisson #Andreeva

Blimey, this is compelling! #tennis #RolandGarros #Boisson #Andreeva

Louder for those in the back!

Went to see Davis Cup a few years ago. Husband and I got to see an emotional Murray win. Went back with my best friend and tennis-head 2 days later and watched Norrie lose. Friend was UNIMPRESSED! Saw the bucket hat celebrations and precursor to that hilarious Murray/Draper drive home though 😂

It'd be better if she was wearing clothes. Bertie, 10 #eurovision

“Poor man wanna be rich. Rich man wanna be king. The king ain’t satisfied ‘til he rules everything.”—Springsteen, Badlands

Liz Saville-Roberts, "This PM once spoke of compassion and dignity for migrants" "Now he talks of islands of strangers and taking back control" "Is there any belief he holds which survives a week in Downing Street?" Keir Starmer, "Yes, the belief that she talks rubbish"

40 years ago a horrific fire at Bradford City's Valley Parade ground claimed the lives of 56 people. It took less than four minutes for a small fire to become a raging inferno. Warnings had been ignored.

This looks like a great role

SIR LEWIS HAMILTON. MET GALA 2025

A SHORT POEM FOR STAR WARS DAY Her name was Yoda, A showgirl she was.

Are these #election results an existential crisis for the #Tories with the rise of #Reform?

Labour MP says removing winter fuel and disability benefits has broken trust with the public. She accuses Starmer of being "tone deaf" and adds to voices within the party publicly calling for a "change of plan".