Also, "some people" are bigots ... Just because you wrap your bigotry in the cloak of religion, it doesn't make you any less of a bigot. It does mean, however, you're missing the central message of Christianity ...

Found this promise from 2024 ... Is anyone keeping count of how many water company executives are now in jail? @weownit.org.uk @feargalsharkey.bsky.social

Hope-less?

According to ONS crime statistics* published last month, domestic violence against women is about 25% more prevalent for those born in the UK vs those not born here ... *based upon findings from the Crime Survey for England and Wales and police recorded crime.

With the almost daily deluge of polls, it's good to stand back and take a longer-term look. Labour is clearly alienating its supporters - and they've moved to the Greens in sizeable numbers in 2025 Reform has continued to take support from the Tories, but at a slower rate than in 2024.

Opinion | "Any Health Secretary should be making allies of the workforce, not enemies," writes Andrew Fisher trib.al/PxH4Akx

Excellent by @fisherandrew79.bsky.social on Wes Streeting and BMA - a very welcome corrective to all the boneheaded denunciations of resident doctors. bsky.app/profile/fish...

My column for @theipaper.com on the @bma.org.uk resident doctors' strike "The Christmas strikes are on Wes Streeting, not the BMA." Read in full at: inews.co.uk/opinion/stre...

My column for @theipaper.com on the @bma.org.uk resident doctors' strike "The Christmas strikes are on Wes Streeting, not the BMA." Read in full at: inews.co.uk/opinion/stre...

NEW: Unemployment has risen to 1,832,000. That's up 158,000 in the last 3 months and up 327,000 in the last year On a wider measure including underemployment, there are now 5.19 million people underemployed - up by nearly 0.5m on a year ago There are now 7.2 people seeking work for every vacancy.

🚨 OUT NOW 🚨 It's 'Your Party' now, but for how long? ⬅️ Former Director of Policy for Labour Andrew Fisher joins @siennarodgers.bsky.social, @tomscotson.bsky.social and @alaintolhurst.bsky.social to discuss what comes next for Britain's newest left-wing party 🎧 Listen now: pod.fo/e/3607b9

Will be on @lbc.co.uk shortly talking to @henryriley1.bsky.social about this story 👇 Tune in if you can ... www.lbc.co.uk/article/andy...

Ever get the feeling you're being ripped off? Example no. 94: South East Water, via @privateeyenews.bsky.social

That was the year that was My review of 2025 for @insidecroydon.bsky.social ... and a little look ahead to 2026 insidecroydon.com/2025/12/11/t...

That was the year that was My review of 2025 for @insidecroydon.bsky.social ... and a little look ahead to 2026 insidecroydon.com/2025/12/11/t...

“Working-class people are being pushed out of culture. It’s becoming a middle-class profession, because you can’t be a breadwinner and work at the library.” graceblakeley.substack.com/p/you-should...

I live in Wales and today received my Join Us letter from Reform UK, complete with SAE which I posted back to them, immediately, empty. If every other person in Wales did this, Reform would spend over £1.5 million on postage. Not sorry. Join me Cymru.

NHS waiting lists rose in the month to October ... Only 61.7% of patients were referred within 18 weeks (the target is 92%)

Anyone know where in the UK this is?

This would be a massive betrayal of leaseholders and Labour's manifesto pledge to them ... inews.co.uk/news/treasur...

According to @rethinkcharity.bsky.social "eight times as many people are still waiting for mental health treatment after 18 months compared to physical health care" But yeah, let's pretend the problem is *over*diagnosis ... www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Ever get the feeling you're being ripped off?

Ever get the feeling you're being ripped off?

At the launch of new @pcsunion.bsky.social Social Security: There is Alternative pamphlet Read online at: mypcs.my.salesforce.com/sfc/p/#1t000...

"It’s a vital part of social inclusion, in a world that excludes people with disabilities and costs them more to do the things that many of the rest of us take for granted." My column on Motability in @theipaper.com today inews.co.uk/opinion/mota...

"It’s a vital part of social inclusion, in a world that excludes people with disabilities and costs them more to do the things that many of the rest of us take for granted." My column on Motability in @theipaper.com today inews.co.uk/opinion/mota...

My contribution to @theipaper.com on mental health and social security... Read in full at inews.co.uk/opinion/ment...

My contribution to @theipaper.com on mental health and social security... Read in full at inews.co.uk/opinion/ment...

My analysis of #Budget2025 with a Croydon focus* for @insidecroydon.bsky.social *but with much that applies generally! insidecroydon.com/2025/11/28/1...

My analysis of #Budget2025 with a Croydon focus* for @insidecroydon.bsky.social *but with much that applies generally! insidecroydon.com/2025/11/28/1...

The welfare bill has been steady for the last 15 years, and will be for the foreseeable future ...

🤞

Will be on #r4today shortly discussing the state of the left in politics. Tune in if you can ...

My quick take on yesterday's #Budget2025 as part of a panel in @theipaper.com today "There is still much more to do. But scrapping the two-child limit is an unmitigated good thing." inews.co.uk/opinion/budg...

Shop a tax dodger and earn some money! "Rat on a rat" #Budget2025

One thing I don't get with the cash ISA annual allowance (reducing from £20k to £12k - which won't affect vast majority of people who can't save anywhere near that a year) What is the rationale for keeping £20k limit for over-65s? Why would you incentivise rich pensioners to save more? #Budget2025

Distributional analysis #Budget2025 But action needed on rents, mortgages and more on bills too to tackle cost-of-living crisis

From OBR: "Growth in real household disposable income per person is projected to fall from 3% in 2024-25 to around ¼ % a year over the forecast, slightly below our March forecast and well below the last decade’s average growth of 1% a year" No end to cost-of-living crisis

What's frustrating about #Budget2025 is the wasted year. Labour could have scrapped the two-child limit, cut energy bills and done a freeze on rail fares in last year's Budget. Instead they tried to target pensioners and disabled people, and were forced into embarassing u-turns and lost goodwill.

I've said the test of the Budget is whether it lifts real spending power. Parliament's hard-working security guards want their pay up and conditions improved. I supported them and their union PCS in their demand this morning.

Worth a listen.

Textbook example of how not to do this. Straight from the Laura Kuenssberg/Nick Robinson school of silly analogies.

Can't wait til they find out that Jesus was a brown refugee ...

#bbclaurak: "Would you think Keir Starmer & Rachel Reeves can stay in place if the budget goes the wrong way?" @unitesharon.bsky.social : "No"

Can't wait til they find out that Jesus was a brown refugee ...

Very good policy from Labour Early signal that taking the railways into public ownership means a better deal for passengers - ripped off for too long by privatisation. inews.co.uk/news/rail-fa...

“I think there has to be a change in leadership, a change in personnel of the people in No.10, and a completely different direction for the party” Interesting interview with @nadiawhittomemp.bsky.social on @alimilani.bsky.social's podcast www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0wa...

"At this rate of progress waiting lists would still be around 6.7million by the time of the next General Election 2029" My latest column for @insidecroydon.bsky.social insidecroydon.com/2025/11/20/s...

"At this rate of progress waiting lists would still be around 6.7million by the time of the next General Election 2029" My latest column for @insidecroydon.bsky.social insidecroydon.com/2025/11/20/s...