If it was in the North it would not exist. See: HS2 phase 2. Northern Powerhouse rail Leeds tram system. If Westminster cared enough to invest in a long term transport strategy for the north it would have huge benefits.

Woke discourse began for him In nineteen sixty-four Between the end of Zulu's "Thousand's of 'em" and a single by Sandie Shaw

The Scottish Government's tree planting targets have been a disaster, with Scottish Forestry forking out grants and approving schemes with little regard for the consequences but at Stobo Hope they have sunk to new lows parkswatchscotland.co.uk/2025/12/17/s...

Yes so true

Boxing Day was buggered up when I caught what I thought were the words 'Michael Gove' on R4 today. Sadly it was him, presumably his rehabilitation has begun via the BBC, the folk who gave us Nigel Farage. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Worth 5 minutes of anyone's time to read about Ronnie. Consider having a tissue handy in case something should happen to get in your eye 🥹

The new Animal Welfare Bill. Highlights Labour making me doubly happy I voted for them. And will continue to vote for them.

The day after Palestine's ambassador urged SNP delegates to "isolate companies that profit from occupation, John Swinney had breakfast with Airbnb's lobbyist. Airbnb is on the UN database of firms profiting from illegal settlements. shorturl.at/p67Yt

Bemused at the idea that the voters who elected me, a Labour MP in a red wall seat we lost to the Tories in 2019, are somehow the voters of Labour’s past rather than its present We tried only winning our urban base. That gave us 2019.

I am in tears The Employment Rights Bill has passed the Lords and goes for Royal Assent this week Sick pay for everyone No more zero hours contracts No more trade union act 2016 years So much more Doing what you sent a Labour government here to do

Aside from all this arguing, as a cleverer person than me pointed out, we all know (pretty conclusively) who our mum is, none of us really know who our dad is (w/o modern science anyway).

Hereditary peers made the difference to block the Employment Rights Bill this week… 33 Tory hereditary peers voted - we lost by 24 Disgraceful Millions of low-paid workers may be denied sick pay by people who owe their positions to who their dad and grandad was

Darwinian Christmas

This is interesting from Melbourne. In the UK we have a different problem with passenger forecasts for new rail routes regularly anticipating much lower ridership than actually takes place.

This is an excellent article. Along with the higher sunk cost of EV cars, the arrival of Uber, Lime Bikes and IKEA doing deliveries all helped dilute Zipcar's user base. www.londoncentric.media/p/zipcar-lon...

Not owned a car since 1984 and that was a Cortina Mk III

Last night at a rural Scottish holiday mobile home park, a pint of Keg Belhaven Best and 175 glass of red wine £11.09 I did a double check, but that's the price!

'Ma da's on the roondaboot today, so he say's I canna ride me bike anymoar' www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/5378...

Aw reet! As it’s #LancashireDay I’m going to give away a Northern Sky A4 unframed print. Inspired by my hometown of Blackburn and Nick Drake. Repost and follow me to enter. I’ll pick a winner after 9pm (27 Nov) www.gailmyerscough.co.uk/product-page...

🚗 UK Budget Response from Transform Scotland Transform Scotland spokesperson, Emilia Lauder, welcomes the Chancellor’s baby steps toward fairer motoring taxes. The new mileage-based charge for EVs and long-overdue changes to fuel duty finally move us closer to a 'polluter pays' system.

Moar roads and moar dangerous roads. Protesters campaign against safe travel infrastructure in Fife. www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/5378...

Fife's drivers complaining about too much traffic disruption want to ensure there's more traffic on our roads... eu1.hubs.ly/H0pRFtl0

I have been developing retail properties and groceries for 25 years. This week, an interview with me appeared in Germany's leading real estate newspaper, and it will be republished (🤞) next week in the leading business newspaper. The topic: The bicycle is the future of downtown retail.

I've capped this post from the Mayor of London with an old Kipper Williams cartoon from the once great Time Out magazine. Really pleased to see my old home doing better looking after the air we breath.

The government says it wants to achieve growth but then it doesn't want immigrants, doesn't want to electrify the railways, and doesn't want high-speed trains. It's like me saying I want to lose weight and then eating a full English every day for breakfast.

Whatever else comes out once the attack on the ECML train last night, this alone is a credit to the train crew, driver, and signalling team. Huntingdon was the first possible stop. In a highly stressful situation and improvising a plan the train lost just 3 minutes vs line speed to get there.

The Tories have copied the 'Led by Donkeys' van with a video for this caper. But being Tories they've taken it a little too literally...

We should have heeded the poppy madness for what was to come.

It's that moment again for National Trust members to vote to keep the entryists out. Quick and easy to vote and please do so by 31st of October Quick Vote link keeps the AstroTurfers out. Then share. Thank you. secure.cesvotes.com/V3-3-0/nt25/...

Useful idiots unknowingly working for the air and road lobby. Imagine boasting that you've managed to induce panic at a public transport terminal....

Jesus. The replies to this. Staff aren't entitled to free parking any more than anyone else. Free parking at hospitals would take money away from frontline care. Does anyone want to reduce say cancer care do drivers can park for free? Park legally or take the sodding bus.

Some of the responses to this post suggest that Bluesky is rapidly going the way of twitter/X unfortunately.

Blimey, found myself agreeing with Simon Jenkins...must be this flu I've got. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

About 10-15 years ago folk were posting one-take 1-2 minute films of various locations where the camera travelled around a building or a streetscape or college or similar, all in a single take. Does anyone here recall them?

This is well worth a visit, Newton Stewart has some great accommodation, lovely scenery and walks, a first class outdoor shop and nearby is Wigtown, Scotland's own booktown. www.tradmusic.com/autumn-trad-...

I love this. Last week got involved in a public discussion on Royalty which led into an elected HoS. As usual the tropes of 'President Thatcher, President Blair or now even President Starmer' were rolled out. My response was 'the Irish have done pretty well in recent years' 1/2

You have nothing to lose but your chain.

These images are separated by one day

The Tory Party has done a complete Back to the Eighties with this, casual racism and shitty cruel policies.

Eighteen years as #wigtown book festival visitors. We're old hands but still get taken by surprise at how wonderful this festival is. Highlight for me this year was Jenny Lindsay and her talk on Hounded. The book is her story of losing her living, home, security and many friends. An incredible talk

Absolutely bonkers, how have the police got drawn into permitting this?

This is excellent news, a much needed positive story from Labour.

Active travel is a public health issue. We really really need politicians at all levels to understand that building decent bike lanes won't just help a few Lycra-clad blokes: it will have a massive impact on people's health long term.

"The people of this country imagine they're living in a democracy." Catch The Hack on itvX It's a must-watch. Brilliant work by Alan Rusbridger, Nick Davies and all at The Guardian

The Hack must be the best telly drama this year. Rivetting!

Quote with your reaction to getting left behind in the rapture…

This brief thread with Ian has made me so happy this morning and we're giggling away here...

Well done that escalator!

@mrjamesob.bsky.social Lovely John Stapleton story with Andy's mum. Thankyou for that James, working in my cold shed and it made me feel all warm for a few minutes.