Well done to @swindoncouncil.bsky.social for launch of ‘Heart of Swindon’ prospectus. Speeches from public/private sector leaders incl @jimrobbins.bsky.social @willstonemp.bsky.social @heidialexander.bsky.social Good to catch up with James Coulstock and discuss all things @vistrygroup.bsky.social.

Great!

Amazing news

Absolutely delighted that Swindon Borough Council has been shortlisted for the Local Government Chronicle ‘Most Improved Council’ in their 2025 awards. A real testament to the amazing work of Council officers to get behind the Labour administration and help us to #BuildABetterSwindon

Had a great time with @coopcouncils.bsky.social at their annual conference in Greenwich! Brilliant conversations, outstanding speakers and a real desire to support the Govt missions! #IYC20205

Delighted to travel to Woolwich today to take part in the @coopcouncils.bsky.social AGM & Conference. It's essential that Cllrs from all over the country contribute to the direction of travel & I'm honoured to represent District Councils (& opposition groups) UK wide on the Exec Board.

Busy week in Swindon, meeting with the MP’s offices, Arval-a key local employer, a @coopcouncils.bsky.social board meeting, Children’s Improvement Board, planted a tree on Fleming Way, attended a devolution meeting with partners in the Thames Valley and spoke at an online @coopparty.party.coop conf!

This morning is the @coopparty.party.coop's South West conference. Looking forward to speaking with @jimrobbins.bsky.social, @tomrenhard.bsky.social, @lukepollard.bsky.social, about how they are putting co-op ideas into action! It's all online so you can join in too!

Dear Ms Truss, Please send me a similar legal letter and I will be glad to repeat the allegation without Parliamentary Privilege.

Really good to hear this is back in #Swindon in a few weeks and will be sponsored again by @ukri.org among others. Looking forward to seeing the full programme

Can we send her a cease and desist letter, for reputational damage, on behalf of the country?

Really delighted to see this announcement of £60m for the Creative Industries through DCMS and @ukri.org. The creative industries are such a key contributor to the economy, with huge potential not only for growth but real social impact, so this is really encouraging to see www.gov.uk/government/n...

It's a goal of mine to help make this the most famous, well-known and UNDERSTOOD quote about cities in history. Please share it as much as you can. #InducedDemand

I do kind of admire 'it's wrong to means-test the winter fuel allowance'....four hours later...'we should look at means-testing the triple lock'.

"From a Tory voter in a Labour seat." Ouch.

I never felt more like singing the Blues, When Leicester, Everton & Wolves all lose! Oh Ipswich, you got me singing the Blues 💙⚽ 💙⚽

Andrew Norfolk is the former Times journalist whose work brought the grooming gang scandal to public attention...

A real public servant, who’s spent a lifetime protecting women and girls.

@bertsbooks.bsky.social any chance you could get me a copy of @grahamallcott.bsky.social’s book Kind? Cheers!

Lots accomplished in our first 18 months as the new #Labour Swindon Borough Council Administration, loads more to do and lots planned for 2025! Particularly excited that the Lyndhurst Centre -a new youth/ family centre -will open this year in the Park North area I represent

Great to see a positive story about Swindon Council to start the year off! open.substack.com/pub/theinksw... We know that we still have plenty of challenges but we are making progress and are determined to address the big issues facing Swindon! Hoping to make more progress in 2025!

I understand the sentiment behind dry January, but if you don't want to commit to this, I've an alternative. Pub January, where you stop in at your local hostelry, have a drink and support a sector that is in danger of shrinking into obscurity, and with it a large of part of our heritage.

Two iconic pictures from Ipswich’s outstanding win against Chelsea tonight… #itfc

Get in! A home win at last and a clean sheet. Uppa Town! #ITFC

🎉 Ipswich Town record their first home win of the season as they beat Enzo Maresca's Chelsea 2-0. Liam Delap scored from the penalty spot, before Omari Hutchinson added against his former club […] [Original post on coracle.social]

Tbf you could make “reversing stupid Pickles rules” a whole section of the devo white paper with great success I would have thought.

A rare actual good news story: bees – both honey bees and wild bees – seem to be doing better in the UK. Bee-friendly planting, less pesticide use and an uptick in beekeeping are all having results 🐝 🎉 inews.co.uk/inews-lifest...

By #duvetknowitshchristmas standards, this qualifies as a double bed

So, let's try doing #duvetknowitschristmas here this evening? People are literally Driving Home For Christmas right now, which MIGHT JUST mean that they'll be sleeping somewhere unusual. 1/

Waking up to a foggy Swindon this morning. Rudolf must be hoping he will get the call!

“Why It’s So Frickin’ Hard to Stop Driving? Even when better options for commuting are available, people usually don’t make the switch. But there are tricks to help them.” Another good one by @davidzipper.bsky.social in @slate.bsky.social. Change IS hard. We have to be a lot better at it.

Woke up and taken the dog out in the dark. Delighted to remember this is the shortest day and the days will be getting longer from tomorrrow!

Can we please never forget this. #ClimateCrisis #ClimateEmergency

I think this was the radio call in question: www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiZB...

The committee at Glamorgan unveil a new picture of club legend Robert Croft.

Pleased to be running a Webinar on Cooperative Values-driven AI for @coopcouncils.bsky.social. Great to be here from Andrew Laird and Rob Gregory about successful projects being run in Local Authorities.

We are determined to shift power out of Westminster to Mayors, Councils and the communities they serve. Read our English Devolution White Paper as we outline the case for change, how we will achieve it, and the benefits to communities and economies across the country. www.gov.uk/government/p...

Good final Scrutiny meeting of 2024 last night, looking at the upcoming budget challenges and the Leader's report. Lots going on at @swindoncouncil.bsky.social , looking forward to 2025!

Just home from a @swindoncouncil.bsky.social Scrutiny committee and straight into reading the Devolution White Paper…

Nice to receive a Christmas Card from the Prime Minister today.

Not a bad place to sit and have a call into the Graham Rogers show on BBC Wiltshire. Great to chat about the new plans for the Oasis and positive news about the wave machine!

My 12yo daughter has been sharing comedy sketches with her friends from school. I’ve just introduced her to the Morecambe & Wise Breakfast sketch, the Two Ronnies Mastermind sketch and Abbot and Costello’s Who’s on First sketch. Any other good recommendations? Thanks in advance!

Nothing has cheered me up this year like the resurrection of Notre Dame.

Lovely Guardian editorial acknowledging 15 years of our silly little show, and our wonderful BAFTA special award #HorribleHistories www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

🏡 In our budget for the year, we committed additional cash to support homeless people living in temporary accommodation, so it’s good to have this service now live: www.p3charity.org/about-us/lat...

'In fact, Horrible Histories is a very British phenomenon, part of a long tradition of self-parody. This may explain why the model hasn’t been copied abroad. Fifteen years after it first exploded on our screens, there is still nothing like it.' Interesting point, if true.

Never forget, it doesn’t take much to add some smiles and surprises to your city. Just a civic culture of fun and creativity, or at least a culture of not getting in the way of fun and creativity. Is that YOUR city? More of this. #CityOfSmiles #FunCity

Question Time audience member’s powerful migrant monologue goes viral Apologies for the X link... www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/que...