No wonder #EveryoneHatesElon

Oxford Street, central London, Saturday night. Outside a major retailer, homeless people have set up their beds for the night under the canopy in case it rains.

#RejoinEU without delay. No more excuses.

#CarersWeek: “The death of my husband was a hard enough blow to deal with. This was made so much worse by having to repeatedly tell DWP to stop paying the allowance – it was a constant reminder of my life ‘stopping’ for four years while I was a full-time #UnpaidCarer for him,” said Farrell 💜

London buses are free for pensioners with a bus pass from anywhere in the UK. #EveryoneHatesElon

David Hockney changed the way we see the world. He opened our eyes to life in so many ways. We’re lucky to have so many of his artworks to treasure now that he’s gone.

‘People diagnosed with #dementia are still routinely being advised to disengage from life as they know it and prepare to die – something that Kate Swaffer, an internationally known Australian dementia campaigner, calls “prescribed disengagement”.’ It’s not the end www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

UK #CarersWeek begins today, to mark the millions of invisible unpaid “friends and family” carers without whom the social care and healthcare systems would collapse. Here’s a video we made with contributors to our 2022 book #WhoCares: Joys and challenges Unpaid carers. youtu.be/vL7NqCsqwlI?...

If Britain built the public transport #infrastructure, we could do this in all our cities. Let’s start now and give ourselves the same advantages the French enjoy!

“Jon is shining a light on the need for faster, fairer access to diagnosis. An early diagnosis can unlock vital support, help families plan ahead and potentially open the door to participation in clinical trials.“ Accurate diagnosis is the key to #dementia care. www.theguardian.com/media/2026/j...

“As we’ve discovered the hard way with water, energy and railways, public ownership of public services works better and costs less.. if there is one service above all others that capital should never be allowed to get its filthy hands on, it is children in care.”

#SewageScandal: For privatised water utilities, a fine of £1.85m is a drop in the ocean. Negligence on this scale causes so much damage to public health that these breaches should carry criminal penalties. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

#BookSky “I think this might be a Hay first, in which we have an author in a hostage situation. Blink once if you can hear us, Sarah, twice if [Mark] Zuckerberg is an asshole.” At the end of the event, Wynn-Williams received a standing ovation from the audience, during which she was moved to tears.

Privatisation of water in a nutshell: They make us pay more They dump sewage in our rivers They sell off our reservoirs and build none But but but… the CEO is paid hundreds of thousands And the shareholders have been paid billions Congratulations England, we can’t figure out what 90% can.

Chair of Chichester District Council, Cllr Clare Apel, describes how she started the committee to commemorate the #Holocaust in Chichester 11 years ago with then-Mayor Martyn Bell, so we never forget what happened in #Auschwitz. www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/the-pai...

“Is this the new standard of living in modern day Britain? Myself and my daughter have no water for bathing, washing utensils, for drinking or flushing the toilet during one of the hottest Mays on record.” Water industry privatisation keeps failing. Public health is declining.

“I feel very strongly that you have to stand up and play your part,” said Maureen Duffy, who has died aged 92. Writer, activist, campaigner for animal rights, gay rights and public lending right, she won many battles in her life and encouraged so many of us. www.theguardian.com/books/2026/m...

Immaculate journalist, author, artist, polymath Edward Thorpe is approaching his centenary. His chapter in our book #WhoCares? describes how he looked after his late wife, screenwriter Gillian Freeman, after her stroke. They both continued to write and take part in creative activities in London.

“The weight of evidence accumulated over decades is clear: the primary causes of inequalities in health, driving poorer health for poorer groups, are the material conditions in which people are born, live, work and grow old,” writes Prof Jennie Popay www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

#UnpaidCarers will recognise themselves and their families in this play. I even recognise the house! But the unfinished sentences, obviously conveying emotional tension, required precise timing from actors who were missing it tonight. Difficult, amusing comedy. www.the-guardian.com/stage/2026/m...

“That’s what public ownership’s going to do … attention is going to be paid to making the railway run better. Not what the contract gives you five bob for, but actually running it so that people can rely on it.” How a railway is improving after renationalisation. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Genius. “This is how, in the early 1970s, he wrote one of his most famous songs, Send in the Clowns, from A Little Night Music – in 36 hours of total panic just days before the show previewed.” #Booksky

The first full Council meeting of the new West Sussex County Council takes place tomorrow, Friday 22 May. Though elections on 7 May left WSCC in no overall control, which party will run the newly-elected council? Watch it online to find out! www.westsussex.gov.uk/about-the-co...

“The government said it was giving more money to local authorities and promising stability to allow councils to plan years ahead.” Long-term plans? County councils are only going to exist for another 22 months under the plans for local government reorganisation! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

“If you’re already in government, you should spend big on public services: demonstrating in deed as well as word that life is improving,” says @georgemonbiot.bsky.social. Surely public services is what voters deserve from their elected representatives?

#SewageScandal: Surfers Against Sewage are about to meet with the government to discuss the sewage pollution scandal. Sign the petition to show just how many of us demand change. Over 270k have signed - now let's get this to a number Starmer can't ignore. you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/en...

Epic

#SewageScandal: “If there was an oil spill in the Solent that industry would have to pay for the restoration of those habitats, but that doesn’t happen with sewage,” says @dralexford.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/environment/...

In this month's local elections, the Lib Dems and Greens together received 8% more votes than REFUK. Where is the media attention to the strength of the liberal centre and left? Why do the 26% of voters with the most antisocial views get the sympathy?

#Libraries: “These institutions must be resourced to address national concerns including literacy, loneliness and information inequality,” notes @richove.bsky.social. giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... The UK must embrace its libraries in the age of AI

Data centres are coming to somewhere near you – in the UK. Even with all our rain, we will face water shortages unless the government regulate this sector carefully.

Wandsworth BC: Eric Clapton, 81, warned that if the plans were approved it would be a “free-for-all for other developers to build towers along the river”. He added: “These developers don’t give a damn what anyone thinks. They are just in it for the money.” www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Reed admitted “the prime minister is unpopular”, adding: “But each of the last four prime ministers in turn have been the most unpopular prime minister we’ve ever had.” Why are they still unpopular? “It’s the economy, stupid!” www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

#KingsSpeech “included several measures that ministers hope will boost economic growth, including a bill to lay the ground to adopt European regulations, which is part of the prime minister’s plan to move closer to the #EU.” www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

As @francesryan.bsky.social sagely points out, “unless Labour’s current flawed ideology (or lack of it) is addressed, swapping out the person in charge isn’t going to be much use.” www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Any cyclist who has undertaken a long distance cross country cycle tour will enjoy and relate to this story. Reminded me of cycling through mountains in Greece (Crete, Arcadia), Alps and Pyrenees #LivedExperience www.ft.com/content/20c3... My vicious cycle – Carol Sachs’ 15-month odyssey on wheels

Liberal Democrats had some good results today in West Sussex County elections. Thrilled to be elected to represent Chichester West Division.

Today is #PollingDay in local elections! Please don’t forget to take photo ID when you #Vote 🗳️

When you go to the polls in #UKelections tomorrow, don’t forget your photo ID.

This explains why the #SewageScandal chunders on … and none of the water utilities seem to face any consequences. youtu.be/HhdYLdh5OIs?...

“People could #vote Labour or Green and then we will get narrowly beaten by Reform and people will regret it for a long time,” says @eddavey.libdems.org.uk www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

In West Sussex County elections on 7 May, you can vote tactically to stop the Tories and Reform. Get smart voting advice at stopreformuk.vote/local/west-s...

For those that want to reduce dependence on big US tech, protect their data, & help the plant. Switch your search engine to ECOSIA - Berlin based - Non-profit - Profits used to plant trees and build solar farms - Personal data not sold

Two-thirds of Americans now feel the country is headed in the wrong direction. It certainly looks that way from across the ocean. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

Today in Chichester waited for a bus service that said it was due in 2 minutes, and turned up half an hour later. Similarly, perhaps MP for Bicester and Woodstock @calummillerld.bsky.social wonders what happened to delay this valuable infrastructure project? www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Bengal #cats are known to sleep in their backs. But ours likes to contort the sleeping position and it looks less than comfortable. #CatSky #CatsOfBluesky

Words matter. Stephen Fry used them carefully.

#MayDay protests in the USA. Gratifying to see the gestapo hasn’t rounded them all up … yet. www.theguardian.com/us-news/gall...

“This is ‘militarily top secret’ in the same way a stealth bomber it would be if it was pulling a banner that read ‘invisible plane,’” @latenightseth.bsky.social quipped Satire is the best antidote to fascism. www.theguardian.com/culture/2026...