Andy Burnham makes former Defence Secretary John Healey his Chancellor, contrary to the many earlier briefings that it would be Shabana Mahmood. Healey was previously a Treasury minister under Gordon Brown

Today marks my first day “back” in the office after a year of maternity leave. There is no picking up “back” where I left off. There is no catching up – a good takeaway from so many broken nights. There is only moving forward and grappling with working within a parent’s schedule.

Going to be seeing a much younger family member at the start of her civil service career at the weekend. Was totting up that she’ll soon have served under 5 PMs - the same number as in my 27-year career. (Not that I’m against the current change - just hope it works out.)

Frightening.

Implication of Bloomberg's story on Burnham plans: Ed Miliband won't be in the government. #BBCPM

Congratulations to the government on saving 2700 jobs by nationalising British Steel. Now, about the 18,000 university jobs lost in the last 18 months, with more coming…

To me, the big picture problem here is that it sets Labour back on the same failed course as 2024 to 2026, of offering nothing to social liberals but going “don’t worry. Can I interest you in some failed economics instead?”

If the head of US intelligence isn't able to say who won the election in 2020, then maybe he shouldn't be head of US intelligence.

@auntiesyzygy.bsky.social you might enjoy - made me think of some of the olive groves I think you’ve posted/reposted in the past?

Wordsworth’s Lakeland yews: First, from yesterday - the pride of Lorton Vale

Always remember the lavish 14 Juillet celebrations hosted by the French embassy. The one bit of hospitality I enjoyed as civil servant, when I was involved in international tax. Brought to an abrupt end c. 2010 when the London celebrations eclipsed the toned-down mood in Paris under l’austérité.

Some great views today from Rannerdale and Lorton. Solway Firth just visible in last one, between two trees and behind Robin Rigg wind farm.

As always eyes are fantastic.

Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) ♀ today in Bengeo garden. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social

Never have the precautionary cotton sweaters packed for a summer trip to Lake District been such an unnecessary weight. (Except perhaps 50 years ago when the roads melted, but I don’t recall cotton sweaters being a thing back then.)

Derwentwater

Polistichus connexus yesterday in Bengeo garden, really attractive coastal carabid beetle. Once regarded as rare but now disperses on hot July nights & is increasingly recorded at light traps. @carabidaeuk.bsky.social #attractedtolight #climatechange

Chrysopa dorsalis yesterday in Bengeo garden, rare lacewing associated with Pines. One of two green lacewing species with significant darkened markings on head & body. Head pattern distinguishes it from much commoner perla. @kitenet.bsky.social #Neuroptera #attractedtolight

NEW - Greens won’t stand in Clacton. So it is Nigel Farage versus Count Binface.

‘Polarization’ has become the master concept for diagnosing our current democratic crisis. But this is not polarization. It is the radicalization of the political right. By misdiagnosing it, we risk becoming complicit in the crisis. 🧵 Just out in Perspectives on Politics doi.org/10.1017/S153...

BREAKING - Labour will not stand a candidate in Clacton by-election, NEC confirms Tories, Restore, Lib Dems also won’t stand against Nigel Farage. Has the stunt backfired?

I can reveal that Labour isn't putting forward a candidate for the Clacton by-election....

EXC - The £5m gift to Nigel Farage by a cryptocurrency billionaire was reported to the National Crime Agency by bankers who were concerned it may have been laundered money, the Guardian can reveal. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Outrage against democracy.

SEATTLE (AP) - United States eliminated from World Cup, losing 4-1 to Belgium in round of 16.

In one chapter of his book entitled 'The Art of the Bribe', Nigel Farage donor and convicted fraudster George Cottrell describes how politicians can be bought www.ft.com/content/7a0f...

4/ BTW, Fedichkin, the Russian "diplomat" to whom Andy Wigmore forwarded documents about Cottrell's arrest, was also the guy who invited Arron Banks to the first of many meetings with the Russian Ambassador. (Alexander Udod was a Russian spy they'd met with earlier).

3/ The BBC (and others) really should give more detail of the fraud for which Nigel Farage's close associate & benefactor George Cottrell was convicted & jailed in the US. This was to do with him offering to launder drug money. Here's part of the 2016 indictment. #bbclaurak

The Times has temporarily won back an online subscription from me to read that Farage investigation. (Tbh I’ve been looking for an excuse as I need to re-access an 1855 article from their archive.)

We’re not even surprised anymore. A grifter, being slowly found out.

Absolutely extraordinary story from the Sunday Times that is going to be very hard for Farage to deflect. "Nigel Farage secretly funded by convicted criminal" www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

In this remarkable image of white supremicists on a subway train in Washington I see cowards afraid to show their faces and a strong woman who shouldn't have to put up with this shit. (Photo: Cheney Orr - Reuters)

Intrigued to hear Danny Kruger, of Reform UK, tell Any Questions that universities need to "change their business model". What would he suggest? Selling crypto? Acting as "brand ambassadors" for Direct Bullion? Recording videos saying "Up the Ra"? Or getting a billionaire to chuck us £5 million?

British Academy President's statement on the UK's higher education crisis, July 2026.

I used to think it was because of work that I had to tell myself to slow down in the first couple of days of a holiday. Now I find It wasn’t work, it was me.

I did love the "Burnham better not borrow to fund defence" when he's just increased borrowing to hold petrol's price down and make summer holiday activities cheaper. Maybe we can set Dudley Zoo's animals on the Russians

Goniglossum wiedemanni appears here every so often & prospers until arrival of Utetes testaceus. After which, G.wiedemanni may disappear & U.testaceus also vanishes. Eventually Goniglossum wiedemanni re-appears & cycle starts over again. This perhaps explains why Goniglossum wiedemanni is scarce.

White Bryony (Bryonia dioica) is special plant with its own bee, ladybird, moth & picture-wing fly. These support other unique species. Utetes testaceus ♀ today in Bengeo garden, braconid wasp parasitoid of Goniglossum wiedemanni, picture-wing fly. @haggewoods.bsky.social @rlewington2.bsky.social

Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia) feeding on Buddleia (Buddleja davidii) today in Bengeo garden, now annual visitor here. @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social

Music is not a luxury here. It is proof that we are still alive. Two young women. Two banduras. One bench in a Ukrainian city. They played. People stopped. No one said a word. hfu.org

The New Statesman cover this week is priceless

you try and drag me back to France yourself, you weasel-faced I'm not going to finish that sentence publicly because unfortunately I would like to remain gainfully employed

I have to say, it's making me feel a little insane hearing commentators say Ed Miliband shouldn't be chancellor because of his "ideological zeal" for Net Zero, in a week where temperatures are so extreme that my kids are being sent home early every day and it's regularly 30 degrees inside my house

How do they have the gall to do this in a week like this?

can’t believe a narcissist is being so publicly humiliated by a reflecting pool

++BREAKING++ Leading climate scientists in the UK have written to senior editors in broadcast media - and OFCOM and IPSO: "To express our concern about recent media coverage of extreme weather, climate change and net-zero and to urge you…to inform public audiences of the scientific links"

'About 150 academic roles are set to go at the south-west institution, which said it was targeting areas that are “no longer sustainable” or have seen changes in student demand.' History and English are name-checked. 1/3

Burnham and Starmer hold ‘frosty’ meeting to thrash out transition of power

You may disagree, or rightly point out that consequences matter far more than motives, but my take is that the driver of the most morally repugnant decisions Starmer took was cowardice rather than malice. Maybe that's actually worse. The damage weak men can do.

Buttermere dawn