My thoughts on Zack Polanski - a 🧵 Part of Zack's current problems certainly come from a right-wing press who have always attacked anyone to the left of the Tories. Labour has suffered from this for decades, and the Lib Dems too. But it's not the whole story. 1/

Canal footbridge, Manchester #10MinutesFromHome #AlphabetChallenge #WeekRforReflections #Photography

Giving councils more powers to tackle fly-tipping is good news. It's a *big* issue in many communities, The only question I have is funding. @jamesasser.bsky.social mentioned money, but I'm not clear what that means - are councils getting extra govt funding to tackle flytipping?

It’s official: I no longer work for the Observer, they have decided to move away from data journalism. Which means I’m now looking for work! I'm a data journalist who has worked on award-winning projects, and I'm excited to really be able to work on stories that matter 🙏

"Shall I put you down as a possible?"

Vote Lib Dem or ‘regret it’ living under a Reform council, Davey tells voters

When radio became popular, people worried children would sit around listening to it instead of playing outside. The same happened with TV, the internet and smartphones. But none of those stop children playing outside. Only cars do that.

Canal footbridge, Manchester #10MinutesFromHome #AlphabetChallenge #WeekRforReflections #Photography

Natasha: There was me showing them the sights, pointing out areas of natural beauty Tom: Maybe keep your clothes on next time? #TheArchers #WelshValley

The correct line on the Reform concentration camps story is "Reform will spout any nonsense to distract voters from the £5 million donation to Farage, the JCB corruption story and the many other stories showing Reform only cares about their rich donors, not about ordinary people."

"Penetrol - wherever there's a crowd" Sure, why not call it that. (1951)

Howdy! in Longsight is dedicated to bringing you a 100% authentic Wild West experience.

Greater Manchester has never had a proper Mayoral election, just coronations for Burnham. If Burnham steps down and other parties decide to run properly funded campaigns, almost anything could happen.

1976, when a national newspaper could lead with the shock story of a North London mansion with a sale price of ... *Doctor Evil voice* ... ONE MILLION POUNDS.

The first use of "May the fourth be with you": an advert from Conservative Party workers wishing Margaret Thatcher well in the 1979 General Election. It's unlikely that Thatcher would have got the reference.

I'm glad Brad has been released from his bedroom after four months locked away. #TheArchers

It’s the 115th anniversary of a long debate in the Reichstag (it takes up 17 pages of the official proceedings) about... typefaces. This, you see, was one of the big moments in the Antiqua–Fraktur dispute (which was really a modernity-tradition dispute, which eventually involved Nazis. Of course) 🧵

Pondlife #AlphabetChallenge #WeekRforReflections

Greater Manchester has never had a proper Mayoral election, just coronations for Burnham. If Burnham steps down and other parties decide to run properly funded campaigns, almost anything could happen.

Reform's fascist-lite policy announcement is designed to grab publicity in the last few days of the campaign. Give it the kicking it deserves this morning, then move on and let it die.

The lowest of the low

This will cost billions, all to do something that was easy before Trump's mad war. BBC News - Trump says US to 'guide' stranded ships through Strait of Hormuz www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

That turned out to be wise Ferguson taken to hospital as precaution before Man Utd v Liverpool - www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...

Please do take a look at my Happy Birthday Northern Ireland thread. It took a bit of time and I'm confident you'll enjoy at least one or two stories.

I'd probably get a cleaner in.

Northern Ireland was created on this day in 1921, solving the Irish Question with no negative repercussions. But it doesn't seem to have been a big an event at the time. Here are the front page* stories from the Belfast Telegraph on 3 May 2021. 🧵 * Actually p3 - pages 1 & 2 were for advertising.

Everyone! This week we stock the following vape flavours: • Show Glow Up: David falls under the influence. • Pickled in Brian: Adam gets all Agro. • Testing Times: Ruth gets cowed. 🍏♥️🍏 #TheArchers podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...

The last ten years has mostly been a story of British voters punishing politicians for failing to achieve the impossible: to reverse the effects of Brexit without reversing Brexit. The politicians mostly knew this and lied about it, so we shouldn't feel too sorry for them.

Abney Hall Park, Cheadle. Agatha Christie wrote a book here. #Photography #Scape #Reflections #EastCoastKin #10MinutesFromHome #Stunday

It looks like Farage has been bought out by foreign Bitcoin billionaires, but he’s deluded if he thinks the British people will stand for this. From lobbying for crypto tax cuts to online bitcoin stunts, it seems Farage is only interested in lining his own pockets

When Liberal Democrat councils are doing this well, it’s no surprise even Kemi Badenoch wants a share of the credit.

We've had a heat pump tumble drier for over five years. Works well, does what you'd expect. It takes longer to dry clothes than the older type, but that's rarely a problem.

This looks to be a positive and workable approach to ending leasehold in England and Wales - hopefully it will be a success.

I've always thought "shotgun wedding" refers to the groom being forced to marry his pregnant bride at the business end of a shotgun wielding by the bride's angry father. But looking in the newspaper archive, it seems to originally just be a quick wedding, perhaps to legitimise an unborn child.

Something doesn’t add up here.

They say Starmer promised to follow Corbyn's policies, then betrayed them, but he's clearly learnt *some* lessons from the Labour left.

Whatever you think of Zack's politics - and I'm not a fan - being attacked by a politician who supports genocide and widespread breaking of international law is a tick in the plus column.

A leaflet from my local Conservative candidate has a story about supporting the high street, accompanied with an AI picture which erases all the existing businesses and shows two cars completely blocking the pavement. We don't need that sort of support, thanks.

Again, if you are involved with a small charity, ideally in the south west of England, I have 3 volunteer days per year to use, and I would be happy to look at your IT. I can do some immediate fixes, if needed, and can make longer-term suggestions. For free. All YOU need to do is ask me.

This is a wasp, but I've been struggling for #AlphabetChallenge photos this week, so can we say it's a queen bee. #WeekQforQueens

Loads of election posters up in Longsight (part of Gorton and Denton constituency). Last week it was pretty even between Green and Labour, this week Workers Party GB have put a load more up. Howdy - the Wild West theme pub - had Green posters last week. Now they have Green AND Workers Party.

This morning my wife reminded me that we need more food bags for the caddy. An hour later I opened the front door to find a roll of food bags left by the council. Slightly worried they might be bugging the house but very impressed with the level of service!

OTD: UK General Election 1997 In which I wasn’t elected, but my Beloved eventual-husband and I accidentally became a metaphor for what wasn’t shown on TV then and we all had to fill in Straight friends: “We saw you on TV” Queer friends: “We saw you on TV holding hands” Find someone who looks at you…

“I hope this film will be a deep listening exercise for the country and start an informed conversation. No one is having that discussion at the moment, people are on opposing sides.”

We should really try this in the UK - free up a US airforce base for a better use. Could be ideal for a New Town.

David's slogan for the show: "You'll be dying to be here - just like Nigel and Jethro." #TheArchers

Hayley and Hazel #Photography #EastCoastKin #10MinutesFromHome

This waterfront skyscraper district proposed for Liverpool will divide opinion, but it looks good to me. share.google/BZJxl7OBoXUF...

These sound effects albums are getting surprisingly niche

Fascinating and weirdly disconcerting reference to the Ku Klux Klan in this 1951 British advert for a perm hair product. "She's chased through the forest by Klansmen in hoods, but no matter what happens, her curls will remain. For the girl has a perm."