Again, a new patient angrily declined a consultation because of the mask mandate in my medical practice. She even wrote a devastating Google review. I'm sick and tired of this. Where should we protect vulnerable people if not in healthcare? I practice medicine according to scientific evidence. 😔

It was an astoundingly stupid strategy and one implemented in response to the usual cries of “waste” and “productivity” while pointing at the NHS. … “get rid of the paper pushers, we need more doctors”…. And we end up with surgeons posting letters.

Young people are facing a ‘mental health emergency’ as referrals reach a record high. The charity YoungMinds reported that '932,822 under-18s had an active mental health referral'. 'In the worst cases, patients waited more than two-and-a-half years.' @mrjamesob.bsky.social @lbc.co.uk #lbc

So many mooted explanations as to why the UK has a rising number of young people not in employment, education or training hit one or both of the problems that a) the United Kingdom, not the world, has a rising number of Neets b) the rising number correlates with economic deprivation!

“They’ve failed to get on the ladder”. That language! It reminds me of - Jobs are “created”, not “found”, but they’re “lost”, not “destroyed”. Crumbs from the table! #jamesobrien @lbc.co.uk @mrjamesobrien.bsky.social

OK, I've done some research while wilting here in Archers country. Don’t rely on any of this if you’re wanting to section your stepdad or avoid the Dysfunctional Family Tax … Cont/ #TheArchers

Of course, anybody who has to tell 'everything' must start with "First the earth cooled then the dinosaurs came." #TheArchers

Yes Iain. Adam should tell the family *everything”. The constant undermining. The broken will-promise. The clonking cover up and Rhuarree’s anguish. The Bribery Of George. Where Johnny is. The location of the magic Ambridge crêche. The true nature of dark matter. *Everything”. #TheArchers

I desperately need to mute the phrase "during Covid." Or even worse, "back during Covid." It's still out there making people seriously ill, so I guess you mean back in those long ago days of .... RIGHT FUCKING NOW?

"can you get my opponent in Makersfield to tweet he wants to "smell and lick" Carole Vorderman's bum?" "strange first request, but as you desire my new northern master" "nice one, and get us a pint of gravy 'n all"

#DannyKruger - “Preparing For Government”. The definition of slapstick. #ReformUK #Makerfield

"Dear Diary, I asked my lawyers if I could sue Ben Habib for saying I was paid £1m to throw an election. They said of course - as long as he's lying. Bollocks - back to the drawing board...."

Nobody talks like this!!! I’ve stood side by side with sisters for 40 years. I’ve also worked with brilliant theatre practitioners…. Including writers. Nobody talks like this!!! Oh and - someone please have a word with Ruth and Pip. #AsBadAsEachOther #TheArchers @thecidershedpod.bsky.social

“General Manager”? Zippedy Bleeding Doo. What Ian has always wanted 🤦‍♂️🙄 #TheArchers

My symptoms don’t just fluctuate, they shuffle, bounce, pivot, recoil, rebound, oscillate, swing, and occasionally pirouette.

That noise you can hear is me dying laughing that Keir Starmer called his government "progressive".

No essay - just thoughts as it happened.. #Starmer

Is that Erik’s original voice? #TheArchers

Here’s a maths question. It’s just a question of counting. How many people sustained multiple knife injuries in the sickening, appalling and contemptible attack by Essa Suleiman last week? And what do the victims have in common?

A refreshing example where the moral position is piercingly clear. So that’s scary to the establishment. But an establishment that is terrified of clarity and thrives on contortion is not worth protecting or preserving.

If the government wants to tackle the "online breeding ground of antisemitism" why on earth are Keir Starmer, the government and @heidialexander.bsky.social still posting on X? www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cw...

What on Earth is the backbone music in the tea rooms? #TheArchers

Charles has gone on a fool's errand to America. Doesn't serve British interests, and nothing will change regarding Trump, who's an unpredictable lunatic. How much has this performative cavalcade cost the UK taxpayer? Why are we footing the bill?

I’m not sure why we still have a monarch. It seems like a medieval anachronism to me; a demonstration of inherited status and the the pinnacle of an entrenched aristocracy. And I’m really not sure why our monarch has gone to the US to stand next to another man with too much power, land and money.

I have the strange feeling that #MorganMcSweeny is a poisonous viper who somehow thinks he’s a fluffy sheep dog. #Mandelson #Starmer

Ok. Obviously I’m no economist, but could someone tell me why we can’t just TAX. THESE. BASTARDS. OUT. OF. EXISTENCE?

I am not a fan of #Starmer by a long way, but I think we must agree that this is appalling and possibly fraudulent data harvesting @electoralcommission.org.uk ? Can we report and investigate? @uklabour.bsky.social @zackpolanski.bsky.social @greenparty.org.uk

“In relation to malign state actors more generally, proscription, we do need legislation in order to take necessary measures, and that is legislation that we’re bringing forward as soon as we can. We go into a new session in a few weeks’ time, and we’ll bring that legislation forward.” #Starmer. Meh

This is a good move. Next - The #IDF (Labour Friends Of Israel are going to make sure the UK government continue to support a genocidal apartheid state though). www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Long Covid shares many characteristics with M.E./CFS and my LC grew up into proper M.E. Graded Exercise Therapy can be lethal for those who have ME/CFS so this isn’t surprising. More surprising is the ignorance of so many medical professionals.

Adam’s going to clonk Brain isn’t he!? #TheArchers

Maddy Corper shares her experience of life before Long Covid, and how the illness has impacted her life. Find us on Facebook - we have a general Long Covid Support Group, a Men's Support Group and a Carers' Support Group. #LongCovid #LongCovidAwareness #LongCovidSupport

When has there ever been restrictions on vaccines before Covid. It’s all political. Do we have living with TB! It’s so ableist to say ‘living with Covid’ whilst restricting covid vaccines, antivirals and therapeutics.

How is this in anyway good for our economy? Hundreds of thousands of people and millions of long covid sufferers have made similar choices and been ignored by the government.

Many of us Clinically vulnerable have had to give up jobs we loved. I have had to give up performing and I love music so much. It’s been absolutely crushing not having good access to antivirals and vaccines. Labour has removed more as time has gone on which went against WHO advice.

Sorry Amol - how is the word “farrago” pronounced!? 😊 #R4Today

Happy Birthday to @thecidershedpod.bsky.social 🍰🎉🥂👏🏻 I hope you celebrate a bit @mrweir.bsky.social and @keriwarbis.bsky.social

Let me get this right. #Starmer announced #Mandelson's appointment before the vetting process was complete. Is that right? If that's the case, there must have been implicit pressure on the #FCO to overrule the security recommendations in the face of making Starmer look like a fool. Heaven forbid!

Brutal assessment. Hard to argue with.

I went to the library to get a book on Pavlov's dog and Schrodinger's cat. The librarian said that she thought it rang a bell but wasn't sure if it was there or not!

BREAKING: We’re taking the government to court over Palantir. The government is refusing to hand over important briefings given to Wes Streeting about the £330m NHS data contract with Peter Thiel’s surveillance firm So we’re taking legal action. democracyforsale.substack.com/p/breaking-w...

We should be learning from other countries...

2026: Keir Starmer repeatedly says he was not told that Peter mandelson failed security vetting 2025: Oliver Robbins to parliament on November 2025, "It was clear the Prime Minister wanted to make this appointment himself. The FCDO was informed of his decision and acted upon it"

Once upon a time, #AndyKershaw came to my studio to record a voiceover for a motorbike video. He ignored the No Smoking signs and exhaled smelly fog over the mic all afternoon. But he did arrive on a Harley Davidson, so that was cool.

Who among us has not mistaken the holy words of Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction for biblical scripture?

I once fused the whole of the Waitrose national warehouse with my floor polisher. Just saying Bluesky.

Pope Leo today: "Blessed are the peacemakers." "Woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic and political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth."

Zero issue with cracking down on dodgy immigration advisers, they cause significant harm. Predictably though the BBCs poor reporting on this is being used to attack LGBTQIA asylum seekers, who at last figures make up roughly 2% of claims. 1/ www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Well. #SharonOsbourne can fuck right off.

Oh yes #Kemi Uganda is a beacon of civilised and respectful behaviour. It’s enough to make @nickferrarilbc.bsky.social drool. @lbc.co.uk www.amnesty.org/en/location/...