Are you young, highly educated and driven, and want to contribute to our stagnant economy with its aging population and low productivity? Well out you go
Paramedic, now retired. Over 35 years in NHS/union and media. Wonderful dog. Miss our horse! No longer platform diving due to injury; 43 years wasn't a bad gig! We ignore the climate at our peril!
240 followers 276 following 599 posts
view profile on Bluesky
Are you young, highly educated and driven, and want to contribute to our stagnant economy with its aging population and low productivity? Well out you go
The UK has experienced drought & falling food yields this summer, yet "while 2025 has set a new record, we could plausibly experience much hotter summers in our current & near-future climate...what have been seen as extremes in the past are becoming more common" www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/new...
And yet our enlightened leader of the Opposition wants to max out the extraction of oil and gas reserves in the North Sea. Badenoch always appeared luke warm in her support for Net Zero; it doesn't appear to exist for her now. Clearl, the grim statistics from @metoffice.gov.uk are lost on her!
‘We fear we are next’: Palestinian journalists in Gaza targeted by Israeli smear campaigns
Keir Starmer's key adviser is leaving Downing Street after serving a year as director of communications for strategy.
Just reading the views of those involved with the selection process at Stanford, it's clear that there are more holes in her account than in a colander. Who is she trying to impress?? Doubts cast on Kemi Badenoch’s claim of US medical school offer www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Doubts cast on Kemi Badenoch’s claim of US medical school offer Stanford University ex-staff and experts raise questions over Tory leader’s claim of place and partial scholarship offered at 16, saying it is an impossible scenario www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Our North American correspondent has set out quite plainly what is occurring in the USA... .... and what happens when the foundation stones that protect you from your own government are failing..
We are not powerless, refuse to buy anything connected to this murderous, outlaw regime - and encourage everyone you know to do the same.
The findings of a new Met Office-led study have highlighted that the UK is already hotter & wetter,facing greater number of extreme weather events. In other news: Badenoch wants to extract all the oil & gas from the reserves in the North Sea. Absolute madness! www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
And yet, in Trump's world, he's head of the department tasked with protecting the health of the American people. You really couldn't make it up. His father must be turning in his grave!
Still staggered that Byline has no less than six contributors named on the Kremlin’s latest stop list - way more than any other UK media organisation. But beginning to wonder if this is as much to do with our investigation of the Levedevs (who still control a raft of UK media)
New in PN: Making Slavery Great Again "Without irony or shame — and to absolve their followers of any guilt or responsibility — Trump wants to whitewash America’s original sin."
Think this isn't occurring in real time in the US? Then think again; it's not even happening slowly. Normal service won't resume anytime soon! Step back and take it in: the US is entering full authoritarian mode | Jonathan Freedland www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
This is, I think, great news, in that it will hopefully unblock some of the magical thinking in and around Downing Street:
A series of Israeli strikes target the homes of citizens in the vicinity of Baraka Sheikh Radwan, Jebalia Al Balad, and Jebalia Al-Nazla, northern Gaza Strip. #BoycottGenocide #Stop_Genocide #stopthewar#boycottisrael#SayNoToGenocide#GazaGenocide #khanyunis#EndisraelsGenocide#savepalestine #savegaza
And yet, here we are! The targeting of highly respected experts within the CDC and other agencies simply shows how far Trump and his cronies are prepared to go, dismantling years of experience and expertise. So much for keeping American citizens safe; a shambolic, chaotic disgrace!
Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, who resigned from the CDC, revealed that RFK Jr. has NEVER been briefed by CDC experts on measles, flu, or Covid: “No one from my center has ever briefed him on any of those topics…He’s getting his information from somewhere”
JUST IN: Donald Trump revoked former VP Kamala Harris’ Secret Service protection-CNN A petty, vindictive move from a small man.
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
They want us fighting so we never notice who is stealing from us all. Don’t get lost in the circus.
'Moscow's true answer to peace efforts' — Russian mass attack on Kyiv at least kills 21, including children; after murdering 21 civilians in Kyiv, Russia says it 'remains interested' in Ukraine peace negotiations; and more.
This just about encapsulates everything that is wrong about Kennedy and his tearing the book up approach to vaccines and disease control. It's hardly surprising that the CDC is in freefall. Breathtaking arrogance only matched by his total absence of expertise for the job. Excellent piece here.
"There is no measles outbreak big enough to prove him wrong."
My piece for Bylines Scotland published today.
Rosebank's future must be weighed against the worsening climate crisis that is devastating our planet | Jonathan Fox
Probably a good time to post this from the @cabinetofficeuk.bsky.social . We are glad to have this option for the extreme cases where we might need to warn people to evacuate such as flash flooding
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre... Just watch the spectacle of these fantastic fish in their natural environment; why do people(predominantly men) have to go out seeking their pathetic thrills by catching them, instead of admiring them in the sea, where they belong?
"Politically engineered chaos is destabilizing the top of America's vital public health institutions," writes Stephen Collinson | Analysis https://cnn.it/4oVOkhv
Kennedy celebrates the restriction of access to Covid-19 vaccines; this doesn't end well for the American people. He and many others in this administration are taking the US down a very dark road, and there doesn't appear to be a light at the end of it at present!
This has been a rough decade to be a supporter of parliamentary democracy, liberalism, membership of the EU and Manchester United.
Critics of closer trading alignment with EU seem to be losing their voice www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
I read this yesterday. I'm still digesting this awful statistic!
After all the bollocks of claiming (wrongly) that the UK has two tier justice system, Farage is planning exactly that.
Defiant asylum seekers living in a "migrants" hotel have spoken out about the vile hatred they've faced in recent days.
Speeding up the dysfunctional backlog of immigration applications is vital.The failure to do so acts as a catalyst for the xenophobia directed at those seeking asylum in this country. Inertia plays right into the hands of Reform, who are manipulating this highly contentious issue to their advantage!
Amen to that!
Attempting to rig elections on his behalf. Turning the military on citizens. Toying with the idea of declaring martial law. Attacking political enemies and punishing those who speak out against his regime. If this were happening in another country, what would you call it?
When journalists are targeted it’s because those doing the targeting have something to hide. It’s appalling. Despicable. But it won’t work.
Exclusive: Torsten Bell rises as Rachel Reeves reshuffles her team. The former Resolution Foundation head will help lead preparations for the Chancellor’s second Budget this autumn. @georgeeaton.bsky.social
Israel’s attack on hospital in Gaza may constitute a war crime on many fronts www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...
Israel’s attack on hospital in Gaza may constitute a war crime on many fronts www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...
There is no kindness in anything that was perpetrated by the Nazis or the IDF in Netanyahu's name; in scale,the numbers are of course, different; the end product is similar, in that the sanctity of human life literally disappeared. As a jew, on a personal level, Netanyahu's crimes are beyond awful!
It's a great tragedy,but Israel has trashed the international support and goodwill afforded it in the aftermath of the holocaust. The reputational damage to the country is difficult to overestimate. After October 7th,there was never going to be any proportionality in Netanyahu's response; Sickening!
The UK hasn't got a clear slate over this issue either!
This is outstanding. God knows what Labour is doing: legitimising the racism that'll be its undoing, losing the coalition which put it in office, trying to secure voters who will never support it, digging its own moral grave. observer.co.uk/news/opinion...
This is a must-read piece from an opposition member of the Knesset. This is a robust challenge to the Israeli political landscape! Protests in Tel Aviv, army reservists refusing to serve: in Israel, more of us are saying no to this endless war | Ofer Cassif www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Four journalists were killed by an Israeli strike on a Gaza hospital today, including Mariam Dagga, a freelancer with the @apnews.com. She has a 12-year-old son, who was evacuated from Gaza earlier in the war. She was a true hero, like all of our Palestinian colleagues in Gaza. tinyurl.com/3cn5c9vb
There are absolutely no lines in the sand that IDF will not cross. It is appalling; there appears to be no end in sight in the killing of medics, journalists and civilians in Gaza. State sanctioned criminality!
BBC News - A cut-off finger ended her comfortable family life. Now she's hiding from US officials www.bbc.com/news/article...
Scientists who study climate don't automatically attribute all changes to human activity. Rather, we carefully investigate every possible natural factor that could explain the planet's warming. Could these be the real culprits? The evidence is in--and the answer is NO. This thread explains! 🧵
Absolutely pathetic! You'd think that those in high places might have developed a degree backbone when dealing with Trump. Clearly, this isn't the case; at least the writers of South Park buck this trend!
www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/sou...
Keeping silent while the weather becomes ever more unstable might seem to be the easy option. What it does do is to play into the hands of those who seek to exploit this inertia over the climate crisis for financial gain. Remember, the optimism of the action outweighs the pessimism of the thought!
Wars. Conflicts. Climate injustice. Neutrality is not an option. Liberty and justice are for all, no exceptions.
🚨 Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has ordered National Guard troops roaming the streets of Washington DC to be armed with their service weapons
President Zelenskyy: When Russia raises the issue of security guarantees,I honestly don't know who is threatening them yet.They attacked us, they’re on our land.I don't quite understand what guarantees the aggressor needs.Guarantees of what?
What a truly remarkable coincidence that the target of the FBI's investigation into mishandling of classified information also happens to be a prominent critic of the president, one who was previously targeted by having his security clearance & secret service protection removed
Good on the Mirror for having the bravery to strike out against this bullshit
Justice has been served. The bravery & the resilience of the witnesses who came forward, can't be underestimated. Theprofessionalism of the Guardian reporters can't be ignored either! A very good day for justice & the victims who were prepared to come forward! www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
It really looks like a scene from a new Monty Python film; I so wish it was. Taking their jingoistic patriotism to pathetic new depths. I wonder if these people ever considered how they might feel if the circumstances were reversed? Still, it's a chance to wave a flag at the seaside!
Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues to have devastating consequences for its people. It's therefore all the more depressing to read of timber of Russian origin getting into the housing chain in this country. You'd think that there would be robust systems in place to prevent this occurring!
Supporting the right to protest is not the same as supporting Palestine Action, says human rights lawyer Clive Stafford Smith. Read Clive's full op-ed 👇 goodlaw.social/8idv
Today we remember Essex Police Dog BLADE he passed away 20 Aug 2017 Always remembered with pride & love Read more here www.essexretiredpolicedogs.co.uk/in_memorium....
🚨 BREAKING NEWS - THOUSANDS MORE LETTERS SENT 🚨 📈Thousands of you have taken action so far and sent a letter to Ofgem - will you join us and help stop Musk? ✍️It only takes two minutes to send Ofgem our letter.. https://www.bestforbritain.org/petition-elon-musk-uk-energy-power-grab
We voted for and against the ban on Palestine Action. Now we have a plan to end this mess | Stella Creasy and Peter Hain www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
What looks like strength in politics is often vanity dressed up as courage. The Anchorage meeting between Putin and Trump showed just how dangerous that illusion can be. Brian O’Neill on the true meaning of courage.
Trump loves to be seen as the real deal in these negotiations. What we have is a narcissistic individual ceding the moral high ground in pursuit of a Nobel; with Ukraine & Zelensky being the collateral damage.1 can only hope that the Europe leaders present can prevent Ukraine being hung out to dry!
BBC News - Death by ignorance, taboo and methanol www.bbc.com/news/world-a...
Gaza’s journalists are talented, professional and dignified. That’s why Israel targets them | Nesrine Malik www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
We’re not sharing the video, but the next frame is exactly what you think it is. A never-ending string of horrors.
It’s a million miles off working if the plan is to dump captured carbon into a hole and forget it. CCS is a very challenging technology - our government already committed 25 years worth of support at roughly £1 billion per year - the pursuit of DAC is honestly just ridiculous. I know, I use it.
The growth of renewables,with their rapid decline in cost, is clearly pushing coal into the history books. The message is clear and unequivocal: the dependancy of coal and other fossil fuels for our energy needs must come to an end if the world is to stand any chance of keeping to or close to 1.5°C!
Please watch this video with Jon Stewart and Pulitzer Prize-winning Palestinian poet @mosababutoha.bsky.social
A systematic defunding of the fire brigade over the last 14 years clearly has had consequences. It has undermined the resilience of the service to provide a reliable and effective response to wildfire related incidents; which are becoming ever more common as our climate continues to warm.
Firefighters in Merseyside responded to the Holt Heath fire in Dorset, exposing a critical lack of resources and resilience to major incidents. 14 years of austerity has lead to... 🚫 1 in 5 firefighter posts cut 🚫 Stations closed 🚫 Fire engines taken off the run
It's a weird day when Jacob Rees-Mogg comes across as much more rational than the rabid bunch of Tories cluttering up the Opposition benches. Ho hum.
Let’s wait to see if anything emerges from what was discussed. But on the face of it, Alaska is much as predicted. Putin has got exactly what he wanted, the legitimacy conferred by a Trump meeting and seeing off sanctions. He has given the US very little, if anything, in return.
Predictably, RFK Jr. isn’t helping.
Trump is no peacemaker. He extends wars… …by befriending and assisting the psychopaths. Whether Putin or Netanyahu, the suffering of so many innocent people could be over now had Trump exercised the US’s power with clarity. Instead, Trump has wanted “in”, mafia boss style, on spoils of war.
Giving diplomacy a bad name: the omens were clear as Putin continued to attack cities in Ukraine while on route to Alaska.Trump rolled out the red carpet for Putin, who literally walked all over it. He got his primetime press conference; didn't agree to a ceasefire & went home. Mission accomplished!
Sickening. Shameful. And in the end, useless. Those were the words that came to mind when we watched the Alaska Summit unfold.
The summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin concludes without an agreement to end the war in Ukraine; Ukraine strikes Russian port used for Iranian arms shipments, and other key developments on Aug. 15.
The U.N. and Germany said a plan by the Israeli government to approve around 3,400 settlement housing units in the West Bank would breach international law.
I have no words anymore; Israel is rapidly becoming a pariah state. As an English Jew, this gives me no satisfaction whatsoever! A tragedy unfolding in plain sight, with Palestinians caught in the crosshairs of Israel's expansionist agenda!
Baroness Mone lied she had no connection to a PPE supplier. Her lawyers threatened the Guardian. The lawyers just tried to use the courts to block a Scottish Legal Complaints Commission investigation of their actions. They failed. Investigation continues. www.bailii.org/scot/cases/S...
A good news biodiversity story for once! BBC News - Hatfield Forest butterflies boosted by grass cutting delay - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
A 2% tax on wealth would only (mildly) affect 20,000 people but would generate £24bn each year that we can spend on fixing the country. End child poverty, improve the NHS, fix our schools and all that good stuff. buff.ly/ssXrHMp
Instead of targeting the most vulnerable in society, tax those with the broadest shoulders a little more. Surely, this is what the Labour Party has always stood for? Unfortunately, our Chancellor appears tone deaf to this proposal? She should have a sit down with Mr Vince!
www.greenpeace.org.uk/news/anish-k...
ICYMI: Scientists received €735m in grants in 2024 after UK rejoined programme as associate member post-Brexit. www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
bylines.scot/letters/lett... My contribution to the Rosebank oilfield debate published today.
NEW: Scientists made a sugar-coated nanoparticle that blocks the SARS-CoV-2 virus from binding to human cells — cutting infection in lab tests by ~99%. Not a vaccine. A microscopic shield. 🛡️🦠 www.news-medical.net/news/2025081... #BlueSky #MedSky 🧪 #IDSky #SciSky#fmsky #pedsky
Bit rich coming from the nation where the president calls journalists 'enemies of the people'
Rupert Lowe: “Dinghies coming into Great Yarmouth RIGHT NOW.” Reality: Charity rowers on a fundraising challenge. Result: MND Association gets £1,000. Accidental activism & misinformation at its finest. Owen Sennitt reports
More than half the 51 heatwaves in France since 1947 have occurred in the last 15 years; what more of a wakeup call do our politicians need?Records keep tumbling with extreme climatic events ever more frequent.We need global action; all we are getting is inertia! www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Start by taxing more, those with the broadest shoulders!! Both left and right agree taxes must rise. Time for Labour to get creative | Polly Toynbee www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Let's be clear about one thing: if you were looking to join Reform, it surely wouldn't be because you were an advocate of free speech or independent thought. Breathtaking naivete or a simple lack of research? Who knows. It does, however, shine a light into a very dark place in British politics!