Ben Niblett
@benniblett.bsky.social
Climate, campaigning, Christianity, some cricket. Live in Staines in the south of England. 3 kids, nearly grown up. Own views and all that.
Are you interested in protecting democracy and speaking truth to power? @quaker.org.uk are recruiting a Civil Society Officer to campaign on democracy and civic space. A part-time job with our colleagues in the Public Affairs team. Closing date 17 August. Info >>> www.quaker.org.uk/our-organisa...
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🚗In July, 27% of new UK cars were electric. 🔌If you include plug-in hybrids, 42% had a plug. ⛽Petrol and diesel together were below 50%, a big sign. £ Electric cars are now slightly cheaper than petrol or diesel to buy new, and much cheaper to run. www.smmt.co.uk/huge-ev-boos...
Finished this chunky analysis of the 2024 election. Very interesting and stands up now we know what happened next. But an astonishing, studied lack of interest in Northern Ireland. @timbale.bsky.social @psurridge.bsky.social @robfordmancs.bsky.social @willjennings.bsky.social
"This long hot summer reminds Britain climate change is upon us now." After months of record-breaking temperatures, Ben Niblett explores what will be necessary to handle future heatwaves. https://www.quaker.org.uk/blog/overheating-and-planning-for-the-new-reality
Overheating and planning for the new reality
Ben Niblett explores what will be necessary to handle future heatwaves
quaker.org.uk
Huge profits for BP - £4b last quarter, boosted by the US-Iran war. Meanwhile, Britain's driest July for 190 years. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... www.bbc.co.uk/weather/arti...
BP profits highest in four years as Iran war pushes up oil price
Higher oil prices boost the energy giant's results while environmental groups accuse it of profiteering.
bbc.co.uk
England and Wales record driest July on record The Met Office said it was the most parched July since at least 1836, with some areas getting no rain at all — resulting in droughts, crop damage and wildfires www.thetimes.com/uk/weather/...
England and Wales had driest July on record
The Met Office said it was the most parched July since at least 1836, with some areas getting no rain at all — resulting in droughts, crop damage and wildfires
thetimes.com
Prolonged drought could cause shortage of some foods, farmers' union head says NFU reports wheat and oat yields very poor. Livestock farmers forced to use winter feed rations after being unable to grow grass www.bbc.co.uk/news/articl...
Prolonged drought could cause shortage of some foods, farmers' union head says
NFU president Tom Bradshaw calls on the government to take action to prevent extreme weather affecting the UK's food supply.
bbc.co.uk
Shocking to discover designating AI data centres as “National Critical Infrastructure” means water companies are prohibited from restricting water to them even in times of drought. Households will lose water first. Thanks to @olliehayes.bsky.social at @globalactionplan.bsky.social for joining me
Data Centres vs. Drinking Water: What Matters To Us Most?
Podcast Episode · The Rest Is Politics · 30 July · 16min
podcasts.apple.com
I love this story. A deaf Kenyan teenager wrote a poem about climate justice, that became a song, and is now a video, and hopes to inspire churches to take legal action against banks who fund fossil fuels. Wow! Great work from @oikoumenewcc.bsky.social www.oikoumene.org/news/music-v...
Music video for the song “The Path of Justice” launched
Faith Sebwa is a teenage Kenyan climate campaigner. Her poem, “The Path of Justice,” has been set to music and the song video has just launched, supporting the Hope for Children Through Climate Justic...
oikoumene.org
++BREAKING++ The UK and Spanish governments have issued a joint statement overnight: "[We] agreed that this summer’s wildfires demonstrated that climate change was now a national security emergency facing Europe and threatening our way of life." www.gov.uk/government/n...
Enjoyed working in Host cafe at St Mary's Aldermary and then Palestine House this afternoon. Both blessedly cool.
This is brilliant
Jeremy Williams@jeremywilliams.bsky.social · last wk.What if we stopped talking about growth? Andy Burnham has become Britain's new Prime Minister, promising to "put a laser-like focus on growth". It's a full reset from his predecessor Keir Starmer, who told the country that "the defining mission of this government is to grow the economy." Keir…
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... Good news, if it reduces flights. But aviation fuel is still tax-free. I can see why farmers get a tax break on fuel, and maybe small planes to remote islands, like Barra. But not BA or RyanAir. I'd like to see VAT on aviation fuel.
Ticket prices set to rise as Heathrow able to recover runway project money
UK airport gets green light to charge airlines more to use the hub, which is expected to mean higher fares for flyers.
bbc.co.uk
His story is an important reminder that asylum can be the difference between life and death. 🔗 Watch the full film: www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/support-us/c...
Britain Saved My Life - Refugee Council
For 75 years, the Refugee Convention has protected people fleeing war and persecution. Explore lives transformed by safety in Britain.
refugeecouncil.org.uk
cleantechnica.com/2026/07/24/e... 28% of the UK's new cars were electric last quarter. 🚗new EVs are cheaper than petrol or hybrid, on average 🛢️oil price shock keeps going 🔥heatwaves and wildfires remind us that climate matters So expect more EVs and fewer engines for the rest of the year
EVs At 41.4% Share In The UK — Tesla Leading BEV Brand - CleanTechnica
2026 Q2 saw plugin EVs at 41.4% share in the UK, up from 34.2% in Q2 2025. BEV share grew decently year on year, PHEVs less.
cleantechnica.com
Yesterday we delivered a letter to the new prime minister and the energy secretary from over 60 Catholic organisations and leaders urging the prime minister and the energy secretary to #StopRosebank, and to lead the UK towards a future marked by justice, responsibility and hope. #catholic
Today we handed in an open letter to Prime Minster Andy Burnham, signed by over 60 Catholic leaders and organisations calling on him to say no to the Rosebank oil field. Full text of the letter: docs.google.com/document/d/1...
This is quite a story from @oikoumenewcc.bsky.social - but there's a new hope in it www.oikoumene.org/news/indigen...
Indigenous people in Colombia pay—with their lives—for coal
On 5 June, churches and faith-based organizations from Colombia, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, together with investment and ecumenical partners, submitted a complaint under the OECD Guidelines for ...
oikoumene.org
"Future generations depend on the decisions made today." Quakers in Britain have called on the new Prime Minister Andy Burnham to place peace, equality and climate justice at the centre of his government's policies. https://ow.ly/Youw50Zrr2S
Prioritise peace, equality and climate justice, Quakers urge Andy Burnham
Quakers in Britain have called on the new Prime Minister Andy Burnham to place peace, equality and climate justice at the centre of his government’s policies.
ow.ly
Great to see Burnham's new £2 bus fare cap. Now we need this delivered in Scotland, as a step towards free bus travel & public control. But we wholly object to funding this from the Energy Security budget & global climate justice. Taxes should be reformed so that big polluters fund climate action!
Some further good news this morning as @michaelshanksmp.co.uk and @katiewhitemp.bsky.social keep their posts as (very good!) energy and climate ministers 🙌
Temperatures of over 35°C in May, June and July – we've never had a British summer like this before. Ben Niblett explores what will be necessary to handle future heatwaves. https://www.quaker.org.uk/blog/overheating-and-planning-for-the-new-reality
Overheating and planning for the new reality
Ben Niblett explores what will be necessary to handle future heatwaves
quaker.org.uk
There's lots of good things to this, putting decarbonisation at the heart of UK foreign policy is an excellent thing. Very good news for aid and climate finance. But I still wish he was chancellor.
Sam Freedman@samfr.bsky.social · 2w agoEd Miliband is foreign sec
Don't like the look of this. Ed Miliband would have been an excellent chancellor, he has even more Treasury experience, and it would have put decarbonisation at the heart of government. Hope this doesn't mean we damage the economy by spending lots on weapons. We'll see www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cg...
John Healey appointed chancellor as Andy Burnham picks cabinet
Healey, who replaces Rachel Reeves, resigned as Keir Starmer's defence secretary last month following a row over defence spending.
bbc.co.uk
With headlines today about Rosebank and Jackdaw, here's why drilling in the North Sea is still a bad idea www.quaker.org.uk/blog/why-dri...
Why drilling in the North Sea is still a bad idea
With voices loudly calling for more drilling in the North Sea, Ben Niblett explores the energy security we actually need.
quaker.org.uk
Very much looking forward to not hearing Andy Burnham announce more oil and gas today. It would be daft. Here's why. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
UK's extreme weather is the new normal - Met Office
The latest report on the UK's climate warns cold mountainous areas are also being lost.
bbc.co.uk
