Indeed he did - things like "the one thing stopping me from being a teacher was that I could not remotely conceive of not trying to shag the kids"

BatChat is an excellent podcast hosted by the marvellous Steve Roe. Worth a listen whether you know a lot about bats or nothing.

Bat Conservation Trust@batconservation.bsky.social · 3d ago

🦇 🦇 We are delighted that our podcast, BatChat has been long listed for the British Podcast Awards 2026 (in the factual category)! We'd like to thank our Chair and host of BatChat, Steve Roe, for bringing our podcast to life, as well as all the amazing guests for sharing their stories.

Really enjoyed this account of walking in Southern England which I left 39 years ago. Have lived in Wales and then Scotland since where there is none of this proprietorial “Get Orf My Land” nonsense. I don’t miss it.

Kate Ashbrook@campaignerkate.bsky.social · 5d ago

Interesting walk on the Sussex Border Path with the Radical Ramblers campaignerkate.wordpress.com/2026/07/31/f... @ramblersGB @openspacessociety.bsky.social Many path-problems reported.

This is an excellent piece and I highly recommend you read it. Another example of one rule for the rich and another for the plebs. Good dissection of the “standpipe” excuse too. Ministers can correct this nonsense with a stroke of the pen. Will they though?

Mark Thompson@markreckons.bsky.social · 5d ago

New from me on my Political Sandbox Substack: Your Paddling Pool Is on the List A water company can fine you £1,000 for watering your child's paddling pool. It has no power to stop a golf course doing the same. https://politicalsandbox.substack.com/p/your-paddling-pool-is-on-the-list

#BeeWashing at its best! In the 1950s in the UK there were around 250,000 hives similar to what we have today. The issue is that we have lost so much wildflower forage in that time so there is increasing pressure on our wild pollinators. Honeybees are not the solution

The funeral for irony will be held next week.

Probably my favourite video on the internet after Fenton, FENTON…

Parody Nigel Farage@parodypm.bsky.social · 6d ago

It is two years today since this dimwit gave us the most hilarious demonstration of karma in history.

Here's the full story of what we believe to be the start of the colonisation of yet another new orthopteran to the British Isles.

Team cricket - how we found a cricket new to the British Isles

This following italicised sections were written by Matt Phelps, who first heard this unusual cricket...  I strolled over to Sussex Wildlif...

analternativenaturalhistoryofsussex.blogspot.com

Here it is. My manifesto for the 2026 Clacton By-Election. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Join me, clean up Clacton and let's make 13th August Bin Day! #VoteBinface #VoteyMcVoteface #YesWeTinCan

RIP Bill Oddie. A fantastic ambassador for wildlife and conservation. A massive loss. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Bill Oddie: The Goodies and Springwatch star dies at 85

His agent pays tribute to the "multi-talented" broadcaster, comedian and conservationist.

bbc.co.uk

Musk was humiliated in his interview with The Economist editor Zanny Minton Beddoes. She called him out on his bullshit, pointed out his lies and ignorance and extreme prejudice. We need more interviews like that. This is the response of the world’s thinnest-skinned man.

Richard Tice claims the BBC is running a smear campaign against Reform. Is it possible to 'smear' an organisation that's wallowed in a pool of corruption for years?

Unofficial BBCNews (UK) Bot@bbcnews-uk-rss.bsky.social · 2w ago

Police investigate donations by Richard Tice company to Reform UK

This is what Badenoch, Farage and all the other climate denying dimwits should be forced to drive through.

Kat O’Brien@lavidagata.bsky.social · 2w ago

This video by firefighters in Spain going to fight fires is hair-raising. bsky.app/profile/evas...

Dumb Britain on the BBC which has just become a dumping ground for dunces. “White owlets” my arse. What is wrong with barn owls? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Peterborough farm's delight after six white owlets found nesting

The fluffy birds are estimated to be between 40 to 50 days old.

bbc.co.uk

The smell and smoke here is really noticeable. The fires in Spain, France and Canada alongside politicians talking about scrapping net zero and more North Sea drilling feels like that meme of the dog in the middle of a house fire saying "This is fine". www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Cairngorms wildfire smoke blows into Aberdeen - 59 miles away

Residents as far away as Aberdeen have been advised to keep doors and windows closed as the fire reaches its 10th day.

bbc.co.uk

This painting is on display in a Nottingham registry office. I love how pissed off the other girls are - a massive "I can't believe that bitch Mary is May Queen and I'm having to carry her around" vibe.

Under a Binface government, anyone who doesn’t accept human-made climate change as fact will be sent back to school, from Year 1 right the way to A Levels, to see if anything goes in the second time round. #VoteBinface

BREAKING: the climate. "July is on course to be the driest on record in Wales for nearly 200 years." But please, let's expand oil drilling in the North Sea 🤪 www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Drought declared in parts of Wales as July on course to be driest in nearly 200 years

Government agency confirms status in north Wales and Upper Severn after series of heatwaves and lack of rainfall

theguardian.com

An interesting find on river shingles on the River Tweed this morning whilst balsam pulling. A good population of skullcap (Scutellaria galericulata). #wildflowers #rivertweed

Pulling Himalayan balsam this morning at Eshiels community wood. Last few years 1000s -> 100s. Today just 22. We have the Tweed upstream of Eshiels under control now. It shows what can be done with sustained community effort over several years. All driven by the great man in the photo - Nick Cheales

Pave paradise, put up a data centre...

Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) growing in a weedy barley field at Hallyne, Peeblesshire - 18.07.2026. A rare plant these days in actual arable fields but commonly found in so-called wildflower plantings in parks.

Hard to think of a more deeply damaging start to Burnham’s premiership than giving green light to new oil & gas in N. Sea, if true. It won’t lower bills or lead to greater energy security but will drive an even hotter planet. What a terrible signal to give to rest of the world #ClimateVandalism

BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) on X

Andy Burnham will announce plans for new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea when he becomes prime minister on Monday, the BBC has been told. The announcement will form part of a flurry of policy m...

x.com

Cartoonists Are The Only Real Journalists Left In The USA.

Ahead of England v Norway in the World Cup, enjoy this classic from my old pal Patrick Kidd in The Times

Andy Burnham looks like he might cancel the NHS England contract with Palantir, they also have one worth 2.5x as much with the MoD. RT if you want them both out of the UK.

New for VC78 Peeblesshire. Buff arches - 24.96.2026

Another new find on the croft! Moonwort (Botrychium lunaria), a fascinating plant which obtains all its nutrients from underground fungi, oh my.

Can confirm that no trouble is expected this evening in Belfast after Jeffrey Donaldson was found guilty of raping and sexually assaulting two children.

James@gortoshay1.bsky.social · last mo.

I wonder is Belfast bracing for more disturbances this evening or is this verdict different somehow?

No need to seed #meadows!!! Sayer's Old Meadow was an arable field bathed in chemicals until 2005. It was abandoned for 5 years & since then it has been mowed annually. No seeds/plants have ever been introduced to it. It is very species-rich. Ecological restoration is often best when we do less!!!