I thought the best person to go on Laura Kuenssberg to defend me against charges of financial irregularity would be Nadhim Zahawi, who claimed £6,000 to heat his stables and hid £27m in an offshore account then threatened to sue anyone who asked about it.

Anyone else lost access to @hsj.co.uk because (a) they are classed as private sector, (b) they need fewer than 10 subscriptions (my "corporation" is 2 people), and (c) the sales team don't seem interested in talking about it? First time in years I don't have access to HSJ's brilliant journalism...

Very pleased to see my blog published about our research into men's health. Read the blog (and the full report, if you have the stamina), here: bit.ly/3Sip7Sr

Talking About Men’s Health | The King's Fund

For Men’s Health Week, Chris Branson shares six key insights from conversations with men about their health – and how to shape more effective future services.

bit.ly

The King's Fund@thekingsfund.bsky.social · 2mo ago

For Men’s Health Week, Chris Branson shares six key insights from conversations with men about their health – and how to shape more effective future services. Read more: https://bit.ly/3Sip7Sr

One thing Sadiq Khan isn't doing as Mayor is giving £100,000 of public money to someone he's shagging behind his wife's back under the guise of 'IT lessons'.

I cannot overstate how completely insane this story is

Saskia Daniel@saskiadanielceramics.com · 3mo ago

This is quite the story.

Hi @drrosena.bsky.social, just want to flag how outrageous our Thames Water bill is. £562.07 for a one-bed flat - a 19% rise from last year. Our council tax is £793.60. Wandsworth is cheap but how can our water bill be 71% the cost of our council bill? Please urge your colleagues to do something

This should be viewed as a national crisis. Surely the role of a democratically elected government is to ensure its population can live decent lives. Where is that money going? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Rent tops £1,000 a month in more areas - find out where

The cost of renting privately has surged in the last five years, but tenants may now see a slowdown.

bbc.co.uk

The perils of recommending books to a screenwriter

Frank Cottrell-Boyce@frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social · 7mo ago

I've faced up to the fact that I read voraciously for work but almost never for pleasure. I'm going to reboot my reading life with a reading challenge. Something big. I've read Moby Dick (for work) and the Odyssey (for work). Shall I do Dante? Or have you got a better idea?

One of my very favourite recent traditions…picking our books of the year over a coffee. Happy New Year everyone

This is a lie. There are many criticisms you might sensibly and truthfully make of the Sentencing Council and the Sentencing Guidelines. I’ve been making them for years. But this is an outright lie. Pure fabrication. A fraud on the public.

Honestly, we ARE working

Our full analysis is published here. www.health.org.uk/features-and... and covered by @hsj.co.uk here www.hsj.co.uk/quality-and-...

Are ‘crack teams’ reducing NHS waiting lists?

We analyse the government’s claim that the Further Faster 20 programme has cut waiting lists, using data to scrutinise exactly what’s changed.

health.org.uk

Representing @nationalvoices.bsky.social members today @commonshealth.bsky.social on NHSE abolishment’s and ICB cuts - real opp to refocus on patient exp in restructure - bringing back PE directorate& PE accountability at ICB board level, using national patient surveys to drive improvement 1/2

This is a deeply depressing article. Change and innovation thrive in a culture which gives people the tools they need to do the job & supports positive risk-taking. If your hospital is inefficient because the ceiling is falling in or the IT is ancient, cutting the tariff won't drive improvements.

Andy Cowper@hpiandycowper.bsky.social · last yr.

‘NAUGHTY NHS!’ www.thetimes.com/article/96fa...

@sharonbrennan.bsky.social tells @commonshealth.bsky.social "we urgently need to know what the transition plan is" for the abolishment of NHS England, to reduce the risk of disrupting care. Sharon also called for the return of dedicated patient experience directorate as part of the restructure

@sharonbrennan.bsky.social of @nationalvoices.bsky.social just now on the Health and Social Care committee describing how NHS England abolishment could impact on patients - the disruption is already being felt by some charities. From 9.30ish parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...

This government is exhibiting some ugly behaviours you wouldn’t normally associate with a “labour” party. If a company was folding or moving its business overseas, with 10,000 people set to lose their jobs, they wouldn’t sound so gleeful about it or keen to paint those workers as useless.

There might be a good case for this, but please spare us the cruel DOGE-like bravado and starting treating the staff affected with some dignity and respect. They're not all 'blockers,' they're just doing the job they have been given for a cause and an institution they genuinely love and believe in.

Peter Stefanovic@peterstefanovic.bsky.social · last yr.

BREAKING: Keir Starmer announces NHS England will be abolished The PM says the move is to to 'cut bureaucracy' and bring management of the health service 'back into democratic control'

If you're wondering how far abolishing NHS England will go to filling the NHS's £6.5bn funding gap for the year ahead, the answer is: not very. NHSE spent a total £1.8bn on staff last year, of which £400m was on staff working for local NHS orgs. Many of these posts will need to continue in DHSC

The first great #cycling #springclassic of the season, #StradeBianche, is on Sunday and sadly I won't be seeing it. #Eurosport has been closed and absorbed into #TNT sports meaning the cost of watching cycling has gone from £6.99 to £31.99/month. Real shame for fans in the UK. #pricegouging

I truly loved and was inspired by #DavidLynch ‘s work, but possibly more than any other artist I was influenced and amazed by the way he talked about his process. Scene by Scene was a great show from a different age of programming and this is one of the best youtube.com/watch?v=MIlm...

“Every day, once a day, give yourself a present. Don't plan it. Don't wait for it. Just let it happen” Here’s my present: youtube.com/watch?v=wKiI...

Does anyone know if BlueSky has a setting so I still get notified if someone follows me unless they happen to be young, glamorous/barely dressed, improbably good-looking women with little or no posting history?

Following a refreshing two-week festive break I've just spent five minutes checking out the news on social media and am now absolutely exhausted

Meanwhile in the other place insanity continues to rule

…meanwhile I bumped into James Joyce at the barbers, and while I thanked him for his contribution to modern dance, I completely forgot to mention his books

Sharon Brennan@sharonbrennan.bsky.social · 2y ago

Bringing you our top 5 books each from 2024 with @chris-branson.bsky.social (bumped into Nick Cave at the Bacon exhib at the National Portrait Gallery today - thanked him for his music but not his book) #books #reading #skylit

Belatedly conducted our end of year ritual with my wife, where we pick our favourite books we’ve read. Another strong year… we are SO good at books @sharonbrennan.bsky.social

Time magazine may have named Trump Person of the Year, but we all know 2024 belongs to this incredible woman:

Choose twenty books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for twenty days, in no particular order. No explanation, no reviews, just covers. #BookSky #books #bookchallenge 20. Nan Shepherd, The Living Mountain

Choose twenty books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for twenty days, in no particular order. No explanation, no reviews, just covers. #BookSky #books #bookchallenge 19. Sue Townsend, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13 3/4