It's noticeable, too, that there wasn't a single question on the climate, at a time when Europe is experiencing catastrophic wild-fires & record-breaking heat. It's astonishing how low down the political agenda this remains in Britain, when all the environmental indicators are signalling disaster.

You see everything is connected. The marine heatwaves off the coasts of Europe make heatwaves on land more intense, which in turn dries out vegetation, which then creates perfect fire weather conditions. Brought to you by the world's refusal to drastically reduce the burning of fossil fuels.

Ongoing marine heatwave in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea | EU Space Support Office

In late May 2026, several countries in Western Europe faced above-average temperatures. During the same period, large areas of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea also recorded above-average ...

eu-space.europa.eu

I always love documenting overlooked places that have beautiful architecture, especially those outside the dreaded South East. Today, it's Hull looking beautiful. So many pedestrianised streets to stroll around, a lovely old town, couple of arcades, and some great cafes and bakeries.

Some of you are still posting about politics and I need you to understand that Bluesky is now a Cabo Verde stan platform thank you for your attention

39yo Messi vs 40yo Vozinha, it’s like a bluesky fight made it to the real world

A bit of local news about the new Reform council in Calderdale (which covers Hebden Bridge - lesbian capital of the north - and Shibden Hall - home of Anne Lister/Gentleman Jack). No pride flags or other 'symbols of division' for us 😡 www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/people/...

Rainbow protest at Halifax home of Gentleman Jack icon after Reform refuse to fly Pride flag

A sea of rainbows marched to Shibden Hall yesterday protesting against Calderdale Reform’s refusal to fly the Pride flag.

halifaxcourier.co.uk

Not every day needs a car, but some days still do. That’s where POD Calder Valley Shared Transport comes in at Tod Works. A shared car available on-site when you need it, without the cost or commitment of owning one. www.todworks.org #TodWorks #Todmorden #Offices @todmordentweets.bsky.social

I've spent years working towards a ban on conversion practices, hoping to see a bill published. Today, I just feel so profoundly sad. As many others have noted, the draft has a carve out for "healthcare" so broad it makes a mockery of the idea this is a 'ban'. 1/2 www.gov.uk/government/p...

Conversion practices draft bill

gov.uk

The heatwave in Europe is so extreme, it's 25–32°F (14–18°C) above normal. You read that right. France recorded it's hottest day ever. The UK had its hottest ever June day. The ground is exceeding 122°F (50°C). People are dying. Tell me again why we shouldn't talk about climate change???

I don’t have strong views on the u16 social media ban but if these platforms are so harmful, why does the govt still use them for comms? Likewise, while kids (and everyone else!) should be encouraged to socialise in-person, they now have far fewer options following brutal cuts to youth services

I stand with trans and non binary people. This is a difficult and scary time - and the Govenrment must reject the framework. It's vital that everyone is treated with dignity and care and far too often trans and non binary people aren't. Solidarity always 🏳️‍⚧️

At the start of my terrorism studies course, I ask students what most terrorists have in common. They always say: 1- Mental illness 2- Religion. They are, of course, wrong. The two most common traits of violent extremists are: 1- Gender 2- History of domestic violence and online mysogyny.

Well, I've had a busy few weeks and have been elected as a councillor in Todmorden West ward on Calderdale Council! Time to start opposing Reform with everything I have got.

Calderdale Green Party@calderdalegreenp.bsky.social · 3mo ago

🎉🥳 We won ALL THREE SEATS in Todmorden West for the first time! Congratulations and well done, Oscar, Sarah and Jamie!!💚💚💚

🎉🥳 We won ALL THREE SEATS in Todmorden West for the first time! Congratulations and well done, Oscar, Sarah and Jamie!!💚💚💚

A magnificent day here in the North! Walked the Rochdale Canal towpath from Todmorden to Hebden Bridge and it was absolutely gorgeous. Saw several "Vote Green" signs, along with this. West Yorkshire is making hope normal again! #Greenwave

New open access article from our NIHR-funded 'LTNs in London project' in which we use go-alongs & focus groups to explore how LTNs influence resident experiences & perceptions of travel @ersiliav.bsky.social @jwfurlong.bsky.social www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk/phr/publishe... 1/

Something I don't think the UK boasts about enough - and a great rebuttal to Reform and the Tories' anti-net zero propaganda: The UK is home to 7 out of the top 10 biggest offshore wind farms in the world. 10 of the top 20. And 6 in 10 of the largest ones in the world currently under construction.

“if everything is all in one place then it would use less energy” Some work that didn't get enough attention is when we explored laypeople's ideas about sustainable urban design by having them play SimCity and build the best and worst cities they could imagine www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1...

This is trash. I respect our Oxfordshire Lib Dems as they are delivering progressive transport policy which favours walking, cycling and buses (see congestion charge). But this national LD nonsense? No. Public Transport costs have risen far faster than driving, we need to rebalance.

Liberal Democrats@libdems.org.uk · 5mo ago

With fuel prices poised to soar due to Trump's war with Iran, it would be disastrous for Rachel Reeves to press ahead with a fuel duty hike in September. The Chancellor must use today’s Spring Statement to scrap her plans.

Another day closer. A little Reform meltdown and a LD bounce and I think it's possible.

Jamie Furlong@jwfurlong.bsky.social · 8mo ago

The day when all our dreams come true is getting closer.

Does anyone know of a case study about Wales vs Oxfordshire 20mph roll-out? The former was National and caused huge amounts of hysteria, the latter was PC led and got almost no drama / press (beyond local newspapers).

By my reckoning, this current *projection* would see Labour's relationship with former coal mining areas completely finished. Of former coalfield seats, they'd win 4: - South/West Yorks - 0 - South Wales - 0 - East Mids - 0 - North East - 1 - Scotland - 1 - Lancashire - 1 - West Mids - 1

Election Maps UK@electionmaps.uk · 5mo ago

General Election Nowcast - 01/03/26: RFM: 315 (+310), 28.5% (11 Short) LDM: 83 (+11), 12.4% LAB: 78 (-333), 19.0% CON: 53 (-68), 18.6% SNP: 44 (+35), 2.7% GRN: 42 (+38), 14.2% PLC: 10 (+6), 1.3% Oth: 6 (+1), 3.4% electionmaps.uk/nowcast

Yes. I was at the game tonight. It obviously wasn't all the fans or anything like that. But it was loud, there were several thousand and they knew why they were doing it. Embarrassing. And determined that these people won't own football or my football club.

Rob Bryher@robbryher.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Dispiriting. Still a long way to go. Boos heard during Ramadan pause at Elland Road - www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...

Well, no, they’re not just as wrong. The bigger error is not seeing that “trying to win over voters from a party on the opposite end of the spectrum, whose values your core voters oppose” is not same as “chasing voters from party on same side ideologically whose values your core voters like.”

Alexander Brown@alexofbrown.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Wes Streeting criticises people suggesting Labour should move to the left. He says: "They are just as wrong as the people who argued, in the wake of the Runcorn by-election, that we should shift to the right and try to out-Reform Reform." www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

Turns out that an absolutely disgraced political scientist is also absolutely awful at politics. And this political scientist is here for it! The spell is not over but good riddance for now, Goodwin 👋 Congrats to the Greens. Stunning victory. Dont let them tell you it was easy. But it is deserved.

Green party wins Gorton and Denton byelection, pushing Labour to third place in blow to Keir Starmer

Hannah Spencer elected as party’s first MP in northern England, as Labour sees a 25.3% drop in vote compared to 2024

theguardian.com

This is not a reasoned political response. Labour has spent two years making all the voting groups who backed the Greens feel unwelcome and unheard, and now attacks them for daring to back someone else. They believe Labour isn’t listening and Starmer seems determined to prove them right

Zoë Crowther@zoecrowther.bsky.social · 5mo ago

"Their willingness to welcome Galloway's divisive, sectarian politics is a sign that the Greens are not the harmless environmentalists they pretend to be and their position on legalising all drugs shows how unstable this electoral coalition is. It cannot survive a general election campaign. (5/16)

Pretty rich of Keir Starmer to suggest Hannah Spencer is "more interested in dividing people than uniting them". His island of strangers speech of course was *all about* unity. Likewise his party's demonisation of people legitimately protesting about the UK arming a genocide.

The Lords debated the safety of cyclists this afternoon, and it was – with a few exceptions – as crap as you'd expect. Mix of victim blaming, poor understanding & assumption that zone 1 London is a valid national example. DfT minister Peter Hendy was disappointingly bad as well.

Great piece from @dsquareddigest.bsky.social, which touches on one of the big theories for why English-speaking countries do especially badly at housebuilding: Adversarial and litigious common law systems (Anglo) vs judge-led civil law systems elsewhere. samf.substack.com/p/build-the-...