I see we've added 'wear trainers' to this list this morning.

Hannah Rich@hannahmerich.bsky.social · 2d ago

We want our politicians to be human, but not take Friday night off for family dinners, or go on holiday during recess, or ever dare to change their minds on anything. Got it.

"Residents here aren’t stupid, and they know that they need representatives who treat their communities as ends in themselves rather than as a means to something else.” ✍️ On a sunny July day, James Macintyre takes the political temperature in #Clacton #farage #churchtimes

Beating heart of Clacton-on-Sea: the Church, Nigel Farage, a by-election, and a misunderstood community

ALL that can be heard in the background during the intercessions, which include prayers for the news media, during the 9am mass at St Christopher’s, Jaywick, is the faint sound of a seagull’s call. The congregation of ten follow the prayers respec...

churchtimes.co.uk

One day I'll grow up enough not to snigger at the prevalence of 'cleavage' in political science literature but not just yet.

We want our politicians to be human, but not take Friday night off for family dinners, or go on holiday during recess, or ever dare to change their minds on anything. Got it.

I could (and maybe will) write reams about this, but 100% agree. Underestimated the scale, breadth and depth of opposition in the PLP, and their capacity to scrutinise bad legislation.

Jessica Elgot@jessicaelgot.bsky.social · last wk.

Assisted dying was - imo - one of the most crucial moments which caused problems for Starmer in a way that had v little to do with the actual substance. A hard moral issue that split the PLP, caused resentment, got MPs used to voting against the PM.

It's fascinating and encouraging to watch the media get to grips with talking about faith thanks to the new PM - a pleasure to be quoted in this Guardian piece:

The UK has its first Catholic PM – but don’t expect a US-style religious culture war to follow

Trump administration has clashed with Vatican on social issues but Burnham’s faith is shaped by different principles

theguardian.com

Excuse the clunky anecdote drop, but I was in Downing Street yesterday and I thought the PM's wife's dress was stunning, and even had a chat with the person next to me about the lovely colour. Sisterhood, eh?

We're all moaning about the half time show, but my dad still hasn't recovered from the scandal of Rita Ora and Clean Bandit at the women's T20 world cup final last week. Just not cricket.

I don't want to spoil it, but in this week's episode the Viral Wholesome Nuns make each other cry with how lovely they are to their sisters and it's almost too much.

Am I the only one having a total sense of humour failure when it comes to Count Binface?

Will Andy Burnham's Catholicism shape his leadership? @hannahmerich.bsky.social unpacks Andy Burnham's Catholic heritage and the continued influence of faith on his policies for ABC's Religion and Ethics report. 🎙️ Tune in here: www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

Will new UK Labor leader Andy Burnham's Catholicism shape his leadership? - ABC listen

Long before being a PM incumbent, Andy Burnham was a pious altar boy in his local Catholic church in Liverpool.  Burnham has referred frequently to his Catholic background and values, even if he obse...

abc.net.au

Bob the cat had a sister called Mary, I did not see that plot twist coming.

Has anyone done a pub quiz picture round of celebrities Sam Matterface has failed to identify in the crowd yet?

So much sports drama in the last 24 hours that the real one is getting forgotten. Justice for Sophie Ecclestone.

My dad (a retired maths teacher no less) tells me that England have a "54% chance" of winning the T20 WC final on Sunday. Turns out he's quoting a fan vote of a couple of hundred people on the BBC website. It's not the kids we need to worry about with fake news...

I am Chair of Christians on the Left. We encourage Christians to become Labour candidates and campaign for social justice. With so much division and hate in our political debate at the moment I thought I would share this today. Do join us www.christiansontheleft.org.uk/membership

Christians on the Left@chrleft.bsky.social · last mo.

Politics can sometimes seem dominated by anger, division, and the desire to score points against those with whom we disagree. In such an atmosphere, kindness and compassion can appear to be signs of weakness. 🧵

Andy Burnham would be the first PM since Wilson whose constituency relies on Euston to get to/from London. Maybe now it'll finally stop being hell in the form of a station concourse. We live in hope.

Fairly or not, anyone who has knocked more than a couple of doors recently knows this moment was inevitable.

I put my pillowcases in the freezer this morning. Utter genius, where do I collect my Nobel prize?

I have to say, listening to the Today programme dedicate an entire (context free) section about whether migrants are more likely to be convicted criminals *the morning after* hundreds of non-migrants of my own ethnicity committed a pogrom is blood boiling.

Me driving the DLR:

Things that only make sense in the @theosthinktank.bsky.social office: 'I'm just popping to the shops, do you want a copy of the encyclical?'

It was a joy to join @mainstreamlabour.bsky.social this weekend for a panel on the politics of pluralism, covering everything from community organising & trade unions, to what Christian socialism brings to the party & why Labour is at its best when it embraces the breadth of the broad church.

London today is like a zombie film but instead of getting raptured, everyone else is suddenly in an Arsenal shirt.

After four years as director, I'm moving on from @chrleft.bsky.social this summer. If you've ever thought you'd like to apply for this mad, brilliant, unique job of mine, I'd be very happy to chat about it. Details here: www.w4mpjobs.org/JobDetails.a...

Just seen a pub advertising a Love Island screening, and this must be what it feels like to not love sport.

I've had a real humbling here, sad to say. The lad beat me by 200 points.

Hannah Rich@hannahmerich.bsky.social · 12mo ago

6 year old nephew is making his FPL debut this season (Allison Wonderland, very educational as he learned the concept of a pun in the process) and I'm already feeling the pressure.

Kruger: "A society aligned more closely with the teachings of Jesus would be a happier one."

Sam Freedman@samfr.bsky.social · 2mo ago

If Andy Burnham has given us nothing else he has created a situation in which Danny Kruger has had to go on TV and defend his candidate claiming he wants to "smell and lick" Carole Vorderman's backside.

There will be novels in a few years where this heatwave Sunday in North London football lore is an entire character of its own.

So far today I have spilt my coffee and accidentally smashed a plate, and frankly it’s all Tonda Eckert’s fault because if we were at Wembley none of it would have happened.