As Rod Liddle has died, I notice this column I wrote in 2019 about his attacks on people with M.E. is on the most read again. Rebekah Brooks, of News UK, described Liddle today as “provocative”. In reality, he spread lies about very sick people for cash. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Rod Liddle vilifies disabled people. I’m tired of the hate. We all should be | Frances Ryan

Whether it is ME patients or another target, huge swathes of the media have normalised hatred of minorities for years, says Guardian columnist Frances Ryan

theguardian.com

To every trans Londoner: this city is yours too. Today we celebrate London Trans+ Pride and reaffirm a simple truth: you should be free to live as yourself, without fear or prejudice. You are loved. You are wanted. You belong here.

Really interesting and thoughtful reflections on his time in office, including his mistakes in Rishi Sunak’s Sunday Times column this week:

Rishi Sunak: How it feels as a new PM — my guide for Andy Burnham

The to-do list is long but time is short, so the incoming prime minister will have to choose his priorities and put the right people in charge of them

thetimes.com

How to resist the far right in Britain

Q&A: How to resist the far-right in Britain

Nick Lowles of Hope Not Hate says we need our political leaders to defend Britain’s multicultural society

newhumanist.org.uk

Just to underline the fact that this is an utterly pointless by-election, Laurence Fox is standing. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Clacton by-election attracts 34 candidates

The list of people taking on Nigel Farage contains 20 independents and a number of joke candidates.

bbc.co.uk

You have to wonder whose interests they serve. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

Trump administration to grant $12m to groups founded by UK conservatives Jacob Rees-Mogg and Toby Young

Exclusive: Controversial grants are part of package criticised as misuse of public money to influence European politics

theguardian.com

French MPs have today voted to create a right to assisted dying 👇 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

French MPs approve assisted-dying law with strict rules after years of argument

The bill would allow assisted dying for terminally ill adults who meet strict criteria.

bbc.co.uk

Looks like water bosses can make it rain. CEO salary up from £875,500 to £995,000

Jim Pickard@pickardje.bsky.social · 3w ago

looks like Thames Water has given a 14% pay rise to its chief executive and a 26% rise to its finance director

Incredibly proud to be associated with Compassion in Dying who have produced another excellent report, exploring issues being faced by those who want to plan their end of life care The insights from conversations with health care professionals hit hard & I think many will empathise

Compassion in Dying@compassionindying.bsky.social · 3w ago

Today, we launch our new report: Bridging the gap: How to ensure people's decisions are respected at the end of life. It shows that too many people are still dying in ways they explicitly said they did not want. compassionindying.org.uk/resource/bri...

This reminds me of the time Reform's Kent council were going to accidentally ban the Kent flag by enforcing a rule that only the English and Union flag could be flown on council buildings

Adam Bienkov@adambienkov.bsky.social · 3w ago

Reform UK plans to jail candidates for using Irish, Gaelic Or Cornish on their election leaflets. Nigel Farage’s party propose amendment to the elections Bill which would mean candidates using Irish and Scottish Gaelic would face up to six months in prison bylinetimes.com/2026/07/13/r...

The friends you keep, part 94: Convicted fraudster and Montenegro resident gave money and office supplies to Reform UK without declaring them and possibly illegally if he was not on electoral register bit.ly/4pe15o6

George Cottrell failed to declare gifts to Reform office

The convicted fraudster nicknamed ‘Posh George’ used his own bank card to cover costs without the Electoral Commission knowing

bit.ly

I don't know who is doing this but they should stop it now.

AK Faulkner 🔜 MCM Birmingham@ravenswordpress.com · 4w ago

Black pudding. Fucking god tier food item, but the English have GOT to stop steaming it. Fry it as god intended, you cowards.

Temperatures peaked at 35.2°C today at Coton in the Elms, Derbyshire This means 2026 has now broken even more temperature records 🌡️

It doesn't matter what happens or how ridiculous, the Telegraph needs to feed the beast #VoteBinFace

All this Farage chuntering is a welcome break from all the what-will-he-won't-he-do Burnham speculation. Well done everyone 🫠

Your regular reminder that cryptocurrency does in fact have a use case and that use case is crime

Incudes someone from Open AI

Mark Chadbourn@chadbourn.bsky.social · last mo.

Far Right Jamboree agenda. Remarkable to see all the worst people in one place. Obi-Wan Kenobi gif 1/2

I hope the new PM can get installed and start making a massive hash of things asap, so that everybody can stop writing columns about how he's either going to do that, or not do that, or do something else. Please stop writing about it YOU ALL KNOW NOTHING.

NEWS: Pope is Catholic

OSV News@osvnews.bsky.social · last mo.

French bishops launch prayer novena ahead of key ‘assisted-dying’ vote

What kind of savage doesn't put #TheBins out the night before? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Put your bins out earlier in the coming heatwave, councils say

Rounds will start earlier across the West as councils seek to protect workers from the midday sun.

bbc.co.uk

Maybe if the people objecting to this didn't make such ludicrous claims people might have listened to them more. Q. What is your issue with this development? A. DECAPITATION! CHILD SNATCHING!!!

Kemi looking good here, needs to work on that power stance #PoliticalCommentary

They’re calling it the quote on British politics that ended the need for all other quotes

For those following the saga with the Information Commissioner, and for everyone who has worked in a toxic technology environment, this is an important bit of transparency and leadership from DSIT SoS Liz Kendall

I hope this is our nadir, otherwise..

優noD🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿@yunod.sustainabletranslator.scot · 2mo ago

'We’ve lost our way as a species. I believe we’ll find our way back, decades, maybe centuries from now. And when we do, this moment – an era when the planet was ruled by Trump and Musk – will be seen as our nadir, when we allowed fear and ignorance to become our guiding lights.'

NEW: The Assisted Dying Bill is returning to Parliament this week. Labour MP Lauren Edwards will reintroduce it on Wednesday after coming 2nd in the private members’ ballot. “The process has been frustrated by a small minority”, she argues.

This isn't just about assisted dying, it's about democracy. Spot on @laurenedwardsmp.bsky.social: "I believe it is a fundamental democratic principle that the elected chamber, the House of Commons, should decide what does and does not become law in this country"

Lauren Edwards MP@laurenedwardsmp.bsky.social · 2mo ago

It is a great privilege to have come second in the ballot for Private Member’s Bills. After giving the matter a great deal of thought, I will be reintroducing the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. You can read my full statement on this here or on my website: buff.ly/I78DfUX

It is a great privilege to have come second in the ballot for Private Member’s Bills. After giving the matter a great deal of thought, I will be reintroducing the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. You can read my full statement on this here or on my website: buff.ly/I78DfUX

Bluesky, I am never going to "go live"

Trump’s war helped to boost sales, for China

Dean Baker@deanbaker13.bsky.social · 2mo ago

To mark Trump's 80th birthday, BYD, the Chinese EV maker, is making Trump "Salesman of the Year." cepr.net/publications...