Agree. I wrote a couple of months ago for @bylinetimes.bsky.social about why progressive alliances have not worked in the past & why we urgently need to start thinking about how they could work better in future: www.bylinesupplement.com/p/hang-toget...

Hang Together or Hang Separately?

Green wins and the Makerfield by-election have reignited debate on the potential for a “progressive alliance” to stop a future far-right government. Now is the time to make it happen argues Tom Scott

bylinesupplement.com

Compass@compassoffice.bsky.social · 2d ago

Talks of a Reform-Restore pact - a Regressive Alliance - should alarm every progressive in this country. It is time to galvanise Britain's Progressive Majority.

"[Byline] revealed that Cottrell entered corporate finance under a false Swiss identity, hired by the same City network that produced Reform UK’s own treasurer, Mehrtash A’zami. "Byline Times has since confirmed that this identity was stolen from a real person – Cottrell’s old school friend."

Nigel Farage Funder George Cottrell's Accountant Co-Invested With Russia-Linked Indicted Cocaine Trafficker

The accountancy firm that administers George Cottrell’s Montenegro company, has invested in a property development with the alleged ringleader of the country’s largest money laundering cartel

bylinetimes.com

A tiny number of extremely wealthy men have taken power over our world, undermining democracy and encouraging the rise of fascism Read how they hide in plain sight and how we can bring down to earth and end their anti-social behaviour #FightTheOligarchy northeastbylines.co.uk/culture/book...

Beware of oligarchs bearing gifts: book review

Review of Lacunae and Laocoon: For the Triumph of Democracy over Oligarchy by Molly Scott Cato

northeastbylines.co.uk

Nigel Farage just took a question from a 'journalist' at his press conference, who turned out to be his former chief adviser Raheem Kassam, who asks him why the media are being so unfair to him

We should never forget how the BBC has changed this country by giving endless airtime to Nigel Farage and other rightwing extremists, while shutting out progressive voices.

Nicolas Chinardet@zefrog.eu · 3d ago

And why is #r4today giving (yet again) such prominence to a hair-brained scheme that has little chance to ever be implemented? A GE is unlikely soon and the threat of Reform winning it is apparently receding. What is the justification for legitimising it?

Can electoral lightning strike twice? #VoteBinface #Clacton

In short: "We all hate each other, but we isn't hatred what far-right politics is all about? ONE HATE: Let's together and feel alright." On Talk TV, Rupert Lowe delivered this message in the tones of an upper-class Bond villain with a shark tank in his basement.

Sunder Katwala (sundersays)@sundersays.bsky.social · 4d ago

Rupert Lowe pitches a deal from Restore to Farage's Reform. His conditions are full adoption of Restore's policies on mass deportations" including "millions must go" slogan on legal migrants + his policies on Islam + a referendum on death penalty + the ditching of Rupert Jenrick & Suella Braverman

Important, because Farage's defence for not declaring Harborne's £5m 'gift' has always been very specific: he did not decide to stand until 3rd of June. Turns out this deal was struck mid-May (confirmed by RefUK) and facilitated by Farage's other big donor, convicted felon 'Posh' George Cotrell. 🧐

European Heart@bexbitchley.bsky.social · 4d ago

@mrjamesob.bsky.social @sturdyalex.bsky.social @pimlicat.bsky.social www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/nigel-farage-reform-leader-deal-george-cottrell-5gfrcrmb0

NEW: The Abramovich connection. How convicted money launderer George Cottrell - & close aide to Nigel Farage - ‘signed documents’ for one of Putin’s closest allies. My latest for @thenerve.news 1/ www.thenerve.news/p/george-cot...

Farage, George Cottrell and Putin’s friend Abramovich

Source reveals convicted money launderer and Reform leader’s close ally worked as a young man for the now-sanctioned oligarch after becoming friends with his son. Report by Carole Cadwalladr

thenerve.news

I hope the terrible fire at Dunwich Heath, close to a nuclear power station, will motivate action, because this is our reality now. We have to adapt, become more resilient and make ourselves #SAFER together. #climate #wildfire #drought #dunwich

Trump's renewed threat to grab Greenland is pure distraction from the vicious, pointless and massively damaging war with Iran, which he has no idea how to extricate himself from. But that doesn't mean he won't do it. Sometimes he does six impossibly stupid things before breakfast.

The signs of collapsing harvests are coming thick and fast now, but still @andyburnham.bsky.social plans to suck up more oil and gas, pump more CO2 into the atmosphere, and add to the heat, drought, and wildfires that compromise UK food production www.theguardian.com/business/202...

‘Worst we’ve known’: UK turns to imports as drought and heat hit vegetable crops

Growers in dismay after scorching weather and lack of rain affect yields, sending wholesale prices rocketing

theguardian.com

As the UN Secretary General says, every new fossil fuel project approved today makes tomorrow’s heatwaves more dangerous & our world less secure. I hope Andy Burnham is listening. Caving in to the fossil fuel lobby as the planet burns would be unforgivable

Burnham risks first revolt as PM over apparent support for North Sea drilling

Labour MPs fear No 10 team lack up-to-date energy insight and don’t fully recognise voters’ climate concerns

theguardian.com

Restore demonstrates how to: - Get your excuses for losing in early - Undermine the democratic process with baseless conspiracy theories - Cast aspersions on hard-working vote-counters & election officials - Out-do even Reform's toxicity All in one short tweet! #Manchester

On July 25th, global sea-surface temperatures set a record high anomaly of 0.80°C above the 1991-2020 mean, breaking the previous record of 0.76°C set in January, 2024. STOP SUBSIDISING & BURNING FOSSIL FUELS ‼️

GOOD NEWS: The UK’s highest court has granted permission to appeal the terrorist ban of Palestine Action. This news comes a month after the Court of Appeal upheld the government’s decision to ban Palestine Action in July 2025.

Across the country, wildfires are raging. The Prime Minister needs to call a COBRA meeting and treat the climate crisis with the urgency this moment calls for.

Brighton has been truly parched, and meanwhile water infrastructure crumbles. In 37 years since privatisation, not one new major reservoir for England. In the 35 years before that, nearly 100 major reservoirs were created. The new PM must renationalise water as a matter of urgency.

I want to thank our fire and emergency services for their dedicated work in incredibly difficult conditions battling the wildfire at Dunwich. I urge the public to follow the safety advice to stay away from the area and keep doors and windows closed.

Holiday park evacuated as 90 firefighters tackle Suffolk heath wildfire

Major incident declared, Sizewell B power station closely monitoring blaze and RSPB nature reserve closed to visitors

theguardian.com

Jonathan Porritt has been arrested. As he says "trying to save lives is not terrorism, exposing this Governments complicity in genocide is not terrorism."

Defend Our Juries@defendourjuries.bsky.social · 6d ago

NEW: Sir Jonathon Porritt, arrested under Terrorism law outside Westminster Magistrates Court. As police escorted him away he said "I am a supporter of Palestine Action, trying to save lives is not terrorism, exposing this Governments complicity in genocide is not terrorism." www.wedonotcomply.org

Is “pragmatic” the new, “grown up” word? Andy, there’s nothing “pragmatic” about drilling for more oil & gas - to even consider it with the planet literally on fire is total madness. How many times must we say it will do nothing for energy bills or security? It would be an act of utter recklessness

Burnham promises ‘pragmatic’ approach to North Sea oil and gas

PM tells reporters the government cannot ignore the energy resource ‘when people are struggling’

theguardian.com

This looks v. positive 👏 But to be meaningful it has to lead to immediate ruling out of *any* new fossil fuel drilling, including Rosebank & Jackdaw & the urgent reinstatement of international climate finance. For more on climate as a security threat, see my podcast for @therestpolitics.bsky.social

Leo Hickman@leohickman.carbonbrief.org · 7d ago

++BREAKING++ The UK and Spanish governments have issued a joint statement overnight: "[We] agreed that this summer’s wildfires demonstrated that climate change was now a national security emergency facing Europe and threatening our way of life." www.gov.uk/government/n...

Greater Manchester; Polls are now open! Head to wheredoivote.co.uk to find your local polling station and head on down! Vote Green today for real hope and real change 💚

Half of the country is in "exceptionally serious drought" - putting us at more risk of wildfires and threatening our food security. Meanwhile water companies are wasting a staggering 2.87 billion litres of water every day through leaky pipes. Time to end water privatisation.

I'm not qualified to judge whether such people are psychopaths. All I can say is that they behave as if they are. From today's Telegraph.

"And when you are gone there will be no memory Of you and no regret. For you do not share The Pierian roses, but unseen in the house of Hades You will stray, breathed out, among the ghostly dead." - Sappho

DB Maggi@dbmaggi.bsky.social · last wk.

Wildfires on the Greek island of Crete have forced people to flee into the sea. The Coast Guard has rescued dozens of people from the water. Meanwhile, a long, frightening night is also taking place on the Greek island of Lesbos right now. #ClimateCrisis #Wildfires #Greece

"Hi mum. Just to let you know I'm going to transfer a huge amount of money into your account. If you then choose to pass most of that on to Reform UK and a company owned by Richard Tice, that's *entirely* up to you. Got that straight, mum?" www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Revealed: George Cottrell transferred $2m to his mother days before her donations to Reform UK

Exclusive: Sources say Fiona Cottrell told bankers the transfers, received 24-72 hours before her donations to Reform, came from her son

theguardian.com

Andy Burnham likes to tell people what he thinks will please them. Trump is a serial liar, but I fear for once he's telling the truth. Nice of Burnham to tell him first.

Victoria Derbyshire@vicderbyshire.bsky.social · last wk.

#Newsnight LIVE 1030pm @BBCTwo @BBCNews Tonight President Trump has said Andy Burnham told him ‘he was going to open up the North Sea’ An early challenge for the UK PM on how to handle the US leader?

In The Vanity of Human Wishes, Dr Johnson wrote of the sad decline into senility of the great satirist Jonathan Swift: "From Marlb'rough's eyes the streams of dotage flow, And Swift expires a driv'ler and a show." John Cleese will be 87 in October.

Polling Day is where elections are won. This Thursday, help us knock doors, deliver reminders and get Green voters to the ballot box. A few hours of your time could help elect Greater Manchester's first Green Mayor.