Laura Phillips
banner
lauraphillips.bsky.social
Laura Phillips
@lauraphillips.bsky.social
Campaigner to support the BBC, (not a BBC employee).It’s affected by savage UK govt cuts: c40% 2010-2024. BBC costs <48 pence/around 62 US cents a day per UK household. It’s a national public service broadcaster, respected worldwide for accurate reporting.
#BBC's Health Editor, Hugh Pym: '[ #NHS] Planned treatment #waiting #list in England has dropped to 7.29 million lowest in nearly three years. But #A&E #waits of more than 12 hours after decision to admit at record high, 71,500 in Jan'
February 12, 2026 at 11:08 AM
Reposted by Laura Phillips
Not easy to ignore what Trump is doing to the US right now in terms of attacking climate polices and climate science.

But this below is the biggest and most consequential climate story in the world right now.

Period.
NEW ANALYSIS: China's CO2 has now been 'flat or falling' for 21 months

* Down in 2025
* Still below Mar 2024
* Clean energy wave a key factor

If this is China's peak (TBC) it's the climate story of the century so far…

www.carbonbrief.org/...
February 12, 2026 at 10:14 AM
Reposted by Laura Phillips
Ukraine’s capabilities to hit targets deep inside Russia are increasing as Ukraine scales up production of new weapons, and fascist Russia’s economy is already exhibiting signs of strain. Hence the recent urgency of Trump and Putin to try to force Ukraine to surrender by summer.
A high-speed drone (jet drone?) is seen striking the Progress plant, a strategically critical Russian defense enterprise in Michurinsk, Tambov Oblast, and a second drone appears to strike off-camera. The plant produces components for Russian missile and drone navigation systems.
February 12, 2026 at 10:27 AM
V interesting @simonjackbbc.bsky.social with cross bench Lord Jim O'Neill economist+advisor to Lab+Cons 8.10 on state of the #economy, #productivity labour cf capital Glass *half full*. See purchasing managers’ index. Need for political stability. Borrow to invest. Govt “should” get closer to #EU.
Today - 12/02/2026 - BBC Sounds
News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 12, 2026 at 10:25 AM
Unbearable, totally unacceptable. #BBC’s Michael Buchanan’s consistent, detailed, unflinching reporting on #maternity #care is an important contribution to this discussion and many of us are devoutly hoping that it will bear fruit in changing the culture, staffing and outcomes.
Parents blame baby deaths on misssed chances at Sussex NHS trust
Beth and Sophie had to cope with the loss of their babies, while under the care of UH Sussex NHS Trust
www.bbc.co.uk
February 12, 2026 at 9:08 AM
A first look at #Vigil Series 3. 🥶❄️

DCI Amy Silva and DI Kirsten Longacre return to
#BBCiPlayer + #BBCOne later this year for a new case that takes them to a remote Arctic research station...

More 👇
Vigil series three first look pictures unveiled
DCI Amy Silva (Suranne Jones) and DI Kirsten Longacre (Rose Leslie) return for a new series coming to BBC iPlayer and BBC One
www.bbc.co.uk
February 12, 2026 at 8:45 AM
ONS: GDP grew 0.1% in Quarter 4 (Oct to Dec) 2025.

Services showed no growth (0.0%), while production grew (+1.2%) and construction contracted (-2.1%).

Read the article ➡️ ons.gov.uk/economy/grossd…
https://ons.gov.uk/economy/grossd…
February 12, 2026 at 8:37 AM
Reposted by Laura Phillips
Reuters: U.S. HOUSE BACKS RESOLUTION THAT WOULD END TRUMP'S CANADA TARIFFS BY 219 TO 211
February 11, 2026 at 11:20 PM
Reposted by Laura Phillips
Half a dozen House Republicans voted with the majority of Democrats today to overturn President Trump's tariffs on Canada.
House Republicans defy Trump on trade
The vote signals growing GOP discomfort with Trump's aggressive tariff strategy.
www.axios.com
February 11, 2026 at 11:23 PM
Reposted by Laura Phillips
Mbuemo, Cunha, Fernandes. Casemiro, Martinez, Sesko, Amad, Mazraoui, Zirksee, Lammens, De Light, Ugarte, Dalot, Dorgu, Yoro… colonisers?
February 11, 2026 at 11:22 PM
Well.
February 11, 2026 at 11:02 PM
Reposted by Laura Phillips
Council Tax has become increasingly regressive.

It now takes nearly 5% of income from the poorest families but barely 1% from the richest. For many, it's become a grinding monthly obligation to rival the Poll Tax.
February 11, 2026 at 6:01 PM
Reposted by Laura Phillips
I've seen beached whales less out of their depth.
Pam Bondi starts ranting about the DOW and S&P in the middle of questions about the Epstein files.
February 11, 2026 at 4:40 PM
Reposted by Laura Phillips
our FT story from June 2023 showed:

Mandelson stayed at Epstein’s $77m townhouse in Manhattan in June 2009 while the financier was in prison for soliciting prostitution from minor

in 2010 and 2011 Epstein noted that “Petie” was with him in Paris, where the financier owned a sumptuous apartment
February 11, 2026 at 7:59 AM
Reposted by Laura Phillips
So the feds ARE NOT considering an mRNA vaccine for the flu, which could save countless lives, but ARE backing research into whether horse dewormer can cure cancer, because the right views vaccines as elite and ivermectin as populist.

Cool.
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
FDA won’t review Moderna application for first mRNA-based flu vaccine
The decision, which shocked company officials, comes as the FDA says it will take a stricter approach to federal vaccine approvals.
www.washingtonpost.com
February 11, 2026 at 2:24 AM
Reposted by Laura Phillips
You can joke about Pam Bondi’s ridiculous unprofessionalism all you want, but I’m deeply shocked by it: She acts as if she fears absolutely no consequences, convinced that there will be no more political power transfers. — This should shake everyone to their core.
February 11, 2026 at 5:48 PM
Reposted by Laura Phillips
A bit awkward for Jim, as only seven players in Manchester United’s 26-man first team squad are from the UK.
February 11, 2026 at 5:43 PM
Zelenskyy: ‘February 24 is a special date. Even if there were an intention or relevant steps toward bringing certain elections forward, I believe it would be an utterly stupid idea to use such a date to talk about politics. This is a very serious date – four years of war.’ 1/
February 11, 2026 at 8:41 PM
@camanpour.bsky.social: Exc: Nobel Cttee say they have credible reports that Iranian Nobel laureate NargesMohammadi has been severely beaten in custody. Allegations are graphic+horrific. Nobel chair Jørgen Frydnes: “cruel+inhumane treatment, a blatant violation of international human rights law.”
video.twimg.com
February 11, 2026 at 8:23 PM
@johnsimpsonnews.bsky.social’s ‘Unspun World’, BBC2 11pm then iPlayer, News Channel+World Service: how Hamas still runs things in Gaza; the heavy metal past of Japan’s female PM; how LA parents are trying to hold social media to acct for effects on children,+impact on S Africa of Trump’s aid cuts.
February 11, 2026 at 8:15 PM
Typically thoughtful. The problem for voters - with funding and priority given to the political ‘stenographers’ - is that many of us struggle to hear enough of the *policies* being enacted, their effects and consequences. This leads to a democratic deficit+further concentration on Westminster drama.
February 11, 2026 at 7:18 PM
Reposted by Laura Phillips
BREAKING NEWS | Trump quietly pulls National Guard from Chicago and Los Angeles after series of court losses
Trump quietly pulls National Guard from US cities after series of court losses
Supreme Court blocked Trump’s troop deployment in December in apparent rebuke of his attempt to send troops into cities
trib.al
February 11, 2026 at 4:41 PM