Val
@valmel.bsky.social
1.2K followers 880 following 430 posts
Pro EU. Hate Brexit. An oldie who seems to buck the voting trend. Truth matters. Love theatre and art - these matter in life and should be valued.
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Reposted by Val
theobserveruk.bsky.social
The Observer issue no. 12,201: The burden of hope

A Palestinian family returns home in Gaza City

https://observer.co.uk/
Reposted by Val
peterstefanovic.bsky.social
🚨Just 345 signatures from 75,000! Lets get it there 🙏

For too long, the UK press have bullied people, harassed grieving families, and destroyed lives, all to sell papers. It's time to hold them to account.

You can support the campaign to change the law here👇
you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/a-...
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zackpolanski.bsky.social
Maybe there's something in this Nigel Farage and Nathan Gill Russian bribes story....
Lots of stories about Nathan Gill and Russian bribes.
Reposted by Val
davidallengreen.bsky.social
This is a timely, excellent and important report on how "arms length" bodies in UK are vulnerable to political manipulation.

Kudos @chrischirp.bsky.social and @martinmckee.bsky.social for putting this together.
chrischirp.bsky.social
🧵🚨

The UK’s independent scientific bodies are highly vulnerable to politicisation - over the past 5 months I've been working with @martinmckee.bsky.social to map out their vulnerabilities and it's not good news.

Today our report is published!
www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...

1/11
UK’s arm’s length public bodies are highly vulnerable to politicisation
Seven in ten Britons say it is important for top scientific institutions to be independent in exclusive new polling.
www.ucl.ac.uk
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chrisgrey.bsky.social
Simon Calder's reporting on the travel impact of Brexit has been good, but the strangely-worded final line of this ("under the Brexit deal, Boris Johnson’s government negotiated for UK passport holders to become third-country nationals") suggests that, even now, Brexit isn't really understood.
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centreeuropeanref.bsky.social
@antonspisak.bsky.social of the @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social, a think-tank, observes that, after Brexit took effect at the end of 2020, Britain’s goods exports have grown less than those of any other economy in the G7 club of rich countries.
A dangerous post-Brexit world
Britain risks being an unwitting victim of EU-US trade wars
buff.ly
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chrischirp.bsky.social
After a long pause, I've just done another England Covid & NHS update as we head into the autumn/winter season.

TLDR: we're in a significant Covid wave now, the NHS is stretched, get boosted if you're eligible.

christinapagel.substack.com/p/england-is...
England is now experiencing a significant Covid wave, after 10 months of relative quiet
The latest Covid situation in England and a look at where NHS services are as we head into winter
christinapagel.substack.com
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nialloconghaile.bsky.social
@chrisgrey.bsky.social 's latest post is about Reform and immigration, Labour's (perhaps) getting off the sofa to deal with that, and the ECHR.

I would like to talk about the overlap point.

Farage's statement that removing permament leave to remain won't apply to European citizens is empty.

🧵
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warrenoates1.bsky.social
Parliament is back from the conference recess this week.

Kicks of tomorrow, Monday 13th Oct with the Lord's considering the Bus Service (No. 2) Bill.

Then a full week across both Houses, potentially with voted for 3 second readings and 3 third readings of bill.
What is scheduled for w/c 2025/10/13			
Bill / Act	Department	Date	What is expected
Bus Services (No. 2) Bill	Department for Transport	2025/10/13	Lords consideration of Commons amendments
Deprivation of Citizenship Orders (Effect during Appeal) Bill	Home Office	2025/10/14	Lords second reading
Mental Health Bill	Department of Health and Social Care	2025/10/14	Commons Report stage and third reading
Renters' Rights Bill	Minsitry of Housing, Communities and Local Government	2025/10/14	Lords consideration of Commons amendments
Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill	Department for Work and Pensions	2025/10/15	Lords Report stage and third reading
Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill	Department for Transport	2025/10/15	Commons Report stage and third reading
Crime and Policing Bill	Home Office	2025/10/16	Lords second reading
Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office	2025/10/16	Commons second reading
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implausibleblog.bsky.social
Zack Polanski, "Reform UK's Zia Yusuf was full of b*llocks and I think it was important to call that out on #BBCQT"

"What has become clear about Reform UK, they're a bunch of cowards"
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zackpolanski.bsky.social
Great to spend weekend at The World Transformed in Manchester.

- Q&A with lots of students
- spoke on a panel about the future of the left
- another event on housing & rent controls.
- hosted a quiz!

Great energy!

And caught up with @turnleftmedia.co.uk

youtu.be/7ltyShwV-Bc?...
Reform are Cowards | Zack Polanski Interview at The World Transformed
YouTube video by Turn Left
youtu.be
valmel.bsky.social
Did you watch The Hack? I can't believe papers have gotten away with destroying lives for so long. That's why I've signed the petition, set up by Hugh Grant and other phone hacking victims, to demand fair, independent regulation. Join me: you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/a-...
A Free Press, Not a Free Pass – It's Time for Fair Regulation
For too long, the UK press have bullied people, harassed grieving families, and destroyed lives, all to sell papers. We’ve all seen the heartbreaking consequences. They’ve hacked phones, listened to ...
you.38degrees.org.uk
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warrenoates1.bsky.social
Public ownership of railways.

Greater Anglia services come back under public ownership today.

It now puts a third of all passenger journeys under control of the DFTO.

Dates for most other services to follow have been set and eventually services will transfer to GB Railways (following legislation)
Greater Anglia services transferred to public ownership
Greater Anglia services are now managed by DfT Operator Ltd (DFTO).
www.gov.uk
Reposted by Val
warrenoates1.bsky.social
"Lots done. Lots more to do."

As Parliament is set to return tomorrow, here is a video the Labour government have put out to show us some of the things they have achieved in the first year.

And it's a LOOOOOOONG list.
Reposted by Val
warrenoates1.bsky.social
Well done to the Royal Marines!

They have successfully taken part in a dramatic counter-drugs interception of boats traveling at 40 knots across the Gult of Oman.

From helicopters a direct sniper shot was made into a boat engine,to knock it out.

They seized £35m of drugs, including heroin.
Royal Marines' bullseye shot stops £35m illegal drugs shipment in the Middle East
It comes as the latest in a series of drug seizures by the Royal Navy in the Gulf region.
www.gov.uk