Northerner, book hoarder, foreign language enthusiast, and unabashed cat lady. Also, local gov officer, disability rights activist, trade unionist, and Green 💚
📣 Gladstone's Library Scholarships: Last Chance for Applications!📣 The submission period for scholarships to be taken in 2027 closes at 11.45pm BST today (Monday 3rd August 2026). For details on the 23 scholarships available and how to apply go to our website -> Scholarships and Residencies.
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Shop | The FenceSubscriptions, back issues and merchandise from The Fence — Britain's only funny magazine.the-fence.comJay RaynerAt the start of 2026 there were two print outlets at Brixton tube. The kiosk inside the station closed in January due to tfl rent rises. Now what was WH Smith’s is going. Yes ‘old man shakes fist at clouds’ vibe. But also it’s sad. Buys sub to @privateeyenews.bsky.social and @thefence.bsky.social
According to the parliamentary annual report & accounts for the 2025/26 financial year, the cost of subsidising the bars in the House of Commons alone was around £5.8 million. Meanwhile, to save £3 million less than that, Jodrell Bank is being defunded and shut down. share.google/MRHIvCsCsKoc...
Jodrell Bank's Lovell telescope faces axe in science cuts, BBC understandsAstronomers warn it would tear the heart out of UK science, and leave a generation untrained.share.google
Tories beaten by Restore, which is basically one aging racist with a Facebook page. The Keminaissance in action.
Owen WinterManchester mayoral results, first round Bev Craig - Labour 47% (+24 vs local elections) Reform 21% (-10) Green 12% (-7) Restore 9% (new) Conservative 8% (-3) Lib Dem 3% (-7)
This has really pissed me off, if you're in the area and can afford it go and give the cafe owner some money to help fund the kids meals. And if he refuses buy yourself a nice coffee and tip him as much as you can. Fuck Reform taking food from kids in need. www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
Reform council chief threatens to report café boss who fed kids for free to copsEXCLUSIVE: Barry Ashley, who runs the Grumpy Cook café in Hastings, and Labour MP Helena Dollimore have been told by East Sussex County Council chief Andy Woolley that he plans to contact police after...www.mirror.co.uk
Govt planning c. 100 new data centres by early 2030s, mostly in already water stressed areas. They have no legal obligation to disclose how much water they use. Meanwhile Govt launches £75m publicity campaign to urge us to reduce water use & privatised water companies waste 19% thro leaks. Madness
The wildfires in Suffolk are the reality of a fossil-fuelled climate emergency that is making our summers hotter and more extreme. If we have any chance of preventing the worst of the climate crisis, we need to keep fossil fuels in the ground.
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.
For decades, Jodrell Bank has helped us understand the universe, but now it's facing pointless funding cuts. Withdrawing funds won't save much money, but it will seriously hurt UK science. I’ve added my name to help stop this—please join me and sign the petition: you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/sa...
Save Jodrell BankFor decades, Jodrell Bank has helped us understand the universe, but now its funding is being threatened. Add your name to help stop these short-sighted cuts and protect UK science:you.38degrees.org.uk
Everyone should read this absurdist thread and then think about how it’s not absurdist at all, it’s genuinely a perfect representation of the current system.
Dan NeidleI have a modest proposal for a new tax. It involves a deck of cards and a monkey throwing darts. Here are the rules:
Some sensible soul has started a petition on banning the sale of disposable BBQs. Given the number of wildfires we've had in the UK and have seen over in Europe, this is an absolutely obvious thing to do.
Petition: Ban on sale of disposable BBQsWe want the Government to introduce a nationwide ban on the sale of single-use disposable barbecues. Disposable BBQs are increasingly linked to preventable wildfires, which poses a serious risk to pu...petition.parliament.uk
Having won the war against trans people, the Spectator moves on to its next vulnerable target
Ian Wright saying we shouldn’t forget the way the Iranian team and the Somali referee were treated. Correct.