Suzanne

I’m sick of this - let’s all complain www.bbc.co.uk/contact/comp... And when you do, don’t just say stop putting this twat on the telly, make the point that 1) he does not get effectively challenged even though he is a proven liar & 2) Reform gets disproportionate prominence to their MP numbers.

💯The case for democracy is not that voters are always right, or wise, or good. It's that they can correct their mistakes. That's why it's so dangerous to have billionaires controlling the media or regulating the flow of information. It shuts down the immune system of democracy.

Disappointed to miss World Pasta Day yesterday - now I need to heat up this poem in the microwave.

The Covid Inquiry’s Module 6 report is devastating. Its central conclusion: adult social care was treated as “something of an afterthought”, while “protecting the NHS” sometimes came at the expense of people receiving and providing care. 1/10

We were coldly, cynically, systematically lied to Tories, particularly Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock, will forever have the blood of the elderly on their hands. A reminder that Hancock got a lucrative TV gig. And Johnson still rakes cash in for his newspaper column. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cm...

One of those impossibly beautiful mornings with every species of bird flying from hawthorn haw to rowan berry

This is damning. So much could could have been done at the time, with what was known about COVID, and with what what resources we had. It’s hard not to read callous neglect into these findings. And that intentional neglect was layered with lies - like the “protective ring” - which did not exist.

This is Tommy. Tommy had a question about my allegiances. Listen to the end to hear about his.

I think I've just understood why all the big scoops don't really hit anymore. It's cause I've read them all in Byline Times months/years previously and they hit back then. Its kind of like watching a movie where someone's already told you all the spoilers and jumpscares.

📌 ICYMI — Mysterious Right-Wing Think Tank Demanding Charity ‘Transparency’ Won’t Say Who Runs or Funds… — @josiahmortimer.bsky.social EXCLUSIVE: A group with no legal status and using fake names for the authors of its first published report, has won widespread media coverage, despite refusing…

🔴 NEW A Short History of Trump’s Long-Held Connections to Russia By @zarinazabrisky.bsky.social Read below. ↓

Not every unkind word deserves a reply, and not every disagreement needs your attention. Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is quietly walk away, protect your peace and leave others to their own noise.

I’m sorry, what?! “Salmon are carnivores and eat other fish in the wild, so feeding them chicken is entirely natural,” said an executive at a major salmon-feed producer.” Feeding them humans would be just as “natural” BTW. www.ft.com/content/8f1e...

Night night sweet dreamies Life has a funny way of surprising us. Some days are difficult, and others bring unexpected joy. So never lose hope, never underestimate yourself, and remember… You never quite know what wonderful things tomorrow might bring.

First bird of the day seen bimbling about outside my bedroom door this morning. Wrens always make me happy so I’m going to paint some tiny ones this week just to cheer myself up. 

Unsolicited writing advice, no. 96: If you write, you’re a writer. If you ask AI to write for you, no matter how many thousands of pages it slops out on your behalf, you’re not.

🟣 SUBSTACK ‘A Clear Answer’: Russia Intervened in the Brexit Vote By @peterjukes.bsky.social Read below. ↓

Company behind Scotland’s biggest data centre proposal is owned by the treasurer of the UK Conservative party via British Virgin Islands. It could receive £23m public subsidy. BVI facilitates opacity and tax avoidance. Successive UK govts have defended the use of tax havens by wealthy elites.

A wonderful thread! Making me want to go back to Ireland soon 🙂

Some of the Fungi I've met in Dorset woods & heaths.

Reminder that Wes Streeting has a Bachelor’s degree in history. That’s it. Not a doctor. Not any health experience. Just a career politician, hollow as a gourd.

Now THIS is how you write a story. Devastating.

I’m a little bit excited. 🧡📚 Lots of you lovely people who ordered my book are expecting it to arrive TOMORROW. MY BOOK. In your houses. With my face on it. 😳🐈 I can’t wait to hear what you think — and photos are practically compulsory. 😂📸 Thank you. Truly. 🧡🐾

🔔 BING-BONG! 🔔 May I have your attention, please… There may be a rather important announcement coming your way around the middle of October. That is all. Absolutely nothing else to report. Please go about your business and, most importantly, do not look too closely at the photograph. 👀

Feminism doesn't require women to see trans+ people as the enemy. For many of us, feminism has always meant challenging inequality, standing alongside people whose rights are under threat, and refusing to accept that one group's equality must come at another's expense. That's our feminism too.

"So the real question is not, 'Will they get more intelligent than us?' but 'If they're more intelligent than us, will we have a way of making sure they don't want to take over?'" – Geoffrey Hinton Listen to a special episode of our podcast as we examine the topic of AI: https://bit.ly/4ct2cZw

Some advice to aspiring scientists from medicine laureate Barry Marshall. Marshall is one of two researchers who discovered that peptic ulcers are caused by a bacterial infection of the stomach Read his full banquet speech: https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/2005/marshall/speech/

Here we go - just signed - well done @nationaltrust.org.uk : campaigns.nationaltrust.org.uk/page/196457/...

Another day, another headline about AI gone rogue. It's why I've signed a new petition calling for the UK Gov to introduce an AI Rights Bill - with REAL rules, regulations and guardrails to protect us from AI gone rogue. Join me: 38d.gs/5roa

Signed ✍️

Donate every month. My family were merchant seamen so RNLI revered as lifesaver. Our WI visited the HQ in Poole, an amazing place. Please consider buying RNLI Christmas cards this year if you use charity cards.

And this open letter of support, signed now by 81k people.

This is a disgrace. Brave RNLI volunteers being called scum for risking their lives to save others at sea is just plain wrong. So I've signed an open letter of thanks for the RNLI letting them know these thugs do not speak for the rest of us. Add your name? act.38degrees.org.uk/act/rnli-tha...

Today’s poem is called ‘Love Excels’.

I was thinking about Judith Hann so I checked and she’s ok and 83 and gardening up a storm in double denim. Does anyone need this? I made this. #TomorrowsWorld

Today’s poem is called ‘Bags’.

Ten years ago, ‘You Took the Last Bus Home’ was published. It was my first collection of poetry and incredibly, it’s still going strong. To celebrate the anniversary, I thought I’d share a poem from it every day this month, starting with the title poem.

Good morning & welcome to Tuna Tuesday Today, don’t underestimate the difference a fresh start can make. Yesterday may have been difficult, messy or simply exhausting , but it doesn’t get to decide what today will be. Take the new day gently

September is your last chance to see many of the UK’s common bumblebees ⌛🐝 This month, many bumblebee nests will naturally come to an end and new queens will settle down to hibernate over the winter 👑💤 🔎 Brush up on your bumblebee identification skills: https://ow.ly/o6B950ZClyE

For many years, it was assumed that the prehistoric cave paintings of people, mammoths and hunting scenes were created by men. Analysis of the handprints often used to "sign" these paintings now suggest that most of the artists were women. #CelebratingWomen

CALLING LONDONERS 📣 My friend has spent FIVE YEARS developing her play—a queer horror story—and she's hardly sold any tickets. She's travelling down from Leeds and I'm devastated 🥺 The Haunting of Verity Evans, The Hope Theatre, 25th–26th August. I hope you'll join me! Please share if you can't!

Devil's-bit scabious is a horrible name for such a pretty flower, which is in peak bloom across the country right now. The scabious part comes from its traditional use treating skin conditions, such as scabies. The roots look truncated, as if bitten off from below by Old Nick! 🧵 1/2

The only laureate to have been awarded two Nobel Prizes in two different scientific categories. The first Nobel Prize laureate to receive two prizes. The first woman to be awarded a Nobel Prize. Her name was Marie Skłodowska Curie and she made history.

I was sent this fundraiser and wanted to give it a share . Sharon was diagnosed with motor neurone disease late last year , and her friends are raising money for @mndassoc.bsky.social in her name . . . if you can donate or help spread the word , please do . www.justgiving.com/page/sharons...

The Goddess Queen is nearly here! Click here to order - and for tickets to book-signing events in Bath, York and London NEXT WEEK! linktr.ee/thegoddessqu... And check out the full video on instagram…

This thing seems to be out in the open now, so even though publication’s eight months away, let’s drum up some early interest, shall we? Wayfarers is out next April. Here’s the cover.

I’m off to Edinburgh today ahead of my seven shows at this year’s Fringe. As ever, my train ‘journey’ has got off to a spectacular start.