As a Brit visiting San Francisco in 2005 this was my favourite place for breakfast (eggs Benedict in particular). Loved the city as well.

“In a move that has shocked campaigners - the Prime Minister - a former human rights lawyer - shamelessly whipped against amendments to the Sentencing Bill which would have been a significant step towards ending this shocking scandal once and for all”

Why, why, WHY are we attempting (unsuccessfully) to build more prison places? Such a sign of social failure that our default is predominantly incarceration.

I’m sorry, what?

Lying about your own country in return for money from a foreign power. There should be a word for that.

Why should any political donations other than a standard annual party membership fee (say £25) be permitted?
All other options allow wealthy people disproportionate political influence.

We need to be honest about Iran – and how our rampant greed for oil is causing mayhem | George Monbiot Oil has empowered capitalism, and some of the world’s most exploitative regimes. Move away from it and we can solve some of the key issues we face, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot

Another great piece from @georgemonbiot.bsky.social ‘The world’s military power exists in large part to deliver the profit from resources – especially oil – to banks and shareholders, commodity traders and asset managers, hedge funds and private equity companies’.

So funny and theologically ’on the money’. Eschatological Comedy - who knew? 😂

Spain’s MEP Irene Montero speaking to reporters

Irene Montero: No woman has ever been freed by American bombs or illegal aggression — Not in Syria. Not in Iraq. Not in Afghanistan. It will not happen in Iran either

When they want to sell their oil wars, their wars for profit, their imperial wars — they hide behind women’s rights to justify them

Straight out of the Trump playbook. Farage is a wannabe Donnie Orange.

● Typical cost of a Business Class flight to Maldives is £3,100 - £3,200+ return

● 2 of those minimum so £6,400+

● Accommodation minimum of £250-£350 per night. Farage demands finer things in life though so can exceed £1,000

● Gross household average salary Gorton & Denton £653 per week

Sympathy from across the pond for all non-MAGA US folk. We too once had a clown in charge.

Absolutely love this track. For me, the best TH track amongst many fabulous recordings. Great video performance - DB is such a quirky and creative artist.

Turns out there’s an economic cost to everyone hating us.

‘Don’t go to the US – not with Trump in charge’: the UK tourist with a valid visa detained by ICE for six weeks Karen Newton was in America on the trip of a lifetime when she was shackled, transported and held for weeks on end. With tourism to the US under increasing strain, she says, ‘If it can happen to me, i...

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

Secret prison documents show government plan to tackle IPP scandal will fail Exclusive: Damning projections reveal the government’s action plan to progress IPP prisoners is a ‘failure’, which will leave at least 500 prisoners languishing without release 18 years after the sent...

So, as predicted, the IPP action plan will fail and this cruel sentence’s injustices will continue. Shameful.

Prison windows and X-ray scanners not being fixed amid drug crisis – watchdog Prison governors have reported not having enough money to fix broken security equipment.

"Crucial prison security systems are being left unrepaired for months if not years allowing illicit drugs to flood into jails..."

www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/national-audi...

“It undermines their credibility to go to other countries and complain about arbitrary detention when they are arbitrarily detaining these people.”

Dr Muin Boase:

Takes complaint of the British gov’s detention of IPPs to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention #IPPScandal

Farage was wrong about Brexit 🚨

Starmer: “As far as Nigel Farage is concerned, let us remind ourselves that he said if we left the EU it would be £350 million a week for the NHS - that didn’t happen."

www.itv.com/news/2026-02-01/starmer-...

Five IPP prisoners to be referred to Court of Appeal New IPP sentences were scrapped in 2012, but remain in place for around 2,800 people.

Five men serving IPP sentences have been referred to the Court of Appeal by the Criminal Cases Review Commission, BBC Newsnight has been told.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c89q3keee79o

‘It’s not right that we continue subjecting them to preventable detention’

Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd and Andrea Coomber CE of the Howard League @thehowardleague speak to Trapped Ep 19: A Failed Experiment on the #IPPScandal.

🎧👇 Listen now

🔗 podfollow.com/1689277181

Tell Congress: Impeach DHS Secretary Kristi Noem Contact Congress today!

The tide is turning. Which means now is the time to push harder than ever.

Tell your Representatives we want Noem GONE!
#ICEOffOurStreets

‘Trump manufacturing a crisis to make Americans afraid to vote in the midterms’ | The News Agents Donald Trump lost the 2020 election – and has never let it go. This week, the FBI seized ballots from Georgia, a state he claims he won. Is his ego still bruised, or is this part of a far more…

Donald Trump has always claimed he won Georgia in the 2020 election - which he lost.

The FBI has now seized the ballots, and commissioner Mo Ivory says she has "no confidence" they won't be tampered with so Trump finally gets the result he wants

www.thenewsagents.co.uk/article/trum...

Paging @iaindale.bsky.social x

Ground rent cap is good news (though peppercorn would be better straight away). Also welcome is promised abolition of new leasehold properties. Better still would be the outright abolition of leasehold altogether, a feudal anachronism virtually unique to England and Wales.

Number of US-style pickup trucks on UK roads up 92% in a decade, data shows Exclusive: Campaigners say ‘menacing vehicles’ are putting children at risk owing to their large front blind zones

A country of small roads, limited parking and congestion charges. This makes no sense.🤷‍♂️

www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

soft power update

An excellent, if disturbing, article on the moral and political corruption of a powerful element of US Christianity.