Julie Spriddle

British.

Here’s what you need to know about Starmer’s illiberal protest curbs: they would have killed the Labour party at birth | George Monbiot The rights we enjoy in the UK, and the movement the PM purports to lead, were built on protest. Those rights are in dire peril, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot

To be effective, protest must be noisy, obstructive, annoying. No longer is this allowed. Now the last attribute of effective dissent – persistence – is also to be banned. But the moment protest ceases to be effective is the moment democracy dies. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Pen drawing of a bearded man looking off to one side. Copyright ©2025 Julie Spriddle.

Practice portrait in my sketchbook. Reference from IG challenge @ jyportraitchallenge.

Pen drawing in my sketchbook.

#PenDrawing #PortraitPractice #TraditionalArt

Today is a day when arts degrees are worthless, but the product of those degrees is so valuable it would kill an entire industry if they were made to pay for it.

Screenshot of a UK government petition to "Withdraw the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill" captured at 09:05 2025/10/08, showing number of signatures at 108,841.

Woohoo, finally passed the 100,000 signatures on this petition to Withdraw the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill. Keep signing folks - petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...

Pharmacies facing angry patients over Covid jab confusion Up to half of patients coming to some pharmacies are being turned away because they are not eligible.

So much confusion by charging guidelines for Covid and flu vaccines in UK with a massive mismatch in eligibility for who can get them 🧵

Post from Threads user rodneyowl: "Ireland has declared the Basic Income for Artists scheme permanent. This will be officially announced in tomorrow’s budget. Details to follow. Congratulations to all who fought for it and the present and future artists of all sorts in Ireland. That includes me 👌We’re just comin to the end of a 3 year pilot scheme. It’s been a roaring success. For every €1 paid out to the 2000 participants, the government got €1.46 back. Can’t argue with that. Other countries are already taking note."

Damn. This is amazing. £325 per week, paid monthly, for 3 years - and the result was a profit for the Irish economy:
www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employmen...

Petition: Withdraw the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill We call on the Government to withdraw the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill. We believe it downgrades education for all children, and undermines educators and parents. If it is not withdrawn, we b...

Come on folks, lets get this one to 100,000 so it secures a debate - petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...

Deeply concerned about the safety of those on the flotilla.

We know the government will try ignore it - it's really important we all speak up and raise our voices.

This is a group of people delivering baby food to Gaza and the Government must intervene to ensure their safety.

Painting of a single storey building with a white frontage and steps, set on green space surrounded by trees. The rooftops of houses can be seen in the background. Created by Julie Spriddle Copyright ©️ 2025.

This month's ScrawlrBox came with the challenge "Happy Place". After some thought I painted our soon to be closed local public library - Coundon Library. It might not look like much, but it has always been a happy place for my family.

#ScrawlrChallenge #SketchCoventry #TraditionalArt

Farage, the cave, and pushing the Overton window aside This post arose out of a conversation between Jacqueline, my wife, and me yesterday, although the idea had been bouncing around for a few days before.. The allegory of Plato’s cave probably needs l...

Farage is keeping us prisoners in his Platonic cage with the nonsense he talks, which the media lets set the political agenda. We need to break the chains and go outside to find the light. www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2025/09...

Nish Kumar, "What is the Green Party's vision for how we redraw the economy of this country?"

Zack Polanski, "The first thing is to have a big conversation about public ownership"

"Nothing we need, and need to use, should be in private hands. All of our utilities should be nationalised"

The idea that a hospital could be BANNING employees from wearing high quality masks makes me incandescent with rage.

Please support clinically vulnerable

Petition: Withdraw the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill We call on the Government to withdraw the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill. We believe it downgrades education for all children, and undermines educators and parents. If it is not withdrawn, we b...

This petition could also do with more signatures - if we could get it past the 100,000 mark to secure a debate that would be fantastic petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...

Ok. They’ve pissed me off.

I’m back to tell you 3 things about ID cards:

1. Migrants ALREADY HAVE biometric ID cards & govts have been trying to digitise them for years w repeated fuckups & failures causing complete chaos - they don’t work, you do not want that system for you.

We should all ask the question: Where is Keir Starmer?

Everyone: What's government doing about the cost of living crisis, the climate crisis, and the unfolding genocide in Gaza?

Labour: "We will mandate people carry Brit cards".

This government's priorities are painfully out of touch and increasingly authoritarian.

Petition: Do not introduce Digital ID cards We demand that the UK Government immediately commits to not introducing a digital ID cards. There are reports that this is being looked at.

Well this is RACING along and means compulsory ID will be debated in Parliament soon. Needs more Brighton Pavilion signatures in my opinion. You know what to do: petition.parliament.uk/petitions/73...

Covid-19 Risk Assessment: Week Ending 21 September 2025 The BuDS Covid-19 Risk Assessment for the week ending 21 September 2025

Covid infection levels in England have again risen sharply over the last week, as have other Covid measures. Infection levels are around a fifth higher, and the overall risk level remains High. A thread 🧵

buds.org.uk/covid-19-ris...

Should people have to wear face masks in medical facilities? Violet Affleck, the daughter of Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck, has now advocated for the return of mask mandates to help protect the vulnerable, during a speech at a UN event in New York.

Not the newspaper of greatest repute, but please vote! #MasksInHealthcare —because no one getting care in a hospital or a healthcare setting should have to also worry about getting infected with a dangerous airborne virus while doing so. Let’s go forward, not backwards. #COVID

Join the Green Party Join the Green Party from just £6 a year. Become a member today - join the only party standing up for people and planet.

While Trump and Farage drag our politics down - Labour too often ends up following.

We can choose a different path.
One of lower bills, warmer homes, and a liveable future.

@greenparty.org.uk are urgently needed.

👉 join.greenparty.org.uk

The truth: we need migration.

The problem: too many politicians are terrified to say it.

Why? They're led by a) toxicity of the charlatans & b) wealthy media organisations who demand these useful distractions rather than us talking about inequality.

Reject it. Draw the line.

The guidance on masks for protection against Covid changed over the Summer to reflect airborne risk. Ffp3 respirators recommended for staff protection. www.bohs.org/app/uploads/...

#Covidisairborne

YouTube video by Sally Bourliakas Dr Rae Duncan explains Long Covid as a vascular disease

#COVID causes vascular damage. Here is Dr Rae Duncan talking about the risks. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydRl...

Eurovision is a peace building project. It’s brought countries across the continent in celebration.

That’s why Russia was kicked out. It’s why Israel has to be kicked out.

We can’t let a song competition whitewash war crimes, apartheid and genocide.

https://www.ft.com/content/46875865-55fd-4b21-8fbe-ebda5b7ba22a

Spoke tonight with the Financial Times. 👇🏼

COVID-19 myths vs. facts. myth: covid-19 is over. Fact: COVID-19 continues to spread and change into new variants, and cases are currently increasing.* As of June 23, 2024

COVID-19 myths vs. facts. myth: If my last COVID-19 illness was mild, it will be mild if I get it again.. Fact: Each new COVID-19 infection increases your risk of serious illness, Long COVID, and permanent health consequences like organ damage.

COVID-19 myths vs. facts. myth: I don’t need to mask if I stay at least 6 feet from other people while I’m out. Fact: We now know that COVID-19 can spread through the air, even after other people have left the area. This is why it is important to mask and improve indoor ventilation when you can.

COVID-19 myths vs. facts. myth: I’ve already gotten multiple doses of the COVID-19 vaccine over the years. I don’t need any more. Fact: Just like it’s important to get an annual flu shot, it’s important to get updated COVID-19 vaccines each year. The flu shot and the COVID-19 vaccine are each updated annually to protect against current strains of the virus.

As COVID-19 cases continue to increase, it's important to know accurate information about COVID-19 in order to protect yourself and others! Get the facts about common myths, and take steps to protect yourself and others.

How do we fix this mess?

Pen and ink sketches of late medieval buildings. Top shows a spire taken from another building and placed in front of some trees. Middle shows a building with black vertical stripes leading towards an arched gateway. Bottom left a porch. And bottom right shows a woman wearing a long coat walking past the building. All sketches created by Julie Spriddle.

Small sketches of Bond's Hospital in Coventry. Based on photos I took at the weekend during Heritage Open Days. Fountain pen in my sketchbook with a tiny bit of water.
#sketch #SketchBook #Coventry