Cllr Robert Jones 🔶

UK and US sink to new lows in global index of corruption Countries’ drop in scores in annual table comes amid ‘worrying trend’ of backsliding in established democracies

🚨 NEW: UK hits new low in corruption perception index.

📉 This is not a blip, but a persistent decline. Without action, it risks becoming a defining feature of our political culture.

Let's clean up our politics. Learn more:

www.ukanticorruptioncoalition.org

www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...

But if Starmer does remain, he must change direction, trust his own abilities and not rely on 1 dodgy advisor for everything, and above all else, use the time left to take bold decisions for the future of Britain, Europe and the world.

If it is appropriate for the advisor, Morgan McSweeney, to resign over advice given to appoint Mandelson, surely it follows that those who followed the advice should also resign? The appointment reeks of a deliberate attempt to influence Trump through his seedy liaisons, with no regard for victims.

Let all ICE agents - and all federal or any other officials who enable their actions and impunity - know that at some point in the future they will be held to account, under the law, for their actions today.

They're all knocking back the Kool-aid. We have to detoxify our economy and security by breaking US dependence.

The message of Trump’s letter to the prime minister of Norway signals that the president “genuinely lives in a different reality, one in which neither grammar nor history nor the normal rules of human interaction now affect him,” @anneapplebaum.bsky.social argues. theatln.tc/U0fviLiM

If America truly is an ally of Britain, then it will correct its course, regardless of Trump. But we have to take his threats seriously and stand up to him. He will crumble.

US busineses and interests are heavily entrenched in the UK, in every sector from tech, to defence to food and much more. Some will argue that this means we have to kowtow to Trump. We don't, we have incredible leverage over the US and we need to start using it.

We all know who threw away the burger.

I grew up in a world where Britain played a strong geopolitical role, as a bridge between Europe and the US. Ten years ago the country chose to abdicate that position. Right now is the time for urgent realignment. It's time to cut the US off.

We cannot stand by and wait for Elon Musk to do the right thing while people are being abused and exploited.

Liberal Democrats are calling for a full criminal investigation into X’s UK operations.

Whatever you want to say about the BBC, and I am a critic, US government interference in a British public institution of the magnitude of the BBC is untenable. There must be a diplomatic response!

There is good reason for pride in our community, and especially the individuals who dedicated their time to this display. I encourage everybody to stop by the church and see the poppies as we approach the time to remember all those who made sacrifices to defend our country and our freedom.

'Stunning!': Poppy display unfurled for Remembrance at church near Shrewsbury A “beautiful and stunning” cascade of more than 4,700 poppies has been hung from the tower of a church to create a poignant Remembrance display.

It was fantastic to see the new, spectacular poppy fall put up at All Saints Church in Baschurch on Saturday. So many people turned up and we were joined by Helen Morgan and the Deputy Lord Lieutenant for Shropshire.

www.shropshirestar.com/news/2025/11...

Cheese exporter welcomes moves to cut EU red tape Cheese exporter says it is losing hundreds of pounds per shipment because of EU border checks

A clear example of Shropshire business being held back by Brexit red tape, harming our economy, damaging jobs and prosperity. It's time for the government to bring this madness to an end. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Shrewsbury Town Council signs Memorandum of Understanding with Shropshire Council Shrewsbury Town Council has formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Shropshire Council to strengthening partnership working.

Shrewsbury Town Council has formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Shropshire Council, marking a significant step forward in strengthening partnership working and exploring new opportunities for local service delivery.

Hi Marc, in short: yes. We are keen to pay much more attention to rail in Shropshire, to engage with relevant partners, and to support both Baschurch and the Oswestry-Gobowen, as well as Shrewsbury Parkway. The key next step is moving forwards with LTP4.

We need more competition, more train tracks with more stations. We need to encourage private operators who can rival the franchises and monopolies. The government's agenda risks killing off the railways.

Richard Branson's Virgin Trains comeback blocked after ruling from regulator The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) on Thursday said it had rejected applications from Virgin Management and two other companies for track access rights to run services on the West Coast Main Line

It seems to me that the ORR may be acting primarily in the interest of building an unnatural monopoly to suit the government nationalisation agenda, rather than acting in the interests of rail users, consumers and communities.
www.business-live.co.uk/enterprise/r...

Yuval Noah Harari: Trump’s world of rival fortresses In the US president’s vision of post-liberal global disorder the weak should always surrender to the strong, writes the historian, philosopher and author

Yuval Noah Harari's analysis is bang on the money. Trump threatens the liberal world order, and the price will be recession, trade wars, insecurity, poverty and finally global war and ecological collapse. We must not kowtow to his demands. www.ft.com/content/06cc...

Having excluded all trans people from proceedings before it, the Supreme Court decides in favour of For Some Women Scotland.

A text graphic reading 'You are LOVED' in the trans flag colours on top of a soft blue, white and pink background.

Just a reminder to all the trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming members of our community today: you are loved, you are seen, you are valid and you matter 🏳️‍⚧️🩷

People are people, regardless of gender, identity, biology, or the decisions of courts. The law must protect and guarantee the dignity of all people, and not segregate them into groups that in some cases can be highly subjective or arbitrary.

Today's decision by the Supreme Court is troubling. The decision risks trampling on the identity, rights and dignity of people who were clearly protected until now. We have to wait to fully understand the implications of the decision, but the signal it sends is dangerous.

🤣

Trump does not have a clue what he is doing. And Starmer and co should know much better than to play along.

'This is not a phase' and 'globalisation is over' are absurd statements. Trump is not introducing a new kind of economics. It's just the economic equivalent of RFK Jr and antivaxxers. Because 'balance of trade' is an indicator of buyer/seller relationships, it's not a profit and loss account.

If you want to bring an end to the Conservatives disastrous mismanagement of #Shropshire Council - you need to Vote LibDem on May 1st.
Only the LibDems can defeat the Conservatives in Shropshire.

We need to move towards a global regulatory framework for social media to promote online safety and privacy, because we certainly cannot trust people like Mark Zuckerberg, however innocent they might start out.

Listened to the excellent interview of Sarah Wynn-Williams earlier today on @newsagents.bsky.social podcast. Social media and networks like Facebook are powerful tools and in my view are not at all inherently bad. But as with anything, they can be dangerous when abused.