Michael Ward

The curse of spellcheck. A hypocrite in the hypocaust.

When will govt agencies understand this and shift to here??

A hypocrite in the hypocrite.

A new settlement to power up our regions, rebuild local government and empower communities.

Long overdue, now happening with a Labour government.

The devastating flood in Texas. Elon’s third party (and racist AI chatbot). Trump’s cruel cabinet. There’s a lot to get The Cruel Incompetence of Trump | The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich

The devastating flood in Texas.

Elon’s third party (and racist AI chatbot).

Trump’s cruel cabinet.

There’s a lot to get into this week. Join me for a new Coffee Klatch.
https://youtu.be/PontEtl0sgs

Richard Brown: Remembering July 2005 One day, London was exultant over winning its 2012 Olympic bid. The next day was 7/7

Anyone who was in London on 6 and 7 July 2005 will have their own memories of a strange, pivotal 48 hours in our city's history. Here are mine. www.onlondon.co.uk/richard-brow...

Moving to The Economist (from 1994 as political editor), Lipsey felt he had "died and gone to heaven". His "Bagehot" column won an Orwell Prize in 1999, having been runner-up three times. One such column, "Reinventing Michael Portillo", was plagiarised by a 15-year-old schoolboy to win The Guardian's Young Journalist of the Year award. When challenged, the boy said: "I didn't think The Economist was widely read".

The Telegraph obit for Lord Lipsey is excellent and contains this corker
www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2...

If you need a dose of true patriotism this July 4 weekend—not the phony mockery of American values promoted by Trump & MAGA—read this piece by an FBI agent who resigned out of duty & an unwillingness to go along with Trump & Patel's weaponization of the bureau.

www.lawfaremedia.org/article/good...

David Lipsey was adviser to Crosland for 5 years until 1977. Dick Leonard had been Crosland's pps in parliament. They produced an 1981 Jonathan Cape book, commissioned by the Fabian Society as its tribute to Crosland.

Lord David Lipsey dies while swimming in River Wye Lord David Lipsey previously worked as a journalist and Downing Street adviser.

RIP David Lipsey, 77, who has sadly drowned swimming in the River Wye. One of the first modern political advisers, aged 24, with Crosland in 1972, he was a social democrat who stayed Labour across a varied half a century in politics, journalism, the Lords & public life
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Lord David Lipsey dies while swimming in River Wye Lord David Lipsey previously worked as a journalist and Downing Street adviser.

Saddened to read this news. David Lipsey made an important contribution to social democratic thought and politics in the UK. He also once opposed social care legislation that I worked on in No10 and helped stop it in the Lords. Such is politics. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

David Blunkett on year one highs and lows - and key next steps The first year of any new government is bound to be hit and miss. Not just because new…

David Blunkett: ‘The first year is always hit and miss. But we now need fast transformation, not tinkering’ labourlist.org/2025/07/davi... – via LabourList

Tribute: 'David Lipsey's joie de vivre is missing in Labour politics today' - LabourList The death of David Lipsey while swimming in the River Wye closes an era of Labour history.

David signed me up as a Labour Party member in 1969. I had known him for more than 55 years. A sad loss. Moving tribute by Denis McShane.

Tribute: ‘David Lipsey’s joie de vivre is missing in Labour politics today’ labourlist.org/2025/07/comm...

Lord David Lipsey dies while swimming in River Wye Lord David Lipsey previously worked as a journalist and Downing Street adviser.

RIP David Lipsey. A warm, brilliant and inspiring man. Thinking of his wife Margaret and the kindness they both showed my family. Labour peer dies while swimming in river www.bbc.com/news/article...

House of Lords member died while swimming in River Wye, police say The body of Lord David Lipsey was recovered on 1 July, after a multi-agency search, Dyfed-Powys Police have confirmed.

Very sad to see this. David Lipsey was a consistent and skilled advocate for electoral system reform in the UK. news.sky.com/story/lord-l...

Very sad news. I gave evidence to the lord’s committee on polling that David Lipsey led and he was a very thoughtful and welcoming chair.

YouTube video by Robert Reich How Trump is Following Hitler's Playbook | Robert Reich

Using threats of violence to gain power.

Targeting political enemies.

Undermining the free press.

Pumping huge sums of money into the police state.

Just a few months into his second term, Donald Trump is already following the dictator's playbook to a tee. Watch. www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSxJ...

The Trump-Republican budget would be a disgrace under any circumstance. At a time when inequalities of income and wealth in America are wider than they have been in more than 80 years — with the richest Americans taking home near-record amounts of both — the bill is shameful.

33-year-old Muslim socialist wins Democratic primary to be New York’s mayor In a stunning political upset, Zohran Mamdani is on course to be the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York. His supporters believe it's a template for the party as it tries to tackle President Trum...

33-year-old Muslim socialist wins Democratic primary to be New York’s mayor

Blue Bottle workers announce intent to organize union at four East Bay locations - 48 hills Response from management at Nestle-owned company appears to be firing a popular worker leader.

“Blue Bottle Coffee employees at four East Bay locations paused the flow of lattes and cold brews on June 17 to announce their intent to join a nationwide independent union, powered by super-majority support among workers.”

48hills.org/2025/06/blue...

It's excellent. Starmer comes across as a deeply decent and principled man - someone driven by his own wounds to pursue human dignity for others. The question we're left with is whether that's enough?

YouTube video by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Donald Trump Is "Master of the House"

Trump at Les Miserables
😂😂😂
youtu.be/HKMlBqvBuAA?...

YouTube video by The Tom Lehrer Wisdom Channel Tom Lehrer - Wernher von Braun - with intro

youtu.be/TjDEsGZLbio?...

An eternal classic

YouTube video by The Tom Lehrer Wisdom Channel Tom Lehrer - Wernher von Braun - with intro

youtu.be/TjDEsGZLbio?...

remember Tom Lehrer's Werner von Braun song?
"A man whose allegiance
Is ruled by expedience."
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEJ9...

What would you choose to spend public funding on?

The Lower Thames Crossing?

or

Thousands of electric double-decker buses?

Well payed, Harvard, well played.

Harvard offers FREE American Government course.

“Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain” by Sathnam Sanghera

14/52 - bought “Empireworld” and decided that I should read the original before the sequel. An important read for any Brit as it really highlights our refusal to look at our own empirical past and how it still effects us today

Cottage estate

Modern tenement blocks

'It is a commonplace to say that the war has done much to level incomes. There should be even less discrepancy afterwards, and this should be reflected in the Plan'. My post on the radical ideals and proposals of the 1943 County of London Plan:
municipaldreams.substack.com/p/the-county...