Ben Niblett

Activists arrested by Met Police over 'mass shoplifting plans' Take Back Power had been preparing a campaign to steal goods from supermarkets, police said.

Surely it's not possible? But it is! They've done it again! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Trump’s War on Iran: As People Are Killed, Big Oil’s Windfall Will Deepen Our Energy Affordability Crisis - Oil Change International Trump’s illegal war with Iran has already taken a devastating human toll. It could also mean higher energy bills worldwide, while fossil fuel companies, traders, and investors get rich.

As the conflict in the Persian Gulf continues, fossil fuel companies are preparing for record-breaking profits while billions of people face soaring energy bills and "energy poverty."We’re tired of a world where our energy system fuels war and destroys our climate.
oilchange.org/blogs/trumps...

Live by the bomb, die by the bomb.
We just keep doing it over and over again, believing the lie that violence will bring peace.

Deliver us, Lord, from our addiction to war.

Very sad news.

Bus on campus

Explanation of the stripes inside the bus.

This bus is electric!

Stripes made in Reading.

The new Reading 'warming stripes' double-decker electric bus came to campus today.

The bus is painted in the local warming stripes to start climate conversations throughout the town.

www.theguardian.com/environment/... Deeply dismal news, but great reporting from @fionaharvey.bsky.social

Why not mark David Attenborough's 100th birthday by axing the Blue Planet Fund?

As ever, such a strange choice from the Labour leadership not to make more of the government’s genuinely impressive track record on clean tech when it’s delivering economic growth, creates a dividing line with the Tories and Reform, and could build bridges with voters lost to the Greens.

That would be a great result. Much fairer, good for a just transition and good for reducing inflation.

But we need to recover the tax revenue some other way - VAT on aviation fuel would more than do it.

Archbishop of Jerusalem & the Middle East shares pastoral letter in light of escalating conflict Anglican Communion News Service

‘Our brothers & sisters in Diocese of #Iran are currently enduring terror of aerial bombardment; our members in Diocese of Cyprus & Gulf are witnessing arrival of war at their doorsteps; and our faithful in Diocese of #Jerusalem face an unprecedented threat of military escalation.’ Hosam Naoum.

Keir Starmer was advised to ditch net zero. He needs to re-embrace it After byelection defeat and with right-leaning advisers gone, will PM return to his instincts and embrace Labour ‘DNA’ on climate?

Stunned by Green victory in Gorton, Starmer should learn the lesson by returning to his instincts on net zero, rejecting the advice of failed former advisers.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Good short read this, makes a lot of sense

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Andy Burnham could have won Gorton and Denton By blocking the Manchester Mayor, Labour has opened the floodgates to the Greens

Read the full article: www.newstatesman.com/comment/2026...

🗳️"Last night’s seismic Gorton & Denton by-election result is the final nail in the coffin of a politics that kisses right and punches left."

Director Neal Lawson for the @newstatesman1913.bsky.social on how Labour's hyper-factionalism is in its final throes.

And of leadership.

Think Lucas would have been great

UK asylum claims drop slightly in 2025 as small boat arrivals rise by 13% - live updates The quarterly statistics measure the number of people granted visas, citizenship and asylum in the UK in the year ending December 2025.

As reported here, the top nationalities of people arriving by small boats are:

Eritrea, Afghanistan, Iran, Sudan & Somalia

All places with civil unrest, conflict, human rights abuses & severe poverty

These people need safe routes & compassion

#Refugees #Asylum

www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c3...

Israeli soldiers shot a Palestinian boy and stood around as he bled to death, video shows Israeli forces blocked Palestinian ambulances while a 14-year-old lay bleeding for at least 45 minutes.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... A child callously killed. Heartbreaking, and part of a pattern.

Israel: Aid Groups Barred From Gaza, West Bank Israeli authorities plan to bar 37 international nongovernmental organizations from operating in Gaza and the West Bank on March 1, 2026, for refusing to provide the government with lists of their sta...

Israeli authorities plan to bar 37 NGOs from operating in Gaza and the West Bank for refusing to provide the government with lists of their staff and biodata.

Aid distribution shouldn't be political. Israel should rescind the registration requirements.

Looking forward to it

Spending even more on defence won’t buy us peace | Letters Letters: Readers respond to the call by Keir Starmer and military chiefs for faster and larger investment in rearmament

"Long-term peace comes from building trust, friendship and mutual dependence between nations, not the constant threat of military retaliation."

Oliver Robertson, our head of witness and worship, in today's Guardian responding to the defence chiefs' recent article www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

T20 World Cup: England bowlers complete victory over Sri Lanka A superb bowling performance ignites England's T20 World Cup campaign as Harry Brook's side beat co-hosts Sri Lanka by 51 runs.

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricke... a very good win, always good to beat the hosts at a world cup!

This is a really good thread.
I was an MP's researcher in the Blair years and these things were true then - but they've all grown so much since.

Good question.
Bad economics based on misunderstandings. Austerity. Poor quality politicians and constant chopping and changing. What else?

Scotland vs Nepal LIVE: ICC T20 World Cup 2026, Mumbai - cricket score, radio & video highlights Scotland face Nepal in the ICC T20 World Cup in Mumbai - follow live scores, radio commentary and video highlights.

Gutted Scotland couldn't get a second World Cup win. But well played Nepal an a very tight game. Love seeing Scotland's cricketers in world cups, many more to come I hope. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricke...

T20 World Cup: England given fright by Italy but qualify for Super 8s England given another major fright but hold off tournament debutants Italy by 24 runs to secure a place in the Super 8s of the T20 World Cup.

And through to the group stage. Can't take that for granted www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricke...

This is a great thread.

Can you count on the SNP there? Hope so.

Shabana Mahmood will appeal, missing the chance to blame this daft pretence that a non-violent direct action group is a terrorist group on her predecessor Yvette Cooper.

She'll probably lose.

UK ban on Palestine Action unlawful, high court judges rule – live Protest group’s co-founder wins legal challenge against decision to proscribe it under anti-terrorism laws

The Palestine Action ban was unlawful, the High Court rule. Great news for democracy!

A pretty easy decision you'd think.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live...