Mark Rowland

What we have seen in Gorton and Denton is what we saw in Caerphilly in October.

A lot of people really don’t want the hateful politics of Reform and will work hard and smart to try and keep them out.

Labour must now listen to this and stop the grim attempts to mimic Farage.

Nationally, Labour is losing twice as many voters to Greens and Lib Dems as they are to Reform. (John Curtice on BBC)

Perhaps the most depressing thing I've read in a long while (h/t Politico's email)

"Stocks fell across the globe as fears over Trump's new tariffs intensified – though London was shielded somewhat thanks to gains among defence manufacturers who could rake it in as the world destabilises."

Did I? I'd forgotten that. I don't think I have a 1928, only a 1976.

I saw a fox on my walk this morning. I'd rather it wasn't hunted... Deliberately or inadvertently.

Relief for rail passengers as fare freeze in England announced for 2026 Chancellor will confirm the measure, intended to help commuters on expensive routes, in her budget speech Rail fares in England will not be increased in 2026, the government has announced, surprising passengers with the first fare freeze in 30 years. The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, will confirm a freeze on fares in this week’s budget, a move designed to limit inflation, ease the cost of living and support economic growth. Continue reading...

Relief for rail passengers as fare freeze in England announced for 2026

Nowhere in the hysterical pile-on against the BBC in the British press has anyone mentioned that BBC News now has 77 million viewers & listeners in the US and has established itself as the second most trusted news source there.

Will the RW media remember the driver and conductor of the Huntingdon attack, and how many lives they saved, the next time train companies try to eliminate staff and they strike, citing passenger safety?

BREAK 🔥 Starmer on Pochin comments via BBC: "It’s shocking racism and it’s the sort of thing that’ll tear our country apart. And tells you everything about Reform. Nigel Farage either doesn’t consider it racist which I think is shocking in itself or he does and shows absolutely no leadership.” ~AA

Equality is a garden that needs constant tending, because the weeds never stop growing.

Their Senedd member, not a councillor

Farage absent. Reform candidate opts not to deliver speech after result.
New Plaid Cymru MS pays heartfelt tribute to his predecessor, speaks movingly and thrilled to be serving his nation in the Senedd.

Democracy is always best served in the hands of the decent.
Da iawn, Caerphilly.

Very good news to see a big turnout and Reform clearly defeated in Caerffili. Llongyfarchiadau to Lindsay Whittle on his election to the Senedd.

Unforgiving? The paradox of forgiveness after trauma - Oxford Brookes University Join us for the annual Multifaith Chaplaincy Lecture, presented by Dr Karen O'Donnell.

I’ll be speaking at Oxford Brookes on 12th Nov about trauma and forgiveness. All welcome - just book a free place

www.brookes.ac.uk/about-brooke...

I'm very sorry to hear this. Much sympathy to you.

My experience is that there was a an absolutely huge gap between people’s beliefs about how their immigration systems work and how they actually work, and if you’ve had experience of the immigration system in the US or UK, you’ll spend a lot of time with one raised eyebrow when the topic comes up!

Saw a lot of progressive Christians saying, “the Rapture is a recent fundy invention” which is true

But they thought it ALSO meant “the Second Coming of Christ is a recent fundy invention”

And I’m gonna need more churches (including mine) to recite the Creed more often 🤦🏼‍♀️

⚓️

Hey a thing I really don’t want to get lost here is that while Tylenol doesn’t cause autism, IT’S FINE TO BE AUTISTIC. Let’s not grant them the premise that autism should be eradicated in our way to correct the science, okay? Okay.

First Past the Post cannot handle this level of fragmentation. It will produce completely freak results.

We can grasp this problem now, or wait for the train to crash.

But if the progressive vote is split 3 or 4 ways (Lab, Lib, Green, Your Party) or even 5 ways in Scotland and Wales and the right/populist vote is only split 2 ways they will win most of the time

The Telegraph Rayner tax scandal - £40k tax dodge - Statement Angela Rayner dodges £40,000 stamp duty Deputy Prime Minister reduces tax bill for Hove flat by declaring it as her main residence [Photo: Angela Rayner pictured at the weekend in Hove, where she has just bought a flat Credit: Dan Charity/The Sun on Sunday] Robert Mendick Chief Reporter. Amy Gibbons Political Correspondent 29 August 2025 8:57am BST

The Telegraph Money > Property > Second homes How to avoid tax on your second home From stamp duty to council tax, shield your wealth from Labour's tightening net [Photo of houses around a bay - Areas such as Cornwall have added a premium to council tax bills for second homes Credit: iStockphoto] Fran Ivens Senior Money Writer 29 August 2025 1:21pm BST

On the same day in the Telegraph:

Worship through the Lens of Autism - Sarum College What makes autistic (and other neurodivergent) people feel excluded from worship? What is a good theological response? Practical tips for ministers and autistic people.

"Worship through the lens of Autism" www.sarum.ac.uk/short-course... Join @sarumcollege.bsky.social online to learn with autism theologian, Dr Leon van Ommen about autistic and neurodivergent experiences of worship and becoming more inclusive and enabling. With @autismtheology.bsky.social

Forthcoming statutory guidance could have a profound impact on trans people's lives.

I've written to the Women and Equalities Minister to urge her to reject anything that undermines trans people's rights, inclusion, privacy or safety, and for Parliament to have proper oversight.

*Court of Appeal

Official summary of the Court of Appeal decision in the Epping hotel case: www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/u...

Full judgment will not be handed down until later.

I basically think we should only be using our remaining fossil reserves for:
- medically useful plastics (until we can phase them out)
- powered, human-scale tools for ecological remediation (ditto)
- building renewable energy sources

I'm fairly relaxed about the order in which these happen.

Editorial: That meeting was sickening. Putin loved it Sickening. Shameful. And in the end, useless. Those were the words that came to mind when we watched the Alaska Summit unfold. On our screens, a blood-soaked dictator and war criminal received a roy...

Sickening. Shameful. And in the end, useless.

Those were the words that came to mind when we watched the Alaska Summit unfold.

“We have had the police knocking on every door,” said a dog walker and resident of Dean, as a helicopter buzzed overhead. “They wanted the names of everybody living there and details of their social media. I know several people refused. We asked them if they were protecting us, or Vance. At least they were honest and said it is for him and that it will all be passed on to the American security people.”

Buried in The Observer yesterday was this: UK police knocking on doors demanding details of social media accounts of people, to pass to a foreign government, simply because they happen to live near where a US politician wanted to have a holiday observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

Yes, on all counts!

Just a reminder that this is still very much accurate and relevant. Even when the EHRC publish the Code of Practice, which does not change the actual law.