Tess Young

BBC apologises over Thought for the Day ‘xenophobia’ claim against Jenrick Corporation says Krish Kandiah’s criticism of senior Tory not appropriate for faith-based radio segment

Why do the BBC apologise when people state the bleeding obvious? Jenrick's comments were xenophobic. He should be more worried about his daughter meeting his parliamentary colleagues...
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/a...

Sock Knitting for Beginners: A new class at Assa Marra Wool Studio in the English Lake District. I'm thrilled to be announcing my new course debuting at Assa Marra Wool Studio, home of my great friend and long time collaborator, Susan Crawford. I was so excited when Susan invited me teach at her wonderful new studio in Staveley in the Lake District. It provides the perfect opportunity to spend some time together with knitters doing one of the things I've always loved doing, teaching; and exploring the empowering potential of learning new skills.

Sock Knitting for Beginners: A new class at Assa Marra Wool Studio in the English Lake District.

I'm thrilled to be announcing my new course debuting at Assa Marra Wool Studio, home of my great friend and long time collaborator, Susan Crawford. I was so excited when Susan invited me teach at her…

Far-right supporters attack police after protest against Essex hotel for asylum seekers Riot police deployed to anti-immigration flashpoint in Epping as far right seek to exploit local tensions

And these are the people, and the kind of Britain, our politicians are courting... Meanwhile peaceful protesters are arrested and imprisoned.
Remind me again, Who is the Labour party governing for?
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Activists fear low turnout threat to Italy referendum on easing citizenship rules Parties denounce lack of public debate on move to make it easier for Italian-born children of foreigners to be citizens

If you think the Italian Referendum is solely about citizenship rules, this is just 1 of 5 questions. The rest are about employment regulation for an incredibly unregulated & unsafe workforce which disproportionately impacts the young, migrants & Italy's future.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

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A quick project 10 years or more in the making

Today I want to share with a you what could be a quick sewing project, although I have to admit that it has taken me at least 10 years in the making. You may be…

https://tessyoungdesigns.com/2025/05/30/a-quick-project-10-years-or-more-in-the-making/

The Long Reign of the Woollen Cycling Jersey As I spent my Sunday afternoon standing on the side of the road waiting for the riders in Italy's annual long distance cycling race the Giro d'Italia to come by clad in multicoloured lycra, I was reminded of a blog post I had written some years ago on knitted cycling clothes. I had started this post with a magazine pull out which contained full instructions to knit your own cycling jacket.

The Long Reign of the Woollen Cycling Jersey

As I spent my Sunday afternoon standing on the side of the road waiting for the riders in Italy's annual long distance cycling race the Giro d'Italia to come by clad in multicoloured lycra, I was reminded of a blog post I had written some years ago on…

UK risks becoming ‘island of strangers’ without more immigration curbs, Starmer says PM unveils policies to ‘significantly’ drive down net migration including English tests and degree requirements

The only 'Stranger' here is the Labour Party which has lost any sense of humanity, values or judgement.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...

Mrs Dalloway It’s 100 years this week since Virginia Woolf published her novel, Mrs Dalloway.

I first fell in love with Jeanette Winterson as a teenager, Virginia Woolf came a little later. Read this and you'll know why they both fill my heart and refuel my resolve. I hope they do yours too.
open.substack.com/pub/jeanette...

Excellent,yes it will be lovely to meet in person.
I know - what an excellent combination and the camping looks so much more luxurious camping than I'm used to!

Time to reflect, and a time to move forward Hello there! It’s good to be speaking to you again. It’s been a while! What a start to the new year we’ve had. It fair swept me along and derailed a lot of my plans. A restorative trip to the UK however, has me returning with renewed energy and enthusiasm, and even a little optimism to add to the pot. This year, despite its rather slow start is going to be a good one I think.

New on the blog today...

Couldn't agreed more - just bullying tactics plain and simple - Starmer seems pretty quiet too after his pathetic show yesterday.

It always was but you guys seemed so excited that Trump was pleased and Starmer didn't F it up - for goodness sake some meaningful analysis and critique rather than just description of what we can all see.

Anneliese Dodds resigns over Keir Starmer’s decision to cut aid budget Exclusive: International development minister warns it will be ‘impossible’ to retain funding in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine

It's always good to see integrity in government, but a shame that there's no place for it in the current administration.
Starmer's decision to cut aid was weak, misguided, counterproductive and cruel in my view.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

My concern cost, financial & env, in construction, the high cost of nuclear generated power & the never ending cost of decommissioning + there are Qs about who pays & who profits throughout the lifecycle of nuclear - there simply isn't a good business or env. case for the current nuclear model

Sellafield nuclear site plans cuts as chief says £2.8bn funding ‘not enough’ Exclusive: Union concerned over safety as site’s bosses say budget does not cover work planned

And still our politicians want more nuclear... When we could be using more wind, solar etc.
'Europe’s most hazardous industrial site has previously been described by a former UK secretary of state as a “bottomless pit of hell, money and despair”.'
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

How Spain’s radically different approach to migration helped its economy soar As immigration has increased, GDP has surged and unemployment has fallen to lowest level since 2008

A rare counter narrative - Economists suggests Italy needs approx 300,000 migrants a year to keep the economy going, but politicians won't admit it so those who are accepted face huge discrimination in every step they make to integrate & despite their contribution
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/f...

UK to refuse citizenship to refugees who have ‘made a dangerous journey’ Home Office accused of shutting out refugees, as new guidance says those applicants will ‘normally be refused’

So, further marginalise people granted refugee status to try and keep Reform at bay. It's clear who's paying for the failure of our politics and politicians - the most vulnerable.
Sowing division and playing a zero sum game is so damaging.

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Campaigner for migrants in Libya says his phone was targeted in spyware attack Italy-based David Yambio, a critic of Meloni government, helps ICC find evidence of abuse of detainees in Libya

Closer to home, Israel-based maker of cyberweapons, Paragon Solutions, terminates its client relationship with the Italian government for breaking the terms of its contract, by using their technology to spy on journalists and civil society activists.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/f...

Trump says Palestinians will have no right of return to Gaza under his plan People will have ‘no alternative’ but to leave territory after destruction left by Israel, US president said in Fox interview

No right of return and no state of Palestine seems to be Trump's plan, no wonder he's undermining the ceasefire - prolonged conflict and Israel continuing to destroy Gaza is the perfect groundwork for his resort plans.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Just putting this out there so we can all see the cost of making Trump not feel stupid - unfortunately there's so much more at stake than his feelings, but that kind of awareness is priceless.

Ukraine ‘may be Russian someday’, Trump says ahead of Zelenskyy meeting with Vance US president also says he wants a return on US aid given to Ukraine such as rare minerals, in interview with Fox News

“We are going to have all this money in there, and I say I want it back. And I told them that I want the equivalent, like $500bn worth of rare earth,” Trump said. “And they have essentially agreed to do that, so at least we don’t feel stupid.”
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/f...

📚💙 All the Lovers in the Night - Mieko Kawakami

✨ I really enjoyed this book, the writing is really sharp and engaging. I found myself looking forward to sitting down with it and rushing through my chores to do so.
Full Review:

www.instagram.com/share/reel/B...

YouTube video by Robert Reich The REAL Waste That DOGE Should Cut

Tax loopholes for the rich.

A bloated military budget.

Lucrative contracts and subsidies to private corporations.

These are all huge sources of federal waste and fraud, but don't expect Elon Musk and DOGE to take aim at any of them.

Yes, and there are a lot of questions about how he was awarded Strategic Investor status - fans of Rama have gone quiet on this one...

Trump says US will ‘take over’ Gaza Strip in shock announcement during Netanyahu visit President’s plan, which critics said was ‘ethnic cleansing by another name’, would involve the permanent resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza to neighbouring countries

I know Jared Kushner has had his eyes on Gaza for some time, but I have to admit even I'm taken aback by how blatant this move to profit from the blood of others is. The lack of any sense of need to moderate language or intention. He must not be given an inch...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/f...

Group of Labour MPs urge No 10 to be tougher on migration to fend off Reform Exclusive: Pressure group set up by MPs from seats where Reform came second amid concern about party’s rise

Isn't this exactly the approach that led Cameron to offer a disastrous Brexit Referendum?
I simply don't recognise this as a Labour government - so interested in power as and end in itself rather than to actually do anything meaningful.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

‘Why did we give back this alleged criminal?’ Pressure grows on Meloni after Italy releases wanted Libyan police chief Critics accuse prime minister of pandering to Tripoli over migration after Osama Najim was freed despite an ICC warrant for alleged war crimes

Disregard for the rule of law is nothing new from Meloni but this is pretty blatant.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/f...

Excellent plan - it really does open up lots of new possibilities - literally 😆

Once you try it you'll wonder what all the fuss is about!

Council Post: Why Calling Women ‘Girls’ Is A Bigger Deal Than You May Think The words we say and hear influence the way that we think about ourselves and others.

I'm putting this out there to see if I'm the only one whom this proliferation of referring to women as girls on social media grates. It's been a bugbear for the last 30 years- should I get over it? Is there something I'm missing here that I need to know to reconsider?
www.forbes.com/councils/for...