Joy Cole

Beautiful rainbow

The Conservative immigration proposals cannot be allowed to stand without a profound and widespread statement of moral condemnation inews.co.uk/opinion/tori...

Nelson's Victory crew included a Brazilian and a Russian, 2 Indians, 2 Swiss, 2 Portuguese, 3 Danes and 3 Norwegian sailors. There were 3 Germans, 4 Italians, 6 Swedes, 7 Dutchmen, 9 West Indians and an African, as well as 21 Americans, 63 Irish, 64 Scots, 441 English.... oh, and 3 French men, too.

The story behind the mural, which is actually quite lovely

bsky.app/profile/linu...

The empty horror of Robert Jenrick We deserve a better class of villain. Or at least a more memorable one.

The empty horror of Robert Jenrick iandunt.substack.com/p/the-empty-...

Sounded like he was talking to a class of primary school kids.

Would be helpful if a few people who were still MPs would say this...

Here is the Sun's pitifully small apology for its lie about benefits tourism - a lie that was accepted as truth by millions and helped deliver Brexit.

These lies are perverting our democracy. At a minimum, apologies should be published in the same location and size as the lie.

Statement by Faversham Town Council's Community Committee Faversham is a warm and welcoming town which, throughout its long history, has always proudly opened its arms to those who seek refuge. We as a town are rightly proud of our embodiment of fundamental principles of British values such as democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and tolerance for the beliefs of others. However, over recent weeks it has been noted that tensions within our community have arisen linked to unauthorised placement of flags on public lampposts and abusive behaviour when questioned. This has led to many residents reporting feeling afraid and intimidated, and shamefully others have reported they have experienced racist abuse within the past few weeks. Faversham Town Council strongly condemns any acts of racism, intimidation and bullying for any reason.

We recognise that many residents display the St George cross and other national symbols as a positive expression of pride, and this is entirely welcome on private property or where permission has been sought. Faversham Town Council's own flag policy dictates that the flags of our nation are flown regularly from our public buildings. However, we also recognise that these same symbols of national pride can also be used to intimidate and cause division, and we call upon KCC, Kent Police and Swale Borough Council to work with us and the wider community to restore community harmony and a sense of street safety, mutual respect, and the shared pride we all have in our town and wider nation,

Measured, sensible, and much welcomed statement from Faversham Town Council on the idiocy of the moronic flag pandemic.

Bear with me, I anticipate your disagreement. There is a clear pattern to the advice given to those who want to press back against rising racism. What it boils down to is that if you point out that racism is often being dressed up as “legitimate concerns” you will alienate people. /1

😥😥😥😥
Read and weep

The US is on the brink of another era of political violence – and Donald Trump ‘couldn’t care less’ | Jonathan Freedland In their humane responses to the killing of Charlie Kirk, Democrats are observing the old norms. Things are different now: anger and division rule, says Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland

Good article. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

An Asian Sikh woman has been raped in broad daylight by racists who said she doesn’t belong here. Racist attacks on a daily basis. When will our leaders say something? We need leadership and we need it now. And when will those who spew hate be punished not rewarded? Britain is breaking apart.

This is heartbreaking and disgraceful; and similar to what is happening here in America, where - with Supreme Court blessing- you can be arrested for looking foreign, doing cheap labour, and hanging around building sites or garden centres. All people of colour are now advised to carry ID papers…

Office of MP Sharon Hodgson hit by fire and vandalism The office of MP Sharon Hodgson has been hit by an overnight fire which is under investigation by the police.

Sending all my love to @sharonhodgsonmp.bsky.social and her team as her constituency office was entirely destroyed overnight.

Attacks and threats directed toward MPs are an affront to our very democracy.

www.sunderlandecho.com/news/crime/o...

NOTHING will prepare you for this 45-second story arc. From "I'm just doing this because I love the flag, it's totally grassroots, and I'm not part of anything political"... to who actually gave him the flags the night before.

Anyone who believes it is an innocent movement needs to see this.

A racist mob menacing refugee children and our town. Read this and see what lies ahead, unless we act now | Anonymous Last weekend, it fell to ordinary people to oppose the far right and others. The national toxicity has reached us: a kind of hate I haven’t seen since the 1970s

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

I was initially surprised that Rayner hadn’t sought more advice on her tax liability. And £40k is a lot of money. But @timleunig.bsky.social makes a good point here, especially as a court told her to set up the trust.

Goes to show quick takes can be bad ones.

open.substack.com/pub/timleuni...

Book to go. I'm looking forward to seeing it.

Absolutely right and THAT narrative needs to be the dominant one

Important school notice.

Teachers take note.

The ever-eloquent @rafaelbehr.bsky.social pointedly refusing to mince his words on what Farage has done for us. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Disposable BBQs cause grass fire on Bristol's Stoke Park Estate The blaze was caused by two disposable barbeques which ignited dry patches of grass.

This is devastating news. Single-use BBQs are a terrible idea - for fire risk, nature, carbon footprint & litter. Please don’t use them. Today I contacted local supermarkets nearest to the Downs and asked them to stop selling disposable BBQs during this very dry period. www.bbc.com/news/article...

Here's a fact for you all.

Prior to 2017 there was not a single documented case of any individual travelling by small boats across the English Channel to caim asylum in the UK.

Not ONE.

This current 'boats' crisis has been largely caused by Brexit.

But for some reason NOBODY is saying that.

make YOUR difference!

Trump is giving Putin what he wants - now Europe has to make a generation-defining decision European leaders must pick a side: the US or Ukraine

Trump seems to be giving Putin exactly what he wants, so now Europe as well as Ukraine may face a generation-defining decision. My ⁦‪@theipaper.com column
inews.co.uk/opinion/trum...

BBC International Editor Jeremy Bowen has confirmed that the entire Al Jazeera team in Gaza City has been killed.

I always enjoy reading the TripAdvisor London Forum because I'm fascinated to see what foreign tourists expect, what they ask about and what surprises them. I thought this post from someone from Texas was a really lovely and cheering comment about riding the tube late at night

Important from Private Eye on #COVID