Caroline Derbyshire

So while I was worrying about the sick children who had returned from a ski trip to Italy in February 2020 and wondering whether they had this scary Covid thing and what to do about it, Johnson was living out a Great Escape fantasy on his motorbike toy and having some days off. Never forget!

Good move

Polanski went to private school, Farage went to private school, Badenoch went to private school. You can either conclude that their education gave them special agency and/or you can argue that they should not be trusted with any decisions over our state education system.

Today at The Comprehensive Futures AGM we heard about the devastating impact on self-belief that failing the 11+ has on young children, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Why does selection at 11 still happen in English state schools? It makes a mockery of the idea of inclusion.

‘Deeply shocking’: Nigel Farage faces fresh claims of racism and antisemitism at school Bafta-winning director among contemporaries urging contrition and apology from Reform UK leader, who denies the allegations

Exclusive: ‘Deeply shocking’: Nigel Farage faces fresh claims of racism and antisemitism at school

Bafta-winning director among contemporaries urging contrition and apology from Reform UK leader, who denies the allegations

w/ Dan Boffey and @drblacklock.bsky.social

I tend to agree. The Government has my support on many things, but its approach to immigration is not helpful and is disillusioning its voting base amongst those in the public services.

I have x

Immediate action is what reassures. But it is fraught. One night, after dark, we had a knock on the door followed by a torrent of abuse and threats. Our images were posted on Facebook and more insults came. This is not Mississippi Burning or Soweto in the 1970s. This is England in 2025.

When the flags go up people are frightened and upset. They are fearful about taking them down. They came up and whispered their thanks and sent private messages. Ignoring the flags does nothing to address this fear.

We took the third set of flags down that had been put up in our village. We went in daylight, openly, chatting as we went to so many supportive people. We were thanked and bought cookies in thanks from the village cafe.

YouTube video by Education Matters In Good Company with John Gibbs | Caroline Derbyshire

youtube.com/watch?v=0CL1...

II’m still here! Hope you are well xx

Nice piece @moremorrow.bsky.social and very well done @beckyfrancis.bsky.social

The Lee Miller exhibition at Tate Britain has the lot: glamour, wit, play, brutal honesty, important exposure of brutality and a celebration of the efforts of women in war. I thoroughly recommend it as an antidote to jingoism and shallow but performative remembrance.

The men who raised the flags Nigel Farage says this summer’s movement was led by ‘ordinary people’ expressing their patriotism. That’s not what we found

Farage’s claim that flag mania was down to ordinary citizens couldn’t be further from the truth. Brilliant expose via @manchestermill.bsky.social.
manchestermill.co.uk/the-men-who-...

So presumably all of the women are going to riot now that it has been confirmed that once more some blokes have committed a horrible violent crime. Wait….

Reform Is Losing Councillors Elected In May At An 'Unusual' Rate Reform UK has lost more than 5 per cent of the councillors it had elected six months ago, an analysis by PoliticsHome has found.

Reform has lost 1 in 20 (5%) of the 677 councillors it gained in May elections

In Kent alone, it has lost 14% of its councillors...

-11 have been expelled
-6 suspended
-9 have left the party
-1 has defected to UKIP
-9 have resigned from the council altogether

www.politicshome.com/news/article...

The Rachel Reeves rent thing is just not a story. Yawn.

For all of the noise made about RAC by the Conservative government, only temporary solutions were put in place causing disruption but not resolution. Making buildings safe and future -proofed is the right priority.

Thoughts with the lovely Sam West and his family today. To lose both parents in the space of a year had quite an impact of me. Imagine how much more painful when they are Timothy West and Prunella Scales and their faces are everywhere you look.

YouTube video by Education Matters In Good Company with John Gibbs | Caroline Derbyshire

youtube.com/watch?v=0CL1...

HTRT Assemble! Today Roundtable meets to discuss what’s going on in the system, what’s not going on and where our energies are best directed.
#education #leadership #HTRT

UK forecast to be second-fastest growing economy in G7 - IMF The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has upgraded the rate at which the UK economy will grow this year.

UK will be second-fastest-growing G7 economy this year and next, IMF predicts.

Almost as if Rachel Reeves knows what she is doing.

Diane Keaton, Famed for Roles in 'Father of the Bride,' 'First Wives Club' and More, Dies at 79 (Exclusive) Diane Keaton has died at age 79, PEOPLE can confirm exclusively. The actress was best known for roles in movies like 'Annie Hall,' 'The First Wives Club,' 'Something's Gotta Give' and 'The Godfather.'

Oh no! Losing Diane Keaton and Robert Redford in the same month is really sad. What a great career she had
people.com/diane-keaton...

Big fan of Gordon Brown too! These two have a fair bit in common.

Nigel is still smarting because his teacher called him out for singing Nazi songs in the street. Diddums.

If you are a member don’t forget to vote for the next Deputy PM. I like both Lucy and Bridget but I have worked with @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social and I know how strong and personally fierce her commitment to social justice is, so she got my vote.

I would have happily seen the demise of The Conservative Party when they were in government, but the way in which a far right party like Reform has crowded into their opposition space is not the outcome I had hoped for. Be careful what you wish for.

All of this has been rewritten as ‘schools were closed’. No they were not. They were open to some children and trying to operate online at the same time. I was there between 8am and 5 or 6 pm everyday and writing constant letters to parents about guidance during my weekends.

Yep