Adam Cornforth

Paediatric nurse, politics graduate and cynic.

All opinions expressed are my own and in no way represent my employer.

[Luke O'Nien @LukeONien]

To any young kid reading this…

I’ve doubted myself in every league I’ve ever played in.

Ryman Prem.
Conference South.
League Two.
League One.
Championship…

And even right before my first Premier League start last night.

That’s not weakness.
That’s being human.

That’s being alive.

When I was growing up, I thought Premier League players were superhuman.

Like they never felt doubt.
Like they never felt nerves.

The truth is…. it’s often the opposite.

Social media won’t tell you that sometimes you step out there with no confidence. That’s normal. That’s ok!

You now have to then step out there with courage.

Confidence feels good.
Courage doesn’t.

But you do it anyway. Show courage enough times…. You build confidence.

Here’s the mindset that’s carried me for 31 years.

When it goes well:

I worked for it.
I earned it.
Well done.
Watch it back.
Get better.

When it doesn’t:

I know I prepared the best I could.
It didn’t go exactly to plan. That’s football.

But Well done.
Watch it back.
Get better.

That simple recipe gave me a special moment last night.

Leading the team out.
Playing alongside a group that fights for every ball.
Celebrates tackles.
Gives everything for the city of Sunderland.

And sharing it with supporters who never gave up, even after four tough seasons in League One.

So if you’re a young player feeling doubt…
Low confidence…
Or like you don’t believe in yourself…

You’re not alone.

Every player feels it.

Confidence isn’t something you’re given.

It’s something you build.

Bit by bit.
Day by day.
With courage.
With work.
With learning.

Anything worth building takes time.

But that’s what makes it so worthwhile!

Thank you @SunderlandAFC ❤️🤍

[Don McGowan @donmcgowan]

Tom has picked an arbitrary data source to make a whopping false equivalence here.

By using NASA's budget, he's comparing apples with space rockets — trying to make a shocking point.

It's utterly disingenuous.

To understand the comparisons in welfare spend versus space rockets, we only need to look at the percentage relative data for each source.

Let's look at NASA first.

In the 1960s when the space race was well and truly underway, NASA was receiving around 4.3% of the US federal budget, but since the Apollo craze died off that tailed off every decade.

The moon landing happened, the world moved on.

70s ≈ 1%
90s ≈ 0.8%
00s ≈ 0.7%
10s ≈ 0.5%
20s ≈ 0.35%

As for the UK's welfare spending, it has remained relatively stable around for a long time now, with a slight downward trend. As a percentage of government spending, it shows:

1990 ≈ 28-30%
2000 ≈ 27-29%
2010 ≈ 33-35%
2019 ≈ 26%
2020 ≈ 28%
2024 ≈ 23-24%
2025 ≈ 23.6%

You can see that things fluctuate, and you can see the upticks after the economic crash in 2008 and during Covid, but, as a trend, not much happening.

As a percentage of GDP, it's even more stable:

1990 ≈ 9-10%
2010/12 ≈ 11-12%
2019 ≈ 10%
2025/26 ≈ 10.6–10.9%

So you can see, while Tom thinks he's pulled off a slam dunk in statistical terms, when you actually look into his claim, it's more of an own goal.

He's comparing two entirely different data sources, and the numbers don't back up his figures.

Nice try Tom.

[Cyrus Janssen @thecyrusjanssen]

An Iranian man left this comment on my YouTube channel. This is without a doubt the single best explanation of the reality facing Iranian people today👇

"As an Iranian, I can tell you the situation is no longer just political—it's existential. We are trapped between two collapsing structures: one internal, one external. On one hand, we face a deeply dysfunctional government, led by the Supreme Leader and the Islamic Republic’s unelected institutions.

Decades of economic mismanagement, suppression of dissent, and brutal ideological control have alienated multiple generations. No one believes in reform anymore—because every attempt has either been co-opted or crushed. But here's the paradox: We are also terrified of regime collapse—because we've watched the aftermath of Western intervention in countries like Iraq, Libya, Syria, and Afghanistan. Each was promised freedom; each descended into chaos, civil war, or foreign occupation.

So no, we don't trust the U.S. or Israel. Not because we support our regime—but because we know how imperial powers treat ‘liberated’ nations in the Middle East.

Freedom, in their language, often means vacuum, fire, and permanent instability. Right now, many Iranians live with three truths at once: The Islamic Republic is morally and politically bankrupt. The alternatives offered by foreign actors are not liberation—they’re collapse.

A bad government is survivable. No government is not. We are not silent because we agree. We are cautious because we’ve learned—too well—what happens when superpowers decide to "help." In a sentence: Iran is a nation held hostage by its own regime, but haunted by the fate of its neighbors. We are stuck in a house we hate, surrounded by fires we fear more."

[Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus @DrTedros]

Since the 1970s, immunization has saved more than 150 million lives, from diseases like measles, diphtheria, pertussis, and polio. 

That's more than 4 million lives per year. 

With immunization for all, anything is possible – #HumanlyPossible.

#WorldImmunizationWeek

[Munya Chawawa @munyachawawa]

Keir Starmer plays: SMASH or PASS: Economy Edition 💰✂️💔 #keirstarmer

[Robert Reich @RBReich]

Trump’s dirty election night trick doesn’t work if you know it’s coming. Let me explain.

[David Gauke @DavidGauke]

Farage acknowledges that the Southport riot was caused by untrue claims about the alleged perpetrator - claims which he amplified. A shocking lack of judgement.

[Mark Kieran - Democracy Activist @MarkKieranUK]

💥 Fantastic! I’d like to see the little frog bloke in the middle fight the stupid looking one on the far left. Thanks! 🥊 🙏🏻

[Geir Jordet @GeirJordet]

A subtle England penalty shootout innovation (since 2021) is their deliberate, structured & functional use of social psychology.

Here, Saka is picked up by John Stones after his penalty, to swiftly welcome him back in the team.

What did England do and why did they do it?
1/7

[Harry Eccles @Heccles94]

RT if you think the Greens quadrupling their seats should have as much media attention as Reform!

[Jonathan Pie @JonathanPieNews]

Don't forget to...
https://t.co/bGHVNiSU23

[Neil Gibbons @neilgibbons]

There are kids going to school not just hungry, but so ashamed they bring in empty lunchboxes so they can pretend to eat lunch. But vote for who you want.

[Lee Braganza @LeeBraganza]

Rishi has told all his MPs to bring in a white shirt so all their mates can sign it today.

[Adam Cornforth @A_Corn4th]

Well that's conclusive 😂 https://t.co/wYHZk8honz

[James O'Brien @mrjamesob]

Lads, you literally put the son of a KGB spy in the House of Lords & refused to investigate Russian interference in U.K. politics. Pack it in, you look ridiculous.

[Brendan Cox @MrBrendanCox]

Farage promised leaving the EU would solve all your problems, reduce immigration & save the NHS. He wasn’t telling the truth then - and guess what- he isn’t now.