Alison Dean

Chester (Saughall) born & bred. Supporter, Season Ticket holder & co-owner (through the CFU) of Chester Football Club

[All On The Board @allontheboard]

Today we remember the 52 people who were killed, the people who were injured and affected, the heroes who helped and those who lost loved ones because of the terrible events twenty one years ago on the 7th of July 2005 in London.

#LondonBombings #NeverForget #7July

[Martin Lewis @MartinSLewis]

STUDENT LOAN NEWS: The Treasury Committee of MPs has put out its report into student loans. Here's my view:-

I’ve long condemned the Chancellor’s planned freeze of the student loan repayment threshold next April as immoral and a breach of natural justice. So today is an important moment, as the cross-party Treasury Committee of MPs echoes this language in calling out a “moral obligation” for this to be reversed.

Changing terms for future students is a political choice, but that’s not what is planned next year. Freezing the threshold on existing Plan 2 loans effectively increases the amount those with those loans must repay each year. It is a retrospective, one-sided contractual change that would not be allowed in almost any other circumstance or sector. Worse, those hit often signed these contracts while just 18, with little or no explanation of what they were getting into.

This has to stop, and never be allowed again. That’s why one of the Committee’s most important proposals is that the Government should effectively be bound by the same Consumer Duty for student loans as a commercial lender, backed by proper fairness rules. Though it is only taking about student loan promotions, I think it should be for all student loan behaviour.

I have been pushing for this for over a decade. In 2016 we even got Wes Streeting, then a new MP, to propose FCA regulation of student loans and place restrictions on negative changes as a parliamentary amendment. It was rejected. Had that protection been in place, it could have stopped successive governments tinkering with the system, resulting in a horrific degradation of the original terms.

I hope this report, feeding into a new administration, means there is now a realistic chance of stopping the planned freeze and any future freezes.

Yet let’s be clear: that alone will not fix the Plan 2 student loan crisis - it’ll just stop it getting even worse. The report is titled "Student loans: broken and unfair?". There is no need for the question mark. The repayment threshold should be many thousands of pounds higher, interest should be reduced, maintenance thresholds need uprating, and the whole system, including the way it is communicated, needs a fundamental reset.

Here is the report: https://t.co/MPIOFE7mjy
Here is the MSE submission to the report: https://t.co/RIUPRO2svQ

[Martin Lewis @MartinSLewis]

The Chancellor is cutting the cash ISA limit!
Banning transfers from shares ISAs to cash ISAs!
And taxing savings interest inside shares ISAs!
The 'unintended' consequences of this are laid by by the first questioner. Its worth a listen.

[Chester FC @ChesterFC]

The Blues are back this week! 💙

Tickets are on sale for Saturday’s clash as we make the short trip to Vauxhall Motors.

🔗 https://t.co/ugS36FCFiG

[David Steel @SteelySeabirder]

We have lift off! The first Pufflings are now leaving the Isle of May as birds are now independent. This is a big moment as they’ve never flown and not seen the sea before! Good luck :)

[Claire Coutinho @ClaireCoutinho]

🚨Jennifer Melle has been completely vindicated as the NMC has now dropped all charges against her.

This is the right outcome, but how did it get to this point?

Why did it take 18 months for the NMC to realise she did NOTHING wrong?

Why did the NHS pursue an ideologically motivated witch-hunt against a hardworking nurse?

How many other nurses will suffer a similar fate for stating biological reality?

Why did it take a cross-party group of MPs, led by Kemi and myself, to challenge the NHS and NMC to save Jennifer’s livelihood?

Will anyone be held accountable for their failure?

We will not stop fighting for them and the countless other nurses being hounded for defending their rights.

[Navy Lookout @NavyLookout]

🇳🇱HNLMS Groningen @kon_marine makes her second delivery of supplies while supporting post-earthquake relief efforts in 🇻🇪Venezuela.

https://t.co/Vqa7lG3jvN

[Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 @DefenceHQ]

While operating in the Norwegian Sea on Operation FIRECREST, the UK's Carrier Strike Group was approached repeatedly by a Russian 'Bear-F' maritime patrol aircraft.

The aircraft flew unnecessarily close to HMS Prince of Wales, dropped multiple sonobuoys nearby, and failed to respond on international safety frequencies.

This activity was unsafe and unprofessional.

Two UK F-35s from HMS Prince of Wales intercepted and escorted the aircraft until it left the area.

The Carrier Strike Group continues to operate with @NATO allies in the High North, reinforcing security across the Arctic and North Atlantic.

[Stephen G. Rae @BardCumberland]

I'm disheartened by the BBC's decision to axe Winterwatch. There is so much drivel on BBC channels, that I rarely watch anything except programmes such as this. https://t.co/fU2vpABJv0

[Mer Pol Mounted @MerPolMounted]

Every year, we are lucky enough to have swallows nest in Hunter’s stable, and we have nicknamed them Hunter’s Chicks!

After spending the last few weeks being well fed by Mum &Dad, they started their flying lessons yesterday.
#StandTall #PHHunter #MerpolMounted #PoliceHorses

[Alastair Hilton @London_W4]

Good morning. Now I’m here, ready for a photoshoot nearby this morning. On my way here, I got a bus where a lady who could barely walk got on and had to perch on the very corner of the priority seating as a woman has spread herself across it and completely ignored the woman trying to perch on an inch of seat next to her. I then sat on a tube train and a whole carriage was full, occupied by only a few people obviously coming from Heathrow airport, with bags on the priority seats, bags on every seat. Came out of the tube at King’s Cross and there was a young lady at the top of the stairs outside, homeless and visibly in a bad way. I’d put her life expectancy in months. Walking along the outside of St Pancras Station and a bloke is pissing in the street onto the pavement. Rubbish is everywhere. Anyway, it’s only just 9am on a Sunday morning. Time for a full English and to sit and wonder if there will be a leader of this country who will reverse this terminal decline.

[Humbug @HumbugAndToby]

This was 6 years ago! I was a bit fatter then, and if I remember correctly I 'found' a gap in that fence and rampaged around everypony else's paddocks! 😁#HappyMemories

[Navy Lookout @NavyLookout]

🇷🇺Russian shadow fleet tanker MV Smyrtos, seized by Royal Navy 3 weeks ago is still at anchor off Portland while authorities work out what to do with her and cargo of 100,000 tonnes of crude oil.

The captain is in custody but 24 crew members still on board.

@transportgovuk is making regular deliveries food, water and other essential supplies.

Believed 11 Russian shadow fleet tankers have transited UK waters since the seizure of Smyrtos - a notable reduction.

[Sheldrick Wildlife Trust @SheldrickTrust]

Our Nursery Herd head back to their bedrooms shortly after 5pm, where bottles of milk await them. With a full tummy, the youngest elephants often waste little time clambering onto a mattress to fall asleep. With a Keeper close by to tuck them in with a blanket! #SweetDreams

Follow @SheldrickTrust to learn more about our work raising orphaned baby elephants back to the wild.

[Tiggywinkles @TiggywinklesUK]

Wildlife and netting don’t mix. This poor hedgehog was found trapped in a badminton net, injured and unable to escape 🦔 Nets, mesh, and garden netting can cause severe injury, dehydration, or death. Please raise, check, and store netting safely to help protect wildlife. 💚

[VenetiaJane's Garden @VenetiaJane]

According to British tradition, the sweet pea, Lathyrus odoratus, is the final birth flower of July. In the language of flowers it symbolises “departure” echoing Keats: “Here are sweet peas, on tip-toe for a flight.” A fitting flower as the summer holidays begin. #FlowersOnFriday

[Thomas Feaheny @ThomasFeaheny]

Chester fans have raised £126,787 as part of their 2026/27 boost the budget programme

During the past 7 years, more than £720,000 has been donated by supporters to the club's scheme

[Catherine Blaiklock @blaiklockBP]

Some small progress on Halal.
@AldiUK has, indeed, stopped selling New Zealand lamb that is almost all Halal.
Cannot confirm the rest of it's meat but that is a start.

The @JamesPagetNHS hospital stopped serving Halal after @RupertLowe10 intervened.

Hearing that there maybe some changes at some slaughterhouses (back to ordinary slaughter). Slow progress but will keep on. Consumer pressure can work.

[Carl Bovis @CarlBovisNature]

First it was Autumnwatch axed by the @BBC
Now Winterwatch is being axed too... 😡
How long before the flagship @BBCSpringwatch goes the same way? 😒
These shows are educational, fun and extremely popular.... but who needs nature anyway eh?
Sickening decision... 😔😡

[Mike Gardner @mikegardner_wb]

Prosecutors must ‘consider unconscious bias’ before charging minorities

When are we going to return to first principles?

Everyone should be equal in the eyes of the law.

Two tier justice does great harm to society. https://t.co/2xsEXUpigM