James Muir

Genuflexive supplicant.

[Just Stop Oil @JustStop_Oil]

Confettigate: A Statement From Just Stop Oil

The lady who threw confetti in Bruton yesterday was upholding a tradition that is common across many cultures. We absolutely defend the right for people to throw confetti (of whatever colour) at weddings and other celebrations.

If it was a form of protest — which is yet to be established — we applaud it and thank the person concerned. It was peaceful and not especially disruptive, but got massive media attention for Just Stop Oil’s demand.

It has also helped people to recall that George Osborne, one of the main architects of economic austerity, is directly responsible for over 300,000 excess deaths, and that — as a newspaper editor — he was responsible for some of the most egregious climate-denying nonsense ever to darken the pages of mainstream mass media.

However, as much as we applaud the use of orange confetti at this wedding, we were not responsible.

Perhaps the press could focus on something more important now? Like the current government’s plans to licence over 100 new oil and gas projects, which will result in excess deaths the likes of which we have never seen. Or the fact that the UN Secretary General has said that ‘climate change is out of control’ as we’ve just seen the hottest average temperatures since records began. Or the fact that Canadian wildfires have now burned down an area the size of Portugal.

We are in catastrophically dangerous territory and the press have a moral responsibility to inform and educate people as to the causes of the crisis so that we can take action to defend ourselves. In 2023, it is simply criminal not to check your facts.

[Drivelcast @drivelcast]

Twitter today

[Farrukh @implausibleblog]

2023: Boris Johnson criticises ULEZ in the daily mail

2013: Boris Johnson launches UULEZ at City Hall as Mayor

[Janey Godley @JaneyGodley]

When your teacher gets Lord of the Rings and Lord of the Flies mixed up -
She also thought a Tina Turner screengrab was a gif
Thought the word Aslan was Asian
Maybe, just maybe she should concentrate more

[Louis 💙💛 @kingof__fools]

She means ‘Lord of the Flies’ doesn’t she? Imagine a headmistress who doesn’t know her books?

[Stats for Lefties 🍉🏳️‍⚧️ @LeftieStats]

🗳️ Should the UK government recognise Palestine as an independent state?

✅ Should ~ 40%
❌ Should not ~ 8%

Via @YouGov, 15-16 May

[Dr Charlie Gardner (also on the blue place) @CharlieJGardner]

My new favourite climate graphic

From Jane Morton @SafeClimate's excellent free booklet 'Don't Mention the Emergency?'

[Nesrine Malik @NesrineMalik]

Sounds like…critical race theory.

[Simon HB @norock]

There's a certain irony in the Worlds Most Insufferable Headteacher getting herself in another total mess because she misidentified a reference to Aslan, who is a cat, as a person

[Charles Bukowski Quotes @bukowskiquoteus]

“The parents of rich kids tended to be more patriotic because they had more to lose if the country went under.”

~ Charles Bukowski

[Lateef 🙃 @LateefSaka]

The police unjustly killed someone and lied about it?

[Kate Wilton @KateWilton1]

Sunak basically saying that educated people don’t vote for him. Not sure that’s the win he thinks it is.

[richard bacon @richardpbacon]

When they came for Nigel. We said nothing. You’re a brave soul Toby.
It’s one bank. And you don’t know why.
When they come for you, I promise I will say something.
But it’ll be sarcastic.

[Richard Morris @richardmorrisuk]

@herdmeister It’s amusing to see that when he launched them they were promises, then they were pledges, now they are priorities. By Christmas they’ll be pipe dreams