Tonight thousands will gather at Stonehenge in an ancient tradition... which isn't ancient at all. It's being going on for just 24 years. The modern story of Stonehenge involves sacramental LSD, police brutality and a young Keir Starmer. It is fascinating. A solstice thread/1

“People need not only to obtain things, they need above all the freedom to make things among which they can live, to give shape to them according to their own tastes, and to put them to use in caring for and about others.” - Ivan Illich

“Actually, what places need is to determine their own destiny and to be backed to get there,” he says. “That comes from your history, your story, telling a new story.” 🎯🎯🎯 Lord Jason Stockwood in this 👇

HMRC fines 95,000 people for late self-assessment filing despite them not owing any tax. 8% of individuals with income under £12,570 fined £100 for late filing. £9.5m raised in fines. HMRC hasn't fined any ‘enabler’ of offshore tax fraud in 5 years archive.ph/Z6wCw

Great little story on why youth work is so important - and on the importance of held space. If we want communities to thrive we need this kind of thing to be popping off everywhere, in all kinds of guises

💫 AUDREY TANG IS IN LONDON NEXT WEEK💫 If you follow me, you won't need an intro to ⿻ Audrey Tang 唐鳳 because I talk about her all the time, but just in case, this 🧵 leads with an intro for those who haven't been listening... 😉 Skip to the end for event reg links if you have🖖

Exactly what I most wanted to hear. Bravo theguardian.com/politics/artic…

20. Robin Williams on the banking system

"Unless it doubles down on the distribution as much as the quantum of growth, the country is unlikely to feel the “change” it so badly needs." labourlist.org/2024/07/labour…

Environmentalists, listen up. A review of the National Curriculum for England is underway. It has HUGE implications. Short 🧵 1/7

If theatres were genuinely radical or transformative they wouldn't give rich people priority when booking for new shows. Just saying.

Knowing how to win elections is a key political skill. So’s being expert in policy technicalities. But so too is knowing how to fight in the ideological, cultural & rhetorical theatre. It’s obvious to us who haunt reactionary online spaces that Lab is failing at the latter (10/?)

Word As James says 'fight racism, always' Always fight polarisation too ✊

Yes anti-racism is essential Yes Britain is broken, and the impact is not equal But none of us should allow ourselves to be played, divided, or exploited by a dangerous few BEWARE 'astro-turfing' is afoot and polarisation is the aim of this game bylinetimes.com/2024/08/08/exp…

Health is not just an individual medical issue; it is a social and political issue. This implies that the health of the population improves as a result of collective, not individual, action. Consequently, improving health is about building communities, rather than just providing

This was a hit at Avignon. Only in the UK for a very short time. Don't miss it

The release of 457 prisoners by #Bahrain, including some jailed since the Pearl Uprising, is welcome news. But Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, Abduljalil Al-Singace & Sheikh Ali Salman are still unjustly imprisoned. When will they be released? #DefendingFreedoms barrons.com/news/activists…

Just another regular news day then... theguardian.com/environment/20…