Live and dramatised reading of Orwell's Down and Out, StoneNest, on Wed, 6th June, 2-6pm. Free and essential. Register @ orwellfoundation.com/events/downand…

On the eve of the eve of the 70th anniversary, a typically dispassionate look at the NHS's strengths and weaknesses, and Bevan's legacy, from the peerless Rudolf Klein bit.ly/2tReFn5

Alan Johnson's A Secret History of A School, 10 15 min episodes on Radio 4, available here: bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00… Just brilliant!

Repayment of debt (but not advances) suspended for 3 months in Universal Credit ... bit.ly/2Xh520d. Excellent news for claimants having benefit docked, and for new claims. Make much of that permanent, as IfG report recommends. bit.ly/2xSW4f8

OK ... something uplifting for this oddest of Xmases. Students from the Royal Northern College of Music. Musically they are fantastic. Technically - getting all that audio and video in time - also awesome. Many congratulations .... and Happy Xmas to them! youtube.com/watch?v=gMcu5K…

Do ministers REALLY want to 'take back control' of the NHS? instituteforgovernment.org.uk/blog/leaked-nh…

Small piece of shameless advertising. The 2000s show that "Given the tools, we can deliver" on waiting times, Sir Simon Stevens says today. An account of how that happened (money and mechanisms) is out today from the Health Foundation bit.ly/3gwqeHS

Msgr Cowper at his finest. How, instantly, to read behind the lines of a speech.

As, just possibly, the longest standing subscriber to Health Policy Insight, it has always been invaluable, insightful, funny and excellent value for money. Highly recommended: healthpolicyinsight.com x.com/HPIAndyCowper

That last tweet should have ended "Go subscribe!"

I spent months on an unpaid cooling off period to meet ACOBA's requirements back in 2016, and rightly so. Is it churlish of me to find those who persistently ignore and break rules (put in place to preserve propriety) just a little irritating?

Great obituary of the great Jose Harris in today's Guardian. I like so many others owe her.

This, by Mark Dyan at the Nuffield Trust, is spot on. bit.ly/3udT8qw

Great sadness in the valleys (and not just there) because "a fitter's mate named Ron, broke the mould of solid gold that once made Barry John" ..... Max Boyce. Poetry in motion.

Nick Black's opposite of an inaugural coming up. bit.ly/2FtH07l 30-plus years of distilled wisdom. Must be a must!

Very kind of Ian! x.com/IanFytche/stat…

Just watched Emily Maitlis interview James Comey on Newsnight. This is an ex-hack's view. But what a superbly conducted interview. She was right across an incredibly wide canvass. All the right questions. Let him answer. Challenged without hectoring. Left room for the viewer ...

Coming tomorrow: “The World’s Biggest Quango”. What happened after NHS England was created? What’s likely to happen next? Read to find out ….