"Nature does not block growth – it is the very foundation on which growth is built." says Joe Keegan, public affairs officer at The Wildlife Trusts in the run up to the Chancellor’s speech this week. Find out more about: wildlifetrusts.org/news/myth-bust…

Bats or great-crested newts? "Neither because I want growth" is simply one of the stupidest, immoral and most dismal political answers ever. I'm #teambat #teamnewt #teamhuman #teamhabitableplanet This story I wrote over the weekend has been cheering me up theguardian.com/world/2025/jan…

Team Bat, Team Newt vs Team Destroy Nature I know which I'm on.

In response to today’s announcement, Joan Edwards, Director of Policy & Public Affairs at The Wildlife Trusts cautions: “Reeves seems unaware of the vital role nature plays in the UK, despite her goal to become ‘Britain’s first green chancellor’”🧵1/4

HS2: my piece in today's i on how to stop the bleeding. Could putting HS2 Ltd into administration let us break the contracts that are sucking taxpayers dry, and negotiate better ones? inews.co.uk/news/how-to-fi…

#HS2 - No10’s former transport adviser:When the last government decided to cancel the scheme’s northern section in 2023,I & another Downing Street adviser argued to make it a “teachable moment” for Whitehall, with INQUIRIES and SACKINGS. IT NEVER HAPPENED. msn.com/en-gb/politics…

#HS2 : The UK taxpayer deserves to know why time and time again warnings about the project were ignored. Numbers appeared to be plucked from the air - some might say completely made up. youtu.be/VVz-BW9yhS0?si…

As predicted, #HS2 has unraveled—billions over budget, years behind schedule, and leaving behind environmental devastation. But as the project's vision collapses, the promised environmental mitigation must not be discarded. #StopHS2

#HS2 - Every warning ignored! Every concern ridiculed! Every reckless decision defended by Government! HS2 was supported by the two main parties - they ought to hang their heads in shame! #Labour #Conservatives Heidi Alexander MP

#HS2 It's important to remember that campaigners pointed out BEFORE the green light was given to the original scheme that £32billion was not a realistic budget. Now it's more than £100bn for a fraction of the line promised. £100bn to Birmingham is a total scandal. @StopHS2

The Independent: #HS2 In July 2023 Mark Thurston resigned after six years as chief executive, during which he earned a total of £4,495,408 msn.com/en-gb/news/ukn…

#HS2 Odd ministers don’t mention waste like the £30m+ on a failed rail college (closed in 2023), the cross-party support that never faltered, or the reviews that were delayed, ignored, or quietly shelved. - No, it’s the bats what done it. Shocking Rachel Reeves Heidi Alexander MP

The Times 'The HS2 money train revealed — who’s made billions?' : It looks like Rachel Reeves was barking up the wrong tree when pointing the finger at newts and bats... #HS2 thetimes.com/uk/transport/a…