Wishing the incomparable Dame #JanetBaker a happy 90th birthday! Opera would not be the same without your integrity, artistry, presence, and voice. Take a listen to our Marge Inalia chat from a few years ago. youtube.com/watch?v=d70Bj3…

Gboyega Odubanjo, our dear colleague and friend. magmapoetry.com/gboyega-oduban…

Dame Sheila Hancock tells us that classical music is one of the greatest comforts and joys of her life, and we couldn't agree more 🎶 As we near the end of the #BBCProms 2023 season, we're reflecting on a wonderful 8 weeks of classical music. What are your season highlights?

Just imagine eh? If this moment was a moment of hope in progress & innovation. Not a time of just hoping to cling on to an unfair, unhealthy, fossil fuelled status quo that benefits the rich only… Politics Reimagined | Halving Emissions by 2026 - YouTube youtube.com/watch?v=XuvIyy…

My ⁦Daily Express⁩ comment piece in response to Home Sec speech later today: Countries need to share responsibility to ensure refugees are given a fair hearing and those who need protection are provided with it. express.co.uk/comment/expres…

Home Secretary ramps up rhetoric & chases headlines abroad to try & distract from her total failure to tackle Tory asylum chaos at home Under Tories; ⬆️Dangerous boat crossings up  📈Asylum backlog record high  ⬇️Returns of failed asylum cases down 70% 💷 Hotels cost £8m a day

I’m not pampered or, I hope, out-of-touch. I’m not a member of a virtue-signalling elite, an owner of a villa, private jet or even a house. But I do know that our immigration policy is a betrayal of human rights, & also will do nothing to tackle the crime of people trafficking.

Very difficult for the infrastructure in all countries to cope with the more extreme weather conditions resulting from the climate crisis. Huge costs to productivity & the economy. bbc.com/news/uk-scotla…

Something is coming 👀 Introducing #8OutOf10Bats, a new wildlife show coming this autumn to a digital screen near you 🦇🍂

Our new Defra UK environment secretary is married to a very senior executive on one of the water companies presiding over polluted rivers and streams. This sums up rotten Britain today. Dirty politics, dirty water. It is gross. theguardian.com/politics/2023/…

I believe there is deep shock in part of govt that deals with operational matters about Supreme Court ruling as there is no plan B to make Illegal Migration Act work without a Rwanda deal. The act is for now dead in the water. More chaos cost inhumanity and human suffering.

Incredible to see hundreds on Whitehall for a #HumanitynotHate vigil. Members of the public joined MPs and Muslim, Christian & Jewish faith leaders to light lanterns in memory of all those lost in the Israel- Palestine conflict, and as a symbol of hope against hatred.

Brilliant column by Jonathan Freedland on the huge complexities of the terrible Israel-Gaza conflict - any fool who tries to reduce it down to simple moral absolutes is... a complete fool... theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

Thank you to the thousands of people from all backgrounds who came together today to stand against hate and show what bridging divides mean in practice.

Northwick Park A&E has been under severe pressure; busier than it has been in recent years. It’s staff have done an impressive job in difficult circumstances but patients & their families deserve better. Investment in a new intensive care unit is urgently needed (1/2)

Public service reform - needed as well as money but some acknowledgement here by IPPR of one of New Labour’s biggest failings - to get staff motivated via more autonomy and control as well as carrot and stick ippr.org/research/publi…

“The media's focus on small boats has probably created the impression that almost all migration comes that way… [but] almost 30,000 people came by small boats last year and 1.4 million visas were issued by the government for people to come to the UK legally” Ros Atkins asks

How many people out there are giving wildflowers a chance by leaving areas of their gardens uncut this year? Please RT if you are offering a lifeline to pollinators like bees, butterflies, moths, hoverflies and bats by mowing less 🐝

Tory MPs just voted to insist that Afghan interpreters who served British armed forces can be sent to Rwanda. A scheme which costs £2m per asylum seeker. A £500m+ scheme for less than 1% of asylum seekers. Which now includes those who worked with our troops Shameful & shambolic

‘The way to respond to politicians who paint refugees as illegals and seek to dehumanise migrants is not to play them at their own game. It is to be proud about our integration story, celebrate our values and focus on the importance of a shared community.’ theguardian.com/commentisfree/…