Sign in

Ken Penton

@kenpenton.bsky.social
723 followers 1.1K following 134 posts

Managing Director, Policy Development Communications Ltd. - www.narrowcastmedia.co.uk/policy-de…. Interested in promoting good public policy and preventing catastrophic climate change. Sceptical optimist.

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Ken Penton
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan @london.gov.uk · 30/09/2026
Keeping young Londoners safe on our roads is a priority. That’s why TfL is launching Navigators, a new programme helping 16 to 18-year-olds become safer, more confident road users. With over a thousand schools now at Gold level, London is leading the way.
yourharlow.com
Transport for London launches new road safety education programme for teens as record numbers of schools show commitment to safer travel - Your Harlow
WITH the new academic year underway, Transport for London (TfL) is celebrating a record number of schools that have gained or retained Gold accreditation…
49015
Reposted by Ken Penton
Andy Jolley @andyjolley.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
This is a really positive move by Angela Eagle I’d love to see DfE build on the policy and pilot Community eligibility Properly fund schools in areas of high deprivation so they can provide free meals to all their pupils www.gov.uk/government/n...
gov.uk
Government acts on food insecurity and affordability with £10 million to put good food within reach
Almost £10 million will be invested in 45 communities across England to improve access to healthy, affordable food in areas with the highest levels of deprivation
002
Reposted by Ken Penton
Peter Baker @peterbakernyt.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Eleven days before the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack, Egypt's intelligence chief made a secret mission to Israel to warn officials of a possible assault. He was on the ground just 67 minutes, so intent he had to come in person. Vivian Salama has the receipts. www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...
theatlantic.com
Egypt’s Warning to Israel
Cairo’s intelligence chief visited Tel Aviv shortly before October 7 with a dire message about Gaza.
29336201
Reposted by Ken Penton
Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu · 26/09/2026
Incredible: another Ukrainian famine is unfolding, this time in Russian-occupied Oleshky. The remaining inhabitants of what used to be a thriving small city, now down to about 6000 people, are blockaded by Russian forces and cut off from food and water. www.bbc.com/news/article...
bbc.com
Oleshky: Eating garden weeds to survive in Russian-occupied city cut off from food and water
The BBC has spoken to residents in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian town of Oleshky who say they are being "constantly shelled".
7518881166
Reposted by Ken Penton
Duncan Weldon @duncanweldon.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
- Honestly my dear grandchildren, you’ll never believe how low rates were in the 2010s. - at least you built a load of infrastructure when borrowing costs were so low grandad? Right? Right?
251172183
Reposted by Ken Penton
Molly Lempriere @mollylempriere.carbonbrief.org · 24/09/2026
As petrol and diesel prices surge in the wake of the continued attacks on Russian refineries and escalating tensions in the Middle East, it is now nine times cheaper to drive an EV than a diesel car in the UK, This means EV drivers save ~£80 when "filling up" www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-evs...
34326
Reposted by Ken Penton
Dr. Aaron Thierry @thierryaaron.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
New oil and gas projects are incompatible with the Paris Agreement. End of story. "governments plan to produce about more than double (120%) the volume of fossil fuels in 2030 than would be consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5°C, and 77% more than would be consistent with 2°C"
productiongap.org
2025 Press - Production Gap
06233
Reposted by Ken Penton
Darth Putin @darthputinkgb.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
It might be tempting to beleive Donald is blaming Russia for something. He calls it a “war” and says Russia lost control which is as close to critiquing Prez as he is likely to get. In fact he's shifting blame for his failing Iran war onto Ukraine whom he blames for defending themselves.
53689130
Reposted by Ken Penton
Duncan Weldon @duncanweldon.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
It is both really obvious and seemingly often forgotten that an awful load of pressing economic problems would be an order of magnitude easier if the Strait of Hormuz was open.
626238
Reposted by Ken Penton
General Boles @generalboles.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
*this is a sub-epistle*
101037166
Reposted by Ken Penton
Dan Neidle @danneidle.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Abolishing inheritance tax would be a mistake. There are better taxes to cut. Evidence that IHT significantly discourages saving is limited; there's stronger evidence of an effect the other way - large inheritances lead heirs to work less. And it's right we tax wealth.
25914
Reposted by Ken Penton
Farrukh @implausibleblog.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
President Obama, "Imagine if I had pulled Fox News's credentials from the White House Press corp. You're laughing but this is what's happening" "Who are we as a country and what values do we stand for?"
21852272
Ken Penton @kenpenton.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Absolutely. This.
010
Reposted by Ken Penton
Jim Pickard @pickardje.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
my brilliant colleague @robertshrimsley.bsky.social on the threat from Elon Musk’s X platform www.ft.com/content/f270...
6428081167
Reposted by Ken Penton
Alskicav @alskicav.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
BBC News - "The Smith's Johnny Marr's guitars sell for almost £4m at auction...100% of the hammer price of 31 lots... donated to two charities: The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and The National Autistic Society" What a top fella. Achieving national treasure status (if he wasn't already)
bbc.co.uk
The Smith's Johnny Marr's guitars sell for almost £4m at auction
One instrument was used on the The Smiths' debut album and also appeared on the cover of Oasis's debut single.
622860
Ken Penton @kenpenton.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Good.
110
Reposted by Ken Penton
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan @london.gov.uk · 15/09/2026
Tell me again that climate change is a hoax.
Chart showing global annual temperature abnormalities between 1880 and 2024
221022375
Reposted by Ken Penton
Cllr John Morris @plaistovian.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
West Ham Park People Friendly Streets scheme has been named a finalist for Community Engagement Project of the Year at the National Travel Awards 2026. This recognition reflects the extensive, sustained and evidence-led consultation that went into the project – far more than a tick-box exercise.
232
Reposted by Ken Penton
Robert Saunders @robertsaunders.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
The ability of the richest & most powerful men in the world to position themselves against "the elite" - a category that excludes the world's richest man, its biggest media magnates, the UK's richest party & the biggest donors in UK history - may be the most effective lie in modern political history
12501143
Ken Penton @kenpenton.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
This is fantastic work by @london.gov.uk and @metecoban92.bsky.social
000
Reposted by Ken Penton
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan @london.gov.uk · 10/09/2026
London's homicide rate hit its lowest level since records began. Yet 40% of the public thought that murders had risen since 2019. That’s the danger of disinformation. We cannot accept it, and to defeat it, we’ve got to put pressure on the social media companies who profit from it.
32998360
Reposted by Ken Penton
Dr Paul Dorfman @drpauldorfman.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
#Australia’s first grid-connected, industrial-scale sodium-sulfur battery has been switched on, demonstrating the novel long-duration storage technology under real-life conditions. reneweconomy.com.au/australian-f...
reneweconomy.com.au
"Australian first" grid-connected sodium-sulfur battery powers up, just as supplier halts production
Australia’s first grid-connected, industrial-scale sodium-sulfur battery will support materials processing plant and demonstrate novel long-duration storage tech.
03719
Reposted by Ken Penton
Alistair King @alistairking.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Struggling to work out why Jenrick would single out these three Commonwealth countries rather than, say, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, whose citizens have exactly the same rights. It’s a head-scratcher.
31168931707
Reposted by Ken Penton
Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
bsky.app/profile/impl...
14418
Reposted by Ken Penton
Duncan Robinson @duncanrobinson.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
15618101
Reposted by Ken Penton
Phil Brickell MP @philbrickellmp.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
🧵1/ I worked in anti-corruption for years before becoming an MP. Nigel Farage has serious questions to answer following the undercover investigation into Reform UK's fundraising practices. This is now for the police and donations watchdog to resolve, but here is what I want to know:
theguardian.com
Reform officials ‘plotted to break law on foreign donations’ in undercover film
Investigation broadcast by Channel 4 News shows man posing as ‘impermissible donor’ paying for polling that helped Reform
421027460
Reposted by Ken Penton
Duncan Weldon @duncanweldon.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
I think it’s under-appreciated how much there might be a first mover advantage for the UK in going for a broad based tax rise at this budget. In a world of shaky public finances, going first makes your debt more attractive.
213119
Reposted by Ken Penton
Verbatim @verbatim-media.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Our yearlong investigation reveals Nigel Farage courting illicit funding as part of a plot to bring foreign money into British politics, orchestrated by his top aides and caught on hidden camera.
611664
Reposted by Ken Penton
Josiah Mortimer @josiahmortimer.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Pollster JL Partners' slogan - "giving you the conviction to lead" - has really taken on a new meaning tonight...
Giving you the 
conviction to lead.
We are a global stakeholder research firm. We listen to those who matter to your organisation, learn what moves them, advise on how you lead them. 

We specialise in combining rigorous research with strategic insight, helping governments, companies and institutions navigate moments of complexity – giving you the conviction to make decisions.
13519121
Reposted by Ken Penton
Stuart Hemingway @stu31.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
www.verbatiminvestigations.com/full-investi...
verbatiminvestigations.com
Dirty Money: A Year Undercover in Reform UK
A yearlong investigation into Nigel Farage’s fundraising operation reveals a plot to break the law by bringing foreign money into British politics
17025
Reposted by Ken Penton
Wolfgang Blau @wblau.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
It can be done. We can clean up our world.
010529
Reposted by Ken Penton
Prof. Stefan Rahmstorf @rahmstorf.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Why are climate scientists not surprised about mountains being destabilized by glacier melt and permafrost thaw? Because they have long predicted that as a result of #globalheating. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...
theguardian.com
Climate crisis could be destabilising mountain areas like Nepal, experts warn
Unusual heat this year may have melted ice and thawed bonds that hold glaciers in place – leading to catastrophe
119983
Reposted by Ken Penton
Neil Kaye @neilrkaye.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Here in the UK, 2018 was the hottest summer on record, then 2025 was the hottest summer on record and now 2026 is the hottest summer on record as well as being very dry. Here is a climate/weather summary for the past 12 months showing the multiple heatwaves we have had. #globalwaming #climatechange
04523
Reposted by Ken Penton
JohnEvansTW1 @johnevanstw1.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
When Meta rips the court's arm off to pay $18 billion to settle a suit that is about child abuse, you have to wonder what level of damages they were actually afraid would be imposed on them. And what they enabled.
0124
Reposted by Ken Penton
Yashar Ali 🐘 @yasharali.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
This morning, the Coldstream Guards at Buckingham Palace performed a tribute to Dolly Parton. The last time I remember the guards at the palace honoring the memory of an American entertainer was when they paid tribute to Aretha Franklin after she passed away.
412380643
Reposted by Ken Penton
Chaminda Jayanetti @cjayanetti.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Reading this is like reading about Britain post-2010 - the "recent failures" do not need any boiling down, they're literally "electing a right-wing government that started cutting everything" www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
theguardian.com
Finland tried to end homelessness. What can we learn from its runaway success – and recent failures?
The Housing First policy led to the number of homeless people in Finland dropping by half. Those with firsthand experience explain why it worked
519067
Ken Penton @kenpenton.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Absolutely agree with this.
010
Reposted by Ken Penton
#CarbonReckoning (Andrew Boswell) @drandrewboswell.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
🧵 👇 on this great clip "UK is only 1% of emission so let's not bother with climate action". No, think of CO2 as litter or poo, and it does not make sense. #CarbonReckoning fare share legal case says we must take fair share in clearing up 👉 www.crowdjustice.com/case/carbon-... 🧵👇👇
01010
Reposted by Ken Penton
Alaa Al Khourdajie @dralaaclimate.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
New publication in Environmental Research Letters: overshooting 1.5°C then cooling back down does not undo the damage. We map where, for whom, and through what mechanisms temporary overshoot becomes permanent loss. Paper (OA): iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1... 1/12
"Three stacked panels sharing a time axis. Top: global temperature rises past 1.5°C, peaks, then declines (the overshoot pathway), with a flat permanent-exceedance line at the peak for comparison. Middle: biophysical responses to the same trajectory diverge; some track temperature down, some recover with a lag, one keeps intensifying. Bottom: socioeconomic impacts of the same biophysical change diverge by adaptive capacity; high-capacity systems recover, while one crosses a dashed adaptive-capacity threshold and never recovers: the permanent overshoot legacy.
2174109
Reposted by Ken Penton
Prof Ian Hall @ianhall.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
🌊 Marine heatwaves need to be thought of as the ocean equivalent of wildfires: Acute climate-driven disturbances that can rapidly overwhelm ecosystems, cause mass mortality, and fundamentally reorganise habitats.
110359
Reposted by Ken Penton
James Ball @jamesrball.com · 17/08/2026
New Nimby Watch! This time: the Greens have taken on housing developments and pylons, but Bath's Green Party has a new adversary – cycle lanes. capx.co/why-are-bath...
capx.co
Why are Bath's Greens fighting a bike lane?
Nimbys are blocking a perfectly safe cycle route - through a quiet park
1812441
Reposted by Ken Penton
Stuart Bourne 🌱🪴 @stuartbourne.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
Anyone who claims that Solar Farms harm wildlife are ignoring the science. This study shows how a solar farm increased biodiversity by 41% whilst also allowing sheep to graze underneath. #SolarPower #ClimateEmergency www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/news/new-rep...
suffolkwildlifetrust.org
New report of Suffolk solar farm showcases ecological best practice | Suffolk Wildlife Trust
Pioneering 12-year study carried out by Suffolk Wildlife Trust at Broxted Estate & Solar Farm Suffolk demonstrates how renewable energy generation and biodiversity restoration can be achieved together...
571920693
Reposted by Ken Penton
Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
👇Great post this. Learning the recorder is a classic example of the importance of knowledge-rich learning that may seem pointless: it’s an easy, cheap way to provide children with the building blocks that allow them to learn to play many instruments quicker later.
2650493
Reposted by Ken Penton
Luke McGee @lukemcgee.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
Trump openly siding with a brutal dictator over an ally because they won’t join in strikes on Iran
54212
Reposted by Ken Penton
Count Binface @countbinface.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
A brief note for Nadhim Zahawi.
33687342864
Reposted by Ken Penton
Katie Martin @katie0martin.ft.com · 16/08/2026
it's odd to me that the resistance to all this seems to be a one-man operation, and that one man is Sunder, but I thank him for his service. I just don't get how all this is allowed to fester, it's not like we can't guess the consequences
10547143
Reposted by Ken Penton
Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
There needs to be more urgency from the police to investigate + prosecute this clear incitement to xenophobic violence against asylum seekers, the platform + the online regulator Ofcom & ministers to cut off & prevent this malicious & unlawful content inews.co.uk/news/vigilan...
16646260
Reposted by Ken Penton
David Roberts @volts.wtf · 02/08/2026
In happier news, it turns out that blueberries grown beneath solar panels turn out sweeter! 🫐 (via @billmckibben.bsky.social)
ecoportal.net
In Massachusetts, a solar farm was raised nine feet above blueberry fields, and its shade is changing how the fruit grows and tastes
In Massachusetts, a solar farm was raised nine feet above some blueberry fields, and its shade is changing how the fruit grows and even how it tastes.
19699201
Reposted by Ken Penton
Ketan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co · 14/08/2026
Here's Amazon's two new planned fossil-fuelled AI data centres next to the ENTIRE POWER GRIDS OF SEVERAL LARGE COUNTRIES Together, the two gas-burning data centres will emit more than Spain's entire grid, if built
Bar chart comparing 2025 national grid CO2e emissions (grey bars) with two Amazon fossil‑fuelled AI data centres (red bars), showing the Amazon sites at about 33 and 17.5 megatonnes CO2e—higher than many countries' entire power grids.
4216591064
Reposted by Ken Penton
Alberto Alemanno @alemanno.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Sweden has no Ceuta, no frontline, no bodies washing up on its coast. So it’s cost-free for Kristersson to lecture Spain on “Schengen integrity” while Madrid actually manages the crisis. No direct link exists between regularisation and the border chaos
912041