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Penny

@spindlepen.bsky.social
207 followers 202 following 99 posts

Dog walker, jogger, hiker, traveller, weaver, spinner, organiser, so much to do...

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Reposted by Penny
Hassinator @hassinator.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
a great letter in the times today. perhaps worth sharing in these troubled times. #RNLI #heroes
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Alex von Tunzelmann @alexvont.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
If you feel like donating to the RNLI, here’s a link. I just have. Their minimum donation is £2: I think it might be nice for them to receive a lot of donations this week, even if they’re mostly very modest. Just so they know a lot of people out here appreciate their work. rnli.org/support-us/g...
rnli.org
Donate to the RNLI and help save lives at sea
Your donations really make a difference. We depend on your generosity to educate people to stay safe and prevent tragedies on and offshore. Donate here.
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Robert Saunders @robertsaunders.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
90 years ago, Parliament responded to the rise of Oswald Mosley's Blackshirts by passing the Public Order Act, which banned political uniforms, private militias and the threat of force for political objects. The debates make very resonant reading today. Here's the Liberal Robert Bernays. (Short 🧵)
You cannot conduct a fair match when one side is playing with a ball and the other with bombs and, if democracy is to survive, it must be conducted according to definite and recognised rule. One of them is that no political party should resort to any weapon other than reason and argument. The introduction of private armies, as I see it, strikes at the root of democracy. I know it is contended that the Blackshirts are not armed and, therefore, are not an army, but I do not think that argument can be upheld. … Uniformed men in military formation suggest, and are meant to suggest, the idea of force. It is no argument to reply that at this or that demonstration no force is intended. It is an inescapable fact that a uniform in politics symbolises force, to be used either now or in the future.
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Natalie @natalieg.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Good god people are losing their grip on reality. The posts discussed in the link below are absolutely disgusting. I am ashamed to be a citizen of the same country as these people.
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The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 08/09/2026
No, no, this should read “The UN votes to adopt map showing correct size of countries.” Leave it up to The Telegraph to have a fannywobble about Britain being accurately represented on a map rather than artificially inflated by a 450-year-old projection.
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Sean Jones KC @seanjones.org · 07/09/2026
Astonishing to hear people say they'd rather asylum seekers drowned than be saved by the RNLI. Next comes letting people die in burning hostels rather than be saved by the fire brigade and letting people get kicked to death in the street rather than be saved by the Police. Don't platform this hate.
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Stiles @lakesstiles.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Cropper's Loppers scissor stile on Cunswick Scar. There are a couple of others like this on land owned by the paper mill family Cropper nearby, hence the name. (No longer a paper mill, 'technical fibre products')
Metal ladder stile with looped handles at the top giving the appearance of scissors left in a gap in a dry stone wall. There's a large landing stone to prevent the base of the stile getting muddy. Green pastures either side
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Reading Museum @readingmuseum.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Haven’t got tickets for the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum? Don’t worry you can visit Reading's full-size copy, faithfully embroidered by 35 women in 1885-86 (plus extra pants!) Or latest blog compares the two tapestries www.readingmuseum.org.uk/blog/comparing-bayeux-and-reading-tapestries
readingmuseum.org.uk
Comparing the Bayeux and Reading tapestries
Reading’s Bayeux Tapestry is a full-size copy of the original 11th century tapestry. It was created in 1885-1886 by 35 women of the Leek Embroidery Society 'so that England should have a copy of its o...
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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
UK students to pay up to 7.1% interest on loans. UK student debt £325bn, England £295bn; expected to hit £500bn by 2040s. Who can afford to afford to buy home, start family/business? England must copy Scotland, abolish university tuition fees. Write-off tuition debt.
gov.uk
Student Loans Interest Rates and Repayment Threshold Announcement
The Department for Education today 10 August 2026 confirmed annual updates to interest rates for undergraduate and postgraduate Income Contingent Student Loans, repayment thresholds for Plan 1 Income ...
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TheBossRoss 🧶 @thebossross.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Kids, eh? 😉
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kevjs1982.uk @kevjs1982.uk · 05/08/2026
Nottingham - our centre is so polluted we'll have to introduce a ULEZ. Mandates low emissions taxis, upgrades their* buses to CNG & Euro VI, replaces city service vehicles with EV **. Result: no ULEZ needed. National Highways - let's ban those form of transport which don't pollute.
One of Nottinghams electric bin wagonsAn electric ice cream van promoting the cities CN28 (Carbon Neutral by 2028) schemeOne of Nottinghams CNG double deckers
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SlenderSherbet @slendersherbet.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
In celebration of #YorkshireDay, please enjoy this Sean Bean bastard collection. Sound up, bastards.
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TheBossRoss 🧶 @thebossross.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
I checked the stats in this. They're true. 1/2
jessielouisevernon posted on Instagram:

In 2025, there were 3,034 terrorism-related arrests in Great Britain, and 2,779 of them - 92% - were linked to supporting Palestine Action after it was proscribed on 5 July 2025 (6 months). 51% were women. 97% were white. The average age is 59. Which means statistically - the most dangerous person in the UK right now is your granny.
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Richard T Taylor @richardttaylor.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Water in any form in the garden in these hot conditions becomes important to a variety of wildlife. If you have room. Even a saucer of water with pebbles for bees, to hoverfly lagoons , old washing up bowls to water features. #notjustponds Had a Common Darter egg laying this am in the square tank.
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Stiles @lakesstiles.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Well this is blummin' fantastic 😍
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Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick @mrcwarwick.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Some of the most powerful talks in our conference 'Blood is the Price of Coal' looked at coalfield communities after the pits had closed These and more can be watched in full at warwick.ac.uk/services/lib...
Pair of boots with dates that the owner worked at Kellingley Colliery painted on the toes.
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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Financialisation of humanity Vital services handed by the state to private equity 84% of children’s homes, 80% of adult care homes in England controlled by financial investors. Private equity is a key player. £1.5bn profit extracted from care homes. Public purse looted for poor service.
leftfootforward.org
The finance curse is devouring the UK
Prem Sikka is an Emeritus Professor of Accounting at the University of Essex and the University of Sheffield, a Labour member of the House of Lords, and Contributing Editor at Left Foot Forward. Th...
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Harry @harry-is-human.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
Local Government Climate Policies generally consist of; 1. Using External funding 2. Refer to point 1. Where they did use their own funding, it was generally at a small scale such as employing people to apply for external funding.
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Helen Todd @helenrambler.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Another great article from Ben Dolphin, reminding us about the dangers of ticks. This spring has been particularly bad for me, I got dozens of ticks in the West Highlands on 2 trips despite taking all precautions. Pretty sure it’s due to high deer densities. Does rather put you off wild camping!
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The Bear @bearlypolitics.co.uk · 12/06/2026
I wonder if this will apply to everyone who recently led a pogrom against immigrants in Belfast where houses and vehicles were set on fire in the most recent Farage Riots. That would be sensible, right?
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Sarah Murphy @13sarahmurphy.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
“In effort to fend off Reform” As a reason for public policy, this has to be the absolute worst. How much damage will politicians do to compete with Farage? Brexit, immigration, scrapping NetZero..the ECHR..the Equality Act… Stupid reasons to do stupid things. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
theguardian.com
Badenoch to vow to scrap public sector equality duty in effort to fend off Reform
In speech on Tuesday, Tory leader will claim obligation to consider equality being used to advance ‘divisive agendas’
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Alison Phipps አሊሰን @alisonphipps.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
I’m on my 8th Home sec in as many years - one a year since I began as Chair of Scotland’s Refugee Strategy. It’s impossible. Policy hasn’t time to be evidenced - it’s all knee jerk panic and gimmick and a constant race to the bottom with no time to do the serious work it needs.
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Penny @spindlepen.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
My dog always beats me to Aquaduct Cottage, whether we are going there or not 🤦‍♀️
A restored lock keepers cottage with a dog looking out over the canal wall
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Gill Steele @squirreltower.eurosky.social · 21/04/2026
Rural Scotland this is a warning to us all control of second homes/Airbnb is vital Only 20% of properties are homes in Mousehole, Cornwall ‘in 1998, Mousehole had its own butcher, post office and general store. “That’s all gone now,”’ The loss of the bus is part of a decline of real community
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Sarah Murphy @13sarahmurphy.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
Don’t bother telling me that I shouldn’t say Reform is racist. They are. They are cruel and hateful and racist. Voting for them is a cruel and hateful and racist act. Shame on everyone who supports and excuses them.
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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Rachel Reeves warns other budgets may be cut to lift defence spending. Hitting the old, sick, disabled, public services doesn't produce a resilient society. How many will die? Govt created £895bn QE to rescue banks, why not the same to rebuild society? 2010-2025: HMRC didn't collect £500bn tax.
theguardian.com
Rachel Reeves warns other budgets may be cut to lift defence spending
Chancellor says she is ‘working through a range of options’ to boost the armed forces but does not want to put up taxes
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Gerry Hassan @gerryhassan.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
As people get postal votes for the Scot Parl election please be careful of the spoiler operation which is 'Independent Green Voice'. They are listed second on the regional ballot paper in South of Scotland with the real Green Party further down. IGV is a right-wing spoiler operation.
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Penny @spindlepen.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
The Blackthorn's not looking bad either
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Penny @spindlepen.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
The Bluebells have replaced the daffodils in Lea Wood #derbyshire
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alyssa || lovelandisle @lovelandisle.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
i don’t want my appliances to be smart or connect to the internet. i want them to do one mechanical task for 100 years
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Ruth Mersereau @ruthmersereau.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
1/7 I’m a Green Party councillor for City Ward #Sheffield. It’s a densely populated urban ward. I’m going to talk about digital advertising screens, which doesn’t sound exciting, but please bear with me. I want to explain why I spend time objecting to so many of these. Since 2023, I’ve …
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John Bistline @bistline.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
This is my favorite climate change chart. Japanese monks, aristocrats, and emperors kept meticulous records of cherry blossom festivals for 1,200 years and accidentally built the world's longest climate dataset.
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Gill Steele @squirreltower.eurosky.social · 30/03/2026
It’s tragic given how much renewable electricity we have already installed in Scotland (double what we currently use) that we get these dinosaur policies (including nuclear power in this too) which we absolutely do not need…. being promoted by politicians only 10% of people vote for here 🦕🦕🦕🦕🦕🦕🦕🦕🦕
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Gerry 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🍀 @gerryr.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
This never gets old.😂
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Emma Monk @monkemma.bsky.social · 22/03/2026
🧵And we're off, ladies and gentlemen! It's "they're banning the word EASTER" week. Regular as clockwork... So here comes a history lesson and media lesson all rolled into one thread! PS, I can't believe there's no easter egg emoji? This was the best I could do - 🗿🥚 🤣 I digress! 1/19
Screenshot of a tweet:
Ben Graham 
@BenGrahamUK
X.com
Britain has been a Christian nation for over 1,400 years.
Through wars, plagues, and countless kings, Easter has always been celebrated.
Yet now, Cadbury won't even use the word
'Easter' on their eggs.
When did celebrating British traditions become controversial?

Above a photo of Easter EggsScreenshot of a tweet:
ClIr Jaymey Mclvor *
@McivorJaymey
x.com
Any chance I can get an Easter Egg please M&S?
Will they ever learn
It's like they do it on purpose to offend.
Easter is not National Chocolate Day.
Which extremists are you trying hard to not offend?
@marksandspencer @GBNEWS

Above images of Easter Eggs in M&S
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Farrukh @implausibleblog.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Finnish President Alexander Stubb, "Brexit was a colossal mistake" "I'm too diplomatic to express exactly what I think about those who promoted Brexit" "It's not only like shooting yourself in the foot" "It's like amputating your leg without a medical reason for doing it"
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David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 09/03/2026
FYI the 1970s oil crisis was the impetus for Copenhagen turning into a cycling city
chi.streetsblog.org
Denmark responded to 1973 oil crisis by reducing car-dependency. Let's do that now. - Streetsblog Chicago
"The government had to introduce car-free Sundays. And then people realized that the car-free Sunday was the best day of the week."
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Raider @iwillnotbesilenced.bsky.social · 09/03/2026
A Better World Isn’t a Dream. It’s a Choice. And we’re currently choosing poorly.
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Prof. Ian Walker @ianwalker.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
As I was made to wait 2.5 minutes to cross a road this morning, let's again do the maths simple.ghost.io/lets-do-the-...
A diagram showing how a 2 minute delay to an active travel trip reduces the accessible area from a 15-minute trip by 25%
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Alice Roberts @profaliceroberts.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
“In a battle between hope and hate, hope has won.” Congratulations to new MP Hannah Spencer! bylinetimes.com/2026/02/27/h...
bylinetimes.com
Hope Beats Hate: Green Party Defeats Reform and Labour in Huge Gorton and Denton By-Election Victory
A concerted political and media campaign to scare voters about a “Green Menace” winning this by-election failed, reports Adam Bienkov
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Sarah Murphy @13sarahmurphy.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
Yusuf: “We will secure our borders, leave the ECHR, and deport those here illegally. My message to the British people is simple: I will secure our borders and make you feel safe.” There is nothing safe about these vicious inadequates turning racism into policy. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
theguardian.com
Reform would create ICE-style agency and end leave to remain, Zia Yusuf to say
Nigel Farage’s party plans to deport up to 288,000 people a year on five flights a day and expand stop and search
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The Whimsical Muse @whimsicalmuse.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
Just a regular reminder to please support your local theatre, café, bookstore, bakery, and library. We breathe life into these places when we support them. Without us, they can't survive, and truthfully, without them, neither can we.
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European Movement UK @europeanmovement.co.uk · 17/02/2026
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, declared that the UK and Europe should come "closer together - on security, on economy or on defending our democracies". Now that it is clear that Europe is willing to work constructively with us, the UK must take action soon.
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charley1915.bsky.social @charley1915.bsky.social · 16/02/2026
Read and share all over..he nails it
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Buitengebieden @buitengebieden.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
Cats secretly rule the world.. 😅
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Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 08/02/2026
The Daily Telegraph currently owned by a private equity vehicle RedBird IMI - based in the UAE and led by Italian American Gerry Cardinale and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Patriotic news. For patriotic people. Who don't want to pay taxes.
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v e l o c i t y @velocity69.bsky.social · 20/01/2026
"And what does the money machine eat? It eats youth, spontaneity, life, beauty, and above all, it eats creativity. It eats quality and shits out quantity." - William S. Burroughs
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