Lisa Whitaker

Another celebration breakfast menu oooOOOooo Omlet is never gonna be top choice

Well, well, well. Sadly 'unprecedented' could still mean 'four new cycleways' but still - I feel optimistic theguardian.com/politics/artic…

News. The Chancellor's just announced Winter Fuel Payments will no longer be universal to all pensioners, now only pensioners on benefits will get it - in my view that's too narrow a group. Here's my formal statement to @RachelReevesMP ... -------------- The targeting of Winter Fuel Payments is too narrow with the winter we have coming. Pensioners were already due to get less as this will be the first time since winter 2022 they haven’t got the up to £300 extra winter fuel cost of living top-up. The Energy Price Cap is likely to rise 10% this October and stay high across the winter, leaving most energy bills nearly double those pre-crisis, at levels unaffordable for millions. Many pensioners eke out the £100 to £300 Winter Fuel Payments to allow them to keep some heating on through the cold months. While there's an argument for ending its universality due to tight national finances, it's being squeezed to too narrow a group – just those on benefits and Pension Credit. Yet again, those just above the thresholds will be hardest hit. This is often justified as there's a 'lack of household income data' to allow other targeting. However, there's a usable precedent from the emergency energy crisis measures announced in April 2022, which I'd urge the Government to look at. Then, a payment was made to homes in council tax bands A to D – as an imperfect but workable proxy for lower household incomes. That'd allow an additional group of lower to middle-income pensioners to keep the payments and mitigate bill shocks. Councils' discretionary funds could also be funded as in April 2022, for the limited numbers who still need help but don't qualify. Plus, with this announcement, the Government has a huge moral imperative to ensure the 800,000 people eligible for Pension Credit who don't get it, are informed, educated and helped through the process. It is planning an awareness-raising campaign, but it needs to ensure that reaches every corner – and if possible proactively and personally contact people. Pension Credit is a crucial gateway benefit, giving access to a host of other entitlements, and now with the link to the Winter Fuel Payment, it makes it even more important to ensure fewer miss out."

@TheShowstoppers flashback to the same group of people in the Great Beaujolais riots of 1983/5

@TheShowstoppers someone on their lunch break trying to buy a greetings card but all they have are ones with watercolour art featuring sports equipment

@TheShowstoppers The Waiting Game Act 2: Barbara goes postal

System Change Not Climate Change

Who had 27 minutes on the sweep for when the "over population" question would pop up...

I feel like I'm helping from the other room by loudly singing the full track list from Now That's What I Call Footie 1998

Duhhhhhh Hybrid working makes employees happier, healthier and more productive, study shows theguardian.com/business/artic…

If Aslan is Jesus in Narnia, why the heck do they celebrate Christmas? Makes no sense.

oooOOOooo Omelette only 99% nice Happy Father's Day, you guys

From one person who cannot control their face to another: I salute you, Unimpressed Woman on The Left 👏👏👏

@implausibleblog Like I don't know if this is a joke but already a fair bit of these exist as volunteer roles. Volunteer on call fire fighters are a thing. So are volunteer paramedics, and volunteer search and rescue teams, volunteer flood defense workers... our lifeboat service, etc

James Cleverly, "National Service could be uniformed public services.. Special constable.. On call fire-fighter.. Emergency health responder.. Environmental protection.. Flood defence work" Cleverly is describing actual jobs, that should be paid for work. Instead the Conservative party wants 18 year olds to work for free 🤷‍♂️ And imagine a team of fire fighters heading out on call with their 'volunteer' on call fire fighter.. Or someone having a heart attack and your 'volunteer' turns up as an emergency health responder instead of a paramedic 🤦‍♂️

Humphrey Ker is 6'7" SIX FOOT SEVEN and made that 100 year old man look like he was standing in a hole

@raechel_kelly Oh absolutely THIS. I'm now living in some kind of capitalist wet dream where they've made Ink As A Service. Been paying mthly for like 2 years not needed a replacement yet. Can't seem to cancel tho

My fun theory is that it’s not lack of housing or stagnant wages or soaring food prices that are making folks think critically about capitalism, it’s printers. Printers are shit and they radicalise everyone who uses them ever.

This is the first time I've experienced the uncanny valley with a vocal. I have no idea why I would ever listen to this over the original.

@MartinSLewis @pollymackenzie It should be shortened, but not added to other breaks. It's really difficult and expensive to find 13 weeks a year of childcare!

Today's Twitter Poll: Should the long summer school holiday be substantially shortened, and the missing time added to Easter, Christmas, & half term breaks? Vote split by if you're a parent of an under 18 or not. PS this was suggested by @pollymackenzie on my new MoneyFesto podcast (see previous tweet)

@ObsoleteSony The incredible sound from our stereo, that has such depth and presence. Also enjoy the ritual of choosing a cd off the shelves, and the memories from the album art, the nostalgia associated with where I dropped it and cracked the case, etc etc

What draws you to listening to CDs in 2024?

Variables to consider: levels of rain, both on the trip and subsequent days (for drying gear); companions; how much equipment is strictly necessary to not make it back achingly difficult; how many times my mum falls out of a canoe

Evaluating whether the work to fun balance of camping for 2 nights is currently tipping the scales the right way.