Fiona Turnbull

President Carter taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice, and service. Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to the Carter family, and everyone who loved and learned from this remarkable man. barackobama.medium.com/our-statement-…

Moving... bsky.app/profile/infogo…

. I’m sorry but EVERY TIME I read an article like this (this is on the BBC news app) I have my head in my hands. The content is exactly the same that we’ve all read in so many articles on homelessness and the housing crisis in the last 30 years! The issue isn’t just about ‘rough sleepers’ it’s about a much deeper and very painful HOUSING CRISIS. We are banging the same drum to the same beat but doing NOTHING RADICAL TO FIX THE BIG HOUSING PROBLEMS! Temporary accommodation is NOT the answer!Private rental accommodation is NOT the answer! WE NEED TO BUILD MORE SOCIAL HOUSING IN EVERY TOWN AND CITY ACROSS THE COUNTRY because people desperately need long-term, safe, stable and secure housing for social rent. We need to reform or end Right to Buy. We need to have a cross-party agreement that the country will build a minimum of 100,000 HOMES FOR SOCIAL RENT PER YEAR FOR THE NEXT 30 YEARS to replenish the social housing stock that has been lost. Councils desperately want to build more social housing. But an unsustainable financial model from central government makes this virtually impossible. For anyone passionate about social housing I recommend you read a brilliant report called ‘SECURING THE FUTURE OF COUNCIL HOUSING’ - An Interim Report - July 2024 - Commissioned by Southwark Council - (CLICK ON THE LINK IN MY BIO FOR THE REPORT) - and supported by 19 other major councils across the country. It has detailed and practical recommendations for achieving 5 key solutions: 1.Establish a new and fair HRA (Housing Revenue Account) model. 2.Reform unsustainable RIGHT TO BUY policies. You can’t sell off council housing stock and not replace it! 3.Remove red tape on the ‘Affordable Homes Programme’ and other funds 4.Announce a Green & Decent Homes Programme 5.Fund the completion of new council homes And if anyone says “the country can’t afford that” it’s simply not true! The government’s own analysis is that social rented housing has an average benefit:cost ratio of 3.4. Research suggests that funding the construction of just 90,000 new social rent homes could add £51.2bn to the economy, create 140,000 jobs, generate massive savings on housing benefit, REDUCE HOMELESSNESS, increase employment in the NHS, Police, Education and other public services because there will be a genuinely affordable housing provision. Ending the housing crisis is an investment that will benefit Britain! Just look at Finland! They’ve virtually ended homelessness through a radical programme: “In Finland, the number of homeless people has fallen sharply. The reason: The country applies the “Housing First” concept. Those affected by homelessness receive a small apartment and counselling – without any preconditions.” ENDING HOMELESSNESS is actually better for the country in every respect (financial, health, mental health, education, well-being) than HAVING HOMELESSNESS, which comes at a huge cost. And of course it is life-changing for those who are living on the streets or stuck in temporary accommodation. BUT WE NEED RADICAL ACTION FROM GOVERNMENT otherwise it’s the same boring headlines over and over again, that we’ve seen repeated for so many years, while we see the housing crisis get worse by the day. If it really is ‘TIME FOR CHANGE’ then let’s get on with it I realise the current government have not been in power long, but I pray they come up with a long-term, radical strategy to end the housing crisis and end homelessness. It will transform the lives of millions of people and it will benefit so many aspects of the country. And without a safe, secure, stable and genuinely affordable roof over your head, everything else in life becomes a battle. A decent home is the foundation stone of everyone’s life. @AngelaRayner . . . . #CouncilHouseScandal #HousingCrisis #EnoughisEnough #CouncilHouse #Shelter #AffordabilityCrisis #Housing #Britain #HousingMinister #TimeForChange #HousingFirst #SocialHousing #EndHomelessness #EndHousingCrisis

“We are banning books again, and this time it appears to be a consequence of ill-informed hysteria. The Index on Censorship discovered that 28 of the 53 British school librarians they polled had been asked to remove books …from their shelves” telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-…

Lee Child says “Cutting libraries is the dumbest choice they can make because 20 years from now they need an informed, active, enthusiastic citizenry in Birmingham.” birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-…

🧵: Here, we'll make it easy for you, here's *most* of the times JD Vance has trashed Donald Trump, all in one place. JD trashing Trump: A Thread

Libraries have proved to have a huge impact at very little cost. I hope the new Labour Government will make it a public service, once more, to be proud of.

I am also nostalgic for philanthropy!

“Water company plans £89m shareholder payout despite sewage conviction.” And that boys & girls is how it works We can spend £91.6m fixing the sewage works or dump that sh*t into the nearest river, pay a £2.6m fine and give the rest to our shareholders. telegraph.co.uk/business/2024/…

Lewis Carroll's 'Alice in Wonderland' illustration, 1959 by Finnish artist and Moomins creator Tove Jansson #WomensArt

Bucks Council to replace librarians with self-service machines in cost-cutting measure bucksherald.co.uk/news/politics/… “plans to reduce the hours of library staff and replace them with self-service facilities as part of a plan to save £555,000 a year.” #savelibraries

Three Towns: Petition launched to oppose library cuts ardrossanherald.com/news/24388362.… “fight for our local libraries and librarians" #savelibraries

This is for @MarkHamill merriam-webster.com/dictionary/like

Cutting and closing Public Libraries is a political/ideological decision not a fiscal one. Nationally and locally libraries cost a pittance to fund & run. The Government could quite easily halt the devastation but chooses not to. #savelibraries

I no longer have a dog, but I sometimes play with the border collie next door. He loves to chase a stick or ball. This morning, I opened my front door, and he had left me a present

“The lack of access to well-stocked libraries should concern us more than the number of children owning books, writes Prof Paul Sturges” theguardian.com/education/2023…

If Trump becomes president again, after all we know ,and you supported his campaign you will have participated in the end of American democracy. You will not be rewarded by your leader beyond a rush you might seek for upending civility. You aren't part of his plan. He is the entirety of his plan and the future will belong to him. Not you. You won't get a thank you or a knowing nod. He will allow you to buy trinkets with his image and name emblazoned. Trump is a despicable example of human kind. Devoid of compassion. Devoid of any respect for knowledge and education. Trump is the fully realized Id. He will have no guardians , no guard rails and no shame. He cannot tell the difference between what he is and what he wants. There is none when you analyze the situation. He flunks Descarte's building block syllogism automatically. He can't think so no therefore. Ego driven rage and revenge. If you're inclined to assist him please rethink your reasons. #Trump

Tell me you’re into suppressing new media without telling me.

Brits of a certain age will get it ... 🤨