Patience Light

@stephenkeeler But I noticed a poem of yours in the Poems About Light….one of the series from The Candlestick Press. I immediately sent it to my daughter. We all need glimmers and gleams at the moment, and poetry delivers.

It is darker at 09.56 than it was yesterday at 17.00. Damp sky sits on the city like a weighty, suffocating lid. Still too feverish to think about going out but it would be uplifting to see the sun out of my long tall windows.

@herdyshepherd1 I loved it and have given it as presents. The life and changing nature of life in those islands rested with my for days. Still does actually.

Thank you to everyone who has bought this book. Thrilled it’s become a bestseller and found so much love. Going to try and step away from social media next year and use all the grey matter to write another book - plus some other projects. Thank you.

@herdyshepherd1 I rarely use Twitter ( or X ) these days but just wanted to thank you for this astonishing book.

I seem to have upset the @Nigel_Farage fan club - so let me be clear. This man sows hate, lies and division. He is a grifter and a conman. He does not represent the vast majority of Britons. RT if you agree P.s. multiculturalism is great.

Right wing media has had it in for @AngelaRayner from the start - they couldn’t bear a working class woman being so powerful & dynamic. She made a mistake & has paid heavily for it. Hope she’ll return at some point in the future - our politics needs more voices like hers

I’d rather have #AngelaRayner in Government than #Farage any day

@thelonningsguy Muscle memory plays a role. Learning cursive handwriting supports spelling, consolidation of tricky letter strings….ought, ing, tion…etc. As with all learning it is not just one skill but an orchestration of several which is important.

Serious question: Why do UK schools spend so much time teaching cursive (joined up italic) writing when print (single letters) would be easier/quicker and perhaps even more legible? After all, almost all screen and printed text in the world consists of individual letters?

@AmbJapanUK Butter, butter, butter ….. and maybe even a smear of Marmite? But then I don’t have a sweet tooth.

My apologies for offering crumpets with marmalade to Paddington 🙇 Please let me know the proper way of enjoying crumpets.

@davesumnersmith The best way to derail the Reform bandwagon is not through shouting matches or personal attacks, it’s through exposing their lack of serious, workable policies and reminding voters that many of the issues they capitalise on were exacerbated by the very ideology they promote. Reform thrives on division and oversimplified answers. The real alternative is a clear plan for inclusive, sustainable growth across all UK regions, stronger support for SMEs, better access to innovation funding, and rebuilding closer ties with the EU, which remains our largest and most important trading partner. Voters want solutions, not slogans. It’s time to offer competent, constructive leadership that delivers stability, economic opportunity, and fairness, for everyone, not just the loudest voices.

@arthistorynews It makes me feel utterly helpless. I am always saying I am going to write but somehow never do. This time I absolutely am! The arts are vital. ( mind you I am enjoying the snooker at the moment )

Ping! An email from the BBC Director General himself, Tim Davie. He wants my opinion* on the Future of the BBC. 'Aha, I think, a chance to say; 'put the arts back on TV!' But alas... 1/🧵 *(Not just mine, it's a mass email).

Perfectly ridiculous that so many TV channels go live to hear Trump talking rubbish to some baseball players. The media dancing endlessly to his tune is central to his methods and it’s time they stopped playing his game for him.

And it will be about now that @elonmusk realises that backing Trump was the biggest single mistake of his life, and that by helping Trump’s victory he has inflicted the consequences of his catastrophic misjudgement on the world…

Agree. And Jenkins’ The Armed Man performed with such drama and commitment. Thoroughly enjoyed it @ThomasMotty

@Matt_Pinner My French is pretty good, so my choices would be: Welsh! Yes, Welsh. Then Italian. Both very musical languages.

You wake up tomorrow and can speak any language fluently. Which one do you choose?

@Bounce_BackLoan I would too.

Shocking footage emerges of Rachel Reeves sister, Ellie Reeves, boasting of karaoke sessions with Ed Miliband. Asked if she was PM for one day what would she do, she didn't say look for a cure for cancer or end wars, she says she would abolish private schools.

Utterly utterly sublime.

@TheGesualdoSix @PortsmouthCath This was utterly sublime. An astonishing purity of sound, a masterful blend of voices and a sense that you all sang as one being. Thank you.

We looking forward to singing in the beautiful @PortsmouthCath, tomorrow. On Early Music Day we will be performing a programme of Motets and Chansons from the French Court - ‘Queen of Hearts’ Tickets: portsmouthcathedral.org.uk/portsmouth-cat…

Echoing the teachings of Jesus and calling out Trump's cruelty, ignorance, and bigotry to his face, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde delivers a sermon for the ages. Bishop Budde stared down authoritarian fascism and said 'Not today, motherfucker.' 😳👇

A little pool of gentle humour amongst all the frenzy. Thank you Mr Benn.