Andy Longden

@afneil Always been a big fan, Andrew. Is Reeves now missing a trick re: attracting fleeing non doms and expats (from the Gulf) back to London? It could be a spectacular boost to London and the UK economy.

@GymBr_o 18

How many birds are there?

@rodstewart I’ve grown up with you mate. Saw you first at Trentham Gardens eons ago. Atlantic Crossing saw me through a year away from my family. Fantastic music - my tastes were modest - you, Queen and Floyd. Served me well. Take care.

Hard to believe it’s been 50 years since Atlantic Crossing was released. Recorded back in ’75 over in America, this one really reminded me why I fell in love with recording in the first place. rod.lnk.to/AtlanticCrossi…

@afneil I’d be interested in your view on why rogue states pursue strategies that are demonstrably against their economic interests. Iran is an obvious, but then so is Russia’s sustained attack on Ukraine. The wealth destruction is huge. So - why? It puzzles me.

The secrecy and efficiency of the B2 stealth ‘Midnight Hammer’ raid on Iran’s nuclear facilities is remarkable. As the media and other countries watched B2s heading West over the Pacific, the actual attack was coming from B2s arriving from the East. They flew from America’s mid-West to Iran entirely undetected. They arrived, dropped their ordinance and departed without a single Iranian missile being fired or a single Iranian fighter jet taking off. The extent of the destruction of Iran’s nuke programme is still being assessed. But initial assessments show serious damage has been done, billions of investment gone up in smoke (on top of the billions already wasted on Iran’s now-neutralised proxy forces). Iran’s Clerical-Military dictatorship now has no good options.

@timfarron The only long term viable option is a tourist tax. Why are we so incredibly reactionary in this country?

Cumbria welcomes 20 million visitors every year. And yet we get almost no extra funding support for highways, health services, or the police. Today, I urged the Chancellor to make sure that those services that support residents and visitors are properly funded 👇

@timfarron Well done, Tim, it’s seriously impressive.

Flipping done it!

@timfarron Tim - an extremely important initiative, full support. Complex issues though - adults disincentivised from leading activities for kids due to the bureaucracy of “safeguarding” etc. In my day there wasn’t much wrong with Scouts, Guides and DofE - lets not reinvent the wheel.

Outdoor education experiences can help to build resilience, confidence and a love of learning in young people. Delighted that the Education Minister offered to meet with me to discuss how these life-changing experiences can be made available to every child in our country.

@timfarron I commuted weekly by train to London 2010-2015. Other than issues outside their control (eg track fatalities) I can’t remember once missing the connection from or to Windermere. Virgin were a fantastic operator - Avanti is a great example of the “pay peanuts get monkeys” adage.

Frequent and frustrating delays on the West Coast Mainline from Avanti mean passengers are missing late night connections onto the Furness & Lakes Lines- with people left stranded at stations on cold winter nights. This is unacceptable. My letter to Avanti's Managing Director👇

@JeremyClarkson Problem is that after 5 years the UK will be in a much worse financial position, so any new Gov will be in a real bind.

Farmers. I know that you have been shafted today. But please don’t despair. Just look after yourselves for five short years and this shower will be gone.

@timfarron Hypocrisy has long been a characteristic of some Labour politicians, and it’s right to call it out. I’d hope you would hold Starmer to the same standards as you did the last Govt. If you don’t, I think @JackmanMatty will see you off next time…

This is getting silly now. Leave his kids out of it, and stop blowing things out of proportion. There is bad behaviour amongst some politicians, but this constant pearl clutching at everything undermines trust to an unjustified and dangerous extent. Try reporting some news.

@afneil I’m a big fan of yours, Andrew but I don’t understand why you engage with random souls on Twitter. It must be a huge time waster and has to be a distraction from your incisive analysis.

No. I’m inundated with opinions with which I don’t agree. That’s free speech in a free society. I block crass stupidity, mendacity and those offensively rude. Try me.

@h3jwp @ClassicFM @wossy No he isn’t. Andrew Collins was much better. I can never forgive Ross for the Sachs affair and I won’t listen to him. A massive sleazeball.

@ClassicFM I have listened all day while giving my house a big summer-clean. Well done everyone and especially @wossy who has opened my ears to film music on a Saturday. He is an unexpected but perfect fit for @ClassicFM.

And the Number 1 is… Howard Shore’s score to The Lord of the Rings! The three-time Academy Award winner has captured audiences hearts and minds with his inimitable musical world-building since the 2001 premiere of The Fellowship of the Ring.

@timfarron @grasmeresports Well done, Tim. With a 4 month old grandchild we retired early, but much respect as the weather was dreadful.

Done it! Absolutely drenched, caked in mud, looking forward to a beer… A massive thank you to the organisers of the fantastic ⁦@grasmeresports⁩ and to all who came along and took part. The weather wasn’t ideal, but it’s been a brilliant day.

@chriseden99 And this is a genius at work. Much respect to the man who saved my life. Very interesting to see the video, thanks for sharing.

No surgeon wants their next operation to be technically difficult, but these cases are actually what makes you a better surgeon youtu.be/H-pfxGlUidA

@Peston Yes, it’s a deterrent. Read the trial notes; this is not about CC, its more about contempt of court and urban terrorism. Unless you prefer to live in an unpoliced, chaotic world, people will support this, and it’s not inconsistent either with supporting action against CC.

Is conspiring to stop the traffic, in the cause of raising alarm about climate change, deserving of custodial sentences of five and four years - when so many crimes of violence and thefts go unprosecuted and our prisons have run out of capacity? Does anyone think these sentences do credit to our judicial system? I am bemused

@afneil Labour has never understood the fundamental premise that before you can distribute wealth, you have to create it. The wealth-destructive announcements so far are ideological and damaging. The consequential tax increases will mark the end of a very short honeymoon.

Labour government — specifically DPM Angela Rayner — has turned against new coal mine in Cumbria. The high-grade metallurgical coal would have been used for steel making across the UK and Europe.  That coal will still be required. Now it will just have to be imported. So much for the growth agenda. Energy policy could eventually be the undoing of our new government.

@JackmanMatty @timfarron Your turn will come, Matty. You were badly let down by a disunited Party. It needs to learn and win public respect again.

Congratulations to @timfarron on his win here last night. It has been a great short campaign to be a part of, and I want to thank Pippa, Phil, James, John, Wendy, Izzy, and Tim for making this a fantastic campaign of positive debate. Thank you to everyone in Westmorland and Lonsdale. Whether you backed me or not, I am here to serve. Never forget that the Westmorland and Lonsdale Conservatives are here all the time, every day, ready to help. Everyone is welcome in this family, and that offer is always open. Thank you for the support and kind words from those reaching out. I woke with immense pride in the positive campaign we fought. While the outcome is not as your MP, I now take on a new role. My job is to hold the Liberals here to account, to keep the Westmorland and Lonsdale Conservative family fighting, to find new, young, and keen councillors for our area, and to keep our ambition high. As I walked into the count yesterday in Kendal, after a final day touring our constituency, meeting with our wonderful volunteers, and making the last efforts to talk to people, I saw a family of dedicated individuals, all committed to our vision of service. This was, to me, the Security election. National Security, Food Security, and Energy Security demand focus. The next five years will also demand Conservative voices to be united. Our international allies and neighbours need our support, and our enemies are already moving against us. We must look forward now. Thank you once again for standing with us. Thank you also to my partner, my family, my agent, and all who helped me on this journey. Many more reflections to come. See you all out on the fells! Best wishes, Matty 🔵🔵🔵 #ClearPlan #BoldAction #SecureFuture #LocalandFighting4You #Matty4WestmorlandandLonsdale #Conservatives #Matty4WandL #LakeDistrict #Cumbria #Westmorland #Lonsdale mattyjackman.uk

@timfarron Congratulations on your win, Tim - and on the wittiest tweet of the campaign. Well, it amused me!

We have recalled Agent Truss from the field, her work is complete.

@LibDems @timfarron Tim is an excellent MP on local issues, but I’m struggling with LibDem policies and the party leadership. Even more that Starmer, it’s spend, spend, spend. Totally illiterate economics. This football stuff is trivial nonsense and doesn’t reflect the nature of the modern game.

Liberal Democrats would expand free-to-view football and other sports to foster the next generation of fans and players and give the people’s game back to the people. 

 @TimFarron ⬇️

@IanAkki07 @ClassicFM Totally agree, but Classic FM don’t listen. I know many people who switch off when VW is played - advertisors should note.

@ClassicFM Who's still voting for the lark ascending and fantasia on a theme by thomas tallis,,every year they're top 3. Mental. Literally 250 pieces far better than those.

And topping the Classic FM #HallOfFame chart in 2024, Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.2 – the nation’s favourite classical piece, for the second year running!