Steve Dale

Collaboration is a mindset and set of skills. It's a messy & occasionally frustrating activity. Short term it can take longer than not collaborating. Longer term, effective collaboration delivers exceptional results. But to get there, we must first take a look at ourselves.

You couldn’t make this up. John Ebo, the £85,000 HR boss of Leeds city council, has emailed employees offering counselling in a “safe space” to deal with any stress employees suffer due Nigel Farage visiting the city next week. Ebo said in his mail; “No doubt you will have picked up in the news that Nigel Farage and Reform are holding an event/rally. “ I am mindful such events on colleagues and would ask that we enable safe conversations for colleagues such as Wellbeing network chats.” In turn the email was forwarded to the council’s Race Equality Staff Network who then added; “Be vigilant if you are in the city that day.” Perhaps Mr Ebo should detail to his council taxpayers what he does all day for his money as it’s clear from that email there’s not much going on either between his ears or in his department. The man’s a bloody fool.

I am very wary of reports that the UK is now within range of Iranian ballistic missiles. But if the reports are true, let’s be in no doubt: the UK has no defences against such missiles. No dedicated national ballistic missile defence (BMD) system for intercepting intermediate- or intercontinental-range threats aimed at the homeland. No ground-based interceptors (like US THAAD or Patriot systems in Europe) deployed in Britain for this purpose. In theory our T-45 warships could provide some cover. But most are currently undeployable or not in UK waters. Leaving us defenceless from ballistic missile attack. Another massive military failure of the political class of all recent governments.

The Government will collect £331bn in income tax this year, and spend £333bn on welfare. In other words, we now spend more on people not working than we raise from those who do. And the cost? Debt per person has risen from £11.5k in 2000 (inflation adjusted) to over £41k today.

This is not good news given what will now happen to UK finances as a result of the war on Iran. And perhaps we can have some silence from all those who piled to exaggerate the significance of January’s freak figures. The UK borrowed a higher than expected £14.3bn in February. The shortfall between government spending and income was £2.2bn higher than in the same month a year ago and far above the £8.5bn forecast by economists polled by Reuters. At a time of peril for nation’s finances it is frightening to have R Reeves as Chancellor.

ANDREW NEIL: In 55 years of covering politics, I’ve never accused ANY government of congenitally telling untruths. But Starmer has taken lying, gaslighting and deceit to a new level mol.im/a/14743517

Does Trump realise that we would rely on the US to save us if we or any of our overseas territories were attacked. A sad state of affairs that we have no defences. But we do have a gold standard welfare system. What's more important???

Trump has asked us to send ships to the Strait of Hormuz to help protect shipping. But we haven't got any ships. What happens if any of our overseas assets were attacked? We couldn't defend them. Successive governments have hollowed out our Navy. 😥

Keir Starmer is once again throwing someone he appointed under the bus, instead of taking responsibility. The conflict in the Middle East is having a huge impact on our food costs, mortgages and energy prices. But Downing Street is distracted, and has now started a briefing war with the Chief of the Defence Staff - a man appointed by the Prime Minister less than a year ago. Starmer’s advisers are telling journalists that the CDS has "failed" and "lost the confidence" of the No10. With this Prime Minister it's ALWAYS someone else's fault. The Mandelson vetting, his Chief of Staff, the former Cabinet Secretary…Keir Starmer will knife anyone before he accept's responsibility for his own failures and his own terrible judgement.

Everybody was quick enough to take the knee so I find it sickening there hasn’t been a word from football’s good and the great ( you’re quiet Ian Wright) over the plight of Iran’s women’s football team who are being forced to take a flight home from Australia and face a perilous future for simply failing to sing their national anthem. Those poor women will be dealt with by a leadership that thinks nothing of killing between 6,000 and 30,000 young people in a matter of days. Where’s the public show of support from the Lionesses, or any of the MoTD gobshites, especially the women pundits or presenters. The silence is deafening. And shocking.

For too long we have been ruled by naive liberals. Wise ones know we have to defend ourselves vigilantly. An excellent commentary from @matthewsyed thetimes.com/article/325330…

@kelvmackenzie Couldn't have happened to a better man!

In these grim times a welcome ray of sunshine; Ian Huntley has passed.

@Keir_Starmer It's going to take 8 days to get there. Why wasn't this decision made sooner? As usual, reacting to events rather than leading from the front.

The UK is fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based there. We’re continuing our defensive operations and I've just spoken with the President of Cyprus to let him know that we are sending helicopters with counter drone capabilities and HMS Dragon is to be deployed to the region. We will always act in the interest of the UK and our allies.

The Grooming Gangs Inquiry must go further. Add your voice to the consultation and help bring justice for survivors. groominggangjustice.uk

Why is it that under Keir Starmer, international law always seems to be at odds with our national interest?

It's absurd Keir Starmer is surrendering the Chagos Islands and Diego Garcia military base when our allies need it most. I would have allowed the US to use the base from the start. The surrender of the Chagos Islands at the cost of £35bn is NOT in our national interest.

Whatever you think about her books, what J.K. Rowling is doing right now matters more. She’s one of the most successful authors alive. She could have stayed quiet, protected her empire, and avoided the mob. Instead, she chose to speak up for women for sex-based rights, for single-sex spaces, for safeguarding. And she’s taken years of abuse for it. That isn’t hatred. That’s conviction. History tends to be kinder to people who stand their ground than to those who stay silent. Thank God For J.K Rowling and God Bless Her ✊❤️🙏

The age of Disenlightenment, where books and the acquisition of knowledge and understanding are no longer relevant. Seems to me we have been in this age for some time now! The most important thing is how you feel.😳 thetimes.com/article/93c60e…