Susan Eskdale

Jennie Lee's trailblazing white paper for the arts was published 60 years ago today. It insisted that the arts should be central to everyday life and publicly supported for the benefit of all. campaignforthearts.org/news/jennie-le…

The struggle against Trump, oligarchy & authoritarianism is not going to be won on Capitol Hill. It is going to be won by working people all over this country standing up to say: Americans fought and died to create a country that works for all, not just the billionaire class.

Russia funds its war on Ukraine with oil. And to evade Western sanctions, Russia uses a shadow fleet of ships to illegally transport Russian oil to the world. In Kyiv, I announced new sanctions on 109 oil tankers and vessels.   We are cutting off Russia’s war machine.

Last week, the new owners of the Observer wrote to tell me they would *not* be issuing me with a new contract. So...I want to say publicly that it was an absolute privilege to speak on behalf of my Observer colleagues during our strike. I don't regret doing so. And I learned so much from it. 1/

BREAKING: House Democrats just announced that they will not be providing a single vote for Trump’s extreme budget. With some Republicans already saying they’ll oppose — it’s on track to fail. This is huge.

You may wish to peruse my collection of recorded classes or glance at a new one. To do so visit my website here: paulcouchman.co.uk And enjoy these sweet-smelling narcissi. My favourite flower. Yours too?

Here is Europe. We have happily paid three times as much to Ukraine as the USA. We are not asking for anything in return and we are not extorting the Ukrainians while they are fighting for their lives. Because we are not assholes.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was murdered by the Nazis for resisting their tyranny. Shortly before his execution, he wrote these words: “If we look more closely, we see that any violent display of power, whether political or religious, produces an outburst of folly in a large part of mankind; indeed, this seems actually to be a psychological and sociological law: the power of some needs the folly of the others. It is not that certain human capacities, intellectual capacities for instance, become stunted or destroyed, but rather that the upsurge of power makes such an overwhelming impression that people are deprived of their independent judgment, and—more or less unconsciously—give up trying to assess the new state of affairs for themselves. The fact that the fool is often stubborn must not mislead us into thinking that he is independent. One feels in fact, when talking to him, that one is dealing, not with the man himself, but with slogans, catchwords, and the like, which have taken hold of him. He is under a spell, he is blinded, his very nature is being misused and exploited. Having thus become a passive instrument, the fool will be capable of any evil and at the same time incapable of seeing that it is evil. Here lies the danger of a diabolical exploitation that can do irreparable damage to human beings.”

Four weeks this morning, GM will have achieved its long-held ambition of integrated public transport by uniting bus and tram in a single payment system. People will be able to make journeys using a combination of both and never pay more than the daily cap. Rail added from 2026.

I don’t want to hear any Republicans talk about “freedom” unless they have the guts to call out Trump for the lies that he is telling about Putin and Ukraine. It was Russia that started the war, not Ukraine. Putin is the dictator, not Zelensky.

Now more than ever we need to RESIST global corporate greed and climate denial and unite for a fairer , healthier planet . Join me and @greenpeaceuk to unite for hope in 2025 with this jumper . greenpeaceshop.co.uk/collection/res… All proceeds support their campaigns around the world .

Three years ago, Russia launched its illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine. I’m in Kyiv today to meet with President Zelenskyy and show that Canada stands with Ukraine — now and always.

Slava Ukraini! 🇺🇦 (Photo @justin_ng - 2022)

☕A £5 caramel latte? Or gift book packs to 3 pre-school children living in women's refuge centres. Books help overcome disadvantage and nurture a life-long love of reading, but for many they're a luxury families can't afford. Spread joy this Winter with a monthly gift.💫

#ResistanceUnited Advertisement at a London bus stop… ya gotta love the British

When a Frenchman is scoring points against you in your own office it's probably best not to pretend to be internationally respected

We are now obsessed with Romany Gypsy archaeology. Thank you John-Henry Phillips!

Delia Derbyshire (1937- 2001) UK musician/composer, pioneer of electronic music, working at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop 1960s, she created the arrangement of the theme music for UK science-fiction TV series Doctor Who #WomensArt

⭐️ Hugely welcome funding news for museums, libraries and arts organisations in communities everywhere. ⬇️ Get the details below, ahead of Culture Secretary @lisanandy’s speech this afternoon, marking 60 years since #JennieLee’s transformative White Paper on the arts.