Today the energy price cap rises. So already historically high energy prices will rise even further, due in large part thanks to the government's obsessive push for net zero. While the PM in charge of it talks talks about re- industrialising the nation. We are run by morons!

It is October in a few days time. Someone should tell this rose which has over 50 buds waiting to flower.

Scrap EU Reset; boost Defence instead!

Spending a few days in Prague for wife’s birthday. Last here 60 years ago on a school trip when it was still communist. Funny how the memory plays tricks; I don’t remember M&S or McDonalds being here! 😉

Broadband contract about to expire. Rang the number for the provider. Long conversation with someone, friendly but barely able to speak English. 15 minutes of my life I won't get back. Transferred to someone who I could understand. New contract cheaper than the old one. Result!

Today marks the 86th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. Honouring the spirit and sacrifice of those immortalised as ‘The Few’, and those supporting them. (Photo~ London, Oct 2025). #LestWeForget #WW2

And¥ Burnham and the Labour Party will never be forgiven for pushing the rotten Chagos deal through. It will leave an indelible shameful stain on the UK's reputation. The Chagos deal utterly betrays the Chagossian people, seriously threatens the precious ecosystems of the Archipelago, and it does🟥NOT secure the joint UK/US military base on Diego Garcia. The deal operationally hobbles the base, and increases the dangers to the British and American military personnel, and the civilians who work there, and in the wider Central Indian Ocean region. Diego Garcia's remoteness made it easy to defend in the past. This deal leaves the base horribly vulnerable to the growing threats posed by the new longer-range missiles, and more sophisticated and lethal drones. When Keir Starmer, and his AG Lord Hermer and their advisors made the deal, which leases only Diego Garcia, it was fully understood that the outer islands of the Chagos Archipelago were the ideal and by far the best locations to deploy early warning, and air-defense systems, to protect the main base from missile and drone attacks. And¥ Burnham knows the deal increases the dangers to the lives of British service personnel, and our NATO allies personnel, in the strategically important Central Indian Ocean region. To still push the deal with that knowledge is a disgraceful act of betrayal. While the deal leaves Diego Garcia vulnerable to attack, it also renders the base itself ineffective and operationally hobbled. The deal states, Mauritius must be informed of all military operations on the island, the movements of every vessel, every aircraft, and every submarine, nuclear-armed, nuclear-powered, and conventional, which visit Diego Garcia, or enters the Chagos Archipelago's territorial waters. The Mauritius government will be able to veto the base being used for any military operation, just as Starmer did when the US wanted to use it for its aircraft to refuel on their way to attack Iran. Mauritius is a signatory of the Pelindaba African Weapon-Free Zone Treaty which bans all nuclear weapons from treaty members' territory. Pelindaba gives each of the more the 40 countries who have signed it the right to inspect the facilities on Diego Garcia if they suspect nuclear arms are being stored there. The UK's nuclear-armed Trident submarines will no longer be able to enter Chagos waters, or visit Diego Garcia which is the only island in the region which has suitable anchorage and facilities for maintenance and restocking provisions, etc. The US's nuclear-armed submarines, ships, and planes will also be banned from Diego Garcia and the Chagos Archipelago's waters. Mauritius gets complete sovereignty over everything, including control of the airspace above the Chagos Archipelago, which at 250,000 square miles is the same size as France. The implications of controlling such a vast area of airspace in a strategically vital region are huge. Mauritius has shown it will ban planes entering its current airspace when China asks. Spain banned US aircraft from using its airspace during the Iran attacks earlier this year. Mauritius will be be able to do the same. Mauritius gets full ownership of all the rare earth elements and minerals, which are thought to be worth £trillions, on land and in the sea of the entire Chagos Archipelago. Starmer agreed to pay Mauritius, which is considerably smaller in size than Luxembourg, has a population of just over one-and-a-quarter million, and an international reputation for major financial fraud and money laundering, multiple £billions of UK taxpayer money to lease Diego Garcia for 99 years. And¥ Burnham pushing on with this awful deal knowing all of the above, and that the Chagossian people overwhelmingly wish the islands to remain under British rule, and that the deal leaves them high and dry, will mean he is even more treacherous than Keir Starmer.

Bank holiday Monday so a barbecued leg of lamb is for dinner today! Yum!

Birmingham City Council will go to court to stop people flying the Union Flag. They’re quite happy to raise the Somali flag instead though. When an English city treats its own flag as a problem, and everyone else’s as a celebration, that isn’t an accident. It’s a statement.

A reminder that Kemi Badenoch has just promoted Tom Tugendhat, a wet One Nation Tory. They haven’t changed one bit.

Just watched this bandit steal an apple from my tree and brazenly sit in the shade eating it. Bloody squirrels!

🚨 EXPOSED: LABOUR MAYORS HANDED AUTOCRATIC POWERS TO OVERRIDE LOCAL RESIDENTS AND FORCE THROUGH 4,000 HOMES! Good morning to the millions of everyday, hardworking Brits waking up this Monday to the total destruction of local democracy. 🤡 Prime Minister Andy Burnham has officially unveiled plans to give regional Labour mayors sweeping powers to overrule your elected local council and force through massive housing estates and 10 storey tower blocks. Look at what this actually means on the ground. In places like Broxtowe in Nottinghamshire and across the East Midlands, almost 1,900 homes already rejected by local communities are about to be bulldozed through by mayoral decree! Because Housing Secretary Angela Rayner is failing on her targets, Labour is stripping power away from local taxpayers and handing blank cheques to unaccountable regional mayors. They pretend to support devolution, but their real agenda is silencing residents, overriding local objections, and expanding socialist state control over every community in Great Britain. The mask has completely slipped on Labour's war on local democracy. RT and SHARE this everywhere to defend our local communities against Burnham's mayoral power grab!

The chilli plant is enjoying the nice hot summer. They freeze really well so plenty to see us through the winter!

Family bath time for starlings:

We don't care about "optics" @andyburnham, we just dare about the economy. As you should.

The 30 year gilt yield hit a high point of 5.092% under Liz Truss. It was below 4.8% before Labour came to power. As of this evening under Burnham & Healey, the 30 year gilt yield is 5.835%. That means less money for schools & hospitals, & no respite for homeowners & renters.

Since I retired I have been lucky enough to travel extensively, visiting places I never dreamed I would see. I have loved it, but it has left me with a deep appreciation of the gentle beauty of England and the UK. If only our politicians hadn’t let us down so badly! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧

Remember in April when you and Labour voted against a motion to refer Keir Starmer to the Commons Privileges Committee over claims he misled Parliament about the vetting and appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador? We do you bunch of lying hypocrites.

@andyburnham a member of your club I believe! The hypocrisy is quite frankly embarassing

It is currently 45.1°c in the sunshine at the moment. Ralph is around the side of the house, in the shade & a draft, lying on his much-loved ice bed. If you are walking your dog, or have them out in this heat, you are deranged & need to give your head a wobble.