First pre-orders being taken now. All profits to @macmillancancer Hidden Disabilities and Conditions: Creating an Inclusive Workplace by Ted ... amazon.co.uk/dp/B09JZND4W5/r… via @AmazonUK

True story. Australian guy, close friend, with American born wife, two teenage kids, returns with family to America for the >100th time. At LAX the border control guy takes him into a separate room. Sir, what you say now will determine whether you will be detailed pending deportation or allowed to enter the US. Is that clear? Yes. What is the purpose of your trip? Holiday. Do you have accommodation booked? Yes. Where is it? The Sheraton in Beverley Hills. Do you have proof of that? Yes, here is the invoice. (Two king executive suites for 16 nights). How do you intend to pay while you are here? Mostly credit card, plus cash. How much cash do you have? $9,800 Don’t lie to me. I have, I think, exactly $9,800. Give it to me. (Agent takes cash, counts it - $9,800, returns it.) What credit cards do you have? Amex and visa - we use Amex almost exclusively. What is the credit limit? There isn’t a limit. Sir, don’t lie to me! There is always a limit! What is the limit? There is no limit on the Amex - I haven’t had a limit for twenty years. Sir! Don’t lie to me! Credit cards are never without a limit! That’s how they get their names! This one has no limit. (Agent now very cross.) Give me your phone. (Hands it over - burner.) Open it. It’s open. Show me what calls and texts you’ve made. There is none - it’s a new phone. Sir, stop lying to me! (Agent getting significantly distressed.) Where is your phone? This is my phone. WHERE IS YOUR PHONE!!! (Officer now shouting.) This is the only phone I have with me. My company issues clean phones and computers when we travel to the US. Sir, I am telling you again - your answers are what will get you detained and deported! Where is your real phone? In Australia. Why don’t you have it with you? My company doesn’t permit us to bring our personal phones into the US. Open your computer. (Opens it.) Show me your emails. It’s a new computer - it has no emails. It’s never been turned on except for when it was built and me logging on once. (Border control officer goes out of room, returns ~two hours hour later with another officer.) How are you getting to your hotel? Sheraton has a driver waiting. I hope they still have anyway. Here is the notice on the invoice. DON’T LIE TO ME! Hotels don’t have drivers just waiting! They eventually got into America. The Sheraton driver was still waiting. Context: He’s white. He’s employed by a large American company as Senior Vice President; had been with the company for 30 years. He’s in the top 0.1% He’s been married to his American wife for 23 years who is an American citizen. They have two teenagers. His credit card has no limit. He had a new phone and computer because of company policy. He’s been a Senior VP for at least fifteen years, has hit the ceiling because he doesn’t want to work in America. He’s traveled for business and pleasure to America more than a hundred times. I’ve known him for ~35 years. Welcome to Trump’s America.

🎶 Watford Jazz Junction Festival | 10–18 May 2025 🎻 Alice Zawadzki: Invented Folklore 📅 Sat 17 May | 19:30–22:00 📍 Watford Pump House Theatre Jazz FM ‘Vocalist of the Year’ nominee Alice Zawadzki headlines the final night with a world-first show: watfordjazzjunction.com/even…

French senator perfectly describes the Trump situation.

Shame on you @GSK theguardian.com/business/202…

Errol Linton. Pump House Theatre, Watford. Fri 16 May 2025. Errol is a unique blues artist, with a reggae tinge & jazz flavours. For years he played in the London Underground for tips. He now plays in venues across the world. Watford included. 🎫s: watfordjazzjunction.com/even…

Fantastic day - thanks also to @uktedsmith @CanonUKandIE @creativefloor

Hurricane force winds at 23677 mph approaching #welwyngardencity in the next hour

So, this afternoon I got home to find a lovely letter from @northernassist telling me about how they wanted to prosecute me for using the below ticket to travel on the specified route at a peak time. I paid £1.90 less than the fare they say I should have paid. A thread 🧵

Petition for all these #Coldplay tickets to be cancelled and put back on the market for actual fans to have. Screw you scalpers. There's a special seat in hell for you. [AD: Videos of StubHub and Viagogo selling tickets for extortionate prices]

So when Trump wrote that check to re-elect Kamala Harris in 2011, I bet he didn’t think she’d cash it in 2024! 😜

Football is a simple game. Twenty-two men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the G̶e̶r̶m̶a̶n̶s̶ English always win. All the best for the final on Sunday, England! #EURO2024

Not again! I have NOT given my permission to be used in political adverts. This is NOT an endorsement by me in any way. I maintain strict party neutrality and am unhappy at the weaponizing of my reputation in this way. While this isn't as bad as the first terrible representation – which said it this about tax - there's still a misdirection. As I’ve already stated, in that private conversation I was referring to Labour hoping to make a positive change I’ve been campaigning for, but it didn’t want to lock it in the manifesto as it can’t promise to deliver. NO party’s manifesto tells the full story. ALL parties have things they hope to do but that aren’t in manifestos – as they can’t guarantee to deliver. The idea that Labour is an outlier for that is preposterous.

Police try to stop an escaped cow by ramming it with their car in Feltham, West London

🏆 The Supporter of the Season is awarded @WBA fan Dave Heeley, recognised for his fundraising efforts and challenges, whether that be through running, cycling or swimming, having raised more than £3million for @WBAFoundation. 👏 #EFL | #EFLAwards

Ableist assumptions can become reality by creating barriers for disabled people. It's time to change perspective 👓 📹 "Assume I can. So maybe I will."

You need to read the science secretary of state’s withdrawal of extremism claims against a scientist (below) in conjunction with this lawyer’s statement. bindmans.com/knowledge-hub/n… It is quite the story. I can’t remember another occasion where a serving minister paid damages for an incorrect and highly critical social media statement - and in this case the unfair and wrong charges she laid were against senior members of the community she is supposed to champion!

Evan Davis schools the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Laura Trott, on debt to GDP. ED: This is really basic... I'm amazed you don't know that debt is rising LT: I've got different figures #bbcpm

I have just finished another set of incredibly difficult weekend nights as the A&E consultant incharge. Some thoughts: The NHS no longer provides unscheduled care - we provide treatment. Care is with dignity - that's impossible for our patients in corridors. The model of acute care is not working or sustainable. We need a completely different approach - with long term investment in prevention and community care 111 need to change risk thresholds as far too many come to a&e when they don't need to. There needs to be alternative pathways to get care overnight for those who don't have accidents or emergencies. A&E shouldn't be anything and everything Staff are broke - supporting staff is just as vital as looking after patients This government have totally decimated our the NHS. They are the ones who should be apologising to our patients not our staff. Hundreds are dying each week because of lack of hospital capacity and corridor care in a&e, yet it's not on the news and no public uproar. As staff and patients we have accepted the unacceptable. Everyone needs to know the reality of what is happening - so that politicians offer a different solution and patients get the care they deserve. Sadly most of the public have no idea of what is genuinely going on. And finally, a post night fry up is the best antidote for the stresses of the weekend. Goodnight!