Author | Lightnews

Philippa Budgen @philippabudgen.bsky.social · Sep 29

This morning when I woke up my to-do list was a tad daunting. Glad I squeezed in a run. Where I swim, there’s a sign saying ‘you never forget a swim’. Well, you rarely regret a run too!

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Philippa Budgen @philippabudgen.bsky.social · Sep 22

Autumn beckons

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Philippa Budgen @philippabudgen.bsky.social · Sep 5

Interesting. David Lammy to Justice Secretary- as well as Deputy PM.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c0...

Starmer appoints David Lammy as deputy PM to replace Rayner after resignation

Yvette Cooper replaces Lammy as foreign secretary, while Shabana Mahmood takes over as home secretary.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Philippa Budgen @philippabudgen.bsky.social · Sep 3

After epic downpour

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Philippa Budgen @philippabudgen.bsky.social · Aug 25

What did you get up to this Bank Holiday? Had the most brilliant behind-the-scenes tour of British Library. Absolutely fascinating. Saw a Hansard record of parliament from 1806, world’s largest book (until 2012) & details I never thought I’d want to know. All for a tenner. Recommend.

#BankHoliday

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Philippa Budgen @philippabudgen.bsky.social · Aug 11

Guess what this is propping up the window on a scorchiio day……
#heatwave

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Philippa Budgen @philippabudgen.bsky.social · Aug 6

There’s a phrase at the reservoir, ‘You never regret a swim’. Yup, so true.

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Philippa Budgen @philippabudgen.bsky.social · Aug 5

A series of crises….brewing over several decades’: highly respected Anne Owers lays bare the reality of prisons’ decision-making. Shame it’s August, this story definitely doesn’t belong in ‘silly season’. It’s serious stuff.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Prison system was days from collapse three times under Sunak, review finds

Emergency measures bailed out jails at last minute as No 10 refused to cut prisoner numbers until ‘cliff edge’ reached, former watchdog reports

www.theguardian.com

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Philippa Budgen @philippabudgen.bsky.social · Aug 1

Last night I caught ‘Inter Alia’ the play starring Rosamund Pike as a judge at National Theatre. It’s due as a National Theatre Live (more reasonable cost). Electric performance with troubling reflections similar but different to Adolescence. If you can, I thoroughly recommend.

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Philippa Budgen @philippabudgen.bsky.social · Jul 29

Wish I could be at this. Shame tech hasn’t found the way to clone us to be in two places at once!
What a party. #GoLionesses

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Lionesses to hold victory parade after historic Euro 2025 win

The event in London will begin along The Mall and end with a ceremony in front of Buckingham Palace.

www.bbc.co.uk

Reposted by Philippa Budgen

Laura Phillips @lauraphillips.bsky.social · Jul 27

Lucy Bronze: "I just played the whole tournament with a fractured tibia" 💪

$Lucy Bronze : “I just played the whole tournament with a fractured tibia"$

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Philippa Budgen @philippabudgen.bsky.social · Jul 27

They did it!
#Lionesses
#Euros2025

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Philippa Budgen @philippabudgen.bsky.social · May 29

A mega busy media 24 hours. Check out ‘LGBT+ veterans fury at delays to reparation payments’ - Today programme, R 4
Independent, Standard & more.

Loved a screen-detox run. Mum swan (presume it’s mum?) gets her perch back.

Philippa Budgen @philippabudgen.bsky.social · May 29

A film, Lollipop, hits cinema screens on 13th June. I was lucky enough to have a sneak preview, courtesy of @sohohouse.bsky.social @bigissue.com @isabellamcrae.bsky.social

Wrote some thoughts over on LinkedIn. www.linkedin.com/posts/philip...

#lollipop #lifeafterprison #women #cinematips | Philippa Budgen

Wow! It’s not often I can say I’ve been treated to a film premiere. Today ‘Lollipop’ was screened pre-release at Soho House & Co. About life after prison for Molly, a mum-of-two (played by Posy ...

www.linkedin.com

Philippa Budgen @philippabudgen.bsky.social · May 26

Love a buttercup

Philippa Budgen @philippabudgen.bsky.social · May 22

Beyond the headlines…

Prisons building not a silver bullet to our criminal justice crisis.

Better ways to address crime & the impact of crime lie in the community.

But

A key focus must be properly bolstering (staff/resources) probation to cope with new responsibilities

Ditto for third sector

Philippa Budgen @philippabudgen.bsky.social · May 22

The Gauke sentencing review is out….

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Violent criminals could be let out early for good behaviour under new proposals

The landmark sentencing review calls for fewer custodial sentences and earlier prison releases.

www.bbc.com

Philippa Budgen @philippabudgen.bsky.social · May 22

The Gauke sentencing review is out….

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Violent criminals could be let out early for good behaviour under new proposals

The landmark sentencing review calls for fewer custodial sentences and earlier prison releases.

www.bbc.com

Philippa Budgen @philippabudgen.bsky.social · May 18

@rachelsylvester.bsky.social led Times Crime & Justice Commission before moving to revamped @theobserveruk.bsky.social under @tortoisemedia.bsky.social.

Here’s her take on the direction of travel for prisons ⬇️

observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

Philippa Budgen @philippabudgen.bsky.social · May 18

Releasing people in prison a third of way into their sentence

‘Digital prisons’

Reducing short prison sentences….

More community payback work.

All floated in upcoming sentencing review. But govt adherence to prison-building persists. Probation in desperate need of investment.

Philippa Budgen @philippabudgen.bsky.social · May 18

Prepare yourselves. This week is expected to bring a much-needed sentencing review. For many justice & prison reformers it’s unlikely to hit the spot. Justice Secretary in @telegraphnews.bsky.social ⬇️

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/05...

I will do what it takes to make sure our prisons never run out of space

We have no choice but to do things differently. That does not have to mean going easy on criminals

www.telegraph.co.uk

Philippa Budgen @philippabudgen.bsky.social · May 15

Hard to believe this story even needs to be written. Liz Stead is an incredible example of someone who absolutely NEVER should have had a criminal record.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Liz Stead had a criminal record for being a lesbian but nobody told her

She was thrown out of the RAF in 1969 when bosses discovered a love letter from her then-girlfriend.

www.bbc.co.uk

Philippa Budgen @philippabudgen.bsky.social · May 14

This goes on my catch-up list.
Thanks @madlinsudn.bsky.social for flagging.

Mags Patten @magspatten.bsky.social · May 14

This is a brilliant, moving report capturing life and the absurdity of the system for most prisoners and prison officers. If only more media outlets could do this, instead of frothing at the mouth about prison reform. Congrats to Preston Prison for opening its doors too.

Sophy Ridge @sophyridge.bsky.social · May 14

I rarely do this but please watch our report from Preston Prison

I was blown away by the amazing work of the officers. But I was also blown away by the fact prison isn’t working. Will politicians be brave enough to change it?

Video by @lucymarleey

m.youtube.com/watch?v=cszg...

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Philippa Budgen @philippabudgen.bsky.social · May 8

Prisons still in crisis, says prisons minister.

Shame he - who knows the reality of people in/after prison well - has slipped into the ‘soft/tough’ binary presentation of responses to crime.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

More offenders could be tagged, as James Timpson insists he’s ‘not soft on crime’

The prisons minister tells the BBC more criminals could be tagged in future, rather than sent to prison.

www.bbc.com

Philippa Budgen @philippabudgen.bsky.social · May 5

Stumbled upon this poem on the wall of a house in a Peak District village this weekend. By Paul Muldoon.
#poetry
#prison
#PeakDistrict
#BankHolidayMonday

Philippa Budgen @philippabudgen.bsky.social · Apr 29

On an April day - which pretended to be August - I’m lucky enough to have met & facilitated an influencing workshop with Roma community leader Simona Lazar in Ipswich. She has so much to say for positive change. With thanks to @lbfew.bsky.social for making it possible. I learnt so much. Buzzing!