Miles King
@milesking.bsky.social
Now at tail end of a long career in UK Nature Conservation - nature reserves, SSSIs, policy work, lots of reports - and 10+ years of blogging. Currently run @poundburynatureproject. Cellist. Living with chronic vestibular migraine. Personal account.
Pinned
As the clock runs down until Wednesday's budget, the farming and landowning sectors are once again working themselves up into a lather over the already announced changes to Inheritance Tax exemptions for agricultural property and businesses; claims of a collapse in food production at the fore 🧵1/x
Big floods on the Frome yesterday #climatecrisis
December 10, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Big floods on the Frome yesterday #climatecrisis
Why food prices are still rising: butter, beef and milk to blame eciu.net/media/press-... #climatecrisis
Why food prices are still rising: butter, beef and milk to blame
Household staples including butter, coffee, milk and chocolate are driving food price inflation, with extreme weather playing a part in pushing up the cost of living.
eciu.net
December 10, 2025 at 9:09 AM
Why food prices are still rising: butter, beef and milk to blame eciu.net/media/press-... #climatecrisis
At 16.8°C Carlisle yesterday was the warmest 9th December on record, beating the previous one set in 1921. #climatecrisis #stormbram 🧛♂️
December 10, 2025 at 8:04 AM
At 16.8°C Carlisle yesterday was the warmest 9th December on record, beating the previous one set in 1921. #climatecrisis #stormbram 🧛♂️
"We understand you may struggle with the basics of life without carers who have left the country or can no longer come here to work.
But it's simply more important to us, that we pander to reform voters, even though they are never going to be persuaded to vote Labour ever again. Sorry not sorry."
But it's simply more important to us, that we pander to reform voters, even though they are never going to be persuaded to vote Labour ever again. Sorry not sorry."
And that means Starmer as well as Mahmood.
Home Office Ministers state publicly, on the record, that they are deliberately making life worse for older people and people with disabilities who depend on care services, but it's worth it because it reduces net migration.
December 9, 2025 at 6:03 PM
"We understand you may struggle with the basics of life without carers who have left the country or can no longer come here to work.
But it's simply more important to us, that we pander to reform voters, even though they are never going to be persuaded to vote Labour ever again. Sorry not sorry."
But it's simply more important to us, that we pander to reform voters, even though they are never going to be persuaded to vote Labour ever again. Sorry not sorry."
Reposted by Miles King
Breaking News!
Code Yikes!
Based on the current forecast for the rest of the year, it's looking like 2025 will likely end up being the 3rd warmest year in the last 120,000+ years:
2023: 1.48°C
2024: 1.60°C
2025 (thru Dec. 7): 1.47°C
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Code Yikes!
Based on the current forecast for the rest of the year, it's looking like 2025 will likely end up being the 3rd warmest year in the last 120,000+ years:
2023: 1.48°C
2024: 1.60°C
2025 (thru Dec. 7): 1.47°C
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
2025 ‘virtually certain’ to be second- or third-hottest year on record, EU data shows
Copernicus deputy director says three-year average for 2023 to 2025 on track to exceed 1.5C of heating for first time
www.theguardian.com
December 9, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Breaking News!
Code Yikes!
Based on the current forecast for the rest of the year, it's looking like 2025 will likely end up being the 3rd warmest year in the last 120,000+ years:
2023: 1.48°C
2024: 1.60°C
2025 (thru Dec. 7): 1.47°C
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Code Yikes!
Based on the current forecast for the rest of the year, it's looking like 2025 will likely end up being the 3rd warmest year in the last 120,000+ years:
2023: 1.48°C
2024: 1.60°C
2025 (thru Dec. 7): 1.47°C
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
I can still remember where I was and what I was doing. Which is extremely unusual for me.
December 8, 2025 at 5:23 PM
I can still remember where I was and what I was doing. Which is extremely unusual for me.
From a canula?
Trump's bandaged hand last night at the Kennedy Center Honors gala
(photos via Getty and by Allison Robbert and Brendan Smialowski)
(photos via Getty and by Allison Robbert and Brendan Smialowski)
December 8, 2025 at 4:52 PM
From a canula?
Incredible parody. So accurate!
December 8, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Incredible parody. So accurate!
Look out Whitby (and Sligo). Storm Bram is coming. 🧛♂️
December 8, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Look out Whitby (and Sligo). Storm Bram is coming. 🧛♂️
Starmer: “Going for a walk on your own and clearing your head, being out there with nature, is something I really enjoy. The peace, quiet, taking in a wider world – I've always loved it,”
Also Starmer: "The new common-sense approach doesn’t allow newts or bats to be more important than the homes"
Also Starmer: "The new common-sense approach doesn’t allow newts or bats to be more important than the homes"
December 8, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Starmer: “Going for a walk on your own and clearing your head, being out there with nature, is something I really enjoy. The peace, quiet, taking in a wider world – I've always loved it,”
Also Starmer: "The new common-sense approach doesn’t allow newts or bats to be more important than the homes"
Also Starmer: "The new common-sense approach doesn’t allow newts or bats to be more important than the homes"
Reposted by Miles King
This is sad news.
Admired British photographer Martin Parr dies aged 73
Parr said his brightly coloured, closely observed pictures of British life were ‘disguised as entertainment’ but they became hugely popular
www.theguardian.com
December 7, 2025 at 1:20 PM
This is sad news.
My mum was neither an entrepreneur, a high earner nor a skilled frontline worker. She brought up 2 children, and through voluntary work, helped create the playgroup movement, ran adult education programmes, and a wonderful music charity.
Had she applied to enter her UK now, she would be rejected.
Had she applied to enter her UK now, she would be rejected.
December 7, 2025 at 1:22 PM
My mum was neither an entrepreneur, a high earner nor a skilled frontline worker. She brought up 2 children, and through voluntary work, helped create the playgroup movement, ran adult education programmes, and a wonderful music charity.
Had she applied to enter her UK now, she would be rejected.
Had she applied to enter her UK now, she would be rejected.
Hopefully not delivered by a drink driver.
December 7, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Hopefully not delivered by a drink driver.
Blue Labour always was and continues to be a Euro-sceptic party.
Will Labour MPs defy the party or will Starmer stick to one of his promises and put Country before Party?
This is wake-up call for Labour MPs. 👋
Vote for our EU customs union bill on Tuesday so we can start to undo the damage done by Brexit.
Vote for our EU customs union bill on Tuesday so we can start to undo the damage done by Brexit.
December 7, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Blue Labour always was and continues to be a Euro-sceptic party.
The same place all the other "surprise" Beavers came from.
December 7, 2025 at 8:29 AM
The same place all the other "surprise" Beavers came from.
Big flooding on the Frome at Dorchester
December 6, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Big flooding on the Frome at Dorchester
Kremlin reveals new strategy to destroy UK from the inside "one delayed train at a time"
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Trains cancelled over fake bridge collapse image - BBC News
Rail services were cancelled after a 'hoax' picture of a damaged bridge appeared on social media
www.bbc.co.uk
December 6, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Kremlin reveals new strategy to destroy UK from the inside "one delayed train at a time"
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Miles King
Imagine the reaction to allegations that Corbyn had made hissing gas noises to Jewish kids as a schoolboy - and then if he had responded to those allegations by shouting 'Bernard Manning!' at the journalists
The radio silence about Farage from people who are usually supremely vocal about antisemitism is so so telling.
December 6, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Imagine the reaction to allegations that Corbyn had made hissing gas noises to Jewish kids as a schoolboy - and then if he had responded to those allegations by shouting 'Bernard Manning!' at the journalists
Stewart Lee: AI has worked out how to blackmail its human enemies. So why is it still so useless at shopping? www.thenerve.news/p/stewart-le... Lee cogitates on the risk of AI destroying humanity, while unable to discern a single LP from a double album. He also introduces the Haugbúi-Gullis to us.
Stewart Lee: AI has worked out how to blackmail its human enemies. So why is it still so useless at shopping?
If a leading scientist is right, we have five years until we’re being sextorted by smart kettles and facing the ‘ultimate risk’ to our existence – and yet AI can't recognise an album format. It almost...
www.thenerve.news
December 6, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Stewart Lee: AI has worked out how to blackmail its human enemies. So why is it still so useless at shopping? www.thenerve.news/p/stewart-le... Lee cogitates on the risk of AI destroying humanity, while unable to discern a single LP from a double album. He also introduces the Haugbúi-Gullis to us.
A lot to unpack here.
15% response rate. GPs who believe in over diagnosis may have responded more than GPs who don't.
No extrapolation possible, so it's just the views of 752 GPs.
Only 24% felt MH over diagnosed "a lot".
Still mixing up MH with neurodiversity.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
15% response rate. GPs who believe in over diagnosis may have responded more than GPs who don't.
No extrapolation possible, so it's just the views of 752 GPs.
Only 24% felt MH over diagnosed "a lot".
Still mixing up MH with neurodiversity.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
'Life being stressful is not an illness' - GPs on mental health over-diagnosis
Hundreds of GPs in England tell the BBC they are also worried about a lack of help for patients.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 6, 2025 at 9:32 AM
A lot to unpack here.
15% response rate. GPs who believe in over diagnosis may have responded more than GPs who don't.
No extrapolation possible, so it's just the views of 752 GPs.
Only 24% felt MH over diagnosed "a lot".
Still mixing up MH with neurodiversity.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
15% response rate. GPs who believe in over diagnosis may have responded more than GPs who don't.
No extrapolation possible, so it's just the views of 752 GPs.
Only 24% felt MH over diagnosed "a lot".
Still mixing up MH with neurodiversity.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Environment Agency faces landfill tax bill worth millions to clear illegal waste
www.theguardian.com/environment/... Yes you read it right. If the EA clears up an illegal waste dump & sends the waste to a legal landfill, it has to pay the Landfill Tax on the waste. So of course it's not clearing it.
www.theguardian.com/environment/... Yes you read it right. If the EA clears up an illegal waste dump & sends the waste to a legal landfill, it has to pay the Landfill Tax on the waste. So of course it's not clearing it.
Environment Agency faces landfill tax bill worth millions to clear illegal waste
Exclusive: ‘extremely unhelpful’ policy seen as deterrent to clearing thousands of dump sites across England
www.theguardian.com
December 6, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Environment Agency faces landfill tax bill worth millions to clear illegal waste
www.theguardian.com/environment/... Yes you read it right. If the EA clears up an illegal waste dump & sends the waste to a legal landfill, it has to pay the Landfill Tax on the waste. So of course it's not clearing it.
www.theguardian.com/environment/... Yes you read it right. If the EA clears up an illegal waste dump & sends the waste to a legal landfill, it has to pay the Landfill Tax on the waste. So of course it's not clearing it.
You know what to do
It’s at 11,000 now, lol
Best thing about this is Trump being ratioed on the BBC Sports live page
December 5, 2025 at 6:06 PM
You know what to do
Jake is right, but it’s worth recalling that the reverse ferret on splitting the post Brexit agriculture budget 3 ways, with 1/3 going to Landscape recovery started almost as soon as the policy was announced. Labour are continuing the long back track, which probably started when Gove left Defra?
"£500m over 20 years is sod all," said @jakefiennes.bsky.social, responding to this week's announcement of govt funding for Landscape Recovery
As Jake rightly points out, this is a fraction of the overall farming budget & not what was originally promised
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
As Jake rightly points out, this is a fraction of the overall farming budget & not what was originally promised
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Nature recovery plan in England hit by clause allowing contracts to end with a year’s notice
Conservationists say changes, coupled with underfunding, will curb take-up and leave less land protected for nature
www.theguardian.com
December 5, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Jake is right, but it’s worth recalling that the reverse ferret on splitting the post Brexit agriculture budget 3 ways, with 1/3 going to Landscape recovery started almost as soon as the policy was announced. Labour are continuing the long back track, which probably started when Gove left Defra?
Reposted by Miles King
"£500m over 20 years is sod all," said @jakefiennes.bsky.social, responding to this week's announcement of govt funding for Landscape Recovery
As Jake rightly points out, this is a fraction of the overall farming budget & not what was originally promised
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
As Jake rightly points out, this is a fraction of the overall farming budget & not what was originally promised
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Nature recovery plan in England hit by clause allowing contracts to end with a year’s notice
Conservationists say changes, coupled with underfunding, will curb take-up and leave less land protected for nature
www.theguardian.com
December 5, 2025 at 4:48 PM
"£500m over 20 years is sod all," said @jakefiennes.bsky.social, responding to this week's announcement of govt funding for Landscape Recovery
As Jake rightly points out, this is a fraction of the overall farming budget & not what was originally promised
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
As Jake rightly points out, this is a fraction of the overall farming budget & not what was originally promised
www.theguardian.com/environment/...