Ken Penton
@kenpenton.bsky.social
Executive member, Labour’s Environment Campaign - @serauk, UK Advisor to @fossiltreaty campaign. RT not an endorsement.
Harsh, but…
Lying in politics is wrong and should never be rewarded, says newspaper which pays Boris Johnson £1 million a year to be its star columnist
November 29, 2025 at 11:13 AM
Harsh, but…
Reposted by Ken Penton
Wow - this guy must be really, REALLY bad with money if an extra £208 per month will “ruin” his retirement.
Let’s take a look at his situation based on what he told the @Telegraph
Because this does NOT add up!
No, this is not a “poor pensioner” scrabbling around for pennies…
🧵1/9
Let’s take a look at his situation based on what he told the @Telegraph
Because this does NOT add up!
No, this is not a “poor pensioner” scrabbling around for pennies…
🧵1/9
November 29, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Wow - this guy must be really, REALLY bad with money if an extra £208 per month will “ruin” his retirement.
Let’s take a look at his situation based on what he told the @Telegraph
Because this does NOT add up!
No, this is not a “poor pensioner” scrabbling around for pennies…
🧵1/9
Let’s take a look at his situation based on what he told the @Telegraph
Because this does NOT add up!
No, this is not a “poor pensioner” scrabbling around for pennies…
🧵1/9
Thread.
Like all too many children in the UK today, I grew up poor. I am no longer poor, and I am delighted to pay higher taxes to reduce - or ideally eliminate - child poverty. 1/3
November 27, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Thread.
Reposted by Ken Penton
Reposted by Ken Penton
White by name, racist fuckwit by nature.
November 26, 2025 at 10:43 PM
White by name, racist fuckwit by nature.
Reposted by Ken Penton
The real scandal here isn’t Newham buying back homes for more than they were sold for, it’s private property owners making vast profits from buying and selling public assets with almost zero risk.
November 24, 2025 at 8:08 AM
The real scandal here isn’t Newham buying back homes for more than they were sold for, it’s private property owners making vast profits from buying and selling public assets with almost zero risk.
Reposted by Ken Penton
Alternative framing: Newham has increased the stock of social housing by bringing back homes previously sold under Right to Buy back into public ownership.
Newham Council, with the largest social housing wait list in the country, has lost tens of millions trying to buy back ex-Right to Buy homes.
Council sells homes for £10m under Right to Buy – then spends £33m buying them back
www.bigissue.com
November 24, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Alternative framing: Newham has increased the stock of social housing by bringing back homes previously sold under Right to Buy back into public ownership.
Reposted by Ken Penton
Always the way, isn't it? Graduate from top uni says other people shouldn't aspire to go to university.
The Prime Minister's target – two thirds of young people getting a degree or an apprenticeship – is the right one. Only Labour backs our young people.
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
The Prime Minister's target – two thirds of young people getting a degree or an apprenticeship – is the right one. Only Labour backs our young people.
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
Reform UK bigwig who went to top university says fewer others should do the same
Reform UK's former chairman calls for "fewer people going to university" after benefiting from a degree from one of the country's most prestigious ones himself
www.mirror.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Always the way, isn't it? Graduate from top uni says other people shouldn't aspire to go to university.
The Prime Minister's target – two thirds of young people getting a degree or an apprenticeship – is the right one. Only Labour backs our young people.
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
The Prime Minister's target – two thirds of young people getting a degree or an apprenticeship – is the right one. Only Labour backs our young people.
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
‘Tough talk, cruel policy — and it still won’t stop the boats’ labourlist.org/2025/11/toug... – via LabourList Very good piece from @markdavies67.bsky.social Good policy is good politics. This fails that test.
'Tough talk, cruel policy — and it still won’t stop the boats' - LabourList
The politics of Mahmood's proposals are terrible: it won’t stop the boats, it won’t satisfy Reform-curious voters and it will anger Labour supporters.
labourlist.org
November 25, 2025 at 3:14 PM
‘Tough talk, cruel policy — and it still won’t stop the boats’ labourlist.org/2025/11/toug... – via LabourList Very good piece from @markdavies67.bsky.social Good policy is good politics. This fails that test.
Reposted by Ken Penton
It should be obvious by now that we cannot make the future of human civilisation dependent on whether the fossil fuel vendors vote for ending fossil fuel use.
Rather, it is up to those who buy fossil fuels to end their lethal addiction fast, before it is too late.
Rather, it is up to those who buy fossil fuels to end their lethal addiction fast, before it is too late.
My latest: #COP30, global climate politics, and what happens next — for @theguardian.com
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
November 25, 2025 at 12:58 PM
It should be obvious by now that we cannot make the future of human civilisation dependent on whether the fossil fuel vendors vote for ending fossil fuel use.
Rather, it is up to those who buy fossil fuels to end their lethal addiction fast, before it is too late.
Rather, it is up to those who buy fossil fuels to end their lethal addiction fast, before it is too late.
Reposted by Ken Penton
Reposted by Ken Penton
Since January, wildfires have burned an estimated 47,026 hectares of land - more than double the area burned in the record breaking 2022 summer wildfires.
Yet modelling from the NFCC shows £102m in potential cuts to the fire service still to come.
Yet modelling from the NFCC shows £102m in potential cuts to the fire service still to come.
November 24, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Since January, wildfires have burned an estimated 47,026 hectares of land - more than double the area burned in the record breaking 2022 summer wildfires.
Yet modelling from the NFCC shows £102m in potential cuts to the fire service still to come.
Yet modelling from the NFCC shows £102m in potential cuts to the fire service still to come.
Reposted by Ken Penton
My attendance record in the European Parliament was the 4th worst out of 751 MEPs, yet I managed to turn up to vote AGAINST plans to tackle Russian misinformation.
Thankfully this is of no interest to the media.
Thankfully this is of no interest to the media.
November 24, 2025 at 9:20 PM
My attendance record in the European Parliament was the 4th worst out of 751 MEPs, yet I managed to turn up to vote AGAINST plans to tackle Russian misinformation.
Thankfully this is of no interest to the media.
Thankfully this is of no interest to the media.
Reposted by Ken Penton
My colleague, Dr. Vahid Abedini, was illegally detained by ICE on Saturday. He is currently being held without a court date in sight, despite being in the country legally. Please spread the word! We must ensure his due process rights are upheld. www.oudaily.com/news/ou-prof...
OU College of International Studies professor reportedly arrested by ICE
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement reportedly arrested an OU professor at Will Rogers International Airport Saturday.
www.oudaily.com
November 24, 2025 at 11:05 PM
My colleague, Dr. Vahid Abedini, was illegally detained by ICE on Saturday. He is currently being held without a court date in sight, despite being in the country legally. Please spread the word! We must ensure his due process rights are upheld. www.oudaily.com/news/ou-prof...
Thread.
“Climate change isn’t everything“ is becoming a go-to justification for delaying action.
This is - deliberately or inadvertently - a misframing of the issue. The point isn’t CC is everything, it’s that it’s essential to deal with.
1/
This is - deliberately or inadvertently - a misframing of the issue. The point isn’t CC is everything, it’s that it’s essential to deal with.
1/
November 24, 2025 at 10:22 AM
Thread.
Reposted by Ken Penton
This is not a peace plan. It is a proposal that weakens Ukraine and divides America from Europe, preparing the way for a larger war in the future. In the meantime, it benefits unnamed Russian and American investors, at the expense of everyone else.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Trump Has a Recipe for War and Corruption, Not Peace
Who would benefit from the White House’s 28-point proposal for Ukraine?
www.theatlantic.com
November 22, 2025 at 11:11 AM
This is not a peace plan. It is a proposal that weakens Ukraine and divides America from Europe, preparing the way for a larger war in the future. In the meantime, it benefits unnamed Russian and American investors, at the expense of everyone else.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Thread.
With a mixed-results at COP30 - i.e. good intentions but no concrete plans for the “transition away from fossil fuels” - don’t give up.
Let’s remember the progress made since the Paris Agreement and the options ahead of us. That’s the message of the image below
Let’s remember the progress made since the Paris Agreement and the options ahead of us. That’s the message of the image below
November 23, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Thread.
Reposted by Ken Penton
Regardless of the outcomes of peace negotiations, Russian war criminals must face justice. This has not been ‘a few bad apples’; it has been a systemic approach to barbarity endorsed from the top. There can be no ‘get out of jail free’ card for them.
kyivindependent.com/russian-mili...
kyivindependent.com/russian-mili...
Russian military reportedly executes 5 Ukrainian POWs
Five Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) were executed by Russian soldiers, Ukrainian mapping and analytical organization DeepState reported on Nov. 22.
kyivindependent.com
November 23, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Regardless of the outcomes of peace negotiations, Russian war criminals must face justice. This has not been ‘a few bad apples’; it has been a systemic approach to barbarity endorsed from the top. There can be no ‘get out of jail free’ card for them.
kyivindependent.com/russian-mili...
kyivindependent.com/russian-mili...
Reposted by Ken Penton
It’s a sign of how insane the news cycle is these days that this historic failure of government policy got just one day of news coverage this week.
Not saying that’s right or wrong, but it’s astonishing how quickly the agenda moves on these days.
Not saying that’s right or wrong, but it’s astonishing how quickly the agenda moves on these days.
BREAKING: UK’s response to Covid was “too little too late”. Acting faster could have saved 23,000 lives in England according to the public inquiry.
Boris Johnson presided over a “toxic, sexist, chaotic culture” in No10, where rule-breaking seriously undermined public confidence.
Boris Johnson presided over a “toxic, sexist, chaotic culture” in No10, where rule-breaking seriously undermined public confidence.
November 23, 2025 at 10:07 AM
It’s a sign of how insane the news cycle is these days that this historic failure of government policy got just one day of news coverage this week.
Not saying that’s right or wrong, but it’s astonishing how quickly the agenda moves on these days.
Not saying that’s right or wrong, but it’s astonishing how quickly the agenda moves on these days.
Reposted by Ken Penton
I missed this, from a year ago, but the extreme-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) uses not just clear Nazi aesthetics in its propaganda but also a clear Nazi salute.
By the way, these are the German friends of Trump and the GOP.
By the way, these are the German friends of Trump and the GOP.
November 23, 2025 at 1:37 PM
I missed this, from a year ago, but the extreme-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) uses not just clear Nazi aesthetics in its propaganda but also a clear Nazi salute.
By the way, these are the German friends of Trump and the GOP.
By the way, these are the German friends of Trump and the GOP.
Reposted by Ken Penton
There’s some very bad news hidden in the Ofgem price cap for January announced yesterday: the electricity to gas price ratio has jumped to 4.67, its highest level since before the energy crisis.
This is a big barrier to households adopting heat pumps in Britain, and threatens our climate goals
This is a big barrier to households adopting heat pumps in Britain, and threatens our climate goals
November 22, 2025 at 7:51 AM
There’s some very bad news hidden in the Ofgem price cap for January announced yesterday: the electricity to gas price ratio has jumped to 4.67, its highest level since before the energy crisis.
This is a big barrier to households adopting heat pumps in Britain, and threatens our climate goals
This is a big barrier to households adopting heat pumps in Britain, and threatens our climate goals
Absolutely. This.
Been banging on about this for years.
As I said in 2017, “At some point, someone will have to tell those on middle incomes that they will have to pay more tax.”
flipchartfairytales.wordpress.com/2017/04/27/t...
As I said in 2017, “At some point, someone will have to tell those on middle incomes that they will have to pay more tax.”
flipchartfairytales.wordpress.com/2017/04/27/t...
Tax and ‘the rich’
One of the my favourite Spitting Image sketches features the Queen complaining about the behaviour of the rich, to which an exasperated Prince Philip replies, “You ARE the bloody rich!”…
flipchartfairytales.wordpress.com
November 22, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Absolutely. This.
Reposted by Ken Penton
To give an idea of how damaging this change is, a typical dual fuel household will see their bill rise by £2.50 in January.
A household using an electric storage heater - already most at risk of fuel poverty - will see a £100 increase. That is deeply unfair and needs to be addressed
A household using an electric storage heater - already most at risk of fuel poverty - will see a £100 increase. That is deeply unfair and needs to be addressed
November 22, 2025 at 8:02 AM
To give an idea of how damaging this change is, a typical dual fuel household will see their bill rise by £2.50 in January.
A household using an electric storage heater - already most at risk of fuel poverty - will see a £100 increase. That is deeply unfair and needs to be addressed
A household using an electric storage heater - already most at risk of fuel poverty - will see a £100 increase. That is deeply unfair and needs to be addressed
Reposted by Ken Penton
But what this really reflects is the consistent loading of extra costs onto electricity bills and not gas.
It is essential that the government reverses this, and begins removing levies from bills - whether to taxation or rebalancing on to gas.
It is essential that the government reverses this, and begins removing levies from bills - whether to taxation or rebalancing on to gas.
November 22, 2025 at 8:00 AM
But what this really reflects is the consistent loading of extra costs onto electricity bills and not gas.
It is essential that the government reverses this, and begins removing levies from bills - whether to taxation or rebalancing on to gas.
It is essential that the government reverses this, and begins removing levies from bills - whether to taxation or rebalancing on to gas.