Kate Ardern@KateAlvanley
banner
ardernkate.bsky.social
Kate Ardern@KateAlvanley
@ardernkate.bsky.social
Public health doctor, hon Professor @salforduniversity, visiting Professor @chesteruniversity, former Director of Public Health, Scouser & @FT Women of 2020 ❤️all arts especially music & film, wildlife, photography, history, politics & sci-fi
Reposted by Kate Ardern@KateAlvanley
Kemi Badenoch's mouse scurrying past live on TV
You tell me.
February 5, 2026 at 12:24 AM
Reposted by Kate Ardern@KateAlvanley
Zack Polanski, "Palantir.. £240 million contract last month"

"That was lobbied by Global Counsel which is Peter Mandelson's lobbying group"

"The idea that a defence company from the US has its fingerprints all over our healthcare system, alongside Peter Mandelson"
February 4, 2026 at 11:26 PM
Reposted by Kate Ardern@KateAlvanley
In tomorrow’s #StrongMessageHere I’ll be discussing all things Peter Mandbatton-Windsor with Emily @maitlis.bsky.social. 9.45am on #BBCRadio4, and full ep on all poddy platforms including #BBCSounds
February 4, 2026 at 11:44 PM
Reposted by Kate Ardern@KateAlvanley
Lord Mandelson in disgrace

The new Private Eye is out now.
February 4, 2026 at 8:04 AM
Reposted by Kate Ardern@KateAlvanley
EXC: Disgraced peer Peter Mandelson was directly involved in helping Morgan McSweeney select Labour’s parliamentary candidates ahead of the 2024 general election, a party whistleblower told The i Paper.

inews.co.uk/news/politic...
Mandelson was given secret spreadsheet to vet left-wing MPs in Labour power struggle
The revelation shows the extent of Mandelson’s direct involvement in the bitter battle to gain control of the party ahead of the 2024 general election
inews.co.uk
February 4, 2026 at 12:29 PM
Reposted by Kate Ardern@KateAlvanley
February 4, 2026 at 8:56 PM
Reposted by Kate Ardern@KateAlvanley
After Trump’s Greenland fiasco, just 17% of Danes see the US as an ally, a new poll shows. 60% view the US as an adversary.

The stupidity of Trump on show: burning down allies for literally no gain.
Stort flertal ser nu USA som modstander - ikke som allieret
Kun 17 procent af danskerne betragter USA som en allieret.
www.dr.dk
February 4, 2026 at 11:25 AM
Reposted by Kate Ardern@KateAlvanley
NEW: Children are developing encephalitis as the South Carolina measles outbreak continues. @emilymullin.bsky.social has more:
Measles Is Causing Brain Swelling in Children in South Carolina
In the ongoing measles outbreak in South Carolina that has infected more than 800 people, some children have developed a rare but serious complication called encephalitis.
www.wired.com
February 4, 2026 at 9:26 PM
Reposted by Kate Ardern@KateAlvanley
McSweeney surely finished. Starmer’s fate, now in serious doubt, now essentially in the hands of the ISC and what is in those documents.
February 4, 2026 at 11:27 PM
Reposted by Kate Ardern@KateAlvanley
Talk has turned to who replaces Starmer (again).

Labour MP tonight:

“As far as I'm concerned, Starmer is done. What matters is what's next. If it's Angela, the honeymoon lasts a week. If it's Wes, a month. If it's Al, 6 months. Hard to see how it turns around beyond that.”
February 4, 2026 at 10:21 PM
Reposted by Kate Ardern@KateAlvanley
"If Mandelson's links to Jeffrey Epstein disqualifies him from holding power, why does the company controlled by Epstein's business partner and co-owner retain access to the UK's most sensitive national security infrastructure?"

Peter Thiel. Jeffrey Epstein. Palantir. The UK Government.
Jeffrey Epstein Co-Owned Venture Fund with Palantir Founder as it Entered UK Government
The Russian connected convicted sex trafficker co-owned a fund with Peter Thiel, now embedded in Britain’s most critical infrastructure with the help of Peter Mandelson
bylinetimes.com
February 4, 2026 at 10:47 PM
Reposted by Kate Ardern@KateAlvanley
The PM's account of pressures on cohesion from global, national & economic changes + the need to connect security, national identity & local pride often reflects the analysis of this "the State of Us" cohesion report from @britishfuture.bsky.social & Belong

www.britishfuture.org/publication/...
The State of Us: Community strength and cohesion in the UK - British Future
A snapshot of the state of cohesion and community strength in the UK, detailing a worrying combination of social tensions and grievances.
www.britishfuture.org
February 4, 2026 at 11:18 PM
Reposted by Kate Ardern@KateAlvanley
Keir Starmer is going ahead tomorrow with his speech on community cohesion & national renewal: this includes announcing extending the Pride in Place programme to 40 more places. Sky News reports some of the themes of his speech, released to the media
news.sky.com/story/sir-ke...
Sir Keir Starmer pledges to 'reverse devastating decline' with £800m extra investment in 40 communities
In a speech on Thursday, the prime minister will attack what he calls the "scorched earth of Tory austerity", while recognising the threat from Reform UK, comparing it to a "contest between renewal an...
news.sky.com
February 4, 2026 at 10:47 PM
Reposted by Kate Ardern@KateAlvanley
BREAKING: Scotland Yard confirms it has asked No 10 NOT to release specific documents to avoid prejudicing any criminal inquiry into Mandelson.
February 4, 2026 at 6:43 PM
Reposted by Kate Ardern@KateAlvanley
You'd never know this by the media cycle
Alberta - Support For Independence:

🔴 Remain: 71%
⚫️ Independence: 18%

🔵 Join The US: 5%

Leger / Jan 26, 2026 / n=1003 / Online
February 4, 2026 at 7:40 PM
Reposted by Kate Ardern@KateAlvanley
I would like to see the Met explain fully and clearly why documents being accessible to the public as well as to them is “prejudicial” to their investigation, and why it’s so harmful to their efforts that it serves the public interest to delay or stop disclosure.
In a statement, Commander Ella Marriott said:

“As with any investigation, securing and preserving any potential evidence is vital. For this reason, when approached by the UK Government today with their intent to publish material, we reviewed it immediately and advised that the release of...
February 4, 2026 at 6:19 PM
Reposted by Kate Ardern@KateAlvanley
On the other hand…
I would like to see the Met explain fully and clearly why documents being accessible to the public as well as to them is “prejudicial” to their investigation, and why it’s so harmful to their efforts that it serves the public interest to delay or stop disclosure.
In a statement, Commander Ella Marriott said:

“As with any investigation, securing and preserving any potential evidence is vital. For this reason, when approached by the UK Government today with their intent to publish material, we reviewed it immediately and advised that the release of...
February 4, 2026 at 6:23 PM
Reposted by Kate Ardern@KateAlvanley
This seems significant. Compromising the investigation into Mandelson tomorrow would be a stupid price to pay for humiliating Starmer today.
Following Keir Starmer's pledge to release material relating to Peter Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador, subject to exemptions decided by parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee, the Metropolitan Police has said publishing certain documents would undermine its criminal investigation
February 4, 2026 at 6:22 PM
Reposted by Kate Ardern@KateAlvanley
Awe inspiring story we could all do with right now

A 20-year study of humpback suggests that [the technique of bubble net feeding]… diffuses through whale society much as skills spread through human communities: by individuals watching, copying & practising together
www.thetimes.com/article/2372...
How clever whales school others on catching lunch
A 20-year study of North Pacific humpbacks reveals an apprenticeship system where certain whales pass on bubble-net fishing tricks
www.thetimes.com
February 4, 2026 at 7:30 PM
Reposted by Kate Ardern@KateAlvanley
Reminder: Mandelson was appointed to made a trade "deal" (with zero legal basis) with a country which is reneging on it and which anyway buys only 17% of UK goods exports.

Not convinced that's worth a scandal which might bring down a prime minister. America-brain strikes British politics again.
February 4, 2026 at 6:07 PM
Reposted by Kate Ardern@KateAlvanley
That would be Will Lewis. Knighted, inevitably, by Boris Johnson.
A publisher who lays off a reporter whose pen is freezing because she's covering a frigid war zone while dodging missiles is not an editor you want to work for, in a more perfect world
February 4, 2026 at 6:54 PM
Reposted by Kate Ardern@KateAlvanley
I think one thing people outside Minnesota don't understand is that after Good and Pretti were killed by feds while observing, the most normal people you could imagine have made peace with the fact that they could be next, and they are still out there because they say it's the right thing to do.
“If I am killed doing this, throw my body at the White House, martyr the shit out of me & raise hell. Do not be sad. Do not think I would do anything differently. I would do it over & over again — this is too important to sit down & shut up and not do anything.” www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
Pursued by federal agents, suburban ICE observers remain resolved
After a frightening pursuit by federal agents, suburban ICE observers say fear hasn’t stopped them from protecting their communities.
www.mprnews.org
February 4, 2026 at 4:30 PM
Reposted by Kate Ardern@KateAlvanley
“Everyone involved pretends they had absolutely no idea.” Ian Hislop, Private Eye’s editor, appeared on Tonight with Andrew Marr to discuss the Epstein files, and the cover the Eye ran in reference to the paedophile sex trafficker all the way back in 2011.
February 4, 2026 at 8:36 PM