Richard Leeming
@richardleeming.bsky.social
Innovation consultant, working on digital and data transformation for the public good, mainly in culture, heritage and voluntary sectors. Labour & Co-op councillor representing Dulwich Village Ward, focused on active travel. Dad, Gooner, sailor, cyclist.
Reposted by Richard Leeming
Under the Treason Felony Act 1848, it is a crime punishable by life imprisonment to intimidate parliament or encourage any foreign power to invade the U.K.
We should be applying this law to every traitor openly calling for the U.S to depose our democratically elected government.
We should be applying this law to every traitor openly calling for the U.S to depose our democratically elected government.
January 5, 2026 at 10:12 AM
Under the Treason Felony Act 1848, it is a crime punishable by life imprisonment to intimidate parliament or encourage any foreign power to invade the U.K.
We should be applying this law to every traitor openly calling for the U.S to depose our democratically elected government.
We should be applying this law to every traitor openly calling for the U.S to depose our democratically elected government.
Reposted by Richard Leeming
The government is behind on lots of things. Typography is one of them
Ella Dorn: Why does Labour look so bad?
Ella Dorn: Why does Labour look so bad?
Why does Labour look so bad?
The government is behind on lots of things. Typography is one of them
www.newstatesman.com
January 4, 2026 at 7:01 AM
The government is behind on lots of things. Typography is one of them
Ella Dorn: Why does Labour look so bad?
Ella Dorn: Why does Labour look so bad?
There are few things less progressive and more repulsive than weaponising foreign military adventurism for your supposed domestic political advantage.
Spray paint a plane and they'll detain you without trial and call you a terrorist.
Kidnap a foreign head of state - and Keir Starmer will make it clear we've played no part in it but will wait for the scheduled press conference in a few hours before potentially condemning it
Kidnap a foreign head of state - and Keir Starmer will make it clear we've played no part in it but will wait for the scheduled press conference in a few hours before potentially condemning it
January 3, 2026 at 7:44 PM
There are few things less progressive and more repulsive than weaponising foreign military adventurism for your supposed domestic political advantage.
Reposted by Richard Leeming
Eat a boiled egg on a bus and they'll shoot you.
Wear a pony as a cape and the same people will hail you as the disco king.
Wear a pony as a cape and the same people will hail you as the disco king.
Spray paint a plane and they'll detain you without trial and call you a terrorist.
Kidnap a foreign head of state - and Keir Starmer will make it clear we've played no part in it but will wait for the scheduled press conference in a few hours before potentially condemning it
Kidnap a foreign head of state - and Keir Starmer will make it clear we've played no part in it but will wait for the scheduled press conference in a few hours before potentially condemning it
January 3, 2026 at 7:35 PM
Eat a boiled egg on a bus and they'll shoot you.
Wear a pony as a cape and the same people will hail you as the disco king.
Wear a pony as a cape and the same people will hail you as the disco king.
Where “Analysis by The Times” = “health advice from an obese alcoholic”
Low Traffic Neighbourhoods cause more pollution not less bit.ly/49iebJp analysis finds.
A single LTN road closure to add 1.4 million extra miles to journeys
‘Green’ traffic restriction plan in Islington, North London, could generate 400 tonnes of CO2
bit.ly
January 3, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Where “Analysis by The Times” = “health advice from an obese alcoholic”
I’ve raised the question of whether Southwark Council should be using X a couple of times now. I’ll be raising it again tomorrow.
There is, to my mind, no justification for the continued use by the UK Government of X as a platform for official comms. There hasn't been for some time, in fact, but if the latest developments around AI-generated image abuse and CSAM don't change the policy I really don't know what will.
NEW: People are using Elon Musk's chatbot, Grok, to alter images to depict real women being sexually abused, humiliated, hurt, and even killed.
futurism.com/future-socie...
futurism.com/future-socie...
January 2, 2026 at 11:36 PM
I’ve raised the question of whether Southwark Council should be using X a couple of times now. I’ll be raising it again tomorrow.
Reposted by Richard Leeming
A crucial point. Elon Musk and several other tech executives are right now producing and distributing child pornography, and that is how the media should be covering this.
This is a thread of major media outlets falsely anthropomorphising the "Grok" chatbot program and in doing so, actively and directly removing responsibility and accountability from individual people working at X who created a child pornography generator (Elon Musk, Nikita Bier etc)
#1: Reuters
#1: Reuters
January 2, 2026 at 11:07 PM
A crucial point. Elon Musk and several other tech executives are right now producing and distributing child pornography, and that is how the media should be covering this.
Reposted by Richard Leeming
X/grok creating and platforming sexually explicit material of children isn’t just a lapse, it’s criminal.
Elon Musk and his companies should be held to account.
It’s been over a year since I dumped X. It was the right decision then and even more so now. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Elon Musk and his companies should be held to account.
It’s been over a year since I dumped X. It was the right decision then and even more so now. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Grok Posts Sexual Images of Minors After ‘Lapses in Safeguards’
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence chatbot Grok said “lapses in safeguards” led to the generation of sexualized images of minors that it posted to social media site X.
www.bloomberg.com
January 2, 2026 at 11:48 AM
X/grok creating and platforming sexually explicit material of children isn’t just a lapse, it’s criminal.
Elon Musk and his companies should be held to account.
It’s been over a year since I dumped X. It was the right decision then and even more so now. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Elon Musk and his companies should be held to account.
It’s been over a year since I dumped X. It was the right decision then and even more so now. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Richard Leeming
There is, to my mind, no justification for the continued use by the UK Government of X as a platform for official comms. There hasn't been for some time, in fact, but if the latest developments around AI-generated image abuse and CSAM don't change the policy I really don't know what will.
NEW: People are using Elon Musk's chatbot, Grok, to alter images to depict real women being sexually abused, humiliated, hurt, and even killed.
futurism.com/future-socie...
futurism.com/future-socie...
Grok Is Being Used to Depict Horrific Violence Against Real Women
People are asking Elon Musk's Grok chatbot to alter images to depict women being sexually abused, humiliated, and even killed.
futurism.com
January 2, 2026 at 9:18 PM
There is, to my mind, no justification for the continued use by the UK Government of X as a platform for official comms. There hasn't been for some time, in fact, but if the latest developments around AI-generated image abuse and CSAM don't change the policy I really don't know what will.
Reposted by Richard Leeming
The Government coming off X is the bare minimum and realistically at this point I think we should seriously be looking at taking enforcement action against the company, in line with the Online Safety Act and VAWG Strategy. I will be pressing the Government on this when Parliament returns next week.
January 2, 2026 at 9:26 PM
The Government coming off X is the bare minimum and realistically at this point I think we should seriously be looking at taking enforcement action against the company, in line with the Online Safety Act and VAWG Strategy. I will be pressing the Government on this when Parliament returns next week.
Reposted by Richard Leeming
In news that should surprise no one…
280 million e-bikes are slashing oil demand far more than electric vehicles
E-bikes and scooters displace 4x as much demand for oil as all of the EVs in the world.
arstechnica.com
January 1, 2026 at 10:10 PM
In news that should surprise no one…
Reposted by Richard Leeming
It’s amazing just how bad at comms Thames Water is for a utility that spends every day fixing leaks and telling people about it.
Water at my block has been off and on since yesterday due to a water main burst. Not only is this message never unintelligible it doesn’t actually tell you anything!
Water at my block has been off and on since yesterday due to a water main burst. Not only is this message never unintelligible it doesn’t actually tell you anything!
December 30, 2025 at 6:03 PM
It’s amazing just how bad at comms Thames Water is for a utility that spends every day fixing leaks and telling people about it.
Water at my block has been off and on since yesterday due to a water main burst. Not only is this message never unintelligible it doesn’t actually tell you anything!
Water at my block has been off and on since yesterday due to a water main burst. Not only is this message never unintelligible it doesn’t actually tell you anything!
Reposted by Richard Leeming
It's hard to think of another policy that is so fundamentally a free lunch as congestion pricing is
Year 1 data on congestion pricing in Manhattan…
* Vehicle traffic: -11%
* Foot traffic: +3.4%
* Storefront vacancy: -0.9%
* Pollution: -22%
* Revenue for mass transit: $548M
So YES this has been a huge success.
* Vehicle traffic: -11%
* Foot traffic: +3.4%
* Storefront vacancy: -0.9%
* Pollution: -22%
* Revenue for mass transit: $548M
So YES this has been a huge success.
December 30, 2025 at 5:10 PM
It's hard to think of another policy that is so fundamentally a free lunch as congestion pricing is
I once attended the Glastonbury festival at the same time as all the members of REM. I didn’t meet them, though that could have been because they were on the stage and I wasn’t.
Please quote this with the time you didn’t interact with someone famous - eg one time I was in Cardiff the same weekend as Willem Dafoe (but I didn’t see him or even know he was there until he appeared on the telly later)
Please quote this with your major interactions with massive celebrities. eg “I was married to the pope for fifteen years”
December 30, 2025 at 9:55 AM
I once attended the Glastonbury festival at the same time as all the members of REM. I didn’t meet them, though that could have been because they were on the stage and I wasn’t.
Reposted by Richard Leeming
The stupidest party.
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
Elizabeth Line would ‘never’ be built, Michael Portillo wrote when urging cancellation
Former Treasury minister warned that Crossrail London link was too costly and unnecessary, newly released papers show
giftarticle.ft.com
December 30, 2025 at 9:18 AM
The stupidest party.
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
As a student I was occasionally and accidentally in charge of security at the student union. It was the last night of the Red Wedge tour and things weren’t going to plan. Billy Bragg asked if I was in charge and when I said I was he made it clear that he thought I could have been doing a better job.
Right folks. Feeling rather down at the moment so bringing back an oldie
Please Quote this with your most minor celebrity interaction
Please Quote this with your most minor celebrity interaction
December 29, 2025 at 9:38 PM
As a student I was occasionally and accidentally in charge of security at the student union. It was the last night of the Red Wedge tour and things weren’t going to plan. Billy Bragg asked if I was in charge and when I said I was he made it clear that he thought I could have been doing a better job.
Reposted by Richard Leeming
Not just a national asset but an international asset. Trashed, ignored, diminished.
The worst of times: Trouble at the British Library
Cyber chaos, striking staff and a crisis of leadership. Claudia Cockerell investigates a national treasure’s year of reckoning
www.standard.co.uk
December 22, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Not just a national asset but an international asset. Trashed, ignored, diminished.
Went for a bike ride with my 13 year old today through Canary Wharf. He’s obsessed by it. Thought about telling him about the Long Good Friday. Decided not to!
December 20, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Went for a bike ride with my 13 year old today through Canary Wharf. He’s obsessed by it. Thought about telling him about the Long Good Friday. Decided not to!
Reposted by Richard Leeming
I’m very proud to have been part of this report with @pactsuk.bsky.social and @sarahcoombesmp.bsky.social on the serious and growing problem of Ghost Plates. The past couple of months have been incredibly eye-opening, to say the least: transportsafetyappg.org.uk/inquiries/ve...
Ghosts on the Road – Tackling the rise in illegal registration plates - APPG
Ghosts on the Road – Tackling the rise in illegal registration plates The All Party Parliamentary Group for Transport (APPGTS)...
transportsafetyappg.org.uk
December 9, 2025 at 9:49 AM
I’m very proud to have been part of this report with @pactsuk.bsky.social and @sarahcoombesmp.bsky.social on the serious and growing problem of Ghost Plates. The past couple of months have been incredibly eye-opening, to say the least: transportsafetyappg.org.uk/inquiries/ve...
Reposted by Richard Leeming
"The BBC is the cornerstone of the UK’s creative industries, generating £5 billion for the UK economy each year... The corporation also showcases British culture to the world, reaching 453 million people globally each week."
#BBCPM
#BBCPM
Government launches Charter Review to future-proof the BBC
The Culture Secretary has launched the once-in-a-decade review of the BBC’s Royal Charter with the aim of bolstering trust in the broadcaster and putting it on a sustainable financial footing.
www.gov.uk
December 16, 2025 at 5:06 PM
"The BBC is the cornerstone of the UK’s creative industries, generating £5 billion for the UK economy each year... The corporation also showcases British culture to the world, reaching 453 million people globally each week."
#BBCPM
#BBCPM
Reposted by Richard Leeming
There's no single mobility aid that works for everyone.
That's why we'll keep working to help make a world where all #Disabled people can use their ideal wheels to get around.
Wishing everyone their ideal wheels in 2026!
That's why we'll keep working to help make a world where all #Disabled people can use their ideal wheels to get around.
Wishing everyone their ideal wheels in 2026!
December 15, 2025 at 10:49 AM
There's no single mobility aid that works for everyone.
That's why we'll keep working to help make a world where all #Disabled people can use their ideal wheels to get around.
Wishing everyone their ideal wheels in 2026!
That's why we'll keep working to help make a world where all #Disabled people can use their ideal wheels to get around.
Wishing everyone their ideal wheels in 2026!
Reposted by Richard Leeming
The onus should not rest on individuals with reduced mobility to keep pace in a fast-moving world. We urge cities to prioritise urban design that puts pedestrians first – creating environments that enable physical activity, especially among vulnerable groups.
theconversation.com/cities-arent...
theconversation.com/cities-arent...
Cities aren’t built for older people – our study shows many can’t walk fast enough to beat a pedestrian crossing
Many older people with reduced mobility say they feel ‘hurried’, ‘rushed’ and ‘unsafe" when walking around their city.
theconversation.com
December 14, 2025 at 6:47 AM
The onus should not rest on individuals with reduced mobility to keep pace in a fast-moving world. We urge cities to prioritise urban design that puts pedestrians first – creating environments that enable physical activity, especially among vulnerable groups.
theconversation.com/cities-arent...
theconversation.com/cities-arent...
Reposted by Richard Leeming
This year - one of both mat leave and reporting travels around the country - I've found an alternative story to the "Broken Britain" narrative.
My column for the @newstatesman1913.bsky.social Christmas issue:
My column for the @newstatesman1913.bsky.social Christmas issue:
I was wrong about Broken Britain
The country can feel divided and lost, but there’s always another side to the story
www.newstatesman.com
December 12, 2025 at 7:43 PM
This year - one of both mat leave and reporting travels around the country - I've found an alternative story to the "Broken Britain" narrative.
My column for the @newstatesman1913.bsky.social Christmas issue:
My column for the @newstatesman1913.bsky.social Christmas issue:
I’m, regrettably, about to spend quite a lot of money on a car, but in the context of this being one of the best books I’ve read in a while. The chapter on AVs needs to be read and understood by any techbro AV booster
December 12, 2025 at 7:28 PM
I’m, regrettably, about to spend quite a lot of money on a car, but in the context of this being one of the best books I’ve read in a while. The chapter on AVs needs to be read and understood by any techbro AV booster
Newsround is consistently over of the BBC’s most considered news outlets:
📣 We were on BBC's Newsround this week!
🙃 The children's news show ran a story on SUVs with Solve the School Run and it's honestly one of the best SUV explainers we've seen!
Catch the full segment here: bbc.co.uk/newsround/vi...
#carspreading #SUV #saferstreets
🙃 The children's news show ran a story on SUVs with Solve the School Run and it's honestly one of the best SUV explainers we've seen!
Catch the full segment here: bbc.co.uk/newsround/vi...
#carspreading #SUV #saferstreets
Big cars: Are they a good or bad thing?
In December Cardiff became the first UK council to introduce higher parking charges for heavier vehicles - but is it fair? Ricky has been looking into the issue.
bbc.co.uk
December 11, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Newsround is consistently over of the BBC’s most considered news outlets: