Alasdair Thorpe
@alasdairthorpe.bsky.social
Chemistry teacher in a former life. Now spend as much time as possible walking and cycling
Reposted by Alasdair Thorpe
19 Sept. 1662 #OTD Alice Thornton’s 7th
child, Robert, was born ‘at East Newton between the
hours of 8 and 9 o'clock at night having been since the
night before in strong labour with him’ (Book 2). He
was Thornton's only son to live to adulthood but he
died before her in 1692. #EarlyModern 🗃️
child, Robert, was born ‘at East Newton between the
hours of 8 and 9 o'clock at night having been since the
night before in strong labour with him’ (Book 2). He
was Thornton's only son to live to adulthood but he
died before her in 1692. #EarlyModern 🗃️
September 19, 2025 at 4:01 PM
19 Sept. 1662 #OTD Alice Thornton’s 7th
child, Robert, was born ‘at East Newton between the
hours of 8 and 9 o'clock at night having been since the
night before in strong labour with him’ (Book 2). He
was Thornton's only son to live to adulthood but he
died before her in 1692. #EarlyModern 🗃️
child, Robert, was born ‘at East Newton between the
hours of 8 and 9 o'clock at night having been since the
night before in strong labour with him’ (Book 2). He
was Thornton's only son to live to adulthood but he
died before her in 1692. #EarlyModern 🗃️
Reposted by Alasdair Thorpe
A Windy Cloudy Morning. 14°C with rain on the way. Swallows preparing to leave.
September 15, 2025 at 9:46 AM
A Windy Cloudy Morning. 14°C with rain on the way. Swallows preparing to leave.
Reposted by Alasdair Thorpe
Freshly Ploughed Fields. 16°C and calm before the storm. A mighty ash.
September 14, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Freshly Ploughed Fields. 16°C and calm before the storm. A mighty ash.
Reposted by Alasdair Thorpe
Linking green energy to your local school, your hospital, your workplace is a really smart thing to do.
The anti-Net Zero movement wants to cast it as some top-down, abstract diktat that will make "ordinary people" cold and poor.
So the fightback needs to emphasise its tangible, local benefits.
The anti-Net Zero movement wants to cast it as some top-down, abstract diktat that will make "ordinary people" cold and poor.
So the fightback needs to emphasise its tangible, local benefits.
"My school saves thousands of pounds every year from those solar panels." The TUC directly takes on Reform, a party funded by the fossil fuel Industry. Posted on IG by tradesunioncongress
September 11, 2025 at 7:46 AM
Linking green energy to your local school, your hospital, your workplace is a really smart thing to do.
The anti-Net Zero movement wants to cast it as some top-down, abstract diktat that will make "ordinary people" cold and poor.
So the fightback needs to emphasise its tangible, local benefits.
The anti-Net Zero movement wants to cast it as some top-down, abstract diktat that will make "ordinary people" cold and poor.
So the fightback needs to emphasise its tangible, local benefits.
Reposted by Alasdair Thorpe
Would you push someone off this 54-foot ladder?
Hitting them with your car at 40mph does the same damage.
Hitting them with your car at 40mph does the same damage.
September 6, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Would you push someone off this 54-foot ladder?
Hitting them with your car at 40mph does the same damage.
Hitting them with your car at 40mph does the same damage.
Reposted by Alasdair Thorpe
Nigel Farage looks uncomfortable as Jamie Raskin uses his opening statement to absolutely demolish him
September 3, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Nigel Farage looks uncomfortable as Jamie Raskin uses his opening statement to absolutely demolish him
Reposted by Alasdair Thorpe
Morning Tracks. 15°C and blue skies. Rabbits.
September 2, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Morning Tracks. 15°C and blue skies. Rabbits.
Reposted by Alasdair Thorpe
The First Day Of September.
17°C with cloudy skies. Conkers falling. 🌰
17°C with cloudy skies. Conkers falling. 🌰
September 1, 2025 at 9:15 AM
The First Day Of September.
17°C with cloudy skies. Conkers falling. 🌰
17°C with cloudy skies. Conkers falling. 🌰
Reposted by Alasdair Thorpe
Physical inactivity is estimated to cost the UK £7.4 billion annually (including £0.9 billion to the NHS alone).
Active travel is one of the best return on investment decisions governments can make.
Yet people are still having to campaign for better infrastructure and funding.
Active travel is one of the best return on investment decisions governments can make.
Yet people are still having to campaign for better infrastructure and funding.
August 19, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Physical inactivity is estimated to cost the UK £7.4 billion annually (including £0.9 billion to the NHS alone).
Active travel is one of the best return on investment decisions governments can make.
Yet people are still having to campaign for better infrastructure and funding.
Active travel is one of the best return on investment decisions governments can make.
Yet people are still having to campaign for better infrastructure and funding.
Reposted by Alasdair Thorpe
We're so lucky to have a network of bothies in the UK (well, the Highlands, mostly), and lucky also to have the Mountain Bothies Association looking after them.
www.theguardian.com/travel/2025/...
www.theguardian.com/travel/2025/...
No electricity, no toilet, no running water – heaven! Celebrating 60 years of the Mountain Bothies Association
They may be the most basic form of shelter imaginable, but for the author of The Book of the Bothy they embody the magic of staying in the wild, even on a wet weekend in the Lake District
www.theguardian.com
August 14, 2025 at 5:57 AM
We're so lucky to have a network of bothies in the UK (well, the Highlands, mostly), and lucky also to have the Mountain Bothies Association looking after them.
www.theguardian.com/travel/2025/...
www.theguardian.com/travel/2025/...
Reposted by Alasdair Thorpe
Mo Salah is asking the right questions
August 9, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Mo Salah is asking the right questions
Reposted by Alasdair Thorpe
Simply staggering that phone use whilst driving resulting in the death of an innocent person is so accepted that it's just careless.
Would any jurors be happy if the victim was one of their family?
road.cc/content/news...
Would any jurors be happy if the victim was one of their family?
road.cc/content/news...
Van driver who "engaged with phone" for 10 seconds before killing time trial cyclist cleared of causing death by dangerous driving
Shayne Hill has already admitted a lesser charge of causing death by careless driving and will be sentenced in the autumn over the death of cyclist who was taking part in an organised time trial event...
road.cc
August 5, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Simply staggering that phone use whilst driving resulting in the death of an innocent person is so accepted that it's just careless.
Would any jurors be happy if the victim was one of their family?
road.cc/content/news...
Would any jurors be happy if the victim was one of their family?
road.cc/content/news...
Reposted by Alasdair Thorpe
Four per cent. Four.
And yet the country is once again being pulled apart by intimidating demonstrations, stirred up by disingenuous and dangerous politicians and commentators.
They are getting exactly what they want.
And yet the country is once again being pulled apart by intimidating demonstrations, stirred up by disingenuous and dangerous politicians and commentators.
They are getting exactly what they want.
New YouGov polling. A monumental failure of our political class to educate, a monumental failure of our media to report fairly, for a generation
August 5, 2025 at 9:27 AM
Four per cent. Four.
And yet the country is once again being pulled apart by intimidating demonstrations, stirred up by disingenuous and dangerous politicians and commentators.
They are getting exactly what they want.
And yet the country is once again being pulled apart by intimidating demonstrations, stirred up by disingenuous and dangerous politicians and commentators.
They are getting exactly what they want.
Reposted by Alasdair Thorpe
I prosecute and defend the most serious sexual offences in our courts.
The overwhelming majority of offenders are British-born. Overwhelmingly the victim is someone known to them, either a partner or relative.
Anybody purporting to care about protecting women might start there.
The overwhelming majority of offenders are British-born. Overwhelmingly the victim is someone known to them, either a partner or relative.
Anybody purporting to care about protecting women might start there.
August 4, 2025 at 3:29 PM
I prosecute and defend the most serious sexual offences in our courts.
The overwhelming majority of offenders are British-born. Overwhelmingly the victim is someone known to them, either a partner or relative.
Anybody purporting to care about protecting women might start there.
The overwhelming majority of offenders are British-born. Overwhelmingly the victim is someone known to them, either a partner or relative.
Anybody purporting to care about protecting women might start there.
Reposted by Alasdair Thorpe
Without billions in investment, 20,000 homes & 38,000 static caravans will be lost to the sea in Lincolnshire
Yet the new Reform council abolished the flood committee
The tragic irony of Reform creating climate refugees
Yet the new Reform council abolished the flood committee
The tragic irony of Reform creating climate refugees
Billions needed for failing flood defences on Lincolnshire coast
A breach could leave Lincolnshire communities under several feet of water, officials have warned.
www.bbc.com
August 2, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Without billions in investment, 20,000 homes & 38,000 static caravans will be lost to the sea in Lincolnshire
Yet the new Reform council abolished the flood committee
The tragic irony of Reform creating climate refugees
Yet the new Reform council abolished the flood committee
The tragic irony of Reform creating climate refugees
Reposted by Alasdair Thorpe
Juries are less important for the powers they have, but for the powers they prevent others from having.
July 9, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Juries are less important for the powers they have, but for the powers they prevent others from having.
Reposted by Alasdair Thorpe
The entire UK political/media narrative on welfare is that it is "burgeoning", "a burden" & "unsustainable". But how high is it compared to others? UK welfare at 10.8% of GDP in 2023 (including pensions). Finland spends 25.7% of GDP; France 23.8%: both double the UK.
July 6, 2025 at 8:44 AM
The entire UK political/media narrative on welfare is that it is "burgeoning", "a burden" & "unsustainable". But how high is it compared to others? UK welfare at 10.8% of GDP in 2023 (including pensions). Finland spends 25.7% of GDP; France 23.8%: both double the UK.
Reposted by Alasdair Thorpe
Because, for reasons, I'm not entirely sure... we see public transport as a business, not a social service.
Needed to do some work on the train home so shelled out for a first class ticket. Where I’m sitting on the floor! Honestly, I travel the world by train and so many countries get it so right. Why can’t we? 😢
July 2, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Because, for reasons, I'm not entirely sure... we see public transport as a business, not a social service.
Reposted by Alasdair Thorpe
This was good! They didn't use ALL the recordings of me moaning about Swansea's infrastructure, but the programme firmly concluded we need environments that make cycling easy and make driving harder
Can't think HOW they reached that conclusion 😇
Can't think HOW they reached that conclusion 😇
I'm on BBC World Service later discussing how we're not going to get people cycling more just by encouraging them. I've not heard the edit, but hopefully they've used lots of the footage of me slagging off Swansea's car-first infrastructure as we cycled through the city www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w...
BBC World Service - CrowdScience, How can we persuade more people to cycle?
Can behavioural science help listener Hans with his aim to get more people on bikes?
www.bbc.co.uk
June 20, 2025 at 9:44 PM
This was good! They didn't use ALL the recordings of me moaning about Swansea's infrastructure, but the programme firmly concluded we need environments that make cycling easy and make driving harder
Can't think HOW they reached that conclusion 😇
Can't think HOW they reached that conclusion 😇
Reposted by Alasdair Thorpe
A Hot Yorkshire Day. 29°C. Dragonflies.
June 21, 2025 at 12:24 PM
A Hot Yorkshire Day. 29°C. Dragonflies.
Reposted by Alasdair Thorpe
It's about time these stories weren't accompanied by an image of someone frolicking in the water or eating an ice cream.
It's not going to stop getting hotter, we really ought to fucking grow up and treat this seriously🤦🏻♂️
It's not going to stop getting hotter, we really ought to fucking grow up and treat this seriously🤦🏻♂️
UK weather: Temperatures to hit 33C for hottest two days in a row
Temperatures could peak at 33C on Friday to break Thursday's record for hottest day of the year.
www.bbc.co.uk
June 20, 2025 at 3:08 AM
It's about time these stories weren't accompanied by an image of someone frolicking in the water or eating an ice cream.
It's not going to stop getting hotter, we really ought to fucking grow up and treat this seriously🤦🏻♂️
It's not going to stop getting hotter, we really ought to fucking grow up and treat this seriously🤦🏻♂️
Reposted by Alasdair Thorpe
When it comes to changing mobility behaviour, it’s impossible to overstate the importance of sufficient, sheltered, and secure bike parking facilities. They are a critical component of any cohesive cycling network, and without them, infrastructure investments will never fulfill their true potential.
June 17, 2025 at 2:04 PM
When it comes to changing mobility behaviour, it’s impossible to overstate the importance of sufficient, sheltered, and secure bike parking facilities. They are a critical component of any cohesive cycling network, and without them, infrastructure investments will never fulfill their true potential.
Reposted by Alasdair Thorpe
When the Greens said this, nothing. When the LibDems spoke up about how bad it was Labour were dropping this, nothing. Reform back it and its even a headline in the fucking Guardian. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reform UK backs plan to put swift bricks in every new home in England
Party joins MPs across political spectrum in supporting bird conservation amendment similar to one blocked by Labour
www.theguardian.com
June 10, 2025 at 6:43 AM
When the Greens said this, nothing. When the LibDems spoke up about how bad it was Labour were dropping this, nothing. Reform back it and its even a headline in the fucking Guardian. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Alasdair Thorpe
To sue for defamation, Liz Truss has to show "serious harm" (section 1 of the Defamation Act). The more you retweet this the easier it will be for her to show serious harm leaving her nowhere to hide when she doesn't.
You know what to do!
You know what to do!
Liz Truss crashed the economy. And I'm happy to accept service of proceedings at Good Law Project's registered address.
January 9, 2025 at 2:39 PM
To sue for defamation, Liz Truss has to show "serious harm" (section 1 of the Defamation Act). The more you retweet this the easier it will be for her to show serious harm leaving her nowhere to hide when she doesn't.
You know what to do!
You know what to do!
Reposted by Alasdair Thorpe
Clive Efford, Labour MP, in the Commons:
"I wonder what it means when a (political) party talks about sovereignty and then is willing to sell itself entirely to a foreign owner..."
"I wonder what it means when a (political) party talks about sovereignty and then is willing to sell itself entirely to a foreign owner..."
December 19, 2024 at 11:49 AM
Clive Efford, Labour MP, in the Commons:
"I wonder what it means when a (political) party talks about sovereignty and then is willing to sell itself entirely to a foreign owner..."
"I wonder what it means when a (political) party talks about sovereignty and then is willing to sell itself entirely to a foreign owner..."