Kate Sladen
@cornishcalm.bsky.social
Politics, gardening, magistracy and education. Finding balance through biodiversity, social justice, Pilates and dance music.
The median referral age is 16 not 6 (as the article states - loving the idea of all those radicalized/incel 6 year olds though). But the report is welcome :) news.sky.com/story/preven...
Prevent scheme needs to 'rapidly' adapt to online world, review finds after failures in Southport case
Lord Anderson KC was appointed as the new independent commissioner for Prevent in January and the long-awaited report into the scheme was published on Wednesday, outlining 10 recommendations to improv...
news.sky.com
July 16, 2025 at 1:48 PM
The median referral age is 16 not 6 (as the article states - loving the idea of all those radicalized/incel 6 year olds though). But the report is welcome :) news.sky.com/story/preven...
The question will be where the government draws the line observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
Right to jury trial faces axe as courts try to clear backlog
Plans for less serious cases to be heard by judge and magistrates to speed up delivery of justice for victims
observer.co.uk
July 6, 2025 at 11:47 AM
The question will be where the government draws the line observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
Very much the story of court this week, and every week. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
‘I didn’t start out wanting to see kids’: are porn algorithms feeding a generation of paedophiles – or creating one?
More than 850 men a month are arrested for online child abuse offences in England and Wales. They come from every walk of life: teachers, police officers, doctors, TV presenters. And the numbers are r...
www.theguardian.com
April 5, 2025 at 7:03 AM
Very much the story of court this week, and every week. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
A genuinely neck-pain inducing few weeks of briefing and u-turns on this one. The whole controversy rests on whether being given better detailed sentencing options (in a PSR) changes the ultimate sentence given by a bench. In my experience, it doesn’t really… www.theguardian.com/law/2025/mar...
Sentencing Council suspends plans for new guidelines amid ‘two-tier’ justice row
Guidelines could have led to criminals in England and Wales getting different sentences depending on their age, sex and ethnicity
www.theguardian.com
March 31, 2025 at 7:28 PM
A genuinely neck-pain inducing few weeks of briefing and u-turns on this one. The whole controversy rests on whether being given better detailed sentencing options (in a PSR) changes the ultimate sentence given by a bench. In my experience, it doesn’t really… www.theguardian.com/law/2025/mar...
Enjoying Philip Larkin for some happy balance against today’s tragic news.
On longer evenings,
Light, chill and yellow,
Bathes the serene
Foreheads of houses.
A thrush sings,
Laurel-surrounded
In the deep bare garden,
Its fresh-peeled voice
Astonishing the brickwork.
It will be spring soon…
On longer evenings,
Light, chill and yellow,
Bathes the serene
Foreheads of houses.
A thrush sings,
Laurel-surrounded
In the deep bare garden,
Its fresh-peeled voice
Astonishing the brickwork.
It will be spring soon…
March 4, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Enjoying Philip Larkin for some happy balance against today’s tragic news.
On longer evenings,
Light, chill and yellow,
Bathes the serene
Foreheads of houses.
A thrush sings,
Laurel-surrounded
In the deep bare garden,
Its fresh-peeled voice
Astonishing the brickwork.
It will be spring soon…
On longer evenings,
Light, chill and yellow,
Bathes the serene
Foreheads of houses.
A thrush sings,
Laurel-surrounded
In the deep bare garden,
Its fresh-peeled voice
Astonishing the brickwork.
It will be spring soon…
Nice summary of the current situation in the Guardian today. Not holding my breath for the incoming sentencing policy review though. Local probation are already excellent, but budget cuts leave so much as telephone-only contact and limited supervision. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The punishment doesn’t fit the crime in Britain. That’s why our jails are overflowing | Samira Shackle
For 20 years, Britain has been inflating sentences despite little evidence it deters crime. But a new review offers a glimmer of hope, says journalist Samira Shackle
www.theguardian.com
February 17, 2025 at 8:19 AM
Nice summary of the current situation in the Guardian today. Not holding my breath for the incoming sentencing policy review though. Local probation are already excellent, but budget cuts leave so much as telephone-only contact and limited supervision. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Wishing the Baltic states all the best in the coming weeks and months. A courageous and admirable strategic move. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/f...
Baltic states leave Russian power grid in closer EU integration
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania disconnected from Russia’s network on Saturday, ending energy dependency and aiding security
www.theguardian.com
February 8, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Wishing the Baltic states all the best in the coming weeks and months. A courageous and admirable strategic move. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/f...
Balconies and windows are so dangerous… www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...
Two top Russian colonels plunge from high windows
Colonel Alexey Zubkov - an employee for the Russian Investigative Committee - is fighting for his life after he plummeted 40ft from a bathroom window.
www.dailymail.co.uk
February 5, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Balconies and windows are so dangerous… www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...
Spring is definitely springing in west Cornwall. Now to have words with the birds who are trying to nest in the garage - they’re not going to like it there when it gets repaired shortly #gardening #spring
February 5, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Spring is definitely springing in west Cornwall. Now to have words with the birds who are trying to nest in the garage - they’re not going to like it there when it gets repaired shortly #gardening #spring
Reposted by Kate Sladen
The biggest misunderstanding of Thatcher's Government was that they weren't low tax, they just moved it from things we earn to things we buy.
my column on Margaret Thatcher's big 1979-83 National Insurance/VAT rises:
- tax as share of GDP was 30.7 per cent in 1979
- it rose to 36.7 per cent in 1982 before dropping subsequently
- but in 1990 the ratio was still higher than at the start of her Tory government
www.ft.com/content/1450...
- tax as share of GDP was 30.7 per cent in 1979
- it rose to 36.7 per cent in 1982 before dropping subsequently
- but in 1990 the ratio was still higher than at the start of her Tory government
www.ft.com/content/1450...
Financial TimesFinancial Times
News, analysis and opinion from the Financial Times on the latest in markets, economics and politics
FT.com
February 4, 2025 at 4:20 PM
The biggest misunderstanding of Thatcher's Government was that they weren't low tax, they just moved it from things we earn to things we buy.
I know it’s not Trumpy tariffs, but some good UK news today. It’s taken a while, but it’s been encouraging to see court practices and guidance change rapidly on this issue in the last few years, as this alignment underlines. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Coercive control to be put on par with other types of domestic abuse in England and Wales
Police and probation services will be legally required to share with one another information that suggests offenders are risk to others
www.theguardian.com
February 3, 2025 at 8:35 AM
I know it’s not Trumpy tariffs, but some good UK news today. It’s taken a while, but it’s been encouraging to see court practices and guidance change rapidly on this issue in the last few years, as this alignment underlines. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
May Brigid bless the house wherein we dwell… Welcoming St Brigid’s Day or Imbolc, the start of spring. And in our village we’ll be marking it with sunshine and the young farmers’ annual dung run - a true blessing for all gardeners
February 1, 2025 at 7:56 AM
May Brigid bless the house wherein we dwell… Welcoming St Brigid’s Day or Imbolc, the start of spring. And in our village we’ll be marking it with sunshine and the young farmers’ annual dung run - a true blessing for all gardeners
New moon rising. Not sure I can feel the lunar energy change from pruning to planting, but I’m here for any sense of refreshment and stability that it may bring.
January 29, 2025 at 12:11 PM
New moon rising. Not sure I can feel the lunar energy change from pruning to planting, but I’m here for any sense of refreshment and stability that it may bring.
Reposted by Kate Sladen
NEW: Episode 6 dropped today, The Professor & the Trolls. How Boris Johnson lied about meeting a supposed Russian spy...& the Russian Embassy turns its attack dogs on me.
Thank you for everyone who's listened so far. More on the legal case behind this soon 🙏
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Thank you for everyone who's listened so far. More on the legal case behind this soon 🙏
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
The Professor and the Trolls
Podcast Episode · Sergei & the Westminster Spy Ring · EP6 · 32m
podcasts.apple.com
January 28, 2025 at 10:05 PM
NEW: Episode 6 dropped today, The Professor & the Trolls. How Boris Johnson lied about meeting a supposed Russian spy...& the Russian Embassy turns its attack dogs on me.
Thank you for everyone who's listened so far. More on the legal case behind this soon 🙏
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Thank you for everyone who's listened so far. More on the legal case behind this soon 🙏
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Reposted by Kate Sladen
I remain really doubtful about Heathrow expansion given all the complexities.
Reservoirs on the other hand. Finally! Now that's the planning we haven't had for 30 years.
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Reservoirs on the other hand. Finally! Now that's the planning we haven't had for 30 years.
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Reeves plans to create ‘Silicon Valley’ between Oxford and Cambridge
Chancellor to announce plans to improve infrastructure in region to put it at forefront of science and tech advances
www.theguardian.com
January 29, 2025 at 7:24 AM
I remain really doubtful about Heathrow expansion given all the complexities.
Reservoirs on the other hand. Finally! Now that's the planning we haven't had for 30 years.
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Reservoirs on the other hand. Finally! Now that's the planning we haven't had for 30 years.
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Reposted by Kate Sladen
Labour can't be accused of conning voters about rejoining. But frankly it looks as if they conned voters about resetting.
UK will not accept EU offer to join pan-European customs union ‘at present time’, minister says - www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
UK will not accept EU offer to join pan-European customs union ‘at present time’, minister says – UK politics live
Housing minister shoots down idea floated by Maroš Šefčovič designed to help reset UK-EU discussions
www.theguardian.com
January 23, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Labour can't be accused of conning voters about rejoining. But frankly it looks as if they conned voters about resetting.
Storm on two fronts today. Battening down for Storm Éowyn, but also facing the rise in people feeling empowered to push back against the Equality Act. Holding the legal line at a quasi-judicial level never used to be this hard.
January 23, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Storm on two fronts today. Battening down for Storm Éowyn, but also facing the rise in people feeling empowered to push back against the Equality Act. Holding the legal line at a quasi-judicial level never used to be this hard.
Early signs of spring in the kitchen garden
January 22, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Early signs of spring in the kitchen garden
When politics gets scary, I’m looking for balance and beauty in immediate surroundings
January 21, 2025 at 9:57 AM
When politics gets scary, I’m looking for balance and beauty in immediate surroundings