With Bio-Waste Spreader: “The government has set out its latest ‘carbon budget', which aims to cut UK greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 87 percent by 2040. Such an ambitious objective is certain to target agriculture, which accounts for more than 10 percent of UK GHG emissions (mostly via methane from cattle farts and burps, and nitrous oxide from synthetic fertilisers and soil cultivation). But what are the implications of the radical changes in food production needed…”
With MD: “MD had the honour of compering the British Medical Journal medics' revue on 15 May, and was delighted to learn that barely half of an audience of supposedly politically engaged doctors could name the new health secretary, including a professor who had recently been sacked by NHS England. The best he could offer was ‘some Treasury wonk with no health experience'. With the decline of NHS England, the new health secretary has a lot of power. Will he use it wisely?…'”
With Dr B Ching: “The latest review of the HS2 fiasco is meant to be instructive for the entire public sector, but the government hasn't shown it understands the ‘lessons' even for the railways. The review by former senior civil servant Stephen Lovegrove explains it was ‘inevitable that some form of arm's-length body was established to deliver HS2'. But a bespoke HS2 body wouldn't have been needed had the Tories not smashed British Rail into smithereens in the 1990s…”
With Lady Liberty: “In the summer of 1876, Philadelphia hosted a world's fair marking the centenary of the Declaration of Independence… The fair was a great celebration of American triumph, marred only by the news that General Custer had been killed, along with all his men, at the battle of the Little Bighorn. Fast forward to 2026 and another American military adventure is going badly. But of course, that hasn't stopped Donald Trump's plans to turn ‘America 250' into a big ol' celebration of himself…”
With Remote Controller: “Struggling with being a British Broadcasting Corporation in a UK where single country nationalism dominates the politics of all four nations, the BBC might have thought harder before commissioning for its men's World Cup warm-up Dear England, adapted by James Graham from his 2023 (revised 2025-26) stage play about coach Gareth Southgate's attempts to end between 50 and 58 years of hurt in international tournaments…”
With Old Sparky: “In its 2024 manifesto, Labour set out clear plans for major new climate policy energy projects: nukes and windfarms, extensions to the electricity grid, large-scale manufacture of hydrogen for use as a fuel, and carbon capture and storage (CCS) via extensive onshore pipeline networks. It also clearly telegraphed the changes it is now making to planning laws, allowing ministers to push through these and other big projects with greatly reduced scope for public opposition, appeal or legal review...”
With Lunchtime O'Boulez: “Having been described in the Hodge Review as crippled by bureaucracy and ideology, Arts Council England (ACE) has been working overtime to change its spots. It recently ditched Let's Create, the policy plan that prioritised socio-political agendas over artistic excellence. Now we learn ACE's chairman Nicholas Serota will not be given the third term in office he wanted – and is to be replaced by ‘veteran TV exec' Dawn Airey…”
Letter from Seoul
From Our Own Correspondent: “K-Pop legends BTS can ditch their camo tactical gear for more familiar designer clobber after completing their military service in the South Korean army. Arguably the most successful music act of the 21st century, the group's comeback album, Arirang, shot straight to number one in the Billboard charts when it was released in March, notching up the highest one-week sale by a group since records began in 2014. Conscription though is the ultimate leveller…”