Kmflett's Blog

Parts of England and Wales are experiencing near record hot temperatures- much of the rest of Western Europe is even hotter.

While there is legislation on a minimum working temperature (around 16C by 8am) there is nothing on a maximum temperature. The TUC and some unions have been pressing for this for some time (see petition below). Where workplaces are unionised, employers usually provides guidelines allowing flexibility of attendance, clothing etc. Elsewhere people may be expected to carry on working on what are likely to be unsafe conditions.

Things have improved but it remains the case that hot working conditions (even when the weather is not hot) have a long history.

In The Making of the English Working Class (1963) E P Thompson records from 1818 an address to the strike-bound public of Manchester from a Journeyman cotton spinner. He writes of mill workers, adults and children who are ‘locked up until night in rooms heated above the hottest days we have had this summer and allowed no time, except three quarters of an hour at dinner in the whole day’….

A lot done, a lot still to do..

Last summer 1,504 people died from heat-related causes in England alone, and there’s still no legal maximum temperature for UK workplaces. Can you sign this petition to help change that? the.organise.network/campaigns/ne…

YouGov has tracked Nigel Farage’s popularity or lack of it since he was elected as an MP for somewhere in Essex in 2024.

The figure is now at the lowest popularity rating- 25% favourable and 65% unfavourable

Of course Farage himself helps this a lot most recently by his persistent evasions on the £5m he received from Thai billionaire Christopher Harbourne.

It also reflects however consistent and persistent campaigning around the UK by Stand Up To Racism and others to drive home the point about what Farage and Reform really stand for

Beard Liberation Front

24^th June

contact BLF Organiser Keith Flett @keithbeard.bsky.social

National Beard Week 2026 James O’Brien named Hirsute Broadcaster of the Year

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said that LBC’s James O’Brien has been named the Hirsute Broadcaster of the Year 2026.

The campaigners say that O’Brien has stood out as a broadcaster willing to challenge the too often dominant Faragist narrative in the media

The campaigners also say that the world of broadcasting remains largely Pogonophobic despite Jeremy Paxman’s high-profile comments on the matter in his final months as presenter of Newsnight in 2013

BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, James O’Brien presents a positive image of the hirsute willing to take on the clean shaven falsehoods so often found in the media.

Beard Liberation Front

23rd June

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said that England’s 0-0 draw with Ghana in the Men’s Football World Cup on Tuesday reflected manager Thomas Tuchel’s dithering on the all important follicle question.

Tuchel was clean shaven for England’s first match against Croatia which England won 4-2.

However for the Ghana match he had started to grow a beard but had not completed the job by kick-off

The result was that Tuchel sent messages of follicle indecision to the players on the pitch.

BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, Ghana were far superior in the follicle department and this proved crucial in securing them a draw. Tuchel needs to work out a clear facial hair strategy before the Panama game

It might be thought that the Farage riots are a recent thing covering tragic events in Southport and Southampton. In fact ten years ago after the June 23rd Referendum had backed Brexit Farage was already predicting riots

In November 2016 he was once again the current leader of UKIP and told the Marr show on BBC1 (6.11.16) that if Brexit was blocked there would be anger, political violence and riots. A report is here:

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/nigel-farage-warns-there-could-be-riots-if-brexit-is-blocked-a3388331.html

Farage himself was careful on this occasion to back ‘peaceful protest’.

The Kaiser Chiefs famously sang that they ‘predict a riot’  but in fact this is not possible.

23rd June is the 10th anniversary of Brexit and Nigel Farage who has been avoiding public appearances could hardly refuse media interviews.

They did not go well because he was pressed about the recent £5m donation’ from Thai billionaire Christopher Harbourne. Farage has retailed various stories about what the money was for. He originally claimed it was for his security, then he said it was a gift related to his Brexit campaigning.

Today he changed his line again. He claimed that he could spend the £5m on Ferrari cars or placing bets on the horses but ultimately it was he told interviewers ‘none of your business’.

On display was not the cheery friendly Nigel Farage but another reality a tetchy, nasty individual who even though he is an MP thinks he should not be subject to public scrutiny.

Beard Liberation Front

Press release contact BLF Organiser Keith Flett 07803 167266

23rd June

National Beard Week Chip Butty named Beard Friendly Sandwich 2026

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said that the humble Chip Butty has been voted most Beard Friendly Sandwich 2026.

Each year during National Beard Week in June the campaigners search for a sandwich that does not have excessive mayo or salad which tends up in the beard rather than the mouth.

With the rise of designer sandwiches the bread around the sandwich filling, whether a traditional slice, flat bread or ciabatta, often fails to contain the contents which can then spill out into the beard even with the most careful eating.

BLF Organiser Keith Flett, of course a Chip Butty may have added vinegar, tomato or brown sauce or mayo but these are all under the control of the beard wearer. It is a simple but very beard friendly pleasure

Beard Friendly Sandwich 2026 Result

1 Chip Butty 72.2%

2 Smoked Salmon 38.9%

3 Bacon(or Facon) 44.4%

4 Cheese (Onion or Marmite) 44.5%

There were parallel polls on BlueSky and Twitter hence the vote is out of a maximum of 200%