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I’m a fan of Ed Balls – I had a bit to do with him in the distant past when he was Gordon Brown’s SpAd in the Treasury and use to hold regular meetings with a bunch of NGOs, and through the time when he was an MP and a minister. I also reviewed his…

I really need a haircut – my last was in July – but at least the Ivy to the right of the archway has had one. This is a tiny proportion of the Ivy in the garden (which is a joy) but the management plan now includes a timetable for cutting each year.

No environmental content in this speech but that is understandable. I preferred to read the speech than listen to it. I’m happy with Mr Starmer so far – he’s sensible, he’s for fairness and he has some experience of doing a difficult job in the real world. I’m keen to hear what he will say…

…looks interesting. Feargal Sharkey, Richard Benyon, George Monbiot and Ben Goldsmith – a heady mixture… I’ll watch with interest. It’s good to see a member of the DEFRA board and an ex-DEFRA minister have so much faith in our environment department that they join a campaigning group.

Gordon Yates is a wildlife photographer and many of his superb images of Hen Harriers have graced these pages over the years. He sent me this image of a Jack Snipe in the snow and said that it was the first he’d ever managed to photograph. It’s rare to see the bird this well. Jack…