Just watched a local Green Party video about the presence of great crested newts and something like a dozen bat species at the #MODBicester site that's set for rejuvenation as a home for 1,250 asylum seekers. A few years ago, when I was younger and more naive, I'd see a report like this and think "Ha! Got you there, Government! You'll have to scrap this now, cause there's a law protecting those newts!" And indeed, if I recall correctly, my old secondary school couldn't expand its ageing science block because there were great crested newts — and had to spend £1m or something on a brand new building at the other end of the site. But in this Trump-led era of ignoring public consultation, ignoring facts, repeating lies until they become truths, breaking laws and just saying "oops" and getting away with it — I no longer have any confidence that newts, bats, nightingales or in fact any other valid objection will prevent this going ahead. Which is a very sad state of affairs, to put it mildly. #ukpol