Former Cabinet Secretary Gus O'Donnell on briefing a new PM: "I'll be talking to that Prime Minister about minor things like ... the whole nuclear coding – how many millions of people do you want to wipe out, if we're wiped out..." 😱

Another set of letters to be written later today - Sir Kier Starmer’s this time to undertake a purely Prime Ministerial duty … Nuclear War in the UK

Four minute warning / siren fans – check out this complete working WB1400 early warning system in a box #wb1400 #coldwarhist youtube.com/watch?v=PYht6p…

During the Cold War there was a lot of thought given in government to working out how to ensure that if attacked, the UK could strike back. This led to much soul searching on scenarios, circumstances and likely outcomes by the Cabinet Secretary, Sir Norman Brook. /2

I was lucky enough to be at the launch of the new Cold War Scotland exhibition at National Museums Scotland. It's worth a visit if you're in Edinburgh. Everything from ROC equipment to Soviet 'Klondyker' fishermen, protest marches and even a Civil Defence Corps motorbike. Opens Saturday.

Cold War Scotland – if you can't make it along to the new exhibition in Edinburgh (or even if you can), here's a great new book from National Museums Scotland focusing on Scotland's role in the conflict. Pick it up here: amzn.to/3Sb1tVf #coldwarhist

Check out Beyond the Wall - a great, muted 1970 BBC documentary about life in East Germany - available on iPlayer: bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod…

Record fair find, whether I actually play it and regress to an 11 yr old again is another matter. Scarred for Life Nuclear War in the UK #John #Hilda #NuclearWar

Still showcasing its elegance..this Electronic Counter Measure equipment was state of the art technology hidden inside the golf balls & used to disrupt hostile signals 🛰️ 📡 Image by local photographer Scott Wicking UK Space Command #teamfylingdales #keepingspacesafe #4over60yrs

🗣️ PSA: don't share workout pics on Instagram, otherwise a big nerd (me) might use them to learn things about your nuclear weapons. My new Federation of American Scientists🔬 piece shows how the Indian Navy's yoga pics reveal the likely retirement of a nuclear missile. 👇 fas.org/publication/ho…

Some period photos of Mundford post during an exercise. subbrit.org.uk/sites/mundford…

Best nuclear war-themed games? DEFCON has to be up there in terms of capturing the detachment required to obliterate part of the world... and the futility of it. (especially when I'm playing as I have no idea what I'm doing)

Had an afternoon visit to Hack_green_bunker_official as recommended by Nuclear War in the UK in their fabulous book.

Peter Kennard: Archive of Dissent – 'striking' political photomontages theweek.com/culture-life/a…

So here's what I've been working on all summer...an hour digging into the creation & legacy of the incredible BBC-commissioned nuclear war film Threads, broadcast 40 years ago this month, with a soundtrack by Ghost Box Records. Artwork by Catrin James. bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00…