Once I have a few spare minutes, I’m going to jot down some thoughts about the @ucu.org.uk Congress that was held last week. But in the meantime, please read this, which is a lovely reflective piece.

Are you at @ucu.org.uk Congress? Don’t have plans on Wednesday night? The Campaign for UCU Democracy is having a social at Cold Bath Brewing, 44 King’s Road, Harrogate HG1 5JW. Starting at 7:30z Come have a drink with us!

I'm so proud of our Congress bulletin! Please share with your branch delegates. #UCU

All are very welcome to come along (whether a Congress delegate or not), and do drop us an email (ucucommons.org/contact-us/) if you have any access or dietary needs that would be useful for us to know about in advance. Please share! 2/2

For all attending #UCU Congress 2026! On Tuesday 26th May, 7–10pm, we are hosting an informal social event upstairs at North Bar, 2d Cheltenham Parade, Harrogate, HG1 1DA. The first few arrivals can enjoy a drink (alcoholic or otherwise) on us, and there will be pizza available (also on us). 1/2

Coincidentally, the number of staff currently at risk of redundancy (2700) at the University of Nottingham is the same as the number of jobs at risk at British Steel. Yesterday, the govt said they aren't neutral on job losses & so pledged to save those steel jobs. Watch as they blithely ignore HE.

Looked at another way: Leave/Right bloc: 47% ; Remain/Left bloc 51% But Remain/Left bloc more evenly split despite being bigger, so Leave/Right bloc does better under FPP. As in 2019 with Johnson's Leave coalition. But that could change if left bloc vote coalesces nationally or locally

Teimlo’n falch, ac am y tro cyntaf ers amser maith, yn obeithiol. Diolch, @plaidcymru.bsky.social

Extremely gracious speech from First Minister Eluned Morgan on losing her seat, chwarae teg. Acknowledging that "Wales has rejected the Labour Party", calling Labour to change course and return to being the party of the working class, warning against feeding division and wishing Plaid Cymru well.

Well fuck me backwards I never thought I'd see the day, but that's it, whatever happens it's a Plaid-lead government and a step towards And whisper it with me Independent Tropical Walesssss

Yesterday in the media we saw £millions leeching out of UK universities to management consultants. Today it is student agents delivering international students to the highest bidding universities. This is where marketization and commercialization leads. www.theguardian.com/education/ng...

Management consultants are ruining UK universities ft.trib.al/0LelZP9 | opinion

I for one am shocked that the same guy who tried to waste union resources on a plausibly legalistic but doomed hail mary in the courts then also wasted union resources defending against his vexatious allegation of rule breaches after he lost an election.

The Certificiation Officer has now ruled on the complaint against UCU bought by @ewanmg.bsky.social and @vickyblake.bsky.social. A summary of the decision can be found by following this link: www.ucu.org.uk/media/15693/...

GIVEAWAY OF GOOD STUFF!!!! We’re trying to add 100 premium @hyperfixedpod.bsky.social subscribers by the end of April. If we manage to do it, 5 of you will get free hyperfixed swag! I mean look at this stuff! Hyperfixedpod.com/join

Today, Plaid Cymru launched our Senedd election campaign to offer new leadership for 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Leadership which offers hope, new ambition and ideas - and always fights for our communities ✊ Join Plaid Cymru today to help us change Wales for the better 💚 🔗 partyof.wales/join

I have decided to be a lot more shameless about promoting my work because what good is being ashamed of my work? I am very proud of it! Please check out @hyperfixedpod — documentary audio journalism where I solve problems for listeners who write in. Here are some of my fav eps!

UCU NEC election results were published a few weeks ago. Some people have asked what this means for the factional make-up of the Higher Education Committee (HEC), so I've put together this short blog breaking down the results. open.substack.com/pub/dyfrigjo...

UCU Commons newsletter #12 just landed! Election results, ARPS & Anticas conference reports, Women’s TUC, opposing the Iran war, Equality Research conference, @alanlester.bsky.social on defamatory attacks & Adam Tickell punching down on tuition fees #UCU #UKHE ucucommons.org/ucu-commons-...

The #UCU election results are quite good overall. We could use more good people running. The turnout, unsurprisingly was worse than the baseline though I’m gonna have to dig out all the numbers again. However having @markpe as chair of HEC is a relief for me.

Delighted to announce I have been elected UCU Vice President from the FE sector. I am honoured by all those who voted for me and endlessly thankful to everyone who supported my campaign. I pledge to listen to members and fight for our sector with fierce energy and integrity. Let's do this 💪

If you're a USS member of @ucu.org.uk , then you've probably heard some talk of Conditional Indexation. It'll likely be on the agenda at this year's HE Sector Conference, and I've written a very basic primer for anyone that's interested. open.substack.com/pub/dyfrigjo...

What else is there to say but: these people were warned and warned and warned again about this, going back well over ten years and further, and their constant response was: absolutely fuck you, you are all idiots and we are the smart, Sensible people whom understand what the public like and want.

I've voted in #ucu elections, have you? Last chance to post your ballot! If you'd like a better UCU (the one we have is sometimes pretty dreadful), please vote for @markpendleton.bsky.social @suzitoole.bsky.social and the list here: ucucommons.org/who-else-sho...

It’s not all elections at #ucu. This afternoon I’m joining the induction for the new Congress Business Committee, the elected body that determines how our annual congress runs. This year it will be in Harrogate at the end of May. Congress is our peak democratic body, but how democratic is it?

For the Monday morning folk: I’ll be skeeting my answers to the #ucu VP hustings each day this week. Intro comments out yesterday and now the first member-submitted question (and my shortest answer at 42 seconds): “What political parties, if any, are you a member of?”

Darn gwych am gyfieithu ar y pryd

I went along to the Certification Office today, so you didn’t have to. A brief update on McGaughey and Blake vs UCU dyfrigjones.substack.com/p/brief-repo...

I’m really proud of Bangor University students today. Very much in the spirit of Penrhyndeudraeth lad Bertrand Russell, when he said that “nothing fruitful or sincere could ever emerge from an association between us”, when invited to debate Oswald Mosley.

Excellent as always from @markpendleton.bsky.social I just posted my ballot voting for @markpendleton.bsky.social @suzitoole.bsky.social and the entire @ucucommons.org slate!

“ I want to live in Dubai” said nobody ever

Excellent piece on casualisation from @hagenilda.bsky.social cdbu.org.uk/our-employer...

📅 24 February marks 4 years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Four years of resistance. Four years of solidarity. But the fight for justice isn’t over. 🧵⬇️

I really did intend to read all the election addresses, but then decided not to bother and used the @ucucommons.org cheat sheet (below) instead. Apologies to my fellow candidates, and good luck!

A huge turnout of staff, students and community members against the proposed closure of the Uni of Essex campus in Southend. Thanks to @ucuessex.bsky.social for the invitation to speak about what’s happening at Sheffield - your fight is our fight! And solidarity for your picket lines next week!

This is so grim and it happening under a so-called Labour government is unforgivable www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Just published this - UCU belongs to its members - these elections matter! Please use your vote in the upcoming union election. michaelabberton.medium.com/ucu-belongs-...

My ballot papers just arrived for the @ucu.org.uk NEC and VP elections. I’ll be voting for @markpendleton.bsky.social and @suzitoole.bsky.social for the Vice Presidential posts, as well as the candidates on this slate: campaignforucudemocracy.com/2025/11/26/2...

Wedi mwynhau cyfrannu at Y Sgwrs Fawr am ddyfodol darlledu cyhoeddus ar bodlediad Andy Bell. Linc isod:

Today’s start of LGBT+ history month is a great time to focus on and recommit to the important work UCU does to advance LGBTQ+ and wider equality. My contributions to that have led to endorsement from the chairs of all five of UCU’s equality committees. Thank you. ucucommons.org/endorsements/

From this Friday, #ucu members will receive ballot papers for this year’s elections. I am running for election as Vice-President (Higher Education), to become President in 2029–30. Read why below and at ucucommons.org/mark4vp/ I also support @suzitoole.bsky.social for VP (Further Education).

From Friday 30th of Jan, you will receive ballot papers for this year’s UCU elections. I am standing for election as Vice-President (Further Education) of #UCU and am asking for your vote. Find out more about me and the candidates I support at suzitooleforvp.com I hope I can count on your support

📣Education International sends a strong message to #Palestinian educators after a delegation of education leaders from 15 countries was detained and interrogated for hours. ‼️Attempts to intimidate, isolate, or silence educators will only strengthen our collective determination and solidarity.

📅 Holocaust Memorial Day 2026 Join our webinar on Tue 27 Jan, 13:00- 14:00 (Zoom) with Prof Eve Rosenhaft from the University of Liverpool. We will outline what we know about the genocide of Europe’s Roma, the gaps that remain, and its lessons and legacies today. us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

UCU - Write to your MP: Defending university staff pensions www.ucu.org.uk/DefendUniver...

BBC report at a headline level that Grok will now not make sexually exploitative images any more. An actual reporter comes on and explains that it will do no such thing, and will just make the images invisible in the UK. These are two very, very different things.

We've written a motion to open up the nomination process to UCU's advisory equality standing committees, which is long overdue. This would bring it in line with that for our decision-making NEC. More details of the process and our reasons at the link. #UCU #UKHE ucucommons.org/rule-change-...

UCU members are on strike today in 25 colleges across the UK. Their starting salaries are just above minimum wage and well below their equivalents in schools and 6th form colleges. This has to change. Let our members know you back them.

I love an end-of-year list, so will inflict mine on all of you. Some film, mainly TV, a bit of music and a book that I’ve enjoyed in 2025.

England's Long Reformation finally reaches its end as Paddington becomes its St Peter for all who enter the afterlife.