This was the biggest judgement call of Badenoch's leadership and she got it badly wrong. She then blamed Labour's refusal to back the war on Muslim voters, "whose political loyalties are swayed by conflicts in the Middle east, not the British national interest". It was a shocking, shameful episode

Bee orchid, pyramidal orchid and yellow rattle today at @magdalenoxford.bsky.social!

When reality surpasses fiction! Top: fictional forecast for August 2050, broadcast by French TV in 2014 to warn about the consequences of global warming. Bottom: Real French forecast for yesterday, June 22, 2026.

++BREAKING++ Leading climate scientists in the UK have written to senior editors in broadcast media - and OFCOM and IPSO: "To express our concern about recent media coverage of extreme weather, climate change and net-zero and to urge you…to inform public audiences of the scientific links"

This is a great piece on the problems and insights of Tom Nairn's writings about globalisation later in life, by James Stafford: doi.org/10.1093/tcbh... It includes this wonderful artefact from a bygone era.

We regret that our event on Extreme Heat: Improving governance and strengthening action around the world has been cancelled due to the red extreme heat warning issued by the UK Met Office. Our apologies to everyone who was planning to attend the event.

These cuts are terrible for all impacted, but they will be an absolute death blow for humanities and social sciences teaching and research. (If anyone has kids planning to come to Exeter for one of these subjects next year, you might want to know about this.)

Solidarity with colleagues at Exeter University receiving this very distressing news. Truly reckless behaviour from senior management

Labour won by 20 points and net immigration is down by over 80% in two years. But sure write your column again.

The Society now invites applications, from PhD students, for the 2026-27 Martin Lynn Scholarship in African History bit.ly/4xD5ZyN The Scholarship provides funding to support doctoral research in Africa and is named for the late Professor Martin Lynn (QUB). Closing date 4 September #Skystorians 1/2

The summary of the debate published by the OxStu newspaper really underscores quite how laughable and unserious it is to think of this as in any way contributing to a positive understanding of free speech and the exchange of ideas. Great to see Oxford turning out to reject this rubbish yesterday

Oxford City Green Councillors are demanding that the Oxford Union compensate businesses affected by their arrogant and careless decision to invite Laurence Fox and Tommy Robinson to a debate in the city with all of the associated disruption and threat of violence that this entails.

Two pieces from me this week you may have missed: (2) what it's like to live inside the unceasing retreat of British Higher Education and its rapid unscheduled disassembly. It's, well, bad. isrf.org/blog/what-do...

Carlo Ginzburg est mort, annonce la presse italienne. Immense historien, il a su construire une oeuvre originale entre micro-histoire et anthropologie historique qui a considérablement renouvelé la discipline. www.repubblica.it/cultura/2026...

Post lunch #mbs26 panel on environmental history. @julialaite.bsky.social puts extractivism and imperialism into the shared frame of the global commons, witnessed through Beothuk Newfoundland.

trans rights and women’s rights are not in opposition, they are in fact two fronts of the same war, and cis women should support trans folk not just because it’s the morally correct thing to do but also because an attack on trans folk is an attack on us

"I think a lot of us, myself included, have thought about this question in quite some detail." ... "we didn't talk to any trans people though, ew."

If you pour out relentless lies & misinformation, you can dupe the disinterested. Did you know - ▪️It’s illegal for minors to have gender change surgery, despite politicos lies ▪️Puberty blockers are banned for trans kids, because they are supposedly‘dangerous’ but still prescribed for non-trans kids

The UK Government’s new Code of Practice offers cruelty, not clarity. Despite promises and spin to the contrary, this is a bathroom ban and a huge rollback for human rights in the UK. Read now: transactual.org.uk/blog/2026/05...

As high-profile websites vanish, it’s a reminder that the web has no built-in archival layer. But some publishers are now blocking the Wayback Machine. What’s at stake if the web stops being archived? Our new FAQ explains: preserving the public record matters. 🌐📚 help.archive.org/help/faq-pub...

Far more accurate was this piece by @georgemonbiot.bsky.social back in 2018!

I've been trying not to engage with the Attenborough discourse, but this piece in @theguardian.com is nonsense. It is only relatively recently that Attenborough's nature documentaries have begun to discuss the climate crisis, and even then rarely in political terms. He's certainly no radical.

Retractions never get proportional attention. This one should.

'Protecting what matters': a new government policy paper identifies history as central to social cohesion. At the same time, history teaching and research, in our schools and universities, is at risk as never before. To ensure cohesion, we must protect what matters: bit.ly/3QyZQCO #skystorians

Scholars urge BBC to rethink changes to archive access Matthew Reisz for @timeshighered.bsky.social on the profoundly problematic (my words) research restrictions at BBC Written Archives [£; but free to read if you register] www.timeshighereducation.com/news/scholar...

Bridget Phillipson will introduce new laws to make it possible for Universities to be fined millions of pounds if they don't silence students who protest bigots invited onto their campuses. It's like the Tories never left office.

We are pleased to be supporting the "Modern British History and the 'Environmental Turn'" worshop at Lincoln College, University of Oxford @oxhistoryfaculty.bsky.social) on 16 - 17 September 2026 See call for papers (closes 15 May 2026) below: pastandpresent.org.uk/call-for-pap...

🔔⏰Just over 1 month to go! ⏰🔔 Call for papers: Modern British History and the 'Environmental Turn' A two-day workshop organised by @andrewseaton.bsky.social and myself at Lincoln College, Oxford, 16-17 September. Deadline for abstracts is 15 May. Details in poster below!

This is a wonderful resource for teaching and also really fun to browse as a general reader - would highly recommend especially to those (historians and not) who are newer to this material! It has never been easier to include queer & trans perspectives in your teaching of modern British history!

an exhibition that will be everywhere across all media and largely define London’s cultural and tourist offer in the autumn: salary c.25% lower than median for London, and barely scraping above national average

An excellent opportunity for anyone interested in film & computational analysis, DH, etc!

I learned to love cinema at the Ultimate Picture Palace in Oxford as an undergrad. It's been around since 1911, and is now a fantastic community-owned venue. But it's at risk of development by Oriel College. This would be a terrible loss for independent cinema. Save the UPP! c.org/TpFdQMnhRN

Exhibit two: the BBC Written Archives are becoming much more difficult for researcher access, as outlined in depth in this response to the Charter Review from @greavesian.bsky.social and many others drive.google.com/file/d/1n5aX...

💥New | What oral histories can teach us about effective environmental research ✍️ Paul Merchant & @angecass.bsky.social #OralHistory #ResearchImpact #CoProduction

The drunk uncle theory. You don’t argue with the casually homophobic uncle at Thanksgiving dinner to change his mind; you argue so that the closeted cousin at the kids table knows there’s safe people and better possibilities out there

Friends, can I ask you to spread the word that we have a THREE-YEAR postdoc in American history at Cambridge up for grabs - ANY field, but applications are due March 1 so don't delay - apply, apply, apply! networks.h-net.org/jobs/69790/u...

#Skystorians Exciting conference klaxon!

Very excited to announce this workshop on environmental approaches to modern British History taking place this September at @lincoln.ox.ac.uk. Please share!

CALL FOR PAPERS - Modern British History and the 'Environmental Turn'. A two-day workshop organised by @maxlong.bsky.social and myself at Lincoln College, Oxford, 16-17 September. Deadline for abstracts is 15 May. Details in poster below, please share.

For anyone interested in our 18-month post in British Studies please follow the link below. @ihr.bsky.social www.jobs.london.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...

A packed house @bbkhistorical.bsky.social for History Workshop Journal's 50th anniversary/100th issue celebration! It's a joy to see so many wonderful historians here to mark @historyworkshop.org.uk's incredible 50 years.

My first book, Darwin and the Queer Origins of Life, will be published by Yale University Press on 11 August (UK) and 8 September (US). Please help spread the word! 🙏 UK: yalebooks.co.uk/book/9780300... @yalebooks.bsky.social 🏳️‍🌈📚🐵 US: yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300... @yalepress.bsky.social 🏳️‍⚧️ 🗃️🦋

my dad didn’t go to university and he was extremely happy to pay taxes for his four children to do so; and, indeed, for the doctors who treated him at Addenbrookes to have gone to university as well.

Are you a teacher, parent or youth worker looking for an engaging way to get young people to think critically about digital technologies? Use our new zine series, which provides arts-based activities and prompts for children to explore the personal, social and environmental impacts of technologies.

Amazon literally hosts the Palantir ICE surveillance database -- so this is not even a hypothetical. Buy local!

AI cannot feel. Its incredibly demeaning to both humans and non-human animals that feel actual emotions to frame it like this, Amanda, you weirdo. You should feel judged.

The winners of last year's Capturing Ecology photography competition are truly amazing. You can see them all here: www.britishecologicalsociety.org/capturing-ec...

Two weeks left to apply for a postdoc position on my project! I'm looking for historians, anthropologists, STS and Global Health researchers with a broad interest in #Brazil, #rural populations, #health, #medicine, and #zoonosis. For more information👇

My latest in History Today, on the Pride of Derby river pollution case of 1952. Now available in newsagents etc!

Huge news for the little owl! Its transformation from 'vermin alien' and 'worst bird in Britain' to 'cute little bird' is now almost complete 🦉