I've joined over 300 artists, arts organisations, academics, think tanks and campaigners who have signed this open letter. Add your name. Tell Scotland's political parties and cultural institutions to deliver a basic income for artists: actionnetwork.org/forms/an-ope...

Not nearly enough reporting about what's happening in Cuba, which the administration is attempting to squeeze, punish, and coerce into submission and violent self destruction. This is so much worse than the embargo. It's hideous. Haiti, Cuba, ongoing boat strike murders: anti-Black foreign policy

Well worth a listen if you want to understand private equity and its deleterious effects on our public services

This. "incredible and shameful there isn’t international condemnation of the united states for collective punishment of 10 million people" -- @parismarx.com

Today is Nakba Day. You cannot understand what lies at the heart of conflict in the Middle East unless you understand what happened to 85% of Palestinians in 1948. Here Eugene Rogan explains how hundred of thousands ended up as homeless refugees in Gaza

Retractions never get proportional attention. This one should.

There are lots of questions I want to ask Reform people, mostly starting "about that five million quid", but it would be a shame to let this moment from Robert Jenrick slip past unnoticed. thecritic.co.uk/toda...

Gas set Spain's electricity price 55% of the time in 2022. In Jan–Apr 2026: just 9%. Rapid renewable buildout means renewables increasingly set the marginal price instead - delivering structurally lower, more stable wholesale prices. Sign up to my new newsletter for more: janrosenow.substack.com

Poland is often seen as Europe's coal stronghold. In 2000, coal generated 94% of its electricity. But something remarkable is happening: Coal's share has fallen to 50%. Wind+solar, non-existent 15yrs ago, now generate 1/4 of electricity. More in my newsletter. Sign up here: janrosenow.substack.com

FT exclusive: US Treasury secretary Scott Bessent had a fierce row with UK chancellor Rachel Reeves in Washington last month over her outspoken criticism of the Iran war, according to people familiar with the matter www.ft.com/content/85f8...

British army soldiers ‘overreacted’ and lost control’, inquest into shooting dead of five people in Belfast finds. A priest, three teenagers and a man in his 30s were murdered by British soldiers in the Springhill and Westrock areas of west Belfast in July 1972 www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/co...

Then: "Hitler was right" "gas them" Now: “Trust me”

After reading this newest essay of mine, one of my readers said via email, "This is probably the best article I've ever read advocating for UBI. And one of the best you've ever written." If you haven't read it yet, please do. Maybe you will feel the same way. 🎲 www.scottsantens.com/the-angine-d...

Curse of Private Equity. Claire’s to close remaining UK stores, 1,000+ job losses. Unsecured creditors to lose £10.6m. Same PE owner to close 100 TG Jones (WH Smith) shops, plans to use insolvency procedure to avoid paying creditors. The same firm gutted The Original Factory Shop and Hobbycraft.

The real *conspiracy* is that Trump waged a completely unnecessary war on Iran. It's there in plain sight. Focus on that.

There was a reference by Nick Robinson to numbers being down this year, to contextualise/correct the "still rising" comment. This is a counterintuitive shift in flows 6 months ago which would surprise audiences, and those reporting on it being more consistently anchored in facts & trends would help

Good evening to you too.

Simple arithmetic. When you already have one home and somehow by whatever means get a second that means you own two homes. How difficult is that to grasp?

Another solar generation record set today in Britain. 14,426 megawatts were being generated at 11.30 today, delivering 37% of GB’s electricity and contributing to a record low reliance on fossil fuels. Gas accounted for just 2% of electricity generation at that time.

Le "revenu universel élevé", la pilule des gourous de la Tech pour mieux faire passer l’IA

OMFG I had to go and check that this ACTUALLY happened. Since when does the BBC ever do chyrons with a political party's branding, rather than their own? Not to mention this is during a pre-election campaign purdah. (h/t @iainsol.bsky.social)

Ulster University is making about 450 redundancies (which seems to be around 15% of the workforce) because of the need to save £25 million. Using the data they report to HESA (stopping in 2023-2024 so a bit out of date), this suggest that 2024-2025 #UKHE #HigherEducation #University 1/3

For me, there is something sadly timely about the publication of this collection, as Ulster University announces the propose loss of 450 FTE. Given the levels of part-time work on campus, this means that more than 450 people could be without work and income. This is how class 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙨 on campus.

Not all cries for help are loud. There’s a silent signal everyone should know. Thumb tucked. Fingers folded. It means “I need help” Share this please! You could be the one who sees her when she can’t say a word! #SheShed

2,400 artists in NYC got $1,000 per month in basic income for 18 months beginning in 2022. Same as in Ireland, the results were overwhelmingly positive. Artists spent more time on their art and became more satisfied with the quality and impact of their work. DO UBI source.washu.edu/2026/04/guar...

Labour MP gets dragged publicly by a pub landlady for having the audacity to go into her pub, order food and spend money. Honestly no wonder decent people don’t want to go into public life. www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...

JOB! I'm hiring a Senior Research Associate in Social and Political Philosophy as part of the ERC LEAD Project. Deadline is May 3rd, and candidates would ideally begin in September 2026 or asap after. Feel free to contact me with any questions - Share widely! www.bristol.ac.uk/jobs/find/de...

THE ASSET CLASS publishes today! The book is a roving investigation of private equity, a surreptitious realm of finance that has infiltrated almost every corner of our lives…

Enjoy the (long!) read. It's poignant but also comical in places. The strange story of my life: www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a....

Y’all they called a physics professor to ask if you can teleport 😭

It's me in the Financial Times, detailing the deep and pernicious influence of one-size-fits-all management consultancy in our universities... Take a look! 👇 www.ft.com/content/5032...

Available now! Examines how the recording industry uses the ‘piracy panic narrative’ to position itself as a victim of new technologies. Buy here ➡️ tinyurl.com/483sbxan @utaresearch.bsky.social #MusicTechnology #MusicIndustry #PiracyNarratives #DigitalMusic #StreamingEconomy #AnthemPress

MattGPT debate

There's a link to the book here: "In Ireland, it is said that people with notions are acting above their station and with a misplaced sense of their own importance." bookstore.emerald.com/notions-hb-9...

Featuring CMPS researchers @davwright.bsky.social, Chris Bilton & Heidi Ashton and other stars in the creative labour/cultural policy firmament 👇👇

My latest piece for Frieze is on the Basic Income for the Arts scheme in Ireland. A fantastic success, the pilot has now been made permanent - a model for other EU countries to follow. www.frieze.com/article/tom-... #Frieze #BasicIncome

Reform UK said I was 'bullying' when I pointed out their colleague was jailed for beating up his former partner. Now, they're trying to sneak him back into their party. So I'll say it again: James McMurdock was jailed for beating up his former partner. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Recorded this one last week. If you are concerned about AI automating a significant percentage of the labor market, and/or just want to learn more about Universal Basic Income, I hope anyone who listens to this finds it useful. Spoiler: regardless of AI, UBI makes sense, but AI makes it more needed.

Gas only sets Spain's electricity price 15% of the time. When gas costs spike it barely registers on the electricity bill. In countries like Italy and the UK gas sets the price 90% of the time. The difference is enormous. I spoke to @politico.com about this. www.politico.eu/article/spai...

The monetisation of HE has played a part in this infantilisation of students. Quite possible to get a 1st & never step foot in the library, know how to find a book, or discover something you love that isn’t (shock/horror) on the course outline. Ironically it has deskilled a generation of students.

Spain's renewables build-out has structurally decoupled its electricity prices from gas markets. Gas now sets the price in only 15% of hours, compared to 90% in Italy. Countries that invested early in clean power are far less exposed to fossil fuel price shocks. Those that didn't now pay the price.

Robot Malfunction: In China, a dancing robot suddenly started smashing dishes. It knocked over plates on customers’ tables & then kept dancing without stopping. Staff tried to stop it, but it didn’t respond for several minutes. In the end, one of the waitresses simply dragged it into the back room.

BREAKING: The Irish Prime Minister defends Keir Starmer as Donald Trump repeats he is "not Winston Churchill" "Starmer has done a lot to reset the Irish-British relationship. I do believe he is a very earnest person whom you have a capacity to get on with"

Equity, the UK trade union for performing artists, has called for Scotland to follow Ireland and introduce a pilot scheme for a Basic Income for Artists. www.equity.org.uk/campaigns-po...

I fear humans were a mistake

A humbling and thoughtful watch. “And everywhere you looked were just, just signs, of just the blatant disregard for life." Link bypasses X xcancel.com/OzKaterji/st...

Good morning to everyone who has stood against hate, racism and fascism over the weekend! Solidarity is a verb. Let’s do more to build the migration justice movement, and society that protects us all. Poster by @wfmigrantaction.bsky.social #migrationislife #nooneisillegal #thesewallsmustfall