Baffling why any country *doesn't* do this.

The media seems v unlikely to notice dramatically falling school numbers as they continue to run inaccurate stuff about migration pressures on school places

I may be over-sensitive - as a Jew - but in these "authentic working class Vs out of touch metropolitan elites" framings, throughout history, Jews have always been in the second group. (The "enemies of the people" 2016 high court judge Mail article made a point of saying who was gay / Jewish)

I think it's quite right that this man be arrested, but I thought Reform in general don't think people should be, just for a tweet, and it represents a free speech issue in the UK? I wonder what Robinson / Musk will say. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Unpopular decision for Bluesky this, but I don't see why Mahmoud would be that bad as Chancellor? As long as she's not Home Secretary. (I think Milliband would be better, but still.) I didn't think she was that bad as Justice. I'm sure everyone here feels the same.

Farage refused taxpayer-funded security because it was ‘inadequate’ www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli... << feels fundamentally different to not being offered it.

This is terrifying - thankful it was stopped. Solidarity and support going out to the Muslim community. (Imagining how we as Jews would feel if it was, say, Limmud. And have been feeling since Manchester and Golders Green) www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

You'd think the intelligence services having to raise the national terror threat level because of a surge in Nazi terrorism might have been a bigger story

Reform and their supporters now trying to reframe all journalistic scrutiny of them as being dangerous political attacks, bordering on terrorism. A preview of what we could expect from a Reform government

There doesn't seem to be a disconnect between Reform's "public perception of politicians importing mass immigration will lead to violence" and "Reform politicians are the ones most at risk of violence" (rather than, the politicians portrayed as importing mass immigration) 1/

Cool resource putting together UK polling data

For all the conspiracy theories peddled by the far-right in recent years, the most plausible 'global conspiracy' is how the far-right, vested interests behind them and Russia are in a concerted and overlapping effort to destabilise liberal western democracy.

X seems to be awash with high profile RT wing political / media figures doing the same. If we were speculating gratuitously - political motivation where the terrorist wants to strike a blow for a cause, but keeps really quiet about who they are and what the cause is, seems implausible to me...

Well this sounds good. www.ft.com/content/c6c0...

And, I know I'm not the target audience, but "vote for me to stick it to the establishment in a people Vs elite referendum" does really feel like (1) reaching for the hits from 2016 hoping they still work, and (2) taking the electorate for granted (that it will).

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Interesting game theory for pro and anti Farage sides re how much do we look like we think the result means anything. (We would love it if Binface did well, and would look bad for Farage. But the more we say that's how anti-Farage should vote, the more he can take the result as vindication)

I've thought about this, and on reflection Green standing isn't as bad (/good for Farage) as all that, as long as the other parties don't. First - they're seen as having absolutely no chance there. So Farage still can't take success against them as vindication of anything at all. 1/

So the gambit is won a by-election in Clacton and then claim thet as a voter endorsement to head off any/all criticisms in past behaviour. Not clear how that sits with eg Parliamentary st Adams’s investigations? Eg does his resignation end them? If not, can he still be sanctioned?

👀 www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...

The solution that we're defaulting back to is in house written exams as standard assessment. The same model used for most A-levels, Abitur etc. This discourse that is an insoluble tidal wave in itself plays into the hands of AI cultists

New DfE schools guidance on clean air - good news for kids who are clinically vulnerable, or have asthma or hay fever - and everyone else. Air cleaning (ventilation or HEPA filtering) removes pollen, mold spores, particulate matter (PM) air pollution, and respiratory droplets that spread diseases.

Could someone please explain to the @nytimes.com that if we stopped to celebrate every country that has broken free from our tyrannical grasp, we’d never get any work done. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/04/w...

We made a short (3.5min) film introducing our @sprockethub.bsky.social innovation hub for improving the lives of children with complex health needs and those that care for them. Do have a watch! I think it really captures what SPROCKET is about. youtu.be/WIjhjciUfD4?...

Imagine being mad that we live in a country in which a former refugee can rise to become Lord Mayor of their city. That makes me proud to be British, if anything.

Revealed preferences suggest this 37% drop in small boat nunbers (first two quarters) is treated as ×10-x50 times less newsworthy than a 37% increase has been. Given high salience of the issue, should broadcasters try to check/balance that instinct?

Cricket, warm beer and excess mortality are the markers of national character. This week's column is about the ignorance, snobbery and cruelty in the billionaire press, triggered by last week's heatwave. And about the grim condtions children now face in schools. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Interesting / relevant bsky.app/profile/volt... In my opinion it is deliberate, and successful, by elites with minority views, to get their views seen as majority. Climate change a great example.

A very valuable resource. This is the discussion of UKRI unchecked.uk/public_body_...

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10 years ago, the air outside Aldgate School didn’t meet legal limits. Children were breathing polluted air every day. I made it my mission to change that. Here’s the difference our bold policies have made ⬇️

Public First have published the report into the educational opportunities of white working-class children, with recommendations for reform. It was chaired by Estelle Morris & Samir Patel educationaloutcomes.org.uk

Unless your problems are a lack of rail connectivity to Paddington and Didcot.

You may have seen this story about pumped hydro in Scotland? I think England is too flat for there to be much potential. UK is, of course, also connected to Norway by the 1.4 GW North Sea Link, so it can benefit somewhat from Norwegian hydro.

Again, if Burnham keeps Mahmood at the Home Office, his whole coup will have been pointless.

Further discussion with useful resource link on battery technologies to support renewable energy, for medium and long duration energy storage: respectively for when the sun's not shining, and when the wind's not blowing.

Ignoring the carbon capture and storage (as we usually should) - look at the Solar graph. 1/

Good stats and also good article (in preceding post) explaining just how much carbon capture and storage doesn't make sense. Any "wise centrist" mentioning it as part of the mix (alongside renewables / nuclear / something about the North Sea) really really needs to read it.

"What are you going to do when the wind isn't blowing?" latest. While advances in lithium and sodium ion batteries provide night time backup (eg for solar), longer term (days) is needed especially for wind. The iron-air battery is one example of a new technology in Long Duration Energy Storage

If the government (of any party, or indeed of any country) had any sense, they'd be running massive training/retraining programmes for installers of heat pumps, solar panels, a/c units, and so on. Green New Deal, anyone?

Really interesting thread on heating, cooling, vibes, and (essentially) racism.

No it is not an "unwritten rule". It is a possible choice that is not made 66-75% of the time Yes: 1955 (snap, success, then failure) 2017 (11 months, failed) 2019 (6 months: success, then failure) No: 2022, 2022, 2007, 1990, 1976, 1963, 1956, 1937.

What breaks my mind about this is that there was precisely zero public glamour to reform indefinite leave to remain, outside of a highly online right fringe. The public debate is about small boats, not whatever the hell this is.

I’m not saying the debate in the U.K. has moved to the right, but Ed Miliband is basically seen as Pol Pot for aiming for a climate target first agreed to by…I think Theresa May’s government? Definitely Johnson’s. And this chat is going on during the middle of a record-breaking heatwave

There were those who doubted us, but a new independent report shows major reductions in air pollution in our city are linked to an estimated 40% fewer annual premature deaths.

Written a quick substack summarising the paper as well (although there's only so much you can do in 800 words compared to the length of the full paper!) open.substack.com/pub/christin...

Londoners, there is a webpage for you to see where your nearest "cool spaces" are when the extreme heat hits - places with water, air-conditioning & shade. Have a look and spread the word, especially to those who may need this but might not think to look for it: apps.london.gov.uk/cool-spaces/

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.

Terrible language. “Immigration has worsened” like it’s a disease. So fed up with all this malignant framing. www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...

In the BBC interview he claimed he would be in danger if he revealed how he'd spent the £5M. I doubt there's a single person who both (1) believes him, and (2) then thinks "well that sounds fine then, we'll leave it at that".