He might want to read: academic.oup.com/restud/artic...

The depth of denial about the impacts of austerity on the UK’s post-crash productivity crisis is astounding. Better to blame the workers.

I fear we are going to have to say this a lot again: Int law prohibits bombing countries for the sake of democracy. FOR VERY GOOD REASON. It tends not to work. Attacking a country because its leader lacks legitimacy - whether as pretext or sincerely held rationale - is still just an aggression.

He’s correct that coffee shops aren’t a productive part of the economy and not wrong to speak about graduate woes head on, but please educate VCs on demand-side economics course before they blame the power imbalance between capital and labour on the expansion of HE.

Zack Polanski: I would be open to working with Labour if Andy Burnham was leader ft.trib.al/km35Wsh

What is driving this from the @uclpolicylab.bsky.social @moreincommonuk.bsky.social report? Simply a case of defending a relative advantage they feel HE expansion is eroding? (Given overall positive views of HE among grads yet almost as many worried about low-quality courses as non-grads).

Important letter from an actual expert

In thinking about what you can do this year, keep this in mind: Showing up at protests has real impact!

Those observing Christmas are celebrating a family of asylum seekers. If there is indeed a "War on Christmas," it's being waged by those trying to make our country less safe for the poor, for the marginalized, and for refugees.

Some edible Christmas treats at Hide yesterday and home today

Will world leaders listen to Pope Leo’s exhortations in his Christmas homilies and Urbi et Orbi message to end war, oppression and exploitation?

Good list @jimdickinson.bsky.social! Deaf President Now! is really the film the OfS FS Director needs to watch ☺️

The case at Bristol of disruption to a talk by trans rights protestors will test the OfS’s ability to show that a proportionality analysis must be conducted recognizing both sets of A10 rights, as well as A11 rights. The guidance as it stands tackles such scenarios inadequately in my view. 1/6

More pain for labour-market entrants that has far less to do with a lack or mismatch of graduate employability skills than with the effects of long-term austerity, economic uncertainty deterring investment and hiring, and capital consolidating its domination of labour under these conditions.

For policymakers, lawmakers, commentators and the public: We provide a detailed review of the international law relevant to lethal operations against suspected drug boats I teamed up with @mikeschmitt.bsky.social and @tessbridgeman.bsky.social

All of the suspected drug boat killings are murders | Kenneth Roth

NEW: Trump’s DOJ Pressured Lawyers to “Find” Evidence That UCLA Had Illegally Tolerated Antisemitism An investigation by ProPublica and @chronicle.com reveals how the U.S. government ignored due process to gin up its attack on the University of California.

"Beyond #Staatsraison" Experts calling for a new German policy in the Middle East that complies with Int Law I am glad to have signed this paper 👇The paper in German and English is here staatsraison.net/en/coming-so...

my latest

Worth considering this as The New Stateman’s crush goes into nauseating overdrive.

From Nina Simone’s lyrical protest of systemic racism to Bad Bunny’s advocacy for immigrants’ rights through song, music has always played a critical role in resistance.

“Parental resources seem to play an outsize role in who gets help.”

Excellent to hear the Minister for Science reiterate (yet again, but it bears repeating) support & understanding of curiosity driven research (bucket 1). Likewise excellent he explicitly describes diversity & inclusion as 'fundamental' to excellence, 'not a nice to have' but a 'prerequisite'. ?/n

Incredibly saddened to hear news of Asad Haider’s untimely death. Viewpoint magazine is a treasure trove, and Mistaken Identity a vital intervention. Critical thought will be impoverished by his loss.

I was devastated to learn on Facebook this morning of this terrible news. From the moment I met Andrew at Warwick I knew he had a heart as generous as could be and a mind equally sharp. His presence was uplifting and inspiring. The loss of all his future ideas and encouragement is such a blow.

“The implication appears to be that the extent to which an individual should be protected from inhuman or degrading treatment…ought to depend on whether they have committed serious criminal offences…[Making A3 a qualified right] would amount to the crossing of a very significant Rubicon.”

Funny how universities are 'independent' and 'academic freedom is important' when it comes to being left to fend for their own on income and lack of funding, but have to do whatever government wants when it comes to research funding.

Part of my evidence put before the court today attests to the unique nature of the proscription based on some research I conducted, and part speaks to the chilling effect on academic teaching and research in the area www.bbc.com/news/article...

This is exactly the kind of chilling effect the rightwing assault on institutions is aiming for. Infuriating if the contract allows for broadcasting a censored lecture without consent. Academics are frequently Reith lecturers and such speech carries the highest level of protection under the ECHR.

I wrote this piece about Trudi Warner and why juries are an important part of our constitution in April last year. I think particularly worth reading today. goodlawproject.org/high-court-s...

@universities-uk.bsky.social publishes letter to the OfS & reply clarifying free speech is defined wrt to the Convention, so—surprise, surprise—Art 17 speech isn’t protected & proportionality analysis required, not only where no reasonably practicable steps. www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/latest/news/...

Obviously a heck of a lot to digest from the Covid inquiry but this one rings true with our experience at the time. Stronger multi disciplinary expertise might have helped show the interconnections and trade offs between health, economics, geography and societal impacts www.bbc.com/news/article...

Smith misconstrues academic freedom: “Institutional autonomy [means] it is the responsibility of government to set in place the objectives and vision for the sector…Having set out that vision, I’m afraid there is an element of saying to the sector, ‘What are you going to do now to deliver that?’”

Today's asylum proposals risk worsening problems & causing deep worry for people trying to build safe, stable lives with their families. Current serious problems such as huge backlogs & hotel use stem from Home Office policies not our human rights laws (1/5)

You are not going to be able to pull together the anti-Reform coalition if voters don't see you are meaningfully different to Reform. Mad reaction from the government given an increasing threat on the left.

When the institutional capacity for rigorous journalism and critical public scrutiny is fast eroding and facing brutal attacks, it’s time to return to a classic.

🗣️ Matt Foot, Co-Director: “Reducing jury trials will inevitably increase miscarriages of justice. Prisons are overcrowded — and the backlog is caused by underfunding and overcharging, not juries.” 📖 Read our full response to the Leveson review: 👉 appeal.org.uk/levesons-out...

Strikes me both are symptomatic of one variant of Labourism or another

The only Legitimate Concerns about asylum seekers are concerns for their well being and safety. For a rich country like ours to incessantly whine about these people as if we are their victims is perhaps the single most pathetic spectacle in British politics over the past quarter century.

A leader capable of inspiring with critical nuance—and a theory of art’s heteronymy on which a defence of its freedom can be built without a crude political reduction (also shared with Benedict to be fair). Complete contrast to the political & media class’s using crude economism to destroy the arts.

Do you believe the justice system can make society fairer & want to help make this happen? If you’re a budding professional, join NextGen JUSTICE60, a new network for future leaders advancing justice through giving, mentoring & collaboration. Learn more: justice.org.uk/get-involved...

Pluribus is a dark satire of society as resonance or mimetic contagion—a critique fit for our times of pseudo-totality as manipulated seriality Theorists of sonic materialism take note!

Those of us who actually wanted democratic socialism already knew by the time he made his leadership bid in January 2020 that Starmer was incompetent and uninspired. Let’s not forget which fractions of the party (and media class) swung behind him and which opposed him.

The alienation of young people can be blamed on Covid, phones and much else. But those are exacerbations. The real cause is rent exploitation in all its forms. It is neoliberalism that is destroying the lives of young people. And that is why it has to go. www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2025/11...

Very good commentary from Tom eschewing reduction to the palace coup framing without dodging the issues of who has the power to determine accountability.

Signup sheet for the last seminar session I’m teaching this term: I might be taking this whole “case of Wagner” thing a bit seriously…

Who knew that The Morning Show is the news? 😂

This—what the public listens to impacts polarization and the quality of public reason

Overjoyed to have been awarded an AHRC LUCIA grant to continue work with @justicehq.bsky.social, United Borders & members of @artnotevidence.bsky.social to increase awareness of rap’s aesthetic & socio-cultural value to combat criminalization & racial disparities in the criminal justice system.