Naano-technology

Happy A-level eve to all those affected

If the first rule in politics is learn to count, the second is read the rules.

I am reminded of Elmer the elephant by the Birmingham political map of 2026 though the quite positive patchwork of harmony message of that storybook may be challenging to emulate in city local politics

A voté

Today's afternoon stroll

Not an island.

First outdoor nets of the year.

Olly Robbins is in front of the foreign affairs committee in an hour's time to give his side of the Mandelson vetting story. He is expected to say he followed the rules but here are the 5 things I'm looking for: 🧵

It's going to be even worse the next time they appoint Peter Mandelson

Doing a webinar with my very great @instituteforgovernment.org.uk colleagues tomorrow (Tues) lunchtime to try and unpack some of this post Starmer and Robbins statements - do sign up!

With the Peter Mandelson appointment as UK ambassador to the US back in the headlines, it's worth understanding how the UK government's national security vetting system actually works. Our explainer sets out the process: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/go...

The Artemis crew prepared for the communications blackout by trying to get a 5G data connection at Waterloo in the evening rush hour.

This morning's tank of diesel cost me more than my first car.

Who hasn't done something like this? I remember ordering a whole trailer of frozen doughnuts rather than the pallet I needed Took months to get through them

Hyperbowl @channel4news.bsky.social

Another charity - @taso.org.uk publishes results on something that didn't work - whether learning analytics could help find students with low wellbeing, and whether they could be nudged by an email. Fantastic that they are publishing the null result www.impactsimplified.co.uk/blog/two-yea...

14 mins late is the worst of all Delay Repay outcomes

It is completely mad that the government is expelling high flying Sudanese students from British universities - from a scheme that is explicitly aimed at the future leaders of countries.

One factor in the rapid rise of petrol prices is the govt's Fuel Finder data. Real time price data is useful to retailers as well as consumers. It used to take a day to get competitor prices and another to change at forecourts. The new system has halved this lag.

Isn't that Brian May?

@samfr.bsky.social Congrats on your FAcSS

A reminder that 'Building Schools for the Future' was cancelled long before it reached Surrey. Now hoping CIF bids for gaffer tape are accepted.

If you've never heard Gibraltarians talk, start here. Features Priti Patel and Suella Braverman.

Of course, in the alternative universe where @andyburnham.bsky.social easily won the #GortonAndDenton #Byelection for @labouruk.bsky.social, we'd still be having the #Starmer discussion this morning.

We're developing recommendations for central government to support better coordination in the SEND system. Have a read of the comment if you'd like a taste of some of the issues we'll be thinking about, and if you have any thoughts please get in touch!

There was a lot more than SEND to yesterday's Schools White Paper. I'm very interested in a new approach to measuring disadvantage and the long-awaited focus on MAT quality.

And h/t to The Melksham News for this one — obviously they reported it first: www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

Back at Manchester airport for first time in years. The customer experience is as dismal as ever.

At university open day. Questions to student ambassadors. - Why did you choose Manchester? - Cos I didn't get into my first choice.

Excellent article but stark reminder that for all the perceptions of universities as ivory towers for elites, they are actually vital hubs in towns n cities supporting local businesses and providing key services as well as education….

People living in England and Wales are much less likely to be victims of theft than in the 1990s ourworldindata.org/data-insight... #BrokenBritain

M&S have been doing this for a few years now.

Edtech update - the school has realised that half the kids are using an AI app for their maths homework app and now all must record their workings in ink in an exercise book. School has not yet realised the AI app shows all the workings to be copied down.

This is fun.

The Norwegian government is staying fairly quiet for now, but as a sign of the shifting vibe here the former head of Norway’s armed forces has come out and called the US a “neo-fascist banana republic” and a “hostile great power without norms”. www.dn.no/politikk/tid...

"It is the most shattering experience of a US President‘s life when one morning he awakes and quite reasonably says to himself 'I will never defeat the Dane.' “When that moment comes, one's ambition ceases."

Where does 50% of £99.99 = £34.99? That's Sports Direct maths.

According to BBC News, a bipartisan congressional delegation is visiting Greenland "to lower the temperature"

Is James Landale sporting a Bath Rugby hat in his report from Norway this evening?

Totally Danish: "both Løkke and Motzfeldt have a cigarette after the meeting"

Norway famous for low-tax

Camden

More public service and productivity improvement. It seemed remarkable that we were developing online exams but sticking to paper certificates. This will make enrollment of new 6th form students far less complicated. www.gov.uk/government/n...