Excellent piece by @lewisgoodall.com on the BBC mess and how the principle of impartiality has been distorted open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...

It's always good to see priests who still remember there are *seven* Catholic social principles. Also, that noise you hear is the USCCB screeching to the Vatican and getting back nothing, lol

Another piece of (excellent) research showing that support for the far-right is never going to be driven purely by either 'culture' or 'economics'. Inevitably, both are involved - and they're often inseparable.

Since Google search has been so enshittified, I’m hoping someone on #booksky with #fantasy knowledge can help. A few years ago I read a GREAT book from the library, a fantasy “real world” medieval setting with Edward III, and Roger Mortimer, and Isabella, and there were angels/demons? Any ideas?

So much of the absurdity in how some elites talk about Charlie Kirk—or navigate the authoritarian politics of this regime—stems from political science’s and the elite class’s fixation on polarization, and the misguided belief that it’s inherently bad and that the “remedy” is civil submission.

Our new BARN Cymru poll run with @itvcymruwales.bsky.social and @yougov.co.uk has landed 📈 #Senedd26 #Wales #Cymru

Really good to see initiatives like this. One excellent way to get much needed resource into social housing. Reliable, long-term, decent investment. And will have huge positive impact on the city and people living there.

Profoundly important from @davidallengreen.bsky.social. The lack of meaningful restraints against executing power in our system leaves us utterly exposed in the face of a Reform government. They could do whatever they want. open.substack.com/pub/emptycit...

I am one of the 14 authors who chose to leave the Polari Prize, and I find myself frustrated and saddened at the way this entire story has been represented. 1/

That’s M&S gone from my list then. And I hope the employee has good legal advice as this doesn’t sound like a safe working environment.

Look I know this is hard to reckon with but we don’t have time any longer to wait for you to catch up. This Labour government is in fact worse than the last 15 years of Tory led governments. For us all. And talking specifically about our LGBTQIA+ sector for a second… we need to acknowledge this.

The trans rights stitch-up: How the government plans to silence parliamentary debate on the most far-reaching restriction of minority rights in our lifetime open.substack.com/pub/iandunt/...

Didn’t have John Redwood as a nascent Welsh independence supporter.

Yesterday I used this "AI -Free Statement" in a conference talk for the first time. Still trying to figure out the exact language. Feel free to borrow, modify, etc.

The maths problem you have to solve to become one of the Government's new disruptors. Which shows the same diagnostic error as Cummings: state reform as a complicated rather than complex challenge. It will attract some good people so no harm. But won't confront fundamental institutional challenges.

I know this is a pretty niche part of the “fascist slide” discourse, but how on earth are postmodernists being blamed for this? A critique of the ways in which knowledge is gathered, an acknowledgement that the modes of research and data gathering are often controlled by “in-groups”…

Labour in Wales were frenziedly spinning the Spending Review claiming how they delivered a good deal for Wales. The truth is that Labour run Wales is one of the losers, while SNP run Scotland has gained. Can someone explain to me how this partnership in power thing is working?

This absolute icon at Canterbury Pride 🩷🤍🩵

I’m convinced someone made her use the Sword of Shannara on herself, and the truth of her inadequacy made her quite mad.

The democratic deficit in our local government processes which are largely held up by well meaning councillors and officers who may resist scrutiny at times but who generally, broadly, overall, stick to committees, etc, is about to be ruthlessly exploited by Reform. We will then see…

Is the assumption in the subheading that the Supreme Court actually made any judgement at all about what we can say and how we communicate? How we write stories and title them?! That’s an utterly bizarre overreach - but all deliberate to confuse and scare.

Does anyone know if JK Rowling has ever done a swab to prove her “biological” sex? I think it should be important that all TERFs do this to demonstrate they are *really* women. (Except obviously nobody expects women to subject themselves to that, unless they “look” trans! 🙄)

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes.

kind of obsessed with 2025 pride merch...I'm calling it cowardcore.

Some see excellent myth-busting, others see a field full of felled strawmen

Finished “The Hollow Places” by @tkingfisher.com today - what a curious, unsettling, captivating, fascinating, chilling book with friendship for people and things on every page. Loved it!

*playing with a jangling banjo* “Caaan’t taaaake proooooperties wiiiith youuuuu.” Second verse: “You proooobbly weeeren’t paaaaying muuuuch anyway.” Third verse: “Hoooowww skiiin deeep is youuur patriotiiiiism.” Instant hit. 😉

The people I’ve seen leaving Labour are loyal members for years, people who believe in the party and have accepted trade offs over the years, but this feels different right now. Despite having been a LD, I’ve voted Lab more - tactically. Can I do that again to stop Reform? I really don’t know.

Salutary lesson for Labour too. Do we want nuanced or apologetic right wing populism or do we want effective, brutal populism? Or maybe… neither? 🤔

With this speech he has just surrendered any of the messaging needed to dispute the constant myth that immigration caused pressure on our housing. It’s utterly disgusting.

Yet another incident where cis women are confronted by angry violent men pushing their way into women's spaces to demand they prove that they are really women And this is what Labour want MORE of, not less?! Ridiculous

I don't 'refuse to use' AI, I just don't use AI; in the same way that I don't shoplift, or plagiarise other people's books - it requires no effort of will, it's just not something I would think of doing

LOTR: The Four Towers. 56 Days Later. Oceans Twenty Two.

What @robfordmancs.bsky.social perfectly encapsulated as “Farage is right, don’t vote for him”

Electing a centre left party is not a sure sign you will get centre-left politics and counter the far right The UK should be a cautionary tale for Canada on the need to keep the pressure on for real, concrete alternatives to a failing system reacpol.net/starmer-far-...

pics of frankie at the cardiff trans protest yesterday! amazing turnout and such a great gathering of people :) if you managed to snag a glimpse of this froggie let me know >w< #transrights

1,100 pieces against trans people in just 4 papers over 1 year. Almost 1 a day per paper. With absolutely no recourse at all. Is it any wonder that trans people are both angry and terrified?

As I warned in my latest post: Do not underestimate the gravity of the Trump Shock of 2nd April, 2025. Above all, do not underestimate the impact it will have on your pension, your investments, possibly your job, and your economy - wherever you may be. annpettifor.substack.com/p/the-trump-...

The British automotive industry contributes £22bn to the UK economy. The creative industries contribute £124bn. Fucksake. Stop AI copyright theft.

Hate to be millennial about it all but it is just mental that my whole working life has just been a series of recessions and “economic shocks”, underpinned by stagnant wages

For anyone not already disappointed and angry about the proposed changes to disability benefits I would implore you to read the UK Government's own impact assessment. It makes for grim reading. Drastic and urgent change in approach is needed. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67e3fb...

Absolutely this. If you’re a party that has banned puberty blockers specifically for trans young people but not for other reasons then it’s an ideological ban (looking at Labour). You don’t get to march in Pride after that.

Me and countless other authors today…😂

PIP is not an "out of work benefit". A lot of what people use PIP for is to actually help them work. Making it harder to access will mean fewer people get genuine, rather than political soundbites, support. It is going to devastate lives. This is a cruel and pointless policy which only causes harm.

Tim Loughton, former Children’s Minister…….

Please stop sleeping, stop sleeping on this, it's happening.

“Generative models don’t do negative space, or rather, they don’t to it asymmetrically.” God I wish I’d written that sentence - beautiful!

And when people get ill because they’re not heating their homes, or eating well, or when they can’t afford rent, I wonder where they’ll go? NHS, homelessness services… which cost far more! Utterly stupid, cruel, pointless choices.

We are delighted to contribute to Ferdinando & Luigi Innocenti Foundation's ambitious vision through our report Sparking Joy: Creating thriving environments for young people to thrive, written by Dr Jen Daffin fli.foundation/news/sparkin...