Alistair
@aebaldwin.bsky.social
Transport policy wonk in the North of England. Own views.
Cares too much about assurance frameworks, devolution and cats.
Cares too much about assurance frameworks, devolution and cats.
As if today couldn't get any more exciting, I've learnt there's a new Neil Breen film coming out. Excitingly, he appears to play a secret agent/pilot and has quit the green screen. @stejormur.bsky.social
November 26, 2025 at 7:05 PM
As if today couldn't get any more exciting, I've learnt there's a new Neil Breen film coming out. Excitingly, he appears to play a secret agent/pilot and has quit the green screen. @stejormur.bsky.social
You know you're in the hipster pub in Bradford when it has a Rita, Sue and Bob Too version of a Sonic Youth album cover on the wall.
November 25, 2025 at 8:27 PM
You know you're in the hipster pub in Bradford when it has a Rita, Sue and Bob Too version of a Sonic Youth album cover on the wall.
I hope you will all have your sets tuned to Parliamentlive.tv this week for the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill Report stage.
What’s happening in Parliament this week?
💷 Budget Day: Chancellor unveils Budget
📺 BBC editorial standards scrutinised at Culture Select Cmtt
🇺🇦 Foreign Affairs Cmtt holds joint session with Ukrainian, Polish, Finnish & Czech counterparts
👇 Read our Parliament Matters Bulletin. Link in next post.
💷 Budget Day: Chancellor unveils Budget
📺 BBC editorial standards scrutinised at Culture Select Cmtt
🇺🇦 Foreign Affairs Cmtt holds joint session with Ukrainian, Polish, Finnish & Czech counterparts
👇 Read our Parliament Matters Bulletin. Link in next post.
November 23, 2025 at 8:44 PM
I hope you will all have your sets tuned to Parliamentlive.tv this week for the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill Report stage.
Leaning Into It by going to an exhibition about signs on my day off
November 21, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Leaning Into It by going to an exhibition about signs on my day off
Reposted by Alistair
RAILBUS FOR THE 80'S (1978)
November 21, 2025 at 9:51 AM
RAILBUS FOR THE 80'S (1978)
Reposted by Alistair
In the Box: reflections on working in Parliament.
In the Box
I recently left the civil after thirty years, and while I have no regrets, one thing I do miss - not least as a former politics student and an unapologetic constitutional geek - is the opportunity to ...
jembenson.substack.com
November 16, 2025 at 7:21 PM
In the Box: reflections on working in Parliament.
I say bring back 12 minute films about moving one transformer to North Wales.
November 15, 2025 at 5:55 PM
I say bring back 12 minute films about moving one transformer to North Wales.
People may have an interest in this new report published yesterday: assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/691214...
November 11, 2025 at 9:52 AM
People may have an interest in this new report published yesterday: assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/691214...
This is great. The alternate history where Newcastle completed it's own three urban motorways would have led to a very different city
November 9, 2025 at 10:52 AM
This is great. The alternate history where Newcastle completed it's own three urban motorways would have led to a very different city
Looking forward to going to this event tomorrow, over the road from DfT in Leeds
TOMORROW | IfG DevoLab #3: How devolution can improve transport connectivity
Join us at 10:30, live from Leeds, to hear from Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, Huw Jenkins @lpoolcityregion.bsky.social, Richard Crabtree and @jillongovt.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/devola...
Join us at 10:30, live from Leeds, to hear from Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, Huw Jenkins @lpoolcityregion.bsky.social, Richard Crabtree and @jillongovt.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/devola...
November 5, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Looking forward to going to this event tomorrow, over the road from DfT in Leeds
@stejormur.bsky.social reading this article about a French quizzer where one of his greatest skills is paying attention, do you think he's inspired by Ray Smuckles? www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...
November 4, 2025 at 7:42 PM
@stejormur.bsky.social reading this article about a French quizzer where one of his greatest skills is paying attention, do you think he's inspired by Ray Smuckles? www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...
Reposted by Alistair
London's Ringways are a whole network of unbuilt urban motorways threaded through the capital. There's never been a complete map of them,not even one made by their designers, until now. Today we're publishing the Ringways Map from @roads.org.uk to let you see in the city that London nearly became.
November 3, 2025 at 3:03 PM
London's Ringways are a whole network of unbuilt urban motorways threaded through the capital. There's never been a complete map of them,not even one made by their designers, until now. Today we're publishing the Ringways Map from @roads.org.uk to let you see in the city that London nearly became.
One for both the bridge and the scaffolding fans there.
November 1, 2025 at 3:10 PM
One for both the bridge and the scaffolding fans there.
Good news everyone, the Fizz Weekend *is* available
October 30, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Good news everyone, the Fizz Weekend *is* available
Merry English Indices of Deprivation day to all who celebrate: www.gov.uk/government/s...
October 30, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Merry English Indices of Deprivation day to all who celebrate: www.gov.uk/government/s...
Bluesky clearly the place to go for the Nieuw Sociaal Contract jokes. Not sure what this says about Bluesky, tbh.
October 29, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Bluesky clearly the place to go for the Nieuw Sociaal Contract jokes. Not sure what this says about Bluesky, tbh.
You know you live in the North East when this is your local breaking news
October 28, 2025 at 3:38 PM
You know you live in the North East when this is your local breaking news
Me when people ask why I'm late getting into Great Minster House
THE VICTORIA LINE REPORT NO 3: PROBLEMS AND PROGRESS (1967)
October 24, 2025 at 10:11 AM
Me when people ask why I'm late getting into Great Minster House
British culinary innovation update
October 18, 2025 at 2:21 PM
British culinary innovation update
Tfw when you're going to a gig in a location refurbished by not one, but two abolished regeneration agencies
October 17, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Tfw when you're going to a gig in a location refurbished by not one, but two abolished regeneration agencies
I am shortly to get back into Newcastle from London and will report on the situation in the 23hr Greggs opposite the station in response to his win (if I fancy a sausage roll)
Hometown hero winning!
Geordie Springsteen Sam Fender gets the 2025 Mercury Music Prize in Newcastle
Whole album on BBC 6Music right now just started
youtu.be/5cXCUp6j5M8?...
Geordie Springsteen Sam Fender gets the 2025 Mercury Music Prize in Newcastle
Whole album on BBC 6Music right now just started
youtu.be/5cXCUp6j5M8?...
Sam Fender - People Watching (Official Video starring Andrew Scott)
YouTube video by SamFenderVEVO
youtu.be
October 16, 2025 at 9:16 PM
I am shortly to get back into Newcastle from London and will report on the situation in the 23hr Greggs opposite the station in response to his win (if I fancy a sausage roll)
Quite excited by the 'Self drawn optician sign' aesthetic I'm seeing in London
October 15, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Quite excited by the 'Self drawn optician sign' aesthetic I'm seeing in London
GEH is over five
In honour of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand.
rm -rf ~/
rm -rf ~/
"The chancellor approved it"
October 12, 2025 at 12:00 PM
GEH is over five
Somehow, none of these people are saying Nigel Blackwell from Half Man Half Biscuit.
I also need to know: I am fairly middle-of-the-road on Taylor Swift but someone I know called her the Greatest Living Lyricist. She is not.
Who is yours? Either the greatest or your favorite?
Who is yours? Either the greatest or your favorite?
October 9, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Somehow, none of these people are saying Nigel Blackwell from Half Man Half Biscuit.
After having forgotten about it for ages, have just been reminded of Harold Wilson's 'Little things that mean a lot' list and cheered by the archaic term 'juggernaut' (what we now call HGVs)
October 7, 2025 at 8:05 AM
After having forgotten about it for ages, have just been reminded of Harold Wilson's 'Little things that mean a lot' list and cheered by the archaic term 'juggernaut' (what we now call HGVs)