Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Alasdair Mackenzie

CarolineJMolloy @carolinejmolloy.bsky.social · 3h

Amazing how a #bbcqt audience that presumably has been warmed up a bit by Zack amongst others, is sounding so basically decent on the whole, almost like beyond the Westminster village idiots & media tarts all thrilling to crypto fascism, there’s a world of sensible people

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Reposted by Alasdair Mackenzie

Alasdair Mackenzie @alasdairmackenzie.bsky.social · 6h

This isn’t as bad as its headline, but it’d have benefited from reminding readers what the ECHR mainly prevents governments from doing in the immigration field, ie expelling people to face torture or similarly inhuman treatment, and tearing apart families with non-British members for no good reason

Would leaving the ECHR really 'stop the boats'?

The extent to which leaving the Convention would make a difference to immigration has been greatly exaggerated, argues Lord Sumption

www.bbc.co.uk

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Reposted by Alasdair Mackenzie

Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · 8h

🧵🚨

The UK’s independent scientific bodies are highly vulnerable to politicisation - over the past 5 months I've been working with @martinmckee.bsky.social to map out their vulnerabilities and it's not good news.

Today our report is published!
www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...

1/11

UK’s arm’s length public bodies are highly vulnerable to politicisation

Seven in ten Britons say it is important for top scientific institutions to be independent in exclusive new polling.

www.ucl.ac.uk

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Reposted by Alasdair Mackenzie

Greg Jenner @gregjenner.bsky.social · 7h

Just to say that teachers do an incredibly difficult job, with all the right intentions, and can be the defining influence on a young person's life. They are the exact opposite of poisoners because good teaching provides the antidote to so many dangers

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 7h

Nigel Farage says UK teachers are ‘poisoning our kids’ and predicts strikes as PM

Exclusive: Reform UK leader, speaking at event for private US college, also claimed the ‘Marxist left’ controls education Nigel Farage has predicted teachers would go on strike within weeks of a Reform UK government, and accused them of “poisoning our kids” by telling them that black children are victims and white children oppressors. The Reform UK leader set out his view on British schools in an event for a private US Christian college in Michigan, claiming the “Marxist left” was “now in control of our education system”. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Alasdair Mackenzie

Islington Green Party @islingtongreens.bsky.social · 11h

More than 750 members in ISLINGTON ALONE

We are only getting started 👉🏻 join.greenparty.org.uk

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Alasdair Mackenzie @alasdairmackenzie.bsky.social · 6h

Dominic Casciani is generally much better than most of his colleagues, but even he can’t avoid this BBC habit of seeing every complex issue mainly through the lens of what it means for UK party politics

Alasdair Mackenzie @alasdairmackenzie.bsky.social · 6h

This isn’t as bad as its headline, but it’d have benefited from reminding readers what the ECHR mainly prevents governments from doing in the immigration field, ie expelling people to face torture or similarly inhuman treatment, and tearing apart families with non-British members for no good reason

Would leaving the ECHR really 'stop the boats'?

The extent to which leaving the Convention would make a difference to immigration has been greatly exaggerated, argues Lord Sumption

www.bbc.co.uk

1 8

Alasdair Mackenzie @alasdairmackenzie.bsky.social · 6h

This isn’t as bad as its headline, but it’d have benefited from reminding readers what the ECHR mainly prevents governments from doing in the immigration field, ie expelling people to face torture or similarly inhuman treatment, and tearing apart families with non-British members for no good reason

Would leaving the ECHR really 'stop the boats'?

The extent to which leaving the Convention would make a difference to immigration has been greatly exaggerated, argues Lord Sumption

www.bbc.co.uk

13 27

Reposted by Alasdair Mackenzie

Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 10h

Latest poll puts Greens just two points behind Labour. When I said we weren't here to be disappointed in Labour but to replace them, I meant it.

Join us and let's make hope normal again.

join.greenparty.org.uk

Poll from find out now showing greens on 15 and labour and Tories on 17. Reform on 32.

77 470 1.7K

Alasdair Mackenzie @alasdairmackenzie.bsky.social · 12h

Also, I’m fairly unconvinced by “No *obviously* I wouldn’t work for the murderous ghouls in Tehran, but these murderous ghouls in Riyadh have told me they’re changing!”

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Reposted by Alasdair Mackenzie

Alasdair Mackenzie @alasdairmackenzie.bsky.social · 1d

There’s a step change from a party which achieves its malign ends within the traditional conception of our constitution & one which is prepared to lay waste to it, and the Tories have rapidly moved from one to the other. But you’d understand none of that from reading the BBC’s political editor.

Alasdair Mackenzie @alasdairmackenzie.bsky.social · 1d

As you’d expect, Chris is absolutely “fascinated” by the goings-on at the Tory Party conference and what they say about its polling. So much so that he forgot the bits he was going to put in about all the Blackshirt posturing or the party’s trashing of the rule of law

Kemi Badenoch hopes to grab attention with policy blitz

The Tory leader's conference speech included a new pledge to scrap stamp duty on the purchase of main homes.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Reposted by Alasdair Mackenzie

Alasdair Mackenzie @alasdairmackenzie.bsky.social · 1d

This is an awful lot of words to avoid saying “I took wheelbarrows full of cash to whitewash a monarchy which imprisons women’s rights activists and executes its critics”

I have been criticised for being part of the Riyadh comedy festival. This is why I did it | Omid Djalili

The headlines focus on money, but the gigs were great and I think there are different ways to achieve progress. Art, especially comedy, can be part of that, says stand-up comedian, Omid Djalili.

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Alasdair Mackenzie

Alasdair Mackenzie @alasdairmackenzie.bsky.social · 1d

Tory centrists, giving migrants a kicking, but with “a humanitarian mindset“

Has Kemi Badenoch sounded the death knell for one nation Conservatism?

The Tory leader’s shift to the right has left its centrist wing wondering if its tradition still has a future

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Alasdair Mackenzie

Alasdair Mackenzie @alasdairmackenzie.bsky.social · 1d

As you’d expect, Chris is absolutely “fascinated” by the goings-on at the Tory Party conference and what they say about its polling. So much so that he forgot the bits he was going to put in about all the Blackshirt posturing or the party’s trashing of the rule of law

Kemi Badenoch hopes to grab attention with policy blitz

The Tory leader's conference speech included a new pledge to scrap stamp duty on the purchase of main homes.

www.bbc.co.uk

3 4 27

Alasdair Mackenzie @alasdairmackenzie.bsky.social · 1d

By the way the answer to the question here is obviously “yes, but they’re too complacent or blinkered to notice”

Has Kemi Badenoch sounded the death knell for one nation Conservatism?

The Tory leader’s shift to the right has left its centrist wing wondering if its tradition still has a future

www.theguardian.com

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Alasdair Mackenzie @alasdairmackenzie.bsky.social · 1d

Would’ve been shorter and less tedious

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Alasdair Mackenzie @alasdairmackenzie.bsky.social · 1d

Tory centrists, giving migrants a kicking, but with “a humanitarian mindset“

Has Kemi Badenoch sounded the death knell for one nation Conservatism?

The Tory leader’s shift to the right has left its centrist wing wondering if its tradition still has a future

www.theguardian.com

1 1 7

Alasdair Mackenzie @alasdairmackenzie.bsky.social · 1d

This is an awful lot of words to avoid saying “I took wheelbarrows full of cash to whitewash a monarchy which imprisons women’s rights activists and executes its critics”

I have been criticised for being part of the Riyadh comedy festival. This is why I did it | Omid Djalili

The headlines focus on money, but the gigs were great and I think there are different ways to achieve progress. Art, especially comedy, can be part of that, says stand-up comedian, Omid Djalili.

www.theguardian.com

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Alasdair Mackenzie @alasdairmackenzie.bsky.social · 1d

The same, amazingly

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Alasdair Mackenzie @alasdairmackenzie.bsky.social · 1d

There’s a step change from a party which achieves its malign ends within the traditional conception of our constitution & one which is prepared to lay waste to it, and the Tories have rapidly moved from one to the other. But you’d understand none of that from reading the BBC’s political editor.

Alasdair Mackenzie @alasdairmackenzie.bsky.social · 1d

As you’d expect, Chris is absolutely “fascinated” by the goings-on at the Tory Party conference and what they say about its polling. So much so that he forgot the bits he was going to put in about all the Blackshirt posturing or the party’s trashing of the rule of law

Kemi Badenoch hopes to grab attention with policy blitz

The Tory leader's conference speech included a new pledge to scrap stamp duty on the purchase of main homes.

www.bbc.co.uk

1 4 21

Alasdair Mackenzie @alasdairmackenzie.bsky.social · 1d

As you’d expect, Chris is absolutely “fascinated” by the goings-on at the Tory Party conference and what they say about its polling. So much so that he forgot the bits he was going to put in about all the Blackshirt posturing or the party’s trashing of the rule of law

Kemi Badenoch hopes to grab attention with policy blitz

The Tory leader's conference speech included a new pledge to scrap stamp duty on the purchase of main homes.

www.bbc.co.uk

3 4 27

Reposted by Alasdair Mackenzie

flyingrodent @flyingrodent.bsky.social · 1d

Surely not the miracle technology that’s going to rescue us, and Britain in particular

Bank of England warns of growing risk that AI bubble could burst

Possibility of ‘sharp market correction has increased’, says Bank’s financial policy committee

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Alasdair Mackenzie

Claudio Francavilla @claudiofrancavilla.bsky.social · 1d

Many of the amazing comedians who performed in Saudi Arabia often portray themselves as free speech champions, denounce "cancel culture"

Yet they didn't didn't say a word about those jailed in the country precisely for speaking up: www.hrw.org/news/2025/10...

Saudi Arabia: Comedians Silent on Detained Activists

Comedians performing at the Riyadh Comedy Festival did not use their public platform to urge Saudi authorities to free unjustly detained Saudi dissidents, journalists, and human rights activists

www.hrw.org

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Reposted by Alasdair Mackenzie

ACORN the union @acornunion.bsky.social · 1d

This isn’t an unavoidable fact of life. It’s the direct result of policy choices made my those in power.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

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Reposted by Alasdair Mackenzie

Hanniba-LINA Lecter 💀 @agirlcalledlina.bsky.social · 1d

Counterpoint destroying Britain in its current state is good actually

Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 1d

My secret evil plot to ‘destroy Britain’ has been unveiled by (checks notes) the same paper that endorsed Liz Truss.

If I don’t know better I’d say we’ve got them entirely rattled.

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Greens who want to save the world by destroying Britain.

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