Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Amy Clancy

Bookshop.org @bookshop.org · 3d

Can’t decide what to buy on Prime Day?

Try: absolutely nothing, and then go support indie bookstores instead 📚

Reposted by Amy Clancy

Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 9d

🚨 NEW: We’ve been told for years that private finance will fix Scotland’s nature crisis. Our new research shows why it won’t – and sets out a bold public-led alternative.

Highlights in 🧵
Read full report 👉 www.futureeconomy.scot/publications...

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Laurie Macfarlane @lmacfarlane.bsky.social · 9d

“In a new report, Future Economy Scotland said relying on investors such as banks, pension funds and asset managers was wasteful and counterproductive.”

Our report on why private finance won’t fix the nature crisis is covered in @theguardian.com 👇

NatureScot may raise ‘more than £100m’ in private investment for conservation

Investors in talks about supporting up to 15 government-backed nature restoration projects in Scotland

www.theguardian.com

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 10d

Yesterday, Rachel Reeves spoke of the choices facing the UK at the next Westminster election.

But Scotland’s choices come sooner - with the Holyrood election in May 2026.

We've set out 11 priorities for a fairer, more resilient Scotland. Now it’s up to the parties to take note.

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New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · 16d

The only people who benefitted from PFI were the private companies that made billions in profit from public money, while the public sector faced extraordinary bills, hospitals in special measures and mothballed schools. 1/2

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 16d

Fears of new PFI-style ‘disaster’ as firms handed £6m to advise on using private funds for NHS clinics

Exclusive: Consultants and lawyers hired to advise on using public-private partnerships to build ‘neighbourhood health centres’ in England Ministers have handed firms £6m in contracts to help devise plans to build a network of new NHS clinics using private capital, despite fears the move could turn into a PFI-style disaster. The Department of Health and Social Care has awarded contracts worth £3m each to the management consultants Deloitte and the lawyers Addleshaw Goddard. They are advising the DHSC on whether to use public-private partnerships (PPPs) to help build dozens of the promised “neighbourhood health centres” in England. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

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Amy Clancy @amyclancy.bsky.social · 21d

🍓📙🚀 Standing room only at tonight's sell-out book launch!

Grab a copy of the book and a ticket for events in Bristol, Leeds, Manchester, Norwich and Sheffield while you can 👇

🍓 www.in-abundance.org/latest/radic...

Abundance @abundance-org.bsky.social · 22d

TOMORROW is the launch of Radical Abundance: How to win a Green Democratic Future.

A new book by our co-directors @bertrussell.bsky.social, @kmilb.bsky.social & kaiheron.bsky.social, published by @plutopress.bsky.social.

Tickets are gone, but we've a waitlist: www.in-abundance.org/latest/book-...

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New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · 24d

Episode one of the latest series of the New Economics podcast is out now!

@faizashaheen.bsky.social and @alchap.bsky.social join Ayeisha Thomas-Smith to discuss where it's all gone wrong for Labour and why so many people are turning to Reform?

New Economics Podcast, Why is the UK in such a mess? With Faiza Shaheen, Tax Justice UK, and Alex Chapman, NEF. Out now.

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Amy Clancy @amyclancy.bsky.social · Sep 1

Fantastic opportunity to join NEF's brilliant economy and environment team!

New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · Sep 1

✨OPPORTUNITY: Researcher (Environment & Net Zero)

🕐 Full-time (32hr week)
📍 London-based (hybrid)
🪙 £42,868 - £45,850
🗓️ DL: 28 Sept 2025

Do you want to shape bold, evidence-based environmental policy and drive systemic change?

Apply now👇

neweconomics.org/about/work-w...

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · Aug 21

NEW: Scotland is at a crossroads of crises. The 2026 election must be a turning point towards transformative action.

Our new briefing sets out 11 bold, practical ideas to tackle the country’s biggest challenges.

It’s time to move beyond business-as-usual 👇

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Amy Clancy @amyclancy.bsky.social · Aug 18

[Your salary]* x 122 = Average CEO pay.

That’s not talent, that’s inequality baked into the system with a cherry on top.

* Average full-time worker

Equality Trust @equalitytrust.bsky.social · Aug 18

New figures from the @highpaycentre.bsky.social reveal a third successive record year for CEO pay while the rest of us struggle. Our huge inequality of income means this is 122 times more than the median full-time worker's salary.

FTSE 100 CEOs earn a median pay of £4.58m, 122 times the median full-time worker's salary, marking a third consecutive year of record pay.

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Amy Clancy @amyclancy.bsky.social · Aug 12

We must protect the right to dissent, not criminalise it.

NEF's Chief Executive @dhnnjyn.bsky.social on the arrests during the national march for Palestine that took place in London, last weekend.

New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · Aug 12

Protecting civic freedoms is essential to protecting democracy. It feels hugely disproportionate to treat peaceful protesters as terrorists. Our view on the weekend's arrests.

Text: Quote from Danny Sriskandarajah: "Keir Starmer and Yvette Cooper have continued the tradition of their predecessors in cracking down on the right to protest in the UK. The sight of hundreds of peaceful protestors being mass arrested should be a wake-up call to the dangers of shrinking the space for legal protest. We mustn't forget the context in which these protests are taking place. We have all spent the last 20 months looking in horror at images of death, starvation and destruction in Gaza – while the international community seems unable or unwilling to stop the atrocities or hold Israel to account for violations of international humanitarian law and principles. It feels hugely disproportionate to treat protestors as terrorists for peacefully expressing the horror and anguish many of us are feeling right now."

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Amy Clancy @amyclancy.bsky.social · Jul 24

I was on Syros last week. A quiet, lesser-known Greek island.

It seems even the quietest places know when silence becomes complicity, and when simple actions can speak volumes.

Yanis Varoufakis @yanisvaroufakis.bsky.social · Jul 22

Ever so proud of the good people of Syros www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

Israeli cruise ship turned away from Greek island by Gaza war protest

Tourists greeted on Syros by banner saying Stop the Genocide and prevented from disembarking

www.theguardian.com

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · Jun 30

🏠 Scotland’s rents have surged by 32 % since May 2020.

This means tenants are paying an average of £245 more per month - in a cost-of-living crisis.

🧵

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Abundance @abundance-org.bsky.social · Jun 26

Radical Abundance: How to Win a Green Democratic Future, by our founding co-directors @bertrussell.bsky.social, @kmilb.bsky.social, and @kaiheron.bsky.social.

Release date: 20 September 2025.

Available to pre-order now from @plutopress.bsky.social (via link below).
in-abundance.org/latest/new-b...

Radical Abundance: How to Win a Green Democratic Future (available to preorder)

Jun 25, 2025

in-abundance.org

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Abundance @abundance-org.bsky.social · Jun 26

"Rivers of sewage, mountains of debt, and the danger of repeating past mistakes"

In our new blog, @bertrussell.bsky.social and @kmilb.bsky.social set out why, to truly serve the public, Thames Water must be brought under social control.

📖 Read Beyond Bailouts: www.in-abundance.org/latest/beyon...

In times of extreme water shortage

...which taps should be turned off first?

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Fe Balata @febalata.bsky.social · Jun 12

The #SpendingReview may appear 'fiscally prudent', but it’s taking place in an era of uncontrolled billionaire wealth. This @equalitytrust.bsky.social report equalitytrust.org.uk/evidence-bas... underlines how wealth is a profound societal issue that demands both moral and policy attention.

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New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · May 29

"New Labour took 14 years and billions of pounds worth of policies to lift half a million children out of poverty.

Keir Starmer could do the same overnight with one policy costing just a fraction of that."

NEF's @maxmosley.bsky.social on @lbc.co.uk calling for removal of the two-child benefit cap.

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Amy Clancy @amyclancy.bsky.social · May 28

No more "Bullshit Abundance".

The proofs are in.

Pre-order your copy of Radical Abundance now:
www.plutobooks.com/978074535135...

By @kaiheron.bsky.social @bertrussell.bsky.social russell.bsky.social @kmilb.bsky.social

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Amy Clancy @amyclancy.bsky.social · Apr 29

Today, various pieces of coverage have tried to pin the blame for the blackout on net zero. In this blog for the @neweconomics.bsky.social, @chaitanyakumar.bsky.social explains why this completely misses the point. I recommend giving it a read. 2/2

neweconomics.org/2025/04/blam...

Blaming the blackout on net zero won’t keep the lights on

The blackout in Spain and Portugal is a reminder of the complexities involved in modernising our energy systems. Rather than retreating from net zero we need to rise to the challenge.

neweconomics.org

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Amy Clancy @amyclancy.bsky.social · Apr 29

Around this time yesterday, under the glow of candlelight, listening to a crackling wind-up radio, I was counting the contents of my child's money box - trying to work out how much we had to spend on essentials if the blackout continued (spoiler: not enough). 1/2

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New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · Mar 26

This government says they're cutting benefits to encourage people to work.

But the DWP & OBR between them haven't yet been able to forecast any impact on employment outcomes.

They're causing huge hardship without any analysis of whether it will even help meet their goals.

Text: [Redacted] number of people who will move into work as a result of benefits cuts. Accompanied by bar graph showing no data , only questions.

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Amy Clancy @amyclancy.bsky.social · Mar 26

Cutting benefits to meet made-up fiscal rules is a choice.

A harmful and shortsighted decision that is not necessary, and it is not likely to succeed.

Other options exist, and should be pursued. #wealthtax

Danny Sriskandarajah @dhnnjyn.bsky.social · Mar 26

Some thoughts ahead of the Chancellor's #SpringStatement later today. Sticking to arbitrary fiscal rules is a choice & cutting spending is unlikely to deliver savings in the long run. Follow @neweconomics.bsky.social for updates and commentary during the day

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Good Law Project @goodlawproject.bsky.social · Mar 23

📆 One week left!

We're looking for a passionate campaigner/journalist to join our team.

Apply below 👇
goodlawproject.org/vacancy/jour...

Journalist/Campaigner: Project "No One Left Behind" | Good Law Project

Join the team at Good Law Project

goodlawproject.org

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Frances Ryan @francesryan.bsky.social · Mar 15

Reading The Times report on speculated PIP cuts, I’m struck by not only how many people will lose vital support but how much we are already degraded to qualify. Have a stranger ask you how you wash “below the waist” and then tell us how easy it is to claim disability benefits.

Needing help to wash your hair or your body below the waist would not meet the new threshold while needing help to wash your upper body would. Needing help going to the lavatory is above the threshold, but needing reminding to go would fall below it. Needing prompting to engage with other people face to face would not meet the new test; needing help to do so would.

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New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · Mar 13

"Balancing the books on the backs of some of the most vulnerable in society is austerity, no matter how you want to spin it. After over a decade of brutal spending cuts, the UK has the weakest social safety net in the developed world.”

NEF's Hannah Peaker in @the-independent.com 1/2

Starmer insists ‘no return to austerity’ despite benefits and civil service cuts

The government has axed NHS England and is expected to unveil billions of pounds of cuts to benefit spending

www.independent.co.uk

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