Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Mike Small

Ewan Gibbs @ewangibbs.bsky.social · 9h

There has been plenty analysis of the Tory crisis at a journalistic level but @philbc3.bsky.social explains the longer term historical and sociological challenges facing the party of Britain’s ruling class. Essential listening from @poltheoryother.bsky.social. open.spotify.com/episode/0BCp...

When the party's over w/ Phil Burton-Cartledge

open.spotify.com

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Mike Small @bellacaledonia.bsky.social · 9h

Ash Regan quits Alba. Some commentators fear that this may mean the end of the IRT (Independence Readiness Thermometer). Abla Cadabra bellacaledonia.org.uk/2025/10/10/a...

Abla Cadabra

Ash Regan, the Alba Party’s only member in the Scottish Parliament, has resigned immediately citing concerns over the party’s direction, leaving Alba without Holyrood representation ahe…

bellacaledonia.org.uk

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Mike Small @bellacaledonia.bsky.social · 18h

HERE COMES THE SUN! jonathonporritt.com/solar-plus-r... @scottishbeacon.bsky.social

HERE COMES THE SUN! - Jonathon Porritt

Bill McKibben’s Here Comes the Sun captures a moment of true transformation. Jonathon Porritt explores why the Solar+ revolution – solar, wind, storage and efficiency combined – may be the most libera...

jonathonporritt.com

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Mike Small @bellacaledonia.bsky.social · 1d

In non-Bella news I'm doing a talk at the Edinburgh Futures Institute 'Patrick Geddes and the Anarchist Strain of Town Planning' is on 30 October. It's free and open to all - but book your tickets here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/patrick-ge...

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Mike Small @bellacaledonia.bsky.social · 1d

Trump and Blair’s ‘Peace Plan’ bellacaledonia.org.uk/2025/10/09/t...

Trump and Blair’s ‘Peace Plan’

The ceasefire and the release of hostages and the possibility of aid getting through to a deliberately starved population are all to be welcomed. Still, significant questions remain about what happ…

bellacaledonia.org.uk

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Reposted by Mike Small

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 2d

The Conservatives have pledged they will increase the number of deportations to 150k/year

- while significantly reducing the size of the civil service
- without increasing government spending and taxation.
- and opposing mandatory identification.

migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/co...

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Mike Small @bellacaledonia.bsky.social · 2d

Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair and Enoch Powell are the ghosts haunting Late Britain
open.substack.com/pub/fiftysix...

The Haunted House of Late Britain

Late Britain is like one giant haunted house, with ghosts everywhere.

open.substack.com

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Mike Small @bellacaledonia.bsky.social · 3d

The Haunted House of Late Britain
open.substack.com/pub/fiftysix...

The Haunted House of Late Britain

Late Britain is like one giant haunted house, with ghosts everywhere.

open.substack.com

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Mike Small @bellacaledonia.bsky.social · 4d

where?

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Mike Small @bellacaledonia.bsky.social · 4d

What happens when, potentially, most of the UK population is breaking the law? Can government even function at that point? asks Stewart Bremner ...

bellacaledonia.org.uk/2025/10/06/h...

Hyper-Normalisation and the Criminalistion of Protest

The UK government is planning to clamp down even harder on peaceful protest against the genocide in Gaza. Given their support of the Israel — through the supply of weapons parts, troop training and…

bellacaledonia.org.uk

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Mike Small @bellacaledonia.bsky.social · 4d

Mark Perryman calls time on the forthcoming Thatcher Centenary bellacaledonia.org.uk/2025/10/06/t...

Thatcherism Today

Mark Perryman calls time on the forthcoming Thatcher Centenary. Margaret Thatcher’s 13 October 2025 centenary is a moment to reflect on how she, or more accurately ‘Thatcherism’, …

bellacaledonia.org.uk

Mike Small @bellacaledonia.bsky.social · 4d

Palantir Technologies – the surveillance company co-founded by Trump ally Peter Thiel – has secured at least 24 contracts across key UK public institutions, and is now working with both the Israeli and the British military. bellacaledonia.org.uk/2025/10/06/p...