Dr Martin Roberts
@robertsmartino.bsky.social
Medieval & Early Modern Historian (PhD Nottingham 2020). Writes about C16 Church Courts. Postdoctoral Researcher @ University of Lincoln. Once a lawyer. Still overweight. Increasingly bald. Never keen on Fascists. Philogynist.
Pinned
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
The media really will treat LLMs as human before they give trans people the same courtesy
November 25, 2025 at 9:39 PM
The media really will treat LLMs as human before they give trans people the same courtesy
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
I want David Lammy to read this particular case. I want him to understand what it means.
November 25, 2025 at 9:35 PM
I want David Lammy to read this particular case. I want him to understand what it means.
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
The literal Habeas Corpus Act, the thing itself! was enacted to destroy Star Chamber and everything it represented about arbitrary tyranny masquerading as 'justice''.
That was 1640.
How we doin' there mister Lawyer Labour Prime Minister? How we doin'?
That was 1640.
How we doin' there mister Lawyer Labour Prime Minister? How we doin'?
Jury trials in England and Wales to be scrapped except for most serious cases on.ft.com/3LY1Ceq
Jury trials in England and Wales to be scrapped except for most serious cases
Proposed changes unlikely to apply for trials of serious offences such as rape and murder
on.ft.com
November 25, 2025 at 5:20 PM
The literal Habeas Corpus Act, the thing itself! was enacted to destroy Star Chamber and everything it represented about arbitrary tyranny masquerading as 'justice''.
That was 1640.
How we doin' there mister Lawyer Labour Prime Minister? How we doin'?
That was 1640.
How we doin' there mister Lawyer Labour Prime Minister? How we doin'?
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
What? Bridget, you and Labour are destroying universities - why won’t you help with the many crises across UKHE? That target won’t be reached because there won’t be provision for them to attend - especially when they’ll presumably have to live at home
Always the way, isn't it? Graduate from top uni says other people shouldn't aspire to go to university.
The Prime Minister's target – two thirds of young people getting a degree or an apprenticeship – is the right one. Only Labour backs our young people.
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
The Prime Minister's target – two thirds of young people getting a degree or an apprenticeship – is the right one. Only Labour backs our young people.
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
Reform UK bigwig who went to top university says fewer others should do the same
Reform UK's former chairman calls for "fewer people going to university" after benefiting from a degree from one of the country's most prestigious ones himself
www.mirror.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 7:33 PM
What? Bridget, you and Labour are destroying universities - why won’t you help with the many crises across UKHE? That target won’t be reached because there won’t be provision for them to attend - especially when they’ll presumably have to live at home
As below, please sign.
Calling all Brits, this is a really important petition.
Please sign it!
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...
Please sign it!
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...
Petition: Call a public inquiry into Russian influence on UK politics & democracy
We are concerned about reported efforts from Russia to influence democracy in the US, UK, Europe and elsewhere. We believe we must establish the depth and breadth of possible Russian influence campaig...
petition.parliament.uk
November 25, 2025 at 3:38 PM
As below, please sign.
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
For years, anti-trans activists have campaigned to stop children from receiving gender-affirming care because "there's just not enough evidence" that puberty blockers are safe (even though there is: www.thepinknews.com/2024/09/10/p...).
Puberty blockers are 'safe, effective and reversible', study finds
Puberty blockers are safe, effective, and reversible according to an independent review commissioned by the NSW government in Australia.
www.thepinknews.com
November 25, 2025 at 10:50 AM
For years, anti-trans activists have campaigned to stop children from receiving gender-affirming care because "there's just not enough evidence" that puberty blockers are safe (even though there is: www.thepinknews.com/2024/09/10/p...).
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
I don't know the criminal standard specifically but Linehan did say *in court* that he was motivated by the victim's status as a trans person. If a clear statement of explicit prejudice isn't enough then you need a new standard.
news.sky.com/story/bluesk...
news.sky.com/story/bluesk...
November 25, 2025 at 1:28 PM
I don't know the criminal standard specifically but Linehan did say *in court* that he was motivated by the victim's status as a trans person. If a clear statement of explicit prejudice isn't enough then you need a new standard.
news.sky.com/story/bluesk...
news.sky.com/story/bluesk...
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
It's weird to not only have lived through an information revolution but also now living through its undoing, all within less than a generation.
Google at its peak was basically the best information retrieval system in human history and they and every competitor decided going from there to “you didn’t want answers you wanted half-assed auto-complete 80%-wrong hallucinations” in a few years was the right idea
November 25, 2025 at 12:19 PM
It's weird to not only have lived through an information revolution but also now living through its undoing, all within less than a generation.
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
Wow. Just wow. A decision in direct conflict with all the ideals of the Reith Lectures.
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Wow. Just wow. A decision in direct conflict with all the ideals of the Reith Lectures.
Thread.
"A system built on specialisation, efficiency", that right there is the death knell for the current university system in the UK, if (big if) government pushes it through. They actively don't want HE to grow, they will intervene, apparently, to help it shrink.
per this morning's education committee.
per this morning's education committee.
November 25, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Thread.
Have you seen this @goodlawproject.org and @profaliceroberts.bsky.social as per your recent conversation?
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Have you seen this @goodlawproject.org and @profaliceroberts.bsky.social as per your recent conversation?
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
BBC censoring its own Reith Lecturer. Jaw droppingly bad.
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:52 AM
BBC censoring its own Reith Lecturer. Jaw droppingly bad.
Latin palaeography puzzle. Is this "secretaria"? Thanks in advance.
November 24, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Latin palaeography puzzle. Is this "secretaria"? Thanks in advance.
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
Over at the Daily Telegraph, they're scratching their heads as to why the former mining and steel producinv city of Gliwice in Poland is now 45% more prosperous than Darlington... and why it has new shiny infrastructure... without mentioning EU funds for urban and regional development...
November 24, 2025 at 7:53 AM
Over at the Daily Telegraph, they're scratching their heads as to why the former mining and steel producinv city of Gliwice in Poland is now 45% more prosperous than Darlington... and why it has new shiny infrastructure... without mentioning EU funds for urban and regional development...
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
"In her telling, racism and xenophobia seem not themselves objectively bad things that must be combatted, but a natural outcome that occurs when too many rights are given to immigrants and asylum seekers." www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Shabana Mahmood is an avatar of open Britain – that’s what makes her fable about immigration so seductive | Nesrine Malik
‘She is the daughter of immigrants,’ supporters of her cruel asylum policies say. ‘How can she be wrong?’ Let me put them straight, says Guardian columnist Nesrine Malik
www.theguardian.com
November 24, 2025 at 6:18 AM
"In her telling, racism and xenophobia seem not themselves objectively bad things that must be combatted, but a natural outcome that occurs when too many rights are given to immigrants and asylum seekers." www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
I like this idea.
November 24, 2025 at 7:18 AM
I like this idea.
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
Moved to the UK also 15 years ago, also attracted by the awesomeness of its university sector.
The speed with which something built over generations has been trashed by one MBA-brained cohort is absolutely mindboggling.
The speed with which something built over generations has been trashed by one MBA-brained cohort is absolutely mindboggling.
It would have been hard to believe, when I moved to the UK over 15 yrs ago to start my PhD at Edinburgh, that successive Conservative and Labour governments would actively undermine one of the UK's most successful and strategic sectors and run it to the ground. Unbelievable, really. And here we are
November 23, 2025 at 11:20 PM
Moved to the UK also 15 years ago, also attracted by the awesomeness of its university sector.
The speed with which something built over generations has been trashed by one MBA-brained cohort is absolutely mindboggling.
The speed with which something built over generations has been trashed by one MBA-brained cohort is absolutely mindboggling.
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
It would have been hard to believe, when I moved to the UK over 15 yrs ago to start my PhD at Edinburgh, that successive Conservative and Labour governments would actively undermine one of the UK's most successful and strategic sectors and run it to the ground. Unbelievable, really. And here we are
November 23, 2025 at 10:44 PM
It would have been hard to believe, when I moved to the UK over 15 yrs ago to start my PhD at Edinburgh, that successive Conservative and Labour governments would actively undermine one of the UK's most successful and strategic sectors and run it to the ground. Unbelievable, really. And here we are
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
Dear Bluesky,
www.thenerve.news is still tiny. We launched it with no dirty money (no money at all, lol!). But we're proving what's possible with a small expert team & no billionaire owners.
We knew the UK press wouldn't understand or properly cover this story, so we did. Thank you for the support!
www.thenerve.news is still tiny. We launched it with no dirty money (no money at all, lol!). But we're proving what's possible with a small expert team & no billionaire owners.
We knew the UK press wouldn't understand or properly cover this story, so we did. Thank you for the support!
This is the Observer's coverage of the Reform Russian Spie Scandal... 600 words on page 22 of the printed newspaper.
observer.co.uk/news/politic...
observer.co.uk/news/politic...
More MEPs investigated in Russian bribe probe | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 23, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Dear Bluesky,
www.thenerve.news is still tiny. We launched it with no dirty money (no money at all, lol!). But we're proving what's possible with a small expert team & no billionaire owners.
We knew the UK press wouldn't understand or properly cover this story, so we did. Thank you for the support!
www.thenerve.news is still tiny. We launched it with no dirty money (no money at all, lol!). But we're proving what's possible with a small expert team & no billionaire owners.
We knew the UK press wouldn't understand or properly cover this story, so we did. Thank you for the support!
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
I feel that somebody should do a study to work out how much time is spent saying 'but why would you do that?!' by academics going through their articles to get their footnotes to follow the style guide...
Signed somebody who has spent the past hour doing just that!
Signed somebody who has spent the past hour doing just that!
a cartoon meerkat is standing on a rock and asking but why
ALT: a cartoon meerkat is standing on a rock and asking but why
media.tenor.com
November 23, 2025 at 7:48 PM
I feel that somebody should do a study to work out how much time is spent saying 'but why would you do that?!' by academics going through their articles to get their footnotes to follow the style guide...
Signed somebody who has spent the past hour doing just that!
Signed somebody who has spent the past hour doing just that!
Thread.
As many of you know, I do a lot of volunteer work with asylum seekers and refugees. One thing that’s going on is that Labour’s hostility towards migrants and the counterbattery from Tories and Reform is causing horrific fear and anxiety among vulnerable people who deserve our protection.
November 23, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Thread.
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
‘If asylum is framed as illegality, and settlement is reshaped into a privilege that must be endlessly earned, then our understanding of equal membership – the idea that those lawfully in the UK should enjoy stability and a clear path to full inclusion – is fundamentally altered.’
Asylum is not "illegal migration"
Let's start from here theconversation.com/asylum-is-no...
Let's start from here theconversation.com/asylum-is-no...
Asylum is not illegal migration – why the UK government shouldn’t conflate the two
The new proposals transform settlement into something that must be continually earned. The path has become longer, more conditional and far more easily disrupted.
theconversation.com
November 22, 2025 at 8:47 AM
‘If asylum is framed as illegality, and settlement is reshaped into a privilege that must be endlessly earned, then our understanding of equal membership – the idea that those lawfully in the UK should enjoy stability and a clear path to full inclusion – is fundamentally altered.’
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
Our GP practice was trying to get masks from local DIY shops at the end of February 2020. It’s ludicrous that there are people trying to suggest that the criticism of Boris is due to hindsight
"My NHS colleagues & I weren’t willing to let the bodies pile high in their thousands. Boris no longer mentions them at all."
My piece on the responses to the UK Covid-UK Inquiry report that try to airbrush the dead away.
Sincere thanks, @theobserveruk.bsky.social.
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
My piece on the responses to the UK Covid-UK Inquiry report that try to airbrush the dead away.
Sincere thanks, @theobserveruk.bsky.social.
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
I’ll never forget the horror of the Covid wards | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 23, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Our GP practice was trying to get masks from local DIY shops at the end of February 2020. It’s ludicrous that there are people trying to suggest that the criticism of Boris is due to hindsight
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
Nathan Gill gets 10 years (rightly).
Surely also worth investigating:
25% of British MPs funded by pro-'israel' lobby
£1M+ poured into Parliament
240+ fully-funded trips for MPs to Israel
80% of Tory MPs are members of Conservative Friends of 'israel' (CFI). LFI won't even say how many.
Surely also worth investigating:
25% of British MPs funded by pro-'israel' lobby
£1M+ poured into Parliament
240+ fully-funded trips for MPs to Israel
80% of Tory MPs are members of Conservative Friends of 'israel' (CFI). LFI won't even say how many.
November 23, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Nathan Gill gets 10 years (rightly).
Surely also worth investigating:
25% of British MPs funded by pro-'israel' lobby
£1M+ poured into Parliament
240+ fully-funded trips for MPs to Israel
80% of Tory MPs are members of Conservative Friends of 'israel' (CFI). LFI won't even say how many.
Surely also worth investigating:
25% of British MPs funded by pro-'israel' lobby
£1M+ poured into Parliament
240+ fully-funded trips for MPs to Israel
80% of Tory MPs are members of Conservative Friends of 'israel' (CFI). LFI won't even say how many.
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
Labour MP and former minister @jimmcmahon.co.uk responds to my story about Labour MPs calling for a minister-led review of the government’s use of X
November 21, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Labour MP and former minister @jimmcmahon.co.uk responds to my story about Labour MPs calling for a minister-led review of the government’s use of X