Tom Rank
@tomrank.bsky.social
Reflections on literature, education - and other ramblings. Was @literaryconnect in the other place 😀
http://www.literaryconnections.co.uk/
http://www.literaryconnections.co.uk/
Reposted by Tom Rank
"It is a bit of a shock to realise that, for most of my life, I had taken for granted that we lived under governments that tried, at least, to give power to international law"
Read this week's Viewpoint from @seatrout.bsky.social ⬇️
#Trump #UnitedStates #ICC
Read this week's Viewpoint from @seatrout.bsky.social ⬇️
#Trump #UnitedStates #ICC
Viewpoint with Andrew Brown: In the American Empire, the law serves power
THE most prophetic book title of the century may have been Nothing is True and Everything is Possibl...
www.churchtimes.co.uk
November 28, 2025 at 6:09 PM
"It is a bit of a shock to realise that, for most of my life, I had taken for granted that we lived under governments that tried, at least, to give power to international law"
Read this week's Viewpoint from @seatrout.bsky.social ⬇️
#Trump #UnitedStates #ICC
Read this week's Viewpoint from @seatrout.bsky.social ⬇️
#Trump #UnitedStates #ICC
Reposted by Tom Rank
Alf Dubs Accuses Shabana Mahmood of ‘Letting the Country Down’ With Plans to Outdo Reform on Asylum
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/28/a...
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/28/a...
Alf Dubs Accuses Shabana Mahmood of 'Letting the Country Down' With Plans to Outdo Reform on Asylum
The veteran Labour peer and lifelong campaigner for child refugees, Alf Dubs, tells Byline Times that the Home Secretary's plans are "bitterly disappointing coming from a Labour Government"
bylinetimes.com
November 28, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Alf Dubs Accuses Shabana Mahmood of ‘Letting the Country Down’ With Plans to Outdo Reform on Asylum
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/28/a...
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/28/a...
Reposted by Tom Rank
And yes I will be contributing more as a result of this budget. Fine, I make no complaint about it.
November 28, 2025 at 7:38 PM
And yes I will be contributing more as a result of this budget. Fine, I make no complaint about it.
Reposted by Tom Rank
New: The Francis Review: a patronising take on English primary education?
educationuncovered.co.uk/analysis/com...
Former senior inspector Colin Richards argues that the government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review placed less emphasis on primary than secondary education.
educationuncovered.co.uk/analysis/com...
Former senior inspector Colin Richards argues that the government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review placed less emphasis on primary than secondary education.
Education Uncovered | Comment| The Francis Review: a patronising take on English primary education?
A former senior Her Majesty’s Inspector argues that the government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review, led by Professor Becky Francis, placed less emphasis on primary than secondary education.
educationuncovered.co.uk
November 28, 2025 at 4:09 PM
New: The Francis Review: a patronising take on English primary education?
educationuncovered.co.uk/analysis/com...
Former senior inspector Colin Richards argues that the government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review placed less emphasis on primary than secondary education.
educationuncovered.co.uk/analysis/com...
Former senior inspector Colin Richards argues that the government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review placed less emphasis on primary than secondary education.
Reposted by Tom Rank
Love the new look of @natefeed.bsky.social 's Teaching English magazine, which arrived today. More pages, too, and I like the realism of that quotation on the cover: 'Not by being perfect but by showing up.'
November 26, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Love the new look of @natefeed.bsky.social 's Teaching English magazine, which arrived today. More pages, too, and I like the realism of that quotation on the cover: 'Not by being perfect but by showing up.'
Reposted by Tom Rank
in 1st century Judea, the corners of every field had to be left for the poor to pick crops for themselves, every seventh year *all* of the crops from fields and vineyards and orchards belonged to the poor, and all debts of all types were cancelled every 50th year.
November 28, 2025 at 11:21 AM
in 1st century Judea, the corners of every field had to be left for the poor to pick crops for themselves, every seventh year *all* of the crops from fields and vineyards and orchards belonged to the poor, and all debts of all types were cancelled every 50th year.
Reposted by Tom Rank
I wrote for Premier this week on what I think Badenoch & Cates get wrong about (what the Bible says about) the relationship between the church and the welfare state.
Miriam Cates worries the welfare state has robbed the church of its purpose. Here’s why I disagree
Church and state must work in partnership in order to effectively serve the poor, argues Hannah Rich. Former Conservative MP Miriam Cates is wrong to pit the two against one another, she says
www.premierchristianity.com
November 28, 2025 at 2:33 PM
I wrote for Premier this week on what I think Badenoch & Cates get wrong about (what the Bible says about) the relationship between the church and the welfare state.
Reposted by Tom Rank
I am for articulating the numerous pragmatic, economic and instrumental reasons that immigration benefits everyone, both the émigré and host country; but we should not forget that the state curtailing immigration is an affront to the fundamental freedom, autonomy and agency of all people
the measure of a country doing well is if it's people are happy, free, prosperous, & healthy, not if an arbitrary number of people cross a border
in chasing that latter goal, countries like the UK have undermined the former ones - we a poorer, more divided, & literally sicker
in chasing that latter goal, countries like the UK have undermined the former ones - we a poorer, more divided, & literally sicker
November 28, 2025 at 1:33 PM
I am for articulating the numerous pragmatic, economic and instrumental reasons that immigration benefits everyone, both the émigré and host country; but we should not forget that the state curtailing immigration is an affront to the fundamental freedom, autonomy and agency of all people
Reposted by Tom Rank
This is almost word for word what xenophobes in the 1930s and 1940s said about Miller's Jewish ancestors and relatives. He's so hateful he couldn't possibly recognize that of course.
Stephen Miller is now arguing that assimilation is fundamentally impossible and that certain cultures are not compatible with Western civilization
November 28, 2025 at 1:01 PM
This is almost word for word what xenophobes in the 1930s and 1940s said about Miller's Jewish ancestors and relatives. He's so hateful he couldn't possibly recognize that of course.
Reposted by Tom Rank
Thank goodness it wasn’t permenantly closed for ever
November 28, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Thank goodness it wasn’t permenantly closed for ever
Reposted by Tom Rank
it is practically impossible to immigrate to a western country and not break an immigration law at some point. i've done it three times now and there's always something
So this is a thing you'll see a lot about immigration. The process is incredibly slow, the systems are overworked. If you have applied you will overstay before your decision is made. The system is designed such that you will be breaking the law, by their own design. This is arguably on purpose.
They overstayed their visas. That's not remotely a legal way.
November 28, 2025 at 1:36 PM
it is practically impossible to immigrate to a western country and not break an immigration law at some point. i've done it three times now and there's always something
Reposted by Tom Rank
i think we have to get off the defensive on immigration
it's not just necessary, it's good! - & the easier it is, the greater its benefits
it's not just necessary, it's good! - & the easier it is, the greater its benefits
November 28, 2025 at 1:23 PM
i think we have to get off the defensive on immigration
it's not just necessary, it's good! - & the easier it is, the greater its benefits
it's not just necessary, it's good! - & the easier it is, the greater its benefits
Reposted by Tom Rank
Europeans did not assimilate into the indigenous cultures of the Americas, they obliterated them.
November 28, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Europeans did not assimilate into the indigenous cultures of the Americas, they obliterated them.
Reposted by Tom Rank
The only library in London with a section on divination.
November 28, 2025 at 1:54 PM
The only library in London with a section on divination.
Reposted by Tom Rank
Hope isn’t wishful thinking, it’s an act of faithful resistance.
In a world that often tells us to expect the worst, hope tells us a different story:
that transformation is possible,
that compassion is powerful,
and that justice is worth pursuing.
In a world that often tells us to expect the worst, hope tells us a different story:
that transformation is possible,
that compassion is powerful,
and that justice is worth pursuing.
November 28, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Hope isn’t wishful thinking, it’s an act of faithful resistance.
In a world that often tells us to expect the worst, hope tells us a different story:
that transformation is possible,
that compassion is powerful,
and that justice is worth pursuing.
In a world that often tells us to expect the worst, hope tells us a different story:
that transformation is possible,
that compassion is powerful,
and that justice is worth pursuing.
Reposted by Tom Rank
lectureship in applied linguistics in my department. lovely city, lovely department, lovely colleagues 🌸 manmetjobs.mmu.ac.uk/jobs/vacancy...
November 28, 2025 at 12:04 PM
lectureship in applied linguistics in my department. lovely city, lovely department, lovely colleagues 🌸 manmetjobs.mmu.ac.uk/jobs/vacancy...
Reposted by Tom Rank
Some notes on the use and origins of "sleeveen" in Ireland: stancarey.wordpress.com/2014/10/01/s...
November 28, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Some notes on the use and origins of "sleeveen" in Ireland: stancarey.wordpress.com/2014/10/01/s...
Reposted by Tom Rank
Jesus ate the loaves and fish himself
Kemi Badenoch says welfare spending is unchristian
Kemi Badenoch says welfare spending is unchristian
Kemi Badenoch says welfare spending is unchristian
www.thetimes.com
November 28, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Jesus ate the loaves and fish himself
Reposted by Tom Rank
Watch the full Rumi Lecture with Dr Bilal Kuşpınar on the Bradford Literature Festival YouTube channel. Made in partnership with the Yunus Emrie Institute.
#Rumi #SufiPoetry #PersianLiterature #SpiritualWisdom #Bradford Lit fest #RumiQuotes
#Rumi #SufiPoetry #PersianLiterature #SpiritualWisdom #Bradford Lit fest #RumiQuotes
November 28, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Watch the full Rumi Lecture with Dr Bilal Kuşpınar on the Bradford Literature Festival YouTube channel. Made in partnership with the Yunus Emrie Institute.
#Rumi #SufiPoetry #PersianLiterature #SpiritualWisdom #Bradford Lit fest #RumiQuotes
#Rumi #SufiPoetry #PersianLiterature #SpiritualWisdom #Bradford Lit fest #RumiQuotes
Reposted by Tom Rank
"It was one thing to design robots to clean up nuclear waste or to perform boring, repetitive tasks so that—at least in theory—people could do more intellectually or creatively rewarding work, including (I imagine) building robots and writing poetry. But ...
That even people with humanities phds doesn't see the problem is depressing - anecdote from 2019 in excerpt below. We have eleventy-million things we could work on. Why pic the thing that supposedly requires "ethical" (as if!) use of ecocide-plagiarism-psychosis machines?
lithub.com/were-already...
lithub.com/were-already...
We’re Already at Risk of Ceding Our Humanity to AI
Machines It’s 2019. I’m in a bar in Providence, Rhode Island, chatting with graduate students and researchers with PhDs. One of them, who holds a PhD in Latin American literature, observed approvin…
lithub.com
November 28, 2025 at 11:05 AM
"It was one thing to design robots to clean up nuclear waste or to perform boring, repetitive tasks so that—at least in theory—people could do more intellectually or creatively rewarding work, including (I imagine) building robots and writing poetry. But ...
Reposted by Tom Rank
Somehow this got missed off the "Benefit Street" front pages today
70% of the additional spending from removing the two-child limit will go to families who are in work. This is targeting support for low-income working households who are being priced out of a decent standard of living despite doing everything asked of them.
November 27, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Somehow this got missed off the "Benefit Street" front pages today
Reposted by Tom Rank
RIP Martin Luther, you would have loved Papal Audience Black Friday deals.
November 27, 2025 at 10:08 PM
RIP Martin Luther, you would have loved Papal Audience Black Friday deals.
Reposted by Tom Rank
"The BBC tried this after 'Final Final Version (2) - Do Not Edit (1)' failed."
November 28, 2025 at 8:10 AM
"The BBC tried this after 'Final Final Version (2) - Do Not Edit (1)' failed."
Reposted by Tom Rank
The "guy making a case about low taxes" was in fact Karl Williams of the Centre for Policy Studies - author of the fictional/fabricated and now withdrawn "£234 billion" cost number cited by Katie Lam and Reform.
Funnily Amol Rajan didn't ask him about that.. 😉
Funnily Amol Rajan didn't ask him about that.. 😉
And again I wonder why a super expert like Portes is not on BBC4 today instead of a guy making a case about low taxes
Fewer workers. Fewer international students. More people leaving.
A "step in the right direction" according to the PM.
Impossible to take PM/govt seriously on growth if they are deliberately reducing it (and making the fiscal position worse) *as a matter of policy*.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
A "step in the right direction" according to the PM.
Impossible to take PM/govt seriously on growth if they are deliberately reducing it (and making the fiscal position worse) *as a matter of policy*.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
November 28, 2025 at 8:24 AM
The "guy making a case about low taxes" was in fact Karl Williams of the Centre for Policy Studies - author of the fictional/fabricated and now withdrawn "£234 billion" cost number cited by Katie Lam and Reform.
Funnily Amol Rajan didn't ask him about that.. 😉
Funnily Amol Rajan didn't ask him about that.. 😉
Reposted by Tom Rank
Welfare spending is currently 1.2% of GDP *lower* than in 2012-13.
Abolition of two-child cap is best viewed as a correction than an increase.
Abolition of two-child cap is best viewed as a correction than an increase.
Is welfare spending ''out of control''?
Total welfare spending in Britain in 2025-26 is estimated to be 10.8 per cent of GDP.
That's just 0.8 per cent of GDP higher than in 2007-08, and total welfare spending has actually fallen fallen by 1.2 per cent of GDP since 2012-13⤵️
buff.ly/s5mz97u
Total welfare spending in Britain in 2025-26 is estimated to be 10.8 per cent of GDP.
That's just 0.8 per cent of GDP higher than in 2007-08, and total welfare spending has actually fallen fallen by 1.2 per cent of GDP since 2012-13⤵️
buff.ly/s5mz97u
November 28, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Welfare spending is currently 1.2% of GDP *lower* than in 2012-13.
Abolition of two-child cap is best viewed as a correction than an increase.
Abolition of two-child cap is best viewed as a correction than an increase.