Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Leigh Sparks

@sparksstirling.bsky.social

530 followers 1K following 150 posts

Professor of Retail Studies, University of Stirling, Chair Scotland's Towns Partnership, Fellow Royal Society of Edinburgh, Extremely long-suffering Welsh rugby fan, occasional gardener. Stirlingretail.com

Videos

Business 69%

Economics 13%

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Reposted by Leigh Sparks, Mark Priestley, Colin Woodard , and 1 more Leigh Sparks, Mark Priestley, Colin Woodard, David Darmofal

David Corn @davidcorn.bsky.social · 5h

Trump cites a murderous war criminal to attack the Nobel Peace Prize committee’s decision. Truly absurd and disturbing. And narcissism of a pathological degree.

90 240 880

Leigh Sparks @sparksstirling.bsky.social · 8h

Remember where I was watching it, and then last year finally visited the excellent museum.

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

Neil Saunders @neilretail.com · 9h

🇬🇧 Liberty at 150: 'We don’t follow any of the rules of retail'

Liberty at 150: 'We don’t follow any of the rules of retail'

As luxury department store Liberty celebrates 150 years, Drapers hears from CEO Adil Mehboob-Khan about how the heritage business is readying itself for the future.

www.drapersonline.com

1 2

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

Prof Mark Priestley @markrpriestley.bsky.social · 9h

This article clearly illustrates why the government should be prosecuting the individuals who enabled and benefited from this wholesale corruption, including the politicians who facilitated it

www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...

Will UK taxpayers get their £122m back from PPE Medpro?

The high court told the company linked to Michelle Mone to pay up over the supply of defective gowns, but there appears no clear route to reclaim the funds

www.theguardian.com

2 1 4

Reposted by Tim Bale, Leigh Sparks

Byline Times @bylinetimes.bsky.social · 17h

🔴UPDATE 🔴

'Stunned?' Farage's Admission He Knew Nathan Gill but Not His Pro-Russian Sympathies Does Not Stand Up to Scrutiny

Insiders have told @bylinetimes.bsky.social it is ‘inconceivable’ the Reform Leader did not know about Gill’s pro-Russian statements

bylinetimes.com/2025/10/11/s...

'Stunned?' Farage's Admission He Knew Nathan Gill but Not His Pro-Russian Sympathies Does Not Stand Up to Scrutiny

Insiders have told Byline Times, it is 'inconceivable' the Reform Leader did not know about Gill's pro Russian statements

bylinetimes.com

25 180 370

Reposted by Patrick Dunleavy, Tim Bale, Leigh Sparks , and 1 more Patrick Dunleavy, Tim Bale, Leigh Sparks, Molly Scott Cato

Peter Jukes @peterjukes.bsky.social · 19h

Same day. Same plenary session. Same visit to Gill’s office. Same Farage, Same Gill, same wife of sanctioned pro Russian agent.

Six days after the first bribery charge

14 340 610

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

The National @scotnational.bsky.social · 20h

A new independent music shop is set to open its doors in Dunfermline next week

New independent music shop to open in Dunfermline

www.thenational.scot

5 6

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

Clay Nobles @claynobles.bsky.social · 21h

BREAKING: US voters heads explode with rage as Pete Hegseth makes the jaw-dropping announcement that Qatar will build an air force facility in Idaho and station their fighter planes on U.S. soil.

The Qataris bribed Trump with a private jet and now he's paying them back tenfold.
#Corruption

20 84 170

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

Peter Jukes @peterjukes.bsky.social · 23h

Farage on Gill and Pro Russian media bribes” I told him not to go. He defied me and went. I was completely unaware of any statements that he made."

Farage with pro Russian media (and wife of briber) on the day Gill made his statements in 2018

34 220 410

Reposted by Leigh Sparks, David R. Miller, Klaus Oschema , and 3 more Leigh Sparks, David R. Miller, Klaus Oschema, Meredith Farkas, Daxton R. Stewart, Aviel Roshwald

Reverend Jesus "H" Christ @reverendjesus.com · 1d

Blessed are the frogs, for they keep making authoritarians look incredibly stupid

Three persons in inflatable frog costumes. One of them is holding a nicely painted sign with two little cartoon frogs holding hands, below the text "FROGS TOGETHER STRONG"

97 2.8K 13K

Reposted by Andrew Scott, Leigh Sparks

Joy @joybe.bsky.social · 1d

The Nathan Gill scandal should be huge news so why has the British media been mainly silent about it? (I think we know 🤔)
Here's Fiona Bruce shutting down any mention & acting like the audience aren't interested.
#bbqt

7 19 45

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Gwladrugby 🏉 @gwladrugby.bsky.social · 1d

You can dismiss the views of over 1000 people who've been invested in Welsh rugby for over 25 years if you like. We happen to think they're worth listening to.

1 1 1

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Gwladrugby 🏉 @gwladrugby.bsky.social · 1d

As we wait for the WRU to update us on the outcome of Wednesday's board meeting, some thoughts on Model C (the latest flavour of the month) and how the WRU has deliberately narrowed the parameters of the debate to suit their own agenda rather than what is best for Welsh rugby 🧵

2 3 11

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

Reposted by Leigh Sparks, John Foot

Reform Party UK Exposed @reformexposed.bsky.social · 2d

Reform UK in the dock ⚖

9th October Andy Osborn.
14th October Neil Stevens, Tony Stevens, and Rob Sheridan.
15th October Sarah White.
21st November Nathan Gill.
16th December Mandy Clare.
22nd May 2026 Daniel Taylor.

Under investigation:
Joseph Boam.
Lee Duffy.
George Cottrell.

#ReformInTheDock

18 240 390

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Gwladrugby 🏉 @gwladrugby.bsky.social · 3d

So pleased that the Welsh media are living up to their reputation for steadfastly refusing to scrutinise the WRU in any meaningful way

4 3 9

Reposted by Patrick Dunleavy, Steve Peers, Leigh Sparks , and 6 more Patrick Dunleavy, Steve Peers, Leigh Sparks, Martin Paul Eve, Charles West, Chris Hanretty, Vaughan S. Roberts, Brooke Harrington, Nicolai von Ondarza

Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 3d

"15 years ago, Polish workers came here to find opportunity. Now Poland is growing twice as fast as we are," says Kemi Badenoch.

Any ideas what may have happened in the interim?

230 870 4.2K

Reposted by Joanna Bryson, Anna O. Law, Gavin A. Schmidt , and 24 more Joanna Bryson, Anna O. Law, Gavin A. Schmidt, Tom Clark, Tom Shakespeare, Leigh Sparks, Elizabeth Stokoe, Peter Campbell, Greg Walker, Kelly Smith, Andrew L. Jackson, Elaine Treharne, Smith, James O’Sullivan, Margot C. Finn, Talbot Imlay, Jutta Haider, Fiona Moore, David Rosnick, Fredrik Albritton Jonsson, Calvin Jones, Banu Özkazanç‐Pan, Thomas Masterson, James Connelly, Catriona Seth, Isabelle Poutrin, Nathan P. Kalmoe

Keith W. Dickinson @keithwdickinson.bsky.social · 3d

Today is a day when arts degrees are worthless, but the product of those degrees is so valuable it would kill an entire industry if they were made to pay for it.

The Verge @theverge.com · May 26

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry

Paul McCartne, Elton John and others signed an open letter.

buff.ly

420 9.7K 26K

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

Josh Gardner @joshgardner.bsky.social · 3d

Cheers to @gwladrugby.bsky.social for joining me for this week's @bloodandmud.bsky.social.

You think I spend too much time talking about how shit Welsh rugby is usually? Brothers and sisters, strap in.

www.patreon.com/posts/422-vi...

422: "Visibly defined arms, shoulders and legs" | Blood & Mud

Get more from Blood & Mud on Patreon

www.patreon.com

2 5 15

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

BladeoftheSun @bladeofthes.bsky.social · 3d

Conservative MP Mel Stride claims PIP benefit is thousands of pounds per month.

No it is an absolute maximum of £720 a month, and most people only get £250 or less.

Meanwhile he claims £1,250 a month in rent on his expenses

Lying, thieving b******

34 320 780

Leigh Sparks @sparksstirling.bsky.social · 3d

@kathrynmorrison.bsky.social You might note though that the entrance has been moved?

Reposted by Jonathan Portes, Richard S.J. Tol, Leigh Sparks , and 3 more Jonathan Portes, Richard S.J. Tol, Leigh Sparks, Edgar Morgenroth, John Foot, Margot C. Finn

BBC Newsnight @bbcnewsnight.bsky.social · 3d

“You described Reform and other parties across Europe today as among the 'right wing equivalents of the fascists in the 1930s'. Why?”

“Because that’s what they are”

@vicderbyshire.bsky.social asks Lord Heseltine about remarks he made at Conservative Party Conference.

#Newsnight

130 700 2.1K

Reposted by Steve Peers, Leigh Sparks

Nick Reeves #FBPE #NAFO @nickreeves.bsky.social · 4d

Richard Tice told The Times in March he had “never met Nathan Gill”
searchlightmagazine.com/2025/10/refo...

32 260 480

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

The National @scotnational.bsky.social · 4d

Stall holders have been urged to exercise caution after a fake Christmas fayre was advertised in a Dundee shopping centre 🚨

Stall holders to be wary of 'scam' Christmas fayre advertised in Dundee

www.thenational.scot

1 2

Leigh Sparks @sparksstirling.bsky.social · 4d

ICYMI: My reflections posted 6 October on my recent visit and presentation in Jersey

stirlingretail.com/2025/10/06/t...

The Future of Retail in Jersey

I thought it was about a decade ago I was last in Jersey, but it looks like it was more than 15 years, with my main involvement in their retailing sector being 20 years ago. So it was interesting a…

stirlingretail.com

Reposted by Kimberly A. Prather, Steve Peers, Leigh Sparks , and 2 more Kimberly A. Prather, Steve Peers, Leigh Sparks, Michael D. McDonald, Henry Jones

Acyn @acyn.bsky.social · 4d

Trump on pardoning Ghislaine Maxwell: Haven't heard the name in so long. I’ll take a look at it. I’ll speak to the DOJ. A lot of people have asked me for pardons.

Reporter: But she’s convicted of sex trafficking

Trump: I’ll have to take a look at it.

770 1.5K 4.7K

Reposted by Will Jennings, Steve Peers, Leigh Sparks , and 6 more Will Jennings, Steve Peers, Leigh Sparks, Julia M. Wright, Greg Linden, Brooke Harrington, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, Dan Immergluck, David Darmofal

Rolling Stone @rollingstone.com · 4d

“I voted for none of this."

Prominent influencers, including Theo Von, Joe Rogan, and Andrew Schulz, are starting to distance themselves from the president they helped propel to the White House.

Story: www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...

850 550 2.2K

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Gwladrugby 🏉 @gwladrugby.bsky.social · 5d

Then, a couple of weeks ago the new WRU Chief Commercial Officer seemed to suggest that the refinancing would consist of a 4-5 year deal - a "bridging loan," in effect. We also learned that the WRU had breached its banking covenants.

How bad have things got?

1 1 4

Leigh Sparks @sparksstirling.bsky.social · 5d

St Helier, Jersey October 2025. Very nice work by Hettich in taking over Burton's Art Deco store site. Nice outside and splendid work inside.

Two foundation stones.

Have sent photos below to Laid By Monty for their excellent site

laidbymonty.com

1 2 3