Leigh Sparks
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sparksstirling.bsky.social
Leigh Sparks
@sparksstirling.bsky.social
570 followers 1K following 220 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 Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Leigh Sparks, Lee Jones

bylinesnetwork.co.uk
Bylines Network @bylinesnetwork.co.uk · 5h
Brexit: the trillion pound ‘mistake’

The recent NBER report suggests the Treasury’s 2016 analysis – slammed by Brexiters as a ‘hoax’– actually understated the impact of Brexit

By Anthony Robinson

yorkshirebylines.co.uk/opinion/brex...
Brexit: the trillion pound ‘mistake’
The recent NBER report suggests the Treasury’s 2016 analysis – slammed by Brexiters as a ‘hoax’– actually understated the impact of Brexit
yorkshirebylines.co.uk

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

bylinepodcast.bsky.social
bylinepodcast.bsky.social @bylinepodcast.bsky.social · 5h
"The recent conviction of Nathan Gill removes any doubt about attempts at #Russian interference."

@peterjukes.bsky.social @bylinetimes.bsky.social tells @goldbergradio.bsky.social it's time for an full scale investigation into #Kremlin meddling in the UK.

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/a...
A Beginners Guide to Russian Influence: Brexit and Beyond
Podcast Episode · Byline Podcast · 29/11/2025 · 31m
podcasts.apple.com

Reposted by Iain Davidson, Leigh Sparks, Gerald Friedman

thegodpodcast.com
God @thegodpodcast.com · 7h
Reposting this everyday until Pete Hagueseth faces justice for his crimes against humanity.
Thou Shalt Not Murder Fishermen While Pardoning Drug Lords
This is evil.
www.thegodpodcast.com

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

andreadevon.bsky.social
Andrea Devon @andreadevon.bsky.social · 8h
If he has to tear down women and anyone he can’t control, don’t call him a leader. Call him a coward.

It’s disgusting.

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

ottoenglish.bsky.social
Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 10h
The absolute state of the BBC news just now - which seems determined to drag the government down over the budget.

Where was all this attention to minute detail and concern for absolute accuracy when the Tories were lying their way through their chaotic reign for 14 years? It's frankly absurd.

Reposted by Leigh Sparks, Steven Fielding

bestforbritain.org
Best for Britain @bestforbritain.org · 11h
"The PM wanted today to talk about... benefits reform and the UK's relationship with the EU and about regulation, which were interesting in and of themselves, but all of the questions were about the pre-budget process."

A neat summary by Mason - but he led that questioning. ~AA #PoliticsLive

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

adambienkov.bsky.social
Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 12h
Jonathan Gullis defects to Reform saying his former party has "lost touch with the people it was meant to serve".

He should know. When he was in Government he took a five-figure donation from JCB, then stayed silent when it axed hundreds of his constituents' jobs just two weeks later
Conservatives Promote JCB's 'Revolutionary' Pothole Machine While Taking Millions of Pounds in Donations from the Company
Senior Conservatives have repeatedly promoted a pothole repair machine made by a company which has donated huge sums to the party and its MPs
bylinetimes.com

Reposted by Andrew Scott, Leigh Sparks, Mark Priestley

adambienkov.bsky.social
Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 12h
For all the focus on its supposed “left wing bias”, the BBC’s heavy coverage of Rachel Reeves Budget "lies" shows how its political coverage is still largely led by the right-wing press

bylinetimes.com/2025/12/01/r...
Rachel Reeves and the Daily Mailification of the BBC
For all the focus on its supposed "left wing bias", the BBC's heavy coverage of Conservative allegations of dishonesty against Rachel Reeves shows how its political coverage is still largely led by th...
bylinetimes.com

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

rdtanner2144.bsky.social
Richard T @rdtanner2144.bsky.social · 12h
The sport in Wales is doomed

sparksstirling.bsky.social
Leigh Sparks @sparksstirling.bsky.social · 17h
Forgotten that Wembley game.

sparksstirling.bsky.social
Leigh Sparks @sparksstirling.bsky.social · 17h
I went to the 1970 game (aged 13). May be first time I used the Debenture seats. Memory is of couple in front of us protesting game by putting on blindfolds when teams ran out and sitting with them on throughout game.

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

neilretail.com
Neil Saunders @neilretail.com · 18h
🇬🇧 Shoppers urged to show ‘patience, kindness and consideration’ to retail staff www.standard.co.uk/business/bus...
Shoppers urged to show ‘patience, kindness and consideration’ to retail staff
The Scottish Retail Consortium and Usdaw have launched the ’tis the season to ShopKind’ campaign to tackle abuse of shop staff.
www.standard.co.uk

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

realjakebroe.bsky.social
Jake Broe @realjakebroe.bsky.social · 1d
Why does Trump's special envoy for Russia always take part in meetings with Ukraine but Trump's special envoy for Ukraine is never allowed to take part in meetings with Russia?

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

jessdkant.bsky.social
Jesspooka Kant 🎃 @jessdkant.bsky.social · 1d
As much as I’m heartened even the GOP knows Hegseth has gone much too far, we don’t actually need an investigation to know that these were extrajudicial murders. “No quarter” or not, it was a war crime the moment the strike was ordered. He should be stripped of command and prosecuted as such.

sparksstirling.bsky.social
Leigh Sparks @sparksstirling.bsky.social · 1d
See BBC and others running "lowest crowd vs SA since 1999" line. But 1999 is a false comparison as bugger all of a stadium existed.

So, has there ever been a smaller crowd for a SA game vs Wales in Wales? IDK

Yet the WRU want to control everything

@gwladrugby.bsky.social @seiwilliams.bsky.social

Reposted by Leigh Sparks, Juliet Lodge, Mark Priestley , and 1 more

mikegalsworthy.bsky.social
Mike Galsworthy @mikegalsworthy.bsky.social · 1d
“Over nine months, Sky News’ Data and Forensics team investigated whether X’s algorithms amplify right-wing and extreme content.

Their findings were clear: Elon Musk’s X is boosting right-wing and extreme content, as well as politicians Musk favours.”
The X Effect and the dangers of social media bias
Sky News' investigation The X Effect has exposed a right-wing bias in X's algorithm, which boosts extreme content over left-wing voices
centralbylines.co.uk

Reposted by Leigh Sparks, Lesley A. Hall, Ben Worthy

willhaycardiff.bsky.social
Will Hayward - Wales Journo @willhaycardiff.bsky.social · 1d
We have written a special report looking at the people behind Reform in Wales.

This was a bizarre piece to write.
willhaywardwales.substack.com/p/special-re...
Special report: Who are Reform in Wales?
We dived into the wild world of Reform UK in Cymru
willhaywardwales.substack.com

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

gwladrugby.bsky.social
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Gwladrugby 🏉 @gwladrugby.bsky.social · 1d
#RoadToWRUin Day 12:

The WRU are skint. This is clearly from the Annual Report which they sent out on Friday night, 19 days later than they’re supposed to under their own governance rules.

Executive pay went up 40% in the last reporting period.

gwladrugby.wordpress.com/2025/11/29/a...
Are you having fun yet?
Just before 7pm last night, a day and a half before Sunday morning’s WRU Annual General Meeting (AGM), the Union’s annual report was released to its constituent clubs. You may think that is unreaso…
gwladrugby.wordpress.com

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

gwladrugby.bsky.social
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Gwladrugby 🏉 @gwladrugby.bsky.social · 2d
Word

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

bloodandmud.bsky.social
Blood & Mud Rugby Podcast @bloodandmud.bsky.social · 2d
"Sacha F-M as commentators are now calling him as the name is so hard to pronounce"

His name is completely phonetic, so not hard to pronounce at all if you practice it. AKA, doing your job.

sparksstirling.bsky.social
Leigh Sparks @sparksstirling.bsky.social · 2d
Lack of care, lack of respect? Or lack of basic competency? Mismanagement on a staggering level when all put together.

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

seiwilliams.bsky.social
Sei Williams @seiwilliams.bsky.social · 2d
"In isolation, one might chalk it off as just one of those things. But this is becoming part of a pattern of Union behaviour which suggests a lack of care for the game, and a lack of respect for those who contribute".

gwladrugby.wordpress.com/2025/11/29/a...
Are you having fun yet?
Just before 7pm last night, a day and a half before Sunday morning’s WRU Annual General Meeting (AGM), the Union’s annual report was released to its constituent clubs. You may think that is unreaso…
gwladrugby.wordpress.com

sparksstirling.bsky.social
Leigh Sparks @sparksstirling.bsky.social · 2d
Do we know the composition of the Remunerations Committee? Wonder what comparable they use, if any?

Reposted by Dorothy Bishop, Gavin L. Foster, Steve Peers , and 6 more

monkemma.bsky.social
Emma Monk @monkemma.bsky.social · 2d
Wow - this guy must be really, REALLY bad with money if an extra £208 per month will “ruin” his retirement.

Let’s take a look at his situation based on what he told the @Telegraph

Because this does NOT add up!

No, this is not a “poor pensioner” scrabbling around for pennies…

🧵1/9

sparksstirling.bsky.social
Leigh Sparks @sparksstirling.bsky.social · 2d
ICYMI: My first post (of two) on the updated Understanding Scottish Places tool, launched this week.

A kick starter for discussion about your town and town changes in general.

Second post looking at changes will come this week

stirlingretail.com/2025/11/28/u...
Understanding Scottish Places (USP): Major Update Released
Understanding Scottish Places (USP) took shape in the early 2010s. It aimed to provide a consistent space to compare towns and to kickstart discussions in those places, local authorities and others…
stirlingretail.com

sparksstirling.bsky.social
Leigh Sparks @sparksstirling.bsky.social · 2d
If the AGM is to consider and discuss performance, then members need time to analyse the information. If attendees at AGM are representatives of clubs then the clubs themselves need time to consider the information.

Less than 48 hours to do that seems impossible.

sparksstirling.bsky.social
Leigh Sparks @sparksstirling.bsky.social · 2d
In any organisation I have been involved in, there is normally a standing requirement for a
prescribed number of days before the meeting. Miss that and you need to formally explain why. Repeated failure and there are consequences

Reposted by Leigh Sparks

parodypm.bsky.social
Parody Nigel Farage @parodypm.bsky.social · 3d
Here is David Coburn, the former UKIP MEP who was mentioned in WhatsApp messages between the traitor Nathan Gill and his Russian paymaster, saying there was cash available for Coburn.
Needless to say, I have never met the man.

sparksstirling.bsky.social
Leigh Sparks @sparksstirling.bsky.social · 3d
Really great news that Glasgow businesses have voted so strongly in favour of establishing a BID.

Will be the largest in Scotland.

www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/2565888...
Glasgow businesses set up new body to help boost city centre streets
Businesses have voted in favour of setting up a new venture to fund improvements Glasgow city centre.
www.glasgowtimes.co.uk

sparksstirling.bsky.social
Leigh Sparks @sparksstirling.bsky.social · 3d
😀