Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Aleisha Omeike @aleishao.bsky.social · 21h

Once upon a time, optometry came with a grant and a car. Now it comes with debt and a part-time job. Vision's changed, alright! 😅

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Aleisha Omeike @aleishao.bsky.social · 1d

IT’S ABOUT DAMN TIME!

At uni, I couldn’t afford to "work for experience."

I was too busy working at Nando’s because "peri-peri chicken" was the only thing keeping me financially afloat. 🍗💸

Talent isn’t limited to those who can afford to work for free.

#UnpaidInternships #WorkingClassGrad

The Sutton Trust @suttontrust.bsky.social · Jul 17

🚨 Call for evidence on banning unpaid internships 🚨

Today, the Department for Business and Trade has announced a new call for evidence to inform what action the Government should take to put an end to unpaid internships!

This a very positive announcement ⤵️

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Aleisha Omeike @aleishao.bsky.social · 10d

If you’re heading to conference too, or just stuck somewhere and fancy a read that’s a bit spicy - check out my latest Substack piece on Black History Month in a populist world:

Black History Month in a Populist Age

Like a lot of people, I found my voice in the summer of 2020.

open.substack.com

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Aleisha Omeike @aleishao.bsky.social · 10d

En route to Labour conference! As a Scot, I’ll be quietly benchmarking everyone’s small talk against Glasgow standards 🤪

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Aleisha Omeike @aleishao.bsky.social · 19d

I am working very hard on convincing my wonderful colleague to get a BlueSky account (selfishly - perhaps for nothing else than to repost me 😂)

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Aleisha Omeike @aleishao.bsky.social · 19d

Wrapping up another wonderful week at @ippr.org!

The selfie speaks for itself; a mix of excitement, curiosity and that “wow, is this actually happening” feeling.

Being so close to Westminster is a daily reminder that there’s so much we can influence from the outside - and hopefully we will!

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Aleisha Omeike @aleishao.bsky.social · 19d

SHOCK, HORROR! 50% of columnists are privately educated. I’m not. But I know plenty of voices outside that bubble who deserve a column too - myself included 😅

MAREcus 👻/ 🏳️‍🌈🇧🇧 @marcusjdl.bsky.social · 20d

UK meritocracy and social mobility update from The Guardian

Bar chart with blue bars:

Privately educated people dominate the UK's most influential roles
Professions with the highest independent school attendance
Armed forces* 63%
Senior judges 62%
Cricketers, men 59%
Young power list** 54%
Diplomats 53%
House of Lords 52%
Shadow cabinet 52%
Cricketers, women 50%
Columnists 50%
FTSE 100 chairs 47%
Political commentators 47%
Permanent secretaries 47%
Whole UK population 7%

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Reposted by Aleisha Omeike

Amnesty International UK @amnestyuk.bsky.social · 20d

We can’t pander to racists and those who will strip away our rights.

Together we will resist.

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Engender @engenderscot.bsky.social · 20d

Today Aberdeenshire Councillor @fatima-joji.bsky.social shares her experiences of being a woman in politics ⬇

Our report highlights the barriers & challenges women face & outlines actions needed to improve our political systems.

Find out more: www.engender.org.uk/news/blog/en...

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Aleisha Omeike @aleishao.bsky.social · 20d

The Elitist Britain 2025 report is absolutely essential reading for the DfE! Tangible proof that privilege still calls the shots.

The challenge now? Turning data into door-openers. Fund state schools, back first-gen talent (like moi), and judge people by potential, not postcode.

The Sutton Trust @suttontrust.bsky.social · 20d

🚨 NEW: Britain’s most powerful people are still 5x more likely to have been privately educated than the general population.

Our brand-new research reveals that jobs in the media, business, charity, creative and public sectors remain dominated by those from private schools ⤵️🧵

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Aleisha Omeike @aleishao.bsky.social · 21d

Today’s chocolate bar is an ontological conundrum. Its substance diminished, its cost amplified, my despair compounded!

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 21d

Taking the biscuit: consumers spend more but get less as chocolate prices rise by 15%

Poor cocoa harvests have triggered multiple rounds of shrinkflation while luxury brands struggle to make profits * UK inflation holds steady at 3.8% as fuel prices offset falling air fares * Business live – latest updates Whether it’s a favourite bar, biscuit or indulgent hot drink, feeding a chocolate habit costs more than it used to. The price of the chocolate on shop shelves climbed by 15.4% in the year to August, according to the latest cost of living snapshot. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

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Aleisha Omeike @aleishao.bsky.social · 23d

I’m on a report reading rampage this evening!!!

This IPPR North report confirms what I myself have lived through: for working-class kids particularly in the North, social mobility is a practically a myth. Until real investment reaches us, the ladder they talk about isn’t even there…

State of the North 2025 - The kids aren't alright: How to deliver for young people in the North | IPPR

This is a pivotal moment for young people. The current generation of young people (Gen Z) has grown up in extremely challenging circumstances. Many are see

www.ippr.org

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Aleisha Omeike @aleishao.bsky.social · 23d

An absolute pleasure to attend the report launch where we heard from Zambia’s High Commissioner and Baroness Chapman.

As the speakers and the report rightfully points out: the Global South doesn’t need hand-outs, it needs fair partnerships. Time the UK caught up!

Institute for Public Policy Research @ippr.org · 23d

🌍| NEW REPORT: We’re stuck in old mindsets about the global south and it’s costing us.
To tackle climate threats and conflict, and boost prosperity, the UK must reset its relationships.
Read the full report 👇 www.ippr.org/articles/res...

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Ben Goldsborough MP @bengoldsborough.bsky.social · 25d

Foreign billionaires don’t get to incite violence against Britain.

We cannot stay silent. 1/5

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...

Elon Musk calls for change of UK government at Tommy Robinson rally

Elon Musk spoke with Tommy Robinson via a video link to the thousands of people at Saturday’s ‘unite the kingdom’ rally

www.independent.co.uk

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Charlotte Nichols MP @charlotte2153.bsky.social · 25d

It melts my head that X is still used for official Government communications, and, catching up on today's news and the fact we have a foreign billionaire inciting violence on our streets, it's clearer than ever that this should end.

I raised this in Parliament last week 👇

Question from me: "I warmly welcome the Leader of the House to his new role and associate myself with the support across the House for my hon. Friend the Member for Washington and Gateshead South (Mrs Hodgson). Members have raised many times the unacceptable level of threats that we face. Increasingly, abuse and threats are being driven and whipped up by one platform in particular, X, previously known as Twitter, which has become a sewer of antisemitism, racism, misogyny and dangerous conspiracy theories. Its owner has specifically targeted Members of this House. With a new director of communications in No. 10 and a refreshed Front Bench, may we have a debate in Government time on whether it is appropriate for that platform to continue to be used for official Government communications?"

Answer from Sir Alan Campbell, Leader of the House: "What my hon. Friend says about X is truly shocking. We are very much in favour of free speech, but we are also against incitement to violence. We have delivered the Online Safety Act 2025 to seek to strike the balance between user protection and freedom of speech. On the matter of the Government’s use of X, it is right that the public are kept up to date with information and a number of people still use X, although of course many are moving to other platforms. I am sure that the Government will take that into account in our deliberations in future, and we also keep our wider social media practices under review."

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Aleisha Omeike @aleishao.bsky.social · 24d

Balancing Britain’s unrest with a balanced breakfast…

Happy Sunday everybody 🍽️🥞

pancakes with lots of chocolate and yummy fresh fruit!

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Amanda @pandamoanimum.bsky.social · 25d

Happy 4th anniversary to the time this happened on Twitter.

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Engender @engenderscot.bsky.social · 27d

📢 Women across Scotland have been sharing their experiences with us in a national series of workshops discussing their rights & where they most need change.

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Aleisha Omeike @aleishao.bsky.social · 27d

More people than ever are clapping along to the far-right soundtrack. For me, it’s not a particularly compelling one…some of the loudest voices could use more vocal coaching…

With all the noise, I was prompted to respond to a wonderful piece by Rohan Sathyamoorthy.

Read below 👇 @theguardian.com

Don’t clap along with the far right – fight them | Letter

Letter: Aleisha Omeike says we have to get organised to fight the racism and misogyny that is on the rise in Britain, in response to an article by Rohan Sathyamoorthy

www.theguardian.com

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Institute for Public Policy Research @ippr.org · 28d

Calls to double the wait time for indefinite leave to remain - and to apply it retrospectively - risk breaking promises to people who arrived in good faith, paid fees & built their lives here.
@marleymorris.bsky.social in @thetimes.com 🔗 www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Marley Morris, head of immigration at the Institute for Public Policy Research think tank, said: “From next year, increasing numbers of people who arrived under the post-Brexit immigration system will become eligible for ILR. As the government prepares to consult on its plans for settlement and citizenship, it seems only fair that the new ten-year waiting period for settlement should only apply to new arrivals, rather than those already here. This reflects a core British principle that new policies should not apply retrospectively.”

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Aleisha Omeike @aleishao.bsky.social · 28d

HI BLUESKY! 👋

I have survived my first week as a trainee researcher at @ippr.org and let me tell you…it was glorious!

I'm on here not only to share what I learn, to scream into the void about injustice and hopefully make a stir!

Expect hot takes, loud thoughts and wild enthusiasm. Buckle up!

a cartoon character from the simpsons is standing in front of a row of lockers

ALT: a cartoon character from the simpsons is standing in front of a row of lockers

media.tenor.com

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