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David Evans @davidevans.org.uk · 2h

Yes - but it’s also that in a number of fields your advancement is substantially influenced by your network. I don’t want to pick on anyone, but I always thought Dido Harding’s career was more easily explained by her network than her raw talent.

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David Evans @davidevans.org.uk · 2h

Sir Humphrey explaining to Bernard how to poll to prove public support / objection to national service is one of my fave bits of Yes Prime Minister. Plus also Sir H breaking the news to the CDS.

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David Evans @davidevans.org.uk · 2h

Feigned ignorance is as precious to a tech bro as the second amendment is to a southern MAGA adherent.

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David Evans @davidevans.org.uk · 2h

What I know now that I didn’t when I was applying to universities is that you don’t go to Oxbridge for a better education, but for a better network. Same goes for public school too.

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David Evans @davidevans.org.uk · 2h

In my village it’s that you move next to a school and discover they have kids that play in the playground. Which in fairness is pretty outrageous.

David Evans @davidevans.org.uk · 2h

Turns out that The Fate of Ophelia by Taylor Swift is perfect for Dad dancing. Youngest was playing it this morning, and my dancing helped her get that extra burst of energy to leave the house.

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David Evans @davidevans.org.uk · 2h

I have often wondered if there were deficiencies in the course, but my guess was just that the skill set it developed was particularly useful to ambitious amoral climbers.

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David Evans @davidevans.org.uk · 11h

As long as you don’t get stuck in a cell with Matt Hancock.

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David Evans @davidevans.org.uk · 11h

In fairness there are PPE grads who are decent human beings and positively contribute to society, but the sheer tonnage who have reached high political office for no apparent reason is mind-boggling.

Although Boris did read Literae humaniores, worth remembering…

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David Evans @davidevans.org.uk · 1d

On the other side of this I feel like there's going to be a political market for people who are serious and openly discuss trade-offs with the public.

Of course, I make no prediction of how long 'this' may last - could be the fall of the Roman Empire to the Renaissance...

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Reposted by David Evans

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 1d

The Bishop of Birmingham has written to the Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick about his comments about Handsworth

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David Evans @davidevans.org.uk · 1d

I occasionally wonder what people like Willie Whitelaw - awarded the MC as a tank commander in Normandy - would think of the modern Tory Party...and then I wonder if I'm just getting old.

David Evans @davidevans.org.uk · 1d

I also think 'being serious' is underrated. Those who want to ape Thatcher are ideologically swooning over her policy response to 1970s Britain rather than her more fundamental approach to public office.

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David Evans @davidevans.org.uk · 1d

The other issue is that the Timor Sea crossing to Australia is about 300 miles, while the English Channel's shortest crossing is about 20 miles and very busy. So it's very substantially easier to detect and intercept boats there.

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David Evans @davidevans.org.uk · 1d

However, a signal is a signal - maybe you should report it.

yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk

Yellow Card | Making medicines and medical devices safer

MHRA Homepage for reporting of suspected side effects or adverse drug reactions to any medicines or vaccines, as well as medical device incidents

yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk

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David Evans @davidevans.org.uk · 1d

Not sure there's a statistically significant variance against the control group...

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David Evans @davidevans.org.uk · 1d

Thing is, if you want a conversation about integration, maybe it's worth talking about the policies that support integration, rather than your fleeting impression of the colour of people's skin in an area you came to do a Tik Tok video.

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David Evans @davidevans.org.uk · 1d

Good article - and really nice photos as well.

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David Evans @davidevans.org.uk · 1d

Interesting research - albeit confirming my priors. What the blog describes as "Christianism" is very recognisable - far right use of phrases about Christianity that are entirely dislocated from Christian doctrine.

Patrick Dunleavy @patrickdunleavy.bsky.social · 1d

Are Christians in Europe more likely to be Islamophobic than other citizens?

New research finds no link between personal Christian beliefs and Islamophobia, but a close association of latter with nativism/authoritarianism.

✍️ @kai_arzheimer blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2...

Islamophobia in Western Europe is not driven by religiosity

Are Christians more likely to be Islamophobic than other citizens in Europe? New research finds European Islamophobia has no link to a person’s religiosity.

blogs.lse.ac.uk

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David Evans @davidevans.org.uk · 2d

If it were me, I think I'd replace Gibb with the fiercest partisan I can find, and concurrently announce a plan up for a non-partisan approach to senior BBC appointments, fixing Tory derogation of public duty under the previous government, and challenge Badenoch to commit to it.

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David Evans @davidevans.org.uk · 2d

It's in the metadata. You can't see it because you're not a robot.

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Reposted by David Evans

Gabriel Milland @gabrielmilland.bsky.social · 2d

Stamford Hill exists and co-exists because Handsworth exists and co-exists. Stamford Hill is only safe if Handsworth is safe too.

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David Evans @davidevans.org.uk · 2d

Talking to people in Handsworth you discover people of different faiths and ethnicities working closely together. Politicians need to say "how can I help?", not criticise. The idea you can walk around and see the colour of people's skin and work out what's going on is a racist delusion.

Jenrick defends calling Handsworth 'worst-integrated'

The shadow justice secretary stands by his comments about the Birmingham area amid sharp criticism.

www.bbc.co.uk

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David Evans @davidevans.org.uk · 2d

The bitter irony is that places like Handsworth are where the failures of government policy hit hardest. What I saw was, as Shuranjeet describes, "one of the most socioeconomically disadvantaged but uniquely resilient neighbourhoods in Birmingham".

Angela Rayner is right to home in on rogue landlords | Letters

Letters: Shuranjeet Singh says that more help is needed in the battle against rogue landlords in Handsworth, Birmingham

www.theguardian.com

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David Evans @davidevans.org.uk · 2d

The community do face massive challenges, and housing is a big part of that. We visited several sites across Birmingham where the Church Development Agency were working with local communities to develop a vision for regeneration. One of the most exciting things I've ever worked on.

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