Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Diamond Ashiagbor @diamondashiagbor.bsky.social · 6d

Very much looking forward to reading your review! I came across Andrée Blouin for the first time when watching the documentary 'Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat' - what an extraordinary political thinker and activist she was

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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 6d

On Yom Kippur many Jewish people in Britain have their phones off to mark the holy day.

As it ends at 723pm, some will hear the tragic Manchester news for the first time.

At that time, please join many of us to send a message of solidarity to British Jews.Thanks Together coalition for proposing.

To everyone in Britain's Jewish Community: you are not alone.

We will not let hate or those who spread it win.

We stand with you.

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The Secret Barrister @barristersecret.bsky.social · 8d

If you don’t like being called a racist, maybe don’t make a career of saying things that appeal to racists, don’t create a political party that keeps attracting racist candidates, don’t fawn over racist world leaders, and don’t make a convicted racist the guest of honour at your party conference.

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Dan Sohege @danielsohege.bsky.social · 8d

Starmer's speech at Labour conference hit the right notes, it definitely upset Farage, but it takes more than words. Labour needs a serious change of direction to combat Reform. So long as he allows Labour's policy agenda to be dictated by Farage he emboldens Reform.👇
www.lbc.co.uk/article/keir...

Keir Starmer sees himself in a battle against Reform. His speeches just amplify Farage's message | LBC

The Prime Minister frames this moment as a crossroads for the country, yet it feels more like one for his government and for Labour itself.

www.lbc.co.uk

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Diamond Ashiagbor @diamondashiagbor.bsky.social · 8d

Such an important corrective to the anti-welfare, anti-disability benefit rhetoric

Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 8d

I'm getting really really fed up at constant reassertion that welfare spending is "out of control" when it is the same as the average for the past few decades.

One reason disability benefit costs have risen is because core support has fallen.

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Farrukh @implausibleblog.bsky.social · 9d

Krishnan Guru Murthy, "Isn't it a bit insulting to say to an Indian doctor who is working 60-70 hours a week that in order to get settled status he's got to volunteer?"

Rachel Reeves, "We want people to contribute if they come to our country"

Labour have gone utterly bonkers

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Jonathan Portes @jdportes.bsky.social · 13d

Introducing slightly less cruel/damaging version of Farage's plans would not "outmanoeuvre Reform";would be an economic/ political own goal

Far better to attack Reform/Tories for Powellite ethnonationalism & say migrants who come here, contribute & *choose* to stay are welcome -and become British.

Simon Parker @sparkerworld.bsky.social · 13d

The current Home Secretary who identifies as 'Blue Labour' was put in place precisely to outmanoeuvre Reform to the right on immigration so we can be fairly certain more costly and lengthy/conditional routes to citizenship will be announced in due course.

Jonathan Portes @jdportes.bsky.social · 13d

This excellent piece by @liamthorp.bsky.social focuses on Farage.

But as it correctly says, the much more immediate threat is that *Labour* will move the goalposts.

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpo...

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Jonn Elledge @jonnelledge.bsky.social · 14d

"You don’t fight the politics of violence by quibbling with the details. You stamp it into a million pieces! You draw a f*cking line!"

If Keir Starmer won’t even make a moral case against deporting our friends and neighbours, then what is the point of him?

What Do We Have To Lose

If Keir Starmer won’t even make a moral case against deporting our friends and neighbours, then what is the point of him? Plus: some natural borders; and the non-existence of grey, and other letters.

jonn.substack.com

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Henry Mance @henrymance.ft.com · 15d

What on Earth is this? An "in depth" BBC article about free speech in the UK that only cites examples of right-wing/ 'anti-woke' speech being suppressed. How can you mention Lucy Connolly but completely ignore Palestine Action / Just Stop Oil? Gob-smacking. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

How the simmering UK freedom of speech row reached boiling point

How did we reach a point where the UK is being compared to a 'tin pot Third World dictatorship'?

www.bbc.co.uk

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David Henig @davidheniguk.bsky.social · 16d

So Reform / Farage want to deport hundreds of thousands, possibly millions of UK residents, turning the country into an effective police state, breaking treaties, and impoverishing the economy and health service?

Just focus on all that. The moral gutter of politics.

Duncan Weldon @duncanweldon.bsky.social · 16d

Retrospectively removing indefinite leave to remain would be immoral and economically damaging. It would tear families apart.
Attacking it as ‘potentially illegal’ is completely beside the point.
Argue with the (awful) idea. Don’t try ’well, actually you can’t do that’.

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Duncan Weldon @duncanweldon.bsky.social · 16d

Retrospectively removing indefinite leave to remain would be immoral and economically damaging. It would tear families apart.
Attacking it as ‘potentially illegal’ is completely beside the point.
Argue with the (awful) idea. Don’t try ’well, actually you can’t do that’.

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Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 16d

If Labour and other parties can't find a way to scrutinise, criticise and condemn a policy like this, they give Reform a free ride and make the future less safe & certain for those who come here, work hard and contribute.

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Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 16d

This should be an opportunity for the other parties - Reform's proposal is extreme, violates basic fairness norms, and would threaten millions of people who have made their lives here and played by the rules. This approach should be condemned as nasty, unworkable and contrary to British fair play.

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Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 23d

A growing number of Labour voices now demanding Keir Starmer start taking on Elon Musk and the far-right.

Here Labour MP Noah Law writes for Byline Times on why it's time for the Government to quit Twitter and start treating Musk as the 'foreign extremist' he now is

bylinetimes.com/2025/09/15/m...

'My Government Must Quit Twitter and Call Out Elon Musk's Far-Right Hate'

Labour MP Noah Law explains why it's time for Keir Starmer to start treating the billionaire X owner as the 'foreign extremist' he now is

bylinetimes.com

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Diamond Ashiagbor @diamondashiagbor.bsky.social · 24d

Such an important insight to hold on to

Dorian Lynskey @dorianlynskey.bsky.social · 24d

The myth that racism is primarily driven by economic conditions must die, especially on the left. It is a misdiagnosis and a kind of excuse

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Will Jennings 🗳️ @drjennings.bsky.social · 24d

A rally organised by Tommy Robinson should be a slam dunk for a Labour government.

Most people will recognise it as being led by the far right (and will not identify themselves as such). Violence is predictable too.

The PMs and ministers should have been ready to respond immediately.

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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 24d

This must be a watershed moment. The government's continued use of X is no longer simply negligent. It is an act of conscious assistance to violent extremism.

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 25d

The common sense meaning should make this Elon Musk's "rivers of blood" moment

Though I think he goes further than Enoch Powell in a couple of important ways

Matt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · 25d

Elon Musk spoke by video to Tommy Robinson's anti-immigrant rally in the UK today.

"You're in a fundamental situation here where, whether you choose violence or not, violence is coming to you," said Musk. "You either fight back or you die."

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Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò @olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social · 26d

plenty of things going against the right globally: Bolsonaro's conviction in Brazil, the defeat of the right wing in Norway's election, the student strikes and Saba Saba protests in Kenya (brutal as the repression there was), the EU's von der Leyen pursuing sanctions and trade suspension for Israel

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Stuart Turnbull-Dugarte @turnbulldugarte.com · Sep 5

Radical right accommodation really does not work.

New paper out with this exceptionally talented team
@katharinalawall.bsky.social @robjohns75.bsky.social @drjennings.bsky.social @sarahobolt.bsky.social @zachdickson.bsky.social @danjdevine.bsky.social & @jack-bailey.co.uk

doi.org/10.31235/osf...

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Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · Aug 25

Sunder single-handedly outperforming most of the media establishment in his spare time here

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · Aug 25

The biggest things missing from the coverage are

* Context re scale

* noticing the very different patterns on geography & scale

Without those two points, impossible to have an accurate analysis of why they wax & wane, instead of breathless over-predictions of mass protest waves

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Alan Lester @alanlester.bsky.social · Aug 22

3/3 Begin the reclamation of moral authority with a statement condemning the hounding of people seeking asylum and objecting to expressions of patriotism directed against vulnerable people. Set out this government’s more positive vision of Britishness. Before it’s too late.

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Andy Woodhouse @andywoodhouse.bsky.social · Aug 21

New symposium out now🎉

Edited by @pashukanist.bsky.social, @nanoboss.bsky.social + me in @europeanlawopen.bsky.social seeks to introduce Marxist approaches to EU law scholarship.

Read now 👉 www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

🧵 (1/9) A thread on the symposium (please share!)

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Diamond Ashiagbor @diamondashiagbor.bsky.social · Aug 9

Wonderful look! Such impressive sewing skills. But where’s your sonic screwdriver?

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Daniel José Older @djolder.bsky.social · Aug 6

If I have to explain to you why it's a bad idea to use a machine that makes shit up 15-80% of the time AND destroys the environment AND contributes to rising fascism and genocide AND puts brilliant skillful creatives out of work by stealing their work, then we're already speaking different languages

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John Gallagher @earlymodernjohn.bsky.social · Aug 5

Can't fault the clarity of Labour's message on protest. There are BAD protesters who must be punished (Irish musicians, anti-genocide vicars) and there are GOOD protesters whose views deserve respect (masked thugs with petrol bombs trying to start a pogrom)

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