Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Ezra Cohen @drezracohen.bsky.social · 17h

Very pleased that police now have 2 men in custody following the firebombing of Peacehaven mosque. It was really humbling to talk to leaders of the mosque on Sunday and hear their commitment to peace and the community shine through, in the face of being targeted in this heinous attack. Solidarity!

Leaders from Peacehaven mosque with Green Party deputy leader Mothin Ali, local Green councillors Paul Keene, James Meek and Ezra Cohen and Brighton & Hove Green Party Chair Joe Skeeping

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Leana Hosea @leanahosea.bsky.social · Aug 7

Southern Water customers pay the highest water bills in England, yet pipes are haemhorraging water + investment in infrastructure to prevent water shortage has been paltry. Now, the Test, a precious, fragile chalk stream, is paying the price:

🧵 1/12
www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Southern Water applies for permission to draw water from rare chalk stream

Environment secretary urged to stop drought order that could damage the ecology of River Test in Hampshire

www.theguardian.com

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The Green Party of England & Wales @greenparty.org.uk · Mar 26

📺 "Why isn't the Chancellor making those choices?"

@elliechowns.bsky.social reacts to Rachel Reeves' Spring Statement on BBC Politics Live.

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Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · Jan 30

Used to vote for the Labour Party?

Let's talk!

Join.greenparty.org.uk

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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · Jan 26

Labour's simplemindedness will be its downfall - and ours. You can't build and bulldoze your way out of the housing crisis. Unless you also change the system, you'll still leave millions without decent homes. My column today explains why.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Home truths: the only thing Labour is building is a bigger, more dysfunctional housing market | George Monbiot

Private developers offer politicians a simple solution for bulldozing through this crisis – build more. But it won’t work, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot

www.theguardian.com

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Ezra Cohen @drezracohen.bsky.social · Jan 26

After a *low confidence* CIA conclusion, Republican Senator Tom Cotton says "Now, the most important thing is to make China pay for unleashing a plague on the world."

Maybe Republicans should start preparing for *very likely* future health and climate catastrophies instead? Just a thought...

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Carla Denyer @carladenyer.bsky.social · Jan 14

Really pleased the minister agreed to meet me to discuss my #RentersRightsBill amendment to give disabled people the right to adapt their home to meet their needs. Not counting chickens yet but potential big win for all who campaigned on this. I'll continue to push this forward.

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Emily O'Brien @emilylincobrien.bsky.social · Jan 11

My message today: We must keep the local in local government!

So much concern today at the @LGA_Independent conference amongst Green and and Indie cllrs over the government's rushed and undemocratic power grab. This is not devolution it's regionalisation. 👇

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Emily O'Brien @emilylincobrien.bsky.social · Jan 9

Save our local elections! Fantastic turnout for today's protest - residents and councillors from across East Sussex - Lewes District Green Party in force 👇

Tory County Councillors are trying to kill democracy. Cancelling local elections which they know they will lose is a shocking power grab!

Group of Lewes district green party supporters and councillors

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Caroline Russell @carolinerussell.bsky.social · Jan 6

Ahead of “e-bike” Panorama tonight can we clearly distinguish between:

🚲 legal e-assist bikes limited to 15.5 mph

🚲 dockless hire e-bikes like Lime paid by the minute so incentivising poor riding and

🚲 illegal kit conversion e-bikes with a throttle sometimes used by (exploited) delivery riders

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Dr Rachel Clarke @drrachelclarke.com · Jan 5

The astonishing cognitive dissonance of a health secretary who insists he'll save the NHS - yet kicks the social care crisis into touch until 2028.

1 in 8 medically fit NHS patients cannot leave hospital for lack of social care.

Of course A&E is overwhelmed 🤷‍♀️

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Ambulance handover delays in England may harm 1,000 patients a day

Exclusive: 414,137 people believed to have experienced some level of harm in last year, Guardian analysis finds

www.theguardian.com

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Ezra Cohen @drezracohen.bsky.social · Jan 5

Democracy is not up for negotiation, and elections mustn't be cancelled just because those in power might find them inconvenient.

Use this template letter to tell Government Minister Jim McMahon not to agree to ESCC Tories request to cancel elections👇🏼
actionnetwork.org/letters/dont...

Don't Cancel our May 2025 East Sussex County Elections

East Sussex Conservatives are planning to use the government's shake-up of local councils as a means to suspend the May 2025 County elections. This would keep them in power at ESCC for two more years...

actionnetwork.org

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Mark Lemley @marklemley.bsky.social · Jan 3

Too cheap to meter? Prices for power in Europe are going negative for significant periods of time as renewable energy takes off

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

German Power Slips Below Zero as Negative-Price Phenomenon Grows

German power prices dropped below zero on the first trading day of the year, an increasingly frequent phenomenon in Europe as renewables expand.

www.bloomberg.com

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The Green Party of England & Wales @greenparty.org.uk · Jan 2

2024 was provisionally the fourth warmest year on record for the UK.

With extreme weather events on our doorstep the Government must urgently show the political courage to tackle the climate and inequality crises.

REAL HOPE. REAL CHANGE.
Keir Starmer's New Year's Resolution should be
- Take the climate crisis seriously
Green Party
Promoted by Chris Williams on behalf of The Green Party, both at PO Box 78066, London SE16 9GQ

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Kate Allen @kateallen.ft.com · Jan 3

To paraphrase Mary Oliver - tell me, what is it you plan to do with your once-in-a-generation wild and precious House of Commons 400-seat majority?

… Because, if this isn’t what you wanted it for, then what exactly ARE you planning to spend that very rare electoral mandate on?

Charlotte Pickles @charliepickles.bsky.social · Jan 3

What *exactly* is a social care commission going to tell us that we don't know?

What is the magical cross-party solve that *multiple* com'ns & reviews, incl a Royal Com'n, have failed to find?

The issue is funding. Its a political choice. MAKE THE CHOICE you're elected to make & get on with it

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Dr. Jonathan Foley @globalecoguy.bsky.social · Jan 2

When it comes to food-related emissions, the question isn’t “where” food is grown.

It’s “what” food is it? (Especially beef and dairy.)

And “how” it was grown? (Especially if it’s linked to deforestation or excessive fertilizer use.)

Richard Waite @waiterich.bsky.social · Jan 2

This article says food transport has a "large carbon footprint" w/ headings like "the climate impacts of cargo ships" but I couldn't find a single data point related to food transport emissions in the article.

Perhaps surprisingly, transport only accounts for **~6%** of global food-related GHGs. 1/

Can sail freight tackle the large carbon footprint of food transport?

To reduce emissions produced by food transport, companies are turning to shipping by sail or sail freight. Will it catch on?

foodprint.org

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Colin Boyle @colinboyle.bsky.social · Jan 3

Let’s look at the first example following Starmer’s speech:
The “…final report on [Social Care] reforms would not emerge until 2028.” i.e. no systemic change in this Parliament.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Colin Boyle @colinboyle.bsky.social · Jan 1

Unless Starmer actually delivers systemic change, this will be seen to be shallow performative politics that will drive cynicism and disenfranchisement - and open the door to demagogues who destroy democracy.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Keir Starmer vows to rebuild Britain as Labour did after second world war

PM says in his new year message that 2025 will be a year of rebuilding, comparing the task to that Attlee faced in 1945

www.theguardian.com

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Dr Rachel Clarke @drrachelclarke.com · Jan 3

"There is no solution to the crisis in the NHS that doesn’t include a solution for social care."

Dismayed to see Wes Streeting acknowledge this - yet kick the issue into long grass with a commission that won't report until 2028.

What hope for the NHS now?

What hope for those needing care now?

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Papa Woof und Krampus und Bleaken @papawoof.bsky.social · Dec 24

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Mehdi Hasan @mehdirhasan.bsky.social · Dec 22

Over in the other place, the billionaire owner is threatening to fund ‘moderate’ (rightwing) candidates in heavily Democratic districts too.

This is what oligarchy looks like. It’s the biggest threat to democracy today. Not ‘cancel culture.’ Not trans kids. Not college protesters.

Oligarchy.

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Ezra Cohen @drezracohen.bsky.social · Dec 22

Labour, stop dithering over weak caps on political donations from corporations - ban them altogether! Have parties be funded by (capped) donations from actual people who live in the country.

Democracy?

But no, that would hurt Labour, Tories, Lib Dems & Reform

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Ministers resist calls to block Musk donations to Farage’s Reform UK

Government fears moves to curb any potential cash from the tech titan could backfire and play into Reform UK’s hands

www.theguardian.com

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Emily O'Brien @emilylincobrien.bsky.social · Dec 12

Today's announcement is a disaster for communities & environment & will totally fail to fix the housing crisis

The Green Party says to Labour: stop wrecking planning - but start fixing housing!

Truly affordable homes, built to the right standards and in the right place. 🧵1/3

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Jon Corsiglia @joncors.bsky.social · Dec 3

We all need the reminder that many of the changes needed to respond to the climate crisis aren’t a matter of giving something up, but getting something new: a better commute, a more comfortable home or a healthier life. That’s a fight anyone can sign up for.

www.nationalobserver.com/2024/12/02/o...

You can’t keep a good climate solution down

The green future can be abundant, not diminished — and some of the necessary changes are already happening without much of a fight.

www.nationalobserver.com

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Zahra Hirji @zhirji.bsky.social · Dec 1

Turns out just giving plant-based meals premium visibility and marketing on shelves, tables and menus can make a big difference in getting people to eat those meals over meat-centric ones.

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Gobbling Meat Is Fueling a Climate Crisis. Here’s How to Cut Back

Meat-centric diets are significantly contributing to global emissions. Yet new data show that some techniques to promote more sustainable eating are working.

www.bloomberg.com

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The Green Party of England & Wales @greenparty.org.uk · Nov 28

"It's not zealotry, it's science."

Ellie Chowns calls out climate science denial on BBC Politics Live.

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