Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Emma McClure @emma-mcclure.bsky.social · 8d

Legal aid lawyers spend quarter of their day on unpaid work | Law Gazette share.google/T8c2pZvF7jje... *

*pre LAA cyber attack.

Legal aid lawyers spend quarter of day on unpaid work

Landmark research reveals hidden and non-chargeable cost of managing cases and contracts.

share.google

1 1

Reposted by Emma McClure

Miranda Yaver @mirandayaver.bsky.social · 15d

14 44 330

Reposted by Emma McClure

Dr Dean Burnett @garwboy.bsky.social · 15d

Does Tylenol cause autism? A full neuroscientific analysis.

open.substack.com/pub/theneuro...

A nuanced and thorough explanation of the US administration's recent claims that Tylenol (paracetamol) is the cause of autism.

#Tylenol #Autism #Trump #science #brains

Does Tylenol cause autism? A full neuroscientific analysis.

The Trump administration has declared Tylenol (paracetamol) is the likely cause of autism. But is this accurate? A full neuroscientific analysis is required to get to the heart of the matter.

open.substack.com

13 32 42

Reposted by Emma McClure

The Skeptic @skeptic.org.uk · Aug 18

The Online Safety Act doesn't make our children any safer - The Skeptic

The Online Safety Act may be well-intentioned, but it is a fundamentally flawed attempt to legislate away a complex social issue.

www.skeptic.org.uk

6 10

Emma McClure @emma-mcclure.bsky.social · Aug 8

Two IPP termination decisions today. One of them where probation were not supportive of termination. Finally free after 20 years and 7 recalls (On a two year tariff.)

Happy phone calls and many tears (mostly mine!).

Days like this give you the strength to keep going.

#justiceforIPP

1

Emma McClure @emma-mcclure.bsky.social · Jul 21

Giving out life sentences like sweets went so well last time...

#justiceforipp

The Secret Barrister @barristersecret.bsky.social · Jul 21

That this is presented by the media as “policy” is why we are in this mess.

These are not serious people. These are monkey tennis ideas, as divorced from the reality of criminal justice as you might expect from a company fronted by multi-millionaire simpletons.

The Times & Sunday Times @thetimes.com · Jul 21

🔺Nigel Farage speech: persistent offenders would face life sentences

The Reform UK leader pledged more prison spaces, deportation of criminals and zero-tolerance policing as part of a six-week Lawless Britain campaign drive

Reposted by Emma McClure

The Skeptic @skeptic.org.uk · Jul 17

The Ockham Awards 2025: recognising the best in skepticism, and the worst in pseudoscience - The Skeptic

Nominations for the 2025 Ockham Awards are now open, with our annual award for Skeptical Activism and our Rusty Razor award for pseudoscience.

www.skeptic.org.uk

2 4

Reposted by Emma McClure

UNGRIPP @ungripp.bsky.social · Jul 14

“They call the IPPs the forgotten. At one point, I started to self harm…”

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crim...

After 17 years under an indefinite jail term, Tony is free of his IPP sentence

Tony Betteridge was aged just 18 when he was handed an indefinite jail term for setting a fire in a store cupboard in an empty building, Amy-Clare Martin writes. After more than a decade in jail, four...

www.independent.co.uk

2 1

Reposted by Emma McClure

Mike Hall @mikehall314.bsky.social · Jul 10

Consent or pay seems to be getting more popular. These disclaimers infuriate me. Privacy is not a commodity to be traded away. Privacy should not be a privilege of the wealthy while those on low incomes have to give up theirs just to read the fucking news.

“It’s your choice”. Not for many it’s not.

Screenshot from The Independent demanding that the end user should accept advertising cookies, or pay a fee to read articles.

The title is “privacy - it’s your choice”

3 9 32

Reposted by Emma McClure

Mike Hall @mikehall314.bsky.social · Jul 6

The number of tickets remaining can be counted on your fingers! Get in before they go!

This is the last ever QED, so it is a real now-or-never moment!

QED @qedcon.org · Jul 6

We're down to single digits of remaining tickets! If you want to come to the final ever QED head to qedcon.org before we sell out!

QED | A weekend of science, reason, and critical thinking | 25th-26th October 2025, Manchester UK

QED is the UKʼs largest skepticism and pop-science conference, taking place in the Mercure Piccadilly Hotel in Manchester on 25th-26th October 2025.

qedcon.org

1 4 6

Reposted by Emma McClure

UNGRIPP @ungripp.bsky.social · Jul 5

Huge thank you to the Peers who spoke at yesterday’s debate, who continue to push for change to IPP sentences

Lord Woodley, Lord Moylan, Lord Thomas, Lord Garnier, Lord Hastings, Lord Balfe, Lord Carter, Lord Berkeley, Lord Wolfson, Baroness Burt, Baroness Fox, Lord Davies, @glosdioc.bsky.social

1 5 30

Emma McClure @emma-mcclure.bsky.social · Jul 4

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards @lalyawards.bsky.social · Jul 4

And the Legal Aid Newcomer #LALY25 is @yasminkarabasic.bsky.social‬ at sl5legal

One client’s mum said “having Yasmin by his side gave my son the confidence needed to secure his release”
www.sl5legal.co.uk/yasmin-karab...

Yasmin Karabasic | SL5 Legal | London

Yasmin is a rising star in both prison law and public law work. Prior to joining SL5 Legal in 2022, she acquired a vast amount of experience working as a paralegal in a busy prison law and public law ...

www.sl5legal.co.uk

1 4

Emma McClure @emma-mcclure.bsky.social · Jul 4

Today is the last day to respond to the Criminal Legal Aid fees consultation which includes a decades overdue prison law increase.

Pleease do submit your own response even if just endorsing @prisonlawyersapl.bsky.social's response. Every response counts!

consult.justice.gov.uk/digital-comm...

Criminal Legal Aid: Proposals for Solicitor Fee Scheme Reform - Page 1 of 11 - Ministry of Justice - Ci...

Find and participate in consultations relating to the duties of the Ministry of Justice.

consult.justice.gov.uk

1

Reposted by Emma McClure

Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards @lalyawards.bsky.social · Jul 3

#LALY25 is now sold out! 🥳We look forward to welcoming our guests and finalists tomorrow evening for what is Officially The Best Night in the Legal Aid Calendar 😍. Winners in our 10 spectacular award categories will also be announced on our social media platforms, so stay tuned......

3 4

Reposted by Emma McClure

Mike Hall @mikehall314.bsky.social · Jul 1

QED is definitely going to sell out imminently! Get your tickets while you still can!

QED @qedcon.org · Jul 1

We only have about 15 tickets left for this year's QED - hurry to QEDcon.org to get yours before it's too late!

QED | A weekend of science, reason, and critical thinking | 25th-26th October 2025, Manchester UK

QED is the UKʼs largest skepticism and pop-science conference, taking place in the Mercure Piccadilly Hotel in Manchester on 25th-26th October 2025.

QEDcon.org

2 4

Reposted by Emma McClure

Steve Peers @stevepeers.bsky.social · Jun 25

If you're Mark Rutte, doing some light NATO-saving BDSM with Trump, what's your safe word?

50 20 120

Reposted by Emma McClure

Skeptics with a K @skepticswithak.org · Jun 26

There's fewer than 50 tickets left for the final QED! Pick up yours today:
qedcon.org

QED | A weekend of science, reason, and critical thinking | 25th-26th October 2025, Manchester UK

QED is the UKʼs largest skepticism and pop-science conference, taking place in the Mercure Piccadilly Hotel in Manchester on 25th-26th October 2025.

qedcon.org

5 7

Reposted by Emma McClure

The Howard League @thehowardleague.bsky.social · Jun 22

"A panel convened by the Howard League will urge the government on Monday to take 'long overdue' action to restore hope to 2,614 inmates still trapped under the outlawed jail terms, which have been described as a 'monstrous blot' on our justice system."

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crim...

New hope for end to ‘cruel experiment’ of indefinite jail terms

Exclusive: Top justice experts urge government to finally end IPP sentences with a string of new measures

www.independent.co.uk

5 5

Emma McClure @emma-mcclure.bsky.social · Jun 19

Commiserations to all who celebrate.

1

Emma McClure @emma-mcclure.bsky.social · Jun 9

#MedalMonday
I think I inhaled more midges than bit my face so I win. 56 miles of finest Scottish bog and mountains conquered.

6

Reposted by Emma McClure

Mike Hall @mikehall314.bsky.social · May 29

Exciting news! On June 26, I will be speaking for Skeptics in the Pub Online, on topic of Jack the Ripper. Free to watch, live on Twitch!

The Shawl of Suspicion: Why we still don’t know the identity of Jack the Ripper - Mike Hall - Skeptics in the Pub Online

Jack the Ripper is one of the most well-known serial killers in history, with stories of his gruesome exploits permeating popular culture to an unprecedented degree. Despite almost 150 years having pa...

sitp.online

5 18

Reposted by Emma McClure

Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards @lalyawards.bsky.social · May 25

'When I think of legal aid lawyers, I am put in mind of that man who runs the London marathon with a fridge on his back (who somehow manages to overtake other runners and make it to the finish line)
@FionaBawdon on all those in the running for #LALY25 www.lag.org.uk/article/2169...

4 5

Emma McClure @emma-mcclure.bsky.social · May 21

Delighted to see my SL5 Legal colleague @yasminkarabasic.bsky.social on this shortlist. Very well deserved. 👏🏻

Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards @lalyawards.bsky.social · May 21

#LALY25 finalists in full....
1. Legal Aid Newcomer - sponsor Friends of LALY25
crowdfunder.co.uk/p/friends-of...
⭐️Yasmin Karabasic - SL5 Legal
⭐️Samantha Maher - Community Law Partnership
⭐️Nadia O'Mara - Garden Court Chambers
⭐️Katie Sinclair - Rook Irwin Sweeney

Friends of LALY25

Become a Friend of LALY25 and show your support for social justice by donating to help sponsor the Legal Aid Newcomer award.

crowdfunder.co.uk

1 3

Reposted by Emma McClure

Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards @lalyawards.bsky.social · May 21

#LALY25 finalists in full....
1. Legal Aid Newcomer - sponsor Friends of LALY25
crowdfunder.co.uk/p/friends-of...
⭐️Yasmin Karabasic - SL5 Legal
⭐️Samantha Maher - Community Law Partnership
⭐️Nadia O'Mara - Garden Court Chambers
⭐️Katie Sinclair - Rook Irwin Sweeney

Friends of LALY25

Become a Friend of LALY25 and show your support for social justice by donating to help sponsor the Legal Aid Newcomer award.

crowdfunder.co.uk

1 3 2

Emma McClure @emma-mcclure.bsky.social · May 17

*fourth time in 10 days.