Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

James Fitzgerald @jamesfitzjourno.bsky.social · 16h

Sorry, what?!

Full Fact @fullfact.org · 17h

Viral social media posts claim Sir Keir Starmer has legalised marriage between brothers and sisters or parents and children.

False. Marriage between close relatives is illegal in the UK. There are, however, calls for a ban on marriage between first cousins. fullfact.org/culture-and-...

No, the government hasn’t legalised marriage between brothers and sisters and parents and children – Full Fact

False claims about changes in the law have been linked to a parliamentary exchange about marriages between first cousins.

fullfact.org

8

James Fitzgerald @jamesfitzjourno.bsky.social · 17h

Beth Mooney appreciation post. #CWC25

3

James Fitzgerald @jamesfitzjourno.bsky.social · 1d

Bit of a weird obsession with authoritarian states, and Sharia Law, but yeah ok.

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

Party donor Nick Candy says "I cherish the values we grew up with here in the West. But today you are more likely to find the values we grew up with in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.’

Via Sam Leith in the Spectator
www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-...

1 5

James Fitzgerald @jamesfitzjourno.bsky.social · 1d

No.

‘The ground is shifting’: what’s driving One Nation’s surge and could it replace the ‘floundering Liberals’?

As its support doubles, One Nation is targeting conservative voters disillusioned with the Liberals and Nationals on immigration and net zero

www.theguardian.com

1 3

James Fitzgerald @jamesfitzjourno.bsky.social · 1d

I want this more than anything.

YouGov @yougov.co.uk · 1d

Should there be national service for Boomers?

A German think tank has called for 1yr of "mandatory social service" for all new retires - a move Britons would oppose for the UK

Support: 14%
Oppose: 73%

18-24yr olds: -43 net support
25-49: -58
50-64: -70
65+: -53

yougov.co.uk/society/arti...

5 10

James Fitzgerald @jamesfitzjourno.bsky.social · 1d

👀

Mel Stride slaps down Robert Jenrick’s ‘no white faces’ remarks

The shadow chancellor’s rebuke breaks ranks with Kemi Badenoch’s response to the controversial comments.

www.politico.eu

2

James Fitzgerald @jamesfitzjourno.bsky.social · 2d

There's still racism, clearly. But the big cities (and hopefully the sticks one of these days) are fine, aside from the odd dickhead.

But having grown up before and in the massive racist bit, it isn't that. But more to do...

2

James Fitzgerald @jamesfitzjourno.bsky.social · 2d

Totally, especially in Bendigo. But having lived there throughout the 90s, and seen and heard, it's a very, very different world now in the cities.

Suburbs? Also better, but not great. But it's changing.

1 3

James Fitzgerald @jamesfitzjourno.bsky.social · 2d

Going to put myself here on this one (as an inner city Aussie), yeah...depends on where you live. But if you're talking about inner City Adelaide, Melbs or Syd, not sure this is right having lived and mingled in all three. 1/..

1 1

James Fitzgerald @jamesfitzjourno.bsky.social · 2d

Yes the cost blew out a bit (private sector etc) but amazing what happens when you just....commit to something.

Melbourne’s ‘spectacular’ Metro Tunnel stations are finally finished. Here’s what they look like and what’s next

Town Hall and State Library train stations join Anzac, Arden and Parkville as city waits for launch date of long-awaited rail line

www.theguardian.com

4

James Fitzgerald @jamesfitzjourno.bsky.social · 2d

👀

Jessica Elgot @jessicaelgot.bsky.social · 2d

EXC from @annaisaac.bsky.social

The finances of one of Nigel Farage’s key confidants are being examined by the UK’s tax and revenue authorities amid questions over his income from wealth and business activities, the Guardian understands.

www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Tax authorities examine finances of key Nigel Farage ally

Exclusive: HMRC conducts scoping exercise into Reform UK backer ‘Posh George’ Cottrell’s income from business and wealth

www.theguardian.com

1 4

Reposted by James Fitzgerald

Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 2d

Every post from the Tory conference just makes me sad. Like watching a destitute clown begging for pennies.

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 2d

In place of a speech by Victoria Atkins, the shadow Defra secretary, she is holding a “rally for the countryside” in the main exhibition hall. Her Union Jack jacket is back from the dry cleaners again.

51 85 530

James Fitzgerald @jamesfitzjourno.bsky.social · 2d

So that's where the canopy went....

1 4

Reposted by James Fitzgerald

James Ball @jamesrball.com · 2d

A pub in London Fields is trying to put up a timber canopy over its outside seating.

The planning process so far has taken FIVE YEARS. That’s longer than it took to build the entire Hoover Dam. capx.co/nimby-watch-...

capx.co

17 37 120

James Fitzgerald @jamesfitzjourno.bsky.social · 2d

"I cannot simply say we will use all of those savings to spend more elsewhere or to cut taxes. We will bring taxes down. We must, but we will only do so when it is affordable," says Stride.

So...no carrot, just more stick.

James Fitzgerald @jamesfitzjourno.bsky.social · 2d

Getting booted out of government and promising to cut everything again if you get back in is certainly....a choice.

4

James Fitzgerald @jamesfitzjourno.bsky.social · 2d

Getting booted out of government and promising to cut everything again if you get back in is certainly....a choice.

1 4 31

James Fitzgerald @jamesfitzjourno.bsky.social · 3d

Oh this is tasty.

1 1

James Fitzgerald @jamesfitzjourno.bsky.social · 3d

Turns out doing stuff is hard, hey.

Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 3d

Reform likely to raise Kent council tax after cost-cutting drive falters on.ft.com/4pTvJ62

Reform likely to raise Kent council tax after cost-cutting drive falters

Nigel Farage’s party promised to revive local authority finances by slashing wasteful spending

on.ft.com

2 6 36

James Fitzgerald @jamesfitzjourno.bsky.social · 3d

Keen.

1

Reposted by James Fitzgerald

Stephen Collins @stephencollins.bsky.social · 3d

Zoom out 🙏 🤩 #wonder

Cartoon strip by me who is Stephen Collins. The imagery of the comic starts off with a single electron and then each panel zooms out one step - first to the microchip, then the OLED screen, then the iPhone, the person holding the iPhone, and onwards

Script:

An electron, forged in the first fire of the Big Bang

Courses through a deeply intricate maze of transistors and diodes

mined with unfathomable ingenuity from our planet’s deep geological past

and assembled from all over the world

Into a device perfected through centuries of technological evolution

to perform a beautifully synchronised pixel dance on an OLED screen

in an intricate moving pattern of shifting light

[Show a phone screen with an Instagram post featuring Ryan Gosling and bearing the legend:]

WATCH RYAN GOSLING EAT A PASTY FOR THE FIRST TIME!

whose choreography is powered by an global information network of unknowable complexity

which is specifically tailored to the interests of the being observing the screen

who is a member of the most advanced species on Earth

[Show a shlubby looking GUY idly looking at the Ryan Gosling/sausage roll Instagram reel on his phone while sitting in his pants and a stained t-shirt and eating a massive bag of crisps]

with a brain perhaps more capable of reconfiguring these signals into conscious thought than any other for billions of miles around

[Guy has a thought]:
“Mmm…"

in this endless, silent void.

[Pull back to show the Earth as a tiny blue dot among the stars with a thought bubble coming from it]

"… I want a pasty.”

[ends]

6 78 280

James Fitzgerald @jamesfitzjourno.bsky.social · 3d

👀

Kevin Bonham @kevinbonham.bsky.social · 3d

#Newspoll 57-43 to ALP
ALP 37 L-NP 28 Green 12 ON 11 IND/other 12

Albanese net -1 (47-8)
Ley net -20 (31-51)
Better PM (favours incumbents) Albanese leads 52-30

Monday - Thursday, predates Hastie quitting shadow cabinet.

2

James Fitzgerald @jamesfitzjourno.bsky.social · 4d

7

Reposted by James Fitzgerald

Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 4d

This is wrong only in one aspect: the Simpsons’ decline can be dated to exactly February 13 2000, 7:30PM Eastern Time, and no gutter press article can convince me otherwise!

‘The Simpsons has been in decline as long as I’ve been alive’: why it’s time for the show to end for good

Despite a dreadful fall in quality, the second movie has just been announced. From poor voice acting to bad characterisation, one fan explains why their beloved show has to go

www.theguardian.com

18 4 81

James Fitzgerald @jamesfitzjourno.bsky.social · 5d

Like....it isn't hard to not do this.

Adam Goldstone @adamgoldstone.co.uk · 5d

Click through to the article and you even get her husband's name first

Woman named as new Archbishop of Canterbury in historic first

The 63-year-old archbishop-designate is married to Eamonn Mullally, with whom she has two children. Originally from Woking in Surrey, she was the UK's chief nursing officer from 1999 to 2004.

2 1 7

James Fitzgerald @jamesfitzjourno.bsky.social · 5d

Jeez.

Adam Goldstone @adamgoldstone.co.uk · 5d

Click through to the article and you even get her husband's name first

2 8