Pinned
Director for Fair Access and Participation steps down from regulator - Office for Students
John Blake's four-year term as the Director for Fair Access and Participation at the Office for Students (OfS) ends this year. The Secretary of State will be appointing an interim Director for Fair Ac...
www.officeforstudents.org.uk
It has been an enormous honour to serve as Director for Fair Access and Participation at the Office for Students. Now that all-new access and participation plans are in place across the sector, I have decided not to seek a second term.
www.officeforstudents.org.uk/news-blog-an...
www.officeforstudents.org.uk/news-blog-an...
At a cosmic level, it is surely hilarious that the current in US politics that generated McCarthyism is now in hock to man who is an actual Russian asset.
On a day to day level, of course, it’s a tragedy, and a disgrace and the man should be on trial for treason.
On a day to day level, of course, it’s a tragedy, and a disgrace and the man should be on trial for treason.
December 8, 2025 at 8:53 AM
At a cosmic level, it is surely hilarious that the current in US politics that generated McCarthyism is now in hock to man who is an actual Russian asset.
On a day to day level, of course, it’s a tragedy, and a disgrace and the man should be on trial for treason.
On a day to day level, of course, it’s a tragedy, and a disgrace and the man should be on trial for treason.
“I left my shoes and socks there /
I wonder if they’re dry”
I wonder if they’re dry”
Which lines of poetry live rent-free in your head?
December 6, 2025 at 9:01 PM
“I left my shoes and socks there /
I wonder if they’re dry”
I wonder if they’re dry”
Reposted by John Blake
America’s strength isn’t rooted in power alone, but in our allies across Europe and around the world. Weakening those ties weakens us. In a world of rising authoritarianism, partnerships remain one of our greatest strategic advantages.
December 6, 2025 at 7:52 PM
America’s strength isn’t rooted in power alone, but in our allies across Europe and around the world. Weakening those ties weakens us. In a world of rising authoritarianism, partnerships remain one of our greatest strategic advantages.
Perhaps the most important stage of Christmas now arrives: the watching of The Muppet Christmas Carol — the greatest Christmas movie, second-greatest Michael Caine performance, only cinematic chance to see a rabbit physically abused with a wreath.
December 6, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Perhaps the most important stage of Christmas now arrives: the watching of The Muppet Christmas Carol — the greatest Christmas movie, second-greatest Michael Caine performance, only cinematic chance to see a rabbit physically abused with a wreath.
Reposted by John Blake
Putin: ‘Russia is ready to keep fighting until the last Ukrainian dies.’
Committing the genocidal intention on the international stage
West:”we must pursue a diplomatic solution”
Committing the genocidal intention on the international stage
West:”we must pursue a diplomatic solution”
December 4, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Putin: ‘Russia is ready to keep fighting until the last Ukrainian dies.’
Committing the genocidal intention on the international stage
West:”we must pursue a diplomatic solution”
Committing the genocidal intention on the international stage
West:”we must pursue a diplomatic solution”
This is approximately the same as someone saying “the Mafia assassins of JFK on the grassy knoll tried to destroy me”. No one who says this should be allowed to operate heavy machinery, let alone go round the world giving the benefit of their experience as Prime Minister.
New: Liz Truss will tomorrow premiere the first episode of The Liz Truss Show.
Billed as "A bold new programme in a media landscape dominated by groupthink and timid consensus".
Truss: "The Deep State tried to destroy me but now I'm back and excited to launch this show."
Billed as "A bold new programme in a media landscape dominated by groupthink and timid consensus".
Truss: "The Deep State tried to destroy me but now I'm back and excited to launch this show."
December 4, 2025 at 1:25 PM
This is approximately the same as someone saying “the Mafia assassins of JFK on the grassy knoll tried to destroy me”. No one who says this should be allowed to operate heavy machinery, let alone go round the world giving the benefit of their experience as Prime Minister.
“As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be with the Wizard”
“Wicked: For Goodfellas”
“Wicked: For Goodfellas”
Insert a movie into another movie:
Remains of the Day of the Triffids
Remains of the Day of the Triffids
Insert a movie into another movie:
The Fantastic Four Weddings and a Funeral
The Fantastic Four Weddings and a Funeral
December 4, 2025 at 11:23 AM
“As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be with the Wizard”
“Wicked: For Goodfellas”
“Wicked: For Goodfellas”
Madcap hijinks as Daniel Day Lewis leads an all star cast in a race across America to save his loved ones from a vengeful Huron war party.
“The Last of the Mohicannonball Run”
“The Last of the Mohicannonball Run”
Insert a movie into another movie:
The Taking of Pelham 123 Men and a Baby
The Taking of Pelham 123 Men and a Baby
Insert a movie into another movie:
Paris, Texas When it Sizzles
Paris, Texas When it Sizzles
December 4, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Madcap hijinks as Daniel Day Lewis leads an all star cast in a race across America to save his loved ones from a vengeful Huron war party.
“The Last of the Mohicannonball Run”
“The Last of the Mohicannonball Run”
Sentimental Oscar bait with a fantasy twist as Katherine Hepburn and Henry Fonda play elderly Vikings forging new bonds with their offspring who have adopted flying lizards in
“How to Train Your Dragon: Golden Pond”.
“How to Train Your Dragon: Golden Pond”.
Insert a movie into another movie:
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert Fox
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert Fox
Insert a movie into another movie:
Journey to the Centre of the Earthquake!
Journey to the Centre of the Earthquake!
December 4, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Sentimental Oscar bait with a fantasy twist as Katherine Hepburn and Henry Fonda play elderly Vikings forging new bonds with their offspring who have adopted flying lizards in
“How to Train Your Dragon: Golden Pond”.
“How to Train Your Dragon: Golden Pond”.
Disturbing sci-fi sequel, in which a digitally de-aged Jeff Bridges must help his son defeat a computer virus manifested as the enormous face of Hattie Jacques
“Carry on Matron: Legacy”
“Carry on Matron: Legacy”
Insert a movie into another movie:
Paris, Texas When it Sizzles
Paris, Texas When it Sizzles
Insert a movie into another movie:
The Pope Must Die Harder
The Pope Must Die Harder
December 4, 2025 at 11:06 AM
Disturbing sci-fi sequel, in which a digitally de-aged Jeff Bridges must help his son defeat a computer virus manifested as the enormous face of Hattie Jacques
“Carry on Matron: Legacy”
“Carry on Matron: Legacy”
Harrowing thriller in which Sean Connery’s improbably accented Soviet sub captain fights in Vietnam with some Pennsylvania steel mill workers:
“The Deer Hunter for Red October”
“The Deer Hunter for Red October”
Insert a movie into another movie:
Journey to the Centre of the Earthquake!
Journey to the Centre of the Earthquake!
Insert a movie into another movie:
Remains of the Day of the Triffids
Remains of the Day of the Triffids
December 4, 2025 at 10:56 AM
Harrowing thriller in which Sean Connery’s improbably accented Soviet sub captain fights in Vietnam with some Pennsylvania steel mill workers:
“The Deer Hunter for Red October”
“The Deer Hunter for Red October”
See Dolly Parton vs Leatherface in “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas Chainsaw Massacre”
Insert a movie into another movie:
Paris, Texas When it Sizzles
Paris, Texas When it Sizzles
Insert a movie into another movie:
The Pope Must Die Harder
The Pope Must Die Harder
December 4, 2025 at 10:35 AM
See Dolly Parton vs Leatherface in “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas Chainsaw Massacre”
The Lord of The Rings - the Dark Lord Sauron seeks to conquer Middle Earth with magical evil VHSes; is defeated when it turns out Gondor shifted the Bluerays.
Runaway Brideshead Revisted
Insert a movie into another movie:
The Pope Must Die Harder
The Pope Must Die Harder
December 4, 2025 at 10:34 AM
The Lord of The Rings - the Dark Lord Sauron seeks to conquer Middle Earth with magical evil VHSes; is defeated when it turns out Gondor shifted the Bluerays.
Runaway Brideshead Revisted
Insert a movie into another movie:
The Pope Must Die Harder
The Pope Must Die Harder
Insert a movie into another movie:
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert Fox
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert Fox
December 4, 2025 at 10:30 AM
Runaway Brideshead Revisted
Reposted by John Blake
Amazing story highlighting the fine line between art and science. Ultimately it's all just ideas and creativity of thought.
December 2, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Amazing story highlighting the fine line between art and science. Ultimately it's all just ideas and creativity of thought.
Reposted by John Blake
Trump and Witkoff seem to believe that all Americans care about is making money. When it comes to Ukraine, however, polls show clearly that American care about right and wrong. Trump is out of step with American people on Ukraine/Russia.
Five-byline alert: 🚨
“.. the full scope of [Witkoff’s talks] went much further, according to people familiar .. They were privately charting a path to bring Russia’s $2 trillion economy in from the cold—with American businesses first in line .. to the dividends. 🇺🇦
www.wsj.com/world/russia...
“.. the full scope of [Witkoff’s talks] went much further, according to people familiar .. They were privately charting a path to bring Russia’s $2 trillion economy in from the cold—with American businesses first in line .. to the dividends. 🇺🇦
www.wsj.com/world/russia...
November 30, 2025 at 8:32 AM
Trump and Witkoff seem to believe that all Americans care about is making money. When it comes to Ukraine, however, polls show clearly that American care about right and wrong. Trump is out of step with American people on Ukraine/Russia.
Reposted by John Blake
Also. Next time someone tells you Ru is invading Ukraine preemptively to stop it from joining NATO, show them this and laugh in their face. Blaming these genocidal politics on Ru feeling insecure is peak ignorance or gaslighting.
#UkrainianView
Next time any piece of shit politician tells you that "these are russian territories", "everyone speaks russian there" and so on - show them this. That is the "how" and the "why". It is called ethnocide and has been done numerous times by russia over the past centuries, to erase us.
Next time any piece of shit politician tells you that "these are russian territories", "everyone speaks russian there" and so on - show them this. That is the "how" and the "why". It is called ethnocide and has been done numerous times by russia over the past centuries, to erase us.
Putin signs decree formalizing Russification of occupied Ukraine through 2036 - Euromaidan Press
Putin signs decree formalizing Russification of occupied Ukraine through 2036, setting 95% "Russian identity" targets for four oblasts.
euromaidanpress.com
November 29, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Also. Next time someone tells you Ru is invading Ukraine preemptively to stop it from joining NATO, show them this and laugh in their face. Blaming these genocidal politics on Ru feeling insecure is peak ignorance or gaslighting.
Reposted by John Blake
The Russian army is exhausted too. Russia is taking far higher casualties than Ukraine, and after 3.5 years has barely moved the front line. The idea that Russia is “winning” is simply not supported by the evidence. As I told DW News.
November 28, 2025 at 12:30 AM
The Russian army is exhausted too. Russia is taking far higher casualties than Ukraine, and after 3.5 years has barely moved the front line. The idea that Russia is “winning” is simply not supported by the evidence. As I told DW News.
Reposted by John Blake
The right step and an indication that Ukraine’s anticorruption institutions have reached a level of maturity absent in many European democracies. This happened thanks to Ukr civil society and ordinary people who rallied in the middle of war this summer to protect the institutions’ independence.
⚡️ Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy says Andriy Yermak has submitted his resignation as head of the Presidential Office.
November 28, 2025 at 4:06 PM
The right step and an indication that Ukraine’s anticorruption institutions have reached a level of maturity absent in many European democracies. This happened thanks to Ukr civil society and ordinary people who rallied in the middle of war this summer to protect the institutions’ independence.
So. , #WickedForGood — as before Ariane Grande is great but it Cynthia Erivo investing the whole thing with the grandeur of Shakespeare, which makes it glorious; if she doesn’t get the Oscar nom (at least) this time, she’s been robbed.
Also, last shot deserves a joint Oscar/Tony award of its own.
Also, last shot deserves a joint Oscar/Tony award of its own.
November 23, 2025 at 5:30 PM
So. , #WickedForGood — as before Ariane Grande is great but it Cynthia Erivo investing the whole thing with the grandeur of Shakespeare, which makes it glorious; if she doesn’t get the Oscar nom (at least) this time, she’s been robbed.
Also, last shot deserves a joint Oscar/Tony award of its own.
Also, last shot deserves a joint Oscar/Tony award of its own.
Also, isn’t the point of the BBC that it does things others can’t? So we can get 24 hour news pretty much anywhere, but not the kind of summary material Stephen mentions here, so why isn’t the BBC doing that instead of funding a generic ticker-tape news service?
To add to this - it's not like the public is being well served by broadcast news moving at the pace of 24 hour scrolling and the politically obsessed - it just means every election large numbers of people end up googling 'what is austerity?' 'What is brownfield?' etc. etc.
This is bizarre. Like the editor of the guardian or mail or any other paper complaining repeatedly about the front page lead they decided to run with.
Very good example of what's wrong with broadcast news - they've given up deciding for themselves what is or isn't news and what the priorities are
Very good example of what's wrong with broadcast news - they've given up deciding for themselves what is or isn't news and what the priorities are
November 23, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Also, isn’t the point of the BBC that it does things others can’t? So we can get 24 hour news pretty much anywhere, but not the kind of summary material Stephen mentions here, so why isn’t the BBC doing that instead of funding a generic ticker-tape news service?
When human civilisation inevitably blasts itself back into the Dark Ages, one can only hope a suitably garbled version of this story will be the foundation stone of a new religion.
4 yrs ago today, a family member managed a truly spectacular own goal, splintered his domestic bliss, & in the process, united the world for a day.
On popular request, I shall now recreate the livetweet thread from that day
So gather around children, for this is the tale of The Rice Truck Saga
On popular request, I shall now recreate the livetweet thread from that day
So gather around children, for this is the tale of The Rice Truck Saga
November 23, 2025 at 12:04 PM
When human civilisation inevitably blasts itself back into the Dark Ages, one can only hope a suitably garbled version of this story will be the foundation stone of a new religion.
Reposted by John Blake
On Holodomor Remembrance Day, Ukrainians light a candle at 4 pm
and place it on the windowsill to honor the millions who died in the 1932-1933 famine.
🕯️4 pm in Ukraine
and place it on the windowsill to honor the millions who died in the 1932-1933 famine.
🕯️4 pm in Ukraine
November 22, 2025 at 2:07 PM
On Holodomor Remembrance Day, Ukrainians light a candle at 4 pm
and place it on the windowsill to honor the millions who died in the 1932-1933 famine.
🕯️4 pm in Ukraine
and place it on the windowsill to honor the millions who died in the 1932-1933 famine.
🕯️4 pm in Ukraine
The US-negotiated (for which read: “Russian dictated”) peace deal is no such thing—it is Ukraine’s suicide note as a sovereign power, to be disposed of by Putin at his leisure. It is repulsive that any US administration would push this on to any free state.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
US tells Nato if Zelenskyy does not sign peace deal Ukraine will face worse in future
US army secretary briefs ambassadors at ‘nightmare meeting’ in Kyiv on Friday after talks with Ukrainian leader
www.theguardian.com
November 22, 2025 at 2:06 PM
The US-negotiated (for which read: “Russian dictated”) peace deal is no such thing—it is Ukraine’s suicide note as a sovereign power, to be disposed of by Putin at his leisure. It is repulsive that any US administration would push this on to any free state.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
People who have been incredibly academically successful often do not consider that the education system is not designed around them (tho, as their success illustrates, it is good for them).
Britain’s top scientists have written to the PM warning that the education system is holding back children and the country and expressing concern about the timidity of the government’s curriculum and assessment review @theobserveruk.bsky.social observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
Broken education system is holding back the young, top scientists warn PM | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 9, 2025 at 8:35 PM
People who have been incredibly academically successful often do not consider that the education system is not designed around them (tho, as their success illustrates, it is good for them).