Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Jonathan Hopkin @jonathanhopkin.bsky.social · 45m

All university researchers around the country are having to deal with new procedures around the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme yet foreign fascists are given free rein to pollute our public space. What a joke of a country. Zero dignity.

Josiah Mortimer @josiah.writes.news · 54m

🔴 ‘America Must Save Britain’: MAGA-Mania and Conspiracy Theories Broadcast Nightly on GB News’ New US Show

A new daily GB News programme broadcast from Washington features climate denial, vaccine misinformation, and non-stop praise for Donald Trump. ✍️ @bylinetimes.bsky.social

'America Must Save Britain': MAGA-Mania and Conspiracy Theories Broadcast Nightly on GB News' New US Show

A new daily GB News programme broadcast from Washington features climate denial, vaccine misinformation, and non-stop praise for Donald Trump – as its hosts tell the American audience that the UK need...

bylinetimes.com

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Jonathan Hopkin @jonathanhopkin.bsky.social · 49m

The very definition of flogging a dead horse

Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 6h

Tory Badenoch to set out new rule to cut borrowing and taxes.

A code for more austerity, public service cuts. What do they think will happen when £47bn is removed from the economy?

Silence on taxing the rich, windfall taxes, ending corporate welfare, tax havens.

Same old Tories.

Badenoch to set out new rule to cut borrowing and taxes

In a conference speech, the Tory leader will say the Conservatives are the only party

www.bbc.co.uk

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Jonathan Hopkin @jonathanhopkin.bsky.social · 4h

There seems to be little recognition amongst the general public of what rights actually are, and how if others are denied them that means you no longer have rights either

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Resolution Foundation @resfoundation.bsky.social · 6h

🚨 New research published today

'Before the fall' looks at what has happened to the distribution of household wealth in Britain and the impact on families.

Read it here 👉 buff.ly/Ya8kInK

Senior Economist Molly Broome:
"Wealth gaps in Britain are now so large that a typical full-time employee saving all their earnings across their entire working life would still not be able to reach the top of the wealth ladder. These gaps are doubly concerning as wealth mobility in Britain is low – people that start life wealthy tend to stay wealthy, and vice versa.
Rising house prices and changes in the value of pension promises account for most of the growth in wealth gaps since the early 2010s, rather than any active behaviour on the part of individuals, such as buying homes or acquiring new assets.
Soaring wealth and an acute need for more revenue has prompted fresh talk of wealth taxes ahead of the Budget next month. But with property and pensions now representing 80 per cent of the growing bulk of household wealth, we need to be honest that higher wealth taxes are likely to fall on pensioners, Southern homeowners or their families, rather than just being paid by the super-rich."

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Meta Resistance @metaresistance.bsky.social · 9h

“Words cannot express how much I love this. Humor is critical in stopping the Fascists.” Below, another caption reads: “Portland Protestors Baiting ICE Agents With Donuts on Fishing Poles Calling it ICE Fishing.” Image shows protesters holding fishing poles with donuts tied to the ends, facing several uniformed officers standing near bicycles on a city sidewalk.

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Marc Morris @marcmorris.bsky.social · 5h

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nevratutuncu 🫐 @nevrasland.bsky.social · 16h

The Forgotten History of Hitler’s Establishment Enablers
The Nazi leader didn’t seize power; he was given it.

By Adam Gopnik
March 18, 2024

www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...

The Forgotten History of Hitler’s Establishment Enablers

The Nazi leader didn’t seize power; he was given it.

www.newyorker.com

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Karthik Sankaran @rajakorman.bsky.social · 16h

The funny thing is that contrary to people who use it that way now, not too long ago, the defining features of the West were supposed to be that it alone had moved from faith to doubt, status to contract, charismatic to bureaucratic authority, and gemeinschaft to gesellschaft.

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Jonathan Hopkin @jonathanhopkin.bsky.social · 16h

Badenoch has three children. Anyone want to bet they won’t all go to university?

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Jonathan Hopkin @jonathanhopkin.bsky.social · 16h

The kind of thing that only someone with three degrees can promise with a straight face

Research Professional News @resprofnews.bsky.social · 16h

Breaking: Tories would slash university places by 100k.

Student numbers cap plan billed as saving £3 billion to invest in apprenticeship funding.

Tomorrow, Badenoch will unveil plans to limit student numbers across all subjects.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

Tories would slash university places by 100,000 - Research Professional News

Student numbers cap plan billed as saving £3 billion to invest in “doubled” apprenticeship funding

www.researchprofessionalnews.com

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Evan Bernick, a finite mode with a smol hooman and a lorg floof @evanbernick.bsky.social · 1d

This is an image from 1992, in case you were curious

CNN @cnn.com · 1d

"President Donald Trump and his top aides are using the word 'insurrection' more frequently to describe anti-ICE protests in places like Portland," writes Zachary B. Wolf. https://cnn.it/4pWYmzr

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Jonathan Hopkin @jonathanhopkin.bsky.social · 1d

Thing is only Trump can say Trumpey things, anyone else just sounds like a ridiculous loser

Best for Britain @bestforbritain.org · 1d

Wow. Robert Jenrick doubles down by branding a black journalist's questions "ridiculous" and saying that the problem is not his comments, but "journalists like you who pop up and try to knock me down", adding that "this is the reason why terrorist attacks happen". ~AA

Jonathan Hopkin @jonathanhopkin.bsky.social · 1d

It was a bizarre moment, I remember it too. Not sure if she believed it but it did make some kind of sense (maybe the freeholders nobbled her)

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Jonathan Hopkin @jonathanhopkin.bsky.social · 1d

Who’s going to pay my pension?!?

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Jeff Powell @powelljr.bsky.social · 1d

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

It starts with Palestine protests. But where will the crackdown on Britain’s democratic freedoms end? | Owen Jones

In making dissent a privilege, not a right, Labour is crafting a repressive toolkit. Imagine it in the hands of a Farage government, says Guardian columnist Owen Jones

www.theguardian.com

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Jonathan Hopkin @jonathanhopkin.bsky.social · 1d

Finalmente. Ci voleva tanto?

Jonathan Hopkin @jonathanhopkin.bsky.social · 1d

Ah, the mid-50s. The best time!

Jonathan Hopkin @jonathanhopkin.bsky.social · 1d

Anyone else wondering if we might be better able to prevent terrorism if we stop pretending grannies with placards are the real terrorists? www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cj...

Starmer urges UK students not to protest as Israel marks two years since 7 October attack - live updates

The UK PM describes pro-Palestinian rallies, planned to mark the second anniversary of Hamas's attack on Israel, as

www.bbc.co.uk

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Jonathan Hopkin @jonathanhopkin.bsky.social · 1d

The government is terrified of everyone except its own supporters, who should be treated with open contempt at all times

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Jonathan Hopkin @jonathanhopkin.bsky.social · 1d

I wonder what his party leader thinks about this. To be honest I could almost imagine her saying it too

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 1d

Robert Jenrick complained of ‘not seeing another white face’ in part of Birmingham

Shadow justice secretary criticised for suggesting he could tell how integrated Handsworth was based on 90-minute visit Robert Jenrick complained about visiting an area of Birmingham where he “didn’t see another white face” and said it was not the kind of country he wanted to live in. After highlighting the lack of white people, the shadow justice secretary said it was not about “the colour of your skin or your faith” and he wanted people to live alongside each other. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

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Jonathan Hopkin @jonathanhopkin.bsky.social · 1d

The mainstream of British politics is now advocating policies that are beyond the wildest dreams of the BNP of just two decades ago

Jonathan Portes @jdportes.bsky.social · 1d

David is slightly unfair. There is a clear difference here.

Conservatives and Reform plan to forcibly expel large numbers of people who are legal, permanent residents of migrant origin. The BNP proposal is voluntary.

David Herdson @davidherdson.bsky.social · 1d

This below is from the 2005 BNP manifesto.

Spot the difference with current Tory and Reform policy.

(p14 news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp... )

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Jonathan Hopkin @jonathanhopkin.bsky.social · 1d

Seconded!

Jonathan Hopkin @jonathanhopkin.bsky.social · 1d

We both know there’s quite a lot more going on than just some countries being irresponsible and others responsible, and the economic and political results of simplistic austerity are there for everyone to see

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Benjamin Braun @benbraun.bsky.social · 1d

Highly recommended. My impression so far: Tons of political economy insight, with a good amount of French sprinkled in (and a pinch of Latin). All produced, it seems, at Tooze speed.

cornelban.bsky.social @cornelban.bsky.social · 2d

Friends, I have a substack with my thoughts and others on current events and megatrends from an international political economy perspective. geoeconomic.substack.com

Geoeconomic | Substack

Cornel Ban, associate prof at Copenhagen Business School and fellow at Boston University's China Initiative at the Global Development Program. Click to read Geoeconomic, a Substack publication with hu...

geoeconomic.substack.com

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Brandon Friedman @brandonfriedman.bsky.social · 2d

Sending troops from Texas to forcefully occupy and suppress cities in Illinois and Oregon IN OPPOSITION TO THOSE STATES' GOVERNORS is literally a civil war and it's cooking my brain that Democrats are simply pretending it isn't happening

Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 2d

UPDATE: Hegseth today called up 400 members of the Texas National Guard, with Gov. Abbott's apparent permission, to be deployed "where needed, including in the cities of Portland and Chicago." www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

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