Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Pauline Stafford

Joseph Rowntree Foundation @jrf-uk.bsky.social · 6h

We found:

- Over 6 in 10 people in poverty live in a household where someone works

- Over 4 in 10 people in a family in receipt of a low-income benefit like Universal Credit are in poverty

- 1 in 10 people in rented accommodation are pulled into poverty due to housing costs 2/3

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Pauline Stafford @pstafford.bsky.social · 6h

Let’s go back to the mid 1960s when I was applying to university and the majority of my classmates, already selected by the iniquity of the 11+ , were just discarded.

Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 7h

'The party would introduce caps on funded courses that consistently “lead to poor graduate outcomes”, allowing it to invest further in the “apprenticeship revolution” it started, it said. Remaining funding will be used to support high-quality courses at research-intensive British universities.' 3/3

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Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 18h

A fine piece of writing there from Sam Leith

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 18h

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-...

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Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 8h

A reminder that this week the Conservatives announced they want a “British ICE”

John Pfaff @johnpfaff.bsky.social · 11h

Um, ICE just coldly shot an unarmed PRIEST in the head w a pepper ball when he (and everyone around him) clearly posed no threat.

For the crime of … complaining about government policy.

Core 1A speech.

With cameras rolling, they’re sniping priests for sport.

Kurt @flglchicago.bsky.social · 13h

Here’s video of the incident

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Pauline Stafford @pstafford.bsky.social · 20h

Wirksworth still v significant royal holding in the Peak in Domesday with lead mines. Lead from Wirksworth sent by Abbess Cynewaru to Canterbury in 835, so some connection. In Mercia as in Northumbria, stone sculpture v important source for early ecclesiastical history. Here a lost female house? 3/

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Pauline Stafford @pstafford.bsky.social · 20h

Recognition of significance of female figures - two female witnesses of Ascension of Christ in particular- + significant iconography of life and death of Mary taken to suggest female patron or person buried. Abbess? Of a female house linked to the double house at Repton, Mercian royal house. 2/

Top- Dormition and Funeral procession of Mary, again a disputed scene.

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Pauline Stafford @pstafford.bsky.social · 20h

Weekend walking in the Peak gave an opportunity to revisit the Wirksworth slab. Probably late 8C and the coped top of a tomb from which scenes on the left have been lost. The iconography is connected to Eastern Mediterranean and has been much discussed. @ascorpus.bsky.social especially intriguing 1/

Overview of Wirksworth slab. Scenes truncated or lost in left are washing of feet and perhaps Harrowing of Hell.

Wirksworth slab, central section of bottom tier. Ascension with, unusually, only two witnesses, identified by their headgear as female.

Wirksworth slab, disputed scene. Corpus of Anglo-Saxon sculpture suggests the Hypapante - a representation of the Presentation, with Simeon and Anna outside the Temple.

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Helen Gittos @helengittos.bsky.social · 1d

Delighted to be giving a Bede's World / Durham World Heritage Site lecture in @durham.ac.uk on 18 October.

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Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 23h

Being reminded that the low level crapness of the West Coast Mainline is as nothing compared to the top tier chaos of the trans-Pennine “express” and indeed any effort to get from one Northern city to another by travelling east-west something God and Whitehall clearly feel should be forbidden.

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Pauline Stafford @pstafford.bsky.social · 1d

If it weren’t the #Conservatives I’d say self-parody. Sad.

Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 1d

Ancestor worship - a comfort for a distressed tribe?

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Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 1d

The Treasury really is the final boss in British political reform. So many pathologies ultimately stem from its insane level of control over revenue raising and spending

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Helen Gittos @helengittos.bsky.social · 5d

A warmly evocative tribute to Jinty Nelson by Alice Rio:
'Her openness about her family & how much it meant to her turned her into an inspiring role model to generations of younger women...she somehow made you feel that you could be yourself, & that this would not be counted against you.'

Past and Present @pastpresentsoc.bsky.social · 6d

Dame Janet L. Nelson (28 March 1942 – 14 October 2024)

by Alice Rio (All Souls College, University of Oxford)

doi.org/10.1093/past...

Dame Janet L. Nelson (28 March 1942 – 14 October 2024)*

Jinty Nelson left a strong mark of her presence in every institution that she was ever a part of, and there is none which does not regard its association w

doi.org

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Francesca Tinti @francescatinti.bsky.social · 5d

At Early Medieval Europe we’re thrilled to team up once again with the BSR to sponsor a fellowship! One doctoral student or ECR will have the chance to carry out a month of research in Rome. More info below

British School at Rome @bsrome.bsky.social · 5d

📣 BSR / Early Medieval Europe Fellowship – Call for Applications!

Are you a PhD student or early career researcher in early medieval European history?
Apply now!

⏳ Deadline: 30 January 2026
More info here: bsr.ac.uk/awards-resid...

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Royal Historical Society @royalhistsoc.org · 5d

This week the Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, announced the return of maintenance grants for students in greatest need.

In a new blog post, RHS President Lucy Noakes considers the state of access to history and the humanities in UK HE bit.ly/3KP5WMe #Skystorians

@artsandhums.bsky.social

Opening section and abstract of RHS blog post: 'The value and provision of history and the humanities: it’s time for a political response': "This week the government’s Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, announced the return of maintenance grants for students in greatest need. While we welcome recognition of the financial pressures and impediments many student face, it’s clear that this is a policy with nothing for the arts and humanities, including history. However, as Lucy Noakes, President of the Royal Historical Society, explains here, these pressures are equally acute for students in the arts and humanities. Moreover, as a new British Academy report on ‘Cold Spots’ shows, choice—in subjects including history—is being further eroded for many as the provision of higher education contorts to the financial crisis facing UK higher education. If the government is serious about choice, social mobility and access to education it needs to appreciate that provision of many degree subjects is now at considerable risk in a growing number of regions across the UK. For students to have greater choice and access we need the environments in which choices are made to be fair, balanced and accurate. For this we require political leadership to help us address structural failings and false narratives."

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Royal Historical Society @royalhistsoc.org · 6d

We are very pleased to announce the election of 248 new Fellows, Associate Fellows, Members and Postgraduate members to the Royal Historical Society following the latest meeting of the RHS Council bit.ly/4o0xhJV

We warmly welcome all those joining @royalhistsoc.org from today #Skystorians 1/2

Society elects 248 new Fellows, Associate Fellows, Members and Postgraduate Members - RHS

At its latest meeting on 12 September 2025, the RHS Council elected 73 Fellows, 62 Associate Fellows, 50 Members and 63 Postgraduate Members, a total of 248 people newly associated with the Society, f...

bit.ly

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Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 6d

'Ben Ansell has a terrific new Substack post up that describes it like this:

The Andy Capp in their head has left containment and is making increasingly incessant demands.' 2/2
benansell.substack.com/p/british-po...

British Politics' Midlife Crisis

Why British Parties Can't Make Peace with Their Actual Voters

benansell.substack.com

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Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 6d

Change is possible, in a good way.

Kudos to the Mayor of London, who had a plan, implemented it and stuck to it.

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan @london.gov.uk · 6d

For the first time ever, London has met legal limits for nitrogen dioxide.

When I became Mayor, we were told it would take 193 years. We did it 184 years earlier than expected.

Cleaner air means a healthier city and big savings for the NHS.

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Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 6d

'Almost 4,000 courses fall prey to university funding crisis, with humanities degrees hardest hit'

'Less selective universities have been most affected by the cuts, however elite universities, including those in the Russell Group, have not been immune to having to axe courses.' 1/2

The Boar

theboar.org

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Alex Sobel MP @alexsobel.co.uk · 6d

I'm horrified by the reports of an attack on the Jewish community at Heaton Park synagogue, on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. My thoughts are with the victims and their families, and all those affected by this horrific attack.

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Pauline Stafford @pstafford.bsky.social · 6d

Congratulations- look forward to seeing the results of that short walk.

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Helen Gittos @helengittos.bsky.social · 6d

I went to Civaux to see the cemetery but as I walked into the village I was startled to see this: a Carolingian church so reminiscent of Anglo-Saxon Deerhurst. It's very weird this instant recognition of spaces out of context, especially ones you've had to try to imagine. The proportions... 🧵👇 1/

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Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 6d

Broadly agree with John but some of this comes from those in government targeting everything towards tomorrow's headlines and treating backbenchers like unruly kids. I think the Select Committees often show many MPs want to think deeply about policy, outside of govt media aims.

John Oxley @joxley.jmoxley.co.uk · 6d

People talk about getting a "better" political class with little agreement on what that means. I suspect the best change would be getting more people who are seriously interested in policy and government. Surprisingly few MPs actually are.

Tom Roberts @tpgroberts.bsky.social · 6d

This is my issue with politics lately. Basically, every announcement assumes the reader has an utter lack of curiosity or knowledge to the point that it's just meaningless chaff.

The government's immigration policy is now the exact policy they dismissed when Kemi suggested it in spring.

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Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 6d

I think a lot of this is primarily about what many of us in the media now rewards. I chaired quite a few fringes at Labour conference, and at all of them I walked away impressed by the quality of all the MPs and their contributions.

John Oxley @joxley.jmoxley.co.uk · 6d

People talk about getting a "better" political class with little agreement on what that means. I suspect the best change would be getting more people who are seriously interested in policy and government. Surprisingly few MPs actually are.

Tom Roberts @tpgroberts.bsky.social · 6d

This is my issue with politics lately. Basically, every announcement assumes the reader has an utter lack of curiosity or knowledge to the point that it's just meaningless chaff.

The government's immigration policy is now the exact policy they dismissed when Kemi suggested it in spring.

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Pauline Stafford @pstafford.bsky.social · 7d

I only buy cheese made in a royal firma unius noctis manor.

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Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 8d

Is there a reason I ask that the Times are using a picture of asylum seekers in a boat to describe rules for migrants who came on legal routes such as skilled worker visas for doctors?

The Times & Sunday Times @thetimes.com · 8d

Tough new conditions to be imposed on migrants who want to settle in the UK will not apply to more than a million people who arrived in the UK under the post-Brexit immigration surge

Labour’s tough new rules will not apply to migrants already in UK

www.thetimes.com

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