Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Karen Buck @queensparkkaren.bsky.social · 13h

And great fun it was, too

Reposted by Karen Buck

Municipal Dreams @municipaldreams.bsky.social · 1d

This is a really important point from @robfordmancs.bsky.social. Local government should be a source of and focus for local pride. It should be doing bold, visible stuff that enhances and reflects community. Instead, currently, it is almost literally reduced to ambulance work.

It is deeply unhealthy to have local governments who don't provide many visible/valuable services for most residents (because they lack the resources). Encourages distrust and populism - 'what am I paying my council tax for? The council does nothing for me.'

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Reposted by Karen Buck

Declan Gaffney @greyskiesthinking.bsky.social · 1d

🧵This is not just an issue for specialists. Official data which is not fit for purpose is feeding a crisis narrative on benefit claims that is for the most part accepted uncritically by political elites and the media.

Louise Murphy @louisemurphy.bsky.social · 1d

It's increasingly perplexing that DWP aren't prioritising improving their stats to better reflect the move from legacy benefits to UC.

Until then, we'll keep getting misleading headlines like 'Long-term sickness claims rising by 5,000 a day' - you can't blame journalists when the stats are so bad!

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Karen Buck @queensparkkaren.bsky.social · 1d

I did. I do.

Chaminda Jayanetti @cjayanetti.bsky.social · 1d

"I find it incomprehensible that anyone could look at the cost pressures and complex needs facing London boroughs and decide that their children’s services are overprovided or overgenerous," said former Labour shadow minister @queensparkkaren.bsky.social

www.politicshome.com/news/article...

London Councils Face Losing Half Their Share Of Children's Services Funding

Some of London’s poorest areas could see their share of funding for children’s services halved under Labour’s plans to reform local government gran...

www.politicshome.com

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Reposted by Karen Buck

Laura Ashe @lauraashe.bsky.social · 2d

Epic; no notes

Headline from the Times: "Bestselling novelist Jilly Cooper dies in fall aged 88", illustrated with a rather famous black and white picture of Virginia Woolf

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Reposted by Karen Buck

Sooz Kempner @soozuk.bsky.social · 2d

RIP JILLY COOPER! A queen who wrote THE most readable books in existence. People saw my thread of epic Jilly quotes and decided I was saying the books are shite. You COULDN'T be more wrong. Go and watch Rivals today.

Sooz Kempner @soozuk.bsky.social · Oct 18

🧵Some real Jilly Cooper quotes from her Rutshire Chronicles, the series of books that Rivals is from.

1) "Her breasts swayed like party balloons when the front door opens"

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Reposted by Karen Buck

Generation Rent @generationrent.bsky.social · 5d

As part of Renters’ Rights Awareness Week, we’re giving away copies of acclaimed books with a housing connection! 📚🏡

Support our work and try your luck by entering our prize draw! 👇

www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/rentersrig...

Help us fight for a better deal for renters

When you're a renter, knowledge is power. We're giving away the latest books about housing to promote and fund our renters rights webinars

www.crowdfunder.co.uk

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Reposted by Karen Buck

James Ball @jamesrball.com · 3d

*gasp*

“Everyone thought we’d come in and there were going to be these huge costs we could cut away but there just aren’t,” said a third senior Reform cabinet member in Kent.

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Karen Buck @queensparkkaren.bsky.social · 2d

Listening to Mel Stride on Today, I can’t help thinking what a shame the Conservatives weren’t in government between 2010 and 2024 in order to test their ideas in practice- perhaps through waves of welfare reform, the introduction of PIP and Universal Credit and a multi year benefit freeze

Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 3d

Tories tout £47bn in spending cuts in bid to reclaim fiscal reputation on.ft.com/4nFRFjM

Tories tout £47bn in spending cuts in bid to reclaim fiscal reputation

Shadow chancellor says he will target welfare spending, overseas aid budget and civil service staffing to find savings

on.ft.com

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Karen Buck @queensparkkaren.bsky.social · 4d

On to this one now…

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Karen Buck @queensparkkaren.bsky.social · 4d

Vertigo by Harald Jahmer. So good. In a bad way.

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Karen Buck @queensparkkaren.bsky.social · 4d

Oh book definitely harder-edged.

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Karen Buck @queensparkkaren.bsky.social · 4d

Such a good film. I hadn’t read Erasure at the time so was new to the story. Loved it and the performances

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Reposted by Karen Buck

Fiona Dolman @fionadolman.bsky.social · 5d

“When I approach the pearly gates, I'd like to hear a champagne cork popping, an orchestra tuning up, and the sound of my mother laughing”
Patricia Routledge
17th Feb 1929 - 3rd October 2025

May your wishes come true, you wonderful woman and thank you x

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Reposted by Karen Buck

Gabriel Milland @gabrielmilland.bsky.social · 5d

The Home Sec is entirely right. The *vast* majority of the British public will agree with her that this weekend is not a weekend for a march like this. And it will have an impact on what they think of the marchers and their cause.

Kevin Schofield @kevinschofied.bsky.social · 5d

NEW: Home secretary Shabana Mahmood urges pro-Palestine protesters to consider not taking part in marches this weekend.

"Imagine if you lost a loved one to a terror attack in this country ... sometimes a little unity, a little solidarity, some love to other people is required"

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Karen Buck @queensparkkaren.bsky.social · 6d

No question that children’s services in other parts of the country need more support. Equally, London’s children don’t need less.

Alan White @aljwhite.bsky.social · 6d

Scoop from @cjayanetti.bsky.social - Some of London’s poorest areas could see their share of funding for children’s services halved in under local govt grant reform plans www.politicshome.com/news/article...

London Councils Face Losing Half Their Share Of Children's Services Funding

Some of London’s poorest areas could see their share of funding for children’s services halved under Labour’s plans to reform local government gran...

www.politicshome.com

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Reposted by Karen Buck

Councillor Adam Hug @adamhug.bsky.social · 6d

It’s been a pretty depressing day with antisemitic terrorism in Manchester and Islamophobia, misogyny and abuse of power here in the West End. Let’s see if we can do better as a country tomorrow, because we have a lot to do to help make things better.

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Karen Buck @queensparkkaren.bsky.social · 6d

Thank you, Dave!

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Reposted by Karen Buck

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

My thoughts are with everyone affected by the attack in Greater Manchester today.

I’m horrified by the violent attack at a synagogue in Manchester.

I have been in contact with the Mayor of Greater Manchester and the Home Secretary, and would like to reassure Londoners that the Met Police are stepping up patrols in Jewish communities and synagogues across London.

My thoughts are with all those affected on the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur.

London stands ready to help in any way we can.

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Reposted by Karen Buck

Josiah Mortimer @josiah.writes.news · 8d

Some good news.

London is meeting legal limits for toxic NO2 pollution for the first time – almost 200 years earlier than predicted – following the Mayor’s "world leading air pollution policies," City Hall announces.

The Ultra Low Emissions Zone - and similar policies - really do work.

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Reposted by Karen Buck

Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 8d

I'm getting really really fed up at constant reassertion that welfare spending is "out of control" when it is the same as the average for the past few decades.

One reason disability benefit costs have risen is because core support has fallen.

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Reposted by Karen Buck

Tom Clark @tom-clark.bsky.social · 8d

“Providing for every child due to its existence” = clear

“Providing only for children who are one of 4 (instead of 2)” = confusing

Financial difference = modest

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

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Reposted by Karen Buck

Torsten Bell @torstenbell.bsky.social · 8d

Snowflake. Farage doesn’t like to be held to account for his racist policies, his divisive rhetoric and his grifter politics - well bad luck because there is lots more to come www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Nigel Farage: Labour rhetoric incites violence against Reform

The party leader will claim today that Keir Starmer’s labelling of his migrant plan as ‘racist’ has endangered the safety of his candidates and activists

www.thetimes.com

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Karen Buck @queensparkkaren.bsky.social · 8d

Sad news about Terry Farrell- not only a huge figure in architecture but someone genuinely interested in his local (Church Street) community.

Peter Watts @peterwatts.bsky.social · 9d

I interviewed Terry Farrell at his Lisson Grove Spitfire factory a few times and he was always great. I have a soft spot for his plan to turn Battersea Power Station into a "managed ruin", and his book, Shaping London, is fantastic. www.waterstones.com/book/shaping...

Shaping London by Sir Sir Terry Farrell | Waterstones

Buy Shaping London by Sir Sir Terry Farrell from Waterstones today! Click and Collect from your local Waterstones or get FREE UK delivery on orders over £25.

www.waterstones.com

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Karen Buck @queensparkkaren.bsky.social · 9d

Not often that you get a mist in London these days..

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