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Prof Rob Dover @robdover.bsky.social · 10h

I know 'a city the size of Belgium' wasn't the main point of this article.. but still... www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/oc...

If there’s anything ironic about being so scared of telling the wrong joke that you run straight into the arms of the...

www.lrb.co.uk

Prof Rob Dover @robdover.bsky.social · 19h

If someone like me has given up on Starmer, he's in real electoral trouble.

Jonathan Portes @jdportes.bsky.social · 21h

As for this - in other words the government would rather we offshore our operations instead of generating jobs and exports in a high productivity sector in the UK. I despair...

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Prof Rob Dover @robdover.bsky.social · 19h

It's through an absence of choice, frankly. And there is - per Alan's comment below - a touch of the neo-colonial about it. But it is a neocolonialism that is (somewhat paradoxically) demanded in those markets. I could witter on endlessly about this, but I won't.

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Prof Rob Dover @robdover.bsky.social · 19h

Tories used to be great patrons and supporters of the arts, of opera, of music and creativity. They used to support education. They used to be profitably and productively internationalist, because 'money likes to travel'. The modern Conservative - ironically - does not wish to conserve.

Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 20h

Badenoch and Co see education only as a means to a massive income in some soul destroying career.

Devoid of imagination and the power of knowledge they view life entirely through the prism of the CV.

My advice always is to study what interests you and the rest will follow

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Prof Rob Dover @robdover.bsky.social · 20h

I think the youth would say 'wel jel' .. which means to be envious. I am green with envy: www.timeshighereducation.com/news/oxfords...

Oxford’s largest-ever project ‘shows what the humanities can do’

New building which brings together disciplines for the first time will also open its doors to the public to engage with big questions facing the world

www.timeshighereducation.com

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Prof Rob Dover @robdover.bsky.social · 1d

It's a really interesting case, not necessarily for the minutiae of these facts but for the wider generalisable things impacting area experts: www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

The aide, the associate, the ‘Chinese agent’ – and the collapse of a long-awaited UK spy trial

Case against Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry was suddenly dropped, leaving questions for CPS

www.theguardian.com

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Prof Rob Dover @robdover.bsky.social · 1d

oops

Reuters @reuters.com · 1d

Sweden fails to secure strategic power reserve for this winter reut.rs/4h0SP6L

Sweden fails to secure strategic power reserve for this winter

A Swedish tender to reserve up to 800 megawatt (MW) of back-up electricity generation capacity for this winter has failed, leaving the country more exposed to potential power disruptions, transmission system operator Svenska kraftnat said on Tuesday.

reut.rs

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Reposted by Prof Rob Dover

Alex Andreou @sturdyalex.bsky.social · 2d

It helps to be able to spell the country you say only you are competent enough to run.

Goody-bag merch from Tory Conference branded "When Labour negotiates Britian loses" and signed "Kemi Badenoch".

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Prof Rob Dover @robdover.bsky.social · 2d

I'm late to this piece. But it's thoroughly researched and an indicator of a new paradigm. "A Thousand Snipers in the Sky: The New War in Ukraine www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

A Thousand Snipers in the Sky: The New War in Ukraine

Drones have changed the war in Ukraine, with soldiers adapting off-the-shelf models and swarming the front lines.

www.nytimes.com

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Prof Rob Dover @robdover.bsky.social · 2d

In some ways, quite surprising.

CNN @cnn.com · 2d

Supreme Court rejects appeal from Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell https://cnn.it/4naxTMl

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Prof Rob Dover @robdover.bsky.social · 2d

There's quite a lot of flaw in the economic thinking of this chap Russel Vought, but I link because I have to admire his planning and execution, and also the sidebar of how his plans nearly fell into the soup because of the DJT/Musk show: open.spotify.com/episode/1A9G...

Spotify – Web Player

open.spotify.com

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Reposted by Prof Rob Dover

The Economist @economist.com · 5d

It is more than a bargain boozer

What J D Wetherspoon understands about the British pub

It is more than a bargain boozer

econ.st

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Prof Rob Dover @robdover.bsky.social · 5d

Curious. www.thesun.co.uk/news/3690884...

Far-right activist Tommy Robinson invited to Israel as govt 'ally' after attack

FAR-right activist Tommy Robinson has been invited to Israel as an “ally” of the Middle Eastern government. The Israeli minister of Diaspora hailed Robinson as a “British patriot&…

www.thesun.co.uk

Prof Rob Dover @robdover.bsky.social · 7d

It's an interesting idea by the ReverseMidas (www.timeshighereducation.com/news/starmer...) but he'll need to overcome some stark cultural barriers, and make sure that those he moves from HE into vocational programmes or outcomes aren't taking a risk in doing so. But I'm sure he has it in hand.....

Starmer: 50 per cent university target ‘not right for our times’

Prime minister scraps Tony Blair’s long-held target to get half of young people into higher education, instead aiming for two-thirds accessing university or apprenticeships

www.timeshighereducation.com

Reposted by Prof Rob Dover

Warwick History Post-Doc Club @post-doc-club.bsky.social · 9d

Great news!
JSTOR now have a free account with an Independent Researcher category. You can access 100 documents per month

www.jstor.org/action/showL...

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Reposted by Prof Rob Dover

Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 9d

If she does this, the gap between her policy and Farage's will narrow considerably. Retrospective legislation is the choice of tinpot dictators and intellectual vegetables. It means no-one could take Britain's word seriously.

The i Paper @theipaper.com · 9d

The Home Secretary is understood to be considering applying the policy to deal with concerns about the so-called ‘Boriswave'.

Read more: trib.al/WewVODg

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Prof Rob Dover @robdover.bsky.social · 9d

Obviously: "Britain may already be at war with Russia, former head of MI5 says | Defence policy | The Guardian share.google/BK6R7nEeZJk5...

Britain may already be at war with Russia, former head of MI5 says

Eliza Manningham-Buller points to extent of cyber-attacks and other hostile activity orchestrated by Moscow

share.google

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Reposted by Prof Rob Dover

Dr. Dan Lomas @sandbaggerone.bsky.social · 10d

Just 2 weeks before Oct. 7, Mossad reportedly said Hamas ‘not interested’ in armed conflict

www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_ent...

Just 2 weeks before Oct. 7, Mossad reportedly said Hamas ‘not interested’ in armed conflict

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www.timesofisrael.com

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Reposted by Prof Rob Dover

The Times & Sunday Times @thetimes.com · 11d

A damning report reveals building costs soared 17 per cent between 2022 and 2024. This makes new homes a loss-maker for builders in nearly half the country ⬇️

Housing policy in crisis as building costs doom 1.5m homes pledge

A damning report reveals building costs soared 17 per cent between 2022 and 2024. This makes new homes a loss-maker for builders in nearly half the country

www.thetimes.com

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Prof Rob Dover @robdover.bsky.social · 11d

My former PhD students always make impact 🫣 (to be fair I think we barely acknowledge each others professional involvement)... youtu.be/TBnPN_mEylw?...

Khawaja Asif Major Statement About Dr. Shama Junejo | SAMAA TV

YouTube video by SAMAA TV

youtu.be

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Reposted by Prof Rob Dover

Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 12d

FT Investigation: Using radar data collected by European Space Agency satellites, the FT was able to locate the spy ship hovering over critical cables in the middle of the Irish Sea in November, at a point in the voyage when the ship was seeking to hide its activities. on.ft.com/46JjsIJ

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Prof Rob Dover @robdover.bsky.social · 12d

'yes, no doubt'.

Prof Rob Dover @robdover.bsky.social · 12d

I'm late to the news of Lord Guthrie's death. I interviewed him for my PhD. Very entertaining and direct man. I spent hours - in a pre-internet era - trying to work out how to address a Field Marshal, Peer, Knight, &Professor. 'Just call me Charles', was reassuring: www.thetimes.com/uk/obituarie...

Obituary: Field Marshal Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank

‘Political’ general who was chief of the defence staff in the Blair era and saw active service with the SAS

www.thetimes.com

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Reposted by Prof Rob Dover

Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · 15d

IMPORTANT 🧵

We've been seeing how RFK Jr & anti-vax lobby has been steadily and effectively reducing access to vaccines in the US.

But it could happen in UK too.

It's a threat worth considering given Malhotra's speech at Reform conf & big overlap between anti-vax and RW populsim.

Read on!
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Reposted by Prof Rob Dover

Dr. Dan Lomas @sandbaggerone.bsky.social · 15d

Fascinating insights into the writing of SIS's authorised history by two people who worked with Keith Jeffery ⏬️

‘Utterly Unrestricted Access’: Some Personal Thoughts on the Writing of the Authorised History of the Secret Intelligence Service

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

‘Utterly Unrestricted Access’: Some Personal Thoughts on the Writing of the Authorised History of the Secret Intelligence Service

Published in Diplomacy & Statecraft (Vol. 36, No. 3, 2025)

www.tandfonline.com

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