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Reposted by Sean Canty

JP Spencer @jpspencer.bsky.social · 4h

The map below shows how far behind France and Germany we are in mass transit. In France, every place with over 150,000 people has some form of tram or metro.

But if mayoral areas can 'become builders' as @tracybrabinmayorwy.bsky.social puts it in the foreword, we can turn this around.

🧵

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The UK has very few mass transit systems compared to peers

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Sean Canty @seancanty.bsky.social · 23h

Very true.

A few new powers being handed to metro mayors could address this - including bus franchising powers and integrating the existing transport networks (bus, metro) into one.

Centre for Cities is planning to look into this too:
www.centreforcities.org/event/report...

Report launch - Integrated transport: What is the size of the prize for mayors? - Centre for Cities

Join Centre for Cities for the launch of a new report exploring how transport integration could improve public transport and support economic growth in England's six Established Mayoral Combined Autho...

www.centreforcities.org

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Sean Canty @seancanty.bsky.social · 1d

Based on population by 'primary urban area', Manchester misses out to Birmingham as Britain's second city.

Centre for Cities is hosting an online event next week to show how places compare on productivity growth - that's the key race among big cities.
www.centreforcities.org/event/briefi...

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Sean Canty @seancanty.bsky.social · 1d

humanities degrees give you the chance to be smarter than your employer and the people running the country

can't have that

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Sean Canty @seancanty.bsky.social · 1d

Interesting to compare this analysis of official wealth and assets data with Centre for Cities' study of charitable giving.

It found that - though less well off overall - people in the northeast were relatively generous with what they have.
www.centreforcities.org/press/north-...

North East of England more generous with earnings than the South - Centre for Cities

New research from Centre for Cities finds North East of England more generous with earnings than the South.

www.centreforcities.org

Sean Canty @seancanty.bsky.social · 1d

Work for a lifetime and you still won't be one of the wealthiest people in the country.

It's not a lifetime of work but a fortunate start that makes you wealthy.

People in the southeast are more likely to enjoy such a start in life than those in the northeast.
www.theguardian.com/inequality/2...

Lifetime of earnings not enough for UK workers to join wealthiest 10%, report says

Research finds it would take average worker saving all their earnings for 52 years to match wealth of richest 10th of society

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Sean Canty

Bishopsgate Institute @bishopsgateinst.bsky.social · 5d

Somewhere free, quiet, and right next to Liverpool Street? 👀

Whether you’ve got a deadline looming, are polishing off a chapter on your lunch break, or hunting for a calm spot to do some work, our new Reading Room is open to you.

👋 https://www.bishopsgate.org.uk/whats-on/activity/reading-room/

Reading Room | Bishopsgate Institute

The Reading Room is separate to the Researchers’ Service, so if you’d like to look at our special collections and archives, you’ll need this instead https:

www.bishopsgate.org.uk

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Sean Canty @seancanty.bsky.social · 5d

Homes are unaffordable in big cities and across the South East because of housing shortages.

Brits make big sacrifices to afford a home, the New Towns Taskforce says.

So, what role will New Towns have in housebuilding? Centre for Cities' discusses next week:
www.centreforcities.org/event/centre...

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Sean Canty @seancanty.bsky.social · 6d

💍Anniversary!

Ten years ago today, Chancellor George Osborne met local leaders to establish the Sheffield City Region, led by an elected mayor.

Now the South Yorkshire Combined Authority. Back in 2015, it was just the 2nd big UK city to reach a devolution deal.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-engl...

Sheffield City Region: Elected mayor in 2017 after devolution deal signed

Chancellor George Osborne signs an agreement with political leaders in South Yorkshire paving the way for an elected mayor for the region.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Reposted by Sean Canty

Centre for Cities @centreforcities.bsky.social · 8d

📅 Join Centre for Cities at our annual reception to welcome the Conservative Party Conference to Manchester.

Register your place 👇
buff.ly/bdKDdvy

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Sean Canty @seancanty.bsky.social · 7d

There are enough wonks fascinated by Tempsford and the prospect of a new town.

Will there be any musicians willing to step up and record a single about it (like Linda Jardim did for Northampton)?
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023...

Another starry-eyed love song to Northampton | Letters

Letter: Bob Dowdeswell recalls Linda Jardim’s song Energy in Northampton and John Peel’s fondness for the town’s bypass

www.theguardian.com

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Sean Canty @seancanty.bsky.social · 9d

Leeds City Council welcomes Gov't plans for 'new town' urban regeneration at South Bank 👍

Like in most big cities in the UK, house prices in Leeds are nearly 8x local average salaries. And compared to similar-size European cities, relatively few people live centrally.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Plans for new

South Bank, near Leeds city centre, is one of 12 locations across England earmarked for development.

www.bbc.co.uk

Sean Canty @seancanty.bsky.social · 9d

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness will speak at a Centre for Cities fringe event where she will make Labour's support for jobs in green industry a key dividing line with Reform UK

More here 👇
www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-e...

North East mayor warns of huge clean energy job losses if Reform UK win election

Labour mayor's claim is 'Project Fear 2.0', says Nigel Farage's party

www.chroniclelive.co.uk

Reposted by Sean Canty

Indy @indy.bsky.social · 12d

Narrator: Was this considered a "legitimate concern" by the UK political/media class? Come back after the break (party conference) to find out!

Naomi Smith @pimlicat.bsky.social · 12d

NEW: When Labour voters were asked why they believed things were getting worse for the UK, they overwhelmingly cited Brexit as the number one cause, with 69 per cent naming the decision to leave the European Union as the main reason behind the country’s problems.

inews.co.uk/news/politic...

Britain is going backwards under Starmer, Labour voters say

Disappointing figures come on the eve of a crucial Labour Party Conference

inews.co.uk

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Reposted by Sean Canty

Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 12d

In the last panel of the day, Pete Buttligieg, Biden's former transport secretary, is immediately the most eloquent speaker of the day. Asked how he would define progressive patriotism, he starts with this.

“Where we landed was that, not unlike religion in the US context, patriotism can either be a cudgel that is used to exclude and to beat people down, or it can be a way to summon more and more people into a shared national project. It can either be a basis for mistrust, as in, ‘There are the patriots and there are the others who are not to be trusted’. Or, as our president would say, the enemy within. Or it could be patriotism as a way to establish trust in places where it doesn't already exist.”

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Reposted by Sean Canty

Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 12d

It's IMO striking that the actual case that the UK should join its European peers and have a proper, free and universal ID card all involves things that improve the lives of the people who actually voted Labour in 2024, who are of course inferior to people who voted Labour in 1979.

Jim Rossignol @rossignol.bsky.social · 12d

The ID stuff being rushed put as if there was an emergency is almost comical. Half-baked, inevitably unpopular, designed to fix something something. How are they this bad at at politics?

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Sean Canty @seancanty.bsky.social · 13d

Coverage of declining pupil numbers at UK schools focused on the fact that nine of the top ten areas are in London.

But London experienced a big boom in pupil numbers in the early 2000s. And many of the other big falls in pupil numbers are in rural areas too.
www.centreforcities.org/blog/declini...

Declining pupil numbers isn’t just a London thing - Centre for Cities

The headline story on pupil numbers is that numbers are declining across the country.

www.centreforcities.org

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Sean Canty @seancanty.bsky.social · 14d

Cities don't inherently create deprivation, but by failing to reach their potential there are far fewer winners from urban growth than there should be.

That's a big challenge for Government - and its Industrial Strategy, planning reform, housebuilding agenda and devolution agendas - to meet.

Sean Canty @seancanty.bsky.social · 14d

Regions of the UK vary hugely on pay and affluence but that difference is explained by the variation in cities.

Average weekly workplace wages vary much more in urban areas of the UK than in rural ones.

Source: Cities Outlook 2025 👇
www.centreforcities.org/publication/...

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Reposted by Sean Canty

Emma Jacobs @emmavj.bsky.social · 15d

Anyone saying otherwise is wrong

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan @london.gov.uk · 15d

I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again.

Ignore the haters, London is the 🐐

Graphic with the headline “London is the greatest city in the world” set against a bright view of the River Thames with the Shard, Tower Bridge and the city skyline.

The text celebrates what makes London special: regularly voted the number one city in the world, incredible diversity with over 300 languages spoken, world-class transport, world leader in finance tech and life sciences, best museums and galleries many free to visit, world-leading nightlife, food sport and music for every taste, host to the world’s best sporting events, home to seven Premier League clubs, globally-ranked universities, a city where you can be yourself and love who you love, and a place for everyone.

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Reposted by Sean Canty

Edwin Heathcote @edwinheathcote.bsky.social · 16d

I was walking down a street in New York and I thought how lovely it was, with the trees and the light. Tried to take a photo and this came out. It’s incredible how blind we become to the ugliness of cars. They really do mess things up. Yet somehow we manage to filter them out.

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Sean Canty @seancanty.bsky.social · 16d

Non-religious people need to take an interest in matters of faith.

Why?

Because society needs to differentiate between reactionary Christian nationalism and trustworthy faith representatives who can heal society and help religious minorities to integrate.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

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Sean Canty @seancanty.bsky.social · 17d

🚌🚴‍♀️🚋 CAR FREE POST #WorldCarFreeDay

Did you know large UK cities have lower shares of commuting by public transport than their international peers?

TfL-style integrated transport, better planning and implementing road pricing could change that.

Read more 👇
www.centreforcities.org/publication/...

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Reposted by Sean Canty

Tomato Soup @souptomatosoup.uk · 20d

It’s the role of pre-16 education to prepare kids to be capable members of society

All education after that is about specialising into the part of society you’re targeting. Knowledge, research, specialising, is a skill, and an important one

It’s highly irresponsible to devalue knowledge like this

Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 20d

An actual quote from the Secretary of State for Business and Trade

Too often people go to university to ‘explore research and knowledge’

Look forward to Wes S saying 'too often people go to hospital to have operations' or Heidi Alexander saying 'too often people go to the station to catch a train'

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Sean Canty @seancanty.bsky.social · 20d

Unpopular view: most of the disciplines universities offer in 2025 are fairly well tethered to labour market realities.

It shows a lack of imagination to criticise students of religion, media or literature when there are genuinely bizarre (and unemployable) fringe indulgence subjects out there.

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