Refreshingly Independent Politics – smerconish.com is to create a clearinghouse for non-ideological thinking. We want to give people a chance to contribute to, and consume media that isn’t predicated on the usual, extreme talking points of the polarized media. Instead, we aim to promote independent thinking and diversity of thought.
Tag: politics
theintercept.com
The Intercept is an award-winning news organization dedicated to holding mainstream views and misinformation.
We Asked for ICE Bodycam Footage. DHS Claims They Don’t Have It.
9 January 2026 @ 7:46 pm
The Secret Service also said it had no records of its request to raise the water level of a river for JD Vance’s kayaking trip.
The post We Asked for ICE Bodycam Footage. DHS Claims They Don’t Have It. appeared first on The Intercept.
Greg Grandin on Trump’s “Universal Police Warrant”
9 January 2026 @ 11:00 am
From Venezuela to Greenland, the Trump administration is redefining and invoking the Monroe Doctrine to seize whatever it wants, whenever it wants.
The post Greg Grandin on Trump’s “Universal Police Warrant” appeared first on The Intercept.
Border Patrol Agents Shot Two People in Portland During Immigration Stop
9 January 2026 @ 12:20 am
The shooting came just one day after an ICE agent in Minneapolis shot and killed Renee Nicole Good.
The post Border Patrol Agents Shot Two People in Portland During Immigration Stop appeared first on The Intercept.
Trust What You Can See With Your Own Eyes
8 January 2026 @ 10:23 pm
Trump, Vance, and Noem are trying to Zapruder a video of ICE’s cold-blooded Minneapolis killing until you don’t believe what you can plainly see.
The post Trust What You Can See With Your Own Eyes appeared first on The Intercept.
ICE Agent Who Shot Renee Nicole Good Identified as Jonathan Ross
8 January 2026 @ 7:42 pm
Identifying the shooter in Minneapolis, The Intercept found a photo captioned “Jon Ross in Iraq” posted by a man noted in public records as his father.
The post ICE Agent Who Shot Renee Nicole Good Identified as Jonathan Ross appeared first on The Intercept.
After Undercounting Boat Strike Killings, U.S. Military Updates Death Toll
8 January 2026 @ 6:32 pm
After questions from The Intercept, U.S. Southern Command updated its count of civilians killed in boat strikes to 123.
The post After Undercounting Boat Strike Killings, U.S. Military Updates Death Toll appeared first on The Intercept.
Five GOP Senators Vote to Move Forward Bill Blocking Future Trump Attacks on Venezuela
8 January 2026 @ 5:14 pm
Far-right Sen. Josh Hawley joined four other Republicans to advance a war powers resolution in a symbolic rebuke to Trump.
The post Five GOP Senators Vote to Move Forward Bill Blocking Future Trump Attacks on Venezuela appeared first on The Intercept.
The U.S. Desperately Wants Back in the Business of Empire With Venezuela
8 January 2026 @ 11:00 am
America carried out a coup in Venezuela to plunder the country’s resources. But Latin Americans will have the last word.
The post The U.S. Desperately Wants Back in the Business of Empire With Venezuela appeared first on The Intercept.
Chicago Woman Shot by Border Patrol Reacts to Minneapolis ICE Killing: “Of Course This Happened”
8 January 2026 @ 12:25 am
“It is no surprise to either Marimar or myself that this happened and, unfortunately, it is going to continue to happen,” the Chicago woman’s lawyer said.
The post Chicago Woman Shot by Border Patrol Reacts to Minneapolis ICE Killing: “Of Course This Happened” appeared first on The Intercept.
This Isn’t the First Killing by ICE — and It Won’t Be the Last
7 January 2026 @ 8:49 pm
ICE shot a woman point-blank in Minneapolis. The agency’s raids and impunity were always going to lead to death.
The post This Isn’t the First Killing by ICE — and It Won’t Be the Last appeared first on The Intercept.
questioneverything.io
To critically evaluate the global response to COVID-19 and present a series of responsible pandemic exit strategies to help ensure that total harms are minimised.
thefreedomcycle.com
THE PEOPLE’S UNION OF BRITAIN
Taking back sovereignty through common law.
goodlawproject.org
The Good Law Project is a not-for-profit campaign organisation that uses the law to protect the interests of the public. Also a bit woke, and does not protect womens sports.
whocanivotefor.co.uk
An updated list of candidates you can vote for the up and coming UK elections.
politics.co.uk
Politics news from the UK.
The rush to panic tells us more about Westminster than Starmer
22 December 2025 @ 9:47 am
There is a particular kind of panic that takes hold in British politics roughly a year into a Parliament. It is the panic of people who have discovered that governing is harder than campaigning, and begun to wonder whether the problem might be the person at the top. We are there again now, and the... Read more »
The post The rush to panic tells us more about Westminster than Starmer appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Pippa Heylings MP: ‘Is the Treasury sabotaging Britain’s climate leadership?’
22 December 2025 @ 8:00 am
Although it may have been lost amid the doom-laden headlines emerging after COP30 in Brazil, something genuinely hopeful did emerge from the UN Climate Conference: a game-changing global plan to safeguard the planet’s remaining tropical forests. The Tropical Forests Forever Facility, or TFFF, is an innovative finance mechanism that would become one of the largest... Read more »
The post Pippa Heylings MP: ‘Is the Treasury sabotaging Britain’s climate leadership?’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Peter Dowd: ‘Together, MPs can build a parliament that understands grief’
2 December 2025 @ 8:00 am
Grief is something every one of us will experience. It does not discriminate against any social class, profession, or walk of life and yet, despite being part of life, so many still struggle to talk about it openly. I know this from my own personal experience. My daughter Jennie was the victim of a hit... Read more »
The post Peter Dowd: ‘Together, MPs can build a parliament that understands grief’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Sonia Kumar MP: ‘How Britain’s leaky loos waste over a billion litres every day’
25 November 2025 @ 3:49 pm
Water has been at the forefront of political debate for some time in this country. We can all recall the scandalous headlines: record levels of raw sewage being pumped into our waterways alongside rising water bills. These issues (quite rightly) garner significant attention – but they have also overshadowed another, quieter scandal that is wasting... Read more »
The post Sonia Kumar MP: ‘How Britain’s leaky loos waste over a billion litres every day’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Andy McDonald MP: ‘The system is failing spinal cord injury patients – we need a national strategy now’
21 November 2025 @ 8:00 am
The UK has a proud legacy in spinal cord injury (SCI) care. It was here, at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, that professor Sir Ludwig Guttmann pioneered a model of rehabilitation that placed the patient at the centre of care – a legacy that helped launch the Paralympic movement and shaped global standards. But today, that legacy... Read more »
The post Andy McDonald MP: ‘The system is failing spinal cord injury patients – we need a national strategy now’ appeared first on
Cost of living is top priority for voters ahead of autumn budget, mega poll finds
18 November 2025 @ 7:45 am
The cost of living has been identified as the top priority for the government to address in the autumn budget. A new poll of over 7,400 people has found that 59% of voters are demanding action on the cost of living and the economy. This figure was higher than the number of voters who ranked... Read more »
The post Cost of living is top priority for voters ahead of autumn budget, mega poll finds appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Beccy Cooper MP: ‘The UK’s Global Fund pledge is a missed opportunity’
17 November 2025 @ 8:15 am
I’ll admit, I haven’t always been the Global Fund’s biggest fan. As a public health consultant working in international development, I used to worry it was too narrowly focused on individual diseases. But over time, I’ve seen the great work it has done – taking large amounts of donor funding and putting it to excellent... Read more »
The post Beccy Cooper MP: ‘The UK’s Global Fund pledge is a missed opportunity’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Jerome Mayhew MP: ‘Nationalising our best railway early is the wrong priority’
13 November 2025 @ 8:15 am
The government’s decision to nationalise Greater Anglia, the best-performing operator in the country, shows mistaken priorities. Instead of focusing on failing services, ministers are risking disruption to a railway that has been transformed and is paying money back to the exchequer. Meanwhile, passengers suffering the worst services are told to wait their turn. Greater Anglia... Read more »
The post Jerome Mayhew MP: ‘Nationalising our best railway early is the wrong priority’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
George Freeman: ‘Harnessing fusion is the ultimate test for Labour’s industrial strategy’
12 November 2025 @ 8:00 am
Britain is an ideas superpower. While other nations compete on production costs and capital markets, our enduring advantage lies in innovation. From the steam engine to the jet engine, penicillin to the World Wide Web, British ingenuity has shaped the modern world. Today, we stand at the edge of a new industrial revolution. Artificial Intelligence... Read more »
The post George Freeman: ‘Harnessing fusion is the ultimate test for Labour’s industrial strategy’ appeared first on Po
UK government must back the Global Fund at critical time
11 November 2025 @ 8:00 am
In public health, complacency is the most dangerous pathogen of all. It creeps in quietly, just as progress starts to look permanent. We think a threat has been contained, a disease defeated, and we turn our attention elsewhere. But viruses do not read budget statements, and microbes do not respect borders. They exploit every gap... Read more »
The post UK government must back the Global Fund at critical time appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
artsparty.org.uk
Introducing arts thinking into politics and promoting creative, scientific and evidence based ideas that improve the lives of as many people as possible, while mindful of the few.
Arts Party Conference 2019
16 August 2019 @ 9:30 am
The Arts Party welcomes it’s first party conference from the heart of where water meets dirt, Brighton. We will be hosting debates for purposes of socialising, conversation and recreation. Located in Camelford Street, Brighton, BN2 1TQ, United Kingdom. All are welcome to attend, please use the contact form below to register your interest. [Fully booked]
The post Arts Party Conference 2019 appeared first on ARTS PARTY.
Dinner for few
9 June 2019 @ 12:41 pm
A short and stark reminder of the state of play in politics today/yesterday. Thanks to a Dinner for a few, award winner from Nassos Vakalis. DINNER FOR FEW from Nassos Vakalis on Vimeo.
The post Dinner for few appeared first on ARTS PARTY.
Scotland takes steps to put culture at the forefront of policy-making
6 July 2018 @ 9:31 am
A CULTURE STRATEGY FOR SCOTLAND – reflecting the past, challenging the present, shaping the future . The strategy seeks to stimulate a step change that will bring about a shift in how society and government view and value culture. It aims to build collaborative alliances that will help to realise the full potential of culture …
Continue reading "Scotland takes steps to put culture at the forefront of policy-making"
The post Scotland takes steps to put culture at the forefront of policy-making appeared first on ARTS PARTY.
Arts teachers in decline
5 July 2018 @ 9:35 am
As well as a fall in teaching hours, the arts has lost almost a quarter (9000) of teachers working in secondary schools in England since 2011. Sourced from https://www.artsprofessional.co.uk/news/arts-teacher-numbers-plummet-almost-quarter
The post Arts teachers in decline appeared first on ARTS PARTY.
Why the Arts Matter
12 May 2018 @ 7:11 am
We’ve come across a great graphic that really sums up why the Arts matter – enjoy!
The post Why the Arts Matter appeared first on ARTS PARTY.
Creativity and politics
17 April 2018 @ 11:19 am
Heather McGhee talks about the influence that music, film, and other arts can have on social change. https://thecreativeindependent.com/people/heather-mcghee-on-creativity-and-politics/
The post Creativity and politics appeared first on ARTS PARTY.
Why is creativity the most important political concept of the 21st century?
17 April 2018 @ 11:15 am
There is no concept more politically important today than creativity. I’ll give four reasons why but first a definition. ‘Creative’ has narrow, broader and even broader connotations in English. It’s the last of these we should be most interested in. The narrow meaning immediately leads one to think of activities directly associated with the arts. …
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The post Why is creativity the most important political concept of the 21st century? appeared first on ARTS PARTY.
Arts can help children avoid a lifetime of gang crime
14 April 2018 @ 11:05 am
Andria Zafirakou, who won the $1million title in Dubai last month, said subjects such as art, music and drama can transform the lives of vulnerable young people and give them the confidence to walk away from gangs. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/education/arts-can-help-children-avoid-a-lifetime-of-gang-crime-says-1m-prizewinning-teacher-a3813071.html
The post Arts can help children avoid a lifetime of gang crime appeared first on ARTS PARTY.
Creativity and the arts in decline
1 February 2018 @ 11:34 am
Creative arts subjects are being cut back in many secondary schools in England, a BBC survey suggests. More than 1,200 schools responded – over 40% of secondary schools. Of the schools that responded, nine in every 10 said they had cut back on lesson time, staff or facilities in at least one creative arts subject. …
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The post Creativity and the arts in decline appeared first on ARTS PARTY.
Drawing the Future
20 January 2018 @ 10:34 am
A report launched by Education and Employers and found that children’s career aspirations only marginally differ from age 7 to age 17. It also showed that some sectors vital for economic health look set to be badly under-resourced in future. In the biggest survey of its kind, primary school children aged seven to 11 were …
Continue reading "Drawing the Future"
The post Drawing the Future appeared first on ARTS PARTY.
theyworkforyou.com
Keeping tabs on the UK’s parliaments & assemblies
“From the Scorecards, we learned that transparency and accessibility are key to accelerating local climate progress”
19 December 2025 @ 10:50 am
When we consider the impacts of a project like the Council Climate Action Scorecards, the obvious benefits are those we see in UK councils as they step up their efforts to decarbonise. On this blog, we’ve also frequently noted tangential effects too, such as better understanding and communication between local authorities and residents. There’s a…
What we’ve learned about building datasets with FOI
16 December 2025 @ 12:27 pm
At the beginning of the year, we set ourselves an ambitious goal: to help a group of small organisations working with marginalised communities to run Freedom of Information–based campaigns using WhatDoTheyKnow Pro’s batch-request and project features. We recruited groups working in areas as varied as domestic abuse, arts funding, youth health, SEND provision, parental leave,…
New research report: Supporting good communication
16 December 2025 @ 9:06 am
With WriteToThem.com we want to run a service that helps people write the right message to the right place. That means helping users express themselves effectively and keeping the service a constructive channel between constituents and representatives by deterring abusive messages. Abuse and intimidation aimed at elected representatives does not just harm the person receiving…
New report: WriteToThem Insights
11 December 2025 @ 9:00 am
Understanding more about constituent communication We’ve released a new report exploring insights from WriteToThem about the content of constituent communication – you can read the whole report online or a summary below. WriteToThem.com is a long-running mySociety service that enables people across the UK to contact their elected representatives by entering their postcode and sending…
Use the Council Climate Action Scorecards to bring change
27 November 2025 @ 10:18 am
Campaigning organisation and lobbying group the RBWM Climate Emergency Coalition (CEC), located in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, have been putting the Council Climate Action Scorecards to really good use. Overall, 14 separate groups make up the CEC, who convene with a shared interest in mitigating climate change and/or protecting and restoring nature.…
We prototyped a data hub for the VAWG sector, and it’s already raising important questions
25 November 2025 @ 11:33 am
Around the world today, organisations and communities are recognising the 26th International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. This is a moment to reflect on one of the most prevalent and pervasive human rights violations in the world – but it’s also a call to action. As one small action in that continued…
What can we learn from a clock that’s stopped?
24 November 2025 @ 11:02 am
Do you live somewhere that boasts a magnificent municipal clock — a timepiece that anyone passing by can look up to, and check that they’re nicely on time for their next appointment? A vast clockface on the side of the town hall, perhaps; or a golden clocktower standing tall above the shopping streets…a landmark under…
Mayoral scrutiny: building an ecosystem of accountability
18 November 2025 @ 10:03 am
Mayors and combined authorities are the future of devolution in England, but the ways in which citizens can understand, scrutinise, or influence them remain unclear. Our latest report, Mayoral scrutiny: supporting an ecosystem of accountability organisations, argues that devolution will not deliver on its promises unless we also invest in new forms of civic and…
Running open LLM models
18 November 2025 @ 10:03 am
Most discussion and usage of LLMs is focused on high profile closed models such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT family, and Google’s Gemini – which are widely available and integrated into a range of existing products and services. Because these are closed models, access and hosting of the models is controlled by the companies that create them.…
Using LLM tools to build APPG scrapers
18 November 2025 @ 9:58 am
Recently we wrote about why we’re now listing APPGs in TheyWorkForYou. This blog post goes into more detail about the technical process we use to gather who is a member of an APPG. We have two methods of getting the memberships of APPGs. The first is finding if it’s already published on their website. The…