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.
They Weren’t Convicted of Terrorism, But These Palestine Activists Got Sentenced as Terrorists Anyway
13 June 2026 @ 5:05 pm
The case marks the first time that “criminal damage” convictions in the UK have been classified as terrorism.
The post They Weren’t Convicted of Terrorism, But These Palestine Activists Got Sentenced as Terrorists Anyway appeared first on The Intercept.
Indiana Banned Press From Executions for “Dignity.” It Actually Serves Repression.
13 June 2026 @ 10:00 am
There’s no dignity in secret executions.
The post Indiana Banned Press From Executions for “Dignity.” It Actually Serves Repression. appeared first on The Intercept.
ICE Should Show It Hasn’t Been “Infiltrated by Violent Extremists,” Senator Urges
12 June 2026 @ 5:37 pm
Spurred by The Intercept's reporting, Sheldon Whitehouse calls out DHS for recruiting materials celebrated by white nationalists.
The post ICE Should Show It Hasn’t Been “Infiltrated by Violent Extremists,” Senator Urges appeared first on The Intercept.
The Right’s “Election Fraud” Cry for Midterms Previewed in Primaries
12 June 2026 @ 10:00 am
Spencer Pratt’s pratfall in LA, Graham Platner’s victory, prediction markets, and other takeaways from the California and Maine primary elections.
The post The Right’s “Election Fraud” Cry for Midterms Previewed in Primaries appeared first on The Intercept.
D.C. Mayor Candidates Are Fixating on Teen Hangouts — and Turning the Cops on Them
12 June 2026 @ 9:00 am
Kenyan McDuffie says D.C. must crack down to stave off the Trump administration. Janeese Lewis George argues that plays into Trump's hand.
The post D.C. Mayor Candidates Are Fixating on Teen Hangouts — and Turning the Cops on Them appeared first on The Intercept.
Hakeem Jeffries Finally Finds a Spine: Dem Leaders Rallied Against Extending Domestic Spy Law
11 June 2026 @ 7:42 pm
Advocates welcomed centrist Democrats switching sides but warned against extending the spy law with or without Bill Pulte as spy chief.
The post Hakeem Jeffries Finally Finds a Spine: Dem Leaders Rallied Against Extending Domestic Spy Law appeared first on The Intercept.
A Point-by-Point Breakdown of Trump’s Failed Iran War Objectives
11 June 2026 @ 6:02 pm
None of Trump’s stated goals in his war with Iran have been achieved.
The post A Point-by-Point Breakdown of Trump’s Failed Iran War Objectives appeared first on The Intercept.
Scott Pelley Shows How Legacy Media Got It Wrong — Before Bari Weiss Made It Worse
11 June 2026 @ 10:00 am
Scott Pelley describes Weiss’s horrific pro-Trump meddling, but he also shows how “both sides” journalism was already dooming our country.
The post Scott Pelley Shows How Legacy Media Got It Wrong — Before Bari Weiss Made It Worse appeared first on The Intercept.
ICE Defied Direct Order From Federal Judge and Re-Detained Elderly Palestinian
10 June 2026 @ 10:37 pm
A judge said the 77-year-old grandfather's detention was unlawful. Then ICE seized him again and tried to rush him onto a deportation flight.
The post ICE Defied Direct Order From Federal Judge and Re-Detained Elderly Palestinian appeared first on The Intercept.
Momentum Builds to Rein In Domestic Spying Law — Whether or Not Bill Pulte Survives as Intel Chief
10 June 2026 @ 7:57 pm
“I have been doing this a while,” Sen. Ron Wyden told The Intercept. “And I’ve never had this kind of bipartisan support.”
The post Momentum Builds to Rein In Domestic Spying Law — Whether or Not Bill Pulte Survives as Intel Chief 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.
John Healey resigns as defence secretary – letter in full
11 June 2026 @ 11:25 am
John Healey has sensationally resigned as defence secretary over military spending plans. In a letter to the prime minister, Healey said the proposed defence investment plan “falls well short of what is required for defence and the country at this dangerous time”. Read Healey’s letter in full below. This is a letter I never expected... Read more »
The post John Healey resigns as defence secretary – letter in full appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Andy Burnham is right about social care funding. But that’s not the real problem
10 June 2026 @ 7:00 am
Andy Burnham is right to put social care at the heart of the political debate. He’s also right to say politicians shouldn’t “flinch” from difficult conversations about funding. But if social care reform becomes yet another argument about who pays, we’ll miss a much bigger problem hiding in plain sight. The uncomfortable truth is that... Read more »
The post Andy Burnham is right about social care funding. But that’s not the real problem appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Leigh Ingham MP: ‘The government must buy British, build British and back British’
1 June 2026 @ 7:15 am
Forty-eight percent of people in England and Wales live in towns – nearly half the population – and it’s clear to me that the UK will not succeed unless its towns succeed. But for too long we have reached for a cities-first playbook – as though towns exist to serve the economies of nearby cities... Read more »
The post Leigh Ingham MP: ‘The government must buy British, build British and back British’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Patrick Gordon Walker’s 1965 defeat is a cautionary tale for Andy Burnham
15 May 2026 @ 10:00 am
Andy Burnham’s sensational announcement that he will once again seek a return to parliament sealed a day of immense political drama. The move marks Burnham’s second attempt at a parliamentary comeback, after Labour’s national executive committee (NEC), Starmer-in-council, thwarted his prospective candidacy for the February 2026 Gorton and Denton by-election. That contest proceeded without Burnham... Read more »
The post Patrick Gordon Walker’s 1965 defeat is a cautionary tale for Andy Burnham appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Wes Streeting resigns as health secretary – letter in full
14 May 2026 @ 12:17 pm
Wes Streeting has resigned as health secretary, saying it is now clear that Keir Starmer will not “lead the Labour Party into the next general election.” Streeting, who has headed the Department of Health and Social Care since the 2024 general election, described the 2026 local and devolved parliament elections as “unprecedented”. In his resignation... Read more »
The post Wes Streeting resigns as health secretary – letter in full appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Jess Phillips resigns
12 May 2026 @ 12:05 pm
Jess Phillips has resigned as a Home Office minister. In a letter addressed to the prime minister, Phillips called on Keir Starmer to step down, saying she could not “keep waiting around for a crisis to push for faster progress”. Phillips is the second minister to resign from the government since the 2026 local elections... Read more »
The post Jess Phillips resigns appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
First minister to resign says Starmer has lost ‘confidence of the public’
12 May 2026 @ 8:33 am
The first minister to resign from Keir Starmer’s government has called for the prime minister to step down and oversee “an orderly transition” to a new leader. Miatta Fahnbulleh stepped down as minister for devolution, faith and communities on Tuesday morning. In a letter addressed to the prime minister, she said that the government had... Read more »
The post First minister to resign says Starmer has lost ‘confidence of the public’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Keir Starmer is ‘listening’ to mutinous colleagues, says ‘sad’ cabinet ally
12 May 2026 @ 7:15 am
Keir Starmer is in “listening” mode, a senior cabinet ally has suggested as the prime minister faces a chorus of calls to resign. Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the prime minister, insisted that Starmer is “getting on with the job” but appeared to confirm that he is now considering his political future. Jones recognised... Read more »
The post Keir Starmer is ‘listening’ to mutinous colleagues, says ‘sad’ cabinet ally appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Ministerial aides quit as calls for Starmer to resign grow
12 May 2026 @ 6:31 am
Keir Starmer has suffered his first resignations as the calls for him to step down as prime minister grow. Tom Rutland, a parliamentary private secretary (PPS) in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, was the first to issue a statement announcing his decision to resign. A PPS acts as an unpaid parliamentary assistant,... Read more »
The post Ministerial aides quit as calls for Starmer to resign grow appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Starmer’s attempt to save his premiership – speech in full
11 May 2026 @ 1:05 pm
Keir Starmer vowed to prove his “doubters” wrong in a make-or-break speech on Monday morning. The prime minister warned of “very dangerous opponents”, alluding to insurgent political forces on the right and left, and pledged to embrace a closer relationship with Europe. Read Starmer’s speech in full. The election results last week were tough, very... Read more »
The post Starmer’s attempt to save his premiership – speech in full 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"
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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"
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theyworkforyou.com
Keeping tabs on the UK’s parliaments & assemblies
New report! Supporting Participation: Building an effective European civic tech hub
5 June 2026 @ 3:22 pm
Today we’ve published a new report with Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund, exploring how a future European civic tech hub could strengthen democratic participation across Europe. You can read it online, or download as a PDF. Drawing on interviews with 19 civic tech organisations from 12 countries, we’ve wrestled with the opportunities and challenges facing…
Welsh residents now have six MSs, and they all work for you
19 May 2026 @ 12:38 pm
Whether or not you voted, or no matter who you voted for, every person in Wales is now represented by six MSs in the Senedd. And the good news is, we’re here to help you navigate the new system! ✉️ You can find out who your six MSs are, and contact all or some of…
FOI Network 3: hearing from information officers
11 May 2026 @ 10:18 am
For the the third in our series of discovery workshops, we invited people working with FOI in public authorities to discuss how a network might support them — and we had more than 50 attendees joining us from a range of organisations and specialities. Discussion was lively and informative, with many expressing a thirst for…
FOI Network: what we discovered in workshop 2
20 April 2026 @ 11:42 am
We continue with exploratory work that will help shape what the FOI Network will become, and how it will best serve specific types of those who use Freedom Of Information. Last week, in our second workshop of three, we convened journalists and specialist users to help us understand what the barriers are to their use…
Scorecards “create a level of accountability across the whole organisation to play their part”
20 April 2026 @ 8:28 am
Liz Vango-Smith is Sustainability and Climate Change Officer at Hart District Council, where she manages the climate change programme, helping to meet their carbon reduction targets both internally, and across the district. She recently took the time to speak to us about the part that the Council Climate Action Scorecards play in her work. Liz…
How data might help solve the sewage problem (with a little help from WriteToThem)
16 April 2026 @ 8:03 am
Have you visited sewagemap.co.uk? If you care about your local rivers, lakes and seas, you might want to take a look at this very graphic display of where sewage is being discharged across England. If you’re wondering which sense of ‘graphic’ we mean, well, it’s both: first, it’s easy to see the information at a…
Responding to AI-driven demand on public systems
14 April 2026 @ 12:51 pm
LLMs can increase demand on public systems by removing the friction that previously limited access. One potential result of this is new forms of unconsidered rationing that recreate that friction. Instead, we should move away from zero sum systems and aim for technical and policy approaches that turn unscalable private benefits into efficient collective ones. …
FOI Network: how can we strengthen access to information?
14 April 2026 @ 8:03 am
The FOI Network is an informal coalition of civil society organisations, journalists and academics with an interest in Freedom of Information, convened by mySociety and State of the Future. Last week, we held our first meet-up, in the shape of an online workshop, to discuss and prioritise the ways in which we might strengthen and…
Building skills and capacity in youth organisations, with the Social Investment Business
13 April 2026 @ 11:05 am
We’ve just started a new project exploring how improved data and training could help youth services in England – building their financial sustainability and representing their communities at a national policy level. Working with the Social Investment Business (SIB), which coordinates the government’s Youth Investment Fund, we’ll be talking to youth organisations across the North…
The growing case to protect FOI
8 April 2026 @ 2:36 pm
In a recent blog post, we set out why proposals to reduce the Freedom of Information cost limit would reduce government transparency, without meaningfully reducing the burden on public authorities, since then the opposition to the move has grown. What’s the problem? On 18 March 2026, The Financial Times reported that the government is considering…