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.
How U.S. Universities Used Counterterror Fusion Centers to Surveil Student Protests for Palestine
21 November 2025 @ 10:00 am
Internal university communications reveal how a network established for post-9/11 intelligence sharing was turned on students protesting genocide.
The post How U.S. Universities Used Counterterror Fusion Centers to Surveil Student Protests for Palestine appeared first on The Intercept.
At 17, She Gave Up Her Son. Sixty Years Later, She Found Him on Death Row.
20 November 2025 @ 2:45 pm
Richard Randolph, now Malik Abdul-Sajjad, is scheduled to die tonight. His biological mother will never get a chance to meet him.
The post At 17, She Gave Up Her Son. Sixty Years Later, She Found Him on Death Row. appeared first on The Intercept.
Rubio Says Maduro is Terrorist-in-Chief of Venezuela’s “Cártel de los Soles.” Is It Even a Real Group?
20 November 2025 @ 12:00 pm
The Trump administration’s push for war on Venezuela includes alleging Maduro controls a government-run “narcoterrorist” conspiracy.
The post Rubio Says Maduro is Terrorist-in-Chief of Venezuela’s “Cártel de los Soles.” Is It Even a Real Group? appeared first on The Intercept.
Abdul El-Sayed Wants to Be the First Pro-Palestine Senator From Michigan
20 November 2025 @ 11:00 am
In a tight Democratic primary, El-Sayed is trying to distinguish himself as one of two candidates running from the left.
The post Abdul El-Sayed Wants to Be the First Pro-Palestine Senator From Michigan appeared first on The Intercept.
Everyone Wants to Ban Congressional Stock Trades, but Some Supporters Worry Mike Johnson Is Stalling
19 November 2025 @ 10:16 pm
Members of Congress are getting rich trading stocks and flouting the current, toothless regulations.
The post Everyone Wants to Ban Congressional Stock Trades, but Some Supporters Worry Mike Johnson Is Stalling appeared first on The Intercept.
Episode Seven: Dirty Information
19 November 2025 @ 11:00 am
Years before the police killing of Breonna Taylor brought “no-knock” raids into the national spotlight, the NYPD mistakenly raided Alberta Spruill’s home — and literally scared her to death.
The post Episode Seven: Dirty Information appeared first on The Intercept.
How California Spent Natural Disaster Funds to Quell Student Protests for Palestine
19 November 2025 @ 10:00 am
California’s Law Enforcement Mutual Aid fund has been used to fight fires, floods, earthquakes — and Gaza demonstrations.
The post How California Spent Natural Disaster Funds to Quell Student Protests for Palestine appeared first on The Intercept.
War in Venezuela, Brought to You By the Same People Who Lied Us Into Iraq
18 November 2025 @ 8:57 pm
Washington is making big claims to make the case for U.S. intervention. We’ve heard all these arguments before.
The post War in Venezuela, Brought to You By the Same People Who Lied Us Into Iraq appeared first on The Intercept.
Don’t Let Larry Summers Back Into Polite Society
18 November 2025 @ 5:10 pm
Summers said he’s “ashamed” of his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and would step back from public life. This time it should be for good.
The post Don’t Let Larry Summers Back Into Polite Society appeared first on The Intercept.
Pardoned Capitol Rioter Tried to Hush Child Sex Victim With Promise of Jan. 6 Reparation Money, Police Say
18 November 2025 @ 2:39 am
Andrew Johnson claimed to an alleged child molestation victim that Trump’s pardon entitled him to multimillion-dollar reparations.
The post Pardoned Capitol Rioter Tried to Hush Child Sex Victim With Promise of Jan. 6 Reparation Money, Police Say 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.
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.
Lorraine Beavers: ‘The silent killer the national cancer plan must confront’
31 October 2025 @ 9:00 am
As we await the release of the National Cancer Plan, Liver Cancer Awareness Month is a stark reminder of the urgent need to act on one of the UK’s fastest rising and less survivable cancers. While the UK has made impressive progress in reducing deaths from several cancers, liver cancer stands apart. Each year, over... Read more »
The post Lorraine Beavers: ‘The silent killer the national cancer plan must confront’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Caroline Dinenage: ‘The future of science is animal-free – Britain must not be left behind’
28 October 2025 @ 8:00 am
Last week, the Home Office published its annual statistics detailing the number of scientific experiments involving animals which took place in 2024. As a longtime advocate of animal welfare, it is disappointing to see that despite decades of scientific progress, the figures show that 2.64 million procedures involving animals took place in 2024. This is... Read more »
The post Caroline Dinenage: ‘The future of science is animal-free – Britain must not be left behind’ appeared first on Politics.co.
The regional investment summit: a welcome vision for growth – now let’s deliver it
27 October 2025 @ 10:05 am
Last week I attended the UK government’s first ever regional investment summit in Birmingham. Led by West Midlands mayor Richard Parker and the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, and attended by front bench ministers, the event offered insights into the government’s growth plan and electoral strategy to business leaders and prospective investors who had descended on the... Read more »
The post The regional investment summit: a welcome vision for growth – now let’s deliver it appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Starmer is governed by polls, not principles – voters can sense it
22 October 2025 @ 3:34 pm
Politics once moved at the pace of persuasion. A leader would make a case, tour the country, take questions, debate opponents – and then wait weeks or months to see whether the argument had landed. That rhythm is gone. Now every morning begins with another batch of numbers: headline voting intentions, leader ratings, favourability trackers,... Read more »
The post Starmer is governed by polls, not principles – voters can sense it 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"
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theyworkforyou.com
Keeping tabs on the UK’s parliaments & assemblies
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…
“I found inspiring things happening in councils all over the UK, pockets of brilliance!”
10 November 2025 @ 9:38 am
Our partner organisation Climate Emergency UK put us in touch with Mat Allen, based in Northern Ireland. They described him as “one of our most dedicated Scorecards volunteers” — and when we heard what he’s been up to, we could certainly see why. Volunteering for CE UK is, for many, an opportunity to do something tangible…
A key moment to strengthen Scotland’s Freedom of Information law
7 November 2025 @ 12:48 pm
The UK has two Freedom of Information laws – one that covers Scottish public authorities and one that covers public authorities in the rest of the UK. While similar to the UK law in many respects, we think there are a number of practical ways the Scottish system improves on the wider system of FOI…
“Shining a light on what our councils are doing — good and bad.”
4 November 2025 @ 3:07 pm
The Council Climate Action Scorecards are only possible thanks to the work of volunteers, who attend training from Climate Emergency UK before going off to gather the multitude of data required to assess the climate action of every council in the UK. We’re always keen to hear from volunteers about what motivates them, and any…
Our transparency rules need to adapt to the rise of AI
30 October 2025 @ 11:47 am
The government is making a significant investment into AI in public services, and systems are changing apace. AI is increasingly being deployed in every department of government, both national and local, and often through systems procured from external contractors. In a recent article for Public Technology, mySociety’s Chief Executive Louise Crow flags that we urgently…
TheyWorkForYou Update: A richer view of Parliament
23 October 2025 @ 4:13 pm
We want to improve the quality of UK democracy by making more and better information about Parliament available to everyone. In previous updates to TheyWorkForYou, we’ve expanded the range of official sources the service pulls on: extending to cover all the UK’s parliaments, and recently bringing together all the registers of interest in one place. …
Improving TheyWorkForYou email alerts
23 October 2025 @ 3:54 pm
You can subscribe to TheyWorkForYou’s alerts to receive email updates on representatives’ parliamentary speeches and questions — but they’re also strongly used by civil society as a parliamentary monitoring tool, letting organisations know when their topics of interest have been mentioned in debates or votes. Our alerts help the flow of information from Parliament through…
Future boundaries for devolved legislatures
23 October 2025 @ 10:49 am
The Scottish Parliament and the Senedd are both holding elections in May 2026, and the Northern Ireland Assembly will be holding an election before May 2027. All of these elections will take place on different boundaries to their current constituencies and, in the case of the Senedd, under a new voting system. As the boundaries…