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.
Human Rights Campaign Rejects Weapons Company Sponsorships After Pressure Around Israel Genocide
11 November 2025 @ 4:42 pm
Activists had been pressuring the Human Rights Campaign, one of the world’s largest LGBTQ+ groups, to stand against Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
The post Human Rights Campaign Rejects Weapons Company Sponsorships After Pressure Around Israel Genocide appeared first on The Intercept.
Key Senate Dem Says Party Caved on Shutdown to Make a Symbolic Point About the GOP
10 November 2025 @ 10:19 pm
Sen. Dick Durbin said the fight proved “Republicans are not sensitive to health care insurance premiums and we are.” That won’t keep costs down.
The post Key Senate Dem Says Party Caved on Shutdown to Make a Symbolic Point About the GOP appeared first on The Intercept.
Lawmaker Challenges ICE Plan to Hire Bounty Hunters
10 November 2025 @ 9:20 pm
ICE is considering hiring private investigators to track down immigrants inside the United States. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi has questions.
The post Lawmaker Challenges ICE Plan to Hire Bounty Hunters appeared first on The Intercept.
Dozens of Gaza Medical Workers Are Still Disappeared in Israeli Detention
10 November 2025 @ 11:00 am
One woman's husband was taken from his job as an ambulance paramedic two years ago. She waited after the ceasefire, but he never came home.
The post Dozens of Gaza Medical Workers Are Still Disappeared in Israeli Detention appeared first on The Intercept.
Liberal Elites Kicked the Door Wide Open for Trump’s Flagrant Corruption
9 November 2025 @ 11:00 am
The president’s corruption is audaciously out in the open, but decades of letting the wealthy play by their own rules enabled him.
The post Liberal Elites Kicked the Door Wide Open for Trump’s Flagrant Corruption appeared first on The Intercept.
How Christian Nationalism Is Shaping Trump’s Foreign Policy Toward Africa
8 November 2025 @ 3:25 pm
Trump ended deportation protections for South Sudanese immigrants, prioritized asylum for white South Africans, and threatened to invade Nigeria. It’s all part of the Christian nationalist playbook.
The post How Christian Nationalism Is Shaping Trump’s Foreign Policy Toward Africa appeared first on The Intercept.
Trump Has a Secret List of 24 “Designated Terrorist Organizations.” We Got Some of the Names.
7 November 2025 @ 10:16 pm
The U.S. claims it is engaged in “armed conflict” with Tren de Aragua, Ejército de Liberación Nacional, and Cártel de los Soles, among others.
The post Trump Has a Secret List of 24 “Designated Terrorist Organizations.” We Got Some of the Names. appeared first on The Intercept.
The President Is Perfectly Fine If You Starve
7 November 2025 @ 5:38 pm
The message behind the government shutdown is loud and clear: Hunger is acceptable collateral damage in service of Trump’s agenda.
The post The President Is Perfectly Fine If You Starve appeared first on The Intercept.
Gaza’s Students Kept Studying Amid the Rubble. Now Universities Hope to Rebuild.
7 November 2025 @ 12:00 pm
Palestinian students learned remotely, with flickering internet, through two years of Israel’s genocide. Now universities need funding to rebuild.
The post Gaza’s Students Kept Studying Amid the Rubble. Now Universities Hope to Rebuild. appeared first on The Intercept.
Rand Paul Warns of “Warmongers,” but MAGA Rejects Venezuela War Powers Bill
6 November 2025 @ 11:14 pm
It was potentially the last chance for Paul, Tim Kaine, and Adam Schiff to block U.S. military action in Venezuela with a war powers resolution.
The post Rand Paul Warns of “Warmongers,” but MAGA Rejects Venezuela War Powers Bill 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.
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.
Olivia Blake: ‘Why cross-party leadership on climate policy is essential’
17 October 2025 @ 7:06 am
It’s official. The Conservative Party leadership has joined the ranks of climate deniers, in a race to the bottom with Nigel Farage and Donald Trump to see whose head can sink deepest into the sand. Kemi Badenoch’s speech at her party conference last week smashed a decades-long consensus that our climate is changing, and getting... Read more »
The post Olivia Blake: ‘Why cross-party leadership on climate policy is essential’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Alistair Strathern: ‘Play in Healthcare Week – making every child’s right to play a reality’
15 October 2025 @ 7:00 am
A child facing surgery, having a blood test or needing an MRI shouldn’t have to feel terrified. Yet too often they do, unless they’re lucky enough to be in a hospital with a health play professional. This week is Play in Healthcare Week – a nationally-recognised celebration highlighting the crucial role of play for children... Read more »
The post Alistair Strathern: ‘Play in Healthcare Week – making every child’s right to play a reality’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Frontline NHS services have no money to spare – here’s where to find it
13 October 2025 @ 7:00 am
As party conference season concludes and MPs and peers return to Westminster, attention will turn to the next major date in the political calendar: 26 November – budget day. In the midst of what will no doubt be ever-increasing levels of speculation about what actions could be taken, two realities will be at the forefront... Read more »
The post Frontline NHS services have no money to spare – here’s where to find it appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Justice delayed is justice denied: Fujitsu must be barred from new government contracts
12 October 2025 @ 7:00 am
In a week when the UK government responds to the Horizon inquiry report recommendations, it is important to take stock of where we are. The Post Office Horizon scandal destroyed lives. Over 1,000 sub-postmasters were wrongly prosecuted, and thousands more had their reputations shattered and livelihoods torn away. Families were broken, some victims died before... Read more »
The post Justice delayed is justice denied: Fujitsu must be barred from new government contracts appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Week-in-Review: Starmer and Badenoch repel their pretenders – for now
11 October 2025 @ 8:45 am
It took the power of Andy Burnham’s example to tame Robert Jenrick. Expectations heading into the Conservative Party’s annual conference suggested the shadow justice secretary would continue to strut his stuff in front of his activist admirers. But Jenrick, by his usual insubordinate standards, was a model of servility. For this, Kemi Badenoch likely has... Read more »
The post Week-in-Review: Starmer and Badenoch repel their pretenders – for now 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. …
Continue reading "Why is creativity the most important political concept of the 21st century?"
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. …
Continue reading "Creativity and the arts in decline"
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
“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…
Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose
23 October 2025 @ 8:26 am
Mayoral expenses are a big topic in France just now, in a moment that’s reminiscent of our own MPs’ expenses scandal back in 2009. Chandeliers, luxury TVs and a duck house The UK’s Freedom of Information Act had only recently come into force when investigative reporter Heather Brooke lodged a request for details of MPs’…
TheyWorkForYou voting summaries update: October 2025
22 October 2025 @ 8:30 am
This update to TheyWorkForYou voting summaries brings us up to date as of the end of September 2025 (covering Q2+Q3 2025). To learn more about our process for updating MPs’ voting summaries, please read our previous blog post. We have also recently released TheyWorkForYou Votes which, as well as providing open data for anyone to…
New to TheyWorkForYou: Signatures
21 October 2025 @ 9:57 am
One thing we want to take more advantage of with TheyWorkForYou is the fact that we’re not an official website — and so can pull on multiple official and unofficial sources of information to present a richer picture of how our democracy works. Our trajectory with voting summaries has been to focus on votes that…