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.
The Dam Breaks: Democratic Senators Overwhelmingly Reject Arms Sales to Israel
16 April 2026 @ 1:56 am
Despite their defeat by Senate Republicans, bills seeking to block arms sales to Israel found widespread Democratic support.
The post The Dam Breaks: Democratic Senators Overwhelmingly Reject Arms Sales to Israel appeared first on The Intercept.
Armed Off-Duty Cop Tried to Incite Violence at a High School Anti-ICE Protest
15 April 2026 @ 8:11 am
“My plan is legitimately to just let them all assault me and you guys arrest them all,” the Phoenix cop told fellow police after the incident.
The post Armed Off-Duty Cop Tried to Incite Violence at a High School Anti-ICE Protest appeared first on The Intercept.
Swift Swalwell Fallout Suggests the Democrats Have Finally Learned From Epstein
14 April 2026 @ 9:34 pm
The former representative’s rapid collapse over sexual assault allegations signals that Democrats have gotten the message: Voters see accountability for abuse as a key electoral issue.
The post Swift Swalwell Fallout Suggests the Democrats Have Finally Learned From Epstein appeared first on The Intercept.
Dem Leaders Aren’t Even Bothering to Rally Caucus Against Trump Domestic Spying Powers
14 April 2026 @ 7:57 pm
Grassroots opposition to renewing Section 702 of FISA is building, thanks in part to fears about AI used to sort Americans’ data.
The post Dem Leaders Aren’t Even Bothering to Rally Caucus Against Trump Domestic Spying Powers appeared first on The Intercept.
The U.S. Is Still Routinely Killing Civilians in Boats
14 April 2026 @ 5:48 pm
The Trump administration has hit a grim milestone with its 50th strike on a civilian boat in the waters off Latin America.
The post The U.S. Is Still Routinely Killing Civilians in Boats appeared first on The Intercept.
Facebook and Instagram Tighten Censorship Rules for Saying “Antifa”
14 April 2026 @ 2:17 pm
Meta’s new rules let it ban users or suppress comments that include the word “antifa” alongside “content-level threat signals.”
The post Facebook and Instagram Tighten Censorship Rules for Saying “Antifa” appeared first on The Intercept.
Amy Goodman on the Media’s “Access of Evil”
14 April 2026 @ 10:00 am
The investigative journalist and “Democracy Now!” host — and the subject of a new documentary — on why independent media is needed now more than ever.
The post Amy Goodman on the Media’s “Access of Evil” appeared first on The Intercept.
State Department Tells Human Rights Watchdog to Ignore Trump’s Extrajudicial Killings
13 April 2026 @ 5:37 pm
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights “lacks the competence” to review Trump’s campaign of deadly boat strikes, a State Department spokesperson said.
The post State Department Tells Human Rights Watchdog to Ignore Trump’s Extrajudicial Killings appeared first on The Intercept.
DOGE Cuts Left U.S. Unable to Help Americans Stranded in Iran War Zone
12 April 2026 @ 9:43 am
Foreign service officers fired in Elon Musk’s workforce purge warn the State Department is unable to help Americans stranded in the Middle East.
The post DOGE Cuts Left U.S. Unable to Help Americans Stranded in Iran War Zone appeared first on The Intercept.
“I Want to Occupy”: Inside the Israeli Movement Pushing to Raze and Settle Southern Lebanon
11 April 2026 @ 10:00 am
In the communities closest to Israel’s northern border, residents argue the only way to keep themselves safe is to displace their Lebanese neighbors.
The post “I Want to Occupy”: Inside the Israeli Movement Pushing to Raze and Settle Southern Lebanon 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.
Chris Hinchliff MP: ‘You cannot buy national security while burning the house down’
27 March 2026 @ 8:30 am
There has been a conspiracy of silence from successive British governments on the true cost of biodiversity collapse. The foreign secretary’s recent announcement, cutting the international climate aid budget by some 14% has only made matters worse. The response to the climate and nature threats we face has too often amounted to little more than hand-wringing as the ecosystems... Read more »
The post Chris Hinchliff MP: ‘You cannot buy national security while burning the house down’ appeared first on Politics.co
Steve Darling MP: ‘The government has a proven lever for growth in its hands – it’s called Access to Work’
26 March 2026 @ 8:00 am
We don’t talk enough about the power of the disabled workforce to kickstart the nation’s ailing economy. Barely a week goes by that we don’t lament our flatlining productivity, with pundits and politicians often portraying disabled people as a contributing factor. And yet we fail to notice the unused levers that can help to stimulate... Read more »
The post Steve Darling MP: ‘The government has a proven lever for growth in its hands – it’s called Access to Work’ app
A legal anomaly is costing the NHS billions
16 March 2026 @ 2:56 pm
The NHS is one of Britain’s most cherished institutions, providing care to millions of patients each year. Yet questions remain about whether every resource is directed towards its core purpose of treating patients. One example is a law predating the NHS that requires it to pay out vast sums each year for private treatment that... Read more »
The post A legal anomaly is costing the NHS billions appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Connor Naismith MP: ‘Why Blue Labour is a key component of True Labour’
9 March 2026 @ 8:00 am
The Gorton and Denton By-election has rightly prompted much soul searching for the Labour Party. One particular piece of analysis arising from the catastrophic defeat is that “Blue Labour”, the party’s socially conservative tradition, should be repudiated. A return to “True Labour, not Blue Labour” goes the cry. But what is “True Labour” and how... Read more »
The post Connor Naismith MP: ‘Why Blue Labour is a key component of True Labour’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Ben Goldsborough MP: ‘Biosecurity must be placed at the heart of our national security strategy’
3 March 2026 @ 8:15 am
This year marks 25 years since the devastating 2001 foot and mouth outbreak. For many, it is a distant memory. For our farmers, it is not. It is a reminder of how quickly disease can bring rural Britain to its knees and how fragile our biosecurity truly is. The scale of that crisis remains staggering.... Read more »
The post Ben Goldsborough MP: ‘Biosecurity must be placed at the heart of our national security strategy’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Labour must not bind Britain’s fate to the failing electoral system
2 March 2026 @ 8:00 am
It’s fair to say that British democracy is in ill health. Labour has inherited rock bottom public trust in politics and a state wracked by austerity. We are working to show that government can deliver again, and this Labour government has rightly set to the task of addressing the myriad problems left us by fourteen... Read more »
The post Labour must not bind Britain’s fate to the failing electoral system appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
The Green surge is coming for Keir Starmer
28 February 2026 @ 8:00 am
The Gorton and Denton by-election is historic by any measure. The result marks the first time that the Green Party of England and Wales, which has existed in one form or another since 1973, has won a parliamentary by-election. In fact, the Green vote share (40.7%) was four times larger than their previous best by-election... Read more »
The post The Green surge is coming for Keir Starmer appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Governing by nostalgia: Reform’s crusade for ‘Christian values’ offers false comfort
26 February 2026 @ 8:30 am
The announcement by Reform UK that they will “restore Britain’s Christian heritage” and that the nation must “uphold its Christian values” captures the contradictory essence of modern populist politics. Politicians of various faiths and none scrambling to weaponise a religious identity that the British public themselves have left behind and show no sign of wanting... Read more »
The post Governing by nostalgia: Reform’s crusade for ‘Christian values’ offers false comfort appeared first on Pol
Olivia Blake MP: ‘Can climate adaptation strengthen UK national security?’
17 February 2026 @ 8:15 am
We are at a critical juncture marked by growing global uncertainty. The institutions and mechanisms that once sustained the post war era are being weakened or dismantled, with consequences that are no longer distant or abstract but increasingly felt by our constituents here at home. But responding to this upheaval means recognising that today’s national... Read more »
The post Olivia Blake MP: ‘Can climate adaptation strengthen UK national security?’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Reaction to Sarwar suggests Labour isn’t ready to depose Starmer
9 February 2026 @ 4:17 pm
The leader of the Scottish Labour Party, Anas Sarwar, has moved first. Declaring that he had to do “what is right for my country”, Sarwar called on the prime minister to resign in a scathing statement. In a press conference this afternoon, Sarwar proclaimed: “It is not easy and not without pain, but my first... Read more »
The post Reaction to Sarwar suggests Labour isn’t ready to depose Starmer 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]
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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
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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
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…
How can we tell when AI is actually the right tool for the job?
24 March 2026 @ 9:11 am
Generative AI is good at solving some kinds of problems, and bad at solving others. With the rush to apply AI approaches across the public and private sector, we want to encourage people to use the right tool for the right problem. This blog post proposes a test that makes it easy to understand whether…
Reducing FOI cost limits will reduce government transparency
19 March 2026 @ 3:46 pm
Key points Lowering the cost limit time would reduce the scope of the Freedom of Information Act, giving government departments greater leeway to deny requests. This will have a disproportionate effect on high-impact Freedom of Information requests made by journalists and researchers. It represents a new restriction on public scrutiny of government, counter to promises…
Exploring a European Civic Tech Hub to tackle barriers to civic tech impact
17 March 2026 @ 4:29 pm
Our latest TICTeC work to help improve the impacts of civic technology takes its form in a collaboration with Sitra (the Finnish Innovation Fund). Together, we are exploring the development of a proposed European Civic Tech Hub. As part of the Democracy Shield, the European Commission has committed to creating a European Civic Tech Hub…
FOI Fest 2026
26 February 2026 @ 10:00 am
Last Thursday, a diverse set of people with a common interest came together at Birkbeck College in London for FOI Fest — a one day conference examining the successes, challenges and future of the Freedom of Information Act. We heard from a wide range of perspectives: those who use FOI, those who process requests, those…
Mapping energy data to help community spaces take part in electricity network flexibility
17 February 2026 @ 3:36 pm
While the mapping services we’re most well known for are FixMyStreet, MapIt, and the Local Intelligence Hub, we do occasionally get the opportunity to collaborate with other organisations that share our ethos and could benefit from our expertise building flexible, easy-to-use data maps, for their internal teams or external supporters to use. One such example…
AI self-governance: it’s a continuous process
12 February 2026 @ 9:04 am
In July 2024, we published our AI Framework, a first attempt at setting guidelines on how we utilise AI in our work at mySociety. The basic principles running through that framework can be summed up as “Use AI responsibly, and only when, all things considered, it is the best tool for the job”. That position…