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.
Lethal Illusion: Understanding the Death Penalty Apparatus
5 December 2025 @ 11:00 am
Malcolm Gladwell and Liliana Segura unpack how the death penalty is administered in America.
The post Lethal Illusion: Understanding the Death Penalty Apparatus appeared first on The Intercept.
Video of U.S. Military Killing Boat Strike Survivors Is Horrifying, Lawmakers Reveal
4 December 2025 @ 8:52 pm
“What I saw in that room is one of the most troubling scenes I’ve ever seen in my time in public service.”
The post Video of U.S. Military Killing Boat Strike Survivors Is Horrifying, Lawmakers Reveal appeared first on The Intercept.
Luigi, a Year Later: How to Build a Movement Against Parasitic Health Insurance Giants
4 December 2025 @ 6:48 pm
The widespread support for Mangione shows America is ready to mobilize to build a more humane health care system.
The post Luigi, a Year Later: How to Build a Movement Against Parasitic Health Insurance Giants appeared first on The Intercept.
“I’m Not Fleeing” — Alleged Antifa Cell Member Says He Was Accidentally Released From Jail
4 December 2025 @ 5:26 pm
Daniel Sanchez Estrada, who was arrested for transporting anarchist zines after an ICE protest, turned himself in to the feds.
The post “I’m Not Fleeing” — Alleged Antifa Cell Member Says He Was Accidentally Released From Jail appeared first on The Intercept.
Pentagon Claims It “Absolutely” Knows Who It Killed in Boat Strikes. Prove It, Lawmaker Says.
4 December 2025 @ 3:41 pm
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan said, “If there is intelligence to ‘absolutely confirm’ this, the Congress is ready to receive it.”
The post Pentagon Claims It “Absolutely” Knows Who It Killed in Boat Strikes. Prove It, Lawmaker Says. appeared first on The Intercept.
Israel Revoked a Palestinian’s Work Permit. When He Tried to Cross the Wall, They Shot Him and Left Him to Die.
4 December 2025 @ 2:48 pm
Before October 7, Palestinian laborers would cross into Israel for jobs. Then Israel revoked work permits and unleashed a violent crackdown.
The post Israel Revoked a Palestinian’s Work Permit. When He Tried to Cross the Wall, They Shot Him and Left Him to Die. appeared first on The Intercept.
She Lost Her Job for Speaking Out About Gaza. Can It Power Her to Congress?
4 December 2025 @ 2:02 pm
Justice Democrats endorsed Melat Kiros in Denver as the progressive group looks to recover from crushing losses to AIPAC-backed candidates last cycle.
The post She Lost Her Job for Speaking Out About Gaza. Can It Power Her to Congress? appeared first on The Intercept.
"Real" America Is Turning Against Trump’s Mass Deportation Regime
3 December 2025 @ 8:30 pm
Everyday Americans in Appalachia and the Southeast show that resisting ICE is becoming the rule, rather than the exception.
The post “Real” America Is Turning Against Trump’s Mass Deportation Regime appeared first on The Intercept.
Episode Eight: Legalized Takings
3 December 2025 @ 11:00 am
Donald Scott was killed in his home by an ad hoc team of raiding cops who were looking for marijuana — but the larger prize may have been his 200-acre Malibu ranch.
The post Episode Eight: Legalized Takings appeared first on The Intercept.
Department of War Disputes Second Attack on Boat Strike Survivors Was a “Double-Tap”
3 December 2025 @ 1:06 am
“Quibbling over the semantics of ‘double-tap’ doesn’t change the reality that the strike was a summary execution of men clinging to the remains of a boat.”
The post Department of War Disputes Second Attack on Boat Strike Survivors Was a “Double-Tap” 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.
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 »
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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.
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
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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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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
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…
“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…