smerconish.com

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]
Rating: 4.7/10 (3 votes cast)

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.

theintercept.com

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]
Rating: 4.5/10 (2 votes cast)

The Intercept is an award-winning news organization dedicated to holding mainstream views and misinformation.

Secret Pentagon Program Echoes Pedophile Ring in “True Detective” Series

18 March 2024 @ 8:29 pm

CARCOSA is an AI-driven program that aims to reduce information overload for soldiers. The post Secret Pentagon Program Echoes Pedophile Ring in “True Detective” Series appeared first on The Intercept.

Let’s Name It: Not Just Islamophobia, but Anti-Palestinianism

18 March 2024 @ 9:00 am

From Joe Biden on down, liberals denounce anti-Muslim bias to avoid mentioning the scourge of hate against Palestinians. The post Let’s Name It: Not Just Islamophobia, but Anti-Palestinianism appeared first on The Intercept.

A Real Social Security Office Gave Me a Flyer With a Scam Phone Number On It

17 March 2024 @ 9:00 am

Scammers have infiltrated a Social Security Administration building in New York, imperiling your personal information. The post A Real Social Security Office Gave Me a Flyer With a Scam Phone Number On It appeared first on The Intercept.

TikTok Threat Is Purely Hypothetical, U.S. Intelligence Admits

16 March 2024 @ 3:31 pm

“We have nothing to add,” the FBI said, when asked for evidence of TikTok’s actual threat. The post TikTok Threat Is Purely Hypothetical, U.S. Intelligence Admits appeared first on The Intercept.

Lawsuits About FBI Warrantless Search of Safe Deposit Boxes Allowed to Proceed

16 March 2024 @ 9:00 am

A federal court swatted away the government’s motions to dismiss two cases about the FBI’s “egregious” overstep. The post Lawsuits About FBI Warrantless Search of Safe Deposit Boxes Allowed to Proceed appeared first on The Intercept.

Outrage at Chuck Schumer’s Speech: The Pro-Israel Right Wants to Eat Its Cake Too

15 March 2024 @ 9:30 pm

Neoconservatives only hate “interference” in Israel when it means anything other than blank-check support for apartheid and slaughtering Palestinians. The post Outrage at Chuck Schumer’s Speech: The Pro-Israel Right Wants to Eat Its Cake Too appeared first on The Intercept.

A New Haitian Revolution?

15 March 2024 @ 10:00 am

Rampaging gangs, deploying revolutionary rhetoric, have vowed to repel an international intervention. The post A New Haitian Revolution? appeared first on The Intercept.

World Bank Chief Apologizes to Staff for Handling of Child Sex Abuse Scandal

14 March 2024 @ 10:00 pm

"Put simply, mistakes were made." The post World Bank Chief Apologizes to Staff for Handling of Child Sex Abuse Scandal appeared first on The Intercept.

More Than 20 Student Groups Protested. A Lawsuit Asks Why Columbia Only Suspended Two.

14 March 2024 @ 5:36 pm

In addition to Columbia, another Ivy League lawsuit by Penn faculty seeks to block the school’s cooperation with a “McCarthyesque” House committee. The post More Than 20 Student Groups Protested. A Lawsuit Asks Why Columbia Only Suspended Two. appeared first on The Intercept.

FBI Warns Gaza War Will Stoke Domestic Radicalization “For Years to Come”

14 March 2024 @ 5:22 pm

The FBI is investigating “thousands” of threats related to the Israel–Hamas conflict. The post FBI Warns Gaza War Will Stoke Domestic Radicalization “For Years to Come” appeared first on The Intercept.

questioneverything.io

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]
Rating: 7.0/10 (1 vote cast)

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/pub/

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]
Rating: 8.0/10 (1 vote cast)

THE PEOPLE’S UNION OF BRITAIN
Taking back sovereignty through common law.

goodlawproject.org

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]
Rating: 8.0/10 (1 vote cast)

The Good Law Project is a not-for-profit campaign organisation that uses the law to protect the interests of the public. The Good Law Project fight cases that defend, define or change the law and we use litigation to engage and educate. The Good Law Project challenge abuses of power, exploitation, inequality, and injustice.

whocanivotefor.co.uk

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]
Rating: 8.0/10 (1 vote cast)

An updated list of candidates you can vote for the up and coming UK elections.

politics.co.uk

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]
Rating: 7.5/10 (2 votes cast)

Politics news from the UK.

Politics@Lunch: Conservative MPs ‘march towards the guns’

18 March 2024 @ 2:24 pm

The below content first appeared in Politics.co.uk’s Politics@Lunch newsletter, subscribe here and never miss this daily briefing. Behold, another grim week of crisis management for our embattled, under-fire, beleaguered prime minister, Rishi Sunak. (More adjectives on a postcard, i.e. in response to this email). Reports over the weekend were full of stories of prospective plots, coups... Read more » The post Politics@Lunch: Conservative MPs ‘march towards the guns’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.

90% of ‘prime candidates’ selected for general election as Conservatives lag behind

18 March 2024 @ 10:15 am

The below news article first appeared as a blog post on political mapping and visualisation platform Polimapper‘s website.  Nearly nine in 10 election candidates who have a realistic opportunity of winning a seat at the general election have now been selected. Research by interactive geo-advocacy platform, Polimapper, shows that as of early March the identities... Read more » The post 90% of ‘prime candidates’ selected for general election as Conservatives lag behind appeared first on Politics.co.uk.

Less than a quarter of the public back Rwanda Bill in current form, poll finds

18 March 2024 @ 9:31 am

The Rwanda Bill returns to the House of Commons on Monday, as the prime minister attempts to drive the legislation through parliament and begin deportation flights in the coming months.  It comes after the bill suffered a series of heavy setbacks in the House of Lords, with ministers having lost several votes with unusually large... Read more » The post Less than a quarter of the public back Rwanda Bill in current form, poll finds appeared first on Politics.co.uk.

Kemi Badenoch: Conservative Party has ‘drawn a line’ under donor race row

18 March 2024 @ 8:36 am

Kemi Badenoch has insisted that the Conservative Party has “drawn a line” under the Frank Hester racism row. The Conservative donor was criticised for alleged comments he made about former Labour MP Diane Abbott, including that she should be “shot”. Hester and his company have given £10 million to the party since the 2019 election,... Read more » The post Kemi Badenoch: Conservative Party has ‘drawn a line’ under donor race row appeared first on Politics.co.uk.

Week-in-Review: Rishi Sunak’s authority is shot

16 March 2024 @ 10:39 am

Another week ends with Rishi Sunak’s political standing and authority greatly diminished. The mood amongst Conservative MPs is more febrile, tenser and less certain. The narrative of the party’s decline is sharper still.  The month of March has been characterised by a tangible vibe shift in Conservative politics. The political fundamentals have hardly altered; but... Read more » The post Week-in-Review: Rishi Sunak’s authority is shot appeared first on Politics.co.uk.

The ‘Blue Wells’: 42 Conservative strongholds that could fall at the next election

15 March 2024 @ 3:00 pm

The demise of Labour’s ‘Red Wall’, a bank of parliamentary constituencies located predominately in the Midlands and the north of England, came to epitomise the 2019 general election. In particular, it was the nature of these newly captured areas that drew the eye.  Working class constituencies to their core, these were parts of the country... Read more » The post The ‘Blue Wells’: 42 Conservative strongholds that could fall at the next election appeared first on Politics.co.uk.

Politics@Lunch: Sunak rules out May election

15 March 2024 @ 2:40 pm

The below content first appeared in Politics.co.uk’s Politics@Lunch newsletter, subscribe here and never miss this daily briefing. Regular readers of this newsletter will not have been surprised to learn yesterday that there will, after all, be no May election. The prime minister finally ruled out as much in an interview with ITV West Country on Thursday... Read more » The post Politics@Lunch: Sunak rules out May election appeared first on Politics.co.uk.

Minister James Heappey to quit at next election as Conservative MP exodus climbs to 62

15 March 2024 @ 10:18 am

James Heappey is set to leave his role as armed forces minister after announcing he will be standing down from parliament at the next election. The former soldier is expected to leave his ministerial role at the end of the month. In a letter to his local association, reported by The Times, the Wells MP... Read more » The post Minister James Heappey to quit at next election as Conservative MP exodus climbs to 62 appeared first on Politics.co.uk.

‘Zombie parliament’: House of Commons sitting hours fall to 25-year low

15 March 2024 @ 9:51 am

The prime minister has been accused of presiding over a “zombie parliament” as new research shows the House of Common sittings hours have fallen to a 25-year low. According to analysis by the Financial Times, the working day for MPs in the House of Commons has been shorter on average this parliamentary session than in... Read more » The post ‘Zombie parliament’: House of Commons sitting hours fall to 25-year low appeared first on Politics.co.uk.

Politics@Lunch: Gove in ‘no man’s land’ on extremism definition

14 March 2024 @ 1:36 pm

The below content first appeared in Politics.co.uk’s Politics@Lunch newsletter, subscribe here and never miss this daily briefing. As I write, communities secretary Michael Gove is delivering a statement to the House of Commons, unveiling the government’s new definition of extremism. The definition describes extremism as “the promotion or advancement of an ideology based on violence, hatred... Read more » The post Politics@Lunch: Gove in ‘no man’s land’ on extremism definition appeared first on Politics.co.uk.

artsparty.org.uk

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]
Rating: 8.0/10 (1 vote cast)

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

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]
Rating: 7.5/10 (2 votes cast)

Keeping tabs on the UK’s parliaments & assemblies

Council Climate Action Scorecards help councillor to get a sustainability motion passed

18 March 2024 @ 10:18 am

We were more than delighted when this news story crossed our radar, showing in detail how Cllr Andrew Murray, of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, used the Council Climate Action Scorecards to gain support from his fellow councillors for climate action. Cllr Murray’s proposed motion even referred to the Scorecards themselves: “This Council acknowledges…

Democracy month notes: February

12 March 2024 @ 1:42 pm

Previously: January! Gaza ceasefire blog post I wrote a blog post about the Gaza Ceasefire opposition day votes – especially focusing on how there ended up being no recorded votes.  This is the kind of responsive work we’d like to do more of. We don’t need to duplicating every explainer out there, but we want…

Climate monthnotes: January & February

6 March 2024 @ 9:31 am

It’s so tempting to start each of these with a clichéd “where did the time go?” or “how is it X month already?”, but in this case, it really does feel like 2024 is running away from us!  January kicked off with Louise, Alex and I heading to the Democracy Network conference, where the theme…

Telling stories with FOI data

29 February 2024 @ 9:44 am

In the second seminar of our Using Freedom of Information for Campaigning and Advocacy series, we learned how to use information from FOI requests to create stories and further your cause.  First, we heard the experience of two different campaign groups — Privacy International and Climate Emergency UK — in getting their stories into the…

Getting the most from FOI

26 February 2024 @ 1:56 pm

We are currently running a series of free, online seminars on Using Freedom of Information for Campaigning and Advocacy.  The aim is to upskill social change organisations, particularly those working with marginalised communities and with limited capacity. Attendees will come away from these sessions with the skills and understanding they need to support their campaign…

Gaza Ceasefire votes and voting records

22 February 2024 @ 12:50 pm

What happened? Yesterday in the House of Commons, there was an SNP Opposition Day debate about a ceasefire in Gaza. This meant that the SNP had an opportunity to put forward a motion for the House to vote on. The Labour Party’s preferred wording of a ceasefire motion replaced the SNP motion and was passed…

By-Election Briefing: Understanding boundary changes with the Local Intelligence Hub

16 February 2024 @ 2:03 pm

Last Thursday saw two by-elections and two new MPs elected. When the Kingswood and Wellingborough voters go to the polls for the upcoming general election, many will be voting for candidates in brand new constituencies, and won’t have the MP they’ve just elected on their ballot paper. What can the Local Intelligence Hub tell us…

The Local Intelligence Hub: our latest launch helps you put climate on the agenda

15 February 2024 @ 8:17 am

A general election is not far away, so get ready for heated conversations: on your doorstep, on social media and in the news. If you care about climate, we want you to be able to take part in those conversations with the facts at your fingertips. That’s why this week, we’re launching the Local Intelligence…

Democracy month notes – January

12 February 2024 @ 8:30 am

What are month notes? They are notes on what we’ve been working on… each month. It’s like weeknotes for lazy people.  We’ve been writing them for our Climate programme, and we’re building up to the point where we’ve got enough going on in our Democracy work that it’s worth establishing the habit of being clear…

TICTeC 2024: Call for proposals and registration now open

6 February 2024 @ 2:58 pm

TICTeC, our Impacts of Civic Technology Conference, will be returning for its 7th edition on 12th and 13th June 2024, in London and online. We’re delighted to announce that the call for proposals and registration for TICTeC 2024 are now open. TICTeC is all about sharing research, knowledge and experiences to examine and improve the…