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Rebecca @beccauk.bsky.social · 20m

People have been claiming that new technology was going to do away with the academy ever since Plato claimed that the invention of writing meant that people would no longer need to memorise things…

Vlad 🐸 Țepeș @porcupunk.bsky.social · 16h

Wow. Just wow.

"Students pay premium prices for information that AI now delivers instantly and for free. A business student can ask ChatGPT to explain supply chain optimization or generate market analysis in seconds. The traditional lecture-and-test model faces its Blockbuster moment."

When Knowledge is Free, What are Professors For?

Higher Education Must Stop Competing with AI on Information and Start Teaching What Machines Can’t Do

www.forbes.com

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Rebecca @beccauk.bsky.social · 26m

They said the same of the search engine 20 years ago, and the same of “writing things down” in Ancient Greece. One of the hoary perennials of education, reinvented every generation for the latest cool piece of kit.

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Rebecca @beccauk.bsky.social · 3h

This is basic stuff. Particularly when 1/4 of your name is Equality and 2/3rds of what remain is “Human Rights”.

Local Councils can’t even change the schedule for bin collections without an EIA. Meanwhile at the equality regulator: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Rebecca @beccauk.bsky.social · 3h

Claims that the EHRC hasn’t sent the government an equalities impact assessment? What?

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

EHRC drops interim trans advice and urges ministers to act fast to approve its guidance

Equalities watchdog removes interim response to supreme court ruling on legal definition of a woman from its website

www.theguardian.com

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Rebecca @beccauk.bsky.social · 1d

Ah yes. All of those hundreds of potential litigants are also incredibly shy. Sure Tom.

Are these litigants in the room with us right now?

freespeechunion.org/cancel-cultu...

Cancel culture preventing Tavistock victims from coming forward, says lawyer

Cancel culture fears are discouraging Tavistock Centre victims from speaking out, a City lawyer leading legal action against the controversial

freespeechunion.org

Rebecca @beccauk.bsky.social · 1d

Accused of misleading claimants in its £36bn class action against BHP… oh dear.

“there is unease in legal circles over whether claimants will receive appropriate compensation when represented by law firms like Pogust Goodhead, backed by litigation funders.”

observer.co.uk/news/busines...

‘Dieselgate’ law firm accused of misleading claimants in ...

Pogus Goodhead faces allegations over its treatment of clients in a separate lawsuit

observer.co.uk

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Rebecca @beccauk.bsky.social · 1d

More lawyers leaving because they’re unhappy with their hedge-fund litigation funder. Oh dear.

www.ft.com/content/6e00...

www.ft.com

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Rebecca @beccauk.bsky.social · 1d

Control transferred to a corporate distress specialist, replaced as CEO… oh dear.

www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/distres...

'Distress' specialist takes control of Pogust Goodhead

Huw Dolphin, former managing partner of DLA Piper's Birmingham office, is a turnaround consultant.

www.lawgazette.co.uk

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Rebecca @beccauk.bsky.social · 1d

Hadn’t noticed that Tom Goodhead, who reckoned he’d find 1000 clients to sue the Tavistock for clinical negligence, was removed from his own law firm earlier this year…

www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/pogust-...

www.lawgazette.co.uk

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Reposted by Rebecca

Adam @adamf23.bsky.social · 1d

Absolutely disgusting. The ECHR was created to deal with governments that think like this

Jolyon Maugham KC @goodlawproject.org · 1d

Woah! So Labour's position really is, 'telling us off for breaching human rights undermines the case for human rights'? Proper Trumpian stuff from Labour's answer to Suella Braverman.

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Reposted by Rebecca

Commissioner for Human Rights @commissionerhr.coe.int · 2d

Read my two letters to the #UK:
1. Protests: I call for a review of the legal framework and the reconsideration of provisions in the Crime & Policing Bill that could restrict freedom of assembly.
2. Trans people: I warn against exclusion&zero-sum approaches
👇#HumanRights
www.coe.int/en/web/commi...

United Kingdom: Commissioner addresses human rights issues in policing of protests and the situation of trans people - Commissioner for Human Rights - www.coe.int

Strasbourg 14/10/2025

www.coe.int

31 260 520

Reposted by Rebecca

A Mere Solicitor @ameresolicitor.bsky.social · 2d

This is a natural consequence of the EHRC’s policies and the anti trans culture war.

It’s literally what was being asked for in the name of “sex based rights”.

What’s be so infuriating is that “sex based rights” were supposed to have been abolished because they were sexist AF.

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Rebecca @beccauk.bsky.social · 2d

I recall that the EHRC’s draft guidance on single sex services, currently with ministers, expressly states that religious objections are a legitimate justification for single sex services…

Perhaps someone should tell Steve Reed?

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Minister ‘appalled’ at Muslim charity run in London that excluded women

Event in Victoria Park organised by East London mosque and London Muslim Centre was open to ‘men, boys of all ages and girls under 12’

www.theguardian.com

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Rebecca @beccauk.bsky.social · 8d

Note that the explanatory memorandum endorses pre-FWS UK government guidance allowing trans people to access spaces based on lived gender identity. Awkward… (para 106)

The UK Government has introduced a guidance on transgender, non-binary and intersex inclusive workplaces. It aims to support employees, and those managing employees, who are transgender, non-binary and/or intersex, and to raise awareness of transgender, non-binary and intersex issues to help all employees contribute to an inclusive and supportive workplace.

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Rebecca @beccauk.bsky.social · 8d

The recommendation is here.

search.coe.int/cm?i=0912594...

Explanatory memorandum is at search.coe.int/cm?i=0912594...

CoE Search - CM

search.coe.int

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Rebecca @beccauk.bsky.social · 8d

Council of Europe adopts new recommendation on equal rigjts for intersex persons. Includes recommendations on legal gender recognition, which should respect the principle of self-determination.

www.coe.int/en/web/sogi/...

Council of Europe adopts landmark Recommendation on Equal Rights for Intersex Persons

www.coe.int

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Reposted by Rebecca

Rob Mullins @robertmullins.bsky.social · 10d

If I were an investigative journalist in the UK (are there any left?), I would be having a good look at the extent to which NHS leadership seems to have allied itself with a fringe medical movement that more or less condones conversion therapy. qnews.com.au/australian-r...

Australian report says UK’s Cass review should not guide transgender healthcare

QNews LGBTIQA+ News

qnews.com.au

13 190 540

Rebecca @beccauk.bsky.social · 14d

Unlike her opponent, Lucy Powell doesn’t want to live in Hungary

Trans+ Solidarity Alliance @transsolidarity.bsky.social · 15d

Lucy Powell has warned that Labour should not wave through a devastating trans bathroom ban 👇

Ripping up trans rights would be a disaster for Labour, for business, for women, and for the wider LGBT+ community.

It's wrong. Labour needs to stop aping Trump and Farage, and protect our human rights.

Lucy Powell calls for MPs to vote on single sex space guidance

The Labour deputy leadership candidate calls for a debate and vote on guidance which is expected to say that trans people should be excluded from single sex spaces.

news.sky.com

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Rebecca @beccauk.bsky.social · 15d

The positive case for digital ID was always that it would be more convenient and less intrusive than the scattergun approach to ID checks currently used throughout to society. But no, Starmer fell in love with “papers, please” part…

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Rebecca @beccauk.bsky.social · 15d

You genius, Starmer!

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

‘Reverse Midas touch’: Starmer plan prompts collapse in support for digital IDs

Net public backing for scheme has fallen to -14% after prime minister’s announcement, according to polling

www.theguardian.com

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Rebecca @beccauk.bsky.social · 19d

So what we have is a nerdy technocratic policy whose benefits are completely at odds with the government rhetoric.

Rebecca @beccauk.bsky.social · 19d

It doesn’t deter undocumented migrants. They’re already being paid cash in hand in the shadow economy, if they’re not victims of modern slavery. They already struggle with AML barriers to opening bank accounts, employment or renting property. They already need actual passports and visas to work.

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Rebecca @beccauk.bsky.social · 19d

In practice, financial institutions, landlords, and employers all have to run CDD / KYC checks. A universal ID card just makes this frictionless: you scan the chip, confirm the person, and you’re done. Countries where ID cards are standard find it easier to comply with FATF recommendations.

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Rebecca @beccauk.bsky.social · 19d

At present, the UK cobbles things together with:

Passports and driving licences that weren’t designed as universal ids.

Weak forgeable utility bills, bank statements, council tax bills.

Random government services. GOV.UK Verify, credit reference agencies, NHS login, etc

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Rebecca @beccauk.bsky.social · 19d

If we strip away the political packaging, the real use-case for ID cards isn’t “stopping immigration,” it’s standardising identity checks.

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