Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Alan Davey @armslengthal.bsky.social · 22h

The last - or perhaps penultimate - Campari on this visit.

Alan Davey @armslengthal.bsky.social · 22h

Totally agree. Sadly it was an attitude and a practice - that I came across a lot in my professional life. As Jenny Lee said - give people the best. And if it’s complex - give people the means to encounter it and meet its complexity - do not pretend something is what it isn’t.

Laura Phillips @lauraphillips.bsky.social · 23h

@kenanmalik.bsky.social: “Hidden here is the assumption that ordinary people are unable to grasp anything challenging... It is a wretchedly patronising claim imposed upon working class people by middle-class gatekeepers who define what is ‘relevant’.” 1/

Art isn’t too complex for the working class – that’s elitism

The myth that culture has not been for the masses is debunked in a new book

observer.co.uk

1 1 5

Reposted by Alan Davey

Keith Frankish @keithfrankish.com · 22d

Kenneth Clark on the virtue of kindness. Kindness. When he recorded this, its place as the core value of modern civilization must have seemed firmly established. Yet look at us now. (And yes, he's white, patrician, and complacent. But he's also right.) www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p...

BBC One - Civilisation, Heroic Materialism, Kindness

Kenneth Clark considers the rise of kindness as a virtue of 19th Century civilisation.

www.bbc.co.uk

3 9 31

Alan Davey @armslengthal.bsky.social · 22d

Am loving this Early Music show from @hannahcfrench.bsky.social about Medici popes and their music. Shows the proper impact of radio as a form - giving us vivid access to a world of interest and discovery. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

BBC Radio 3 - The Early Music Show, The Medici Popes - Part 2: The most unfortunate of Popes

The music surrounding two 16th Century Popes: Leo X and Clement VII.

www.bbc.co.uk

1 1 2

Reposted by Alan Davey

Cecil Sharp House @cecilsharphouse.bsky.social · Sep 9

Welcome to the Black British Folk Revival.

Guest curator Angeline Morrison and friends take over Cecil Sharp House with folk sounds, songs, and stories that shine a long overdue light on the African Diaspora's love for, and ongoing conversations with, British folk.

Sat 4 Oct
bit.ly/4f02wBB

25 110

Reposted by Alan Davey

English Folk Dance and Song Society @efdss.bsky.social · Sep 11

Applications for grants of £500 for folk artists to support anything that will help their professional career development.

Apply before midnight on 19 October.
bit.ly/4nm60RD
Image shows previous awardee Suntou Susso

7 5

Alan Davey @armslengthal.bsky.social · 25d

Hell’s teeth I despair. www.lbc.co.uk/article/brit...

www.lbc.co.uk

2

Alan Davey @armslengthal.bsky.social · 25d

I always find the place names on the destinations board when travelling to Cornwall really evocative and exciting. Off to the magical kingdom for a Hall for Cornwall board meeting.

1 3

Alan Davey @armslengthal.bsky.social · Sep 8

It was Goldberg Variations btw

Alan Davey @armslengthal.bsky.social · Sep 8

Moon over Peckham last night after an extraordinary concert by Jean Rondeau in the car park as part of Bold Tendencies’ extraordinary season. It was intense and boy we need Bach more than ever.

1

Alan Davey @armslengthal.bsky.social · Sep 8

Moon over Peckham last night after an extraordinary concert by Jean Rondeau in the car park as part of Bold Tendencies’ extraordinary season. It was intense and boy we need Bach more than ever.

3

Reposted by Alan Davey

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · Aug 27

How Nigel Farage's 14% at the General Election contrast with the public

He resonates with a quarter of the public - but the media's overcompensation to populist claims means he simply does not get asked why he doesn't try to reflect the public view

www.britishfuture.org/reform-voter...

3 5

Reposted by Alan Davey

Stephen Barchan @stephenbarchan.bsky.social · Aug 27

Looking forward to starting a PhD in composition at Trinity Laban this September.

1 7

Reposted by Alan Davey

Henry Mance @henrymance.ft.com · Aug 27

21 500 1.4K

Reposted by Alan Davey

Declan Gaffney @greyskiesthinking.bsky.social · Aug 27

German diplomat at Versailles: 'I wonder what future historians will say about all this.' Clemenceau: 'Well they won't say Belgium invaded Germany.'

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Aug 26

Trump: "People go into war, think they're gonna win the war, then they get their asses kicked & they lose their country and lose millions of lives. Nobody goes into a war thinking they're gonna lose. I'm sure Ukraine thought they were gonna win. You're gonna beat somebody that's 15 times your size"

2 31 110

Reposted by Alan Davey

David Hendy @davidhendy.bsky.social · Aug 24

‘… social historian David Kynaston, told The Observer he suspects “a serious scandal is unfolding”

John Wyver, Ian Greaves, Erica Wagner and others on the growing battle to prevent damaging changes to the BBC’s priceless behind-the-scenes archives:

Historians dismayed by ‘scandal’ of BBC cutting access to...

Critics say new limit to trove of information sounds knell for independent research

observer.co.uk

3 110 160

Alan Davey @armslengthal.bsky.social · Aug 23

Why?

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

Deal to get ChatGPT Plus for whole of UK discussed by Open AI boss and minister

Exclusive: Deal that could have cost £2bn was floated at meeting between technology secretary Peter Kyle and Sam Altman

www.theguardian.com

1

Alan Davey @armslengthal.bsky.social · Aug 20

A fabulous page turner of a book - I finished it yearning for more of the characters - and being a wireless man I have not seen the TV series yet..thank you man with golden pen @drmatthewsweet.bsky.social and please - more Book, Trottie Jack Nora and Dog!

www.amazon.co.uk/Bookish-warm...

Bookish: a witty, warm-hearted mystery perfect for book lovers : Sweet, Matthew: Amazon.co.uk: Books

www.amazon.co.uk

1

Reposted by Alan Davey

Robert Hutton @roberthutton.co.uk · Aug 18

Another story about a very rich man determined to strip London's cultural assets. And another story that highlights the job that the London Evening Standard *hasn't* been doing: reporting on London.

Andrew Kersley @andrewkersley.bsky.social · Aug 17

Billionaire developer Asif Aziz is one of London's most powerful and influential landowners.

In my latest investigation for @londonermag.bsky.social I found out how he has brought and shut down dozens of London pubs for redevelopment.

www.the-londoner.co.uk/exclusive-th...

Exclusive: The billionaire developer closing London's pubs

Companies linked to Asif Aziz have been buying up and shutting down some of the capital’s most beloved boozers. Now, we’ve mapped them.

www.the-londoner.co.uk

3 60 120

Reposted by Alan Davey

David Cavlovic🇨🇦🍁 @davidcavlovic.bsky.social · Aug 20

Democrat Cats @democratcats.bsky.social · Aug 19

End of Summer

1 2

Alan Davey @armslengthal.bsky.social · Aug 19

Yes…..https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/aug/19/the-guardian-view-on-bringing-back-play-for-today-a-reboot-that-feels-right-for-the-times

The Guardian view on bringing back Play for Today: a reboot that feels right for the times | Editorial

Editorial: As our politics becomes ever more polarised, Channel 5’s move to revive one of British television’s most influential series deserves to succeed

www.theguardian.com

Alan Davey @armslengthal.bsky.social · Aug 17

Good on them. That’s PSB …. www.theguardian.com/media/2025/a...

Channel 5 revives BBC’s Play for Today to ‘help shape future of British drama’

Series aims to follow original in tackling ‘thornier issues’, and to support talent from lower-income backgrounds

www.theguardian.com

1

Alan Davey @armslengthal.bsky.social · Aug 17

A must listen - a conversation with Ursula Jones - a great supporter of music and of young people in music - someone whose musical curiosity takes them to gigs in Peckham as well as the usual places…
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

BBC Radio 3 - Private Passions, Ursula Jones

Michael Berkeley's guest is the co-founder of the English Chamber Orchestra Ursula Jones.

www.bbc.co.uk

1 1

Reposted by Alan Davey

Dr Basil Arnould Price @basilaprice.bsky.social · Aug 14

This was the postdoctoral fellowship I held before taking my position at @suny.oneonta.edu!

This is an incredible opportunity- feel free to reach out if you’ve got questions.

Monica H Green @monicamedhist.bsky.social · Aug 14

Opening tomorrow: "The UCLA CMRS Center for Early Global Studies is pleased to announce a John W. Baldwin Post-Doctoral Fellowship for a recent Ph.D. whose work focuses on European medieval studies within the global comparative context." recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF10513 #GlobalMiddleAges #MedievalSky

recruit.apo.ucla.edu

1 6

Reposted by Alan Davey

Adam Schwarz @adamjschwarz.bsky.social · Aug 15

“Putin would eat you for lunch.”

Today, exactly that happened.

690 7.6K 24K

Reposted by Alan Davey

Glen O'Hara @gsoh31.bsky.social · Aug 15

🚨🚨HE'S DONE IT AGAIN HE'S GOT LITERALLY EVERYTHING WRONG 🚨🚨 www.theguardian.com/commentisfre....

As thousands more teenagers scramble for university places, I have to ask – why? | Simon Jenkins

Student debt increasing, graduate salaries dropping, high-skilled jobs thin on the ground – higher education in the UK is a mess, says Guardian columnist Simon Jenkins

www.theguardian.com

10 18 100