Dr Duncan Robertson
@duncanrobertson.bsky.social
Policy & Strategy Analytics academic at Loughborough University; Member, Independent SAGE; Fellow, St Catherine's College, Oxford.
“This is not an agreement the University enters into lightly, but one that was made based on institutional values”
Northwestern University agrees to pay Trump regime $75 million in order to reclaim the nearly $800 million in research funding that Trump took from them.
Sad times.
www.forbes.com/sites/michae...
Sad times.
www.forbes.com/sites/michae...
Northwestern University Strikes A Deal With Trump Administration
Northwestern University has reached a $75 million deal with the Trump administration, ending a long dispute involving the freezing of $790 million in research funds.
www.forbes.com
November 29, 2025 at 3:20 PM
“This is not an agreement the University enters into lightly, but one that was made based on institutional values”
Reposted by Dr Duncan Robertson
The same vibes that caused Everton football club to insist on a particular location in a shopping mall for their merch outlet, so they could get post addressed to "Everton, 2 Liverpool One"
I’m hoping they go for ‘Our Party’, because that will wreak havoc in political interviews, as Tory or Labour or Lib Dem people will end up saying things like ‘Our party is doing very badly in the polls,’ or ‘Nobody in their right mind would vote for our party,’ etc etc etc
November 29, 2025 at 12:21 PM
The same vibes that caused Everton football club to insist on a particular location in a shopping mall for their merch outlet, so they could get post addressed to "Everton, 2 Liverpool One"
Reposted by Dr Duncan Robertson
Huge respect to the papers for finding both an 88 year old worried about the tax bill on her 6 bedroom Kensington house and a 20 year old fretting about only being able to save £12k a year tax free.
Top work all around. These are not easy case studies to find.
Top work all around. These are not easy case studies to find.
November 29, 2025 at 9:24 AM
Huge respect to the papers for finding both an 88 year old worried about the tax bill on her 6 bedroom Kensington house and a 20 year old fretting about only being able to save £12k a year tax free.
Top work all around. These are not easy case studies to find.
Top work all around. These are not easy case studies to find.
Reposted by Dr Duncan Robertson
Hansard moments I think about far too often
November 29, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Hansard moments I think about far too often
Reposted by Dr Duncan Robertson
What a great headline
November 28, 2025 at 3:49 PM
What a great headline
That's odd. I had assumed most companies aim to reduce profitability.
Lufthansa Airlines aims to increase profitability in 2026, says CEO reut.rs/48lDrOr
Lufthansa Airlines aims to increase profitability in 2026, says CEO
Germany's Lufthansa wants to increase profitability at its core brand next year after it is set to return to the black this year, Lufthansa Airlines' CEO Jens Ritter said on Thursday.
reut.rs
November 28, 2025 at 5:20 PM
That's odd. I had assumed most companies aim to reduce profitability.
Reposted by Dr Duncan Robertson
The "don't have an extra kid if you can't afford it" brigade get awfully upset when you suggest they don't stay in their £2m house if they can't afford it, don't they?
November 27, 2025 at 6:09 PM
The "don't have an extra kid if you can't afford it" brigade get awfully upset when you suggest they don't stay in their £2m house if they can't afford it, don't they?
Reposted by Dr Duncan Robertson
I'm constantly shocked (but not surprised) by how little we discuss the additional financial burden placed on young people by the Clegg-Cameron student loan regime.
@rmcunliffe.bsky.social is one of the few journalists who brings it up continuously - once again in the wake of the budget 👇
@rmcunliffe.bsky.social is one of the few journalists who brings it up continuously - once again in the wake of the budget 👇
Rachel Reeves hits young graduates with a double stealth tax
The Chancellor plans to raise as much money from freezing loan repayment thresholds as from the mansion tax
www.newstatesman.com
November 27, 2025 at 1:04 PM
I'm constantly shocked (but not surprised) by how little we discuss the additional financial burden placed on young people by the Clegg-Cameron student loan regime.
@rmcunliffe.bsky.social is one of the few journalists who brings it up continuously - once again in the wake of the budget 👇
@rmcunliffe.bsky.social is one of the few journalists who brings it up continuously - once again in the wake of the budget 👇
Surely they can get a The Producers to do the voiceover.
NEW: BBC tells staff they cannot quote Trump line removed from Reith Lecture
BBC News article & Media Show prevented from repeating Rutger Bregman’s corruption allegation in its coverage… of whether the BBC censored his speech!
BBC/Trump fallout continues
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
BBC News article & Media Show prevented from repeating Rutger Bregman’s corruption allegation in its coverage… of whether the BBC censored his speech!
BBC/Trump fallout continues
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
BBC tells staff they cannot quote Trump line removed from Reith Lecture
Journalists not allowed to repeat Rutger Bregman’s corruption claims against US president in coverage of edit
www.theguardian.com
November 27, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Surely they can get a The Producers to do the voiceover.
Reposted by Dr Duncan Robertson
I'd also say: a lot of people's lives are complicated and sad. A lot of young people are facing increasingly complicated and sad lives where they are seeing their futures dwindle as the job market disintegrates and home ownership fades. But they are "snowflakes" for complaining
November 27, 2025 at 12:04 PM
I'd also say: a lot of people's lives are complicated and sad. A lot of young people are facing increasingly complicated and sad lives where they are seeing their futures dwindle as the job market disintegrates and home ownership fades. But they are "snowflakes" for complaining
Reposted by Dr Duncan Robertson
This is the modern day equivalent of it being on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard. Except you have the keys and you're a leopard trainer who needs the loo.
November 27, 2025 at 11:33 AM
This is the modern day equivalent of it being on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard. Except you have the keys and you're a leopard trainer who needs the loo.
Reposted by Dr Duncan Robertson
if this cyber expert shares a confidential report with the OBR about this, they have the opportunity to do literally the funniest thing
OBR calls in cyber expert over botched release of Budget analysis
OBR calls in cyber expert over botched release of Budget analysis
Rachel Reeves's statement was thrown into chaos after journalists were able to access the document early.
www.bbc.com
November 27, 2025 at 11:38 AM
if this cyber expert shares a confidential report with the OBR about this, they have the opportunity to do literally the funniest thing
Reposted by Dr Duncan Robertson
i mean not to prejudge this, but the cyber expert is likely to say 'yeah you hit publish, mate'
OBR calls in cyber expert over botched release of Budget analysis
OBR calls in cyber expert over botched release of Budget analysis
Rachel Reeves's statement was thrown into chaos after journalists were able to access the document early.
www.bbc.com
November 27, 2025 at 11:25 AM
i mean not to prejudge this, but the cyber expert is likely to say 'yeah you hit publish, mate'
Having trouble reconciling 'the documents weren't published on our website' with the URL domain of the document being obr.uk.
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
November 27, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Having trouble reconciling 'the documents weren't published on our website' with the URL domain of the document being obr.uk.
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
"The false citations were first unearthed by The Independent, an online news publication covering Newfoundland and Labrador."
Can't even make jokes anymore because Deloitte did use AI to say that AI is good...
www.ctvnews.ca/canada/newfo...
www.ctvnews.ca/canada/newfo...
November 27, 2025 at 7:47 AM
"The false citations were first unearthed by The Independent, an online news publication covering Newfoundland and Labrador."
Reposted by Dr Duncan Robertson
This is quite a story for English Higher Education policy. #Budget2025
on.ft.com/4ogqPxZ Threshold for repaying student loans to converge with minimum wage
on.ft.com/4ogqPxZ Threshold for repaying student loans to converge with minimum wage
Threshold for repaying student loans to converge with minimum wage
Surprise move from chancellor means some university graduates in England may have to pay back debts sooner
on.ft.com
November 27, 2025 at 7:21 AM
This is quite a story for English Higher Education policy. #Budget2025
on.ft.com/4ogqPxZ Threshold for repaying student loans to converge with minimum wage
on.ft.com/4ogqPxZ Threshold for repaying student loans to converge with minimum wage
Reposted by Dr Duncan Robertson
Reposted by Dr Duncan Robertson
Reflections on the budget from the head of Students4Reform
November 26, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Reflections on the budget from the head of Students4Reform
Reposted by Dr Duncan Robertson
Think Reeves can chalk this up as a win. A big win actually.
U.K 30 YEAR GILT YIELD DOWN 9.8 BPS TO 5.23%, IN BIGGEST ONE DAY FALL SINCE APRIL
November 26, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Think Reeves can chalk this up as a win. A big win actually.
Reposted by Dr Duncan Robertson
"We are freezing known Russian assets" says Rachel Reeves
"But let me be clear, I don't actually mean the member for Clacton"
"But let me be clear, I don't actually mean the member for Clacton"
November 26, 2025 at 1:10 PM
"We are freezing known Russian assets" says Rachel Reeves
"But let me be clear, I don't actually mean the member for Clacton"
"But let me be clear, I don't actually mean the member for Clacton"
It goes without saying that the cognitive test was perfect.
Trump rages about New York Times story on age: ‘PERFECT PHYSICAL EXAM AND A COMPREHENSIVE COGNITIVE TEST’
Trump rages about New York Times story on age: ‘PERFECT PHYSICAL EXAM AND A COMPREHENSIVE COGNITIVE TEST’
The president, now 79, is the oldest person ever elected to the Oval Office.
dlvr.it
November 26, 2025 at 2:41 PM
It goes without saying that the cognitive test was perfect.
Reposted by Dr Duncan Robertson
I think this is probably good news for the sector since for most international masters courses at least this will be substantially less than the six percent that was advertised.
International student fee levy details confirmed in Budget document: flat fee charged on institutions "of £925 per student per year of study, starting in August 2028 academic year 2028-29".
No charge for first 220 students per year.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6926eb...
No charge for first 220 students per year.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6926eb...
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
November 26, 2025 at 1:55 PM
I think this is probably good news for the sector since for most international masters courses at least this will be substantially less than the six percent that was advertised.
I do like the way that the US envoy to Russia (or is it the other way around) is referred to as Dim Philby.
November 26, 2025 at 1:46 PM
I do like the way that the US envoy to Russia (or is it the other way around) is referred to as Dim Philby.
Reposted by Dr Duncan Robertson
It’s nice to read the book before watching the movie for once.
November 26, 2025 at 1:45 PM
It’s nice to read the book before watching the movie for once.