James McEnaney
@jamesmcenaney.bsky.social
Journalist and writer
Former English teacher & lecturer | Author of 'Class Rules: the Truth about Scottish Schools' & 'A Scottish Journey' | Fond of FOI, motorbikes, La Gomera, and all things education
www.jamesmcenaney.co.uk
Former English teacher & lecturer | Author of 'Class Rules: the Truth about Scottish Schools' & 'A Scottish Journey' | Fond of FOI, motorbikes, La Gomera, and all things education
www.jamesmcenaney.co.uk
Pinned
James McEnaney
@jamesmcenaney.bsky.social
· Sep 15
People like Charlie Kirk made women and girls less safe in schools
The murder of the far-right commentator has created a martyr for people seeking to radicalise boys and young men.
www.heraldscotland.com
I've seen far too many people either praising or at least sanitising Charlie Kirk following his murder, so I've written something about his actual impact for @heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2546...
www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2546...
Reposted by James McEnaney
Our manifesto was clear: Labour will deliver day one rights.
Accepting amendments to drop that commitment risks entrenching insecurity and delaying meaningful reform.
5/11
Accepting amendments to drop that commitment risks entrenching insecurity and delaying meaningful reform.
5/11
November 27, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Our manifesto was clear: Labour will deliver day one rights.
Accepting amendments to drop that commitment risks entrenching insecurity and delaying meaningful reform.
5/11
Accepting amendments to drop that commitment risks entrenching insecurity and delaying meaningful reform.
5/11
It's 'call a spade a spade' time with this stuff. These people don't care about protecting kids - they care about hatred.
www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2565...
www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2565...
November 27, 2025 at 8:00 PM
It's 'call a spade a spade' time with this stuff. These people don't care about protecting kids - they care about hatred.
www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2565...
www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2565...
Reposted by James McEnaney
@tie.scot are looking for a for an organised and proactive Operations Officer to support the smooth running of their charity working to address homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic prejudice and bullying through education
📍Glasgow
💷 £32,580
📅36hpw, FTC April 2026
tinyurl.com/2s4a2k76
📍Glasgow
💷 £32,580
📅36hpw, FTC April 2026
tinyurl.com/2s4a2k76
November 27, 2025 at 5:04 PM
@tie.scot are looking for a for an organised and proactive Operations Officer to support the smooth running of their charity working to address homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic prejudice and bullying through education
📍Glasgow
💷 £32,580
📅36hpw, FTC April 2026
tinyurl.com/2s4a2k76
📍Glasgow
💷 £32,580
📅36hpw, FTC April 2026
tinyurl.com/2s4a2k76
Reposted by James McEnaney
Spot on. The terms of the plan 2 loan are utterly usurious. Notably the budget has not frozen just the threshold for repayments at a marginal rate of 9%, dragging more and more graduates into it, but it also freezes the interest of those loans which is as much as 6.2%! Which is ridiculous!!
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 1:09 PM
Spot on. The terms of the plan 2 loan are utterly usurious. Notably the budget has not frozen just the threshold for repayments at a marginal rate of 9%, dragging more and more graduates into it, but it also freezes the interest of those loans which is as much as 6.2%! Which is ridiculous!!
An SNP council leader has stripped an SNP councillor of a key role chairing an important committee - and then handed the position to a member of the Labour Party.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2565427...
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2565427...
SNP leader strips colleague of key post and hands control to Labour-tied independent
An SNP council leader has removed a party colleague from a key post and given the role to a Labour-linked independent, prompting concern over the…
www.heraldscotland.com
November 27, 2025 at 1:16 PM
An SNP council leader has stripped an SNP councillor of a key role chairing an important committee - and then handed the position to a member of the Labour Party.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2565427...
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2565427...
Reposted by James McEnaney
'A book is such a simple gift. But it’s also a really powerful thing, and it’s such a small ask'
Children's Laureate @frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social backs The Herald's Christmas appeal, in association with @scottishbooktrust.bsky.social 👇
@jamesmcenaney.bsky.social
Children's Laureate @frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social backs The Herald's Christmas appeal, in association with @scottishbooktrust.bsky.social 👇
@jamesmcenaney.bsky.social
November 27, 2025 at 12:31 PM
'A book is such a simple gift. But it’s also a really powerful thing, and it’s such a small ask'
Children's Laureate @frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social backs The Herald's Christmas appeal, in association with @scottishbooktrust.bsky.social 👇
@jamesmcenaney.bsky.social
Children's Laureate @frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social backs The Herald's Christmas appeal, in association with @scottishbooktrust.bsky.social 👇
@jamesmcenaney.bsky.social
Reposted by James McEnaney
Author Frank Cottrell-Boyce supports The Herald's Christmas appeal, in association with @scottishbooktrust.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news...
@frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social @jamesmcenaney.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news...
@frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social @jamesmcenaney.bsky.social
November 26, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Author Frank Cottrell-Boyce supports The Herald's Christmas appeal, in association with @scottishbooktrust.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news...
@frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social @jamesmcenaney.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news...
@frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social @jamesmcenaney.bsky.social
Reposted by James McEnaney
I don’t like subtweeting people I consider online friends, but there is a subset of people who are very worried about the ongoing radicalisation of our political elite but won’t ever acknowledge the echoes with the radicalisation of their colleagues on trans rights
And few who are sympathetic to us, some who are friendly with me on here, will ever stick their head above the parapet
November 25, 2025 at 12:37 PM
I don’t like subtweeting people I consider online friends, but there is a subset of people who are very worried about the ongoing radicalisation of our political elite but won’t ever acknowledge the echoes with the radicalisation of their colleagues on trans rights
Reposted by James McEnaney
yes I don't really see how you can go "oh yikes these people have changed their political views incredibly quickly, mostly because of what Very Online people talk about on social media" and also think that people who went from never talking about gender to calling trans women predators are....normal
I don’t like subtweeting people I consider online friends, but there is a subset of people who are very worried about the ongoing radicalisation of our political elite but won’t ever acknowledge the echoes with the radicalisation of their colleagues on trans rights
And few who are sympathetic to us, some who are friendly with me on here, will ever stick their head above the parapet
November 25, 2025 at 12:55 PM
yes I don't really see how you can go "oh yikes these people have changed their political views incredibly quickly, mostly because of what Very Online people talk about on social media" and also think that people who went from never talking about gender to calling trans women predators are....normal
Reposted by James McEnaney
Still can't quite believe that "I only said 'gas the Jews' in a non-hurtful way" was the strategy Nigel Farage opted to go for
November 24, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Still can't quite believe that "I only said 'gas the Jews' in a non-hurtful way" was the strategy Nigel Farage opted to go for
This will be a waste of time and energy because the people using pyro in stadiums are arseholes who don't give a shit about others. Just ban them from stadiums for life and be done with it.
www.heraldscotland.com/sport/256479...
www.heraldscotland.com/sport/256479...
SPFL announce 'groundbreaking' Scottish football pyro programme
The SPFL have announced the Pyrotechnics Education Programme, an initiative which has been labelled as a first in European football.
www.heraldscotland.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:35 PM
This will be a waste of time and energy because the people using pyro in stadiums are arseholes who don't give a shit about others. Just ban them from stadiums for life and be done with it.
www.heraldscotland.com/sport/256479...
www.heraldscotland.com/sport/256479...
Reposted by James McEnaney
Twenty years since I had to sit and listen to David Miliband pretending that postponing council tax revaluation was a brave political decision, rather than a cowardly mistake.
These reports the Government could revalue council tax bands F, G and H don't make sense to me. Here's what could actually be going on:
November 25, 2025 at 10:11 AM
Twenty years since I had to sit and listen to David Miliband pretending that postponing council tax revaluation was a brave political decision, rather than a cowardly mistake.
Reposted by James McEnaney
if people are really giving out advice like this then making them thoroughly ashamed of themselves is a necessary act of self-preservation for our vocation, because the moment they become a majority it's time to pack it all up, game over
telling emerging writers that the only way to improve is ‘buy Final Draft/learn AI’ instead of ‘watch and read everything you can’ is… certainly a choice
like it’s the (paid-for) tools that’ll teach you what you want to say about the world and how to say it, not living in and experiencing it
like it’s the (paid-for) tools that’ll teach you what you want to say about the world and how to say it, not living in and experiencing it
November 25, 2025 at 9:36 AM
if people are really giving out advice like this then making them thoroughly ashamed of themselves is a necessary act of self-preservation for our vocation, because the moment they become a majority it's time to pack it all up, game over
Reposted by James McEnaney
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
First the anti-foreigner crowd went after hotels, and now they're going after schools, and people with a platform who refuse to call it out are guilty of appalling cowardice.
November 24, 2025 at 9:40 PM
First the anti-foreigner crowd went after hotels, and now they're going after schools, and people with a platform who refuse to call it out are guilty of appalling cowardice.
Reposted by James McEnaney
The irony, adults who clearly need adult learning complaining about adult learning being made available to adults who need and appreciate adult learning.
November 24, 2025 at 7:30 PM
The irony, adults who clearly need adult learning complaining about adult learning being made available to adults who need and appreciate adult learning.
The people involved in these protests are either racists or they're too stupid to know they're being manipulated by racists, and I don't see any good reason to pretend that's not so.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2564635...
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2564635...
Dalmarnock Primary protest as parents gather over migrant lessons
Furious parents are demanding a face-to-face meeting with education bosses after a protest over moves to hold English lessons for asylum seekers…
www.heraldscotland.com
November 24, 2025 at 4:59 PM
The people involved in these protests are either racists or they're too stupid to know they're being manipulated by racists, and I don't see any good reason to pretend that's not so.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2564635...
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2564635...
Reposted by James McEnaney
If you like classics/Greek mythology/ancient stuff/history or know someone who does, may I humbly recommend our book as a Christmas gift?
It's full of bite-size introductions to mythological characters and concepts and the money goes to a good cause!
www.workingclassicists.com/a-periodic-t...
It's full of bite-size introductions to mythological characters and concepts and the money goes to a good cause!
www.workingclassicists.com/a-periodic-t...
A Periodic Table of Greek Mythology — Working Classicists
Information on Working Classicists’ upcoming book: A Periodic Table of Greek Mythology
www.workingclassicists.com
November 21, 2025 at 6:31 PM
If you like classics/Greek mythology/ancient stuff/history or know someone who does, may I humbly recommend our book as a Christmas gift?
It's full of bite-size introductions to mythological characters and concepts and the money goes to a good cause!
www.workingclassicists.com/a-periodic-t...
It's full of bite-size introductions to mythological characters and concepts and the money goes to a good cause!
www.workingclassicists.com/a-periodic-t...
Whoever is advising Jenny Gilruth needs to ask themselves if they're in the right job, because this wildly cynical announcement about cutting contact time is going to backfire.
November 20, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Whoever is advising Jenny Gilruth needs to ask themselves if they're in the right job, because this wildly cynical announcement about cutting contact time is going to backfire.
Reposted by James McEnaney
REFERENDUM THE MORRA 😭❤️🏴
November 18, 2025 at 9:57 PM
REFERENDUM THE MORRA 😭❤️🏴
Reposted by James McEnaney
There has been plenty to dislike about his Labour government but going after asylum seekers in a desperate attempt to appease racists and attract reform voters is an evil thing to do.
November 17, 2025 at 5:52 PM
There has been plenty to dislike about his Labour government but going after asylum seekers in a desperate attempt to appease racists and attract reform voters is an evil thing to do.
Reposted by James McEnaney
People are probably calling Labour racist because Labour keep being racist. If they want to stop being called racist they should stop doing racist things.
November 17, 2025 at 10:14 AM
People are probably calling Labour racist because Labour keep being racist. If they want to stop being called racist they should stop doing racist things.
I, like everyone else not born yesterday, knew Starmer was going to be a disaster, but watching his party throw refugees under the Farage-branded bus in a desperate attempt to attract his supporters is horrendous.
And to make things worse, it's a politically inept move as well.
And to make things worse, it's a politically inept move as well.
November 17, 2025 at 10:18 AM
I, like everyone else not born yesterday, knew Starmer was going to be a disaster, but watching his party throw refugees under the Farage-branded bus in a desperate attempt to attract his supporters is horrendous.
And to make things worse, it's a politically inept move as well.
And to make things worse, it's a politically inept move as well.
The most deprived pupils are much more likely to have additional support needs.
So why are they also the least likely to get additional support for SQA exams?
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2561920...
So why are they also the least likely to get additional support for SQA exams?
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2561920...
November 16, 2025 at 12:51 PM
The most deprived pupils are much more likely to have additional support needs.
So why are they also the least likely to get additional support for SQA exams?
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2561920...
So why are they also the least likely to get additional support for SQA exams?
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2561920...