Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Diane Keaton, Oscar-winning star of Annie Hall and The Godfather, dies aged 79

David Scourfield @jhdscourfield.bsky.social · 3d

Oh no. Genius.

Diane Keaton, Oscar-winning star of Annie Hall and The Godfather, dies aged 79 www.theguardian.com/film/2025/oc...

The legendary actor best known for her many collaborations with Woody Allen, as well as films including Reds, The First Wives Club and Book Club, has died

The truth about the small-boats crisis

3

David Scourfield @jhdscourfield.bsky.social · 4d

Yes: a failure of humanity. Please read the article.

TheBossRoss @thebossross.bsky.social · 4d

🧵 This is an extraordinary piece on Channel-crossing refugees, or #SmallBoats as we dub it. Really extraordinary.

"The picture that emerges pertains not just to a failure of policy, but a failure of humanity."

www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...

What Nigel Farage won’t tell you

www.newstatesman.com

David Scourfield @jhdscourfield.bsky.social · 4d

Have you read David Lodge's biofic about James, 'Author, Author'? What struck me most about it was the immense affection Lodge showed for HJ, esp. in the context of a book concerned with his lack of success in the theatre. I haven't read the Tóibín.

1 1

David Scourfield @jhdscourfield.bsky.social · 6d

A 19th-century bishop of Derry on Walter Scott's octosyllabic ballad-style verse: 'It reminds one too often of the dignity of a man extremely short and extremely fat who aims at impressiveness with a jerking hobble and an asthmatic grunt.' The episcopate is not what it was.

The EU has a secret weapon to counter Trump’s economic bullying. It’s time to use it | Johnny Ryan

David Scourfield @jhdscourfield.bsky.social · 6d

Enough with the rolling over

The EU has a secret weapon to counter Trump’s economic bullying. It’s time to use it | Johnny Ryan www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The anti-coercion instrument, or ‘trade bazooka’, is designed to shield against foreign pressure, says civil liberties campaigner Johnny Ryan

Rights, Pains and Illusions: The Experiences of Welsh‐Speakers at Wales’ ‘Flagship’ Prison

David Scourfield @jhdscourfield.bsky.social · 6d

Excellent article, raising very important issues. Erthygl wych. Ardderchog!

Greg Davies @gjdavies.bsky.social · 6d

HMP Berwyn, the UK's largest prison, was once presented as an advance for the Welsh language.

@robdjones.bsky.social and I argue that it’s been a categorical failure by that measure, posing troubling questions for Welsh language rights more widely: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

This article challenges claims of ‘inherent’ bilingualism in Wales’ largest prison, HMP Berwyn. Drawing on semi-structured interviews and extensive documentary research, we find that Welsh-speaking p...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

1 1

David Scourfield @jhdscourfield.bsky.social · 7d

Badenoch's utter incompetence. A superb analysis.

Badenoch’s ‘thoughtful Conservatism’ turns out to be just the slower road to Faragism | Rafael Behr www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Badenoch’s ‘thoughtful Conservatism’ turns out to be just the slower road to Faragism | Rafael Behr

The Tory leader’s intellectual meanderings have shrunk her party into little more than a holding pen for future Reform party candidates, says Guardian columnist Rafael Behr

Robert Jenrick complained of ‘not seeing another white face’ in Birmingham neighbourhood

David Scourfield @jhdscourfield.bsky.social · 7d

The episcopal gloves are off.

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 7d

The Bishop of Birmingham has written to the Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick about his comments about Handsworth

3 7

David Scourfield @jhdscourfield.bsky.social · 8d

What with this and his notions on the Sentencing Council, I'm thinking Jenrick's leadership ambitions are positioning him to the right of Farage.

Robert Jenrick complained of ‘not seeing another white face’ in Birmingham neighbourhood www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Shadow justice secretary criticised for suggesting he could tell how integrated Handsworth was based on short visit

David Scourfield @jhdscourfield.bsky.social · 9d

Emily Wilson

David Scourfield @jhdscourfield.bsky.social · 9d

Probably of limited use for finding the best nightclubs!

Proposed ‘removals force’ will be tasked with deporting 150,000 people a year in bid to tackle illegal immigration The Conservatives will pledge to create a new immigration taskforce modelled on Donald Trump’s controversial Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agency, the Guardian understands. The party’s leader, Kemi Badenoch, is expected to announce the policy on Sunday as it heads into its annual conference following a year of historic low poll ratings. The proposed “removals force” will be tasked with deporting 150,000 people a year in a bid to tackle illegal immigration. Continue reading...

Reposted by David Scourfield

Tanja Bueltmann @tanjabueltmann.net · 10d

It’s easy to say that this is the last desperate hurrah of a dying party, but can we be clear: Trump’s ICE agents are literally kidnapping people, detaining them without due process in concentration camps (yes, this is the right term) and 1000s have disappeared. These are fascist practices.

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 10d

Tories to pledge to create immigration taskforce modelled on Trump’s Ice

Tories to pledge to create immigration taskforce modelled on Trump’s Ice

21 390 890

David Scourfield @jhdscourfield.bsky.social · 10d

A party doomed

Tories to pledge to create immigration taskforce modelled on Trump’s Ice www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Proposed ‘removals force’ will be tasked with deporting 150,000 people a year in bid to tackle illegal immigration

David Scourfield @jhdscourfield.bsky.social · 11d

Not me, unfortunately. Report on the conference awaited with interest!

David Scourfield @jhdscourfield.bsky.social · 11d

Right!

David Scourfield @jhdscourfield.bsky.social · 11d

Whose Seventh? Beethoven? Sibelius? Bruckner?

David Scourfield @jhdscourfield.bsky.social · 11d

Honestly, we need Flann O'Brien back among us.

Des Fitzgerald @desfitzgerald.bsky.social · 11d

So there's an EU-funded campaign to get millenials to eat potatoes and - I swear to Jesus I'm not making this up - it's slogan is: "Europe's favourite since 1536."

A screenshot of a website that says "DISCOVER THE TASTY VERSATILITY OF POTATOES! Europe's favourite since 1536." banner ads say "funded by the european union" and "enjoy - it's from europe."

2 7

David Scourfield @jhdscourfield.bsky.social · 11d

Women are basically another out-group in that cult. I'd like to engage them on the theology of priesthood! ('The what ...?')

1 1

David Scourfield @jhdscourfield.bsky.social · 11d

Probably needs more coaching on procedural issues than the Clerk of Dáil Éireann and the other clerks have time for ...

The Irish language is a joy not a burden: in what other tongue is a penis a wild carrot? | Una Mullally

David Scourfield @jhdscourfield.bsky.social · 11d

Today's new arrival -- an extraordinary 1000-page achievement by a dear friend of many years, and indispensable for a piece of work I'm busy with right now!

1 4

David Scourfield @jhdscourfield.bsky.social · 12d

The Irish language is a joy not a burden: in what other tongue is a penis a wild carrot? | Una Mullally www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Record numbers of pupils are seeking opt-outs from compulsory learning. This is misguided – Irish is a portal to a world of imagination, says journalist Una Mullally

David Scourfield @jhdscourfield.bsky.social · 13d

It's OK, I think of him as Ron in Latin and Jerry in English.

David Scourfield @jhdscourfield.bsky.social · 13d

Personally I'm with Denmark

David Scourfield @jhdscourfield.bsky.social · 15d

Hard to tell, isn't it?