Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Laurie Dunkin Wedd @ldw1.bsky.social · 1h

the use of words to express something other than and especially the opposite of the literal meaning; a usually humorous or sardonic literary style or form characterized by irony; an ironic expression ...

www.merriam-webster.com

Reposted by Laurie Dunkin Wedd

John Marsham @johnmarsham.bsky.social · 2h

There's a huge challenge in expressing what 2 deg means. Yes heatwaves, floods, fires. But risks to nature, food supplies, geopolitical stability much harder to summarise. The last ice age was about 5 deg colder. 2 deg is huge. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

UK must prepare buildings for 2C rise in global temperature, government told

Climate advisers warn that current plans to protect against extreme weather are inadequate

www.theguardian.com

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Emma Lewell MP @emmalewellmp.bsky.social · 2h

Tonight I will be thinking of all those remembering their little ones. 🩵🩷🕯️

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The Guardian @theguardian.com · 2h

Kemi Badenoch wants to end ‘rip-off degrees’ – but I wouldn’t have created Horrid Henry without mine | Francesca Simon

I studied Old and Middle English. Although I didn’t know it, I couldn’t have chosen a better subject to train me to become a children’s author, says author Francesca Simon

www.theguardian.com

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Laurie Dunkin Wedd @ldw1.bsky.social · 2h

bsky.app/profile/ldw1...

Laurie Dunkin Wedd @ldw1.bsky.social · 2h

NHS hater J Clarkson “genuinely couldn’t find anything to moan about’ when it came to his time in hospital, as he praised the ‘kind’ staff described the place itself as ‘spotless’.”
(But the silly sod still says we can’t afford the NHS.🙄)

metro.co.uk/2025/10/13/j...

Jeremy Clarkson rushed to hospital 9 hours after branding NHS 'creaking monster'

The Clarkson's Farm star insisted the NHS was his 'only option'.

metro.co.uk

Laurie Dunkin Wedd @ldw1.bsky.social · 2h

bsky.app/profile/ldw1...

Laurie Dunkin Wedd @ldw1.bsky.social · 2h

NHS hater J Clarkson “genuinely couldn’t find anything to moan about’ when it came to his time in hospital, as he praised the ‘kind’ staff described the place itself as ‘spotless’.”
(But the silly sod still says we can’t afford the NHS.🙄)

metro.co.uk/2025/10/13/j...

Jeremy Clarkson rushed to hospital 9 hours after branding NHS 'creaking monster'

The Clarkson's Farm star insisted the NHS was his 'only option'.

metro.co.uk

Reposted by Laurie Dunkin Wedd

Worthing Climate Action Network @worthingcan.bsky.social · 2h

Heatwaves will occur in at least four of every five years in England by 2050, and time spent in drought will double. The number of days of peak wildfire conditions in July will nearly treble for the UK. Some peak river flows will increase by 40%.
#climatecrisis

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

UK must prepare buildings for 2C rise in global temperature, government told

Climate advisers warn that current plans to protect against extreme weather are inadequate

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Laurie Dunkin Wedd

Stefan Siebert @stefansiebert.bsky.social · 2h

It's here! The time to save democracy in the UK is running out...

"they look to America, and to the triumph of Project 2025....
there is an ecosystem backing a populist right wing takeover of the UK, whether it’s in Conservative or Reform clothing – and Paul Marshall’s network lies at its heart."

James Ball @jamesrball.com · 2h

I've spent *weeks* working on this special report for @thenewworldmag.bsky.social on GB News co-owner Paul Marshall – and the astonishing, unprecedented influence network he's built on the UK's right. There's never been anything like it before. www.thenewworld.co.uk/james-ball-p...

Paul Marshall, the man who owns the right

The multimillionaire controls a network of news channels, publications and think tanks that the left could only dream of. If Reform or the Tories win the next election, he will become the country’s mo...

www.thenewworld.co.uk

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Reposted by Laurie Dunkin Wedd

Owain Sutton @owainsutton.bsky.social · 17h

This is one new member every minute, 24/7, for a whole month. 🤯

Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 19h

As if they keep writing all these headlines - and our membership numbers and polling just keeps shooting up. 🚀

Now at 110,000. Over 55% increase in just one month!

Lower bills. Fund NHS. Tax the super rich.

Join.greenparty.org.uk

Polanski is talking nonsense about wealth taxes.

Greens who want to save the world by destroying britain

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Dave Andress @davidandress.bsky.social · 2h

This is it. We officially give up on keeping climate-change even CLOSE to the 1.5-degree target for avoiding massive runaway damage. We start hesitantly thinking about adapting to 2 degrees in 25 years. In 10 years, we start hesitantly thinking about adapting to 2.5 degrees in 30 years...

Unofficial BBCNews (UK) Bot @bbcnews-uk-rss.bsky.social · 2h

Government told to prepare for 2C warming by 2050

The Climate Change Committee said the UK should make climate change adaptions beyond the Paris Agreement.

www.bbc.com

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Laurie Dunkin Wedd @ldw1.bsky.social · 2h

NHS hater J Clarkson “genuinely couldn’t find anything to moan about’ when it came to his time in hospital, as he praised the ‘kind’ staff described the place itself as ‘spotless’.”
(But the silly sod still says we can’t afford the NHS.🙄)

metro.co.uk/2025/10/13/j...

Jeremy Clarkson rushed to hospital 9 hours after branding NHS 'creaking monster'

The Clarkson's Farm star insisted the NHS was his 'only option'.

metro.co.uk

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Reposted by Laurie Dunkin Wedd

Chris7ben @chris7ben.bsky.social · 2h

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Laurie Dunkin Wedd @ldw1.bsky.social · 2h

It took less than a week for the Greens to have more members than the Daily Express sells copies. 👍👍👍 bsky.app/profile/ldw1...

Laurie Dunkin Wedd @ldw1.bsky.social · 6d

Any minute now you’ll have more members than the Express has readers.
😀
(NB: Green member numbers I quoted already hopelessly out of date just 48 hours later!)
bsky.app/profile/ldw1...

Laurie Dunkin Wedd @ldw1.bsky.social · 7d

Green Party members will soon outnumber Express readers.

Membership of
@greenparty.org.uk has risen by over 60% from 53,000 in 2024 to 86,000 now.

The Daily Express averaged 111,000 copies in August 2025, 18% down on last year.
(Figures from
@pressgazette.co.uk.)

Of course they’re jealous.

Reposted by Laurie Dunkin Wedd

Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 4h

Private equity takeover of US hospitals led to rise in patient deaths.

Cuts to staffing/investment; high debt, profiteering; worse patient outcomes.

More deaths in nursing homes, increased post-operative complications

Why is UK Govt handing the NHS to PE? Why no investigation of the impact of PE?

Private equity takeover of hospitals led to rise in Medicare emergency patient deaths, says study

Study found seven more deaths per 10,000 patients in private equity hospitals’ versus non-private equity hospitals

www.theguardian.com

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The New World @thenewworldmag.bsky.social · 3h

SPECIAL REPORT 🚨 The multimillionaire controls a network of news channels, publications and think tanks that the left could only dream of. If Reform or the Tories win the next election, he will become the country’s most influential non-politician

✏️ @jamesrball.com
🔗 Read report: buff.ly/abyD6hO

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James Ball @jamesrball.com · 2h

I've spent *weeks* working on this special report for @thenewworldmag.bsky.social on GB News co-owner Paul Marshall – and the astonishing, unprecedented influence network he's built on the UK's right. There's never been anything like it before. www.thenewworld.co.uk/james-ball-p...

Paul Marshall, the man who owns the right

The multimillionaire controls a network of news channels, publications and think tanks that the left could only dream of. If Reform or the Tories win the next election, he will become the country’s mo...

www.thenewworld.co.uk

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Reposted by Laurie Dunkin Wedd

TeeDixie 📎 @teedixie.bsky.social · 5h

What’s that Jeremy? Your private healthcare couldn’t save your life but the NHS could?

People need to think long and hard about voting for Reform, Farage openly says we need insurance based healthcare, but what about people who can’t afford it?

They die. It’s simple.

Paul Marshall @pmarsha11.bsky.social · 1d

Embarrassing Jeremy Clarkson u-turns on his criticism of the NHS after receiving urgent treatment his private care couldn’t provide.

Jeremy Clarkson reneges on NHS criticism after needing urgent treatment

Presenter, who called service ‘a creaking monster’, says he’s ‘eternally grateful’ to medics who aided him

www.independent.co.uk

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Chris Boyd @paperghost.bsky.social · 3h

the UK makes you pass up to 3 language tests depending on visa type, alongside the written life in the UK test. You've had to show sufficient ability to settle or naturalise for decades. this is not reasonable, it's needless (and an OTT increase for settlement, especially if on a family visa)

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James Ball @jamesrball.com · 2h

You might think controlling GB News gives you huge influence over UK politics – especially on the right. But that's just the tip of the iceberg, as we reveal in this week's issue of @thenewworldmag.bsky.social

Full story: www.thenewworld.co.uk/james-ball-p...

A network/ownership diagram showing a range of organisations controlled by Paul Marshall or his associates, or which receive donations from them

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Reform Party UK Exposed @reformexposed.bsky.social · 2h

Ukrainian refugees condemn failure of authorities to take action against Reform over campaign lies

Martin Shipton Ukrainian refugees who were offered shelter when Putin’s Russia invaded their homeland have expressed dismay that no action is being taken against Reform UK for spreading lies about the...

nation.cymru

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Reposted by Laurie Dunkin Wedd

Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 2h

None of that detail is in the announcement and required some digging.

I'm happy to be corrected by anyone if I've got it wrong but in fact from what I've read it's not that unreasonable... and isn't that different to what already existed.

Why this government wants to make enemies is another issue

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Laurie Dunkin Wedd @ldw1.bsky.social · 2h

“He was told directly by both Total Politics and the panel’s sponsor Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) that they did not want a dissenting view on the panel.”
Gracious. Big Oil shutting down debate? Extraordinary…
😡😡😡

Prof Bill McGuire @profbillmcguire.bsky.social · 15h

"point out that North Sea oil doesn’t cut UK energy bills, and suddenly you’re censored"

This dismal government refuses to hear the truth as it prepares the way to give the green light to new oil and gas fields

Despicable and complete madness

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

Academic axed from Labour conference panel for criticising energy policy

Sustainability expert was told panellists discussing North Sea oil and gas were meant to ‘agree entirely’ with each other

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Laurie Dunkin Wedd

Prof Bill McGuire @profbillmcguire.bsky.social · 15h

"point out that North Sea oil doesn’t cut UK energy bills, and suddenly you’re censored"

This dismal government refuses to hear the truth as it prepares the way to give the green light to new oil and gas fields

Despicable and complete madness

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

Academic axed from Labour conference panel for criticising energy policy

Sustainability expert was told panellists discussing North Sea oil and gas were meant to ‘agree entirely’ with each other

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Laurie Dunkin Wedd

Jonathan Portes @jdportes.bsky.social · 13h

Indeed.

The government has chosen to prioritise reducing (skilled, legal, for work) migration over growth and hence over improving public services.

No economic rationale - but even worse, no political rationale either.

Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 19h

One mistake Labour made in their first year is loading quite a few new costs onto business all at once. They are risking doing something similar on immigration, I think.

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Elizabeth Edgett @elizabethedgett.bsky.social · 21h

UBI is seed capital for small business entrepreneurs. It would create a renaissance in small business grass roots startups. The economy would bloom faster than a weed at a fertilizer farm.

Billionaires don't want UBI because it gives workers power to choose. CEOs would have to compete for workers.

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