Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

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Jonathan Portes @jdportes.bsky.social · 18h

All very amusing, but especially this:

"The most popular was an “Australian-style points-based immigration system,” with a net 46 percent support. The least popular was “Britain’s current immigration policy,” with -39 percent support."

www.politico.eu/article/labo...

Brits are pining for the pre-Brexit migration system

The idea was that leaving the bloc would give the U.K. back “control” of its borders and create a fairer system. But the widespread perception is it didn’t turn out that way.

www.politico.eu

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martinbarrow.bsky.social @martinbarrow.bsky.social · 11h

Stark numbers revealed by Essex Council: it has nearly 100 children in residential care at an average cost of £300,000 per child a year. The 15 most expensive residential care placements collectively cost nearly £10 million.

www.essexlive.news/news/essex-n...

'Action' needed as 'broken' children's care market leads to overspend

The issue is causing significant overspend on the budger

www.essexlive.news

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Daisy Cooper MP 🔶 @libdemdaisy.bsky.social · 2d

Nigel Farage called Reform’s manifesto a contract with the British people. Now he’s torn that to shreds. It’s clear that they can’t be trusted with our economy.

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Chris Giles @chrisgiles.ft.com · 1d

There is no need for a moral panic about the UK's welfare system.

Far from perfect but recent discourse is nuts

Spending is controlled, not spiralling

Worklessness is near record lows

My column www.ft.com/content/ee67...

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Jules Birch @julesbirch.bsky.social · 1d

‘The key test is that developers welcome the package strongly on the day’

Which of course it usually is - which way will the tension between pledges of 1.5m homes and biggest boost to social and affordable housing in á generation play out?

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 1d

A leaked memo, a Maga-style hat and a trail of broken pledges – it’s Labour’s great housing betrayal | Aditya Chakrabortty

Ignore the bombast: Steve ‘build, baby, build’ Reed’s boast looks likely to end in targets more pathetic than they are now, says Guardian columnist Aditya Chakrabortty

www.theguardian.com

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sergeantpluck.bsky.social @sergeantpluck.bsky.social · 8d

It's always Reeves:

"...change being promoted by the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, to the planning bill would remove a key duty on councils and other public bodies to protect and enhance the nature and wildlife within national parks".

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Plans to weaken protections for national parks will have ‘disastrous consequences’ say green groups

Exclusive: Letter from 170-plus organisations calls on government to drop proposed changes to planning law

www.theguardian.com

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Hannah Fearn @hannahfearn.bsky.social · 1d

Very clearly espoused, particularly on why stamp duty doesn't work but also just scrapping it won't work either.

A compelling case for an alternative.

www.theguardian.com/society/comm...

Abolishing stamp duty won’t solve Britain’s housing crisis – but this radical property tax just might | Josh Ryan-Collins

Economists on all sides agree: rather than incremental changes, this deeply unfair market needs a ‘big bang’ moment, says associate professor of economics and finance Josh Ryan-Collins

www.theguardian.com

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Carole Cadwalladr @carolecadwalla.bsky.social · 4d

NEW: The British politician, his Russian intelligence handler & a Kremlin plot against the US & Ukraine.

My new piece about Nathan Gill and Nigel Farage for @thenerve_news in which we ask:

Why, even now, is no-one asking questions?

t.co/BUTtpK9C4S

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National Energy Action @nea.org.uk · 2d

The National Audit Office has published a new report on insulation installation failures under the ECO scheme. Our Chief Executive Adam Scorer says work should be completed to a 'high standard'. And 'good quality, effective insulation remains vital to tackling fuel poverty.'

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

Go on then Nigel Farage, keep telling us you know nothing about Russian influence…

The Farage staffer, the Russian embassy and a smear campaign against a Kremlin critic

www.theguardian.com/politics/201...

The Farage staffer, the Russian embassy and a smear campaign against a Kremlin critic

Worker for Farage’s group in EU parliament was ‘frequent visitor to embassy’ and accused of role in propaganda stunt

www.theguardian.com

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philmorganblog.bsky.social @philmorganblog.bsky.social · 4d

I chaired a tenants conference in Kingston on Monday where Emily Davey gave the closing speech. My admiration to Emily @eddavey.libdems.org.uk and family for keeping going.

The National @scotnational.bsky.social · 4d

A man has been charged with stalking Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey and his family over a period of four months

Man charged with stalking Ed Davey and family over several months

www.thenational.scot

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Tom Calver @tomcalver.bsky.social · 4d

🇵🇱 My @thetimes column: Poland’s economic miracle

12 out of 17 Polish regions are now richer than West Wales. It has faster internet, cheaper electricity and more high speed rail than Britain

When it comes to regional development it’s the UK, not Poland, that needs to catch up

1/3

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Byline Times @bylinetimes.bsky.social · 5d

“Here Farage is, in Gill’s office, with Voloshyn’s wife Nadia, on the day Gill makes an intervention on behalf of Medvedchuk’s channels, with an employee of one of those channels, whose husband started bribing Gill to make these statements 6 days earlier”

bylinetimes.com/2025/10/11/s...

'Stunned?' Farage's Admission He Knew Nathan Gill but Not His Kremlin Associates Does Not Stand Up to Scrutiny

Insiders have told Byline Times, it is 'inconceivable' the Reform Leader did not know about his close aide's pro Russian statements

bylinetimes.com

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Tim Martell @jerseyleaf.bsky.social · 6d

The only thing better than this selection is the accompanying statement by the Nobel Institute: “When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognise courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist.” ✊☮️🕊️

www.cbc.ca/news/world/n...

Venezuelan politician Maria Corina Machado awarded Nobel Peace Prize | CBC News

The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Maria Corina Machado, a Venezuelan opposition leader, it was announced Friday at the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo.

www.cbc.ca

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Cllr John Potter @johnpotterld.bsky.social · 7d

Top picture - Reform votes to cancel the promised new high school in Preston 😡

Bottom pictures - team Preston with Victoria Collins MP knocking on hundreds of doors tonight in the Ashton ward by-election 🔶

Only way to stop Reform is to beat them at the ballot box 🗳️ and take power from them 💪

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Dan Neidle @danneidle.bsky.social · 7d

Who benefits from the abolition of stamp duty land tax?

The first answer: people buying very expensive homes. Average saving for someone buying a £10m+ home is £1.7m. Average saving for someone buying a £250k-£500k home is £5k.

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Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · 7d

🧵🚨

The UK’s independent scientific bodies are highly vulnerable to politicisation - over the past 5 months I've been working with @martinmckee.bsky.social to map out their vulnerabilities and it's not good news.

Today our report is published!
www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...

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UK’s arm’s length public bodies are highly vulnerable to politicisation

Seven in ten Britons say it is important for top scientific institutions to be independent in exclusive new polling.

www.ucl.ac.uk

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Layla Moran MP 🔶🕊️ @laylamoran.bsky.social · 7d

The war is Gaza has gone on two years too long. I welcome this ceasefire of course but it’s hard to celebrate after we’ve had such misery and destruction. In this war we’ve seen the worst of humanity. In its aftermath I hope we see the best.

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Ed Davey @eddavey.libdems.org.uk · 8d

Kemi Badenoch ignored the former Conservative voters who believe in the rule of law, protecting our home for future generations and human rights for all our people.

With the help of a snazzy van we made sure people could hear a different message in Manchester today.

Join us

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The Times & Sunday Times @thetimes.com · 10d

Leaving the ECHR won’t fix illegal migration | ✍️ David Gauke

Leaving the ECHR won’t fix illegal migration

www.thetimes.com

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Anna Clarke @annaclarke.bsky.social · 11d

These sound like sensible reforms to help the housing market - reduced time on searches and buyers being able to see solicitors' track record should help chains to move faster. www.independent.co.uk/money/steve-...

Homebuyers to save money and time under new proposals

Housing Secretary Steve Reed said the reforms would ‘fix a broken system’ to make property purchases more straightforward.

www.independent.co.uk

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philmorganblog.bsky.social @philmorganblog.bsky.social · 10d

A reminder about previous approaches to “help” younger homebuyers which burn public money and increase the housing market: philmorganblog.wordpress.com/2016/09/30/t...

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Jennifer Williams @jenwilliamsft.bsky.social · 10d

For obvious news reasons - Burnham, terrorism - I’ve not written about the reform councils elsewhere for a few weeks. But the general vibe is “we can’t rule out CT rises”.

The narrative, ie blame govt, is therefore already being established.

It’s true (central govt £ DOES dictate this), but 1/

David Henig @davidheniguk.bsky.social · 10d

Another day through the looking glass with UK politics starts with Reform finding out strangely enough that local government isn't spending all (or indeed virtually any) money on woke initiatives they can easily cut. www.ft.com/content/277c...

Reform likely to raise Kent council tax after cost-cutting drive falters

Nigel Farage’s party promised to revive local authority finances by slashing wasteful spending

www.ft.com

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Graham Simpson @grahambs.bsky.social · 11d

Armed, masked men with no identifying insignia removing people from the streets of America. The Tories think it’s a good idea for the UK.

John Pavlovitz @johnpavlovitz.bsky.social · 21d

If you voted for him, you've done this.

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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 12d

What an admirably clear statement from the Jewish Leadership Council, especially when all of those involved must surely have been dealing with so many other urgent challenges in safety, security and grief + shock today before having this further divisive and distracting intervention to address too.

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