Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Samir Jeraj @sajeraj.bsky.social · 13h

Thanks!

Reposted by Samir Jeraj

James Riding @jamesriding.bsky.social · 15h

“Ever since that [act], both the main parties constantly associated the two: that we can’t progress race equality without then also controlling how many immigrants we have in this country"

Fascinating piece in Inside Housing today from @sajeraj.bsky.social

www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/60-y...

60 years on: the story of the Race Relations Act 1965

This Black History Month, Inside Housing looks back at the Race Relations Act to consider the legacy of the first anti-racism law in England.

www.insidehousing.co.uk

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Samir Jeraj @sajeraj.bsky.social · 2d

My report on a work dispute in South West London where hospital porters, cleaners and caterers claim they’ve been systematically excluded from the pay and conditions they are entitled to as NHS employees: www.newstatesman.com/politics/hea...

How hospital porters forced the NHS to the table

Staff of St Heliers and Epsom hospital have backed a strike and it seems they are now being heard

www.newstatesman.com

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Samir Jeraj @sajeraj.bsky.social · 8d

Discussions about “integration” rarely, if ever, talk about the rich, which I wrote about back in 2017:

www.opendemocracy.net/en/opendemoc...

Why does our national debate on integration ignore segregation by wealth?

A major part of what leads to segregation in society, by wealth and power, is not part of our integration debate. Why not?

www.opendemocracy.net

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Samir Jeraj @sajeraj.bsky.social · 8d

i.imgflip.com/a89uje.jpg

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Generation Rent @generationrent.bsky.social · 11d

As part of Renters’ Rights Awareness Week, we’re giving away copies of acclaimed books with a housing connection! 📚🏡

Support our work and try your luck by entering our prize draw! 👇

www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/rentersrig...

Help us fight for a better deal for renters

When you're a renter, knowledge is power. We're giving away the latest books about housing to promote and fund our renters rights webinars

www.crowdfunder.co.uk

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Samir Jeraj @sajeraj.bsky.social · 9d

Everyone who’s ever worked in, reported on, or paid attention to local government

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Hyphen @hyphenonline.com · 11d

The global journey of cloves began around 1500 BCE.

Samir Jeraj traces how colonial empires fought to control this fragrant bud.

Illustration by Maryam Adam.
https://hyphenonline.com/2025/10/02/cloves-spice-cultivation-cuisine-history-guide/

Cloves: a warming and fragrant treasure

This spice gives deep flavour, whether used whole in biryani and chai or in powdered form in everything from garam masala to HP Sauce

hyphenonline.com

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Ramzy Alwakeel @journoramzy.bsky.social · 12d

🔴 In his first interview since leaving the role of faith minister, Wajid Khan speaks to @sajeraj.bsky.social about tackling racism, celebrating the contributions of migrants, and why the government shouldn't shelve its anti-Islamophobia work.

hyphenonline.com/2025/10/01/w...

Wajid Khan says government must tackle hate against Muslims

Former faith minister said Britain needed to celebrate the contributions of migrants and warned against scrapping anti-Islamophobia work

hyphenonline.com

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Samir Jeraj @sajeraj.bsky.social · 13d

So what this is saying is that in order to defeat Reform Starmer needs to defect to Reform....? www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

‘Reverse Midas touch’: Starmer plan prompts collapse in support for digital IDs

Net public backing for scheme has fallen to -14% after prime minister’s announcement, according to polling

www.theguardian.com

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The Guardian @theguardian.com · 14d

Met officers suspended over alleged abuse of suspects and support for Tommy Robinson

BBC’s Panorama to broadcast allegations about wrongdoing at Charing Cross police station The Metropolitan police are braced for an undercover documentary showing officers and staff allegedly being supportive of the far-right activist Tommy Robinson, making anti-Muslim comments and using excessive force against suspects in custody. The allegations, which centre on Charing Cross police station in central London, are contained in a BBC Panorama documentary airing on Wednesday evening. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

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Samir Jeraj @sajeraj.bsky.social · 14d

Getting in that sweet author £

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Zoe Gardner @zoejardiniere.bsky.social · 18d

Ok. They’ve pissed me off.

I’m back to tell you 3 things about ID cards:

1. Migrants ALREADY HAVE biometric ID cards & govts have been trying to digitise them for years w repeated fuckups & failures causing complete chaos - they don’t work, you do not want that system for you.

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Samir Jeraj @sajeraj.bsky.social · Sep 15

Can’t see a Burham challenge to Starmer being possible. It’s too complicated. What’s he going to do? Be mayor and mp at the same time or cause an expensive mayoral byelection? Given how Labour are polling would he win a byelection?

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Anoosh Chakelian @anooshc.bsky.social · Sep 9

Great interview about a fascinating council by Harry Clarke-Ezzidio:

Max Caller: The man who tried to fix Birmingham

The former lead commissioner of Birmingham City Council on bin strikes, Sharon Graham and the future of local government.

www.newstatesman.com

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Reposted by Samir Jeraj

Ramzy Alwakeel @journoramzy.bsky.social · Aug 26

Today's announcement about a statutory definition of "honour" violence is good news for campaigners – but govt hasn't been able to say whether it intends to adopt the definition that groups like @karmanirvana.bsky.social have been working on with survivors and families, or produce its own.

‘Honour’ violence could be defined in law for first time

Home Office announcement pre-empts plans backed by 35 rights and research groups to introduce their own definition of ‘honour’ violence

hyphenonline.com

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Samir Jeraj @sajeraj.bsky.social · Aug 22

Does anyone have a recommendation for a biography of De Valera? @alexvont.bsky.social?

Reposted by Samir Jeraj

Hyphen @hyphenonline.com · Aug 22

A new generation of teenage Muslim swimming coaches in south Wales could be helping to turn the tide on the sport’s lack of inclusivity.

@sajeraj.bsky.social reports.

hyphenonline.com/2025/08/21/m...

New wave of young Muslim swim teachers makes a splash in south Wales

Newport charity KidCare4U is training a new generation of Muslim swimming teachers thanks to Newport Live's Teach to Swim project

hyphenonline.com

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Rachel Cunliffe @rmcunliffe.bsky.social · Jul 23

"Whereas councils used to adopt new estates, the CMA has found that 80% of new homes built by the 11 largest developers in 2021-22 were sold under the fleecehold system, with £260m in estate management charges paid out in 2022 alone"

Who is accountable in privatised Britain?

From unadopted housing estates to a road no one seems to own – hollowed-out local government can no longer cope.

www.newstatesman.com

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Reposted by Samir Jeraj

Hyphen @hyphenonline.com · Jul 21

The Lantern Initiative began 10 years ago with coffee mornings for Muslim mothers & now organises women-only, half-day events across the UK.

@sajeraj.bsky.social hears how the organisation draws on centuries-old Islamic psychology to support Muslims’ mental health.

hyphenonline.com/2025/07/18/l...

Mental health project that draws on 1,000 years of Islamic psychology turns 10

Lantern Initiative helps Muslims across the UK tackle anxiety and low mood using work of psychology pioneers including Abu Zayd al-Balkhi

hyphenonline.com

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Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · Jul 16

It's a poorly conceived way to deal with 'serial rebels at the outer end of your majority' to take away the whip, and a still more poorly conceived way to do it that it comes as a complete surprise to your MPs.

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Reposted by Samir Jeraj

Hyphen @hyphenonline.com · Jul 14

The @muslimcouncil.bsky.social is among faith groups in the UK that have urged the government to consider extending mandatory pay gap reporting to include data on religion.

@sajeraj.bsky.social has more⬇️

hyphenonline.com/2025/07/11/m...

Muslim Council of Britain urges government to mandate faith pay gap reporting

Britain’s largest Muslim umbrella organisation has joined calls already made by the Sikh Council UK for a change to the law

hyphenonline.com

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Reposted by Samir Jeraj

Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · Jul 13

Terrific thread by Jonathan this. Since I was born, the area I grew up in has higher employment, has got older, has got healthier, became more likely to be in the private rented sector, got less religious, got less white. There is no non-bigoted reason to think the last of those is problematic.

Jonathan Portes @jdportes.bsky.social · Jul 13

..I have lived 55 years in LA where "white British" fell from ?85-90% to 40%. Over same time:

- population shrank by a 1/4, grew by a 1/3
- became much richer but much more unequal
- got older, less Christian, more atheist
- *massive* shift in industry/occupations.

..you get the idea [3/4]

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Samir Jeraj @sajeraj.bsky.social · Jul 13

Pleased to be part of the team that put together this
@greenparty.org.uk
leadership debate between
@adrianramsay.bsky.social
and
@zackpolanski.bsky.social
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...

Exclusive Green Party leadership debate

Podcast Episode · The New Statesman | UK politics and culture · 13/07/2025 · 50m

podcasts.apple.com

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Jim Pickard @pickardje.bsky.social · Jul 6

The Tony Blair Institute participated in a project to develop a postwar Gaza plan that envisaged kick-starting the enclave’s economy with a “Trump Riviera” and an “Elon Musk Smart Manufacturing Zone”.

www.ft.com/content/0b1b...

Tony Blair’s staff took part in ‘Gaza Riviera’ project with BCG

Former UK prime minister’s institute participated in meetings on plan to turn shattered enclave into trading hub

www.ft.com

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