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Sandy Martin

@sandyofipswich.bsky.social

3.2K followers 2.6K following 420 posts

Chair, Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform, SERA Executive (Labour’s Environment Campaign), pro-EU, LGBT+, Democratic Socialist - for 1to1 dialogue feel free to email [email protected]

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Sandy Martin @sandyofipswich.bsky.social · Apr 4

If results this spring are so random, @uklabour.bsky.social has got to take notice. Mayoral elections in May 2026 currently due to be FPTP - the government MUST return to Supplementary Vote for these, or preferably ranked voting. Join us to campaign for rational democracy @labour4pr.bsky.social

Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · Apr 3

With Greens at 72% also that means we will have five party competition in most wards (as we did last year in nearly all constituencies). Don’t think that’s ever come close to happening before.

Election Maps UK @electionmaps.uk · Apr 3

🚨 | Total Number of Candidates (/1,641) #LE2025:

➡️ RFM: 1,630 (99.3%)
🌳 CON: 1,594 (97.1%)
🌹 LAB: 1,540 (93.8%)
🔶 LDM: 1,396 (85.1%)
🌍 GRN: 1,182 (72.0%)

🧑‍🔧 TUSC: 97 (5.9%)
🏰 HER: 24 (1.5%)
🟡 MK: 18 (1.1%)
💷 UKIP: 13 (.8%)
🔴 SDP: 11 (.7%)

🙋 Inds: 461
🏘️ Local: 103
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

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Sandy Martin @sandyofipswich.bsky.social · 3h

Robin Cook quote of the day: “The human being is a sociable animal. We derive our sense of identity, of status and of self-esteem from our association with others, and for that we need a cohesive society.”

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Sandy Martin @sandyofipswich.bsky.social · 4h

There’s a correlation between violence towards animals and violence against women and children. USA appears to be a more violent country in every way- is this linked to the continental expropriation of native Americans? The American people have a lot to face up to.

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 15h

If the police in the UK were to shoot 2000 dogs a year (average 5 a day, per capita equivalent to US 25/day) there might be a revolution.

BeijingPalmer @beijingpalmer.bsky.social · 16h

U.S. police kill roughly 25 pet dogs a day, the majority of which pose no threat to them.

scholars.unh.edu/unh_lr/vol17...

trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss...

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Sandy Martin @sandyofipswich.bsky.social · 5h

Clearly Rob Ford is right here - the Tories aren’t helping themselves by trying to out-Farage Farage - but the same lesson needs to be learned by Labour too. We need to make the positive case for the contribution that immigrants have made - and we shouldn’t be splitting up their families.

Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 5h

This was a lot of fun to do, and with a really engaged audience of students (and future young voters) who asked some great questions.

Past Present Future Podcast @ppfideas.bsky.social · 6h

NEW EPISODE OUT NOW!

In this special live episode recorded in front of pupils from schools in Doncaster, David talks to political scientist @robfordmancs.bsky.social about whether Nigel Farage is really going to be the UK’s next Prime Minister.

Find us at...🎧 ppfideas.com

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Reposted by Sandy Martin

Alex Sobel MP @alexsobel.co.uk · 1d

I recently visited Hazel 4D's warehouse & dispatch centre, Velocity Point, for a tour & conversation on sustainable packaging.

I met with their team to explore how they are helping businesses reduce waste, boost efficiency, & stay compliant.

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Sandy Martin @sandyofipswich.bsky.social · 1d

www.europeanmovement.co.uk/keep_uk_in_e...

Open Letter: Keep the UK in the ECHR

Sign the European Movement UK's open letter now if you agree that the UK must remain in the ECHR.

www.europeanmovement.co.uk

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Sandy Martin @sandyofipswich.bsky.social · 2d

Did you watch The Hack? Some media outlets have still not faced any penalty for destroying lives. That's why I've signed the petition, set up by Hugh Grant and other phone hacking victims, to demand fair, independent regulation. Join me: you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/a-...

A Free Press, Not a Free Pass – It's Time for Fair Regulation

For too long, the UK press have bullied people, harassed grieving families, and destroyed lives, all to sell papers. We’ve all seen the heartbreaking consequences. They’ve hacked phones, listened to ...

you.38degrees.org.uk

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Sandy Martin @sandyofipswich.bsky.social · 2d

There’s a seminal work of political theory by Joan G Robinson - it’s called “Teddy Robinson Watches the Toast”. He’s set to watch the toast which he does assiduously - and eventually the toast catches fire. He can’t do anything about it because he’s a teddy. I do hope Doug Chalmers isn’t a teddy.

Sandy Martin @sandyofipswich.bsky.social · 2d

If we pass a law against stealing a bottle of wine, we can tell who to punish by whether they are caught carrying a bottle of wine. If we pass a law against poor standards in public life, or even vaguer, set up a Commission to look at it, then where’s the penalty and who gets stopped?

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Sandy Martin @sandyofipswich.bsky.social · 2d

Robin Cook quote of the day: “The crucial issue for the centre-left, and for British democracy, is that we put values and ideology back at the heart of political debate. Values-based politics are crucial if we are to revive the confidence of the public in parliamentary democracy.”

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The Guardian @theguardian.com · 2d

UK small businesses and charities say nuclear levy could add thousands to bills

Charge from next month expected to have disproportionate impact after energy-intensive industries given exemption British charities and small businesses have warned that a new levy on energy bills, intended to support the government’s nuclear power ambitions, could raise their costs by thousands of pounds a year. The extra charge could mean a significant cost hike for charities and small businesses with high energy use, meaning community services may be cut and economic growth curtailed, according to trade groups. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

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Sandy Martin @sandyofipswich.bsky.social · 3d

Robin Cook quote of day: “Left unchecked, the market economy creates two fundamental problems. The first is that it can be inimical to the values of equality & fairness and therefore corrosive of social cohesion. The second is that an unregulated market is not a stable device for perpetual motion.”

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Sandy Martin @sandyofipswich.bsky.social · 4d

Robin Cook quote of the day: “A world governed by rules rather than by force requires an agreed forum to regulate the use of force. That forum can only be the UN.”

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Reposted by Sandy Martin

Joseph Rowntree Foundation @jrf-uk.bsky.social · 4d

Politicians must focus on what matters to people like tackling poverty 📢

Everyone deserves an affordable home, work that gives enough to get by on, and enough money to pay the bills

Politicians can make the right decisions today and build a better future

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PXwaluRFAPs

YouTube

Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

www.youtube.com

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Labour Unions @labourunionsuk.bsky.social · 4d

By delivering rights from day one, better parental leave and better sickness pay, Labour's New Deal for Working People will make work better and more secure. As @lukemurphy.bsky.social says, that's good for workers, good for businesses and good for the economy

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Sandy Martin @sandyofipswich.bsky.social · 5d

….is unlikely to come on stream (going by current performance) before 2050. Way before then we can have developed effective green hydrogen generation powered from our excess wind and solar, and hydrogen-driven “dispatchable” power stations for when there is a spot need

Sandy Martin @sandyofipswich.bsky.social · 5d

You can find experts that will say virtually anything. We currently have “dispatchables” in the shape of gas-fired power stations. Putting more into renewables and insulation will reduce our need for gas more quickly and cheaply than “investing” in yet another nuclear power station which….

Reposted by Sandy Martin

Sandy Martin @sandyofipswich.bsky.social · 6d

Robin Cook quote of the day: “Political parties do not achieve renewal by reshuffling staff in their leader’s office, but by changing the culture, priorities and direction of the organisation.”

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Best for Britain @bestforbritain.org · 7d

❓NHS waiting list in May 2010 when the Conservatives came to power: 2.60 million.

❓NHS waiting list in July 2024 when the Conservatives left power: 7.62 million.

Who's fault is it Kemi?

Source:https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/nhs-delivery-and-workforce/pressures/nhs-backlog-data-analysis

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Sandy Martin @sandyofipswich.bsky.social · 5d

That already happens, but it may not be enough next time round

Sandy Martin @sandyofipswich.bsky.social · 5d

There’s a way to go but we can do it. We’ll do it a lot lot quicker if we invest all our money in insulation and renewables and stop pouring cash down the dangerous and pointless black hole of nuclear power.

East Anglia Bylines @eastangliabylines.co.uk · 5d

Clean energy has powered Great Britain entirely for a record 87 hours so far in 2025 – up from just 2.5 hours in 2021.

Progress is accelerating, but the country still has a long way to go before reaching 100 % clean power by 2030.

Dr Simon Evans reports

Great Britain has run on 100% clean power for record 87 hours in 2025 so far

Clean-energy sources have powered Great Britain entirely for a record 87 hours this year — a milestone toward 2030 targets

eastangliabylines.co.uk

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Reposted by Sandy Martin

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan @london.gov.uk · 5d

I’ve always been clear that no one should have to sleep rough on our streets.

This additional funding from government will support our Rough Sleeping Action Plan and our work with London Councils to prevent people becoming homeless.

Poster from the Mayor of London announcing £36.5 million in government funding to help Londoners facing homelessness. The text reads: ‘GREAT NEWS – Government announces £36.5M to help Londoners facing homelessness.’ It details funding allocations: £28.4m to prevent and end rough sleeping, £7.1m to support families in temporary accommodation with essentials, and £960k for drug and alcohol treatment for people sleeping rough or at risk of homelessness. The background shows a dimly lit city street or alleyway.

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Sandy Martin @sandyofipswich.bsky.social · 5d

Robin Cook quote of the day: “Renewal must be about more than reviving party political support for Labour. It must also offer a prospect of giving politics back a sense of excitement, and rekindling the dwindling interest in the political system. That means a return to values-based politics.”

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Lewis Herbert @lewisherbert.bsky.social · 5d

Adoption of PR for all elections has to become Labour Govt's top "system change priority" and critical by 2027 OR TOO LATE.
Sadly too many want to put all their chips on red, blinded by once in a lifetime 2024 result.
Otherwise 33% will beat 55% under current FPTP in 2029.
Keep up great feed Sandy!

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Sandy Martin @sandyofipswich.bsky.social · 5d

I’m not sure that a “pact” would either be achievable or would work. There are lots of potential Labour voters who would never vote Green. There’s lots of Greens who would never vote Labour. And anyway Party rules make it impossible. Fair votes is much better- there’s still time, just about

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Labour Unions @labourunionsuk.bsky.social · 6d

This is welcome news. Working people should never be barred from enforcing their rights. Tribunal fees would have been a barrier to justice.

Let's fix the broken system the Tories left behind.⚖️

www.theguardian.com/money/2025/o...

David Lammy rules out charging workers for employment tribunal claims

Justice secretary says right to challenge unfair work behaviour is core to Labour work plan after union backlash

www.theguardian.com

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