Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Prof. Liz Laycock

History and Heritage Yorkshire @handhyorkshire.bsky.social · 14h

Bolton Castle was constructed by Richard Le Scrope, Lord Chancellor to Richard II in the late 14th century with permission to crenellate being granted in 1379. The castle has been in the hands of the Scrope and Powlett (later Orde-Powlett) families for much of that time.

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Prof. Liz Laycock @shulizl.bsky.social · 10h

Lobby your MP. Leave off and stop hassling my (trans / gender nonconforming / people who don't match stereotypes) friends, family, students, colleagues ... and people I've never met and never will meet for that matter. Can we just stop being shitty to each other? Is that REALLY too much to ask???

TransActual @transactualuk.bsky.social · 1d

🚨This is an emergency🚨

This Government is currently sitting on an EHRC Code of Practice that will lead to the segregation and exclusion of trans people in public life.

Use our tool to email your MP: tinyurl.com/scrap-the-bathroom-ban

@transsolidarity.bsky.social
#ScrapTheBathroomBan

Image has a pink background and scraps of torn blue and white paper behind the text. Text reads: Scrap the Bathroom Ban. Tell Your MP to say no to segregation. This is urgent. The EHRC Code of Practice could be laid in Parliament any day.

Act now. Tell your MP to stop this. Write to your MP:
tinyurl.com/scrap-the-bathroom-ban

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Reposted by Prof. Liz Laycock

Pookleblinky @pookleblinky.bsky.social · 11h

The phrase "trans activist" is goofy because like 95% of the time it's used it refers to a trans person simply existing.

Media, pointing at a woman buying a coffee: behold, a trans activist.

Woman: buying coffee is not activism stop being so fucking weird

Media: trans activist criticizes media

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Reposted by Prof. Liz Laycock

dadonadyingplanet.bsky.social @dadonadyingplanet.bsky.social · 2d

I've never really listened to Benjamin Zephaniah's poetry before but this one's certainly worth a few moments of your time.... it's beautiful!

... then remember to get mad as hell with Jenrick, Farage and their hate-filled sycophants. Don't let these bastards dictate the narrative!

Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 3d

British.

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Reposted by Prof. Liz Laycock

Brandon Bishop @brandontbishop.bsky.social · 3d

Every decade, university administrators excite themselves over the prospects of firing all the faculty and 95% of the staff.

Early 2020s: LLMs
Early 2010s: MOOCs
Early 2000s: Wikis

ktb ⧉ @kevinbaker.bsky.social · 3d

In ways that we haven't fully internalized, LLM discourse is reanimating key features of 2004ish Wikipedia discourse.

Department of 🐸™ @porcupunk.bsky.social · 3d

Wow. Just wow.

"Students pay premium prices for information that AI now delivers instantly and for free. A business student can ask ChatGPT to explain supply chain optimization or generate market analysis in seconds. The traditional lecture-and-test model faces its Blockbuster moment."

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Reposted by Prof. Liz Laycock

Rev. Dr. Liz Gloyn @lizgloyn.bsky.social · 6d

So apparently part of the problem with writing a research grant is that it's hard to sound perky about Your Brilliant Idea when you're pretty sure that nobody is interested in Your Brilliant Idea but you'd still quite like to be given some money to curl up in a library thinking about it anyway.

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Reposted by Prof. Liz Laycock

Alice Roberts @profaliceroberts.bsky.social · 6d

Um. There’s a woman presenting this too.

ok.co.uk @ok.co.uk · 12d

Rylan Clark is set to delve into the eerie world of witchcraft in his new show, The Witches Of Essex.

Rylan Clark slams 'misogyny' in British witch hunt as he fronts new Sky show

Rylan Clark shares the spotlight with professor Alice Roberts in The Witches Of Essex, where the pair delve into the dark history of witch hunts - and one discovery rattled Rylan.

www.ok.co.uk

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Reposted by Prof. Liz Laycock

Joe Kassabian @jkass99.bsky.social · 9d

Because when you burn down a house and nobody ever rebuilds it, someone is still forced to live in the ashes

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 10d

Thatcher was born 100 years ago and her reign feels a lifetime away. Why is her effect on the country still so huge? | Martin Kettle

Today’s politicians need to learn that she is not the answer to contemporary problems, says Guardian columnist Martin Kettle

www.theguardian.com

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Prof. Liz Laycock @shulizl.bsky.social · 9d

Chips can be cheery food!

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Reposted by Prof. Liz Laycock

Bradford District Green Party @bradfordgreens.bsky.social · 10d

Don't threaten us with a good time, Daily Express.

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The Alternate Historian @althistorian.bsky.social · 10d

I like how antifa existing in Weimar era Germany is now considered a bad thing by the US government.

This certainly does not portend any problems for us in the future.

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Reposted by Prof. Liz Laycock

Dr Gráinne Nic An tSaoi @justgronya.bsky.social · 11d

I mean, he’s correct. I’ve never wanted to join a political movement more with every attack line that comes from these right wing trash rags.

Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 11d

I'm never actually going to need to write another comment piece again am I?

The right wing shit rags are just going to keep recruiting for us.

Folks - want a better country?

Join.greenparty.org.uk

The party even more dangerous than Starmers labour - UK's answer to Putin's communists

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Reposted by Prof. Liz Laycock

Historic Environment Forum (HEF) @histenvforum.bsky.social · 13d

ICYMI Heritage Counts Indicator Datasets have been updated by Historic England, showing the scale and scope of heritage in England and the key trends impacting heritage. The updated articles are available via the Indicator Data section of HE's website:

Indicator Data: Insights into the historic environment sector | Heritage Counts | Historic England

Each year, Heritage Counts collates datasets about a range of indicators that provide useful insights into the state of the historic environment.

historicengland.org.uk

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Reposted by Prof. Liz Laycock

Simon ⚒️⛩️🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴‍☠️🇪🇺 @sulaco68.bsky.social · 15d

The view from an ANTIFA landing craft June 6th 1944

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Reposted by Prof. Liz Laycock

Timewalkproject @timewalkproject.bsky.social · 15d

Battle of Cable Street was a series of clashes in London's East End, on Sunday 4 October 1936. It was a clash between the Metropolitan Police, sent to protect a march by members of the British Union of Fascists and local mainly Jewish people. The people won.

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Prof. Liz Laycock @shulizl.bsky.social · 15d

Calling all introvert chairs

dr. rehemat 👩🏽‍💻👩🏽‍🔬 @rehemat24.bsky.social · 16d

Here is a conversation starter for your Friday on Bluesky:

What are your top tips and tricks for chairing meetings as an introvert?

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Reposted by Prof. Liz Laycock

In Otter News @in-otter-news.bsky.social · 18d

Feeling stressed? Here are some otters enchanted by a butterfly.

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Reposted by Prof. Liz Laycock

John Bull @garius.bsky.social · 18d

Still the best Royal.

Unofficial BBCNews (World) Bot @bbcnews-world-rss.bsky.social · 18d

Princess Anne visits Ukraine to support child war victims

She meets children displaced from their families and visited a memorial for young people killed during the war.

www.bbc.com

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Prof. Liz Laycock @shulizl.bsky.social · 20d

And a nice long rainy walk for any being dropped off by private vehicle... oh joy.

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MAREcus 👻/ 🏳️‍🌈🇧🇧 @marcusjdl.bsky.social · 24d

The thing about Labour levelling up and giving money to ‘smarten up town centres” is that you can paint a shop all you like but if people have no money to spend in a shop because their bills are too high and shopkeepers can’t afford the rent then your town centre will remain desolate

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Prof. Liz Laycock @shulizl.bsky.social · 23d

Spider bridge
Spider bridge
Does whatever...

Reposted by Prof. Liz Laycock

Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · 27d

Is it really *that hard* to say that it is totally morally wrong to say to people who have come here legally, worked, paid taxes, built their lives here, contributed to Britain, that they have to fuck off now, rather than "unfunded".

Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 27d

Keir Starmer’s spokesperson asked for the PM's response to Nigel Farage’s plan to deport hundreds of thousands of people living and working completely legally in the UK, replies that he thinks it is “unworkable” and “unfunded”.

So his objection is that they’ve got their sums wrong

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Prof. Liz Laycock @shulizl.bsky.social · 28d

Halloween camouflaging for chocs

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Reposted by Prof. Liz Laycock

Shane Claiborne @shaneclaiborne.bsky.social · 28d

Cartoon by @ivan_ehlers

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Prof. Liz Laycock @shulizl.bsky.social · 28d

If you are doing things that Boris doesn't like... keep doing them as far as I'm concerned! The Youth is doing good!

Lee Hurley @hleehurley.com · 29d

This isn't even close to being the most unhinged thing in the Daily Mail today

THE WETTEST GENERATION SINCE THE FLOOD
Today’s youth are too scared to drive, barely drink and many don’t even have sex. And they’re so super sensitive that, shockingly, some would rather a man got shot than say something they found offensive...
Daily Mail 20 Sep 2025 BORIS Johnson @Borisjohnson

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