Peter Whitewood
@pwhitewood.bsky.social
Associate Prof & Head of History @YSJ. Early Soviet history and Stalinism. Working on POWs and the Soviet Red Cross. Occasional drummer https://shorturl.at/LRaWz
Reposted by Peter Whitewood
Very much agree with this. The days when, if pushed, you could wing it as a seminar tutor by relying on a critical mass of students having done the reading and arrived prepared to discuss it are long gone.
One is that teaching university students *well* requires much more work (and frankly, compassion) now than it did when I started nine years ago. 2/
November 29, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Very much agree with this. The days when, if pushed, you could wing it as a seminar tutor by relying on a critical mass of students having done the reading and arrived prepared to discuss it are long gone.
Speaking of lies and economic damage…
November 29, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Speaking of lies and economic damage…
Jesus as fiscal conservative
Kemi Badenoch says welfare spending is unchristian
Kemi Badenoch says welfare spending is unchristian
Kemi Badenoch says welfare spending is unchristian
www.thetimes.com
November 28, 2025 at 11:39 AM
Jesus as fiscal conservative
Reposted by Peter Whitewood
Today's 70% fall in net migration to 205,000 was not one of the six stories in BBC ten o'clock news.
Ta massive assymetry in whether rises in immigration and falls in immigration are considered newsworthy by broadcasters
Down by 140k isn't thought to be.
Up by 140k undoubtedly would be.
Ta massive assymetry in whether rises in immigration and falls in immigration are considered newsworthy by broadcasters
Down by 140k isn't thought to be.
Up by 140k undoubtedly would be.
November 27, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Today's 70% fall in net migration to 205,000 was not one of the six stories in BBC ten o'clock news.
Ta massive assymetry in whether rises in immigration and falls in immigration are considered newsworthy by broadcasters
Down by 140k isn't thought to be.
Up by 140k undoubtedly would be.
Ta massive assymetry in whether rises in immigration and falls in immigration are considered newsworthy by broadcasters
Down by 140k isn't thought to be.
Up by 140k undoubtedly would be.
In a way, you have to admire their optimism
November 27, 2025 at 6:46 PM
In a way, you have to admire their optimism
Reposted by Peter Whitewood
Really good edition of The Briefing Room on Ukraine and the peace deal chaos... www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
The Briefing Room - What's happening with the Ukraine peace plan? - BBC Sounds
Is there a viable peace plan for Ukraine on the table?
www.bbc.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Really good edition of The Briefing Room on Ukraine and the peace deal chaos... www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Reposted by Peter Whitewood
Today's migration stats illustrate the migration doom loop in action...
(from my presentation at the IMF last week)
(from my presentation at the IMF last week)
November 27, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Today's migration stats illustrate the migration doom loop in action...
(from my presentation at the IMF last week)
(from my presentation at the IMF last week)
Reposted by Peter Whitewood
New net migration figures at 930am.
Net migration fell half a million to 344,000 in 2024 from 848k in 2023
56% of people think it went up last year
17% think stayed the same
14% think it went down
2025 figure to be lower again
16% expect that
38% think it will be up
31% about the same
Net migration fell half a million to 344,000 in 2024 from 848k in 2023
56% of people think it went up last year
17% think stayed the same
14% think it went down
2025 figure to be lower again
16% expect that
38% think it will be up
31% about the same
November 27, 2025 at 7:54 AM
New net migration figures at 930am.
Net migration fell half a million to 344,000 in 2024 from 848k in 2023
56% of people think it went up last year
17% think stayed the same
14% think it went down
2025 figure to be lower again
16% expect that
38% think it will be up
31% about the same
Net migration fell half a million to 344,000 in 2024 from 848k in 2023
56% of people think it went up last year
17% think stayed the same
14% think it went down
2025 figure to be lower again
16% expect that
38% think it will be up
31% about the same
Reposted by Peter Whitewood
This is quite a story for English Higher Education policy. #Budget2025
on.ft.com/4ogqPxZ Threshold for repaying student loans to converge with minimum wage
on.ft.com/4ogqPxZ Threshold for repaying student loans to converge with minimum wage
Threshold for repaying student loans to converge with minimum wage
Surprise move from chancellor means some university graduates in England may have to pay back debts sooner
on.ft.com
November 27, 2025 at 7:21 AM
This is quite a story for English Higher Education policy. #Budget2025
on.ft.com/4ogqPxZ Threshold for repaying student loans to converge with minimum wage
on.ft.com/4ogqPxZ Threshold for repaying student loans to converge with minimum wage
Good thing Allister didn’t overreact.
November 26, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Good thing Allister didn’t overreact.
Reposted by Peter Whitewood
‘linking much-needed support for students to international recruitment – an unstable and overworked income stream - is risky and unsustainable. This measure could further weaken universities’
Read our Budget response here www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/news/british...
Read our Budget response here www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/news/british...
The British Academy's response to the Autumn Budget
The British Academy has responded to the Autumn Budget (26 November 2025)
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk
November 26, 2025 at 4:48 PM
‘linking much-needed support for students to international recruitment – an unstable and overworked income stream - is risky and unsustainable. This measure could further weaken universities’
Read our Budget response here www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/news/british...
Read our Budget response here www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/news/british...
Reposted by Peter Whitewood
Total insanity. Deeply illiberal and authoritarian. Snatching people who look different off the street on the off chance they might be illegal. Does Philips realise that this is the language of tyranny?
Trevor Philips in the Times, calling for a Trump/Miller-style of random deportations based on skin colour.
archive.ph/RlXPj
archive.ph/RlXPj
November 24, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Total insanity. Deeply illiberal and authoritarian. Snatching people who look different off the street on the off chance they might be illegal. Does Philips realise that this is the language of tyranny?
The mother of all disguises
November 24, 2025 at 9:34 PM
The mother of all disguises
Reposted by Peter Whitewood
I'd like to see the response to this if the question added "if that that means universities have less money to spend on UK students".
With Rachel Reeves reportedly set to apply a new tax on tuition fees paid by overseas students, most Britons support such a move at the previously mooted level of 6%
Support: 57%
Oppose: 18%
yougov.co.uk/topics/socie...
Support: 57%
Oppose: 18%
yougov.co.uk/topics/socie...
November 24, 2025 at 4:41 PM
I'd like to see the response to this if the question added "if that that means universities have less money to spend on UK students".
Reposted by Peter Whitewood
As I said at the time this was the landmine in the immigration white paper. It will cost unis much more than they're getting from inflationary rises in domestic fees.
i: Reeves to unveil £600m raid on foreign student
university fees #TomorrowsPapersToday
university fees #TomorrowsPapersToday
November 23, 2025 at 10:27 PM
As I said at the time this was the landmine in the immigration white paper. It will cost unis much more than they're getting from inflationary rises in domestic fees.
A relief that university finances are in such good shape
i: Reeves to unveil £600m raid on foreign student
university fees #TomorrowsPapersToday
university fees #TomorrowsPapersToday
November 23, 2025 at 10:31 PM
A relief that university finances are in such good shape
November 22, 2025 at 2:12 PM
They brought it upon themselves of course, but leaving space for Reform is a disaster
November 21, 2025 at 9:25 PM
They brought it upon themselves of course, but leaving space for Reform is a disaster
Finished Cuddy by Benjamin Myers - very good!
Cuddy
**Winner of the Goldsmiths Prize 2023****Shortlisted for the Winston Graham Historical Prize****Chosen as a book of the year 2023 by The Times, Guardian, Telegr…
www.bloomsbury.com
November 20, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Finished Cuddy by Benjamin Myers - very good!
Reposted by Peter Whitewood
'Graduates are overwhelmingly positive about universities – 81 per cent say universities have a positive impact on the nation. Among non-graduates, that figure drops to just 55 per cent.' (Interesting that it's that high). 1/3
The political centre of gravity continues to shift towards higher education sceptics
Graduates and non-graduates are polarised in their views of university study. Steve O’Neil thinks through how the sector can demonstrate its value across the electorate Graduates and non-graduates are...
wonkhe.com
November 17, 2025 at 8:04 AM
'Graduates are overwhelmingly positive about universities – 81 per cent say universities have a positive impact on the nation. Among non-graduates, that figure drops to just 55 per cent.' (Interesting that it's that high). 1/3
One gulp at a time?
November 17, 2025 at 9:58 PM
One gulp at a time?
Nothing says ‘I’m not rich’ like over £1 million in savings…
November 17, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Nothing says ‘I’m not rich’ like over £1 million in savings…
‘Their execution was not the result of espionage or treason, but of Stalin’s growing paranoia.’
it’s easy to say Stalin’s violent behaviour was due to ‘paranoia’, and big history channels often do so. But we’ll simply never know and it’s too straightforward an explanation for the Great Terror.
it’s easy to say Stalin’s violent behaviour was due to ‘paranoia’, and big history channels often do so. But we’ll simply never know and it’s too straightforward an explanation for the Great Terror.
November 16, 2025 at 8:00 PM
‘Their execution was not the result of espionage or treason, but of Stalin’s growing paranoia.’
it’s easy to say Stalin’s violent behaviour was due to ‘paranoia’, and big history channels often do so. But we’ll simply never know and it’s too straightforward an explanation for the Great Terror.
it’s easy to say Stalin’s violent behaviour was due to ‘paranoia’, and big history channels often do so. But we’ll simply never know and it’s too straightforward an explanation for the Great Terror.
Reposted by Peter Whitewood
Governments and voters are both reacting to algorithm-shaped “public opinion,” not grounded priorities. Immigration feels urgent because platforms amplify fear, pulling parties into hollow performances of toughness. The far right reads that drift as confirmation it’s winning.
Not everyone is unhappy about the Government's descent into anti-refugee politics
November 16, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Governments and voters are both reacting to algorithm-shaped “public opinion,” not grounded priorities. Immigration feels urgent because platforms amplify fear, pulling parties into hollow performances of toughness. The far right reads that drift as confirmation it’s winning.