Sherrill Stroschein

Raise £12bn in budget by extending income tax thresholds freeze, says thinktank Fabian Society says move ‘best available option’ for chancellor as she seeks to offset impact of weaker economic forecasts

I don't understand why the simplest solution is not higher taxes on those earning above £100,000.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

While I am at it, at least respond to review requests. You can say "no" or "unavailable." Bonus points if you suggest alternative reviewers.

Not responding at all is just rude. It takes time to select appropriate reviewers.

Journal editor hat on.
Several agreed reviewers have gone completely awol, no response.
If you don't want to review, don't agree to.
If something changes and you can't, tell the editor.

No, I am not interested in how bad the journal model is. We know.
Colleagues are trying to publish their work.

NEJM and public health group are launching rival to CDC’s MMWR publication Two institutions are coming together to create an alternative to the CDC’s vaunted Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

As trust in the federal government's stewardship of US public health infrastructure plummets, NEJM and CIDRAP are launching a rival publication to the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Story by @aniloza.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2025/10/21/c...

Temulkuran notes that there is a point when normal conversations become impossible.

I found this recently in an attempt at dialogue. What if the essence of a political ideology includes rudeness to opponents as part of its core? Or their elimination as a key premise?

Dialogue is then impossible.

The key issue is the lack of funding obviously but I think the situation is made worse in Humanities and Social Sciences by Universities pushing their staff to apply regardless of whether it's needed or useful

This then clogs up the system and blocks research that genuinely requires funding

the funding model of STEM being applied to humanities and critical social sciences where, a lot of research doesn't require large external funding. when "grant capture" itself becomes a performance metric, people are essentially forced to create budgets that aren't even needed to produce

Today, Mike Johnson will keep the House adjourned for the 81st day out of the last 93.

12 days of work in over 3 months.

With full pay and benefits.

The senate has been working, so this is not about the shutdown.

It is about avoiding a vote to release the Epstein files.

Government says people just disappointed with pace of change

The AI government

👩‍🏫SUPPORT

"There has been too much talk about 'fear' and 'anxiety' as if worrying that Covid might kill you or your vulnerable relative is... a mental health problem rather than unaddressed risk to physical health."

8/

"Clean air is just as important as healthy school lunches and safe playground equipment."

"Clean air needs an evangelist... Chair, we ask you to be that evangelist!"

"This could end up being the most important thing the inquiry recommends for public health."

7/

⚠️SAFETY
"There is good evidence that many schools can be made safer for Clinically Vulnerable children and those in Clinically Vulnerable families. In fact, for all children."

Ventilation is uncontroversial!

2/

CVF💙💜💗's Closing Statement

⚠️SAFETY
- Schools must be made safe.

👩‍🏫SUPPORT
- Children must be given appropriate support to continue their education at home.

🛡️STATUS
- Clinical Vulnerability must be recognised as a distinct group in the Equality Act.

1/
@adamwagner1.bsky.social KC

a heading saying "Funding", underneath which I have written "Good god.", before unpacking how badly this white paper scuffs on meaningful change.

This is really good on the disaster that is UK government university policy.

"Amazing result for Plaid Cymru, so here's a guest from Reform anyway..."

After submitting a FOIA request UKRI, I obtained success rates by three grant call scheme and I can only say that I am disheartened by the results:

- AHRC Responsive Mode 2025: 2%
- ESRC New Investigator Grant 2025: 1%
- ESRC Research Grant Round 2025: 1%

UKHE is broken.
Academic staff are expected to gain grant funding as part of the requirements for promotion.
We're being made redundant across the UK, we can't get grant funding, we can't get promotion, our work loads continue to increase.
Why would anyone want to come into the sector now?

Plaid Cymru won the Caerphilly by-election overnight, with Reform pushing Labour into a distant third.

Plaid got 47% of the vote on a record turnout, suggesting to me that there was some tactical voting to keep Reform out, which won 36%.

A factor that could be underpriced in a general election.

No- one wants a Reform Government. Country is sick of Fascists. Labour need to take note and the British media who keep shoving Farage down our throats.

Caerphilly byelection result live: Plaid Cymru beats challenge from Reform UK to win pivotal Welsh parliament vote Lindsay Whittle seized the Senedd constituency from Labour and resisted a fierce challenge from Reform UK

www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...

Ed Luce watching democracy die in the United States of America

Kind of ironic that a discursive strategy which seems to be built around an attempt to mirror public opinion is alienating people so much

📸✈️Today’s instantly iconic photo of Hungary’s opposition rally on the anniversary of the 1956 anti-Soviet revolution was taken by a passenger on a Frankfurt–Budapest
@ryanairofficial.bsky.social flight.

You can see Budapest's Heroes’ Square and Andrássy Avenue packed with around 160,000 people.

Federal Action Reporting Form Federal Action Reporting Form Please use this form to share information regarding federal government action in New York state. Filing a complaint does not start

BREAKING: Letitia James has announced a Government portal for Videos and images of ICE Agents who may have committed crimes.

Please Use it and SHARE!

ag.ny.gov/federal-acti...

Also: Dem leadership HAVE to do more to talk about this.

It's not just an abstract symbol; he's desecrating the East Wing so he can dominate history for sport. Make people feel that loss.

“.. It’s not his house. It’s your house. And he’s destroying it.”

@politico.com
www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

This is gone now. The East Wing lobby two years ago.

It’s racist, it’s extremist and it’s immoral The right is still calling for deportations, and the government is still being cowardly about it. Also: London’s first green belt; some notes on a shark; and some news, on my next book.

"The idea of deporting people with settled status is disgusting, and anyone proposing it should be immediately drummed out of polite society. Breaking promises made in good faith to our friends and neighbours is racist, extremist and immoral."

I'm basically shouting at the sky here, but still.

There is no difference between Trump destroying the East Wing and using a wrecking ball on the Washington Monument or Smithsonian. Just because he (temporarily) lives there doesn't give him the right to demolish the White House without Congressional approval.