Leighton Andrews

This is good from former Welsh Govt SpAd Paul Griffiths

t.co/37eYlvK2He

Starmer and Badenoch are handling the far-right march all wrong A look back to the days of Enoch Powell suggests a better model

This is very good from Stephen Bush

on.ft.com/4pq7NHo Starmer and Badenoch are handling the far-right march all wrong

An historical note from me….

Perpetual story of at least the last 60 years, but great for teaching.

An interesting overview from @leightonandrews.bsky.social of the first meetings of the Welsh ‘cabinet’ in 1999 as it sought to navigate its role and working practices amidst the broader infancy, and constitutional complexities, of Welsh devolution

#senedd #devolution

Just read a wonderful quote from James C. Scott on Bourdieu

The first meetings of the Welsh Cabinet May to July 1999

How do new political institutions evolve their practices? I take a look at the first meetings of the Welsh Cabinet in 1999.

ukania.substack.com/p/the-first-...

Transforming Government - new @carr-lse.bsky.social discussion paper on contemporary public sector reform. With @leightonandrews.bsky.social, Roland Koch, Daniel Werfel and Richard Mottram

www.lse.ac.uk/accounting/a...

I have a short essay in this collection on Transforming Government from The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) CARR centre. My theme is ‘Priductive Government’ - and of course, its opposite! @martinlodge.bsky.social

www.lse.ac.uk/accounting/a...

In the US. Other approaches needed elsewhere across diverse regulators.

“We need public debates about AI governance that go beyond technical jargon to examine fundamental questions about power, justice and human agency”

Thanks for sharing this article @leightonandrews.bsky.social👇🏻

Why politicians need to get over their tech insecurity Those in the political sphere should not be ridiculed for asking important questions — even if they do lack technical expertise

on.ft.com/40hM8Gw Why politicians need to get over their tech insecurity

Ukraine is the frontline of European democracy Mick Antoniw MS As Ukraine reaches the three and a half year point since Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, support from the people of Wales has never waned. The war may not be making headline news...

nation.cymru/opinion/ukra...

Universities in England at risk of long-term decline, says British Academy Outgoing president Dame Julia Black calls on ministers to overhaul their ‘confused’ approach to higher education

Not just England

on.ft.com/4ePKVfy Universities in England at risk of long-term decline, says British Academy

New post from me on ukania.substack.com

Lord David Lipsey dies while swimming in River Wye Lord David Lipsey previously worked as a journalist and Downing Street adviser.

Very sad news. I met David a number of times when I worked for the BBC and subsequently. Great mind and commitment to a pragmatic progressive politics.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Now recruiting....recriwtio nawr

#cymraeg

Book cover A house of water by Fflur Dafydd

Just finished this - brilliant, wonderful, lyrical, profound and an unfolding thriller of detection as well;one of the best novels I have read this year and one I will be coming back to; and it's also about #Wales #Cymru - the stories we tell ourselves, and our changing and climate-threatened world.

Better governance ‘could have avoided mass university job cuts’.

Philip Augar proposes union representation on governing boards and vice-chancellor pay reforms.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

The lower Thames crossing would be a very long way behind the need for every city to have a Dutch/Danish level of cycling infrastructure in terms of priority if we were doing proper holistic BCRs.

Overblown infrastructure projects damage lives and imperil democracy. Why is Britain addicted to them? | George Monbiot The Lower Thames Crossing proves the point. It’s a white elephant plan, sucking money from local projects that could actually improve lives, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot

Amidst hyperbole there is a good point in this: successive Governments have prioritised big, risky infrastructure projects over simple maintenance, 10,000 miles of cycle and bus lanes - which would have significantly improved health, the environment and growth.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

LONG READ: Devolution and Constitutional Reform: towards a stable and efficient democratic parliamentary structure - Institute of Welsh Affairs Mick Antoniw MS argues that a constitutional reform and further devolution for Wales are urgently needed to settle the longer term democratic framework for the UK.

www.iwa.wales/agenda/2025/...

The copyright war between the AI industry and creatives We have surely gone beyond being able to give the tech sector the benefit of the doubt

on.ft.com/3TBjc8s The copyright war between the AI industry and creatives

New post from me ukania.substack.com

Working on a post about the Welsh Government in 2008

This was the plan the entire time and it was always going to be targeted towards Democratic run cities. It’s not about law and order. It’s about controlling by force the areas where Trump does not control by ideology.

‘In buying a minority stake in Scale rather than acquiring it outright, Meta is likely seeking to avoid further antitrust scrutiny.’

Indeed. But 49% pretty much gives it control and it still needs that scrutiny.

Pob lwc Aaron Ramsey, paid gorwneud y tacos!!!

Eighty-one years ago today my father went ashore in France as part of the D-Day landings. He was a Signalman.

Against the critics I think New Adventures in HiFi is a great album.

And I would put Green above Monster too.

And there are lots of other good REM albums, Martin!