Sameer Padania

Burner phones and lead-lined bags: a history of UK security tactics in China Starmer’s team is wary of spies but such fears are not new – with Theresa May once warned to get dressed under a duvet

“The rest of the advice,” the senior security official said, “was warning middle-aged men that if an attractive young Chinese woman appeared interested in you, she probably wasn’t”.

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

South Korea’s ‘world-first’ AI laws face pushback amid bid to become leading tech power The laws have been criticised by tech startups, which say they go too far, and civil society groups, which say they don’t go far enough

www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

SHERELLE - The Sweatbox - with Tricky - BBC Sounds An icon of UK alternative music shares 30 minutes of selections in the Sweatbox.

I am heartened but not surprised that #Tricky is a fan of #AldousHarding and #ThisIsTheKit:

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

#music

‘You’d be ashamed to bring someone here’: The struggling billionaire-owned high street that shows Reform’s road to No 10 Newton Aycliffe was meant to be a model town for a fairer postwar Britain. But unaffordable rents on a high street amounting to 0.12% of its property tycoon owner’s holdings have made it a symbol of d...

www.theguardian.com/society/ng-i...

"[Contractors] have formally handed back the site - now known as The Standard in honour of its former use by the local #newspaper - & its first residents have started moving in." That heritage would be better honoured by including community #newsrooms (cf @greatergovanhill.com) in such developments.

NEW: Our investigation for @thenerve_news reveals not only that Peter Thiel’s Palantir is completely enmeshed in our critical national infrastructure.

It’s also the ‘cloud support’ for our nuclear weapons system 🤯
1/

www.thenerve.news/p/palantir-t...

Construction workers in hard hats in front of 'The Arcade' building with a sign for 'Power to Change' visible.

🏘️ Discover community-led urbanism in this newly available issue of the Urban Design journal, with examples from department stores, former icons of the high street, repurposed as community hubs, as told by @jesscraig.bsky.social.

Read the issue here: buff.ly/kFbE2Sn

Hello, I have a new book out in the spring with Picador and I would love it if you could help me spread the word.

IF WE TOLERATE THIS draws on years of work, to help readers understand why British politics is hurtling rightwards and what to do about it.

Pre-orders: uk.bookshop.org/p/books/if-w...

In the Chair - Episode 1 - BBC Sounds Maverick reporter George Cragge's retirement is cut short.

You’ve got to admire the chutzpah of whoever programmed a repeat of In The Chair during the Charter Renewal process - ”Charles, this is the BBC! We’re *always* facing a crisis, except when we’re facing a *grave* crisis…”:
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Promotional graphic for a webinar titled "UK Poverty 2026" by JRF, featuring an adult pushing a stroller with a child walking alongside, with a red brick house in the background. Event takes place at 10:30am to midday on Thursday 29th January.

🚨 Last chance to register!

Tomorrow, we'll be hosting a webinar to mark the launch of our UK Poverty 2026 report.

A panel of frontline practitioners and our analysts will discuss the findings and opportunities for action.

Not to be missed!

Sign up now: https://bit.ly/459R16V

I’m legally obliged to post the following:

The Bank Run That Wasn’t: How epistemic failures can lead to national crises, and what we can do about it Demos is Britain’s leading cross-party think-tank. We produce original research, publish innovative thinkers and host thought-provoking events.

🏦⚠️ NEW BLOG | The Bank Run That Wasn’t

In our latest blog, Elizabeth Seger breaks down new Demos research on how the next national information crisis could unfold and how to prevent it, using a hypothetical - yet highly plausible - scenario: a bank run that spirals into economic collapse.

Thanks for reading and sharing the paper!

Interesting trust-signal addition to byline that I had not noticed before:

"Reporting from Paris, Catherine Porter interviewed Philippe Collin four times and spoke to historians and lawmakers about his cultural impact."

This is a problem for politics, business, culture, health, civic life, sports, cohesion, etc etc.

Thoughts?

Why do they hate London so much? We tackle poverty and inequality in London

This degraded information environment also affects how people see our city (and others - think Birmingham, Manchester.) We need to factor in concerns from civic leaders in #London like @mannyhothi.bsky.social of @trustforlondon.bsky.social:

trustforlondon.org.uk/news/why-do-...

No News is Bad News

I've been arguing for a while now that #cities need to take this seriously. It's not just an issue for the news industry, it's not just a market problem:

www.gmfus.org/news/no-news...

How AI is polluting the internet Dispatch editor James Cracknell on the disturbing new trend in artificial intelligence (AI) that threatens to undermine real local journalism

We know how AI is affecting the wider information & news ecosystem - here's James Cracknell in the @enfielddispatch.bsky.social ("written by real, local people, who care about where they live") on a fake local website in North #London.

enfielddispatch.co.uk/how-ai-is-po...

#pinkslime #localnews

Iran protest doctor: ‘In one street, I saw blood pooled in a gutter with a trail stretching several metres’ | Anonymous I’ve worked as a surgeon in disaster zones. Nothing compares to the nightmare I saw in Iran’s hospitals when the state started shooting protesters

www.theguardian.com/global-devel...

I think the balance will shift pretty quickly now... Some I know have already planned to hold formerly US convenings elsewhere. (Mine would have been a board meeting.)

Thank you - and keen to hear your feedback if you have time!

Someone invited me to be part of a good thing there last summer, which required being in the US this Feb. When I brought up the risk of entry &, in time, just being on the street as a PoC, their dismay was very real. I think they knew the direction of travel, but to have a Brit say it was shocking.

As was this! 🥩

(Thanks to @kengray1967.bsky.social who kindly passed me a ticket he couldn’t use.)

Pre-Bridget Christie at the Brighton Dome.

Having not gone to any live #comedy in years and years, saw Bridget Christie last Saturday and unexpectedly seeing Pierre Novellie now…

Actually - it turns out I *could* get there on time… but just me.

Ken, that’s incredibly kind of you and so tempting - I don’t think I can rustle up two pals that quickly and I’m not sure I’d make it there in time for the start…

Bloody hell, @acarv.in.

Can’t help but think back to the birth of all this ~20+ years ago.

Great series so far, @pierrenovellie.bsky.social!

Illuminated - Hearing Aids - BBC Sounds Poet Paul Farley faces up to the fact that it’s time to address his hearing loss.

On hearing aids:

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Kind words for the “excellent & meticulous” #OurBBC report from Tom Chivers over on ex-Twitter: