Shona Buchanan (PeggyB)

UK set to limit refugees to temporary stays Shabana Mahmood is expected to say the era of permanent protection for refugees is over, in major changes to the UK's asylum and immigration system.

This is as bad as anything proposed by Reform.

Leaving refugees in permanent limbo and unable to build a new life in the UK would be a complete abdication of our humanitarian responsibilities

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

a) - anything else renders them unusable, surely.

5 Academy in Exile Fellowships-Deadline Extended, 30 November 2025. Eligibility: scholars with PhD in the humanities, social sciences, law, who are at risk because of their academic work/civic engagement in human rights, democracy, & the pursuit of academic freedom. www.academy-in-exile.eu

YouTube video by TFotF Ian McKellen performs speech about immigrants from Thomas More (23/4/2016)

I'm just going to give the word to Shakespeare, whom this "Island of Strangers" seems to be rather fond of.

A poster for the event, in blue with a picture of a burning police van on the right. The main text reads: Extreme Right Aware 23 May 2025 10am to 3.30pm Waterside Campus Sunley Hotel The extreme right space is fast-changing and complex. What risks does it pose? What draws people to such extremism? How does it cultivate violence and even terrorism? What can be done to tackle it? Updated for 2025, this Extreme Right Aware CPD workshop will explore the history of the extreme right, help you identify extreme-right groups and messaging, and explore how they organise and campaign – including in the online space. The day-long CPD workshop offers an important introduction to those new to this area, will deepen knowledge, and acts as a refresher for those already experienced working on the extreme right. Lunch and refreshments are provided, and parking is available. Tickets are £20, and free tickets are available for charities and educational groups, or as incentives for group bookings. Please contact Dr Daniel Jones at: Daniel.jones@northampton.ac.uk

The Extreme Right Research Network (@errnetwork.bsky.social) has updated its Extreme Right Aware CPD training for 2025. Thanks to funding, tickets are only £20 and we have free tickets we can make available for charities, community groups etc. Led by @pnjackson.bsky.social, on 23rd May 2025.

The little Mouse's back and ears hurt & she couldn't stop shaking. It was difficult to walk, there was something wrong with her foot. The night was scathe-fire, red as hell. Her home, an empty can of Foul Mudammas, was gone. What she saw, what she heard, were ragged swords, fragments so terrible, so wicked, they would not be pieced together in a thousand years. A violent, acrid tempest, untethered screams, shouting, desperate shouting like a sea in storm. One man howling, my beloved, my beloved, my moon, my beloved. There are piles of smouldered fragments. They would not be pieced together in a thousand years. Burnt melted bomb soldered tents, fragments, fragments, fragments of the loved, a rose-pink blanket, soot charring deep in soft knitted folds; coloured pencils, burnt to charcoal, a football sticker book, child-lorn, a sooted rabbit, child-lorn, child-lorn. Where do I go now, whispered the little Mouse, where do I go now. There is no safe home for me, there is no safe home for me, there is no safe home for me.

Beat me to it!

a birthday cake with candles and the words happy birthday to you on it ALT: a birthday cake with candles and the words happy birthday to you on it

And:

Congratulations!
I'd very much like to read your thesis!
I'm researching Mr Punch and C19 childhood, at the moment, as part of mine, and I think we might have some crossover points?
Congrats, again. 👏

New York Times, Jan. 26, 1935.

Posted by @vatniksoup.bsky.social on another platform.

Emergency demonstration at US embassy. Wed 5 March - 5:30pm

Good morning all! 🇺🇦

Please share everywhere. 🙏🏻

Please share. 🙏🏻

Please EU, bonds, frame them as investing your hard earned European savings in Europe, rather than shipping them to America. Just do it, literal trillions available

Absolutely @eddavey.libdems.org.uk

Petition: Grant automatic visa extension and ILR for Ukrainians after 5 years Since Feb 2025, Ukrainians and their eligible family members in the UK have been able to apply for further permission to remain for up to 18 months. We would like the extensions to be automatic and fo...

If you're in the UK you'd like a pause from banging your head on the table in agonised despair & belief, there's this petition.

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/71...

Cuts to UK vaccine funding could lead to ‘huge numbers’ of child deaths overseas Exclusive: Hundreds of thousands of world’s poorest children could die if aid programme slashed, experts warn

Government's decision literally killing children.

"Hundreds of thousands of children in the world’s poorest countries will die if the UK cuts back funding for a hugely effective vaccination programme as part of its significant reduction in overseas aid"

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

a man in a black coat stands in front of a car ALT: a man in a black coat stands in front of a car

Right. Starmer clearly now has to make the exact same statement about standing up to bullies that Hugh Grant did in ‘Love, Actually’.

It’s horrifying that it’s come to this, but as someone with a deep affinity for Europe I feel moved seeing that continent come together to try to save itself in the absence of any meaningful aid from the totalitarian regime that’s in the midst of taking over the United States through an illegal coup

We should, at the very least in honour of Janey!

If he goes to Balmoral, there'll be plenty of Scots there.

The Starmer offer of a state visit now a nightmare.

Glad it's not just me.

We are all Ukrainians now.

Word of the day is ‘huff-snuff’ (16th century): a hectoring bully or braggart.

Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦