Refreshingly Independent Politics – smerconish.com is to create a clearinghouse for non-ideological thinking. We want to give people a chance to contribute to, and consume media that isn’t predicated on the usual, extreme talking points of the polarized media. Instead, we aim to promote independent thinking and diversity of thought.
Tag: politics
theintercept.com
The Intercept is an award-winning news organization dedicated to holding mainstream views and misinformation.
Rubio Says Detained Palestinian Stoked Antisemitism. Mahdawi’s Israeli Colleague Says the Opposite.
15 April 2025 @ 11:22 pm
“How can I take anyone seriously talking about Mohsen being antisemitic?" the Israeli colleague said. “They don’t know Mohsen.”
The post Rubio Says Detained Palestinian Stoked Antisemitism. Mahdawi’s Israeli Colleague Says the Opposite. appeared first on The Intercept.
Fetterman Campaign Bleeds Money
15 April 2025 @ 10:05 pm
As he cozies up to Trump and Netanyahu, Sen. John Fetterman brought in less than half his average haul over the last five quarters.
The post Fetterman Campaign Bleeds Money appeared first on The Intercept.
Nobel Winner Joseph Stiglitz Denounces Columbia’s Apparent Capitulation to Trump
15 April 2025 @ 7:36 pm
Stiglitz, perhaps the most renowned Columbia professor, gave an exclusive interview to The Intercept on academic freedom, deportations of students, and more.
The post Nobel Winner Joseph Stiglitz Denounces Columbia’s Apparent Capitulation to Trump appeared first on The Intercept.
Pitt’s Suspension of Pro-Palestine Student Group Violates First Amendment, Says ACLU Lawsuit
15 April 2025 @ 5:21 pm
“Pitt cannot constitutionally put its thumb on one side of the debate by harassing and chilling the pro-Palestinian students.”
The post Pitt’s Suspension of Pro-Palestine Student Group Violates First Amendment, Says ACLU Lawsuit appeared first on The Intercept.
Pete Hegseth Is Gutting Pentagon Programs to Reduce Civilian Casualties
15 April 2025 @ 11:00 am
The defense secretary’s focus on “lethality” could lead to “wanton killing and wholesale destruction and disregard for law,” one Pentagon official said.
The post Pete Hegseth Is Gutting Pentagon Programs to Reduce Civilian Casualties appeared first on The Intercept.
Palestinian Student Leader Was Called In for Citizenship Interview — Then Arrested by ICE
14 April 2025 @ 5:03 pm
A green card holder, Columbia University protest leader Mohsen Mahdawi faced attacks from pro-Israel activists.
The post Palestinian Student Leader Was Called In for Citizenship Interview — Then Arrested by ICE appeared first on The Intercept.
Trump Will Be Long Gone Before Luigi Mangione Faces Execution
14 April 2025 @ 1:30 pm
The Trump administration vows to seek the death penalty “whenever possible.” But federal cases move slowly, and few result in a death sentence at all.
The post Trump Will Be Long Gone Before Luigi Mangione Faces Execution appeared first on The Intercept.
Pentagon Considers Cutting Its Sexual Assault Rules
14 April 2025 @ 11:00 am
On the chopping block is the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program, which tracks sexual violence in the military and supports victims.
The post Pentagon Considers Cutting Its Sexual Assault Rules appeared first on The Intercept.
The Unusual Nonprofit That Helps ICE Spy on Wire Transfers
14 April 2025 @ 10:00 am
A little-known database logs hundreds of millions of wire transfers sent to or from Mexico, Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas.
The post The Unusual Nonprofit That Helps ICE Spy on Wire Transfers appeared first on The Intercept.
The Tesla Takedown Shows How We Can Make Oligarchs Feel the Pain
13 April 2025 @ 10:00 am
The “Tesla Takedown” protests reveal a major vulnerability of the Trump regime.
The post The Tesla Takedown Shows How We Can Make Oligarchs Feel the Pain appeared first on The Intercept.
questioneverything.io
To critically evaluate the global response to COVID-19 and present a series of responsible pandemic exit strategies to help ensure that total harms are minimised.
thefreedomcycle.com/pub/
THE PEOPLE’S UNION OF BRITAIN
Taking back sovereignty through common law.
goodlawproject.org
The Good Law Project is a not-for-profit campaign organisation that uses the law to protect the interests of the public. The Good Law Project fight cases that defend, define or change the law and we use litigation to engage and educate. The Good Law Project challenge abuses of power, exploitation, inequality, and injustice.
whocanivotefor.co.uk
An updated list of candidates you can vote for the up and coming UK elections.
politics.co.uk
Politics news from the UK.
Louise Haigh: ‘NDAs are silencing victims of workplace abuse — urgent reform is needed’
14 April 2025 @ 7:00 am
When you see the term ‘NDAs’ in the title of this article, many readers will likely conjure up Hollywood scandals or corporate boardroom dramas. But the reality is far more disturbing, and much closer to home. It is vital that we dispel the many misconceptions about this legal tool and lay bare how it has... Read more »
The post Louise Haigh: ‘NDAs are silencing victims of workplace abuse — urgent reform is needed’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Michael Gove awarded peerage in Sunak’s resignation honours list
11 April 2025 @ 1:16 pm
Michael Gove is among several former cabinet ministers to be given a seat in the House of Lords in Rishi Sunak’s resignation honours list. The former levelling up secretary served in the cabinets of four prime ministers before standing down as an MP ahead of last July’s general election. A rare constant across the fourteen... Read more »
The post Michael Gove awarded peerage in Sunak’s resignation honours list appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Leigh Ingham: ‘No child should be denied the opportunity to benefit from sport and PE’
11 April 2025 @ 7:30 am
“Exercise doesn’t just chemically make you feel good — it’s great for socialising, raising self-esteem and coping with losing.” These are the words of a young constituent of mine, Tane, who wrote to me after I met him at Sir Graham Balfour School in Stafford. It was his ideas that inspired my recent Backbench Business... Read more »
The post Leigh Ingham: ‘No child should be denied the opportunity to benefit from sport and PE’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Kemi Badenoch opens door to Conservative deals with Reform UK at local level
10 April 2025 @ 9:13 am
Kemi Badenoch has appeared to condone the prospect of Conservative councillors forming coalitions with local counterparts in Reform UK. The Conservative leader has consistently ruled out any national deal with Reform, citing leader Nigel Farage’s pledge to “destroy” the Tories. But Badenoch has now suggested that the picture is different for Conservatives at a local... Read more »
The post Kemi Badenoch opens door to Conservative deals with Reform UK at local level appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Ben Goldsborough: ‘If you care about British farming, don’t fall for Reform UK’s dangerous delusion’
10 April 2025 @ 7:00 am
We’ve all been there growing up — desperate to fit in with the cool kids. You laugh at their jokes, pretend to like things you don’t, and say whatever you think will get you a seat at the table. Most of us grow out of it. We learn that real respect comes from being genuine,... Read more »
The post Ben Goldsborough: ‘If you care about British farming, don’t fall for Reform UK’s dangerous delusion’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Johanna Baxter: ‘There can be no true peace in Ukraine without the return of the children Putin has stolen’
10 April 2025 @ 7:00 am
Imagine every seat at the O2 Arena in London filled by a child. Now, imagine an invading force stealing every single one of those children, deporting them from their homeland, sending them to re-education camps, forcing them to live with the very same invading soldiers, and even conscripting them to fight against the country they... Read more »
The post Johanna Baxter: ‘There can be no true peace in Ukraine without the return of the children Putin has stolen’ appeared first on
Tom Gordon: ‘Adoption breakdown in the UK is a silent crisis demanding urgent reform’
9 April 2025 @ 7:15 am
Adoption is often viewed as the happy ending in a child’s journey through trauma and instability, but for many families across the UK, it marks the beginning of a far more complex and challenging chapter. The issue of adoption breakdown — when adopted children leave the family home prematurely — is a crisis that continues... Read more »
The post Tom Gordon: ‘Adoption breakdown in the UK is a silent crisis demanding urgent reform’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Gavin Williamson: ‘The time to recognise Somaliland is now — before it’s too late’
9 April 2025 @ 7:00 am
The worldwide recognition of Somaliland cannot be ignored for even a second longer. Somalia is a failed state. The president is already proving a liability — failing to combat terrorism, lawlessness on the streets, and presiding over an appalling human rights record. Baseless and damaging claims regarding the legitimacy of critical infrastructure such as Berbera... Read more »
The post Gavin Williamson: ‘The time to recognise Somaliland is now — before it’s too late’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Senior Labour MP calls for fiscal rules to be revised ahead of Starmer grilling
8 April 2025 @ 1:04 pm
It’s the last day of term here in Westminster, with MPs set to head off for Easter recess this afternoon. The House will return on 22 April with campaigning ahead of the local elections in full swing. Having chaired cabinet this morning, Keir Starmer is due for the usual pre-recess Q&A at the liaison committee... Read more »
The post Senior Labour MP calls for fiscal rules to be revised ahead of Starmer grilling appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Streeting warns Trump tariffs could ‘disrupt’ UK medicine supply
8 April 2025 @ 7:37 am
The production and supply of medicines could be impacted by the tariffs placed on the UK, the health secretary has warned. Wes Streeting said Britain “already had issues with medicines production and supply internationally” but warned that this could be made worse by the 10 per cent tariffs imposed by the US. Speaking to Sky... Read more »
The post Streeting warns Trump tariffs could ‘disrupt’ UK medicine supply appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
artsparty.org.uk
Introducing arts thinking into politics and promoting creative, scientific and evidence based ideas that improve the lives of as many people as possible, while mindful of the few.
Arts Party Conference 2019
16 August 2019 @ 9:30 am
The Arts Party welcomes it’s first party conference from the heart of where water meets dirt, Brighton. We will be hosting debates for purposes of socialising, conversation and recreation. Located in Camelford Street, Brighton, BN2 1TQ, United Kingdom. All are welcome to attend, please use the contact form below to register your interest. [Fully booked]
The post Arts Party Conference 2019 appeared first on ARTS PARTY.
Dinner for few
9 June 2019 @ 12:41 pm
A short and stark reminder of the state of play in politics today/yesterday. Thanks to a Dinner for a few, award winner from Nassos Vakalis. DINNER FOR FEW from Nassos Vakalis on Vimeo.
The post Dinner for few appeared first on ARTS PARTY.
Scotland takes steps to put culture at the forefront of policy-making
6 July 2018 @ 9:31 am
A CULTURE STRATEGY FOR SCOTLAND – reflecting the past, challenging the present, shaping the future . The strategy seeks to stimulate a step change that will bring about a shift in how society and government view and value culture. It aims to build collaborative alliances that will help to realise the full potential of culture …
Continue reading "Scotland takes steps to put culture at the forefront of policy-making"
The post Scotland takes steps to put culture at the forefront of policy-making appeared first on ARTS PARTY.
Arts teachers in decline
5 July 2018 @ 9:35 am
As well as a fall in teaching hours, the arts has lost almost a quarter (9000) of teachers working in secondary schools in England since 2011. Sourced from https://www.artsprofessional.co.uk/news/arts-teacher-numbers-plummet-almost-quarter
The post Arts teachers in decline appeared first on ARTS PARTY.
Why the Arts Matter
12 May 2018 @ 7:11 am
We’ve come across a great graphic that really sums up why the Arts matter – enjoy!
The post Why the Arts Matter appeared first on ARTS PARTY.
Creativity and politics
17 April 2018 @ 11:19 am
Heather McGhee talks about the influence that music, film, and other arts can have on social change. https://thecreativeindependent.com/people/heather-mcghee-on-creativity-and-politics/
The post Creativity and politics appeared first on ARTS PARTY.
Why is creativity the most important political concept of the 21st century?
17 April 2018 @ 11:15 am
There is no concept more politically important today than creativity. I’ll give four reasons why but first a definition. ‘Creative’ has narrow, broader and even broader connotations in English. It’s the last of these we should be most interested in. The narrow meaning immediately leads one to think of activities directly associated with the arts. …
Continue reading "Why is creativity the most important political concept of the 21st century?"
The post Why is creativity the most important political concept of the 21st century? appeared first on ARTS PARTY.
Arts can help children avoid a lifetime of gang crime
14 April 2018 @ 11:05 am
Andria Zafirakou, who won the $1million title in Dubai last month, said subjects such as art, music and drama can transform the lives of vulnerable young people and give them the confidence to walk away from gangs. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/education/arts-can-help-children-avoid-a-lifetime-of-gang-crime-says-1m-prizewinning-teacher-a3813071.html
The post Arts can help children avoid a lifetime of gang crime appeared first on ARTS PARTY.
Creativity and the arts in decline
1 February 2018 @ 11:34 am
Creative arts subjects are being cut back in many secondary schools in England, a BBC survey suggests. More than 1,200 schools responded – over 40% of secondary schools. Of the schools that responded, nine in every 10 said they had cut back on lesson time, staff or facilities in at least one creative arts subject. …
Continue reading "Creativity and the arts in decline"
The post Creativity and the arts in decline appeared first on ARTS PARTY.
Drawing the Future
20 January 2018 @ 10:34 am
A report launched by Education and Employers and found that children’s career aspirations only marginally differ from age 7 to age 17. It also showed that some sectors vital for economic health look set to be badly under-resourced in future. In the biggest survey of its kind, primary school children aged seven to 11 were …
Continue reading "Drawing the Future"
The post Drawing the Future appeared first on ARTS PARTY.
theyworkforyou.com
Keeping tabs on the UK’s parliaments & assemblies
News from the ATI Network – March 2025
3 April 2025 @ 1:05 pm
Here is our monthly round-up of news from the transparency organisations in the ATI Network. This month, we have updates from Spain, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Croatia, Hungary, Greece, South Africa and Latin America. What a global hum of transparency activity! Access Info Europe have brought a joint legal challenge against the European Commission’s new…
Legal reform of FOI laws in France
2 April 2025 @ 2:18 pm
These are notes from a recent ‘fireside chat’ held by the ATI Network. For the sake of frank conversation and knowledge exchange, the session was not recorded, but you can read on for the main points. Laurent and Xavier from the French Alaveteli site MaDada were talking about their learning process from working with Access…
TICTeC 2025: schedule now live
1 April 2025 @ 10:01 am
If you’ve been holding off from booking your place at TICTeC until the full schedule is announced, this is your sign to act! You can now see all the sessions, together with info on who’ll be presenting and what they’ll be talking about on the TICTeC 2025 page. We’ve already introduced our amazing keynotes, Fernanda…
Devolved parliamentary registers of interest now on TheyWorkForYou
27 March 2025 @ 8:45 am
At the start of the month we made a major update to TheyWorkForYou coverage of registers of interests. This added enhanced registers of election donations and gifts (using volunteers to add more details and summaries to disclosures made after the last election) and a highlighted interests page. We have also released a major report looking…
A county council’s view of the Scorecards
26 March 2025 @ 9:12 am
The Council Climate Action Scorecards were recently mentioned in East Sussex County Council’s Written Questions (see question 12, on the council’s score for mitigation and adaptation). When we spot that the Scorecards are helping to inform councils’ conversations like this, we often make contact to find out more. East Sussex were happy to fill us…
Volunteering for Scorecards opens new possibilities
25 March 2025 @ 9:58 am
The Council Climate Action Scorecards project, which assesses local councils on their climate action, is only possible thanks to a large number of people who give up their time to volunteer. Their job is to source and analyse data from a variety of places, analysing more than 40 different possible pieces of climate action that…
Making FixMyStreet and FixMyStreet Pro more accessible
14 March 2025 @ 9:09 am
Our front-end designer Lucas Cumsille Montesinos highlights some of the work he’s been doing recently to make FixMyStreet and all integrated co-branded versions of the service running on FixMyStreet Pro more accessible – a crosspost from the SocietyWorks blog. ___ Over the past year we have been collaborating with users of FixMyStreet and FixMyStreet Pro…
Updating TheyWorkForYou’s voting summaries
13 March 2025 @ 9:04 am
Last year we undertook a major overhaul of our approach to the voting record summaries on TheyWorkForYou. This was aimed at creating a sharper and clearer throughline to the summaries, supported by updated explanations of parliamentary voting. We have just made the first update to our voting summaries of the new Parliament, with the information…
mySociety’s democracy work in 2025
13 March 2025 @ 9:03 am
Over the next few months we’re making some major updates to TheyWorkForYou improving our coverage of registers of interests, votes, and the email alerts system. If you’d like to be updated as things are released, please sign up to our newsletter. What do you value about TheyWorkForYou and our democracy work? We want to understand…
News from the ATI Network – Feb 2025
6 March 2025 @ 1:46 pm
February has been a whirlwind but we’re back deep in TICTeC organisation and looking forward to the sunny summer sun in Belgium in June. Let’s see what the network have been up to this month! FragDenStaat: are promoting the use of FOI to counter the activities and disinformation spread by the far right movement in…