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.
Bernie Sanders Lost Vote to Block Arms for Israel, Says U.S. Is “Funding the Starvation of Children in Gaza”
21 November 2024 @ 2:02 am
Sanders’s resolutions to block arms sales to Israel gained momentum, but ran headlong into White House opposition.
The post Bernie Sanders Lost Vote to Block Arms for Israel, Says U.S. Is “Funding the Starvation of Children in Gaza” appeared first on The Intercept.
Senators Have a Chance to Halt Weapons Sales to Israel. Will They Take It?
20 November 2024 @ 3:58 pm
A joint resolution from Sen. Bernie Sanders would block arms sales to Israel. The challenge is convincing Democrats to act.
The post Senators Have a Chance to Halt Weapons Sales to Israel. Will They Take It? appeared first on The Intercept.
White House Staffers to Biden: “You Are Running Out of Time” on Gaza
19 November 2024 @ 7:26 pm
The letter urges President Joe Biden to follow through on an ultimatum his administration issued to Israel over humanitarian aid.
The post White House Staffers to Biden: “You Are Running Out of Time” on Gaza appeared first on The Intercept.
“Absolutely Insane”: Pentagon Officials on Trump’s Military Deportation Plan
19 November 2024 @ 5:23 pm
Trump campaigned on mass deportations. Now he’s threatening to use the U.S. military to carry them out.
The post “Absolutely Insane”: Pentagon Officials on Trump’s Military Deportation Plan appeared first on The Intercept.
Vice’s Hard-Right Turn to Trumpism
19 November 2024 @ 4:34 pm
In new videos, Vice editor-in-chief Shane Smith treats immigrants as a problem and apologizes to Elon Musk for past coverage.
The post Vice’s Hard-Right Turn to Trumpism appeared first on The Intercept.
San Francisco’s Biggest Hospital System: Don’t Talk About Palestine
19 November 2024 @ 1:00 pm
Nine health care workers at UCSF report censorship or punishment for speaking out about human rights for Palestinians — or simply wearing a pin.
The post San Francisco’s Biggest Hospital System: Don’t Talk About Palestine appeared first on The Intercept.
From Campus to the Courts, the “Palestine Exception” Rules University Crackdowns
18 November 2024 @ 7:04 pm
The fights over Gaza protests are playing out online, in campus quads, internal disciplinary proceedings, and in the courts.
The post From Campus to the Courts, the “Palestine Exception” Rules University Crackdowns appeared first on The Intercept.
Take Out the Trash: A Proposal to Clean Up the Democratic Party
18 November 2024 @ 10:00 am
Democrats are in disarray. It’s time to name our enemies and assert our demands to build a party that can win.
The post Take Out the Trash: A Proposal to Clean Up the Democratic Party appeared first on The Intercept.
Trump’s Election Is Also a Win for Tech’s Right-Wing “Warrior Class”
17 November 2024 @ 11:00 am
Silicon Valley has successfully rebranded military contracting as a proud national duty for the industry.
The post Trump’s Election Is Also a Win for Tech’s Right-Wing “Warrior Class” appeared first on The Intercept.
Elon Musk Quietly Tried to Oust a Reform DA. Here’s Why He Failed.
16 November 2024 @ 10:00 am
Reports of the criminal justice reform movement’s death are greatly exaggerated.
The post Elon Musk Quietly Tried to Oust a Reform DA. Here’s Why He Failed. 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.
PMQs verdict: Angela Rayner mounts bullish defence of Labour’s IHT changes
20 November 2024 @ 3:26 pm
The below content first appeared in Politics.co.uk’s Politics@Lunch newsletter, sign-up for free and never miss our daily briefing. Commons convention dictates that when the prime minister is away, the opposition party must also field a deputising figure at PMQs. Given the pace at which Keir Starmer has accumulated air miles in recent weeks — as an... Read more »
The post PMQs verdict: Angela Rayner mounts bullish defence of Labour’s IHT changes appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Labour considering ban on under-16s using social media, technology secretary confirms
20 November 2024 @ 8:30 am
The technology secretary has confirmed Labour is “keeping all options” when it comes to a possible ban on children using social media.
The post Labour considering ban on under-16s using social media, technology secretary confirms appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
UK inflation climbs back above Bank of England target
20 November 2024 @ 7:31 am
Inflation has risen back above the Bank of England’s 2 per cent target after a rise in energy bills, official figures show.
The post UK inflation climbs back above Bank of England target appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
MPs to investigate links between social media algorithms and spread of harmful, false content
20 November 2024 @ 12:01 am
Disorder erupted on England’s streets in July following the spread of misinformation about the fatal stabbing of three young girls.
The post MPs to investigate links between social media algorithms and spread of harmful, false content appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
‘You are not the thought police’, Chris Philp to tell police chief summit
19 November 2024 @ 10:30 pm
The shadow home secretary will call for a change in the rules about the way police handle Non-Crime Hate Incidents (NCHIs).
The post ‘You are not the thought police’, Chris Philp to tell police chief summit appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Kemi Badenoch: Conservatives will reverse cruel, unfair ‘family farms tax’
19 November 2024 @ 6:12 pm
Kemi Badenoch has said the Conservative Party would reverse the so-called “family farms tax” if it returns to government.
The post Kemi Badenoch: Conservatives will reverse cruel, unfair ‘family farms tax’ appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Starmer vs the farmers: what Labour’s latest budget battle is really about
19 November 2024 @ 2:25 pm
The government picked its heroes and villains at the budget last month — and the farmers are fighting back.
The post Starmer vs the farmers: what Labour’s latest budget battle is really about appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Contingency measures in place if farmer protests intensify, minister confirms
19 November 2024 @ 9:25 am
Farmers will take to the streets of London on Tuesday to protest against the government’s inheritance tax plans.
The post Contingency measures in place if farmer protests intensify, minister confirms appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar pledges to reinstate winter fuel payments
19 November 2024 @ 9:14 am
A Scottish Labour government would reinstate the Winter Fuel Payment in Scotland, Anas Sarwar has announced. The move will be seen as a rebuke of the UK Labour government’s decision to scrap payments to most pensioners. Thousands of pensioners are facing losing the allowance this winter after the prime minister confirmed cuts to the winter... Read more »
The post Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar pledges to reinstate winter fuel payments appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
Let’s act now to save British industry and boost growth
19 November 2024 @ 8:15 am
Our manufacturing industries are part of the fabric of the local economies in which they are based, and make significant contributions to national GDP, but they are not operating on a global level playing field. They are unfairly competing with international businesses who can dominate supply chains and produce products without having to worry about... Read more »
The post Let’s act now to save British industry and boost growth 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"
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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"
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theyworkforyou.com
Keeping tabs on the UK’s parliaments & assemblies
TICTeC 2025: call for session proposals now open
20 November 2024 @ 10:04 am
TICTeC will be returning in 2025: 10 & 11 June in Mechelen (Belgium), and online. Registration is open now. This year we are framing our call for session proposals around ‘pro-democracy technology’. This blog post contains information about the audiences, themes, and formats for the conference – and information on how to submit proposals. Read…
Keeping track of citizens assemblies
19 November 2024 @ 12:38 pm
Citizens Assemblies are processes that bring together a representative group of citizens from different walks of life to discuss problems. These can be used to overcome political gridlock and to use diverse perspectives to improve policy approaches. Assemblies in the UK have been held by several of the UK’s Parliaments, by local authorities, NHS Trusts,…
Save the date: Join us in Mechelen (and online) for TICTeC 2025
7 November 2024 @ 10:12 am
The TICTeC conference will be returning next year: on 10 & 11 June 2025 in Mechelen (Belgium), and online. In light of the exceptional political times we’re living through, and that 2025 marks 10 years since TICTeC began, TICTeC 2025 will have a renewed focus on what we’re calling “Pro-Democracy Technology”. TICTeC 2025 will bring…
Pro-democracy tech – reframing civic tech for the current moment
7 November 2024 @ 10:12 am
In how we’re framing TICTeC and our wider work, we’re talking less about civic tech and more about what we’re calling Pro-Democracy Tech (PDT). The reason for this is we’re finding civic tech is a less helpful term for the kind of convening work we want to do. It won the argument of its time, and…
A fairer society and a more sustainable future – with help from PJMF
6 November 2024 @ 11:30 am
We are thrilled that the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation has chosen to support our work for another year, enabling us to put technology and data to use in service of a fairer society and a more sustainable future. This funding will enable us to: Improve our democracy sites to make them more effective in helping…
Better declarations of interest for Parliamentary Questions
31 October 2024 @ 10:41 am
In our WhoFundsThem work, we want to make MPs’ financial interests much easier to understand and more transparent. One of the ways we think our work can make a difference is in highlighting processes that don’t make sense, and prodding Parliament to see what happens. In this case, we’ve noticed an issue in how declarations…
October’s News from the ATI Network
30 October 2024 @ 3:29 pm
All of us working on Access to Information here at mySociety were extremely saddened to hear of the death of Helen Darbishire on October 18th. Helen was one of the key leaders of the Access to Information space, and her tireless enthusiasm and drive to improve transparency around the world – along with her warm…
Helen Darbishire
18 October 2024 @ 3:02 pm
All at mySociety were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Helen Darbishire. We have lost a valued partner, a fellow advocate for transparency and a friend.
Interest disclosures for last week: landlords and tennis
16 October 2024 @ 8:58 am
During debates in Parliament, if an MP has a conflict of interest, they are supposed to disclose this as part of their speech. In practice, many of these disclosures don’t have detail on exactly what the conflict is. As part of our WhoFundsThem work, we are experimenting with a machine learning approach to detect these…
Democracy month notes: October 2024
11 October 2024 @ 10:01 am
Ok, doing these regularly fell apart at *about* when the election happened – but let’s get back on track! WhoFundsThem On the WhoFundsThem work, last week we inducted the 50 volunteers who are going to answer 32 questions for 650 MPs. We’re using the crowdsourcing software we developed for the Council Climate Scorecards with CE…