Cllr Dr Alex Powell
@apowelllaw.bsky.social
Oxford City Councillor and Associate Professor in Law at the University of Warwick. Research: gender, sexuality, law; migration; legal theory; and law and popular culture. Views my own, obviously.
Pinned
Promoted by and on behalf of Alex Powell (Oxfordshire Green Party), 12A Merlin Road, Oxford OX4 6EP.
Oxford public toilets are a real concern. Obviously, local authorities are really stretched. But public toilets are a vital service and we need to do more to ensure they are accessible and appropriately looked after.
Oxford has the fifth highest number of dirty public toilets according to a new report. York, Bath and Cambridge topped the chart. The report was based on google reviews for public toilets.
www.businesswaste.co.uk/news/which-u...
www.businesswaste.co.uk/news/which-u...
November 10, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Oxford public toilets are a real concern. Obviously, local authorities are really stretched. But public toilets are a vital service and we need to do more to ensure they are accessible and appropriately looked after.
One day, Labour will learn that triangulation is an excellent way to piss everyone off while not actually achieving the policy goal you initially needed to achieve. Those angry at tax rises will be angry either way, the compromise is a worthless saving up of future pain.
There’s nothing wrong with it as a policy, other than it just raises much, *much* less money than just raising income tax. And Labour needs to be one and done with tax rises. The way they’re doing this…won’t raise enough.
I’m with Vince.
And 2p on income tax plus 2p off NICS to raise £6bn feels like being hung for half a lamb.
www.ft.com/content/9e56...
And 2p on income tax plus 2p off NICS to raise £6bn feels like being hung for half a lamb.
www.ft.com/content/9e56...
November 8, 2025 at 12:36 PM
One day, Labour will learn that triangulation is an excellent way to piss everyone off while not actually achieving the policy goal you initially needed to achieve. Those angry at tax rises will be angry either way, the compromise is a worthless saving up of future pain.
Reposted by Cllr Dr Alex Powell
Just one week left to register for my book launch event at the University of Oxford. 📖🎉
This study drew on queer method and theory to explore casual forms of sex work in the digital era. 💷📲
While focusing on post-identity, I highlight overlaps between movements for LGBTQ+ and sex worker rights. 🌈☂️
This study drew on queer method and theory to explore casual forms of sex work in the digital era. 💷📲
While focusing on post-identity, I highlight overlaps between movements for LGBTQ+ and sex worker rights. 🌈☂️
📚🏳️🌈 Join us to celebrate the publication of Dr @maxmorris.bsky.social's book 'Not Sex Work' - a study of the parallel histories and intersecting politics of LGBTQ+ communities and sex workers.
🗓️ 5pm, 14 November
🎙️🥂 Talk followed by drinks reception
RSVP now ➡️ forms.office.com/e/6p7hXxd8AQ
🗓️ 5pm, 14 November
🎙️🥂 Talk followed by drinks reception
RSVP now ➡️ forms.office.com/e/6p7hXxd8AQ
November 7, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Just one week left to register for my book launch event at the University of Oxford. 📖🎉
This study drew on queer method and theory to explore casual forms of sex work in the digital era. 💷📲
While focusing on post-identity, I highlight overlaps between movements for LGBTQ+ and sex worker rights. 🌈☂️
This study drew on queer method and theory to explore casual forms of sex work in the digital era. 💷📲
While focusing on post-identity, I highlight overlaps between movements for LGBTQ+ and sex worker rights. 🌈☂️
I have no comprehension of the political logic of doing a 'pre-budget speech'. Pitch rolling is something you would do years out, why would you create additional headline days about breaking your promises (even if breaking them is the right thing to do)?
Labour is politically brain dead.
Labour is politically brain dead.
November 4, 2025 at 8:14 AM
I have no comprehension of the political logic of doing a 'pre-budget speech'. Pitch rolling is something you would do years out, why would you create additional headline days about breaking your promises (even if breaking them is the right thing to do)?
Labour is politically brain dead.
Labour is politically brain dead.
I am generally not keen on protesting outside of people's homes. But anyone who values an autonomous public sphere should be worried by this government's pervasive attempts to legislate protest out of public life. This kind of thing is the definition of creeping authoritarianism.
Exc - Activists could be jailed for six months for protesting outside MPs’ homes
New amendment laid by government tonight will toughen laws on protests outside private homes of public officials
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
New amendment laid by government tonight will toughen laws on protests outside private homes of public officials
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Activists could be jailed for six months for protesting outside MPs’ homes
Law aimed at tackling harassment will criminalise protests outside homes of MPs in England and Wales amid rise in complaints
www.theguardian.com
November 3, 2025 at 8:43 PM
I am generally not keen on protesting outside of people's homes. But anyone who values an autonomous public sphere should be worried by this government's pervasive attempts to legislate protest out of public life. This kind of thing is the definition of creeping authoritarianism.
Reposted by Cllr Dr Alex Powell
It was an absolute pleasure to act, alongside Katie Jukes, as Guest Editor for the Queer Judgment focused special section of Amicus Curiae 7:1
The whole issue is available open access and available at the link below!
lnkd.in/g_ZyaV3v
The whole issue is available open access and available at the link below!
lnkd.in/g_ZyaV3v
November 3, 2025 at 3:45 PM
It was an absolute pleasure to act, alongside Katie Jukes, as Guest Editor for the Queer Judgment focused special section of Amicus Curiae 7:1
The whole issue is available open access and available at the link below!
lnkd.in/g_ZyaV3v
The whole issue is available open access and available at the link below!
lnkd.in/g_ZyaV3v
It was an absolute pleasure to act, alongside Katie Jukes, as Guest Editor for the Queer Judgment focused special section of Amicus Curiae 7:1
The whole issue is available open access and available at the link below!
lnkd.in/g_ZyaV3v
The whole issue is available open access and available at the link below!
lnkd.in/g_ZyaV3v
November 3, 2025 at 3:45 PM
It was an absolute pleasure to act, alongside Katie Jukes, as Guest Editor for the Queer Judgment focused special section of Amicus Curiae 7:1
The whole issue is available open access and available at the link below!
lnkd.in/g_ZyaV3v
The whole issue is available open access and available at the link below!
lnkd.in/g_ZyaV3v
Reposted by Cllr Dr Alex Powell
This is absolutely right. Anxiety is a common response to tragedies. But the reality is that UK trains are overwhelmingly safe (far safer than, for example, roads). Immediate policy responses to individual tragedies are rarely effective and have huge unintended consequences.
Heidi Alexander, the transport secretary, rules out metal detecting arches at stations, pointing out that with the number of stations and entrances to each it's basically impossible. She says that overall, UK trains are a pretty safe place to be.
November 3, 2025 at 9:51 AM
This is absolutely right. Anxiety is a common response to tragedies. But the reality is that UK trains are overwhelmingly safe (far safer than, for example, roads). Immediate policy responses to individual tragedies are rarely effective and have huge unintended consequences.
This is absolutely right. Anxiety is a common response to tragedies. But the reality is that UK trains are overwhelmingly safe (far safer than, for example, roads). Immediate policy responses to individual tragedies are rarely effective and have huge unintended consequences.
Heidi Alexander, the transport secretary, rules out metal detecting arches at stations, pointing out that with the number of stations and entrances to each it's basically impossible. She says that overall, UK trains are a pretty safe place to be.
November 3, 2025 at 9:51 AM
This is absolutely right. Anxiety is a common response to tragedies. But the reality is that UK trains are overwhelmingly safe (far safer than, for example, roads). Immediate policy responses to individual tragedies are rarely effective and have huge unintended consequences.
Reposted by Cllr Dr Alex Powell
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Ah I see so while the gov was fining universities for trying to prevent people harassing trans people, all in the name of free speech, this was happening
Ah I see so while the gov was fining universities for trying to prevent people harassing trans people, all in the name of free speech, this was happening
UK university halted human rights research after pressure from China
Exclusive: Leading professor at Sheffield Hallam was told to cease research on supply chains and forced labour in China after demands from authorities
www.theguardian.com
November 3, 2025 at 8:42 AM
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Ah I see so while the gov was fining universities for trying to prevent people harassing trans people, all in the name of free speech, this was happening
Ah I see so while the gov was fining universities for trying to prevent people harassing trans people, all in the name of free speech, this was happening
Remember, while the UK government prattled on about 'cancel culture' they cultivated the real threats to academic freedom. Forcing universities to be dependent on internationalization through broken funding models and failing academic staff.
www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bbc....
www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bbc....
China intimidated UK university to ditch human rights research, documents show - BBC News
Sheffield Hallam University apologises to Professor Laura Murphy for restricting her academic freedom.
www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org
November 3, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Remember, while the UK government prattled on about 'cancel culture' they cultivated the real threats to academic freedom. Forcing universities to be dependent on internationalization through broken funding models and failing academic staff.
www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bbc....
www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bbc....
It is perhaps indicative of how effectively the congestion charge is working in Oxford City that my bus this morning had to hold at 4 different stops to regularise the service to the timetable. It's night and day from the bus experience of Cowley road prior to introduction.
November 3, 2025 at 8:11 AM
It is perhaps indicative of how effectively the congestion charge is working in Oxford City that my bus this morning had to hold at 4 different stops to regularise the service to the timetable. It's night and day from the bus experience of Cowley road prior to introduction.
Reposted by Cllr Dr Alex Powell
Next time someone tells you that train drivers "just push buttons" show them this from the BBC
November 2, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Next time someone tells you that train drivers "just push buttons" show them this from the BBC
The instrumental use of tragedy to exacerbate social division and generate antipathy towards groups (who often have no role in the events) is pretty much the 101 toolkit for fascist organizing. Those using yesterday's tragedy are telling us all exactly who they are.
November 2, 2025 at 12:32 PM
The instrumental use of tragedy to exacerbate social division and generate antipathy towards groups (who often have no role in the events) is pretty much the 101 toolkit for fascist organizing. Those using yesterday's tragedy are telling us all exactly who they are.
Enjoyed a peaceful walk around Lund today before heading back to the UK. It has been a really enriching couple of days discussing queer asylum globally.
November 1, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Enjoyed a peaceful walk around Lund today before heading back to the UK. It has been a really enriching couple of days discussing queer asylum globally.
Reposted by Cllr Dr Alex Powell
And I am so excited to be on a panel with the brilliant @apowelllaw.bsky.social and the amazing @rainbowmigration.bsky.social tomorrow!
October 30, 2025 at 4:31 PM
And I am so excited to be on a panel with the brilliant @apowelllaw.bsky.social and the amazing @rainbowmigration.bsky.social tomorrow!
Reposted by Cllr Dr Alex Powell
Thank you to @thediegogarcia.bsky.social, @riekeschroeder.bsky.social, Sophia Zisakou, and Calogero Giametta for organizing a fabulous conference. Check out the programme, and look up these researchers, advocates, and/or practitioners!
www.soclaw.lu.se/en/3rd-inter...
www.soclaw.lu.se/en/3rd-inter...
3rd International Queer(y)ing Asylum Symposium
Lund University.
www.soclaw.lu.se
October 30, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Thank you to @thediegogarcia.bsky.social, @riekeschroeder.bsky.social, Sophia Zisakou, and Calogero Giametta for organizing a fabulous conference. Check out the programme, and look up these researchers, advocates, and/or practitioners!
www.soclaw.lu.se/en/3rd-inter...
www.soclaw.lu.se/en/3rd-inter...
Reposted by Cllr Dr Alex Powell
Wonderful to be at Lund University for the Queer(y)ing Asylum symposium 2025.
looking forward to presenting my paper 'Performative Cruelty: Far-Right Logics and the UK Asylum system' tomorrow.
looking forward to presenting my paper 'Performative Cruelty: Far-Right Logics and the UK Asylum system' tomorrow.
October 30, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Wonderful to be at Lund University for the Queer(y)ing Asylum symposium 2025.
looking forward to presenting my paper 'Performative Cruelty: Far-Right Logics and the UK Asylum system' tomorrow.
looking forward to presenting my paper 'Performative Cruelty: Far-Right Logics and the UK Asylum system' tomorrow.
Wonderful to be at Lund University for the Queer(y)ing Asylum symposium 2025.
looking forward to presenting my paper 'Performative Cruelty: Far-Right Logics and the UK Asylum system' tomorrow.
looking forward to presenting my paper 'Performative Cruelty: Far-Right Logics and the UK Asylum system' tomorrow.
October 30, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Wonderful to be at Lund University for the Queer(y)ing Asylum symposium 2025.
looking forward to presenting my paper 'Performative Cruelty: Far-Right Logics and the UK Asylum system' tomorrow.
looking forward to presenting my paper 'Performative Cruelty: Far-Right Logics and the UK Asylum system' tomorrow.
Can't be doing with this twilight at 4.30 nonsense. Now for the joyous part of the year where both components of my commute are in darkness!
October 26, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Can't be doing with this twilight at 4.30 nonsense. Now for the joyous part of the year where both components of my commute are in darkness!
It genuinely staggers me how you can have departments of hundreds of people and this kind of utterly idiotic incompetence happens. This kind of issue was so obvious to anyone with even the most moderate comprehension of the UK as being beyond just England...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
NI parents caught in UK crackdown lose child benefit after travelling via Dublin
Exclusive: new anti-fraud system fails to account for fact many return to country via airport in Irish capital
www.theguardian.com
October 26, 2025 at 1:18 PM
It genuinely staggers me how you can have departments of hundreds of people and this kind of utterly idiotic incompetence happens. This kind of issue was so obvious to anyone with even the most moderate comprehension of the UK as being beyond just England...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Reposted by Cllr Dr Alex Powell
Delighted to share that I'll be doing a book launch in the Department of Sociology at the University of Oxford, 5pm Friday 14th November (three weeks away).
This @sociologyoxford.bsky.social talk will be followed by a drinks reception. All welcome; RSVP here:
www.sociology.ox.ac.uk/event/book-l...
This @sociologyoxford.bsky.social talk will be followed by a drinks reception. All welcome; RSVP here:
www.sociology.ox.ac.uk/event/book-l...
Book Launch: Not Sex Work - Queer Intimacy, Post-identity, and Incidental Encounters in the Digital Era
Max Morris, Oxford Brookes University
www.sociology.ox.ac.uk
October 24, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Delighted to share that I'll be doing a book launch in the Department of Sociology at the University of Oxford, 5pm Friday 14th November (three weeks away).
This @sociologyoxford.bsky.social talk will be followed by a drinks reception. All welcome; RSVP here:
www.sociology.ox.ac.uk/event/book-l...
This @sociologyoxford.bsky.social talk will be followed by a drinks reception. All welcome; RSVP here:
www.sociology.ox.ac.uk/event/book-l...
The journalistic analysis of the 1 in 1 out policy which treats it as if there was ever any prospect of the proposal working is a truly apt symptom of how bitterly mislead the public is on irregular migration. Anyone with even the most basic grasp of the issues said this would not work...
October 24, 2025 at 9:30 AM
The journalistic analysis of the 1 in 1 out policy which treats it as if there was ever any prospect of the proposal working is a truly apt symptom of how bitterly mislead the public is on irregular migration. Anyone with even the most basic grasp of the issues said this would not work...
It bears repeating that this will do nothing whatsoever to fix the financial catastrophe inside many universities whilst also loading further debt onto the next generation. Again, the sector is burning and the government brought a half-full water gun to the battle...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
University tuition fees in England to rise with inflation every year from 2026
Bridget Phillipson confirmed the plans for the next two years, with fees to increase automatically after that.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 20, 2025 at 7:59 PM
It bears repeating that this will do nothing whatsoever to fix the financial catastrophe inside many universities whilst also loading further debt onto the next generation. Again, the sector is burning and the government brought a half-full water gun to the battle...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
This is happening on Wednesday! There is still time to register!!
There is still (some) time to register for this roundtable on the OUP book "Courts and LGBTQ+ Rights in an Age of Judicial Retrenchment" by @rehanabeyratne.bsky.social! Discussion from Brenda Cossman (Toronto) & @apowelllaw.bsky.social (Warwick), chaired by CCC co-director @maramalagodi.bsky.social.
October 20, 2025 at 5:59 PM
This is happening on Wednesday! There is still time to register!!