Chris Hewson
@chrishewson.bsky.social
Head of Policy Engagement, University of Huddersfield; sociology PhD; advocate of knowledge exchange; co-chair Universities Policy Engagement Network; appreciator of reasonably priced fine wine; understander of the power of football to ruin your weekend.
Pinned
"Supporters of the change say that the subsidies, which can be as high as £7,500, were largely going to middle-class households that could have afforded them anyway"
This seems to fundamentally misunderstand both consumer behaviour and what's ultimately at stake.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
This seems to fundamentally misunderstand both consumer behaviour and what's ultimately at stake.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Hundreds of thousands to lose heat pump subsidies in Reeves’s budget plan
Exclusive: Supporters say grants largely going to middle-class households, but experts warn move will slow transition from gas boilers
www.theguardian.com
November 13, 2025 at 8:46 PM
"Supporters of the change say that the subsidies, which can be as high as £7,500, were largely going to middle-class households that could have afforded them anyway"
This seems to fundamentally misunderstand both consumer behaviour and what's ultimately at stake.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
This seems to fundamentally misunderstand both consumer behaviour and what's ultimately at stake.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Chris Hewson
I love those articles that are 'this thing that I am invested in happening, and I'm invested in you thinking will happen, will happen'. Every time a winner.
November 13, 2025 at 7:12 PM
I love those articles that are 'this thing that I am invested in happening, and I'm invested in you thinking will happen, will happen'. Every time a winner.
*coughs*
'higher education sector'
'higher education sector'
The BBC and Starmer’s Labour govt share much in common. They’re easily bullied and often afraid, as institutionalised too often are, of exercising their own power. They then appear weak and ineffectual. They’re judged against standards to which their critics would themselves would never adhere...
November 13, 2025 at 3:59 PM
*coughs*
'higher education sector'
'higher education sector'
Reposted by Chris Hewson
My theory: these people have driven themselves so mad that they are now so terrified of ethnic diversity that when he passes Brasserie Zedel and some tourists and two black people come out, what he sees are machete-wielding militiamen.
November 10, 2025 at 6:56 PM
My theory: these people have driven themselves so mad that they are now so terrified of ethnic diversity that when he passes Brasserie Zedel and some tourists and two black people come out, what he sees are machete-wielding militiamen.
Reposted by Chris Hewson
'we have created a youth wing and put Matt Goodwin in charge' is an idea so mesmerisingly bad that it approaches the level of art
November 10, 2025 at 11:46 AM
'we have created a youth wing and put Matt Goodwin in charge' is an idea so mesmerisingly bad that it approaches the level of art
Reposted by Chris Hewson
You can - *absolutely* - argue there are problems with the “reporting the truth” element in any news report and I will listen. But if you are telling me the BBC needs to be balanced in its reporting of global news, I need to ask you “why”? It never has been.
November 10, 2025 at 8:43 AM
You can - *absolutely* - argue there are problems with the “reporting the truth” element in any news report and I will listen. But if you are telling me the BBC needs to be balanced in its reporting of global news, I need to ask you “why”? It never has been.
My Facebook feed is full of problematic people imposing meaning on this chap's downbeat assessment of the world. I wish they'd brought this up.
99-year-old D-Day veteran Alec Penstone attempted to return his🇷🇺Medal of Ushakov for bravery to Moscow after Putin's invasion of🇺🇦
Disgusted by Putin's actions, he said, "I want taken off this earth...it will be a pleasure when I know that he's dead"
Disgusted by Putin's actions, he said, "I want taken off this earth...it will be a pleasure when I know that he's dead"
99-year-old British WWII vet tried to return Russian medal over Ukraine invasion - Euromaidan Press
99-year-old D-Day veteran Alec Penstone attempted to return his Russian Medal of Ushakov for bravery to Moscow after Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Disgusted by Putin's actions, he said, "He wants taken off this earth...it will be a pleasure when I know that he's dead."
euromaidanpress.com
November 8, 2025 at 10:19 AM
My Facebook feed is full of problematic people imposing meaning on this chap's downbeat assessment of the world. I wish they'd brought this up.
My social media timeline is chock-full of racist old white men today, smdh.
BREAKING: James Watson, co-discoverer of DNA’s double helix whose work reshaped medicine, forensics and genetics, dies at 97.
James Watson, co-discoverer of the double-helix shape of DNA, has died at age 97
Scientist James Watson, who shared a Nobel prize for helping discover the double-helix shape of the DNA molecule, has died. He was 97.
bit.ly
November 7, 2025 at 10:16 PM
My social media timeline is chock-full of racist old white men today, smdh.
Reposted by Chris Hewson
A question about Joey Barton's case
How much does X pay him?
Were the specific posts for which he was convicted monetised?
If so, what happens to his income for criminal posts?
Are there any sanctions for a platform which rewards (and so v likely incentivises) aggressive criminal posts?
How much does X pay him?
Were the specific posts for which he was convicted monetised?
If so, what happens to his income for criminal posts?
Are there any sanctions for a platform which rewards (and so v likely incentivises) aggressive criminal posts?
November 7, 2025 at 6:31 PM
A question about Joey Barton's case
How much does X pay him?
Were the specific posts for which he was convicted monetised?
If so, what happens to his income for criminal posts?
Are there any sanctions for a platform which rewards (and so v likely incentivises) aggressive criminal posts?
How much does X pay him?
Were the specific posts for which he was convicted monetised?
If so, what happens to his income for criminal posts?
Are there any sanctions for a platform which rewards (and so v likely incentivises) aggressive criminal posts?
Good news, but sets an interesting precedent given the sheer volume of this sort of discourse on X.
Joey Barton found guilty of sending offensive posts on social media
Joey Barton found guilty of sending offensive posts on social media
Former footballer guilty of six counts of sending communications with intent to cause distress or anxiety
The ex-footballer Joey Barton has been found guilty of six counts of sending a grossly offensive electronic communication with intent to cause distress or anxiety.
A jury at Liverpool crown court found Barton, 43, had “crossed the line between free speech and a crime” with six posts he made on X, formerly Twitter. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 7, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Good news, but sets an interesting precedent given the sheer volume of this sort of discourse on X.
Happy to report that I'm now at the 'Ryanair handing out €4 vouchers stage' of my Tuscan holiday.
November 2, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Happy to report that I'm now at the 'Ryanair handing out €4 vouchers stage' of my Tuscan holiday.
Reposted by Chris Hewson
Elon Musk is once again inciting violence on British streets because the government has taught him there are literally no consequences for doing so.
They even carry on using his far-right social network to promote government policy as he does it. The absence of backbone is *astounding*.
They even carry on using his far-right social network to promote government policy as he does it. The absence of backbone is *astounding*.
October 29, 2025 at 9:48 AM
Elon Musk is once again inciting violence on British streets because the government has taught him there are literally no consequences for doing so.
They even carry on using his far-right social network to promote government policy as he does it. The absence of backbone is *astounding*.
They even carry on using his far-right social network to promote government policy as he does it. The absence of backbone is *astounding*.
Reposted by Chris Hewson
Forty years ago, James Bond stopped Max Zorin destroying Silicon Valley in "A View To A Kill". In hindsight, we should probably have heard him out.
October 22, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Forty years ago, James Bond stopped Max Zorin destroying Silicon Valley in "A View To A Kill". In hindsight, we should probably have heard him out.
Occasionally have a peek back at X. It gets worse every time. Today in my feed was an account with 450k followers advocating for the return of the Hitler Youth. 🤯
October 20, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Occasionally have a peek back at X. It gets worse every time. Today in my feed was an account with 450k followers advocating for the return of the Hitler Youth. 🤯
When all this blows over (as it must), there needs to be a reckoning across the mainstream media. Normalising very extreme and dangerous people is not a good thing folks!
www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
What’s happening with Marjorie Taylor Greene? Why the Maga loyalist has won some Democratic fans
She’s been a true Maga believer in the past, but the Georgia representative has lately shown a streak of independence
www.theguardian.com
October 19, 2025 at 1:53 PM
When all this blows over (as it must), there needs to be a reckoning across the mainstream media. Normalising very extreme and dangerous people is not a good thing folks!
www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
In my ideal nation state I'd form a commission that met every 12 months. It's job would be to identify able and competent people who are clearly in the wrong job and swap them around.
How has the government got itself into the position of standing up for Israeli football hooligans, while criminalising peaceful supporters of Palestine Action?
October 18, 2025 at 9:14 AM
In my ideal nation state I'd form a commission that met every 12 months. It's job would be to identify able and competent people who are clearly in the wrong job and swap them around.
Notable that the volume of stuff you get through the lettebox is significantly lower, but the insanity quotient significantly higher.
October 17, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Notable that the volume of stuff you get through the lettebox is significantly lower, but the insanity quotient significantly higher.
Reposted by Chris Hewson
This is outrageous. Blatant racist campaigning for mass remigration. Another move solidifying the Tory relocation to the far right. It's also fucking outrageous that the BBC don't mention Lowe's vile social media output - this is a rare chance for the disengaged to be made aware of it.
Once again, you will not learn from the BBC that the man the Tories are promoting here is a fringe rightwing extremist who regards Reform as too mild and supports the expulsion of millions of people, a burqa ban and, er, defunding the BBC
Tories give ex-Reform MP Rupert Lowe seat on top Commons committee
The Tories say Rupert Lowe - who is set to join the public accounts committee - shares their
www.bbc.co.uk
October 17, 2025 at 5:57 PM
This is outrageous. Blatant racist campaigning for mass remigration. Another move solidifying the Tory relocation to the far right. It's also fucking outrageous that the BBC don't mention Lowe's vile social media output - this is a rare chance for the disengaged to be made aware of it.
Reposted by Chris Hewson
If fans of an English team went to a foreign city, attacked locals, damaged property, sang racist songs and songs praising racist violence, literally every authority in England would support banning them from travelling. There would be zero caveats about how the locals had behaved towards them.
October 17, 2025 at 11:00 AM
If fans of an English team went to a foreign city, attacked locals, damaged property, sang racist songs and songs praising racist violence, literally every authority in England would support banning them from travelling. There would be zero caveats about how the locals had behaved towards them.
The ghost of Henry Kissinger says 'Hi'.
Apparently, they don’t hand out a Nobel Peace Prize to those who negotiated a ceasefire they had sabotaged a year ago just to get elected.
October 14, 2025 at 1:59 PM
The ghost of Henry Kissinger says 'Hi'.
This feels *very* 2025
October 14, 2025 at 7:35 AM
This feels *very* 2025