Kerry Ferguson
@kickingk74.bsky.social
Moderate in most matters. Mad about music, moggies & marmite.
This is true. Enforcement of environmental crime, trading standards, food hygiene, asb etc have been cut to the bone because they aren't services that anyone notices...until something goes wrong, like this colossal flytip. See also the proliferation of high street shops selling illicit goods.
The collapse of the enforcement state.
From the environment to traffic to anti-social behavior to labour standards to tax. All hollowed out.
It doesn't appear on "issues of concern" because it's never crystallised. Make no mistake, it's reducing faith in the state.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
From the environment to traffic to anti-social behavior to labour standards to tax. All hollowed out.
It doesn't appear on "issues of concern" because it's never crystallised. Make no mistake, it's reducing faith in the state.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
River close to engulfing Oxfordshire waste mountain, MP warns
Waste from a 150m (490ft) long fly-tip is beginning to float towards the River Cherwell, an MP says.
www.bbc.com
November 19, 2025 at 3:49 PM
This is true. Enforcement of environmental crime, trading standards, food hygiene, asb etc have been cut to the bone because they aren't services that anyone notices...until something goes wrong, like this colossal flytip. See also the proliferation of high street shops selling illicit goods.
Reposted by Kerry Ferguson
Fascinating thread
Bellingcat’s contact email has always been a magnet for people with fairly unusual views; paranoid delusions, sprawling conspiracies, the works. But recently, the pattern has shifted, we’re seeing more and more emails clearly written with ChatGPT.
November 19, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Fascinating thread
Reposted by Kerry Ferguson
Save The Iain Anderson Show on BBC Radio Scotland
For decades, Iain has done more than spin records.
He has unearthed new voices, given first airtime to emerging Scottish artists & threaded songs together with stories, culture, and care. From Norman Paterson's petition on change.org
c.org/D6xKqDtMtv
For decades, Iain has done more than spin records.
He has unearthed new voices, given first airtime to emerging Scottish artists & threaded songs together with stories, culture, and care. From Norman Paterson's petition on change.org
c.org/D6xKqDtMtv
Save The Iain Anderson Show – Reverse the BBC Radio Scotland decision
Can you spare a minute to help this campaign?
c.org
November 17, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Save The Iain Anderson Show on BBC Radio Scotland
For decades, Iain has done more than spin records.
He has unearthed new voices, given first airtime to emerging Scottish artists & threaded songs together with stories, culture, and care. From Norman Paterson's petition on change.org
c.org/D6xKqDtMtv
For decades, Iain has done more than spin records.
He has unearthed new voices, given first airtime to emerging Scottish artists & threaded songs together with stories, culture, and care. From Norman Paterson's petition on change.org
c.org/D6xKqDtMtv
Powerful thread about the importance of refuge & security. People with security can build a life & contribute. Much better for everyone.
I came to this country as a child refugee. No English, no certainty, no idea what my life could become. Britain gave me refuge.
Not on a timer, not with conditions attached, but with a chance to grow roots.
A thread 🧵 1/8
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Not on a timer, not with conditions attached, but with a chance to grow roots.
A thread 🧵 1/8
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
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.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 18, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Powerful thread about the importance of refuge & security. People with security can build a life & contribute. Much better for everyone.
Reposted by Kerry Ferguson
I’ve written a piece on the curious lack of media and political interest in the issues faced by our national @britishlibrary.bsky.social. This is strange given we live in a world where ideas, knowledge and research are a long-term source of innovation and insight
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
The British library is in crisis: why does nobody care?
The widespread indifference to the British Library's crippling cyberattack demonstrates a perilous failure to value the knowledge infrastructure vital for national prosperity
www.cityam.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:27 AM
I’ve written a piece on the curious lack of media and political interest in the issues faced by our national @britishlibrary.bsky.social. This is strange given we live in a world where ideas, knowledge and research are a long-term source of innovation and insight
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
Thought provoking thread about political leadership & the fallacy of the 'outsider' politician with experience of the 'real' world.
At some point we have to ask why British politics keeps producing leaders who struggle to do the job.
That's partly about the pressures of the role itself, but it's also about the "pipeline": how likely are our procedures to generate leaders with the skill-set to manage those pressures?
[THREAD] 🧵
That's partly about the pressures of the role itself, but it's also about the "pipeline": how likely are our procedures to generate leaders with the skill-set to manage those pressures?
[THREAD] 🧵
November 15, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Thought provoking thread about political leadership & the fallacy of the 'outsider' politician with experience of the 'real' world.
Reposted by Kerry Ferguson
If you want people to feel that their day to day lives are improving then make sure that local government is properly funded. You could call it “the pothole theory of everything”.
English councils plan to sell off social clubs and sports centres to balance books
English councils plan to sell off social clubs and sports centres to balance books
Survey finds 60% of key cities councils are planning to sell assets to meet costs of adult and children’s social care
English councils are planning to sell social clubs, sports centres and shopping arcades as they bet on a fire sale of assets to balance the books, according to a survey of local authorities.
The key cities group of councils, which represents second-tier cities in England, said 60% of councils were planning to sell assets to meet the escalating costs of adult and children’s social care. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 15, 2025 at 9:14 PM
If you want people to feel that their day to day lives are improving then make sure that local government is properly funded. You could call it “the pothole theory of everything”.
Reposted by Kerry Ferguson
Plug in your postcode. deprivation.communities.gov.uk
deprivation.communities.gov.uk
November 14, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Plug in your postcode. deprivation.communities.gov.uk
Reposted by Kerry Ferguson
How we do pensions and retirement income in this country is predicated on a few assumptions, one of which is that old people have minimal housing costs and/or security of tenure. It's not happening anymore, and will get worse.
www.joxleywrites.jmoxley.co.uk/p/the-other-...
www.joxleywrites.jmoxley.co.uk/p/the-other-...
November 13, 2025 at 8:17 AM
How we do pensions and retirement income in this country is predicated on a few assumptions, one of which is that old people have minimal housing costs and/or security of tenure. It's not happening anymore, and will get worse.
www.joxleywrites.jmoxley.co.uk/p/the-other-...
www.joxleywrites.jmoxley.co.uk/p/the-other-...
Reposted by Kerry Ferguson
Replace “Dems” for “mainstream parties” and “GOP” for “far right” and you have West European politics.
American politics makes a lot more sense when you realize that the GOP is afraid of pissing off the GOP base, and the Dems are afraid of pissing off the GOP base, but neither party is afraid of pissing off the Dem base.
November 11, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Replace “Dems” for “mainstream parties” and “GOP” for “far right” and you have West European politics.
Reposted by Kerry Ferguson
I am not opposed to a wealth tax. What I oppose are claims it is a simple silver bullet the government opposes because it is in hoc to neo-liberalism etc etc. Yes, tax wealth. But if we want no austerity and better public services, it means more tax rises on top. Sorry. That's the real world.
November 7, 2025 at 11:11 AM
I am not opposed to a wealth tax. What I oppose are claims it is a simple silver bullet the government opposes because it is in hoc to neo-liberalism etc etc. Yes, tax wealth. But if we want no austerity and better public services, it means more tax rises on top. Sorry. That's the real world.
BBC News - Crime network behind UK mini-marts is enabling migrants to work illegally
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Oh fgs - that's the angle here? Not 'organised crime on the high street' or 'Vapes & fake cigs sold to kids' or 'Companies House allows sham directors to run crime networks across UK'?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Oh fgs - that's the angle here? Not 'organised crime on the high street' or 'Vapes & fake cigs sold to kids' or 'Companies House allows sham directors to run crime networks across UK'?
Crime network behind UK mini-marts is enabling migrants to work illegally
Undercover reporters were told how easy it was to make big profits selling illegal vapes and cigarettes.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 5, 2025 at 8:12 AM
BBC News - Crime network behind UK mini-marts is enabling migrants to work illegally
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Oh fgs - that's the angle here? Not 'organised crime on the high street' or 'Vapes & fake cigs sold to kids' or 'Companies House allows sham directors to run crime networks across UK'?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Oh fgs - that's the angle here? Not 'organised crime on the high street' or 'Vapes & fake cigs sold to kids' or 'Companies House allows sham directors to run crime networks across UK'?
Reposted by Kerry Ferguson
Proper good news today - the Renters' Rights Act gets Royal Assent. Citizens Advice see 200 people a day with problems in private rented housing. The act shifts the balance towards tenants, but it's just the start, as @tessthompsonca.bsky.social says here wearecitizensadvice.org.uk/the-renters-...
The Renters’ Rights Act is here — but the work is just beginning
After years of waiting, the Renters’ Rights Act has finally received Royal Assent and passed into law. We’ve campaigned hard for this, and…
wearecitizensadvice.org.uk
October 28, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Proper good news today - the Renters' Rights Act gets Royal Assent. Citizens Advice see 200 people a day with problems in private rented housing. The act shifts the balance towards tenants, but it's just the start, as @tessthompsonca.bsky.social says here wearecitizensadvice.org.uk/the-renters-...
Reposted by Kerry Ferguson
I've been updating my lecture slides for this cycle, and I was about to post how it's wild to me that the last Index of Multiple Deprivation is still 2019. It's not like *anything at all* has happened in the last 6 years to warrant an update.
Before I did, I thought I'd better go and check...
Before I did, I thought I'd better go and check...
October 24, 2025 at 4:15 PM
I've been updating my lecture slides for this cycle, and I was about to post how it's wild to me that the last Index of Multiple Deprivation is still 2019. It's not like *anything at all* has happened in the last 6 years to warrant an update.
Before I did, I thought I'd better go and check...
Before I did, I thought I'd better go and check...
Reposted by Kerry Ferguson
Apropos of nothing, I really do think UK journalists and politicians need some reminding that mass deportation of LEGAL immigrants, particularly those with permanent status, is far more extreme than even Trump's America and would basically place Britain completely on its own among democracies.
October 19, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Apropos of nothing, I really do think UK journalists and politicians need some reminding that mass deportation of LEGAL immigrants, particularly those with permanent status, is far more extreme than even Trump's America and would basically place Britain completely on its own among democracies.
Reposted by Kerry Ferguson
Higher taxes on gambling probably would cost some jobs. But employment has to be weighed against other social costs.
That's why we don't have brothels and ketamine stores on every high street. It was a terrible mistake to let gambling shops become such big employers.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
That's why we don't have brothels and ketamine stores on every high street. It was a terrible mistake to let gambling shops become such big employers.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Betfred says all its shops may close if Reeves hikes gambling tax
The company's co-founder says it would be forced to close all its sites, putting 7,500 jobs at risk, if gambling taxes go up.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 19, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Higher taxes on gambling probably would cost some jobs. But employment has to be weighed against other social costs.
That's why we don't have brothels and ketamine stores on every high street. It was a terrible mistake to let gambling shops become such big employers.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
That's why we don't have brothels and ketamine stores on every high street. It was a terrible mistake to let gambling shops become such big employers.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Kerry Ferguson
And when those new coercive powers are introduced, then what follows will prompt another round of more coercive powers for the state, and then another, and then another.
The UK is trapped in an illiberal spiral.
The UK is trapped in an illiberal spiral.
October 5, 2025 at 7:33 AM
And when those new coercive powers are introduced, then what follows will prompt another round of more coercive powers for the state, and then another, and then another.
The UK is trapped in an illiberal spiral.
The UK is trapped in an illiberal spiral.
Reposted by Kerry Ferguson
The government want more coercive powers for the state against protests, and the main opposition party wants more coercive powers for the state against migrants.
Our political-media culture continues in a loop where the response to every perceived problem is yet more coercive powers for the state.
Our political-media culture continues in a loop where the response to every perceived problem is yet more coercive powers for the state.
October 5, 2025 at 7:31 AM
The government want more coercive powers for the state against protests, and the main opposition party wants more coercive powers for the state against migrants.
Our political-media culture continues in a loop where the response to every perceived problem is yet more coercive powers for the state.
Our political-media culture continues in a loop where the response to every perceived problem is yet more coercive powers for the state.
Incredible. Both the appointment & the reporting of it : /
This article manages to name her husband before it names… her.
October 3, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Incredible. Both the appointment & the reporting of it : /
This is no accident or diplomatic faux pas. It is retribution for UK recognition of Gaza. A v dangerous game but Netanyahu & his rw coalition partners won't care about that.
This Israeli government decision to host Tommy Robinson will widen the growing gulf between the Netanyahu government and the British public, including the broad majority of Jews in Britain (3/4 of whom dsapproved of Netanyahu, before this new link to this anti-Muslim racist UK far right convict).
October 3, 2025 at 6:46 PM
This is no accident or diplomatic faux pas. It is retribution for UK recognition of Gaza. A v dangerous game but Netanyahu & his rw coalition partners won't care about that.
Alleged sex offenders should not be out on bail! It's a serious offence!!
That makes him the second person to launch a recent terrorist attack in Britain while under investigation for sex offences
The previous one was Callum Parslow, a neo-Nazi who stabbed an asylum seeker during an attack on a hotel he believed was housing migrants
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
The previous one was Callum Parslow, a neo-Nazi who stabbed an asylum seeker during an attack on a hotel he believed was housing migrants
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Revealed: English neo-Nazi who stabbed asylum seeker was serial stalker
Terrorist Callum Parslow was previously jailed for sending 10 women sexually explicit and misogynistic messages, and targeted a former GB News presenter
www.theguardian.com
October 3, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Alleged sex offenders should not be out on bail! It's a serious offence!!
Reposted by Kerry Ferguson
I do genuinely feel for politicians (almost everywhere) having to grapple with the fact that the longer you keep people alive, the more they cost - literally exponentially - whilst everyone wants to live a long time and keep their loved ones alive, and no one wants to pay for it.
September 29, 2025 at 8:19 AM
I do genuinely feel for politicians (almost everywhere) having to grapple with the fact that the longer you keep people alive, the more they cost - literally exponentially - whilst everyone wants to live a long time and keep their loved ones alive, and no one wants to pay for it.
Uurgh. This gives me the heebie-jeebies. Digital surveillance by the state & whichever tech corporation gets the lucrative contract, social exclusion of people who are not IT literate, woeful track record of public IT projects, risk of hacking... Sorry, no I don't want this.
Starmer to unveil plan for digital ID cards to crack down on illegal immigration
Starmer to unveil plan for digital ID cards to crack down on illegal immigration
Every adult in Britain will require a digital ID under plans to be set out by Sir Keir Starmer.
news.sky.com
September 25, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Uurgh. This gives me the heebie-jeebies. Digital surveillance by the state & whichever tech corporation gets the lucrative contract, social exclusion of people who are not IT literate, woeful track record of public IT projects, risk of hacking... Sorry, no I don't want this.
Not a significant change in fortunes then? Furthermore it would unleash all manner of angst & strife & be a huge distraction from the important business of, y'know, governing the country.
Excl: Labour would take a two-point lead over Reform with Andy Burnham as leader, new More In Common polling shows. www.newstatesman.com/politics/lab...
September 25, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Not a significant change in fortunes then? Furthermore it would unleash all manner of angst & strife & be a huge distraction from the important business of, y'know, governing the country.
Stark statistics about the benefit cap & who is affected (families with children).
New DWP data today shows 123,000 families – including 103,000 (over 4 in 5) with children – had their Universal Credit reduced by the benefit cap in May 2025.
This eats into UC’s already inadequate basic rate, pulling it further below what’s needed to afford life's essentials. 1/6
This eats into UC’s already inadequate basic rate, pulling it further below what’s needed to afford life's essentials. 1/6
September 25, 2025 at 10:09 AM
Stark statistics about the benefit cap & who is affected (families with children).