Dr Millie Light
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milliemaglet.bsky.social
Dr Millie Light
@milliemaglet.bsky.social
Academic researcher on Changing Realities, University of Glasgow. Interested in precarity, critical wellbeing and intersections of social and ecological (in)justice
Reposted by Dr Millie Light
Sam, a mother of one child, coherently explains why the two child benefit cap must be lifted as part of the upcoming child poverty strategy. Read her opinion piece @bigissue.com @uofgussp.bsky.social
www.bigissue.com/opinion/two-...
The two-child benefit cap inflicts suffering on the UK's children. Labour must scrap it
Sam Richards, a mother and participant of the Changing Realities project, writes about why the two-child limit on benefits should be dropped.
www.bigissue.com
November 18, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Reposted by Dr Millie Light
Only 3% of the UK is common land, compared to 50% four centuries ago. How can we get back our right to roam?
Here's why we need to fight for Britain's right to roam
www.bigissue.com
November 8, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Reposted by Dr Millie Light
"Children are our future and will help this country thrive and grow, but to do this they must have the best possible start in life that they can have."
Read our wonderful blog from Brian on his experience at the House of Lords Child Poverty roundtable 👉 changingrealities.org/blog/hope-on...
This morning, I was invited to a meeting in The House of Lords, along with Changing Realities, two other participants and members from other organisations. The roundtable – chaired by Baroness Ruth Lister and Professor Ruth Patrick – was also attended by other Lords, senior civil servants and Changing Realities funders. We discussed the government’s Child Poverty Strategy, which will hopefully be announced shortly after the budget in November.
changingrealities.org
November 5, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Reposted by Dr Millie Light
Parents and carers of @changingrealities.bsky.social are doing essential work to bring child poverty issues to the public eye as the govt prepare to publish their Child Poverty Strategy. Powerful words from @ruthpatrick0.bsky.social on scrapping the two child limit in this popular substack.
Excellent piece by @ruthpatrick0.bsky.social on government discussions about binning the two child limit, which is driving more families into poverty.

Ruth leads @changingrealities.bsky.social - a collaboration between over UK parents and carers on a low-income.

samf.substack.com/p/the-worst-...
"The worst social policy ever"
We have a couple of bonus guest posts over the next week.
samf.substack.com
October 30, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Reposted by Dr Millie Light
Today, we attended a roundtable at the HoL hosted by Baroness Ruth Lister on the subject of the Child Poverty Strategy. CR participants, inc. Jo & Brian, delivered powerful testimonies, using the space to push for an ambitious Strategy that genuinely confronts the root causes of child poverty. ✊
October 23, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Reposted by Dr Millie Light
Our participant James has written an excellent piece for @scotsman.com. ✏️

"The fight for true social justice is long and arduous. But for that hour or so, in that grand room, we were not just the ‘marginalised’ or ‘the beneficiaries’, we were the experts."

Read: www.scotsman.com/news/politic...
October 20, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Reposted by Dr Millie Light
A couple of weeks ago, CR participant Brian spoke to @newstatesman1913.bsky.social about the continuation of the cost-of-living crisis, which he feels politicians have "completely pushed to one side." Read more: www.newstatesman.com/politics/eco...

@uofglasgow.bsky.social
@uofgussp.bsky.social
Energy bills rise while Westminster talks immigration
Why have our politicians forgotten about the cost-of-living crisis?
www.newstatesman.com
October 17, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Reposted by Dr Millie Light
Looking forward to discussing the vital need for improved support for children and young people with send with @theifs.bsky.social @helenmiller.bsky.social & colleagues, drawing on our own recent @changingrealities.bsky.social briefing changingrealities.org/writings/wha...
October 2, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Reposted by Dr Millie Light
Fantastic to see the @changingrealities.bsky.social work led by our own @ruthpatrick0.bsky.social cited in this piece 💪
October 15, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Reposted by Dr Millie Light
“Peter Mandelson lost his job for being friends with a paedophile. Donald Trump, who was friends with the same paedophile, was given a state banquet hosted by a King whose brother lost his job because he was friends with the same paedophile.“
And he’s back!!

Sunday isn’t Sunday without Stewart Lee. We were so thrilled at @thenerve.news that Stewart came with us.

His satirical columns for the Observer were some of our most-read content: funny, surreal, angry true. Essential weekend reading.

www.thenerve.news/p/stewart-le...
DOUBLETHINK DOES DOUBLETIME
STEWART LEE
www.thenerve.news
October 5, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Reposted by Dr Millie Light
Jonny from CR spoke on a CPAG panel at the Labour Conference today. As published in @bigissue.com, Jonny says "The most depressing truth about child poverty isn’t how many children are in it, it’s how easy it is for the government to lift so many out."
www.bigissue.com/opinion/sing...
I'm a single dad asking Keir Starmer to do more to tackle child poverty
Jonny Roberts is a single parent with two children. He is speaking at a Child Poverty Action Group event at the Labour Party Conference.
www.bigissue.com
September 30, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Reposted by Dr Millie Light
A father from CR attended the Labour Conference this week. He reports of "a sense of duty to speak to my own personal experiences in order to bring some emotion – but also some everyday reality – to the urgent challenge of driving record rates of child poverty down".
labourlist.org/2025/09/chil...
'Bringing emotion and reality to the debate on child poverty.': one conference attendee's experience - LabourList
Jonny Roberts has come to conference to share his experience of being a single dad - and call for Labour to take bold action on child poverty.
labourlist.org
September 30, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Reposted by Dr Millie Light
Bringing emotion and reality to the debate on child poverty: Jonny from Changing Realities at the Labour Party Conference: labourlist.org/2025/09/chil...
'Bringing emotion and reality to the debate on child poverty.': one conference attendee's experience - LabourList
Jonny Roberts has come to conference to share his experience of being a single dad - and call for Labour to take bold action on child poverty.
labourlist.org
September 30, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Bringing emotion and reality to the debate on child poverty: Jonny from Changing Realities at the Labour Party Conference: labourlist.org/2025/09/chil...
'Bringing emotion and reality to the debate on child poverty.': one conference attendee's experience - LabourList
Jonny Roberts has come to conference to share his experience of being a single dad - and call for Labour to take bold action on child poverty.
labourlist.org
September 30, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Reposted by Dr Millie Light
Jonny Roberts is a single parent with two children. He is speaking at a Child Poverty Action Group event at the Labour Party Conference.
I'm a single dad asking Keir Starmer to do more to tackle child poverty
www.bigissue.com
September 29, 2025 at 5:28 AM
Millions of us are still struggling to access affordable NHS dental care. I’ve signed 38 Degrees’ petition demanding Keir Starmer properly funds NHS dentistry now, will you join me? you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/fu...
Save NHS dentistry now!
I just signed the 38 Degrees petition calling on the Government to properly fund NHS dentistry. Millions of us are still struggling to access affordable dental care, so now the Government needs to stu...
you.38degrees.org.uk
September 25, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Reposted by Dr Millie Light
Gloria Odhi, a participant of Changing Realities, shared her story with the Scottish first minister with the hope of inspiring change.
I couldn't afford to fix my broken bed. People in poverty like me need help with the essentials
www.bigissue.com
September 20, 2025 at 7:51 AM
Reposted by Dr Millie Light
“I feel confident and hopeful.”

Parents from @changingrealities.bsky.social - led by @ruthpatrick0.bsky.social - met with @johnswinney.bsky.social and @sa4dunfermline.bsky.social for discussions about the Scottish Government's Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan.

More: gla.ac/3VGnVH0
September 11, 2025 at 8:37 AM
Reposted by Dr Millie Light
Yesterday, Changing Realities parents sat around the table with the First Minister, John Swinney, and Cabinet Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, for vital discussions about the Scottish Government’s Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan.
September 9, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Reposted by Dr Millie Light
“You might not expect it from looking at me, but I’ve had the worst 10 years of my life”. Jimbo, a Changing Realities parent living in Scotland has written about Universal Credit reform in a blog called: ‘On speaking out for change’. Read here ⬇️ 📝

changingrealities.org/blog/on-spea...
It’s important for regular people, like me, to get their voices heard. Speaking out to encourage others to share their experiences. Together, we can push those with power to make changes to the system.
changingrealities.org
August 28, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Reposted by Dr Millie Light
CONTRIBUTE: The Sociological Review’s #openaccess digital magazine is inviting early career scholars to submit pitches for our #ResearchInsights series.

Editors Iris Pissaride & @juliettephd.bsky.social are seeking proposals for our December issue. Pitch deadline is 5 September.

🔎 buff.ly/Q5KZlcJ
August 25, 2025 at 8:12 AM
Reposted by Dr Millie Light
Love writing with Tracey Jensen, one of my academic heroines, although a shame that this piece on the need to FINALLY end the two-child limit even needs to be written @csp-journal.bsky.social
We are pleased to introduce the first guest post on the new CSP blog: Challenging the Two-Child Limit on Family Benefits by Ruth Patrick and Tracey Jensen
@ruthpatrick0.bsky.social

www.criticalsocialpolicy.com/post/challen...

(Image Credit: Dominic Alves (cropped) CC2.0)
August 8, 2025 at 6:44 AM
Reposted by Dr Millie Light
Economists are speculating about the likelihood of the Government raising taxes in the Autumn. 📻5 Live interviewed CR participant, Aurora, who says that things are ‘tough, and have been for a while’. Feature begins at 39 mins and you can 👂listen to Aurora from 44:44. 🎧🎤
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Tony Livesey - 06/08/2025 - BBC Sounds
Tony Livesey with late night conversation and in-depth interviews.
www.bbc.co.uk
August 7, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Reposted by Dr Millie Light
📻 Changing Realities participant, Aurora, was interviewed by World at One (R4) today to talk about worsening living standards in the UK. She discusses rising costs as a ‘hand to mouth situation’ that doesn’t look to be improving.👂 Listen to Aurora: 10.50 to 14mins. 🎧🎤
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
World at One - Trouble for the UK Economy - BBC Sounds
A report says Rachel Reeves must raise taxes to cover £41bn gap.
www.bbc.co.uk
August 6, 2025 at 1:17 PM