@njtgill.bsky.social
Strategist, Linguist, Islington born and bred.
Reposted
In 1924, Calvin Coolidge's 16-yr-old son played tennis on the White House grounds w/o wearing socks. He got a blister and was dead from infection a week later.
This is unthinkable today—which is why I wrote this series. Cuz the systems that save us from this kind of fate are in urgent need of care.
This is unthinkable today—which is why I wrote this series. Cuz the systems that save us from this kind of fate are in urgent need of care.
For a yr, I've been working on a series for The New Atlantis about the vast systems that underlie our lives. Our ancestors built them up over decades to fend off hunger, thirst, darkness and disease. But too few of us know about them—and they're all at risk. The conclusion is now available online:
Why We Are Better Off Than a Century Ago
Our ancestors built grand public systems to conquer hunger, thirst, darkness, and squalor. That progress can be lost if we forget it.
www.thenewatlantis.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:03 PM
In 1924, Calvin Coolidge's 16-yr-old son played tennis on the White House grounds w/o wearing socks. He got a blister and was dead from infection a week later.
This is unthinkable today—which is why I wrote this series. Cuz the systems that save us from this kind of fate are in urgent need of care.
This is unthinkable today—which is why I wrote this series. Cuz the systems that save us from this kind of fate are in urgent need of care.
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»Wir haben vor der AfD gewarnt, als sie am Horizont auftauchte. Keine Reaktion. Im Gegenteil – ihre Vertreter:innen saßen in jeder Talkshow, bevor die AfD auch nur ein einziges Landtagsmandat hatte. Mit dem Erfolg, dass sie nun eine einflussreiche Partei ist.« www.blaetter.de/ausgabe/2024...
Rechtsextremismus: Wir haben Euch gewarnt
Ein brennendes Haus in Solingen. Eine vierköpfige Familie stirbt in den Flammen. Brandstiftung. Die Schlagzeilen sind nicht von 1993, sondern von jetzt. Schon wieder.
www.blaetter.de
November 25, 2025 at 6:00 AM
»Wir haben vor der AfD gewarnt, als sie am Horizont auftauchte. Keine Reaktion. Im Gegenteil – ihre Vertreter:innen saßen in jeder Talkshow, bevor die AfD auch nur ein einziges Landtagsmandat hatte. Mit dem Erfolg, dass sie nun eine einflussreiche Partei ist.« www.blaetter.de/ausgabe/2024...
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Brutal
Robbie Gibb describes the BBC's Political Editor Chris Mason as the "unsung hero of covering politics" and "absolutely first rate"
November 24, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Brutal
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Rather lovely piece by @henrymance.ft.com on why language learning still matters to him in a world of AI translation
on.ft.com/3Jviyry
on.ft.com/3Jviyry
August 23, 2025 at 6:21 AM
Rather lovely piece by @henrymance.ft.com on why language learning still matters to him in a world of AI translation
on.ft.com/3Jviyry
on.ft.com/3Jviyry
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The government managed to recruit only 43 per cent of its target number of modern foreign language teachers for initial teacher training in 2024-25.
www.thetimes.com/article/df90...
www.thetimes.com/article/df90...
September 21, 2025 at 3:17 PM
The government managed to recruit only 43 per cent of its target number of modern foreign language teachers for initial teacher training in 2024-25.
www.thetimes.com/article/df90...
www.thetimes.com/article/df90...
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I’ve been quoted in @thespectator1828.bsky.social about the importance of taking a strategic approach nationally to language provision as universities are making individual decisions to slash provision which may collectively be very bad for the national interest
www.spectator.co.uk/article/in-p...
www.spectator.co.uk/article/in-p...
November 24, 2025 at 1:30 PM
I’ve been quoted in @thespectator1828.bsky.social about the importance of taking a strategic approach nationally to language provision as universities are making individual decisions to slash provision which may collectively be very bad for the national interest
www.spectator.co.uk/article/in-p...
www.spectator.co.uk/article/in-p...
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"Meta internally projected late last year that it would earn about 10 per cent of its overall annual revenue — or $16bn — from running advertising for scams and banned goods, internal company documents show" - Reuters www.ft.com/content/4560...
We have to be able to hold tech platforms accountable for fraud
Algorithms ensure that people who click on scams are likely to see more of them
www.ft.com
November 22, 2025 at 10:50 AM
"Meta internally projected late last year that it would earn about 10 per cent of its overall annual revenue — or $16bn — from running advertising for scams and banned goods, internal company documents show" - Reuters www.ft.com/content/4560...
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The Starmer government has not produced an uptodate hate crime strategy (which last existed in 2016-2020) or a cohesion plan
If the government had an analysis of the causes/drivers of racism & hate crime × a strategy to respond, these comments could be more informed & sound less instrumental.
If the government had an analysis of the causes/drivers of racism & hate crime × a strategy to respond, these comments could be more informed & sound less instrumental.
November 21, 2025 at 11:52 PM
The Starmer government has not produced an uptodate hate crime strategy (which last existed in 2016-2020) or a cohesion plan
If the government had an analysis of the causes/drivers of racism & hate crime × a strategy to respond, these comments could be more informed & sound less instrumental.
If the government had an analysis of the causes/drivers of racism & hate crime × a strategy to respond, these comments could be more informed & sound less instrumental.
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Tinkering with ECHR definitions will not help the government
The proposed changes to Articles 3 and 8 in asylum cases will achieve little or nothing
By me, at @newstatesman1913.bsky.social
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
The proposed changes to Articles 3 and 8 in asylum cases will achieve little or nothing
By me, at @newstatesman1913.bsky.social
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
Tinkering with ECHR definitions will not help the government
The proposed changes to Articles 3 and 8 in asylum cases will achieve little or nothing
www.newstatesman.com
November 21, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Tinkering with ECHR definitions will not help the government
The proposed changes to Articles 3 and 8 in asylum cases will achieve little or nothing
By me, at @newstatesman1913.bsky.social
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
The proposed changes to Articles 3 and 8 in asylum cases will achieve little or nothing
By me, at @newstatesman1913.bsky.social
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
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Worth remembering as this unfolds that it was disabled people and people from ethnic minority backgrounds who disproportionately died. Tens of thousands needlessly lost their lives, many who died alone or with just an iPad. Thousands more were left with life changing Long Covid. A true scandal.
BREAKING: The UK’s response to Covid was “too little, too late”, a damning official report on the handling of the pandemic has concluded, saying the introduction of a lockdown even a week earlier than happened could have saved more than 20,000 lives.
November 20, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Worth remembering as this unfolds that it was disabled people and people from ethnic minority backgrounds who disproportionately died. Tens of thousands needlessly lost their lives, many who died alone or with just an iPad. Thousands more were left with life changing Long Covid. A true scandal.
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After another week of banging on about immigration, Keir Starmer's ratings fall to their lowest ever level.
At what point do Labour strategists start to think that maybe this isn't quite the winning strategy they believed?
At what point do Labour strategists start to think that maybe this isn't quite the winning strategy they believed?
November 20, 2025 at 9:59 AM
After another week of banging on about immigration, Keir Starmer's ratings fall to their lowest ever level.
At what point do Labour strategists start to think that maybe this isn't quite the winning strategy they believed?
At what point do Labour strategists start to think that maybe this isn't quite the winning strategy they believed?
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If you’re a mum raising a child alone, your childcare has got more expensive, your food shop has got more expensive, and your cash transfers have been cut, you are worse off than under the old policy mix regardless of whether your job is “shop assistant” “arts administrator” or “banker”.
November 19, 2025 at 4:59 PM
If you’re a mum raising a child alone, your childcare has got more expensive, your food shop has got more expensive, and your cash transfers have been cut, you are worse off than under the old policy mix regardless of whether your job is “shop assistant” “arts administrator” or “banker”.
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In 2020 Keir Starmer and Alf Dubs urged the then Conservative Government to restore their commitment to family reunion for child refugees, saying there was a “moral argument” to protect desperately vulnerable young people.
Five years later Dubs condemns Starmer for doing the complete opposite
Five years later Dubs condemns Starmer for doing the complete opposite
November 18, 2025 at 10:49 AM
In 2020 Keir Starmer and Alf Dubs urged the then Conservative Government to restore their commitment to family reunion for child refugees, saying there was a “moral argument” to protect desperately vulnerable young people.
Five years later Dubs condemns Starmer for doing the complete opposite
Five years later Dubs condemns Starmer for doing the complete opposite
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The main question I have for Labour is, what will you do when the polls don’t improve for you after this?
November 17, 2025 at 7:44 PM
The main question I have for Labour is, what will you do when the polls don’t improve for you after this?
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It's time we asked a different question about migration: Why are so many British people leaving the UK?
inews.co.uk/opinion/immi...
inews.co.uk/opinion/immi...
November 19, 2025 at 5:35 PM
It's time we asked a different question about migration: Why are so many British people leaving the UK?
inews.co.uk/opinion/immi...
inews.co.uk/opinion/immi...
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Reform now plan to cut EU nationals out of universal credit (ditch the UK-EU withdrawal treaty unilaterally). But this could have significant impacts on British citizens in Europe, and on the UK-EU relationship on economics, trade
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reform would ‘cut benefits for EU nationals and hike NHS immigration surcharge’
Party claims its policies would eliminate ‘black hole’ Rachel Reeves faces in the budget – but Labour says the ‘fantasy numbers don’t add up’
www.theguardian.com
November 18, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Reform now plan to cut EU nationals out of universal credit (ditch the UK-EU withdrawal treaty unilaterally). But this could have significant impacts on British citizens in Europe, and on the UK-EU relationship on economics, trade
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
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A Government of cowards.
Rather than tackle inequality - they've gone for pensioners, disabled people and now it's people fleeing war and persecution.
They can't get away with this.
Join.greenparty.org.uk
Rather than tackle inequality - they've gone for pensioners, disabled people and now it's people fleeing war and persecution.
They can't get away with this.
Join.greenparty.org.uk
November 17, 2025 at 11:16 PM
A Government of cowards.
Rather than tackle inequality - they've gone for pensioners, disabled people and now it's people fleeing war and persecution.
They can't get away with this.
Join.greenparty.org.uk
Rather than tackle inequality - they've gone for pensioners, disabled people and now it's people fleeing war and persecution.
They can't get away with this.
Join.greenparty.org.uk
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Why do they lie about something so easily verifiable?
The Home Secretary says "we have become the destination of choice in Europe, clearly visible to every people smuggler and would-be illegal migrant across the world"
That is a factually untrue claim: the Home Office shows that the UK is fifth, getting 1/10 claims, while Germany gets 1/5 claims
That is a factually untrue claim: the Home Office shows that the UK is fifth, getting 1/10 claims, while Germany gets 1/5 claims
November 17, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Why do they lie about something so easily verifiable?
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how is this even real
November 17, 2025 at 12:08 AM
how is this even real
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Late to this, but if the Sunday Times is correct that Morgan McSweeney spent one and a half hours last week with Lord Glasman then he isn't fit to fill any senior position in government.
November 16, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Late to this, but if the Sunday Times is correct that Morgan McSweeney spent one and a half hours last week with Lord Glasman then he isn't fit to fill any senior position in government.
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It’s actually mad that me and the far-right have exactly the same take. No notes.
They're openly telling us in advance what's going to happen
November 16, 2025 at 4:57 PM
It’s actually mad that me and the far-right have exactly the same take. No notes.
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This stuff is honestly so far gone now, it would take a political generation to rebuild. And none of the incentives in British politics are taking us that way.
At some point, for the love of God, will someone ANYONE at long last take the council funding crisis seriously?!?
Because THIS is what will break down a society, not some poor soul escaping incredible dangers, arriving on our shores.
Because THIS is what will break down a society, not some poor soul escaping incredible dangers, arriving on our shores.
English councils plan to sell off social clubs and sports centres to balance books
November 15, 2025 at 8:57 PM
This stuff is honestly so far gone now, it would take a political generation to rebuild. And none of the incentives in British politics are taking us that way.
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The UK Labour Party defines itself as a "democratic socialist" part in the first sentence of Clause IV. And has since the 1990s.
That's how woeful the BBC claiming it's a term with no definition is. Good grief.
That's how woeful the BBC claiming it's a term with no definition is. Good grief.
I don't know what is more depressing. That the BBC seems to have no clue what democratic socialism is or that someone who comments on politics for a living thinks it's the same as communism.
Jesus wept, indeed. GCSE, Introduction to Politics, Chapter 1, stuff.
Jesus wept, indeed. GCSE, Introduction to Politics, Chapter 1, stuff.
November 6, 2025 at 12:32 PM
The UK Labour Party defines itself as a "democratic socialist" part in the first sentence of Clause IV. And has since the 1990s.
That's how woeful the BBC claiming it's a term with no definition is. Good grief.
That's how woeful the BBC claiming it's a term with no definition is. Good grief.
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Hetan has a point. Not only is the crisis at the BL a story but so is the general threat to our whole data/info infrastructure. No point doing stories about misinformation and the latest AI chatbot unless you are covering this.
Turns out this news was in the public domain yesterday but no one has covered it as far as I can tell. Does no one care about our national library anymore? It was much the same with the cyberattack. If this was a bit of 'science' infrastructure can you imagine?
www.pcs.org.uk/news-events/...
www.pcs.org.uk/news-events/...
British Library chief executive quits midway through PCS strike
The British Library has been thrown into further turmoil midway through a two-week PCS strike with the resignation of its chief executive Rebecca Lawrence.
www.pcs.org.uk
November 4, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Hetan has a point. Not only is the crisis at the BL a story but so is the general threat to our whole data/info infrastructure. No point doing stories about misinformation and the latest AI chatbot unless you are covering this.
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I think if you ask parents and carers what they want from an education, a lot of them would prioritise their children being happy. Not to have fun all the time but just to feel good about going into the setting. We mustn't lose sight of that. ♥️
November 1, 2025 at 8:29 PM
I think if you ask parents and carers what they want from an education, a lot of them would prioritise their children being happy. Not to have fun all the time but just to feel good about going into the setting. We mustn't lose sight of that. ♥️