TonyDobbins
@tdobbo.bsky.social
Interested in work and employment relations, and other things in life outside the world of work: hiking, footy (YNWA), cycling, nature, music. Plebeian origins. Greatest achievements: seeing a badger 🦡and rescuing a hedgehog 🦔
Excellent independent investigative journalism. Covers issues you don't read about in much of the mainstream media nowadays.
The Epstein Files tell a horrific and heavy story of abuse and corruption. But power protects itself through the expectation that we will feel paralysed by the sense of powerlessness.
Their release is a seminal moment.
That's why our new Byline Times print edition delves into the deeper story 👇
Their release is a seminal moment.
That's why our new Byline Times print edition delves into the deeper story 👇
February 13, 2026 at 10:53 AM
Excellent independent investigative journalism. Covers issues you don't read about in much of the mainstream media nowadays.
Reposted by TonyDobbins
🚨BREAKING -- Terrorism ban on Palestine Action ruled unlawful by High Court
by John McEvoy & Dania Akkad
www.declassifieduk.org/terrorism-ba...
by John McEvoy & Dania Akkad
www.declassifieduk.org/terrorism-ba...
Terrorism ban on Palestine Action ruled unlawful by High Court
Ban saw thousands of people arrested under counter-terrorism powers for holding signs in support of the group
www.declassifieduk.org
February 13, 2026 at 10:14 AM
🚨BREAKING -- Terrorism ban on Palestine Action ruled unlawful by High Court
by John McEvoy & Dania Akkad
www.declassifieduk.org/terrorism-ba...
by John McEvoy & Dania Akkad
www.declassifieduk.org/terrorism-ba...
Reposted by TonyDobbins
Ratcliffe is a creation of Britain's recent history. Refineries and chemical works he owns used to be run by firms that were majority owned by government. Unions have been disempowered and work has been made precarious across the economy. The Ratcliffes of this world have been rewarded.
February 12, 2026 at 1:12 PM
Ratcliffe is a creation of Britain's recent history. Refineries and chemical works he owns used to be run by firms that were majority owned by government. Unions have been disempowered and work has been made precarious across the economy. The Ratcliffes of this world have been rewarded.
Reposted by TonyDobbins
Jim Ratcliffe is best known as the unpopular Manchester United owner and today he has been in the news for saying that 'the UK has been colonised by immigrants'. We need to understand Ratcliffe's as an energy billionaire who made his power and money by closing workplaces and opposing unions 🧵
'UK has been colonised by immigrants', says INEOS boss and Man Utd co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe
In an interview with Sky News's Ed Conway, Sir Jim says Britain faces profound political, social and economic challenges, among them an unprecedented rise in immigration in recent years.
news.sky.com
February 12, 2026 at 1:04 PM
Jim Ratcliffe is best known as the unpopular Manchester United owner and today he has been in the news for saying that 'the UK has been colonised by immigrants'. We need to understand Ratcliffe's as an energy billionaire who made his power and money by closing workplaces and opposing unions 🧵
'who now speaks for labour?'
My new book, An Injury to All: The Unmaking of the British Working Class, is now listed in Verso's trade catalogue for 2026.
You can find it here: versobooks.com/en-gb/pages/...
You can find it here: versobooks.com/en-gb/pages/...
February 11, 2026 at 5:07 PM
'who now speaks for labour?'
Reposted by TonyDobbins
Not a good look for a party leader reportedly "worried" about his Russia Problem
Me for @bylinetimes.bsky.social
bylinetimes.com/2026/02/10/r...
Me for @bylinetimes.bsky.social
bylinetimes.com/2026/02/10/r...
Reform MPs Accused of Pandering to Putin After Skipping Russian Interference Debate
Nigel Farage's party refused to attend the debate, called after more than 100,000 people signed a petition demanding a public inquiry into Russian interference in British politics
bylinetimes.com
February 10, 2026 at 4:54 PM
Not a good look for a party leader reportedly "worried" about his Russia Problem
Me for @bylinetimes.bsky.social
bylinetimes.com/2026/02/10/r...
Me for @bylinetimes.bsky.social
bylinetimes.com/2026/02/10/r...
Maybe revisit his original ten leadership pledges, which he reneged on. i.e. a U- turn on a U-turn. 🫣
February 10, 2026 at 12:55 PM
Maybe revisit his original ten leadership pledges, which he reneged on. i.e. a U- turn on a U-turn. 🫣
Reposted by TonyDobbins
Scrapping REF should be “serious’ option”, says Manchester VC.
Duncan Ivison questions “usefulness” of “massive, bureaucratic” research assessment exercise.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...
Duncan Ivison questions “usefulness” of “massive, bureaucratic” research assessment exercise.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...
Scrapping REF should be ‘serious’ option, says Manchester VC - Research Professional News
Duncan Ivison questions “usefulness” of “massive, bureaucratic” research assessment exercise
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
February 10, 2026 at 8:43 AM
Scrapping REF should be “serious’ option”, says Manchester VC.
Duncan Ivison questions “usefulness” of “massive, bureaucratic” research assessment exercise.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...
Duncan Ivison questions “usefulness” of “massive, bureaucratic” research assessment exercise.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...
Reposted by TonyDobbins
In the US, union pension funds collectively manage roughly $8 trillion in worker savings.
Sweden’s Meidner Plan suggests how labor can wield that economic power effectively: by using pension funds to establish worker ownership over private companies.
Sweden’s Meidner Plan suggests how labor can wield that economic power effectively: by using pension funds to establish worker ownership over private companies.
US Labor Unions Can Take a Page From Sweden’s Meidner Plan
In the US, union pension funds collectively manage roughly $8 trillion in worker savings. Sweden’s Meidner Plan suggests how labor can wield that economic power effectively: by using pension funds to establish worker ownership over private companies.
jacobin.com
February 7, 2026 at 5:00 PM
In the US, union pension funds collectively manage roughly $8 trillion in worker savings.
Sweden’s Meidner Plan suggests how labor can wield that economic power effectively: by using pension funds to establish worker ownership over private companies.
Sweden’s Meidner Plan suggests how labor can wield that economic power effectively: by using pension funds to establish worker ownership over private companies.
Reposted by TonyDobbins
🇪🇸 The Spanish Constitution promises #democracy at #work.
For the past year, @benbraun.bsky.social has been part of the expert group of 13 convened by @yolandadiaz.bsky.social ky.social and led by @isabelleferreras.bsky.social studying how to deliver that promise.
👉 www.lse.ac.uk/european-ins...
For the past year, @benbraun.bsky.social has been part of the expert group of 13 convened by @yolandadiaz.bsky.social ky.social and led by @isabelleferreras.bsky.social studying how to deliver that promise.
👉 www.lse.ac.uk/european-ins...
February 6, 2026 at 2:43 PM
🇪🇸 The Spanish Constitution promises #democracy at #work.
For the past year, @benbraun.bsky.social has been part of the expert group of 13 convened by @yolandadiaz.bsky.social ky.social and led by @isabelleferreras.bsky.social studying how to deliver that promise.
👉 www.lse.ac.uk/european-ins...
For the past year, @benbraun.bsky.social has been part of the expert group of 13 convened by @yolandadiaz.bsky.social ky.social and led by @isabelleferreras.bsky.social studying how to deliver that promise.
👉 www.lse.ac.uk/european-ins...
Reposted by TonyDobbins
Time for my semi-regular repost of a favourite bit from Wolfgang Streeck. Listening to Labour insiders telling us to be wary of the bond market, and reading what Mandelson was saying/doing, who would conclude “yes, these are definitely my people, they are clearly on my side”?
February 7, 2026 at 9:12 AM
Time for my semi-regular repost of a favourite bit from Wolfgang Streeck. Listening to Labour insiders telling us to be wary of the bond market, and reading what Mandelson was saying/doing, who would conclude “yes, these are definitely my people, they are clearly on my side”?
Reposted by TonyDobbins
Poor political decisions, a broken funding model, managerial leadership, and metric‑driven governance, which together are transforming the sector into something barely recognisable as a public university system by Constantinos Alexiou and George Saridakis
blogs.lse.ac.uk/impa...
blogs.lse.ac.uk/impa...
Why are UK universities failing? - LSE Impact
The HE sector in the UK faces the prospect of a university going into administration. How have universities fallen so low and is change possible?
blogs.lse.ac.uk
February 6, 2026 at 1:44 PM
Poor political decisions, a broken funding model, managerial leadership, and metric‑driven governance, which together are transforming the sector into something barely recognisable as a public university system by Constantinos Alexiou and George Saridakis
blogs.lse.ac.uk/impa...
blogs.lse.ac.uk/impa...
Reposted by TonyDobbins
Sociologist C. Wright Mills saw this coming—and tried to warn us—60+ years ago.
jacobin.com/2026/02/wrig...
jacobin.com/2026/02/wrig...
February 6, 2026 at 1:08 AM
Sociologist C. Wright Mills saw this coming—and tried to warn us—60+ years ago.
jacobin.com/2026/02/wrig...
jacobin.com/2026/02/wrig...
Reposted by TonyDobbins
Disgraced peer Peter Mandelson was directly involved in helping Morgan McSweeney select Labour’s parliamentary candidates ahead of the 2024 general election, a party whistleblower told The i Paper
🔴 Exclusive from Kitty Donaldson
➡️ Read more: trib.al/ptSTu07
🔴 Exclusive from Kitty Donaldson
➡️ Read more: trib.al/ptSTu07
February 4, 2026 at 12:27 PM
Disgraced peer Peter Mandelson was directly involved in helping Morgan McSweeney select Labour’s parliamentary candidates ahead of the 2024 general election, a party whistleblower told The i Paper
🔴 Exclusive from Kitty Donaldson
➡️ Read more: trib.al/ptSTu07
🔴 Exclusive from Kitty Donaldson
➡️ Read more: trib.al/ptSTu07
Reposted by TonyDobbins
I know it’s been done but there really is no more succinct way to respond to Tory MPs who were part of the last government, saying ‘Britain is broken’ after joining Reform
Suspect Guilty GIF
ALT: Suspect Guilty GIF
media.tenor.com
January 26, 2026 at 5:34 PM
I know it’s been done but there really is no more succinct way to respond to Tory MPs who were part of the last government, saying ‘Britain is broken’ after joining Reform
Reposted by TonyDobbins
🚨 Nicolas Bloom, Stanford University: "The top down version is we compare Britain to 33 other countries. That gives minus 8% (hit to GDP from Brexit)."
📉 "So (the UK) was kind of tracking right in the middle to being the second worst country"
⚠️ Brexit was an act of economic self-harm.
📉 "So (the UK) was kind of tracking right in the middle to being the second worst country"
⚠️ Brexit was an act of economic self-harm.
January 26, 2026 at 2:51 PM
🚨 Nicolas Bloom, Stanford University: "The top down version is we compare Britain to 33 other countries. That gives minus 8% (hit to GDP from Brexit)."
📉 "So (the UK) was kind of tracking right in the middle to being the second worst country"
⚠️ Brexit was an act of economic self-harm.
📉 "So (the UK) was kind of tracking right in the middle to being the second worst country"
⚠️ Brexit was an act of economic self-harm.
Reposted by TonyDobbins
Reposted by TonyDobbins
Opinion | Thatcher destroyed our railways, water, and housing – and we're still paying for it
An honest reckoning with the Thatcher era is necessary if the country is to be restored and renewed
🖊️ By Yasmin Alibhai-Brown
➡️ Read here: trib.al/RUYdvaJ
An honest reckoning with the Thatcher era is necessary if the country is to be restored and renewed
🖊️ By Yasmin Alibhai-Brown
➡️ Read here: trib.al/RUYdvaJ
January 26, 2026 at 1:14 PM
Opinion | Thatcher destroyed our railways, water, and housing – and we're still paying for it
An honest reckoning with the Thatcher era is necessary if the country is to be restored and renewed
🖊️ By Yasmin Alibhai-Brown
➡️ Read here: trib.al/RUYdvaJ
An honest reckoning with the Thatcher era is necessary if the country is to be restored and renewed
🖊️ By Yasmin Alibhai-Brown
➡️ Read here: trib.al/RUYdvaJ
Reposted by TonyDobbins
#OtD 24 Jan 1986 print workers at Rupert Murdoch's News International went on strike against the new, open shop, no-strike plant at Wapping in London. They were all sacked and replaced by scabs and after a year they were defeated stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/9655...
January 24, 2026 at 3:25 PM
#OtD 24 Jan 1986 print workers at Rupert Murdoch's News International went on strike against the new, open shop, no-strike plant at Wapping in London. They were all sacked and replaced by scabs and after a year they were defeated stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/9655...
Reposted by TonyDobbins
The government's lack of ambition on corporate governance reform is disappointing. Abandoning its Corporate Governance and Audit Reform Bill is a missed opportunity, based on the myth that regulating business effectively is bad economics. highpaycentre.org/high-pay-cen...
1/9
1/9
High Pay Centre Statement on the Government's decision to scrap its planned Corporate Governance and Audit Reform Bill - High Pay Centre
The decision to abandon its Corporate Governance and Audit Reform Bill is a missed opportunity, based on the myth that effectively regulating business is bad for growth.
highpaycentre.org
January 23, 2026 at 12:32 PM
The government's lack of ambition on corporate governance reform is disappointing. Abandoning its Corporate Governance and Audit Reform Bill is a missed opportunity, based on the myth that regulating business effectively is bad economics. highpaycentre.org/high-pay-cen...
1/9
1/9
Reposted by TonyDobbins
In this Anglia TV News clip I respond to the government’s new Water White Paper, a blueprint of their plans before any law is drafted. I was clear that our water system needs to return to public ownership. 1/3
January 21, 2026 at 4:51 PM
In this Anglia TV News clip I respond to the government’s new Water White Paper, a blueprint of their plans before any law is drafted. I was clear that our water system needs to return to public ownership. 1/3
Reposted by TonyDobbins
"Many are criminals without borders who have moved from hijacking businesses to hijacking nations."
An excerpt from my book HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT (2020) summing up the current situation:
January 21, 2026 at 6:31 PM
"Many are criminals without borders who have moved from hijacking businesses to hijacking nations."
Reposted by TonyDobbins
Official: Employment Rights Act will improve working conditions and job security for 18 million workers, deliver a significant net gain to society, and provide a boost to growth and employment. @tuc.org.uk analysis shows that benefits are likely to total over £10bn www.tuc.org.uk/blogs/its-of...
It's official: Employment Rights Act will deliver a stronger fairer economy
Government officials have confirmed what unions and experts have been saying for years: better rights at work strengthen the economy as well as protecting workers. An updated impact assessment finds t...
www.tuc.org.uk
January 20, 2026 at 8:33 AM
Official: Employment Rights Act will improve working conditions and job security for 18 million workers, deliver a significant net gain to society, and provide a boost to growth and employment. @tuc.org.uk analysis shows that benefits are likely to total over £10bn www.tuc.org.uk/blogs/its-of...
Reposted by TonyDobbins
Gabriel Zucman on the shocking concentration of extreme wealth in the United States….
gzucman.substack.com?r=nle0&utm_c...
gzucman.substack.com?r=nle0&utm_c...
January 19, 2026 at 9:40 AM
Gabriel Zucman on the shocking concentration of extreme wealth in the United States….
gzucman.substack.com?r=nle0&utm_c...
gzucman.substack.com?r=nle0&utm_c...