Tom Rank
@tomrank.bsky.social
Reflections on literature, education - and other ramblings. Was @literaryconnect in the other place 😀
http://www.literaryconnections.co.uk/
http://www.literaryconnections.co.uk/
Reposted by Tom Rank
And it still won’t stop people trying to come here. Because they have literally nothing to lose.
Their lives are already in limbo.
I don’t remember seeing it in their manifesto - how many would have voted for this?
Their lives are already in limbo.
I don’t remember seeing it in their manifesto - how many would have voted for this?
November 16, 2025 at 8:28 AM
And it still won’t stop people trying to come here. Because they have literally nothing to lose.
Their lives are already in limbo.
I don’t remember seeing it in their manifesto - how many would have voted for this?
Their lives are already in limbo.
I don’t remember seeing it in their manifesto - how many would have voted for this?
Reposted by Tom Rank
The best way to understand what is actually “driving the small boats” is “if something carried a one in a 100 risk of death, would you do it it it gave you ten more years of healthy life?”
Shabana Mahmood tells Sunday Times it should take 20 years for somebody granted refugee status in UK to secure permanent status (ie, reapply 6 times) if came without permission.
Paper says Denmark has toughest settlement timeline (8 years) but UK govt wants longer
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Paper says Denmark has toughest settlement timeline (8 years) but UK govt wants longer
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Shabana Mahmood: ‘Illegal migration is tearing Britain apart’
The home secretary is planning to introduce a 20-year wait for permanent stay to end a ‘golden ticket’ for asylum seekers
www.thetimes.com
November 15, 2025 at 11:59 PM
The best way to understand what is actually “driving the small boats” is “if something carried a one in a 100 risk of death, would you do it it it gave you ten more years of healthy life?”
Reposted by Tom Rank
Trump-supporting, self-styled upholders of ‘Judeo-Christian values’ on either side of the Atlantic will be along any moment now*…
*Spoiler alert: they absolutely won’t.
*Spoiler alert: they absolutely won’t.
What a photograph.
“Nearly two dozen arrested as faith leaders protested outside a federal immigration facility near Chicago…”
Arrested large amounts of peaceful clergy face first on pavement is a pretty good sign you’re not the good guys in the story. www.reuters.com/legal/govern...
“Nearly two dozen arrested as faith leaders protested outside a federal immigration facility near Chicago…”
Arrested large amounts of peaceful clergy face first on pavement is a pretty good sign you’re not the good guys in the story. www.reuters.com/legal/govern...
November 15, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Trump-supporting, self-styled upholders of ‘Judeo-Christian values’ on either side of the Atlantic will be along any moment now*…
*Spoiler alert: they absolutely won’t.
*Spoiler alert: they absolutely won’t.
Reposted by Tom Rank
BBC has a case against Trump. WhiteHouse Chief Press Officer called the BBC ‘100% fake news.’ Which is defamatory and untrue.
Trump says he will sue BBC for between $1 billion and $5 billion despite apology www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Trump says he will sue BBC for at least $1bn over Panorama edit
The US president told reporters on Air Force One that he will take legal action against the broadcaster and will call Sir Keir Starmer over the weekend.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 15, 2025 at 8:45 AM
BBC has a case against Trump. WhiteHouse Chief Press Officer called the BBC ‘100% fake news.’ Which is defamatory and untrue.
Reposted by Tom Rank
The levy on foreign students is an export tax. Has anyone in government wondered why countries don't usually impose export taxes?
A levy on foreign students is one of the closest things you're going to see to tariffs on services - except the UK will be putting it on its own exports...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Levy on international students’ tuition fees not in best interest of UK, says leader of top university
Duncan Ivison, president of Manchester University, says government’s 6% surcharge plan will ‘hurt the sector’
www.theguardian.com
November 15, 2025 at 10:45 AM
The levy on foreign students is an export tax. Has anyone in government wondered why countries don't usually impose export taxes?
Reposted by Tom Rank
Interviewer: Can you explain this gap in your resume?
Bertrand Russell: I spent months staring at a blank piece of paper.
Bertrand Russell: I spent months staring at a blank piece of paper.
Interviewer: Can you explain this gap in your resume?
Historian: That page was burned in the Library of Alexandria, and no modern copies survive.
Historian: That page was burned in the Library of Alexandria, and no modern copies survive.
November 15, 2025 at 8:25 AM
Interviewer: Can you explain this gap in your resume?
Bertrand Russell: I spent months staring at a blank piece of paper.
Bertrand Russell: I spent months staring at a blank piece of paper.
Reposted by Tom Rank
This statement not acceptable and I suspect not sustainable. Large majority of public support principle of asylum, support letting people stay permanently. Majority for that among Labour and other progressive parties’ voters is overwhelming. The Reform voters this is aimed at will never vote Labour
"The era of permanent protection is over"
Is this Labour government really saying it was wrong in principle to let these refugees of the last 75 years to stay, settle and become British - and they believe that should NEVER happen again in principle or practice?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiuR...
Is this Labour government really saying it was wrong in principle to let these refugees of the last 75 years to stay, settle and become British - and they believe that should NEVER happen again in principle or practice?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiuR...
Refugees from 7 decades gather to commemorate 70 years of refugee in protection in the UK
YouTube video by Refugee Council
www.youtube.com
November 15, 2025 at 12:49 PM
This statement not acceptable and I suspect not sustainable. Large majority of public support principle of asylum, support letting people stay permanently. Majority for that among Labour and other progressive parties’ voters is overwhelming. The Reform voters this is aimed at will never vote Labour
Reposted by Tom Rank
Okay, I can't let this one go. I live in Ireland, not the UK, but the use of this image by a supposedly socialist party is so stupid and offensive, I'm going to get stuck in.
Let me explain to you why any experienced illustrator/designer could have stopped you making so many miserable mistakes. 1/
Let me explain to you why any experienced illustrator/designer could have stopped you making so many miserable mistakes. 1/
November 15, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Okay, I can't let this one go. I live in Ireland, not the UK, but the use of this image by a supposedly socialist party is so stupid and offensive, I'm going to get stuck in.
Let me explain to you why any experienced illustrator/designer could have stopped you making so many miserable mistakes. 1/
Let me explain to you why any experienced illustrator/designer could have stopped you making so many miserable mistakes. 1/
Reposted by Tom Rank
Listening to posh public school boys droning on about BBC left wing institutional bias just reminds me how captured the media is generally by white, male, upper class Tories. They're ubiquitous.
November 15, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Listening to posh public school boys droning on about BBC left wing institutional bias just reminds me how captured the media is generally by white, male, upper class Tories. They're ubiquitous.
Reposted by Tom Rank
Above all it’s offensive that we should deliberately try to reduce the number of *successful* asylum claims. We are still a wealthy country. We welcome a (shamefully) tiny share of the world‘s refugees. It should be an honour & pleasure to welcome people who need sanctuary. Shame on Labour. /end
November 15, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Above all it’s offensive that we should deliberately try to reduce the number of *successful* asylum claims. We are still a wealthy country. We welcome a (shamefully) tiny share of the world‘s refugees. It should be an honour & pleasure to welcome people who need sanctuary. Shame on Labour. /end
Reposted by Tom Rank
To explain briefly: at the moment people successful in their asylum claims get permission to stay in the UK for 5 years, then have to apply for permanent residency. At that point a review of their status is done, but it’s rare not to succeed at that point unless they‘ve committed an offence 1/
To reiterate, this is about making life immeasurably more miserable and stressful for some of the most vulnerable people, in the almost certainly vain hope of winning over the votes of racists.
Anything more shabby and shameful is difficult to envisage.
Anything more shabby and shameful is difficult to envisage.
Asylum in UK to be made temporary under Home Secretary’s plans
Shabana Mahmood will lay out reforms modelled on the Danish system on Monday.
www.independent.co.uk
November 15, 2025 at 9:36 AM
To explain briefly: at the moment people successful in their asylum claims get permission to stay in the UK for 5 years, then have to apply for permanent residency. At that point a review of their status is done, but it’s rare not to succeed at that point unless they‘ve committed an offence 1/
Reposted by Tom Rank
"Thank Heavens Reeves froze the thresholds," says the median voter in 2029 as they walk past the derelict sports centre and down the empty high street to cast their vote.
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 11:34 AM
"Thank Heavens Reeves froze the thresholds," says the median voter in 2029 as they walk past the derelict sports centre and down the empty high street to cast their vote.
Reposted by Tom Rank
This vignette is from the autobiography of the film director Lewis Gilbert (1920-2018). His grandmother Annie was a Russian-Jewish refugee who he says spoke Yiddish and almost no English. It's a beautiful example of the connection between generations, languages and cultures. London, around 1927:
November 15, 2025 at 11:39 AM
This vignette is from the autobiography of the film director Lewis Gilbert (1920-2018). His grandmother Annie was a Russian-Jewish refugee who he says spoke Yiddish and almost no English. It's a beautiful example of the connection between generations, languages and cultures. London, around 1927:
Reposted by Tom Rank
Just from a basic political economy perspective, there is no route to a different state that doesn't involve macro-economic policies that means that middle-class white collar households earn more, social policies that mean they get more, and tax policies that mean they pay more.
November 15, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Just from a basic political economy perspective, there is no route to a different state that doesn't involve macro-economic policies that means that middle-class white collar households earn more, social policies that mean they get more, and tax policies that mean they pay more.
Reposted by Tom Rank
Mahmood’s proposals are immoral, but also, as this illustrates, despite what she claims, you can’t defeat fascists and racists by doing what they want.
Labour's plans on asylum are so extreme that they are being welcomed by Rupert Lowe MP - a man thrown out of Reform for being too extreme.
November 15, 2025 at 10:10 AM
Mahmood’s proposals are immoral, but also, as this illustrates, despite what she claims, you can’t defeat fascists and racists by doing what they want.
Reposted by Tom Rank
To reiterate, this is about making life immeasurably more miserable and stressful for some of the most vulnerable people, in the almost certainly vain hope of winning over the votes of racists.
Anything more shabby and shameful is difficult to envisage.
Anything more shabby and shameful is difficult to envisage.
Asylum in UK to be made temporary under Home Secretary’s plans
Shabana Mahmood will lay out reforms modelled on the Danish system on Monday.
www.independent.co.uk
November 15, 2025 at 9:14 AM
To reiterate, this is about making life immeasurably more miserable and stressful for some of the most vulnerable people, in the almost certainly vain hope of winning over the votes of racists.
Anything more shabby and shameful is difficult to envisage.
Anything more shabby and shameful is difficult to envisage.
Reposted by Tom Rank
I cannot stress this enough, as with Patel, Braverman, Sunak et al, do not bring Mahmood's background or religion into your arguments against policies. Racism is racism, no matter how "progressive" you think you make it sound. Counter the ideas, the inhumanity, the cruelty.
November 15, 2025 at 9:15 AM
I cannot stress this enough, as with Patel, Braverman, Sunak et al, do not bring Mahmood's background or religion into your arguments against policies. Racism is racism, no matter how "progressive" you think you make it sound. Counter the ideas, the inhumanity, the cruelty.
Reposted by Tom Rank
The exact opposite of what - & we know this - benefits both host country *and* refugees.
Why on earth choose a policy that turns a proven win-win strategy into a lose-lose?
As a fmr 🇦🇺 Migration Officer, these populist, illiterate, irrational approaches to immigration are utterly frustrating.
Why on earth choose a policy that turns a proven win-win strategy into a lose-lose?
As a fmr 🇦🇺 Migration Officer, these populist, illiterate, irrational approaches to immigration are utterly frustrating.
November 15, 2025 at 9:17 AM
The exact opposite of what - & we know this - benefits both host country *and* refugees.
Why on earth choose a policy that turns a proven win-win strategy into a lose-lose?
As a fmr 🇦🇺 Migration Officer, these populist, illiterate, irrational approaches to immigration are utterly frustrating.
Why on earth choose a policy that turns a proven win-win strategy into a lose-lose?
As a fmr 🇦🇺 Migration Officer, these populist, illiterate, irrational approaches to immigration are utterly frustrating.
Reposted by Tom Rank
This is as bad as anything proposed by Reform.
Leaving refugees in permanent limbo and unable to build a new life in the UK would be a complete abdication of our humanitarian responsibilities
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Leaving refugees in permanent limbo and unable to build a new life in the UK would be a complete abdication of our humanitarian responsibilities
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 15, 2025 at 6:43 AM
This is as bad as anything proposed by Reform.
Leaving refugees in permanent limbo and unable to build a new life in the UK would be a complete abdication of our humanitarian responsibilities
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Leaving refugees in permanent limbo and unable to build a new life in the UK would be a complete abdication of our humanitarian responsibilities
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Tom Rank
Open AI loses copyright case in Germany.
Judge Elke Schwager summarized the case saying that if you want to build something and need components, "then you purchase them and do not use the property of others."
Judge Elke Schwager summarized the case saying that if you want to build something and need components, "then you purchase them and do not use the property of others."
Blow for OpenAI in Germany as court rules song lyrics used illegally
A German court ruled on Tuesday that OpenAI violated copyright on nine popular songs in a lawsuit that marked another attempt to prevent the free use of artists' content online. The Munich Regional Co...
www.yahoo.com
November 14, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Open AI loses copyright case in Germany.
Judge Elke Schwager summarized the case saying that if you want to build something and need components, "then you purchase them and do not use the property of others."
Judge Elke Schwager summarized the case saying that if you want to build something and need components, "then you purchase them and do not use the property of others."
Reposted by Tom Rank
A scintillating episode of R4TheVerb celebrating the 200th anniversary of the train & its impact on the language, metre & rhythms of poetry. Ian McMillan in the signal box with @dharmabam.bsky.social @carmenmarcus.bsky.social, Bella Hardy, @padrig.bsky.social
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - The Verb, Train Poetry with Don Paterson, Bella Hardy, Carmen Marcus, Patrick McGuinness
Ian McMillan with Don Paterson, Carmen Marcus, Patrick McGuinness & Bella Hardy on trains
www.bbc.co.uk
November 15, 2025 at 9:10 AM
A scintillating episode of R4TheVerb celebrating the 200th anniversary of the train & its impact on the language, metre & rhythms of poetry. Ian McMillan in the signal box with @dharmabam.bsky.social @carmenmarcus.bsky.social, Bella Hardy, @padrig.bsky.social
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
Reposted by Tom Rank
The European countries with the most comprehensive and best quality welfare states all have very broad tax bases as well as universal services - everyone pays in a lot, everyone receives a lot. That is a better model. Trying to shift everything onto "the wealthy" is a destabilising fantasy.
November 14, 2025 at 4:01 PM
The European countries with the most comprehensive and best quality welfare states all have very broad tax bases as well as universal services - everyone pays in a lot, everyone receives a lot. That is a better model. Trying to shift everything onto "the wealthy" is a destabilising fantasy.
Reposted by Tom Rank
🚨 NEW POST: the scheme that inspired our postwar 'streets in the sky' - the Justus van Effen Estate in Rotterdam, Michiel Brinkman's masterpiece of the early 1920s. (New photos by @matthew-cook.bsky.social added.)
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/11/11/h...
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/11/11/h...
November 14, 2025 at 9:33 AM
🚨 NEW POST: the scheme that inspired our postwar 'streets in the sky' - the Justus van Effen Estate in Rotterdam, Michiel Brinkman's masterpiece of the early 1920s. (New photos by @matthew-cook.bsky.social added.)
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/11/11/h...
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/11/11/h...
Reposted by Tom Rank
About 40% of migrants eventually return to their parent countries, according to this, which is one of the many, many facts that is never aired in the never-ending debate over immigration in Britain.
📕 New insight paper by CPC-CG member @jackiewahba.bsky.social @unisouthampton.bsky.social
Discusses the impacts of return #migration on #entrepreneurship, #investment, human capital accumulation, and transfer of knowledge and norms.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... @populationeu.bsky.social
Discusses the impacts of return #migration on #entrepreneurship, #investment, human capital accumulation, and transfer of knowledge and norms.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... @populationeu.bsky.social
November 14, 2025 at 9:05 AM
About 40% of migrants eventually return to their parent countries, according to this, which is one of the many, many facts that is never aired in the never-ending debate over immigration in Britain.
Reposted by Tom Rank
Nostalgia is *never* really about specific material circumstances. It is *only* ever about pining for lost youth and the dread of encroaching mortality.
November 14, 2025 at 8:59 AM
Nostalgia is *never* really about specific material circumstances. It is *only* ever about pining for lost youth and the dread of encroaching mortality.