James Connelly

@jamescon.bsky.social

1.1K followers 2K following 150 posts

Emeritus Prof, Hull. Writing Collingwood bio / Philosophical Idealism, Environmental politics & ethics, Elections/electoral systems / Minsters Rail Campaign /J.Connelly@hull.ac.uk / https://hull.academia.edu/JamesConnelly .. more

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Political science 33%

History 20%

Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by James Connelly

Phil Burton-Cartledge @philbc3.bsky.social · 1h

"Starmer, Mahmood, and McSweeney are testing to destruction the idea that stealing the far right's clothes will win them far right votes. They are about to be disappointed."

From Reform-Lite to Reform-Plus

Do you remember the lies Keir Starmer told to secure Labour's leadership? Under pledge six, 'Defend immigrants' rights', among other things ...

averypublicsociologist.blogspot.com

Reposted by James Connelly

Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 1h

Proponents would argue it has a deterrent effect, but the pull factors for the UK are very different from Denmark.

Reposted by Maria Abreu, James Connelly

Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 1h

The basic problem with the temporary refugee status policy - especially one lasting up to 20 years - is it leads to very few removals (based on Denmark's experience) but does significantly worsen integration.

Reposted by Mark Petticrew, Marcus Grant, Ian Butler , and 2 more Mark Petticrew, Marcus Grant, Ian Butler, James Connelly, Judith Pollmann

Guy Shrubsole @guyshrubsole.bsky.social · 1d

Good news: Study shows France’s birds making tentative recovery after neonicotinoid pesticide ban

UK has only just closed loophole in neonics ban (‘derogations’) so may be too soon to see recovery here?

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

With neonicotinoid pesticide ban, France’s birds make a tentative recovery - study

Analysis shows small hike in populations of insect-eating species after 2018 ruling, but full recovery may take decades

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by James Connelly

Mike Galsworthy @mikegalsworthy.bsky.social · 1d

“Climate change is already biting.”

The outgoing Broads Authority chief, Dr John Packman, warns Norfolk’s wetlands can’t be saved by resisting the sea.

Outgoing Broads boss: the unstoppable rise of the waters

Outgoing Broads Authority chief executive John Packman warns climate change is “already biting” as rising seas threaten Norfolk’s wetlands

eastangliabylines.co.uk

Reposted by James Connelly

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 1d

Have courage to create fossil fuel phaseout roadmap at Cop30, Brazilian minister urges

Marina Silva says contentious plan would be ‘ethical answer’ to climate crisis but does not commit Brazil to it Brazil’s environment minister, Marina Silva, has urged all countries to have the courage to address the need for a fossil fuel phaseout, calling the drawing up of a roadmap for it an “ethical” response to the climate crisis. She emphasised, however, that the process would be voluntary for those governments that wished to participate, and “self-determined”. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Ben H. Ansell, Neil Lee, James Connelly , and 1 more Ben H. Ansell, Neil Lee, James Connelly, Christina Pagel

Iain Mansfield @igmansfield.bsky.social · 1d

Reeves should risk it all on one last roll of the dice.

Raise income tax, break the triple lock, slay the deficit, spend the money on the things she believes in.

It may not work - but better than waiting for doom to overtake her.

open.substack.com/pub/edrith/p...

Reeves in Zugzwang

Incremental politics no longer works

open.substack.com

Reposted by James Connelly, Gerry Hassan

David Henig @davidheniguk.bsky.social · 1d

Good test of how UK politics at least is failing, there isn't a single frontline politician with a convincing big picture view of the country. Nostalgia, simplism, and warm words will have to do instead.

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall, James Connelly

Cllr Dr Alex Powell @apowelllaw.bsky.social · 2d

Appeasing the far-right gives the broader public the impression that their narrative is true. There is no way to stem support for Reform by endorsing their policies. Either you are fighting against them or you are, regardless of how you see yourself, fighting for them.

Reposted by James Connelly

Prof Nisreen Alwan @nisreenalwan.bsky.social · 2d

Only “8,500 people in asylum accommodation have the right to work because they entered the country on a visa and later claimed asylum”

Most asylum seekers are not allowed to work. Allowing them to work would’ve made more sense. But sense isn’t what this is about.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

UK government set to make support for asylum seekers ‘discretionary’

Home secretary expected to change system to deny help to those who can work or who have assets

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Du Toit, David Johnson, James Connelly

Zack Labe @zacklabe.com · 2d

Greenhouse gas data is finally rolling in again, and my dashboard is back up-to-date. Unfortunately, the story hasn’t changed... 📈

More climate change indicator graphics at zacklabe.com/climate-chan...

This graphic shows four line graph time series and each are monthly from January 1984 through October 2025. The first graph is a 12-month running mean of global mean surface temperature anomalies. Anomalies are computed relative to a 1991-2020 baseline using ERA5 data. The second graph is monthly carbon dioxide abundance. The CO2 graph is the Keeling Curve. Current levels are 425 ppm. The third graph is monthly global methane abundance. Current levels are 1928 ppb. The fourth graph is monthly global nitrous oxide abundance. Current levels are 339 ppb. The three greenhouse gases show seasonal cycles and long-term increasing trends using data from NOAA ESRL. The global mean surface temperature anomaly record also exhibits decadal variability and a long-term increasing trend. All graphs are rising and shown in four different colors, including white, yellow, orange, and pink.

Reposted by James Connelly

Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social · 2d

The Daily Mail has been relentlessly attacking the BBC over the editing of Trump quotes in a documentary and look:

It completely fabricated a quote from a BBC presenter. Robinson should sue them for, ooh, at least $2 billion dollars as it’s worse than what they accused the BBC of.

Clarifications & corrections
•A COMMENT piece in Wednesday's paper wrongly
In fact Mr Robinson made no
• To report an inaccuracy, please
such statement. We apologise email corrections@dailymail.co.uk.
claimed that BBC Today
for the error.

Reposted by James Connelly

Alison Stenning @alisonstenning.bsky.social · 2d

At what point will Labour politicians, locally and nationally, really start to push back against the endless underfunding of local authorities?

We know what damage this does, and how it will verberate into our futures.

How is there not louder, insistent opposition to this?

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

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by James Connelly

Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 2d

It's real, and it's mind-blowing.

A complete lack of awareness and a national embarrassment.

Parody Nigel Farage @parodypm.bsky.social · 3d

Just some British patriots in Benidorm, taking over a street in Spain to shout in their own language about unwanted foreigners. It’s a blessing that they are too thick to understand irony.

Reposted by Tom Shakespeare, James Harrison, James Connelly , and 1 more Tom Shakespeare, James Harrison, James Connelly, Jon Dean

John Oxley @joxley.jmoxley.co.uk · 2d

"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.

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 3d

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

Reposted by James Connelly

Sam Bright @writesbright.bsky.social · 2d

I'm absolutely bloody sick of self-appointed "patriots" claiming to adore Britain while trying to destroy our national institutions – including, this week, our world-revered public broadcaster.

📝 New rant 👇

The ‘patriots’ who loathe Britain

They claim to love our country, but want to destroy all its institutions...

writesbright.substack.com

Reposted by Martin McKee, Brigitte Nerlich, Steve Peers , and 5 more Martin McKee, Brigitte Nerlich, Steve Peers, Tim Bale, Raffaella Ravinetto, Maria Abreu, James Connelly, Christina Pagel

Dr Farbod @emergencybod.medsky.social · 2d

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...

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

Reposted by James Connelly

Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 3d

English councils plan to sell off social clubs and sports centres to balance books.

Social spaces lost forever. Libraries, community centres, school playgrounds, parks closed/sold as council funding cut in real terms to appease the rich.

Social vandalism.

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

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Jonathan Portes, Tim Bale, Simon Wren‐Lewis , and 5 more Jonathan Portes, Tim Bale, Simon Wren‐Lewis, Alison Phipps, John Foot, Tom Griffin, James Connelly, Christina Pagel

Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 3d

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...

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

Reposted by Timothy Snyder, Anna O. Law, David H. Kaye , and 12 more Timothy Snyder, Anna O. Law, David H. Kaye, Aaron Sojourner, Adrian Daub, Stephen D. Murphy, Will Lowe, Rebecca M. Bratspies, Dean Eckles, Dana R. Fisher, James Connelly, Daxton R. Stewart, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, Dunlap, David Darmofal

Rev. Dr. Michael Woolf @revdrmichaelwoolf.bsky.social · 3d

I wanted to share probably the most important sermon I’ve given and it’s while I’m being arrested. It’s torture pure and simple what happens at #Broadview. I’m ok, though I was thrown to the ground and choked with my pectoral cross. A review of the video shows I was peaceful - did I deserve this?

Reposted by Emili García‐Berthou, James Connelly

Leana Hosea @leanahosea.bsky.social · 3d

Plastic pellets are often mistaken for fish eggs + eaten by sea creatures. Because plastic is so absorbent, it soaks up pollutants from water which are consumed along with them. These beads were being used at a wastewater treatment plant so who knows what they could have absorbed.

Reposted by James Connelly

Climate Tracker @climate.skyfleet.blue · 3d

Scrapping green subsidies is short-termist sabotage – and as usual the consumer will pay | Camilla Born #Climate

Scrapping green subsidies is short-termist sabotage – and as usual the consumer will pay | Camilla Born

Weaning ourselves off gas is the only way to reduce energy bills long term. Cutting support for this is exactly the ‘sticking-plaster politics’ Labour promised to end, says CEO of Electrify Britain Camilla Born

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by James Connelly

Politics Theory Other @poltheoryother.bsky.social · 3d

Useful article by @adamramsay.bsky.social on the Green's turn to the left (something that's been going on for much longer than a lot of the coverage and media talk of "entyrism" would suggest):

The Inside Story of How the Green Party Turned Red | Novara Media

Zack Polanski’s smash-hit eco-populism might seem like a sudden gear-change for the Green party. In fact it’s part of a tectonic shift some of its members have been driving for more than a decade. Ada...

novaramedia.com

Reposted by Katharine Hayhoe, James Connelly

Eoghan Daltun 🌍 @irishrainforest.bsky.social · 3d

More than 1,600 fossil fuel lobbyists granted access to the Cop30 climate negotiations in Belém (Brazil), 12% up from last year’s talks in Baku, Azerbaijan.

What should be the most serious, urgent talks on the planet continue to be a farce.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Fossil fuel lobbyists outnumber all Cop30 delegations except Brazil, report says

One in every 25 participants at 2025 UN climate summit is a fossil fuel lobbyist, according to Kick Big Polluters Out

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by James Connelly

Matt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · 3d

Say what you will about social media, but there was no other point in history where you got to read thousands of people trying to explain Catholicism directly to the Pope

Reposted by James Connelly

Ian Hall @ianhall.bsky.social · 4d

It’s amazing how quickly the global narrative has shifted; renewables now outcompete fossil fuels on cost, growth and jobs.

If governments get the policy right, the green transition could reduce inequality rather than repeat the mistakes of the fossil fuel era.

theconversation.com/renewable-en...

Renewable energy is reshaping the global economy – new report

The energy transition is often painted as a jobs killer, but the evidence says otherwise.

theconversation.com

Reposted by Alexander Wuttke, Jonathan Hopkin, James Connelly , and 1 more Alexander Wuttke, Jonathan Hopkin, James Connelly, Pedro Gullón

Dave Keating @davekeating.substack.com · 4d

Yesterday will mark a major turning point – the collapse of the European Parliament's decades-old centrist governing majority.

It's the end of an era, and the beginning of another.