Aileen Walker
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aileenwalker.bsky.social
Aileen Walker
@aileenwalker.bsky.social
Politics, parliaments, citizen engagement, news, arts and culture. Former Director of Public Engagement at UK Parliament. Glaswegian.
November 16, 2025 at 8:08 AM
So depressing. Scared to take a decision because of the sums involved, when it’s costing £1.56m a week in maintenance? It was clear years ago that a full decant would be quickest, cheapest & easiest way to do the urgent necessary work to this much-loved building. Some just don’t want to move out
EXCL:

Final decision on restoring the Palace of Westminster will be delayed until 2030s

MPs were expected to vote by the end of 2025 on a way forward for fixing the crumbling parliament, but that now won't happen

Story w/@danbloom1.bsky.social
www.politico.eu/article/fina...
Final decision on fate of crumbling UK parliament delayed to 2030s
It’s a fire-hazard that’s prone to tumbling masonry — but fear of a public backlash is again delaying repairs to the world famous building.
www.politico.eu
November 15, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Shakespeare’s Globe in Lego? Yes please!
You can vote and support this idea …
beta.ideas.lego.com/product-idea...
#lego
Shakespeare's Globe | LEGO® Ideas
Shakespeare's Globe is a world famous theatre in London. This set recreates it's iconic shape and style, whilst celebrating the many plays of William Shakespear…
beta.ideas.lego.com
November 11, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Brilliant GSA Choir weekend at the Badaguish Outdoor Centre
#badaguish #Cairngorms
November 9, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Queen’s View, Perthshire. Looking down Loch Tummel. Glorious autumn day.
November 7, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Only a few tickets left for GSA Choir Christmas concerts!🎄

Join us for a mix of classical & contemporary choral works & well-loved standards. 🎶

📅 13th Dec 2025
🕰️ 3pm & 7.30pm
🏛️ New Auditorium, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
🎟️ 3pm matinee tix: bit.ly/GSACxmasmati...
🎟️ 7.30pm tix: bit.ly/GSACxmaseven...
The GSA Choir Christmas Concert (Matinee) - Glasgow Life
3pm performance
bit.ly
November 3, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Tonight!
The Royal Philosophical Society of Glasgow’s public lecture will be delivered by Prof Barbara Maher - Magnetism and the Brain: Pollution Particles and Alzheimer’s Disease

www.royalphil.org/lecture/magn...
Magnetism and the Brain: Pollution, particles and Alzheimer's disease - The Royal Philosophical Society of Glasgow
Summary
www.royalphil.org
October 29, 2025 at 2:37 PM
We bought one of Damian’s prints a while ago (the Tree, Bird, Bell, Fish one you see in the photo). I love his style! Sounds like a good exhibition
October 28, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Excellent lecture at the Royal Philosophical Society of Glasgow last night from Prof Daniel Susskind on growth. "Growth does not come from using more resources, but from discovering more productive ways of using resources."

www.royalphil.org/lecture/grow...
Growth: A reckoning - The Royal Philosophical Society of Glasgow
Summary
www.royalphil.org
October 16, 2025 at 7:55 AM
Visit to the Citizens Theatre tonight for its first production post-refurb - #smallactsoflove. A musical about the Lockerbie disaster sounds like a strange project, but it worked. Very good. And the building is looking splendid.
October 2, 2025 at 10:12 PM
@clarefurniss.bsky.social It was lovely to meet you in Wigtown. I’ve just finished reading “The Things We Leave Behind”. It’s wonderful. Powerful storytelling. So important that YA fiction explores current issues like this. I’m looking forward to seeing what my young friend makes of it.
October 1, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Two excellent sessions yesterday at the Wigtown Book Festival:
Kate Summerscale - The Peepshow: the murders at 10 Rillington Place;
A conversation with Charles Dickens (via AI) with Stuart Kelly & @philipardagh.bsky.social Fascinating & fun!
#WigtownBookFestival
September 29, 2025 at 4:12 PM
September 27, 2025 at 8:16 PM
A wee bit hot, but great walk yesterday around Kilmahog /Falls of Leny
August 18, 2025 at 7:39 AM
Wonderful, tender article by Ann Prachett in @newyorker.com

www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
How to Practice
I wanted to get rid of my possessions, because possessions stood between me and death.
www.newyorker.com
July 30, 2025 at 12:32 PM
And the finished work …
July 29, 2025 at 10:23 PM
This is my younger son and his mate talking silly stuff about Marvel …
Coming in at number one in our countdown of the best ants, it’s the Ant-Man himself, the one they call Ant-Man, you probably know him from Ant-Man, it’s Ant-Man! You can listen to our podcast all about the film now! open.spotify.com/episode/2ZEk... #upupandaway #antman #marvel #smolbutstrong
July 29, 2025 at 10:20 PM
The official opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo has been delayed, but I was lucky enough to visit it last month. An amazing collection in a stunning building. Now officially my favourite museum. (Nudging Mexico City’s Anthropology Museum off the top spot).

www.ft.com/content/de6a...
Cairo’s Grand Egyptian Museum has all the makings of must-see destination
Impressive in size, design and content, the GEM’s opening may be tainted by politics and connotations of authoritarianism
www.ft.com
June 28, 2025 at 12:58 PM
New mural underway in the Merchant City yesterday
#glasgow #murals
June 26, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Reposted by Aileen Walker
Join us on 18 and 19 June for our free, online conference exploring Labour's constitutional agenda in office.

We have now finalised our line-up, which features the Minister for the Constitution and eight other cross-party MPs!

Find out more and sign up 👉 www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution....
June 3, 2025 at 6:01 AM
In #volunteersweek, giving a shout out to CHS Children’s Hearings Scotland. Being a Panel Member is sometimes tough, but it’s rewarding too. #chsvolunteers

www.chscotland.gov.uk
June 7, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Work trip to Cairo last week (lucky me!) and managed to fit in some sightseeing. The new Grand Egyptian Museum near the pyramids at Giza is stunning
#giza #pyramids #cairo #egypt #grandegyptianmuseum
May 16, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Looking forward to this this evening
TODAY | Book launch: 'Exploring Parliament'

Thursday 15 May, 17.30

Join us for this 'Exploring Parliament' launch to hear from an expert panel discussing how parliament works, who works there, and how this institution keeps evolving.

🔗Register:
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/book-l...
May 15, 2025 at 1:58 PM
I was at the Albanian Parliament this week looking at their civic education programmes. A lively student debate was in progress in the Assembly chamber.
Kuvendi i Republikes se Shqiperise
#Albania #lovinglegislatures
May 9, 2025 at 7:31 AM
Reposted by Aileen Walker
Surge Winter/Spring 2025/2026 Residencies
Time, space, mentoring
Deadline for application 26/05/25
Surge is offering a limited number of residences to artists working within physical theatre, outdoor arts, digital performance and circus. For details & how to apply
www.surge.scot/residencies-...
April 30, 2025 at 2:41 PM