Chris Birt
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cdbirt.bsky.social
Chris Birt
@cdbirt.bsky.social
Associate Director for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Good to be in the Scotsman today with Peter Kelly @povertyalliance.org on how Scotland Demands Better can be the alternative to the hate we've seen spill out elsewhere.

Full article available in the paper and online:

www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...
September 26, 2025 at 12:59 PM
On 25th October people are taking to the streets of Edinburgh for Scotland Demands Better.

A chance for us to use our voice to demand better from our politicians. A Scotland where everyone can flourish.

Come hear about why tomorrow night with me,
@satwatr.bsky.social and others 👇👇
September 8, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Crucial analysis from over on Mordor from my colleague @iainkporter.bsky.social

Welfare cuts actually increase poverty by closer to 400,000 but DWP sleight of hand attempting to mask it.
March 26, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Confirmation of chunky cuts to SG and NI Executive budgets because of PIP cuts.

Big choices for those Ministers as to whether to copy the cruel choices of UKG.
March 26, 2025 at 2:25 PM
⏰At Scottish Labour Party Conference this week?⏰

Then come to our fringe event:

⏲️Sat - 22 Feb - 17.30 to 18.30

Come hear @pfokane.bsky.social, @mrsemmajacko.bsky.social and me talk about what needs to be done to meet the child poverty reduction targets and why it is so important.
February 18, 2025 at 12:31 PM
My mum would’ve cheered this para from Tressa Burke.

Any muppet who thinks support for disabled people is generous should read every word of this by @neilmackay.bsky.social

Freedom from poverty and basic dignity are the minimum in any decent society

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2493865...
February 16, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Just to add to my Perthshire scenery displays.

Loch Tay looked amazing this evening. Snow on Lawers and a beautiful sunset.

Back indoors from tomorrow…
January 5, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Listen to the penguin.

Many people back to work and school tomorrow “you can do this”.

For those who have worked shifts the whole time and hardly had a day off you can probably just about endure people moaning about being “back at work”. Maybe.
January 5, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Glen Tilt really is magnificent and the walk into it is like Narnia with the dusting of snow.

Had John Grant’s Glacier going through my head the whole time. Partly because it is a great song and mainly because of the spectacular landscapes.

Highland Perthshire is quite good in my biased view…
January 3, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Good to speak to @bbcjamescook.bsky.social about this piece.

And a good lesson in when you're enjoying an interesting interview and say things like "don't give a monkeys...".

The weather here also suggests we are still in the deep winter...

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
December 4, 2024 at 9:36 AM
And what about scale - analysis by Fraser of Allander shows that SG spending on child poverty reduction is still a relatively small part of SG spending.

How much will this budget increase the £1.3bn or so they are already spening?
December 3, 2024 at 11:10 AM
Big week in Scotland 💷

Budget.

Will it put us on the path to eradicating child poverty as the FM wants to?

Will the other parties push the Scottish Government on this?

How will we know if the budget is progress?

What sort of scale is needed?

A thread to help...🧵1/
December 3, 2024 at 11:10 AM
📽️A short clip from the Social Justice Committee this morning where I was talking about the Child Poverty Reduction targets.

Apparently for the next week or so everything will be a litmus test, get over it...🧪

My mum would be scandalised by my hair [island].
November 28, 2024 at 5:31 PM
Appreciate I’m a wee bit late to the party but Perth Museum is excellent.

Stone of Destiny really well done but the rest is great too.

In the complex scoring system of a six year old it scored 1 million out of 1 million.

A strong score.
November 24, 2024 at 5:03 PM
This evening I have been mostly watching Stop Making Sense by Talking Heads.

I warming break from the snow.

Need to get myself one of them massive suits.
November 23, 2024 at 9:26 PM
Lesson #2,456 on driving in snow.

When driving uphill. Know when you’re beaten.

Ps Royal Mail, if you’re going to make posties drive in dangerous conditions buy winter tyres
November 23, 2024 at 2:01 PM
Highland Perthshire showing off today…
November 17, 2024 at 2:43 PM