Francesca Gains
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francescagains.bsky.social
Francesca Gains
@francescagains.bsky.social
Emerita Prof of Public Policy @uompol.bsky.social - still curious about the politics of policy making but happily distracted digging my allotment, being a Horsforth Town Councillor, campaigning to reopen Otley Lido and champions 🏆#LUFC 💙💛
Reposted by Francesca Gains
July 27, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Reposted by Francesca Gains
NEW: @jacknewman.bsky.social and I have just published our new article 'Localism, Levelling Up and Taking Back Control: Tensions in the Ambiguous Justification of English Devolution' open access in @politicalquarterly.bsky.social. Read the article here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Localism, Levelling Up and Taking Back Control: Tensions in the Ambiguous Justification of English Devolution
There is an increasingly powerful argument for the decentralisation of policy making in England's highly centralised political context. In recent years, this issue has represented one of the clearest...
doi.org
July 21, 2025 at 8:11 AM
Fantastic to see Kirkstall Abbey House Museum on the shortlist for best small museum of the year here ⬇️ - a testament to all the hard work campaigning to keep it open
kidsinmuseums.org.uk/2025/06/disc...
Discover the UK’s best museums for families this summer - Kids in Museums
18 museums are in the running to be named the UK’s Best Family Friendly Museum.
kidsinmuseums.org.uk
June 24, 2025 at 10:56 AM
Reposted by Francesca Gains
🚨 New article in Comparative Political Studies (@cpsjournal.bsky.social)!
After many years of rewarding work, Sam, Vera, and I can finally share findings from Mosul, Iraq on how shared suffering under ISIS shaped support for LGBT+ rights.
🔗 doi.org/10.1177/0010... 1/4
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
doi.org
April 22, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Reposted by Francesca Gains
On 9 June @thesquareball.net & friends will walk from St James' Park back to Elland Road, taking 5 days & over a huge 120 miles! Raising money for #andysmanclub

If you are able to donate, or even repost what we're doing, it would be very much appreciated 💙💛🤍 #LUFC #NUFC

www.garyspeedwalk.com
Gary Speed Charity Walk | The Square Ball
www.garyspeedwalk.com
June 3, 2025 at 6:31 AM
Good to talk to supporters at the #OtleyShow today including @katiewhitemp.bsky.social - so heartening to have huge community support for our plans to re-open www.otleylido.com - and to hear all the happy memories & great suggestions for future development of a lido in Otley
May 17, 2025 at 3:05 PM
This looks a fab (free) event for a sunny #Leeds bank holiday weekend🌞💙
May 14, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Two brilliant things about #Leeds - champions #lufc and @operanorth.co.uk - marching on together #mot - oh I wish I could have this week all over again
www.facebook.com/share/v/16Pu...
Redirecting...
www.facebook.com
May 9, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Reposted by Francesca Gains
Raphinha goal in the champions league semi final tonight #LUFC
April 30, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Reposted by Francesca Gains
Trump's approval ratings have fallen across demographic groups (they have also fallen across specific issues).

A classic case of 'parallel publics' (Page and Shapiro, 1992).
April 27, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Reposted by Francesca Gains
If you're looking to visit Hathersage, or any of the other iconic Outdoor Pools that we are currently blessed with, check out the @future-lidos.bsky.social map, which is the go-to destination for architecting a road trip which involves a swim!

www.futurelidos.org/lido-map
Lido Map | Future Lidos
A map of public outdoor pools across the UK and Ireland, and the projects underway to create more.
www.futurelidos.org
April 25, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Reposted by Francesca Gains
This is what you need to know about the US research ecosystem…and the Trump/Musk effort to destroy it:

www.billjaneway.com/crippling-am...
April 23, 2025 at 2:50 AM
Reposted by Francesca Gains
Death by Shakespeare
Causes of 74 deaths in Shakespeare's plays
#ShakespeareDay
April 23, 2025 at 5:25 AM
Reposted by Francesca Gains
Here are a few things its good to be mindful of, come the locals...

1. Benchmarks. 2021 was a good year for the Tories, poor for Labour, non-existent for UKIP (for which read Reform). Losses and gains could mainly just be these locals catching up with July 2024 GE. Will we learn anything *new*?
April 21, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Oh boy - what a day!! No Piroe no party - full time @ Burnley v Sheff U - Leeds are going up 💙 💛 @punjabiwhites.bsky.social #MOT #LUFC
April 21, 2025 at 6:27 PM
A question for #lufc fans here - where is a good place in London to watch the Plymouth game on the 3rd? Daring to hope this will be a day to celebrate but will be away from home - suggestions welcomed.
April 13, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Reposted by Francesca Gains
A Massive Happy Birthday to Chris Fairclough who turns 61 today. 🎉🥳🎂

Signed amongst some big names in 89. An unsung hero but was crucial in gaining promotion in 89/90.

Remember the match v Barnsley where he went off for 7 stitches in a head wound. Comes back on & scores a header. 💪💪💪

#LUFC 💙💛🤍
April 12, 2025 at 3:41 PM
The cherry blossom is beautiful at Abbey House today & the Museum is full of children looking enthralled - so good the future looks positive and go visit!

museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk/pQaofO/abbey...
March 23, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Reposted by Francesca Gains
Elbows up, Canada!
March 22, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Reposted by Francesca Gains
The future of TV Harrison Sports Ground has been secured.

I’m so pleased to announce that Leeds United’s initial proposal to take over and invest in Wortley’s Wembley has been accepted.

Full details here: www.facebook.com/share/p/12KC...
March 19, 2025 at 8:48 PM
At kick off the moon was over Elland Road - but truthfully by the final whistle - ER was over the moon #totl #mot #lufc
March 13, 2025 at 7:13 AM
Reposted by Francesca Gains
New from me - is it possible we are actually at peak populism? This post is an exercise in working through a scenario - I may very well be wrong. But also, outside of America, I think something is shifting. Because of America. 1/n

benansell.substack.com/p/twilight-o...
Twilight of the Populists?
Perhaps it's possible that, despite it all, we have reached peak populism
benansell.substack.com
March 10, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Reposted by Francesca Gains
PPS Labour won Uxbridge in the general election even though ULEZ continued unchanged under a Labour mayor so either the motorists who rose up against the party in 2023 have remarkably short attention spans or there are other reasons Uxbridge (which has behaved oddly before) was unusual then.
March 7, 2025 at 8:33 AM