Lucy Burke
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lucyburkemcr.bsky.social
Lucy Burke
@lucyburkemcr.bsky.social
1.8K followers 1.9K following 180 posts
Academic (literary & cultural disability studies/medical humanities), Green New Deal podcast https://www.gndmedia.co.uk Wellcome Trust Advisory Committee, North Manchester & Kreiz Breizh.
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lucyburkemcr.bsky.social
There’s a myth that Britain has been historically generous and welcoming to refugees and latterly asylum seekers. The facts - and immigration law - tell a different story. And today’s news made me think about Benjamin Zephaniah’s poem about the death of Joy Gardner & how many more deaths we’ll see
Text of a poem by Benjamin Zephaniah “The Death of Joy Gardner” They put a leather belt around her 13 feet of tape and bound her Handcuffs to secure her And only God knows what else, She’s illegal, so deport her Said the Empire that brought her She died, Nobody killed her And she never killed herself. It is our job to make her Return to Jamaica Said the Alien Deporters Who deports people like me, It was said she had a warning That the officers were calling On that deadly July morning As her young son watched TV. An officer unplugged the phone Mother and child were now alone When all they wanted was a home A child watch Mummy die, No matter what the law may say A mother should not die this way Let human rights come into play And to everyone apply. I know not of a perfect race I know not of a perfect place I know this is not a simple case Of Yardies on the move, We must talk some Race Relations With the folks from immigration About this kind of deportation If things are to improve. Let it go down in history The word is that officially She died democratically In 13 feet of tape, That Christian was over here Because pirates were over there The Bible sent us everywhere To make Great Britain great. Here lies the extradition squad And we should all now pray to God That as they go about their job They make not one mistake, For I fear as I walk the streets That one day I just may meet Officials who may tie my feet And how would I escape. I see my people demonstrating And educated folks debating The way they’re separating The elder from the youth, When all they are demanding Is a little overstanding They too have family planning Now their children want the truth. As I move around I am eyeing So many poets crying And so many poets trying To articulate the grief, I cannot help but wonder How the alien deporters (As they said to press reporters) Can feel absolute relief.
November 17, 2025 at 5:41 PM
lucyburkemcr.bsky.social
9 years since Paul was murdered - I think about the wild, daft teenager, getting him to work out songs I liked on his guitar, and the tragic trajectory of a life that should have been full of creativity but was ultimately destroyed by addiction, violence & despair ❤️
Sepia image of a teenage boy with dark curly hair and an intense expression
October 7, 2025 at 10:22 AM
lucyburkemcr.bsky.social
This is how my day began - beautiful sunrise #KreizBreizh
Bright yellow light behind a cloud at sunrise. A wind turbine and trees in the foreground
September 26, 2025 at 4:16 PM
lucyburkemcr.bsky.social
On my way from Guingamp to Rome on the train - stopping over in Milan tonight. Hard to capture the spectacle - mountains, clouds, and tiny churches but I’m glad I’m sticking to my decision not to fly in Europe. And looking forward to talking about disability, art, time & AI with colleagues in Rome.
Image taken from a train window of grey clouds around a mountain at dusk. Taken just outside Chambéry
September 26, 2025 at 4:06 PM
lucyburkemcr.bsky.social
@lavietidhar.bsky.social - we thought we might have to rearrange our ferry tickets in case we missed the delivery of Golgotha but thankfully not.
Three shelves of colourful books with Lavie Tidhar’s novels Golgotha and Six Lives on display.
September 11, 2025 at 5:38 PM
lucyburkemcr.bsky.social
Higher Education plays a vital role in local, regional & national economies & in people’s lives in ways that cannot be counted or reduced to a narrow financial calculus. But our work is not valued at all. Just another big pay cut for all of us alongside the irreparable damage of cuts & job losses
This image contains text only that reads as follows: Junior doctors 5–6 % (4% plus £750) Armed forces 4.5% RPI (year to April) 4.47% Consultants 4%. Teachers 4%. Prison Officers 4% Civil servants 3.75% Nurses and other NHS staff 3.6% Inflation ( year to April) 3.5% School and council workers 3.2% Higher education staff (written in red) 1.4%
May 28, 2025 at 12:35 PM
lucyburkemcr.bsky.social
This is grim - from an article in today’s Time’s Higher on UCU & the silencing of staff. Describing an NDA as a “warranty” is dismal. It is widely understood that employers use words like “confidentiality agreement” or “privacy agreement” to conceal the reality of silencing staff 1/3
There’s a real sort of feeling of a clamping down on what we’re allowed to say,” said another. The clauses are said to be similar to non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) that the union has often campaigned against. In 2022, it said, of the use of NDAs by universities in sexual harassment cases: “These ‘agreements’ have no place in a modern society and are used to silence and intimidate survivors.” At a speech at UCU’s congress in 2019, the then-incoming general secretary Jo Grady highlighted a motion she said would “clamp down on non-disclosure agreements”. The UCU spokesperson said it did not use NDAs. “Any agreements with departing staff include warranties by both employer and employee to avoid criticism and derogatory comments about the other; this is not a non-disclosure agreement.”
May 1, 2025 at 9:14 AM
lucyburkemcr.bsky.social
Narrowly missed stepping on one of these hanging out by the bathroom (late at night), this one was by the gate. I love them. Fire salamanders are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List with predictions of a 30% to 49% population decline within three generations due to climate change & pollution.
Image of a fire salamander with a black body and yellow markings running along the side of its head, torso and halfway down its tail. It is on a mossy path with pieces of gravel, small clumps of grass and a dandelion.
April 21, 2025 at 9:02 AM
lucyburkemcr.bsky.social
Was great to see so many people turn out to support you in Manchester and praise as ever for @riadeakin.bsky.social and her banner making skills ❤️ @manmetucu.bsky.social
April 15, 2025 at 3:26 PM
lucyburkemcr.bsky.social
Yep - they are beautiful
Branch of a tree on the ground in some wet mud and old leaves covered with bright red fungi - scarlet caps.
February 28, 2025 at 4:30 PM
lucyburkemcr.bsky.social
For info. This 👇 is the full text of one of the motions that was carried at last week’s HEC (text in Alt text). Note that it is clear that the union is not now balloting on this year’s pay & that it uses words such as “prepare for” and “potential” in relation to any future decision to ballot 1/4
Written text of a motion that was carried by the HEC of UCU last week: HEC notes: • Extensive programme of support for branches in dispute agreed at HEC December 2024 albeit balloting before Easter no longer possible (M1) • Multiple branches balloting over redundancy • JNCHES 2025/6 round imminent • HE9 from SHESC, May 2024: “UK-wide action” HEC believes: • Widespread threats to job security, pay and conditions • Branches facing redundancy urgently require collective, coordinated support • Current crisis necessitates robust political and industrial responses HEC resolves to: 1. Execute a strong campaign addressing destruction of UKHE, including: a. Emergency job protection measures in joint unions’ claim b. Undertake pre-emptive planning for potential IA ballot (for IA early in Semester 1, 2025/6), for consideration at a BDM, informing decisions at a special HEC called at appropriate point to take final decision on balloting c. Call sectoral days of action to align with branches taking local strike action. 2. Implement actions agreed in M1&2 (December 2024 HEC), ensuring connected political-industrial strategy. (148 words)
February 28, 2025 at 2:00 PM
lucyburkemcr.bsky.social
Happy Christmas ♥️ Went for a very long walk, listened to Radio Kreiz Breizh play a bit of #KneeCap and about to read a book about Les Cagots. Nedeleg laouen, nollaig shona, joyeux Noël … 🌲🌲🌲 #KreizBreizh #MäelPestivien
Image of the sun rising and casting light on a strip of bumpy grass flanked by trees
December 25, 2024 at 2:55 PM
lucyburkemcr.bsky.social
Can anyone tell me about this very beautiful thing I found growing in the garden? #fungus
A light brown fungus with a coral like structure
November 6, 2023 at 6:04 PM
lucyburkemcr.bsky.social
Delighted to be speaking at this event. Link here if anyone is interested www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/from-clima...
October 1, 2023 at 7:34 AM