Nick Gray
@path-dependent.bsky.social
Poltical economy at Teesside University. Fellow of things.
That's not Teesside in the banner photo.
https://research.tees.ac.uk/en/persons/nicholas-gray
That's not Teesside in the banner photo.
https://research.tees.ac.uk/en/persons/nicholas-gray
Reposted by Nick Gray
That YouTube clip of Sir Nicholas Winton, but at the end of it the audience gets put on a bus?
"The era of permanent protection is over"
Is this Labour government really saying it was wrong in principle to let these refugees of the last 75 years to stay, settle and become British - and they believe that should NEVER happen again in principle or practice?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiuR...
Is this Labour government really saying it was wrong in principle to let these refugees of the last 75 years to stay, settle and become British - and they believe that should NEVER happen again in principle or practice?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiuR...
Refugees from 7 decades gather to commemorate 70 years of refugee in protection in the UK
YouTube video by Refugee Council
www.youtube.com
November 15, 2025 at 3:24 PM
That YouTube clip of Sir Nicholas Winton, but at the end of it the audience gets put on a bus?
Back from London and once again I visited a nice pub in zone one where I paid a fiver for a nice pint of cask beer.
Along with all the rest of it, Matt Goodwin is clearly bad at making rapid assessments of pubs.
Along with all the rest of it, Matt Goodwin is clearly bad at making rapid assessments of pubs.
November 15, 2025 at 10:34 AM
Back from London and once again I visited a nice pub in zone one where I paid a fiver for a nice pint of cask beer.
Along with all the rest of it, Matt Goodwin is clearly bad at making rapid assessments of pubs.
Along with all the rest of it, Matt Goodwin is clearly bad at making rapid assessments of pubs.
I don't want to get all Linkedin on you, but it's pleasing that this talks about how important Teesside univesity is to the place it's in, and our big intake of local students.
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/times-h...
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/times-h...
Times Higher Education Awards 2025: winners announced
Teesside University and Steve Smith win top prizes as ‘Oscars of higher education’ is held in Scotland for first time
www.timeshighereducation.com
November 14, 2025 at 2:35 PM
I don't want to get all Linkedin on you, but it's pleasing that this talks about how important Teesside univesity is to the place it's in, and our big intake of local students.
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/times-h...
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/times-h...
When you think something is going to finish early but then it overruns.
November 13, 2025 at 4:45 PM
When you think something is going to finish early but then it overruns.
Anyone I know here going to regional studies tomorrow?
I was going to email people and ask but... I didn't.
I was going to email people and ask but... I didn't.
November 12, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Anyone I know here going to regional studies tomorrow?
I was going to email people and ask but... I didn't.
I was going to email people and ask but... I didn't.
Nice anti-good-old days thread.
I’m not *that* old but my parents and sister lived in a crappy private rented flat with coal fire, outdoor netty and sometimes mice.
I’m not *that* old but my parents and sister lived in a crappy private rented flat with coal fire, outdoor netty and sometimes mice.
My dad was from an extremely middle class vicarage family and he still used to love going to stay at his godmothers in the 1960s because she had central heating
November 10, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Nice anti-good-old days thread.
I’m not *that* old but my parents and sister lived in a crappy private rented flat with coal fire, outdoor netty and sometimes mice.
I’m not *that* old but my parents and sister lived in a crappy private rented flat with coal fire, outdoor netty and sometimes mice.
In theory I was a textbook Galaxie 500 fan in the 90s but they somehow passed me by.
What is your biggest musical blindspot for someone precisely your age?
For me - an elder millennial - it is that I have never knowingly listened to INCUBUS, nor could I name even one of their songs if you put a gun to my head.
For me - an elder millennial - it is that I have never knowingly listened to INCUBUS, nor could I name even one of their songs if you put a gun to my head.
November 10, 2025 at 11:07 AM
In theory I was a textbook Galaxie 500 fan in the 90s but they somehow passed me by.
I'm not one of those Newcastle United fans who'd almost rather Sunderland lost than Newcastle won.
In fact, I've sort of wished Sunderland well during this good run, but - frankly - they've had their fun now, come on Arsenal.
In fact, I've sort of wished Sunderland well during this good run, but - frankly - they've had their fun now, come on Arsenal.
November 8, 2025 at 6:56 PM
I'm not one of those Newcastle United fans who'd almost rather Sunderland lost than Newcastle won.
In fact, I've sort of wished Sunderland well during this good run, but - frankly - they've had their fun now, come on Arsenal.
In fact, I've sort of wished Sunderland well during this good run, but - frankly - they've had their fun now, come on Arsenal.
How have they gone from being terrified to reverse an unfunded tax cut to flying a kite for road pricing?
November 6, 2025 at 10:45 AM
How have they gone from being terrified to reverse an unfunded tax cut to flying a kite for road pricing?
In Newcastle, a much-loved old Odeon Cinema awas demolished.
It wasn’t listed, the owner wanted to develop the land, I assume it was in the local plan as an employment site, and the council were desperate to get a stalled regeneration scheme moving in the area.
Facebook: ‘brown envelopes'
It wasn’t listed, the owner wanted to develop the land, I assume it was in the local plan as an employment site, and the council were desperate to get a stalled regeneration scheme moving in the area.
Facebook: ‘brown envelopes'
And also completely baseless and unchallenged claims that councillors are receiving brown envelopes, the accuser entirely ignorant of the planning process.
November 5, 2025 at 12:08 PM
In Newcastle, a much-loved old Odeon Cinema awas demolished.
It wasn’t listed, the owner wanted to develop the land, I assume it was in the local plan as an employment site, and the council were desperate to get a stalled regeneration scheme moving in the area.
Facebook: ‘brown envelopes'
It wasn’t listed, the owner wanted to develop the land, I assume it was in the local plan as an employment site, and the council were desperate to get a stalled regeneration scheme moving in the area.
Facebook: ‘brown envelopes'
Seen loads of Bilbao fans in Newcastle today.
A bunch got off the train from Teesside last night. I wondered where they were coming from, then I remembered that I know blokes who go to look at closed football grounds when they're on holiday, and they'd probably been to Sunderland.
A bunch got off the train from Teesside last night. I wondered where they were coming from, then I remembered that I know blokes who go to look at closed football grounds when they're on holiday, and they'd probably been to Sunderland.
November 5, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Seen loads of Bilbao fans in Newcastle today.
A bunch got off the train from Teesside last night. I wondered where they were coming from, then I remembered that I know blokes who go to look at closed football grounds when they're on holiday, and they'd probably been to Sunderland.
A bunch got off the train from Teesside last night. I wondered where they were coming from, then I remembered that I know blokes who go to look at closed football grounds when they're on holiday, and they'd probably been to Sunderland.
One in five people are *now* economically inactive says Justin on the radio, asksing "is there a way out of this mess?"
You probably know that one in five people have been economically inactive since we started measuring it over half a century ago.
You probably know that one in five people have been economically inactive since we started measuring it over half a century ago.
November 5, 2025 at 8:14 AM
One in five people are *now* economically inactive says Justin on the radio, asksing "is there a way out of this mess?"
You probably know that one in five people have been economically inactive since we started measuring it over half a century ago.
You probably know that one in five people have been economically inactive since we started measuring it over half a century ago.
In the budget, the government should simply cut spending on bad things that undeserving people use and increase taxes on greedy bad people.
November 5, 2025 at 8:07 AM
In the budget, the government should simply cut spending on bad things that undeserving people use and increase taxes on greedy bad people.
A scan of the place suggests I'm the only one drinking the beetroot sour.
Strange, that.
Strange, that.
November 1, 2025 at 3:50 PM
A scan of the place suggests I'm the only one drinking the beetroot sour.
Strange, that.
Strange, that.
North east England understandably shares or shared Scottish cultural traits and many of them have sadly faded - haggis in chip shops, pints of heavy (‘scotch’), turnip lanterns at Halloween.
One that we’ve managed to cling onto tightly is snatching defeat from the jaws of victory in sport.
One that we’ve managed to cling onto tightly is snatching defeat from the jaws of victory in sport.
This is something that spreads into north east england in my memory of childood. Have we already done the turnip lanters were better thing?
October 31, 2025 at 11:05 AM
North east England understandably shares or shared Scottish cultural traits and many of them have sadly faded - haggis in chip shops, pints of heavy (‘scotch’), turnip lanterns at Halloween.
One that we’ve managed to cling onto tightly is snatching defeat from the jaws of victory in sport.
One that we’ve managed to cling onto tightly is snatching defeat from the jaws of victory in sport.
Making the story about me me me, hopefully this means Dutch universities can still choose to use English.
Rob Jetten beats out Geert Wilders
The Dutch choose optimism over anti-immigrant populism
Rob Jetten beats out Geert Wilders
econ.st
October 30, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Making the story about me me me, hopefully this means Dutch universities can still choose to use English.
Whatever Linden Kemkaran’s views on anything else, the shouting video I watched appeared to be (I might be wrong) her being pragmatic and honest about there not being zillions in easy savings and that they were going to have to increase council tax.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Five Reform UK councillors booted out of party in Kent
It comes after a damaging video leak of the Kent County Council leader shouting and swearing.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 28, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Whatever Linden Kemkaran’s views on anything else, the shouting video I watched appeared to be (I might be wrong) her being pragmatic and honest about there not being zillions in easy savings and that they were going to have to increase council tax.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
And, like that first paragraph illustrates, the comments threads under local newspaper Facebook stories are pound-for-pound the most fried places on the internet.
This is an interesting piece but I just read it going “the missing bit is the section on how the internet has fried everyone’s brains”.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Buxton: Why one small town with very little immigration turned to Reform UK
How national concerns affected a local election in the heart of the Peak District.
www.bbc.com
October 28, 2025 at 8:43 AM
And, like that first paragraph illustrates, the comments threads under local newspaper Facebook stories are pound-for-pound the most fried places on the internet.
This stuff continues to be sobering for people like me who became adults in the 90s and thought the arguments had been won and all this had been put to bed.
Maybe it was all part of a naive end of history atmosphere in the years leading up the global financial crisis.
Maybe it was all part of a naive end of history atmosphere in the years leading up the global financial crisis.
Reform MP’s remarks about TV adverts were ‘racist’, says Wes Streeting
Reform MP’s remarks about TV adverts were ‘racist’, says Wes Streeting
Health secretary hardens Labour line after Sarah Pochin said advertising ‘doesn’t reflect your average white family’
Wes Streeting has accused the Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin of making “racist” remarks after she said seeing adverts full of black and Asian people “drives her mad”.
The health secretary said Pochin was “only sorry she’s been caught and called out”, adding she had “said the quiet bit loud” as he warned of a return to “1970s, 1980s-style racism”. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
October 27, 2025 at 10:38 AM
This stuff continues to be sobering for people like me who became adults in the 90s and thought the arguments had been won and all this had been put to bed.
Maybe it was all part of a naive end of history atmosphere in the years leading up the global financial crisis.
Maybe it was all part of a naive end of history atmosphere in the years leading up the global financial crisis.
At the risk of being a neoliberal shill (again), I'd probably agree that if you’re thinking about introducing tighter regulations than the French, then it’s worth another look.
Making unfair dismissal a ‘day one’ right would be a big change from the UK’s current two-year qualifying period.
The Government should keep but *reduce* ‘qualifying periods’ for unfair dismissal protection ⤵️ buff.ly/WepH7zY
The Government should keep but *reduce* ‘qualifying periods’ for unfair dismissal protection ⤵️ buff.ly/WepH7zY
October 27, 2025 at 10:01 AM
At the risk of being a neoliberal shill (again), I'd probably agree that if you’re thinking about introducing tighter regulations than the French, then it’s worth another look.
I'm guessing Plaid's comfortable by-election win means the government needs to go further and faster on trying to win over people who are core-vote Reform.
October 24, 2025 at 7:39 AM
I'm guessing Plaid's comfortable by-election win means the government needs to go further and faster on trying to win over people who are core-vote Reform.
People of a certain age and disposition are pleased to see Go Ahead Eagles playing in the Europa League.
October 23, 2025 at 5:43 PM
People of a certain age and disposition are pleased to see Go Ahead Eagles playing in the Europa League.
I’ve just noticed that UK Onward have archived their pre-2025 one-nationy output on levelling up, net zero and so on, which is a shame.
It’ll be interesting to see where they go long term, but I’m not sure UK conservativism needs another lower taxes, freer markets, harder borders think tank
It’ll be interesting to see where they go long term, but I’m not sure UK conservativism needs another lower taxes, freer markets, harder borders think tank
October 22, 2025 at 2:26 PM
I’ve just noticed that UK Onward have archived their pre-2025 one-nationy output on levelling up, net zero and so on, which is a shame.
It’ll be interesting to see where they go long term, but I’m not sure UK conservativism needs another lower taxes, freer markets, harder borders think tank
It’ll be interesting to see where they go long term, but I’m not sure UK conservativism needs another lower taxes, freer markets, harder borders think tank
Like T Dan Smith bulldozing historic buildings, it's nowhere near as common as Alan Hull would have you believe.
October 20, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Like T Dan Smith bulldozing historic buildings, it's nowhere near as common as Alan Hull would have you believe.
I was hoping the Louvre heist had happened lunchtime. Unfortunately, no.
October 20, 2025 at 7:46 AM
I was hoping the Louvre heist had happened lunchtime. Unfortunately, no.