Philip Mountford
@philipmountford.bsky.social
Lefty Catholic. Art, football, trail hiking, music, politics, photography. Emeritus Professor Oxford University & St Edmund Hall. Still over at the other place with a carefully-curated feed saving me from some excesses
Pinned
I realise that 'up north' there's lots of snow, but around Oxford it's less common to be able to go out for the day's walk in the white stuff. Lovely.
Reposted by Philip Mountford
Hello bluesky! Are you thinking about heading home on your commute? Here are 12 easy hacks to beat the Congestion Charge. Don't forget to share!
oxfordclarion.uk/twelve-easy-...
oxfordclarion.uk/twelve-easy-...
Twelve easy hacks to beat Oxford’s congestion charge
Don't want to pay? We got you. Here's the tea on how you can avoid the congestion charge entirely, and still visit all your favourite places in the city centre. Here's the official website, but our ha...
oxfordclarion.uk
November 6, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Hello bluesky! Are you thinking about heading home on your commute? Here are 12 easy hacks to beat the Congestion Charge. Don't forget to share!
oxfordclarion.uk/twelve-easy-...
oxfordclarion.uk/twelve-easy-...
Reposted by Philip Mountford
Yes, we wrote a listicle. Sorry/not sorry. Someone had to write this and it turns out it was us. 🙄
November 6, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Yes, we wrote a listicle. Sorry/not sorry. Someone had to write this and it turns out it was us. 🙄
Reposted by Philip Mountford
Today is a day when arts degrees are worthless, but the product of those degrees is so valuable it would kill an entire industry if they were made to pay for it.
Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry
Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry
Paul McCartne, Elton John and others signed an open letter.
buff.ly
October 8, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Today is a day when arts degrees are worthless, but the product of those degrees is so valuable it would kill an entire industry if they were made to pay for it.
Reposted by Philip Mountford
I confess I'm surprised that this outcome of the recent EPC summit didn't get more coverage. www.gov.uk/government/n...
Joint migration statement: 02 October 2025
A joint statement from European Leaders on managing the challenges of illegal migration following the European Political Community Summit in Copenhagen, Denmark
www.gov.uk
October 3, 2025 at 5:45 PM
I confess I'm surprised that this outcome of the recent EPC summit didn't get more coverage. www.gov.uk/government/n...
@gabyhinsliff.bsky.social , did you walk the Striding Edge route up to Helvellyn in the end? I went up there the other week but from the easier Thirlmere side. Just curious, given the various replies to your original post (which I couldn’t find again) on this topic.
September 3, 2025 at 7:28 AM
@gabyhinsliff.bsky.social , did you walk the Striding Edge route up to Helvellyn in the end? I went up there the other week but from the easier Thirlmere side. Just curious, given the various replies to your original post (which I couldn’t find again) on this topic.
What a joyful image (in every way)!
August 24, 2025 at 3:54 PM
What a joyful image (in every way)!
Just a 1100m climb up to this mountain guest house (‘hut’). Greats views. Sausage and noodle soup most welcome!
August 11, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Just a 1100m climb up to this mountain guest house (‘hut’). Greats views. Sausage and noodle soup most welcome!
Waterfall, Alpine style. Attentive readers will note the path goes right through it!
August 9, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Waterfall, Alpine style. Attentive readers will note the path goes right through it!
Pottering about in Austria up near the Italy border
August 8, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Pottering about in Austria up near the Italy border
Reposted by Philip Mountford
totally agree - this is a point I make repeatedly on @instituteforgovernment.org.uk #Insidebriefing podcasts. Hunt was deeply irresponsible on the NIC cuts and this overshadows all his other decisions.
I think @robertshrimsley.bsky.social is much too kind to Jeremy Hunt here. In time, Hunt will come to be reviled as second worst chancellor in modern times after Kwarteng. In 1997, faced with similar circumstances, Ken Clarke put the national interest first. Hunt salted the earth. Shame on him
July 19, 2025 at 8:17 AM
totally agree - this is a point I make repeatedly on @instituteforgovernment.org.uk #Insidebriefing podcasts. Hunt was deeply irresponsible on the NIC cuts and this overshadows all his other decisions.
There's too much sport and sun and heat at the moment. Why can't it be spread out evenly over the year? (OK - I'll give you Dec and Jan)
July 9, 2025 at 1:14 PM
There's too much sport and sun and heat at the moment. Why can't it be spread out evenly over the year? (OK - I'll give you Dec and Jan)
Never was an O.E. word so timely!
July 4, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Never was an O.E. word so timely!
Reposted by Philip Mountford
The biggest media failure on the bombing of Iran is that every article should have started with: "The Iran nuclear deal signed in 2015 effectively curtailed Iran's nuclear program until the US withdrew in 2018, under pressure from Israel".
Without this context, any commentary is worthless.
Without this context, any commentary is worthless.
June 25, 2025 at 6:39 PM
The biggest media failure on the bombing of Iran is that every article should have started with: "The Iran nuclear deal signed in 2015 effectively curtailed Iran's nuclear program until the US withdrew in 2018, under pressure from Israel".
Without this context, any commentary is worthless.
Without this context, any commentary is worthless.
Reposted by Philip Mountford
The FT article about @sellathechemist.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy returning his Royal Society is the most shared article on Mastodon.
June 10, 2025 at 8:40 PM
The FT article about @sellathechemist.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy returning his Royal Society is the most shared article on Mastodon.
Because they're crap at comms. They spend all their time chasing votes in areas they don't believe in, and don't try to act as they (not Sir K of course - cf. "Get In" etc) believe. What's the point of power if you dare not use it? Can anybody imagine the Tories/Reform "chasing the Labour vote"?
Why in a two week period with India/US trade deals, a new European deal and some positive (albeit possibly temporary) economic news would you make immigration the dominant story?
May 17, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Because they're crap at comms. They spend all their time chasing votes in areas they don't believe in, and don't try to act as they (not Sir K of course - cf. "Get In" etc) believe. What's the point of power if you dare not use it? Can anybody imagine the Tories/Reform "chasing the Labour vote"?
Or, alternatively, changing one set of victims for another is OK?
"Put simply, if we do not vote to change the law, we are essentially saying that the status quo is acceptable."
#YesToDignity
#YesToDignity
Date set for return of assisted dying votes after MP's bid takes step forward
After a five-hour debate on Friday, the Commons supported Kim Leadbeater's amendment to allow health workers to opt out of helping with assisted dying in a key change
www.mirror.co.uk
May 17, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Or, alternatively, changing one set of victims for another is OK?
Loch Lochy (yes, really its name) this afternoon, seen from the southern end.
May 5, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Loch Lochy (yes, really its name) this afternoon, seen from the southern end.
Tomorrow’s ‘feels like’ temperature not getting into double digits here in the highlands 🏴
May 3, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Tomorrow’s ‘feels like’ temperature not getting into double digits here in the highlands 🏴
Loch Ness, looking south.
May 3, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Loch Ness, looking south.
Loch Tay looking splendid today
April 29, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Loch Tay looking splendid today
A wee selection of highland mist today #RobRoyWay
April 26, 2025 at 8:18 PM
A wee selection of highland mist today #RobRoyWay
Can't help but see this as a visual metaphor for Trump and his regime!
April 18, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Can't help but see this as a visual metaphor for Trump and his regime!
Reposted by Philip Mountford
Kudos to #Harvard for standing up to the #Trump admin.
Friday, April 11, the Trump admin expanded its list of demands to Harvard. (Note that Harvard made it public on the Harvard website.) […]
Friday, April 11, the Trump admin expanded its list of demands to Harvard. (Note that Harvard made it public on the Harvard website.) […]
Original post on fediscience.org
fediscience.org
April 14, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Reposted by Philip Mountford
It is the last day of the tax year 2024/25. But why? Why does the UK tax year begin part way through a month on 6 April? And why April? The answer may surprise you bit.ly/2ys5AWL
WHY DOES THE TAX YEAR REALLY BEGIN ON 6 APRIL?
The tax year in the UK starts on 6 April and runs through to the following 5 April. To find out why we need to go back a l o n g ...
bit.ly
April 5, 2025 at 3:32 PM
It is the last day of the tax year 2024/25. But why? Why does the UK tax year begin part way through a month on 6 April? And why April? The answer may surprise you bit.ly/2ys5AWL