Stephen Campbell
@stephencampbll.bsky.social
Recovering welfare rights adviser, now advice researcher/writer, content designer, plain language advocate • From Uist, in Glasgow • Also found at @stephenalgaib.bsky.social • 🏳️🌈
Somewhat telling that this is the legislation peers won't countenance
'This week the Employment Rights Bill endured its third round of Parliamentary ‘ping-pong’ [...] Normally, the Lords try to avoid frustrating the will of the elected House. Consequently, it is rare for the Lords to engage in multiple rounds of ping pong.'
🔗 www.ier.org.uk/news/ministe...
🔗 www.ier.org.uk/news/ministe...
December 12, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Somewhat telling that this is the legislation peers won't countenance
'This week the Employment Rights Bill endured its third round of Parliamentary ‘ping-pong’ [...] Normally, the Lords try to avoid frustrating the will of the elected House. Consequently, it is rare for the Lords to engage in multiple rounds of ping pong.'
🔗 www.ier.org.uk/news/ministe...
🔗 www.ier.org.uk/news/ministe...
December 12, 2025 at 1:54 PM
'This week the Employment Rights Bill endured its third round of Parliamentary ‘ping-pong’ [...] Normally, the Lords try to avoid frustrating the will of the elected House. Consequently, it is rare for the Lords to engage in multiple rounds of ping pong.'
🔗 www.ier.org.uk/news/ministe...
🔗 www.ier.org.uk/news/ministe...
Reposted by Stephen Campbell
The UK Labour Party came to power promising to cut energy bills — in part by pumping heat into drafty homes.
But flaws in a government-approved scheme to boost home insulation have now put that goal at risk.
But flaws in a government-approved scheme to boost home insulation have now put that goal at risk.
The insulation scandal threatening Britain’s climate plans
The British government says it will force down bills and emissions by insulating millions of cold, drafty homes. That plan is unraveling.
www.politico.eu
November 24, 2025 at 8:58 AM
The UK Labour Party came to power promising to cut energy bills — in part by pumping heat into drafty homes.
But flaws in a government-approved scheme to boost home insulation have now put that goal at risk.
But flaws in a government-approved scheme to boost home insulation have now put that goal at risk.
These are all terrible
Bloody hell man
November 29, 2025 at 4:54 PM
These are all terrible
Reposted by Stephen Campbell
I think the international angle is a good point here, "sometimes we let people have a little vote on pretend legislation, but don't worry we stick it in a drawer if it passes" isn't the clearest part of parliamentary procedure.
So without pushback from Labour backbenchers the 10-minute rule bill to leave ECHR would have passed. I'm struggling to see how that could have been a matter of indifference to the government.
October 29, 2025 at 4:51 PM
I think the international angle is a good point here, "sometimes we let people have a little vote on pretend legislation, but don't worry we stick it in a drawer if it passes" isn't the clearest part of parliamentary procedure.
Reposted by Stephen Campbell
Great read from @iandunt.bsky.social on whether Starmer should stay or go, including the mystery of how, if you’re launching a popular climate, energy, and growth strategy, why wouldn’t you stage a press conference on it?
iandunt.substack.com/p/a-world-wi...
iandunt.substack.com/p/a-world-wi...
October 31, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Great read from @iandunt.bsky.social on whether Starmer should stay or go, including the mystery of how, if you’re launching a popular climate, energy, and growth strategy, why wouldn’t you stage a press conference on it?
iandunt.substack.com/p/a-world-wi...
iandunt.substack.com/p/a-world-wi...
Reposted by Stephen Campbell
I'm just like a large language model in that I've read everything on the internet and it's made me effectively useless
October 14, 2025 at 11:05 AM
I'm just like a large language model in that I've read everything on the internet and it's made me effectively useless
Reposted by Stephen Campbell
This is an exact encapsulation of why I moved to Bluesky.
No amount of handwringing in the Atlantic about how I owe some eternal Promethean suffering to the discourse is going to make me stay on a site I hate, that stopped doing anything for me professionally years ago.
No amount of handwringing in the Atlantic about how I owe some eternal Promethean suffering to the discourse is going to make me stay on a site I hate, that stopped doing anything for me professionally years ago.
October 12, 2025 at 9:02 AM
This is an exact encapsulation of why I moved to Bluesky.
No amount of handwringing in the Atlantic about how I owe some eternal Promethean suffering to the discourse is going to make me stay on a site I hate, that stopped doing anything for me professionally years ago.
No amount of handwringing in the Atlantic about how I owe some eternal Promethean suffering to the discourse is going to make me stay on a site I hate, that stopped doing anything for me professionally years ago.
Reposted by Stephen Campbell
Drake sitting there reading about how good the judge thought the song was and how everyone really enjoyed it
October 9, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Drake sitting there reading about how good the judge thought the song was and how everyone really enjoyed it
Reposted by Stephen Campbell
Nigel Farage accuses teachers of "poisoning our kids" on race issues.
Here's a reminder of what teachers and fellow pupils at Farage's own school remember of his own views on that subject.
www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/nigel-fara...
Here's a reminder of what teachers and fellow pupils at Farage's own school remember of his own views on that subject.
www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/nigel-fara...
October 9, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Nigel Farage accuses teachers of "poisoning our kids" on race issues.
Here's a reminder of what teachers and fellow pupils at Farage's own school remember of his own views on that subject.
www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/nigel-fara...
Here's a reminder of what teachers and fellow pupils at Farage's own school remember of his own views on that subject.
www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/nigel-fara...
Reposted by Stephen Campbell
I really don't know what to do about a situation where a plurality of the group that (rightly!) takes up most government spending thinks that it is unrepresented in politics.
October 9, 2025 at 10:09 AM
I really don't know what to do about a situation where a plurality of the group that (rightly!) takes up most government spending thinks that it is unrepresented in politics.
Reposted by Stephen Campbell
MSF staff are universally understood to be engaged in an essentially sacred form of work. For a state to nonetheless continuously murder them is a testament to a truly unthinkable degree of depravity.
msf.org/msf-denounce...
msf.org/msf-denounce...
October 4, 2025 at 12:01 AM
MSF staff are universally understood to be engaged in an essentially sacred form of work. For a state to nonetheless continuously murder them is a testament to a truly unthinkable degree of depravity.
msf.org/msf-denounce...
msf.org/msf-denounce...
Reposted by Stephen Campbell
David is slightly unfair. There is a clear difference here.
Conservatives and Reform plan to forcibly expel large numbers of people who are legal, permanent residents of migrant origin. The BNP proposal is voluntary.
Conservatives and Reform plan to forcibly expel large numbers of people who are legal, permanent residents of migrant origin. The BNP proposal is voluntary.
This below is from the 2005 BNP manifesto.
Spot the difference with current Tory and Reform policy.
(p14 news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp... )
Spot the difference with current Tory and Reform policy.
(p14 news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp... )
October 6, 2025 at 4:08 PM
David is slightly unfair. There is a clear difference here.
Conservatives and Reform plan to forcibly expel large numbers of people who are legal, permanent residents of migrant origin. The BNP proposal is voluntary.
Conservatives and Reform plan to forcibly expel large numbers of people who are legal, permanent residents of migrant origin. The BNP proposal is voluntary.
Reposted by Stephen Campbell
soon the Assemblée Nationale will be a tourist attraction where you get to be sworn in as Prime Minister for 30 seconds and your name gets added to the wikipedia infobox
October 6, 2025 at 11:01 AM
soon the Assemblée Nationale will be a tourist attraction where you get to be sworn in as Prime Minister for 30 seconds and your name gets added to the wikipedia infobox
Reposted by Stephen Campbell
Reposted by Stephen Campbell
Macron remarks are notable- some quotes: "We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks that are controlled either by large American entrepreneurs or large Chinese companies, whose interests are not at all the survival or proper functioning of our democracies."
President Macron: “Europeans, let's wake up!
We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks.”
defenddemocracy.eu/macron-democ...
We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks.”
defenddemocracy.eu/macron-democ...
October 4, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Macron remarks are notable- some quotes: "We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks that are controlled either by large American entrepreneurs or large Chinese companies, whose interests are not at all the survival or proper functioning of our democracies."
Reposted by Stephen Campbell
Every time I watch ALIEN I am transfixed thinking to myself "there's no way they've left themselves enough room to get the third horizontal line in that E without it looking like a squashed-in mess!" but no, every single time there it is, and it's beautiful. Most tense part of the movie tbh.
September 20, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Every time I watch ALIEN I am transfixed thinking to myself "there's no way they've left themselves enough room to get the third horizontal line in that E without it looking like a squashed-in mess!" but no, every single time there it is, and it's beautiful. Most tense part of the movie tbh.
Reposted by Stephen Campbell
Why is Starmer becoming more confident criticising Brexit? Because quietly, without any great drama, a consensus has been reached. It's a disaster inews.co.uk/opinion/brex...
October 1, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Why is Starmer becoming more confident criticising Brexit? Because quietly, without any great drama, a consensus has been reached. It's a disaster inews.co.uk/opinion/brex...
Reposted by Stephen Campbell
There's lots of talk that this government needs to "deliver". But all governments "deliver". Including this one. They're making announcements every day. During a conference, many. Governments do more than ever to help people. And are not thanked for that.
October 1, 2025 at 7:08 AM
There's lots of talk that this government needs to "deliver". But all governments "deliver". Including this one. They're making announcements every day. During a conference, many. Governments do more than ever to help people. And are not thanked for that.
Reposted by Stephen Campbell
Probably unpopular reflection from this Labour conference - mainstream political parties including this one are no closer to being able to understand how delivery in government can lead to popularity. Just as there have been no obvious paths to growth since 2008.
October 1, 2025 at 7:05 AM
Probably unpopular reflection from this Labour conference - mainstream political parties including this one are no closer to being able to understand how delivery in government can lead to popularity. Just as there have been no obvious paths to growth since 2008.
Reposted by Stephen Campbell
🚨 NEW: Back electoral reform to embed ‘progressive majority’ and thwart Farage, Starmer urged
Without electoral reform, the country could face a “horrendous scenario” leading to the “extinction of the United Kingdom”, @paulsweeney.bsky.social has warned
Story ⤵️
www.politics.co.uk/news/2025/09...
Without electoral reform, the country could face a “horrendous scenario” leading to the “extinction of the United Kingdom”, @paulsweeney.bsky.social has warned
Story ⤵️
www.politics.co.uk/news/2025/09...
Back electoral reform to embed ‘progressive majority’ and thwart Farage, Starmer urged - Politics.co.uk
Keir Starmer has been urged to throw his support behind some form of proportional representation (PR) in order to embed Britain’s “progressive majority”. Paul Sweeney, member of the Scottish parliamen...
www.politics.co.uk
September 29, 2025 at 6:34 AM
🚨 NEW: Back electoral reform to embed ‘progressive majority’ and thwart Farage, Starmer urged
Without electoral reform, the country could face a “horrendous scenario” leading to the “extinction of the United Kingdom”, @paulsweeney.bsky.social has warned
Story ⤵️
www.politics.co.uk/news/2025/09...
Without electoral reform, the country could face a “horrendous scenario” leading to the “extinction of the United Kingdom”, @paulsweeney.bsky.social has warned
Story ⤵️
www.politics.co.uk/news/2025/09...
Reposted by Stephen Campbell
These are some of the most extreme restrictions on immigration in years. We're told to see them as benign because they're less bad than Farage's far-right extremism. But they are still terrible.
Mahmood says she will introduce new conditions for indefinite leave to remain:
Lived here 10 years not 5
Being in work
Not taking a penny in benefits
No criminal record
Giving back to community eg volunteering
Lived here 10 years not 5
Being in work
Not taking a penny in benefits
No criminal record
Giving back to community eg volunteering
September 29, 2025 at 6:05 PM
These are some of the most extreme restrictions on immigration in years. We're told to see them as benign because they're less bad than Farage's far-right extremism. But they are still terrible.
Presumably Swinney's calculation/hope is Labour will (eventually) have to scrap the two-child limit and ScotGov won't be on the hook for the cost of the Two Child Limit Payment for long
How can any government justify pushing children into poverty?
It beggars belief that the UK Labour government still hasn’t committed to scrapping the cruel two-child cap.
We are doing it in Scotland - while also delivering the Scottish Child Payment, the Baby Box, and more.
It beggars belief that the UK Labour government still hasn’t committed to scrapping the cruel two-child cap.
We are doing it in Scotland - while also delivering the Scottish Child Payment, the Baby Box, and more.
September 26, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Presumably Swinney's calculation/hope is Labour will (eventually) have to scrap the two-child limit and ScotGov won't be on the hook for the cost of the Two Child Limit Payment for long
Burnham's for PR so I say Burnham for PM
September 25, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Burnham's for PR so I say Burnham for PM