Happy birthday Imogen Holst, born this day 1907. Composer, conductor and educator: she lived a musical life. She wrote books, formed choirs & conducted orchestras when it was rare to see a woman in the podium, and her music is increasingly being discovered and performed today.

Something seems to have happened around 2010 but I just can't put my finger on it... ft.com/content/cd3f4d… via @ft

I submitted evidence to the UN Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Slavery on the labour exploitation of incarcerated people.

Working prisoners in the UK and elsewhere are excluded from labour rights that other workers have. Very much looking forward to the final Report

Cannot agree more with Adrian Hilton Lord Arbuthnot’s evidence statement, though long, is also well worth reading, particularly on the failures of government.

There is still time to apply for a Pentland Scholarship !🎓

Each scholarship is worth £57,446 with the award being made in sterling.

More info:ucl.ac.uk/political-scie… #Politics #MPA #Global #PublicPolicy #london #university

NEW: Sure Start, England’s first large programme to provide holistic support to families with children under five, greatly improved disadvantaged children’s GCSE results.

Read Nick Ridpath Sarah Cattan Pedro Carneiro’s report, funded by Nuffield Foundation: ifs.org.uk/publications/s…

“The wilful destruction of Sure Start and the reductions of children’s benefits after 2010 has set back opportunities for millions of children’s futures. That’s why our country desperately needs a new Sure Start.”
theguardian.com/education/2024…

Just seen the left-hand chart doing the rounds on Twitter

Helpful reminder that starting points matter for time series. The chart on the right starts in 2009 and changes the story a bit!

Pretty bad practice from BBC - it was an active (and disingenuous) choice to start in 2013

It’s a very small thing, in reality, but I’d love just once to see our PM - or any senior politician - deliver a message in French. Or German. Or Spanish. Or Mandarin. Or any other language other than English and show even the most basic of decent manners like others do to us.

It is beyond moving to see the way Sub-Postmasters & mistresses are still supporting each other like family, 15 years after that first meet up in Fenny Compton village hall. It is a stain on our nation how hard these brave, innocent people are still having to fight for justice.

Latin is not dead, it is perennial. It is the same today as it was two thousand years ago. The one you learn at school is the same one with which Cicero addressed the Senate. It is the same with which St. Anselm proved the existence of God. Latin is not dead, it is perennial.

After listening today, I still have the same question BBC Radio 3

Ukrainian drones destroy the occupiers. They protect the lives of our soldiers on the front lines. And they help Ukraine decrease Russiaʼs war potential.

In the sky and at sea, our drones have demonstrated that Ukrainian strength can defeat Russian evil.

I thank everyone who…

Budapest…

The beginning of the end for Putin’s puppet Orbàn

Honoured to receive the Renew Democracy Initiative Heroes of Democracy Award.

Freedom never comes for free – you have to fight for it.

At the times like these, we need to believe in our values and find the spirit of victory more than ever.

Brave Ukrainians teach us this every day.

Left: Rishi Sunak says the UK is the second most powerful country in the world

Right: The British Dental Association trolls him adding, 'And it's citizens are pulling out their own teeth with pliers'

Leaving the Erasmus scheme was a huge loss for young people in this country and I sincerely hope The Labour Party will commit to opening negotiations to rejoin. politico.eu/article/brits-…

“The beautiful Israeli. Jews offering dates and ‘ramadan karim’ greetings, tonight at the entrance to Al Aqsa Mosque. Only such good deeds advance religious coexistence. I have no idea who these people are and who is behind this. I am proud of them and their act. May there be…

The red sign does not exist.

The level of disinformation being targeted at Sadiq Khan by official Conservative accounts is frankly disturbing.