Does Britain Inspire Aspiration? We discuss if we lack ambition or are an aspiration nation. Saturday 5th April, 1 pm, Cherry Red’s Cafe Bar. With Chris Akers and Alastair Mellon SDP Full details/tickets: birminghamsalon.org/index.php?id=1… Academy of Ideas Dennis Hayes

The final of Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP / The Leeds Salon Yrs10&11 Debating Competition 2025 takes place Wed 2 April between the three qualifying round winners - Abbey Grange Abbey Grange CE Academy, Carr Manor Carr Manor Community School & Guiseley Guiseley School - to compete to be crowned 2025 champions.

A reminder for next Leeds Salon this Sat 5th April when we welcome back Prof of Forecasting & Innovation James Woudhuysen to discuss 'Forecasting Failure: A Short History of the Future', first of 3 Sat aft talks Mill Hill Chapel 3pm-4:45pm. See details at leedssalon.org.uk

The next The Leeds Salon is the second of three Sat aft talks Mill Hill Chapel when we welcome back writer spiked Tim Black to discuss ‘Contemporary Dystopia: The Return of Apocalyptic Thinking', on Sat 26th April, 3pm-4:45pm (then pub). See details leedssalon.org.uk

The final of the Womble Bond Dickinson / Leeds Salon Yrs10&11 Debating Competition 2025 took place Wed 2 April Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP Leeds offices. Congrats winners Carr Manor Community School Community School. Well done too finalists Abbey Grange Abbey Grange CE Academy & Guiseley School. Visit leedssalon.org.uk

🚨 Leeds Lit Fest is back 🚨 9 days of events in venues across the city. A gathering of words & thought from writers is based in Leeds & friends from afar. Tickets are live: leedslitfest.co.uk

Saturday 10th May, 1 pm, Bosta Room, Cherry Red’s Cafe Bar. What future for Birmingham’s museums? With only 5/8 fully open, what does Museums Trust talk of reinventing the museum mean? Details: birminghamsalon.org/index.php?id=8… Academy of Ideas Dennis Hayes K pls repost.

A reminder for the second Leeds Salon Saturday afternoon talk Mill Hill Chapel when we welcome back writer Tim Black spiked to discuss ‘Contemporary Dystopia: The Return of Apocalyptic Thinking' on Sat 26th April, 3pm-4:45pm (then pub). See details leedssalon.org.uk

Excited to come to Truman Books as part of Leeds Lit Fest in June! trumanbooks.co.uk/event/an-eveni… Check out the book in advance so you can prepare your breakup questions in advance! See you soon 😊 📚

To coincide with ‘Mental Health Awareness Week’ the next The Leeds Salon asks “Are We Overdiagnosing Mental Health Problems?” with academic & writer Ken McLaughlin & University of Leeds Prof Bridgette Bewick. Wed 14 May Carriageworks Theatre from 7pm. See details: leedssalon.org.uk

Reminder for the next Leeds Salon – “Are We Overdiagnosing Mental Health Problems?” – with academic and writer Ken McLaughlin and University of Leeds Prof of Psychology Bridgett Bewick. Wed 14 May @Carriagworks (Room 4), 7pm - 8:30pm. See details at leedssalon.org.uk

The Forum at Q York The Forum at Q models itself on the Enlightenment coffee house as a place to ‘think, discuss, explore’, and challenge accepted conformity, dogma and the status quo. I interviewed them for Leeds-based Permaculture Vulture blog to find out more shorturl.at/M6IPA

Delighted to see The Economist cover the issue I've dedicated my professional life to! With the lead story being the case of Päivi Räsänen. Here's ten quotes from their lead article...

Upcoming book festivals in June from the UK\Ireland #bookfestival list. Full list at: alanjonesbooks.co.uk/festival_list.… 14-22 Leeds Lit Fest Leeds Lit Fest leedslitfest.co.uk

Next Leeds Salon is the 3rd Sat aft talk Mill Hill Chapel and also part of Leeds Lit Fest Fest 2025 when writer & art critic JJ Charlesworth JJ Charlesworth will discuss ‘Dune: Science Fiction and the End of the Future', Sat 14th June, 3pm-4:45pm. See details leedssalon.org.uk

From equal pay to banter bans: have employee rights gone too far? Sat 14 June, 1 pm, Cherry Red’s, John Bright St, B1 1BN. With Daniel Dieppe of Civitas think tank The Leeds Salon @PoliticsInPubs Academy of Ideas Newcastle Politics in Pubs eventbrite.co.uk/e/from-equal-p…

Reminder for next Leeds Salon Sat 14 June from 3pm at Mill Hill Chapel when writer @jjcharlesworth introduces a discussion on "Dune: Science Fiction and the End of the Future", see details leedssalon.org.uk. This is also part of Leeds Lit Fest Fest 2025, which runs 14 to 22 June.

🎫 Tickets are now on sale for #BATTLEFEST 2025! | 18-19 Oct, Westminster, 100+ debates | 📢 Speaker announcements coming soon

For the next Leeds Salon we have danielbenami to discuss the rise in contemporary anti-Semitism, and in what ways it differ from the past. Wed 17 Sept, 6pm-8pm, Carriageworks - visit leedssalon.org.uk. This is a Battle of Idea 2025 satellite event Academy of Ideas #Battlefest