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davisqmw.bsky.social

@davisqmw.bsky.social
106 followers 227 following 18 posts
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Tom Chidwick @tomchidwick.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
It's a month today until my new book is published by @bloomsburyacademic.bsky.social! Thanks to @mileendinstitute.bsky.social, I'll be launching "Now or Never!" at @qmulsse.bsky.social with a stellar panel featuring Carolyn Quinn, Ben Jackson and others. All are welcome so please do join us!
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Peter Mandler @petermandler.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
A great advocate for historians in general, often unsung, as well as a nice person and a superb historian of the early Middle Ages.
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davisqmw.bsky.social @davisqmw.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Brilliant!
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Royal Historical Society @royalhistsoc.org · 24/09/2026
New from History UK: a valuable and interesting survey of UK history students use of and attitudes towards GenAI in HE teaching - their preliminary report is published today: bit.ly/4hatsRR The report is by Dr Sarah Jones and Dr Simon Peplow @simpep.bsky.social #skystorians
Opening page of History UK's statement on their survey and report on AI and History Students in UK universities. Full text: 

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become impossible to ignore in higher education. For historians, working in a discipline which depends on interpretation, evidence, and critical thinking, the development of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has raised particularly significant questions. In 2026, we launched a survey to gather the perspectives of people who are often overlooked in considerations of the impact of AI and appropriate responses – history students themselves.
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Laura Ashe @lauraashe.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
I am so profoundly sorry to hear of the death of Julia Boffey. A wonderful person; a brilliant scholar; she was unendingly kind and good and large-hearted.
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Mark Williams @mrfw17thc.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Get on it #skystorians - really good department with lovely people.
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Tim Bale @timbale.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
"We have lived all our lives so far inside a comforting cocoon – a conviction that our host of often informal, usually unwritten conventions, took care of all this as it if were a state of nature that would see off any such threats that, for the first time in my life, I am not so sure." 😬
politicshome.com
Our unwritten constitution leaves us vulnerable to a future authoritarian government
The greatest chronicler of the British state, Lord Hennessy, warns of the need to bolster constitutional defences against a future authoritarian go...
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The English Historical Review @enghistrev.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
www.newsday.com/long-island/...
newsday.com
Joel Rosenthal, longtime Stony Brook University history professor, dies at 91
Joel Rosenthal was a founder of the school's women's studies program and three-time chair of its history department.
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davisqmw.bsky.social @davisqmw.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
An innovative and exciting project. Absolutely should not be placed at risk. This shows a university at its best - contributions to knowledge and public engagement.
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davisqmw.bsky.social @davisqmw.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
A dreadful loss.
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davisqmw.bsky.social @davisqmw.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Mary Stocks was also principal of Westfield College London 1939-1951.
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Cleo👠✨ @ozgib.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Jeanne Gibson, known worldwide as Rosie the Riveter, passed away on 29th July 2026 at the remarkable age of 100. Thank you Jeanne for giving women a symbol of strength when we were told we had none. 💋💪🏻💘
Image of jeanne in her 90's doing her famous pose with the famous outfit onOriginal rosie illustration poster
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davisqmw.bsky.social @davisqmw.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Contact the record office staff directly they are usually very helpful
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davisqmw.bsky.social @davisqmw.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
If you are interested in Walsingham it is well worth reading about his daughter Frances W in Bernadette Cunningham’s biography - English Countess, Irish Earl| the social world of Frances Countess Of Clanricard. PUblished earlier This year by Four Courts press.
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davisqmw.bsky.social @davisqmw.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
If you’re interested in Walsingham it is worth reading recent biography of his daughter Frances W published by Four Courts Press earlier this year. Bernadette Cunningham, English Countess, Irish Earl: the social world of Frances, Countess of Clanricard, 1567-1632.
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davisqmw.bsky.social @davisqmw.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
For me it was Ladybird books - Robert the Bruce ,William the Conqueror etc. Hooked me early on.
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davisqmw.bsky.social @davisqmw.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
C
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Celine Camps @celinecamps.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
🚨 Amazing #EarlyModern research degree opportunity: The University of Melbourne (Australia) is looking for a Ph.D Candidate who will work as part of an ARC-funded project on "The History of the Hourglass” (c. 1300-1600) ⏳ 🔗 More Info: shorturl.at/3NoNq #HistSTM
findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au
Histories of the Hourglass : Find an Expert : The University of Melbourne
<p> <span>Applications are invited for a PhD position as part of the Australian Research Council funded project The History of the Hourglass.</span> </p> <p> <span>This PhD research opportunity forms part of a project that undertakes the first history of the hourglass from its origins c.1300 through to its global circulation in the sixteenth century. The most precise time-measurement device of its era, the hourglass changed the course of history through its role in maritime travel, scientific experiments and everyday time management. It transformed time into a silent, interior flow crucial to a wide range of cultural projects: in Cairo classrooms or alchemical labs; in the cook’s kitchen or preacher’s pulpit. Alongside its critical intervention in the history of time, the project seeks to pioneer new scientific methods for analysing these fragile objects, with major benefits for their conservation in Australian and international collections.</span> </p> <p> <span>Applicants with the following background are particularly encouraged to apply:</span> </p> <ul> <li> <span>An undergraduate or master’s degree with a specialisation in medieval and/or early modern studies</span> </li> <li> <span>Proficiency in one or more languages other than English, with preference for German, Latin, French, Italian, Spanish or Portuguese</span> </li> <li>Awareness of current methods in the history of material and visual culture. </li> </ul> <p> <strong><span>Eligibility</span></strong> </p> <p> <span>Applicants must satisfy the minimum entry requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy-Arts at the University of Melbourne and demonstrate strong research ability and potential.</span> </p> <p> <span>Applicants will normally have completed a master’s degree or an Australian honours degree (or equivalent) that includes a thesis subject, with academic results equivalent to a University of Melbourne H1 standard. This generally means achieving at least 80% overall and 80% in the thesis or major research component.</span> <br> <br> <span>Applicants must review the Doctor of Philosophy (Arts) entry requirements before submitting an Expression of Interest.</span> </p> <p> <a href="https://handbook.unimelb.edu.au/courses/dr-philart/entry-participation-requirements" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span>https://handbook.unimelb.edu.au/courses/dr-philart/entry-participation-requirements</span> </a> </p> <p> <strong><span>How to apply</span></strong> </p> <p> <span>Expressions of Interest close <strong>Monday 21 September at 1700 (Melbourne time).</strong></span> </p> <p> <span>To apply, click the <strong><em>‘Submit Expressions of Interest’</em></strong> button at the top or bottom of this advertisement.</span> </p> <p> <span>Upload the following three documents as part of your Expression of Interest:</span> </p> <ol> <li> <span><strong>Academic transcripts</strong> for all completed or in-progress tertiary study</span> </li> <li> <strong>A one-page project description</strong> outlining a proposed research project examining the history of the hourglass between 1300 and 1600CE </li> <li> <strong>A current resume.</strong> Applicants are encouraged to use the Faculty’s resume template [<a href="https://go.unimelb.edu.au/otz2">https://go.unimelb.edu.au/otz2</a>]. Before uploding, please append to the end of the resume <strong>a 500-word statement</strong> describing your intellectual interests in the history of temporalities and material culture. </li> </ol> <p> <em>Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted and invited to interview. </em><br> <br> <span>Applicants who are successful at the Expression of Interest stage will be invited to submit a formal application for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy- Arts. An invitation to submit a full application does not guarantee admission or the award of a scholarship.</span> </p> <p> <span>For further information about the application process, please visit the Faculty of Arts Graduate Research applications webpage.</span> </p> <p> <a href="https://arts.unimelb.edu.au/study/graduate-research" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span>https://arts.unimelb.edu.au/study/graduate-research</span> </a> </p>
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London Society for Medieval Studies @londonmedieval.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
The LSMS is recruiting new committee members for the 2026/2027 term! Apply now here: forms.gle/xnU6dtn6fSky...
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davisqmw.bsky.social @davisqmw.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Possibly think about rewording comment? Glancing at figures I saw Labour on 11%. It took a good second look to realise you meant Restore on 10.9%
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davisqmw.bsky.social @davisqmw.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
She is a lawyer. What are her serious financial credentials?
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Admirable Women @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Astrophysicist Jocelyn Bell Burnell was born #OTD in 1943. She discovered the first radio pulsars in 1967. The #Nobel Prize in #Physics for their discovery went to to her thesis supervisor Antony Hewish & to astronomer Martin Ryle. #WomenInSTEM #astrophysics #MatildaEffect
Color portrait of astrophysicist Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, who discovered pulsars in 1967. She stands at a three-quarter angle facing left, looking toward the camera with a calm, assured, and slight smile. Her short, textured, wavy gray-brown hair frames a pleasant expression behind delicate gold-framed wire spectacles. She wears a structured, pale gray-blue blazer over a white and dark gray leaf-patterned blouse. The background consists of a soft-focus, desaturated green and white bokeh wash resembling out-of-focus foliage or filtered light, creating a professional and scholarly atmosphere. The cool-toned lighting highlights her face and the crisp lines of her business suit, casting gentle shadows that give the portrait a sense of depth and dignity.
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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Something deeply troubling & shocking is happening at Exeter University*, where a mass cull of staff is planned, even though it's in surplus. No good justifications given. @jamesgdyke.info provides the details: www.technosphere.earth/the-bonfire-... *Disclosure: I have a Visiting Fellowship here. +🧵
technosphere.earth
The bonfire of the humanities
150 academic posts at the University of Exeter are to be cut, most in the humanities but also in social sciences, engineering and environmental sciences
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Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
‘Universities that aren’t fully committed to arts and humanities as a flourishing part of their science offering aren’t committing to the future.’ @christophersmith.bsky.social anatomiesofpower.wordpress.com/2026/06/28/w...
anatomiesofpower.wordpress.com
Why an industrial strategy needs arts and humanities (and why UKRI are funding us to deliver it)
I joined UKRI six years ago because I was deeply attracted to the ambition of unifying curiosity led research and strategic or mission led interventions with the power of science to drive a just ec…
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Charles West @pseudo-isidore.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
An academic tribute to Rosamond McKitterick, published by Reti Medievali. www.rm.unina.it?p=554
rm.unina.it
Rosamond McKitterick (1949-2026) – Reti Medievali
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Mark Condos @mark-condos.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Hot off the press! If you're interested in honour, revenge, the history of European colonial warfare, or empire more generally, then this is for you. Order your copy today: www.hurstpublishers.com/book/empire-...
hurstpublishers.com
Empire with a Vengeance | Hurst Publishers
An absorbing new history of European colonialism, showing how ideas of retribution and revenge were used to justify violent conquest and rule.
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davisqmw.bsky.social @davisqmw.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Great decision. A full time PhD will be full-time, even with lots of work already under your belt. Enjoy.
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davisqmw.bsky.social @davisqmw.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Congratulations Ruth
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Sam Ottewill-Soulsby @samottewillsoulsby.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
We lost Rosamond McKitterick, a great scholar, a great teacher, and a great human being, far too early. This has been hard to write, but thinking about her, who she was and the person she chose to be can never bring me anything but joy. #medievalsky salutemmundo.wordpress.com/2026/06/15/a...
salutemmundo.wordpress.com
A Scholarly and a Moral Education: Remembering Rosamond McKitterick
Photo of Rosamond McKitterick, taken by the author on 1 February 2020 overlooking the Forum at Rome. Rosamond McKitterick died on Saturday 13th June 2026. As a sentence, that’s easy to write and im…
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N16Breda Corish @n16breda.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
A great find in the British Library: "A Handy Book of Reference for Irishwomen", published in conjunction w 1881 Irish Exhibition at London Olympia ☘️ Edited by Helen Blackburn, Valentia Island-born suffragist, & backed by Mary Power Lalor, philanthropist, Catholic & Unionist landlord in Tipperary/1
Photo of the front cover of "A Handy Book of Reference for Irishwomen"Photo of the title page, "Edited by Helen Blackburn" & with "Preface by Mary Power Lalor"
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Stephen Curry @scurry.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
That the present government would let this enormously valuable sector collapse is unforgivable. But they’ve done next to nothing.
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Asheesh Kapur Siddique @asheeshks.org · 10/05/2026
It’s remarkable in this day and age to hear a politician anywhere say the following: “Support for a diverse, rigorous and accessible body of historical scholarship should be a much greater priority for democratic governments even at a time of stretched budgets.“
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Stephen Gadd @docuracy.co.uk · 01/05/2026
✉️ Explore 145,000 medieval merchant letters as a live map: the correspondence network of Francesco di Marco Datini (c.1363–1412), spanning Florence to Barcelona to North Africa. Visualise routes, travel times & seasonality. docuracy.github.io/datini/ #DigitalHumanities #MedievalHistory
A dark-themed interactive map of the medieval western Mediterranean showing 14th-century merchant letter routes as curved arcs coloured from cyan (fast, 0–5 days) through yellow to red (30+ days). Short land routes between Tuscan cities glow cyan; longer sea routes to Barcelona and Majorca burn orange and red, revealing the unpredictability of medieval maritime travel.
(299 characters)
 
Long (accessible description for screen readers / figure caption):
Screenshot of the Datini Letters Geospatial Explorer in Travel Time mode. A dark basemap of the western Mediterranean is overlaid with curved arc lines connecting pairs of cities in the Datini merchant network. Arc colour encodes average letter delivery time on a gradient from cyan (near-instant, 0–5 days) through green and yellow (one to two weeks) to orange and deep red-magenta (more than 30 days). Dense clusters of fast cyan arcs radiate from Florence and Pisa across Tuscany, reflecting the reliable day-or-two land post. Arcs reaching westward to Barcelona, Valencia, and Palma de Majorca shift to orange and red, capturing the slower and far more variable sea routes that could take anywhere from a week to several months. City nodes are shown as circles: pink for the main Datini fondacos (Pisa, Florence, Barcelona, Genoa, Valencia, Majorca) and blue for correspondent cities. A sidebar on the left shows the Travel Time mode is selected, with a cyan-to-red colour legend and a filter slider for minimum letters per route.
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Medievalist.net @medievalists.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
Medieval Grave in England Reveals Brother and Sister Buried Together www.medievalists.net/2026/04/medi... #archaeology #medieval #England
medievalists.net
Medieval Grave in England Reveals Brother and Sister Buried Together - Medievalists.net
A medieval grave in England has revealed two children buried together were siblings, thanks to new ancient DNA analysis.
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Cath Haddon @cathhaddon.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
This is lovely for Peter. I'm sure both he and his family will be thoroughly chuffed. As will all the many many students of Peter (me included) who wouldn't be doing what they are doing today if not for his remarkable knowledge and expertise, astute guidance and unfailingly enthusiastic support.
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Centre for the History of People, Place & Community @chppc.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
Brilliant review of Thomas Asbridge's 'magisterial' new book on the #BlackDeath. We'll hear from Thomas in this year's Derek Keene London Lecture - part of the 2026 @ihr.bsky.social Summer School on 'Sickness and Health'. Info: www.history.ac.uk/news-events/... www.theguardian.com/books/2026/a...
theguardian.com
The Black Death by Thomas Asbridge review – a medieval horror story
A magisterial history of one of the worst ever pandemics focuses on the individuals caught up in the chaos
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davisqmw.bsky.social @davisqmw.bsky.social · 04/04/2026
Don’t review the book if you have not read it
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Dr Laura Sangha @lsangha.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
Big news for the wills world: #EarlyModern 🗃️
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Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
'The report for the Political Studies Association, shared exclusively with Research Professional News ahead of its publication on 31 March, analyses trends in politics departments between 2012 and 2025....it says the field has developed acute problems with jobs and student numbers.' 1/3
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Deidre Lynch @drbibliomane.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
It is lovely that the Art Gallery of Ontario can now name the Black woman in the gorgeous #18thc portrait they acquired 6 yrs ago & also date the painting. It's from 1775. She is Eleonora Susette, enslaved by the Dutch governor of Guyana, accompanying his widow on her return to the Netherlands.
Young black woman in turquoise silk gown, with lace sleeves, lace cap, and fichu, double strands of pearls around her neck and her wrists. She is holding a white flower. in one hand, and a ribbon in the other. A tropical looking tree is behind her. She looks right at the viewer with an assessing look.
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Jo Wolff @jowolff.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
Thick skin required. And a training in Librarianship. Unusual combination.
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davisqmw.bsky.social @davisqmw.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
Congratulations. An impressive book.
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Dr Rachel Delman @racheldelman.bsky.social · 08/03/2026
Great to see Margaret Beaufort getting a long overdue episode of BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time this week. If you’d like to learn more about my research on Margaret’s palace at Collyweston and her links to Stamford, mentioned in the episode, I explore both topics in articles for @tudorplaces.bsky.social
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The Library of Trinity College Dublin @tcdlibrary.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
TCD Library is recruiting a Senior Bibliographer to help catalogue the Fagel Collection! This is a fabulous professional opportunity to work on one of Europe's great early modern private libraries. Closing 10 March at noon. Full details available at www.tcd.ie/hr/vacancies
A selection of books form the Fagel Collection
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Helen McCarthy @historianhelen.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
We are advertising a two-year lectureship in Modern British History at University of Cambridge, please spread the word! www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/assista...
cam.ac.uk
Assistant Professor of British History [Temporary Cover]
The Faculty of History wishes to recruit a Temporary Assistant Professor in Modern British History. This is a fixed term 24 month Temporary Assistant Professorship. To cover the academic leave of the
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Royal Historical Society @royalhistsoc.org · 24/02/2026
Now available, the British Academy memoir of Dame Jinty Nelson (1942-2024), historian and first female President of the Royal Historical Society: bit.ly/4qUa0ua The memoir is written by Professor Pauline Stafford @pstafford.bsky.social and available via @britishacademy.bsky.social #Skystorians
Opening pages of Pauline Stafford's British Academy memoir of Dame Jinty Nelson with abstract text: 

Summary. Jinty Nelson was a leading scholar of early medieval European history, with a special focus on Francia in the late 8th and 9th centuries. She was at the forefront of a generation that re-vivified the study of the early middle ages, in her case especially concerned with the working of the Carolingian political system and the re-evaluation of the role of the aristocracy alongside king and church in early medieval politics. She was a pioneer of the study of women’s and gender history, demonstrating not only its intrinsic interest and importance, but also that political history could not be understood without attention to both. She had a deep and humane interest in the people of the past. Her academic career was spent entirely at King’s College, London, where she was an outstanding and much-loved teacher. Her professional contribution and recognition went far beyond that, and were marked by her election in 2000 as the first woman President of the Royal Historical Society. She became a champion of the subject and its teaching, wherever that was practised. In 2006 she was made a Dame of the British Empire for
services to History.
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Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
'A review of higher education funding now feels unavoidable. The choice for government is whether to lead it, or be forced into it by crisis.' Regardless, if we don't factor universities' core research and civic functions into the mix, we're stuffed.
post18.co.uk
A review of higher education funding is inevitable
As John Blake is announced as the first Director of The Post-18 Project, he argues that politicians must not ignore the feelings running ever deeper about the student loans system.
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Peter Mandler @petermandler.bsky.social · 21/02/2026
Frank Prochaska (1941-2026) - always amusing, often shrewd, articulate and perceptive historian of philanthropy in modern Britain. www.some.ox.ac.uk/news/dr-fran...
some.ox.ac.uk
Dr Frank Prochaska (1941-2026) - Somerville College Oxford
We are deeply saddened to pass on the news of the death of Dr Frank Prochaska on Sunday 15th February, his 85th birthday. Frank was an accomplished historian of modern Britain and a valued member of t...
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Tim Bale @timbale.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
Some advice worth listening to for Labour in Gorton and Denton from @thangamdebbonaire.bsky.social who lost out to the Greens (albeit in a very different constituency) in 2024. www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...

Take it from me – attacking the Greens’ fringe policies won’t work for Labour in Gorton and Denton
Take it from me – attacking the Greens’ fringe policies won’t work for Labour in Gorton and Denton
Lucy Powell, deputy leader of the Labour Party (left) and Anna Turley, chair of the Labour Party (right) at the announcement that Angeliki Stogia (centre) is the party's candidate for the Gorton and Denton by-election, January 31, 2026 (PA Images / Alamy)

Baroness Debbonaire 
Baroness Debbonaire

3 min read2 hr
By-elections can be a pain for campaigners. I have memories of taking my mum to a remote corner of the North West which was an hour away from any train station; it was cold and rainy, dogs howled and we didn’t win.

Voters can resent or ignore by-elections – or use them as a means of telling a governing party they are fed up. Leaflets have confusingly similar claims and counter-claims about who is the only party who can beat another party, sometimes illustrated with different coloured silhouettes of two racing horses. Rarely do so many trees die for so little effect.

In Gorton and Denton, both Labour and the Greens are pitching as the “only party who can beat Reform”. In a constituency that had a healthy Labour majority in 2024, in a Labour city with Labour MPs, council and mayor, it is noticeable that the Greens are currently the bookies’ favourite, though Reform and Labour are close by.

So, what should Labour do?

Learn more about the house
Voters need a good reason to vote Labour. Under a Labour government with a healthy majority, this needs to be better than “because the others are worse than us”. And clearly, “change”, the 2024 slogan, won’t work this time.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of the decision about who our candidate is, we should campaign on Labour achievements and commitments.

In a seat with Reform and Greens in contention to take over a previously solid Labour seat, the temptation can be to triangulate – to Reform voters and to would-be Gree…
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