Sign in

Diamond Ashiagbor

@diamondashiagbor.bsky.social
2.4K followers 1.2K following 85 posts

professor of law, University of Birmingham | labour, EU, equality, race & colonialism | editor, European Law Open | FAcSS | fixed-term member, Matrix Chambers | trustee, Black Cultural Archives orcid.org/0000-0002-7533-8853

PostsRepliesMedia
Diamond Ashiagbor @diamondashiagbor.bsky.social · 15/10/2026
Worth reading the whole thread by Karen Attiah. It highlights depressing and chilling new forms of anti-Black racism - which denies the creativity and humanity of African writers
031 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Karen Attiah @karenattiah.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
The Caine Prize is an award for African writers, judged by other African writers. As a Ghanaian/Nigerian-American, I've followed the Caine Prize for years-- I read African literature. The Atlantic article uses AI to justify overriding the judgment of African people reading their own literature.
656995 0
Diamond Ashiagbor @diamondashiagbor.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
This thread by Emma Monk is well worth your time to read
010 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
David Wearing @davidwearing.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
If you establish and entrench a consensus that (a) hostility to migrants is a cri du coeur from the authentic working class, and (b) anti racism is the preserve of out of touch metropolitan liberals, where do you suppose the country will end up? www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
theguardian.com
Rightwing extremists increasingly likely to consider terrorist attacks, MI5 chief says
Move from anti-immigration or anti-Muslim views to violence is ‘most marked trend’ in spy agency’s caseload over last year
5306123 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Jake Grumbach @jakemgrumbach.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Calling my shot: we will see less than half as many pundit-consultant pieces about this Latino realignment as we saw in the other direction 2021-2025, because a Latino blue shift doesn’t fit the Dems-Too-Woke narrative
271376273 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Alan Lester @alanlester.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
The more people that read Stephanie Lamy’s breakdown of the far right activist network that hunted Jason Arday (it includes Orr himself) the better for the future of our society. These people must be stopped from manipulating our public sphere. share.google/hvlCBiW0F9Bk...
share.google
Comment un réseau d’élite a chassé Jason Arday
Le racisme scientifique est une pseudoscience qui abreuve la propagande d'extrême-droite, dont masculiniste. Longtemps relégué aux marges, il s’installe dans les universités et cherche à imposer ses …
16931 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Nicholas Grossman @nicholasgrossman.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Ossoff is acting like Trump/MAGA/GOP and what they’ve done to the country is Actually Bad. Charismatic and well spoken, which sure helps. But no “my friends across the aisle,” no acting like the imaginary “Baileys” are the only ones who matter, no “don’t talk values, only kitchen table.” That’s it.
492827532 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Alan Lester @alanlester.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
This powerful book by Amal Chatterjee identifies clearly and unequivocally the mechanisms enabling colonial economic extraction long after colonialism is supposed to have ended. Highly recommended: hurstpublishers.com/book/prisone...
411734 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Sathnam Sanghera @sathnam.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Dear tv and radio producers. Thankyou for the invitation. But, no, I do not want to appear on your show to defend the idea that I am English, after 50 years of living and working here, because the increasingly feral right want to turn this into a "debate" and you cannot see how you're being played
10752181146 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Kat Tenbarge @kattenbarge.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Anthropic banning “abusive or cruel behavior” toward Claude in its new usage policies is proof to me that tech companies are going to moderate violence against AI before they ever moderate violence against women and minorities
208126213132 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Leonardo Carella @leonardocarella.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
In other words, a 10 percent contraction in one of Britain’s most successful exports. If it were steel or fish or other infinitely less profitable sectors, people would be having a meltdown.
12625274 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
European Law Open @europeanlawopen.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
This is just beautiful work by @bhumikabilla.bsky.social - the text, the film, the argument, the case for creative methods. www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
cambridge.org
Towards epistemic justice: a case for creative methods in legal research | European Law Open | Cambridge Core
Towards epistemic justice: a case for creative methods in legal research
164 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Marc Elias @marcelias.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
🚨BREAKING: The NAACP sued the Trump administration, seeking records about its plan to deploy roughly 1,000 federal personnel to polling places during the 2026 midterms. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
democracydocket.com
DOJ sued for records on ‘unprecedented’ plan to deploy 1,000 election monitors in midterms
DOJ's planned effort represents an extraordinary expansion of federal election monitoring. It has already sparked confrontations with state officials and concerns about voter intimidation.
10556132423 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Natalie Sedacca @nataliesedacca.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
On 4 November, 6pm at UCL, we'll hold a launch event for 'Human Rights and the Protection of Domestic Workers in Labour and Migration Law' - many thanks to speakers Cristy of @kalayaan.org.uk , @tnovitz.bsky.social and Lydia Hayes and chair @vmantouvalou.bsky.social www.ucl.ac.uk/laws/events/...
ucl.ac.uk
Book launch: Human Rights and the Protection of Domestic Workers in Labour and Migration Law
Join us for a panel discussion marking the launch of 'Human Rights and the Protection of Domestic Workers in Labour and Migration Law', organised by the Institute for Human Rights
01412 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Stephen Wolf @stephenwolf.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
New York Times/Siena polls find Dems gaining the governors offices in Alaska, Iowa, Texas, and Ohio. That would give Dems control over election admin in Alaska and Texas. It’s a sign that Dems could also win for secretary of state in Iowa and Ohio in this environment www.nytimes.com/2026/10/04/u...
Chart of Siena poll results in five governor's races, showing each candidate's estimated support with margin-of-error bars. Democrats lead in Iowa (Sand 52%, Lahn 41%), Alaska (Kreiss-Tomkins 52, Wilson 48), Texas (Hinojosa 49, Abbott 46) and Ohio (Acton 49, Ramaswamy 45). The Republican leads in Kansas (Masterson 49, Holscher 44)
925160 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Yair Wallach @yairwallach.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Saying that Zionism is racism is like saying Communism is totalitarianism. Both are 19th century ideologies that generated wide sympathy and were seen as progressive, and when put to practice to create and reshape states, created enormous injustice. 1/
1620841 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Something big may be happening: Trump's world-historical misrule may be creating the conditions for the emergence of a coalition similar to the one that ousted Viktor Orban earlier this year: Anti-corruption, anti-authoritarian, pro-democracy. I made this case here: newrepublic.com/article/2161...
781929464 0
Diamond Ashiagbor @diamondashiagbor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
"More Self-Censorship? None of this has been reported on by Times Higher Education, the leading publication for higher education in the UK – which published at least six articles about Orr’s colleague at Cambridge, the late Jason Arday, Professor of the Sociology of Education."
031 0
Diamond Ashiagbor @diamondashiagbor.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Excellent discussion on the politics podcast, Oh God What Now about the dispiriting speech from Chancellor John Healy. Many Labour MPs fetishise reindustrialisation, misunderstand the working class are now working in services, refuse to see universities as vital to economy of our towns + cities
Part of transcript from podcast 'Oh God What Now'
"Actually, I'm really pleased you mentioned universities there, because the way that politicians of all parties, but particularly the Labour Party, talk about the loss of jobs in steel or fishing or manufacturing, versus the complete disregard they have for the fact that the UK's world leading higher education sector is on the brink of collapse for all kinds of interlocking reasons, and the assumption that the universities will just get on with it and they're woke jobs anyway. In many of these post-industrial parts of the country, the university is the big driver of good jobs, and the combination of student finance and money from the government and international students and all that, they are really, really struggling. And you never hear a Labour politician go out and say, we've got to fight for our university sector the way they say, we've got to fight for our steel sector.
Yeah, you get job losses of 2,000, of 500 at universities, and it's never mentioned. You get a job loss of 200 in some manufacturing plants, and it leads to the national news, and every minister responds. And nostalgia is going to kill us if we don't actually address”

From Oh God, What Now?: Labour in Liverpool – Can Burnham make a second first impression?, 29 Sep 2026
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/oh-god-what-now/id1245265763?i=1000792073634&r=829
This material may be protected by copyright.
1113 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Dan Sohege @danielsohege.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Labour's immigration/asylum policies are profoundly racist and xenophobic. They embolden far right, undermine international law and violate basic human rights, while being even more hostile than the previous government. They can't be tweaked. They need to be scrapped. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Angela Rayner criticises worker visa plans on eve of Labour conference
The housing secretary says the government's plans to change wait times for permanent residency are unfair because they "change the goalposts".
820065 0
Diamond Ashiagbor @diamondashiagbor.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Absolutely this
040 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Jim Pickard @pickardje.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
my brilliant colleague @robertshrimsley.bsky.social on the threat from Elon Musk’s X platform www.ft.com/content/f270...
6528181175 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Will Jennings📉🗳️ @drjennings.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Time is long overdue that the political mainstream in Britain vigorously re-asserts its longstanding anti-racism norms... these have been allowed to be significantly eroded the last few years.
528458 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Will Jennings📉🗳️ @drjennings.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
The original reporting of what happened in Portsmouth was a joke. This is just a hate mob that has been whipped up who are now targeting the RNLI. Throw the book at them.
independent.co.uk
RNLI closes Portsmouth lifeboat station after huge anti-migrant protests
RNLI volunteers were branded ‘traitors’ after bringing migrants ashore
27555172 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Spooky Snigdha @snig.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Danny Tommo has decided to visit Piddington. If they welcome someone jailed for kidnapping at knife point to their village, it should show everyone their supposed concern for women and girls is just a cover for racism. bsky.app/profile/oxfo...
210144 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Alex Andreou @sturdyalex.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
The people of Piddington have spoken. I say, grant them independence. Border controls. Visas to cross into the UK. Tariffs on goods. No GBP. No NHS. No benefits or pensions. Let us know when your little lilywhite enclave has gone all Mad Max and you started eating each other. BUH-BYE!
1251253237 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Josiah Mortimer @josiahmortimer.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
I've done a deep-dive on the Harborne and Delo mega-donations over the weekend, and whether they may have to be handed back From my reading, a lot of unlikely things have to be true at once for the two £36m 'gifts' to be allowed once the (retrospective) Representation of the People Bill becomes law
bylinetimes.com
Why Reform UK Could Be Forced to Hand Back Their £72m Donations From Crypto Billionaires
Christopher Harborne and Ben Delo gave a record £36 million each over the weekend to Nigel Farage's party, but a new law means they may have to take it all back
16455191 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Josiah Mortimer @josiahmortimer.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
£72m for Reform over the weekend could be just the tip of the iceberg There's nothing to stop Elon Musk giving, via a UK X subsidiary, £300m to Restore Britain today Or a Trump ally giving £500m to Farage via a UK-registered firm There's a v narrow window to tackle big money in the elections bill
21466182 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Emily M. Bender @emilymbender.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
So how about this for a "pause AI" proposal: "pause credulous AI reporting". No more media about "breakthroughs" or "rogue agent swarms" or ... UNLESS and UNTIL that media demands the actual empirical evidence and/or focuses on the motivations of & harms by these companies.
4745198 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Dan Snow @thehistoryguy.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
I’m just a person on my fucking knees begging the government to use its absolutely massive majority to do something extremely fucking popular: save our democracy.
792176499 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
The UK now needs to introduce political spending limits across a parliament, not just for election campaign years. Otherwise, its election spending rules could fall over. Current rules: parties have a limit (about £34m) for 12 months before an election - but no limits outside the 12 month period.
11443138 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Josiah Mortimer @josiahmortimer.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
The TUC campaigning against donation caps - despite all the proposed amendments having carve-outs for affiliation fees - will come back to bite the union movement if they succeed in delaying it. Frankly, billionaires will always have more money with which to buy parties than unions will.
politico.eu
‘Step backwards’: Union leader warns Burnham against political donations cap
Paul Nowak, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, said he is concerned about union members’ voices being ‘silenced’
36216 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
The balaclava blackshirted thugs are a result of a decade of politicians, tabloids and the broadcast media telling racists they have "legitimate concerns." The normalisation of actual fascism rhetoric and action has led to this and is a far greater "legitimate concern" than any migrant on a boat.
781710560 0
Diamond Ashiagbor @diamondashiagbor.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Depressing. But true
020 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Katie Martin @katie0martin.ft.com · 08/09/2026
@ stephenkb.bsky.social hitting the nail on the head of course. "the Labour Party has now produced two governments whose response to acts of thuggery and intimidation is to reiterate that perhaps the thugs have a point" - as.ft.com/r/97d33f08-a...
as.ft.com
Labour’s muddled migration policy won’t stop thuggery
A government that can’t distinguish between ‘legitimate concerns’ and open racism is only making things worse
22863322 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Jonn Elledge @jonnelledge.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
I want the Prime Minister to look into a TV camera and say the RNLI are heroes, that we do not change policy by street violence in this country, and that he expects any criminal action to face the full force of the law. That's it. That's all he has to do.
622781881 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Cornucopist @cornucopist.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Is Burnham scared, complacent or complicit? Silence is not leadership. Where does he stand on masked men in black intimidating the public and terrified asylum seekers? I have a legitimate concern about fascism taking over the UK.
093 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Nadia Whittome MP @nadiawhittomemp.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
When blackshirts are marching through the streets of Dover and Portsmouth, the focus shouldn’t be on the disruption they cause, but on their fascist ideology and deliberate intimidation of migrants and people of colour. [1/2]
801510345 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
The Empty City @davidallengreen.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Seems the difference between ‘protestors’ and ‘terrorists’ is that protestors wear balaclavas while terrorists hold placards.
3034401278 0
Diamond Ashiagbor @diamondashiagbor.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Absolutely astounding that Labour ministers seem unable to condemn masked violent racist thugs who are intent on terrorising migrant and non-white communities
150 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Russ Jones @russincheshire.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Let me get this right: if you're a retired vicar and peacefully hold up a sign opposing genocide, you're a terrorist. But if 1200 morons put on balaclavas and close half of Dover to stop people *escaping* genocide, police "constructively engage." Is that it? www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
theguardian.com
Black-clad protesters in balaclavas block road at port of Dover in Kent
Traffic on A20 in and out of port grinds to halt as Kent police say they are in attendance and engaging with group
941183479 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Hardeep Matharu @hardeepmatharu.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Now James Orr has stepped down as Reform UK's Head of Policy after C4's report, questions remain for Cambridge – where he is Associate Professor. Byline Times revealed serious concerns about his activities there months ago. We all know there won't now be 200+ articles on him and his life don't we?
551914736 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
The Electoral Commission appears to be straightforwardly wrong about its role and responsibilities in law as the regulator when it says publicly "Information about any potential attempt to evade the controls on donations is for the police to consider". It is the core job of the Electoral Commission
39673246 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Omar Khan @omaromalleykhan.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
If you falsely but strongly believe that your students' intelligence is based on race and gender you will be unable to treat or grade them fairly. This includes giving white and male students too high grades as well as giving Black and female students too low ones
419440 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Omar Khan @omaromalleykhan.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
1 in 3 UK university students are not white. 57% are female Being unable to treat 70%+ of UK students fairly because of your irrational and immoral beliefs just is you acknowledging you're not qualified for the role (Believing empirical and moral falsehoods to be true is also disqualifying)
0406 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Universities are actually not just bigger schools for older students: to get higher education 'right' in 2026-27, they need to put research and teaching in a shared analytical frame. The research funding side of the equation is also out of control (see toys being flung from prams in parliament). 2/3
A black pram with a lighter interior stands on a wooden floor in front of a table and chairs. It's from Wikipedia and has been wittily captions by its editor there: There are no toys in sight.
1225 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Henry Mance @henrymance.ft.com · 31/08/2026
Conservative policy: - Demand criminals get long sentences - Don't build prisons to house them - Oppose early release of prisoners - Cut prisons budgets so that fewer people are rehabilitated 👍
42744182 0
Diamond Ashiagbor @diamondashiagbor.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Hard agree!
020 0
Reposted by Diamond Ashiagbor
Max Colbert @mc00.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Unions are failing to see the bigger picture, that a handful of people can buy our democracy with hugely disproportionate means at their disposal, using fear of a cap being weaponised against them to let the main issue at the heart of political financing to continue unabated. A catastrophic U-turn.
54317 0