iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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David Higham @oldtrotter.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

I'm planning a new career as a "fitness influencer" (which is what I believe they're called). Link to my YouTube channel in next post......

EXERCISE FOR PEOPLE OVER 60

Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of room at each side.

With a 5-lb potato bag in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides and hold them there as long as you can. Try to reach a full minute, and then relax.

Each day you'll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer.

After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-lb potato bags. Then try 50-lb potato bags and eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100-lb potato bag in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute. (I'm at this level).

After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each bag.

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David Henig @davidheniguk.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Still annoys me that Brexit is seen as somehow different to political trends in the EU, particularly France and Germany, when their parallel is so obvious. Similarly what is happening now, a shared politics of nostalgia, with very little vision for the future of Europe.

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Jonathan Portes @jdportes.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

yes, this is excellent, as i'd expect from @jydenham.bsky.social - if a bit depressing!

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

‘Services designed around people….prevention not crisis’ Lou Haigh promises Total Place principles at Labour conference today.

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

‘Services designed around people….prevention not crisis’ Lou Haigh promises Total Place principles at Labour conference today.

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Powerful endorsement of Total Place principles by Lou Haigh at Labour conference just now (with Andy Burnham on the platform): 'biggest and most important reform' (to public services) for generations.

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

The relationship between Labour and the world of ideas is too weak. A modest initiaive to improve it.... buff.ly/9pHL5jN

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Will Jennings📉🗳️ @drjennings.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

I wouldn't consider myself a particular expert in national security, but it is absolutely obvious what the problem is and what needs to be done. The failure of the UK government to respond to disorder over a sustained period is egregious.

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Labour needs better relationships with academics and experts. renewal.org.uk/blog/labour-...

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Welcome views from party activists and non-partisan academics on this 👇

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Went yesterday (Saturday 14:30 so presumably peak time). Yes, waited longer than expected in the gallery with (good) information videos. But viewing itself was superb (even if the odd over-entitled middle class selfish visitor made life difficult for staff)

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Antony Carpen @acarpen.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

" @labouruk.bsky.social has recently appointed a No 10 advisor to lead engagement with think tanks, academics, and other networks. But, welcome though this is, Labour has never had a consistent strategy for engaging a wider intellectual community." Former MHCLG Secretary John Denham (2009-10)

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Rekindling Labour's relationship with the wider world of progressive ideas. renewal.org.uk/blog/labour-...

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

I think you are slightly missing the point. Some would. Some would not. Others would have knowledge that could be of value to more than one party but are not sure how. The blog is explicit about that.

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

No one comes out of the story well. So need to start with people willing to rebuild relationships.

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Not really. It is a positive sign that Labour in No10 sees there is an issue (and Marc will do as good a job as anyone can). But seeing an issue and fixing the problem are not quite the same and, for reasons I give,, the relationship cannot be solely with Labour in power

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

The blog is about the relationship between Labour and academia. The tendency to collapse both into ‘Labour in government’ is the critique

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Labour’s relationship with academics and intellectuals needs an overhaul renewal.org.uk/blog/labour-...

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Labour’s relationship with academics and intellectuals needs an overhaul renewal.org.uk/blog/labour-...

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Labour's historically patchy, on-off, short term engagement with academics and intellectuals needs an overhaul renewal.org.uk/blog/labour-...

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Tom Clark @tom-clark.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

The BBC has decided that this constitutes news… A man who left for Monaco several years ago declaring he’s ’lost confidence’ in the UK His qualification for making the headlines? Owning £15bn Broadcasting like democracy already died! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.uk

Billionaire Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe says he has lost confidence in UK

Ineos founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe tells the BBC he thinks the country is "on the slide" and calls for more investment in the North Sea.

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Where does Labour get its ideas from? renewal.org.uk/blog/labour-...

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Where does Labour get its ideas from? renewal.org.uk/blog/labour-...

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Renewal @renewaljournal.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

New on Renewal Online: John Denham (@jydenham.bsky.social) considers Labour's past and current relationship with the wider progressive intellectual eco-system, and calls for a pro-active strategy to foster new strategic thinking renewal.org.uk/blog/labour-...

renewal.org.uk

Labour, intellectuals and progressive politics

Progressive parties are sustained by vision, aspiration, energy, commitment and organisation. But none last long without ideas. Labour, however, is remarkably uncurious about where its ideas come from...

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Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Absolutely horrendous for this woman and her family.

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

I do find odd that we all apparently enjoy the right to enter a hotel uninvited, go to the guest floors, knock on the doors of complete strangers on the grounds that they are not white - and yet not commit any offence.

bbc.co.uk

Group entered hotel of Pakistan cricketers mistaken for migrants

Protesters congregated at a Portsmouth hotel after false rumours that a coach of migrants had arrived.

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Robert Saunders @robertsaunders.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

A suggested statement for Andy Burnham.

‘The British public decided in the 1930s that they would not tolerate black-shirted militias marching through their streets. They would cherish robust political argument; they would not accept thuggery and intimidation. When Oswald Mosley led his Blackshirts to Cable Street, local people turned them back. A new law – introduced by a Liberal, backed by Labour and carried by a Conservative majority – banned private militias, political uniforms and ‘the use or display of physical force in promoting any political object’. The British people are as determined today as in the 1930s that they will not accept the methods of Mussolini and the Munich Beer Hall. This government will uphold the law and defend the traditions of British democracy’.

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denismacshane.bsky.social @denismacshane.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Much common sense from @jydenham.bsky.social on R4 on Portsmouth, Dover. In France it is a crime to wear a face covering at a political demonstration. But heaven forfend we might learn anything from Europe @nicklowles.bsky.social @roswynnejones.bsky.social

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Sarah Taylor @saturngirl.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Oh bravo @jydenham.bsky.social on #bbcpm. Evan wants him to talk about stopping the boats but he’s very clear about stopping the black-clad thugs instead.

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Political Quarterly @politicalquarterly.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Orwell’s reflections on England and Britain informed our recent public debate on nationhood, featuring Ros Wynne-Jones, Rosie Campbell, Tom McTague, John Denham, and Pippa Catterall. Listen now:

mixcloud.com

'Englishness, Britishness, and the Populist Challenge', with The Orwell Foundation

Listen to 'Englishness, Britishness, and the Populist Challenge', with The Orwell Foundation by Political_Quarterly

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Nolan Principles Matter. End the #GazaGenocide💔💙 @philildo.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

R4 #PM had John Denham on - he was absolutely clear that this was masked thuggery and that the organisers should be brought to justice - maybe a modicum of backtracking from the Beeb? (I know, that's wishful thinking!)

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Will Jennings📉🗳️ @drjennings.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

This is genuinely hilarious framing of small boats now numbers are dropping

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Worth noting that much that Miliband is claimed to have said about New Labour (such as ‘year zero’) appear to have been made up by Miliband’s opponents within the Labour Party. His problem was losing control of the narrative.

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Peter Geoghegan @petergeoghegan.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

‘Those close to the process say capping donations is not a priority for Burnham and not a subject over which it would be worth triggering a fight with Labour’s biggest backers.’ Oligarchic politics is not Burnham’s friend. But he doesn’t seem to realise it www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

theguardian.com

Burnham drops support for political funding cap aimed at curbing mega-donors

PM said he would set bar at £500k, but trade unions say funding reforms could undermine their ability to donate to Labour

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James Ball @jamesrball.com · 26/08/2026

The trade unions have got this one absolutely wrong, and it's *so* dangerous that Labour's not able to see the bigger picture on this one. Union concerns that a future government could use this to come for union funding to parties is legitimate – *but that will happen anyway*.

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Anthony Barnett @anthonybarnett.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

It seems he' s made the wrong call ( @georgemonbiot.bsky.social, @writesbright.bsky.social @petergeoghegan.bsky.social). It's reversible & must be reversed. But first, don't blame the Trade Unions! This is an old gag. Their support is easily sorted. 2/4 www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

theguardian.com

Burnham drops support for political funding cap aimed at curbing mega-donors

PM said he would set bar at £500k, but trade unions say funding reforms could undermine their ability to donate to Labour

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

I’m less inclined to identify the outcome of democratic decisions as ‘postcode lottery’. The true centralist believe that only a Westminster election counts. I don’t.

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

The default assumption cannot be that everything works at the moment so we should assume devolution will disrupt it. Complex problems need powers exercised at the right levels if they are to be solved.

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Hence you need to allow areas to apply their resources to their pressures and priorities. The result will be better services. Not poor quality inappropriate uniformity (which as we know produces today’s postcode lotteries).

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

At the current time regions cannot do things differently because of centralisation of policy. (Overstatement but essentially true). Postcode variation arises from the imposition of uniform policy on non-uniform areas.

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

In this sense that the current massive differences in policy outcomes do not reflect priorities or need, that is exactly what a lottery is.

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

That’s a more substantive criticism than postcode lottery.

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