Sign in

Andrew McRae

@mcraeandrew.bsky.social
1.6K followers 991 following 875 posts

English prof, Uni of Exeter. Prone to talk about UK politics, higher education policy, the 17th century, the excellence of English studies, & Aussie sports.

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Dan Sohege @danielsohege.bsky.social · 5h
Who amongst us hasn't been tempted...
Accountant calls police after being asked to attend meeting
313118
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Dale Vince @dalevince.com · 5h
Was just explaining this to someone at Labour’s conference - Crown Estate owns the coast and seabed and charges for the use of it for green energy projects - pushing up energy bills.
56028
Reposted by Andrew McRae
The Empty City @davidallengreen.bsky.social · 12h
Bless.
521546
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Jack Lynch @jacklynch000.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Teaching Swift today, and will always share this on “Modest Proposal” day.
571763367
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Henry Mance @henrymance.ft.com · 30/09/2026
Man City have shown zero remorse and are still belittling the legal process. Hard to see how they can expect any leniency.
5143452
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Robert Saunders @robertsaunders.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
It’s a mark of the corruption of our whole way of thinking about the world that trying to meet a planetary emergency is routinely described as “ideological”, while continuing to accelerate it is presented as “pragmatic” and “economic”.
201231442
Reposted by Andrew McRae
James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Rally is as packed as anything I've been to at Conferance - with a huge range of excellent, passionate speakers. The fight back against the EHRC guidance and to rebuild trans rights starts here.
1617726
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Each week you think: Braverman will never outdo this. She'll never say something madder than what just came out her mouth. And each week, she proves you wrong. Just the maddest fool on earth.
87782157
Andrew McRae @mcraeandrew.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
An appeal for the UK HE English community: I’m convening a panel for the @univeng.bsky.social OGM, 11/12, for people coordinating REF2029 returns for UoA2029 (or for a cognate sub-panel, but including English lit/lang researchers). Contact me if you’d like to contribute.
112
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP @bellribeiroaddy.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Three people, including a child, drowned in the Channel today. Our politics is so broken that the debate is never about how we stop these deaths and always about how we can come up with harsher policies that make more deaths inevitable.
28134
Andrew McRae @mcraeandrew.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
This piece exposes a university business model unlike any other in the UK. 20% of UGs are Americans! No redundancies there, then. www.theguardian.com/education/20...
theguardian.com
‘It’s like the Scottish Upper East Side’: shame and snobbery as American students blamed for St Andrews classism
Online comments reflect class tensions at Scottish university between those from lower-income families and wealthier US undergraduates
100
Reposted by Andrew McRae
David Kernohan @dkernohan.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
wonkhe.com/wonk-corner/...
wonkhe.com
Graduates now cover 84 per cent of the cost of a degree
The effects of little-noticed threshold freezes
002
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
She was an FBI agent. She started an investigation of the murder of Renee Good. Trump forced her to reclassify it as an ICE agent assault. She was then forced to resign. Her evidence confirms that a cover-up of the homicide has been undertaken, directed from the highest levels.
cnn.com
FBI agent who initially investigated fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis has resigned | CNN Politics
The FBI agent who initially began working with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to investigate the fatal ICE shooting of Renee Good has resigned from the bureau, two sources familiar with...
281558900
Reposted by Andrew McRae
En Buen Ora @enbuenora.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
This is a fantastic brief essay in how news media & pundits turn upside down who is who is being punished for speaking freely--in the case of Kraft, Macklemore, & Sheeran--when rich elites want things to go one way, but unruly peasant masses refuse to go along. www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2026/se...
lrb.co.uk
Lorna Finlayson | Public Positions
In much of the coverage of the Ed Sheeran-Macklemore debacle, the reality of the incident is turned on its head, as...
621672
Andrew McRae @mcraeandrew.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
This is so completely mad, it reads like an April 1 story. www.theguardian.com/education/20...
theguardian.com
Backlash as Indian oil heir made professor of sustainability by Newcastle University
Role for Anant Ambani, son of India’s richest person, who also runs a controversial mega-zoo, met with incredulity
110
Reposted by Andrew McRae
John Stott @jpsastro.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Had a UKRI funded grant proposal rejected at the "AI triage stage". "This AI-based triage was used only to identify approximately 50% of the strongest proposals to take forward to full human review." 🧪 #academicsky
I am writing to let you know that, unfortunately, your application was not successful.

Review process

As part of the initial triage of the 179 proposals submitted to this call, each was assessed using an AI-based review. Every proposal was read independently by several different AI models against the same seven criteria used to shape this call (including cyber security relevance, research quality and novelty, importance of the problem addressed, feasibility of the project plan, likely outputs and impact, value for money, and responsible research practice), with each model asked to give a score and a written justification with supporting quotations from the text. To guard against any one model's idiosyncrasies, we also ran a second, independent process in which different AI models debated the merits and weaknesses of each proposal before reaching a judgement, again against the same criteria. Scores from both processes were combined to produce an overall ranking. 

This AI-based triage was used only to identify approximately 50% of the strongest proposals to take forward to full human review.  Projects selected for funding were drawn from those that progressed to the full human review stage. We recognise that AI-assisted assessment is a new and evolving part of the review process, and we are continuing to evaluate how well it aligns with the judgements of human reviewers on this call. We will soon produce a document detailing our method, so that others can build upon it and improve it.

Feedback on your application

Your application was not selected to progress beyond the AI triage stage.  To provide transparency on the outcome of this assessment, we are sharing below the scores (out of 5) from each of the two AI review processes described above, together with the mean score across the two processes.
40432237
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Alasdair Mackenzie @alasdairmackenzie.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
The BBC has long given up even pretending to be interested in who these people are, why they are coming or how they might feel, in favour of acting as a kind of shop window for the parties to display their wares of violence and cruelty
bbc.co.uk
Most migrant small boat arrivals in single day of 2026
A total of 781 migrants arrive on Wednesday, but the yearly total is below the same point in 2025.
14531178
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Dan Sohege @danielsohege.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Not a dicky bird about thugs trying to sink a dinghy with a rescue worker on board or their claims to be "forming an army". Two boats of people seeking safety land and bingo bango they're the ones portrayed as the issue. Labour is complict in the rise of the far right. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Home Secretary hits out at 'unacceptable' migrant landings in Kent
Usually brought ashore by Border Security Command or the RNLI, these are the first uncontrolled landings since 2025.
44949318
Andrew McRae @mcraeandrew.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Gobsmacking, headexploding radio. #bbcpm
040
Reposted by Andrew McRae
BeijingPalmer @beijingpalmer.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
something has gone very, very wrong with the UK
1143334751
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Tom Freeman @tomfreeman.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
I mean, any time now would be good. If it's not too much trouble
Headline: "‘Outright racist’ Daniel Thomas will face full force of law over any crimes, says home secretary"
331460372
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Peter Whitewood @pwhitewood.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
‘If converted into registrations, that fall in [international student] applications would represent a loss of about £416 million of income per annum for the university sector’
timeshighereducation.com
V-cs seek answers over ‘late surge’ in UK student visa refusals
Growing numbers of institutions expected to have breached new compliance rules, endangering future recruitment prospects
104
Andrew McRae @mcraeandrew.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
‘Daniel Thomas, known as Danny Tommo, shared a YouTube livestream of the boat from the Channel.’ Seriously, how obvious does far-right crime need to be before the BBC reports it? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Dozens of migrants taken to Dover after more than 30 hours at sea
Protesters had earlier gathered in Gosport after an initial report that the small boat would be brought further west.
140
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Brandy Zadrozny @brandyzadrozny.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Bonus for whoever wrote this chyron
Trump speaking at UN — MS NOW chyron reads: Trump touts being a peacemaker while asking if he should annihilate Iran
133105992480
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Paul Bernal @paulbernal.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Thousands of university jobs lost too, and barely a peep either.
381081332
Reposted by Andrew McRae
sianushka.bsky.social @sianushka.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Asylum seeking people don’t have the freedom to work, they don’t even have the freedom to shop using cash or choose where to shop, in temp accommodation they don’t have the freedom to cook or choose their own food - honestly this headline is batshit
1631202
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 21/09/2026
LMFAO -- Trump is holding an event at the White House right now but there's no audio because the press pool isn't there. The Newsmax host notes that this is an example of Trump's attacks on the press "backfiring just a little bit"
2412218545338
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Chris Millard @chrismillard83.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
“Universities have managed staff costs significantly below inflation,[between 2016-17 and 2023-24] increasing only 14% compared to the 41.2% increase in RPIX [measure of inflation]” Substantial real terms pay cut, which continues a trend existing years before that…
gov.uk
Cost of undergraduate provision and qualifications in England
A study of the full economic cost of providing undergraduate-level higher education and other qualifications in England.
65538
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Priyamvada Gopal @priyamvadagopal.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Please gods, a metaphor
1253
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Peter @notalawyer.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
a lot of people act like there's a trade being offered where we give up trans athletes in sports and in exchange fascism is defeated forever
188136422893
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Dan Sohege @danielsohege.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
He could have quite explicitly stated that they don't, because they don't. This isn't an area to go "oh people think". We have the evidence. They just don't. If you want to claim to be a progressive, liberal, party, you have to actually challenge right wing, predominantly, lies and scare mongering.
615066
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Mark Jacob @markjacob.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Trump posts that his arch will be a "military complex" for drones and snipers. Really. 4 possibilities: 1. He's using national security as an argument for the arch, as he did with the ballroom. 2. He's prepping Fortress DC for when he refuses to leave office. 3. He's insane. 4. All of the above.
At the strong request of the United States Military, and for National Security purposes, I have agreed to convert the magnificent Triumphal Arch, planned since the Civil War Era many years ago, at the Receptive Circle adjoining the Arlington Memorial Bridge, into a top grade Military Complex/Triumphal Arch, to house, store, and have the rapid ability to use large numbers of drones, plus Snipers, on both the roof and plaza areas, and additionally have and hold large quantities of sniper ammunition in storage. There will be no facility like this anywhere in the World. Out of the 59 top cities and Capitals, Washington, D.C., IS THE ONLY ONE IN THE WORLD THAT DOES NOT HAVE A TRIUMPHAL ARCH, but it will now and, by far, the greatest of them all! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP



1.28k

ReTruths

4.95k

Likes
Sep 20, 2026, 6:34 AM
67538165
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Paul Bernal @paulbernal.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
It’s surprisingly common to believe that Russia/Ukraine is about good and evil, whereas Israel/Palestine is just political.
89723
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Dan Sohege @danielsohege.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
There are a raft of security checks which people seeking asylum go through, as part of a highly intrusive asylum system. This is pandering to far/hard right talking points of people seeking safety being threats, even if more obliquely than others.
17917
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Tim Bale @timbale.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
That wouldn't happen to be tax paid on profits made, in no small part, from the delusions and often outright misery of thousands upon thousands of his fellow countrymen, would it?
ft.com
UK’s top taxpayer says he would ‘not wish to be reborn’ in Britain
Betfred founder Fred Done threatens 500 shop closures over tax rises that have left him fearful for the UK’s prospects
93610149
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Sarah Murphy @13sarahmurphy.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
While rightwing media nods approvingly at the prejudiced outcry in Piddington, a RNLI station has to close because of white British thuggery and threats. This is where the constantly toxic obsession with immigration leads. To racist, flag-wielding vigilantism that ruins this country for everyone.
44779299
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Peter Beaumont @petersbeaumont1.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
theguardian.com
Former student of suspended Reform official ‘reopens case’ against University of Cambridge
Cambridge previously paid £5,000 compensation after an investigation partially upheld allegations against Dr James Orr
023
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Anyone remember that time when two fighting aged men living at those barracks ran amok and assaulted a member of the public.... why didn't Piddington declare independence then I wonder? www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/2324828...
oxfordmail.co.uk
Soldiers banned from every pub in Bicester after 'dreadful' attack on civilian
Bradley Barr and Owen Thomas, both 20, were given community orders
851352442
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Tony Yates @t0nyyates.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
😂 the Trump White House *are* the radical right. It is a personalist authoritarian regime. In their strategy documents they say they seek to pursue ethnonationism in Europe. They are not going to help us!
1315946
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Iman Sheeha (she/her) @drsheeha.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
So excited for this publication coming out from @edinburghup.bsky.social and already available for pre-order. Thank you to the wonderful editors Professors Lisa Hopkins and Bill Angus for the excellent work they’ve done here. So grateful to have my work included alongside such fabulous chapters!
273
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
I'm not surprised but I'm truly disgusted that this narrative of "dangerous fighting age men posing a threat to women and children" is genuinely doing the rounds on the media with almost no push back at all. This is 1930s level stuff.
1191744355
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Roland Smith @rolandmcs.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Very nice to hear a sane voice from Piddington. Serious respect to this woman, who is apparently already being othered by more bigoted villagers.
1062354688
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
I have since seen that the chair of Piddington parish council appealed to Elon Musk and Donald Trump for help. Appealing for help to someone found by a civil court to be a sex offender over fears of sex offences.
1217357
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed." -Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1953
430115814857
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Prof Melanie O'Brien @drmelob.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
New research has determined that the pre-colonial Indigenous pop'n in #AUS was far more than previously thought. 2.22M. Over 90% of whom died (by disease & violence) in the 70 years after the invasion (1788). Cannot be denied that this was a genocidal process. theconversation.com/more-than-2-...
theconversation.com
More than 2 million Indigenous people lived in Australia in 1788: new research
Genetic, archaeological and environmental evidence suggest the Indigenous population fell by more than 90% in the 70 years after the British invaded.
22921
Andrew McRae @mcraeandrew.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
The twists and turns in this exchange are a thing of rare comic beauty.
000
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Mr B @mrbinexile.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
About ten years ago I took drugs from a stranger in Germany and I'm pretty sure I'm still fucked up cause this cant be real life
412411
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Paul Bernal @paulbernal.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
You should literally never believe a word Trump says.
57614
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Dr Andrew McInnes @drbeard79.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
This list of things the University of Brighton has de-recognised is insane 🤯🤯🤯
108249
Reposted by Andrew McRae
Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu · 14/09/2026
Some details: Kremlev, the Russian who sponsored Don Jr's wedding, is a former member of the Night Wolves biker gang, went to China with Putin and is personally sanctioned by Ukraine for his role in abducting children www.propublica.org/article/dona...
propublica.org
Donald Trump Jr.’s Wedding Bankrolled by Putin-Linked Russian Oligarch
The oligarch, Umar Kremlev, spent hundreds of thousands on expenses like renting out a private island. He appears to have met Trump Jr. only recently, but he attended the intimate wedding with a large...
15224451312