Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 04/10/2026Many are the reasons to love Wakefield Trinity. Mine: Early 90's midweek floodlit game. Govt had that day announced another raft of pit closures. Every Wakefield player came onto the field having chalked out the name of the then shirt sponsor. "British Coal". 041
Reposted by Paul HayesSimon Parker @simonparker.bsky.social · 03/10/2026Your regular reminder that Cambridge University has been investigating James Orr for about a month, and it’s all gone a bit quiet. www.varsity.co.uk/news/32175 0116
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 03/10/2026Have we now moved on from "Sports Washing" to "Sports Blackmail"? 000
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 03/10/2026Council Tax. Worked as a short term political fix for the 'Community Charge' (sic) debacle, but now woefully out of date and chock full of the outcomes of 3 decades of unintended consequences (if I'm being generous using that term). 110
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 27/09/2026See also: social/affordable housing and housing related benefits :-( 000
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 27/09/2026Saddest thing I ever heard in local govt was from a colleague in Blackpool: "We did some focus groups about why people in HMO's moved here as adults. Going to Blackpool was the last place where they felt happy as kids" :-( 110
Reposted by Paul Hayesrichardblyth.bsky.social @richardblyth.bsky.social · 26/09/2026When yimbies celebrate the 30s as a housebuilding paradise, they often don't mention that building only followed massive public investment. 031
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 27/09/2026Given my many, many bleak evenings on the Bradford/Whitehaven/Widnes (delete where applicable) terraces enduring dour nailbiting relegation struggles - this is simply wonderful #upthetrin 110
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Whatever did happen to that future George Osbone promised us? The one where we'd be wearing, sleeping on and eating Graphene? www.theguardian.com/politics/202...theguardian.comOpenAI’s George Osborne says datacentre nimbys holding back BritainFormer chancellor, now senior figure at OpenAI, says UK needs datacentres to maintain ‘sovereignty’ over AI tech 000
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 21/09/2026The Taxpayers Alliance (sic) actually does 'research'? 000
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 17/09/2026"universities may be most effective when they support and strengthen wider civic capacity: contributing expertise, evidence, convening power and long-term commitment to place." Yup. 010
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 16/09/2026Shocked to be in agreement with Polly Toynbee for once. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre... 010
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 13/09/2026Tufton St wunderkiddies polishing their cv's as I type.... 001
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 11/09/2026My excellent Leeds University Business School colleagues in full effect here. 130
Reposted by Paul HayesSecond Reading @commonslibrary.bsky.social · 10/09/2026A visitor levy for English mayors? commonslibrary.parliament.uk/a-visi… 001
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 10/09/2026Daily Mail in Familiar With People In Black Uniforms Shock. 000
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 08/09/2026Deja vu time for any of us who moved from other public services into HE. 000
Reposted by Paul HayesArguably @arguablymag.bsky.social · 07/09/2026Chris Curtis MP @chriscurtis94.bsky.social and Jack Shaw @jacktshaw.bsky.social argue that once retail-heavy high-streets need 'beetroots, bowling alleys and botox' to survive. www.arguably.uk/p/can-the-br...arguably.ukHow to reinvent the British high streetWhy town centres need beetroots, bowling alleys and botox 0108
Reposted by Paul HayesSociology and Social Policy at the University of Leeds @sspatleeds.bsky.social · 04/09/2026📢 Join the launch of the Earning + Learning campaign Hear from young people, the TUC, Young Women's Trust and University of Leeds researchers on improving employment rights for student workers. 📅 24 September, 12pm 💻 Free online event 👉 Reserve your place and find out more: tinyurl.com/4j58sa3y 025
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 06/09/2026Fascinating Why We Game read about home made RPG playing in Prison. "There is a quiet, melancholic beauty of the game as an art form, a way of processing the world around us." barenuckelavee.bearblog.dev/no-one-can-t...barenuckelavee.bearblog.devNO ONE CAN TAKE YOUR GAME FROM YOUThere is a sickness in the modern tabletop hobby, a kind of creeping, insidious consumerism that tries to convince you that you need things to play. We get c... 000
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 06/09/2026The most amusing bit of Orr's academic page at Cambridge? "Not available for consultancy". 010
Reposted by Paul HayesHK @hkesvani.bsky.social · 04/09/2026Are we going to get the 200 articles on James Orr then? Maybe read and interrogate the footnotes of his doctoral thesis? Is Cambridge going to have to issue out statements about its hiring standards? 12815252
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 04/09/2026All quiet so far today down the Cambridge University press office? 000
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 03/09/2026"Move over Nick Land, there's a new Sheriff in town". Neoreaction goes from Dark Enlightenment, to Dark Biblical. 000
Reposted by Paul HayesHetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 02/09/2026Gosh when was the last time that a Prime Minister used the word ‘academia’? www.ft.com/content/2390... 54715
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 02/09/2026Possibly not 'cost him his premiership', but definitely come back to haunt him. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...theguardian.comAndy Burnham has already made a mistake that will cost him his premiership: he lost his nerve over political donations | George MonbiotBeing subservient to the interests of the wealthy now means that his hands are tied, and he will be unable to tackle Britain’s most pressing issues, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot 010
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 02/09/2026As the Burnham got sets up a cross govt group on 'public control' - that term resonates with those of us around long enough to have mainlined 1970's dystopian British TV series at an impressionable age. 000
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 02/09/2026Essay question for today: "The 3 motivations for estate regeneration: distaste for the way the place looks, distaste for the people who live on it and distaste for the whole idea of council housing." Discuss. www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...lrb.co.ukJames Meek · ‘What kind of people do they think we are?’: Where will we build?Now that Southwark has become desirable, the patches of neglect are placeholders for the chains and high-end outlets the... 100
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 01/09/2026Oh, Prof Furedi... "After genocide denial, libelling ITN, migration to the Lords, Spiked & Daily Mail/Telegraph, another chapter closes in the long & weird history of the RCP." (Great taste in MA 1 jackets as de rigeur activist uniform back in the day though). www.theguardian.com/politics/202...theguardian.comHead of Viktor Orbán’s favourite thinktank quits over unpaid wagesFrank Furedi announces resignation with immediate effect after organisation’s staff ‘not paid in July or August’ 000
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 31/08/2026Very much a cultural and attitudinal difference between civil servants and local govt officers. Be interesting to see how mayors cope with any new influx of whitehall trained types. 200
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 31/08/2026One thing I've never got. The people who say: "I hate immigrants". and then "Except the ones I know. They're really nice." 000
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 30/08/2026'policy fatalism' ( "it's awful, but we can't do anythingabout it) in action again. Lot of it out there. bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journal...bristoluniversitypressdigital.com 100
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 29/08/2026From the latest edition of The Economist. Most telling line in this article? "Britons will do anything to keep their high streets alive other than actually visit them." 010
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 28/08/2026"the value of devolution is not found solely in the powers that are transferred. Some of its most important effects come from creating the space for places to develop their own capacity for leadership, stewardship and long-term problem solving." 020
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 28/08/2026"We have a state paid for by the better off that provides services primarily for the sick, the old and people in acute crisis." www.ft.com/content/9102...ft.comAusterity denial and the mystery of Britain’s shrunken stateThere is a ready supply of explanations on offer at Westminster 000
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 28/08/2026Landlordism In The UK: "Total income from UK property increased by £12.3bn, or 26% between 2020-2025, driven by an increase in both avg property income and number of individuals reporting property income, which increased to 2.88m in 2025 from 2.81m in 2021" www.gov.uk/government/s...gov.ukProperty rental income statistics: 2026 000
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 28/08/2026Some fascinating stuff on taxis here - why local areas need a proper strategy for taxis as key part of the public transport infrastructure (especially for disabled people and non car owners). www.gov.uk/government/s...gov.ukTaxi and private hire vehicle statistics, England: 2026 000
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 27/08/2026 "Local unemployment a much stronger predictor of NEET rates than poor qualifications or health... (recommend) more localised, devolved approaches that combine skills & health support with job creation, economic development & employer incentives tailored to local labour market conditions." 010
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 27/08/2026The economics of collectible card games are fascinating. Definitely Artificial Scarcity and Animal Spirits a go-go. www.rascal.news/products-are...rascal.newsProducts aren’t people and don’t “have to” do anythingMTG’s Zeta Set looks rad, but let’s not pretend naivety about $20 booster packs. 000
Paul Hayes @paulhayes01.bsky.social · 26/08/2026I'd argue George Osborne is to blame, far more than Mrs Thatcher. 2010's austerity was the death of local society and community by a thousand cuts. 100