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Mike Rees

@reesmikeyrees.bsky.social
193 followers 365 following 105 posts

Senior Associate Innovation Unit (U.K.) Retired public servant Dad, Grandfather 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿📷🚲🎸🏇🏐🍷🦮 #MDANT🏅

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Reposted by Mike Rees
Byline Times @bylinetimes.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
📌 ICYMI: Lest we forget — the key roles of James Orr, Nathan Cofnas, Toby Young and the Free Speech Union in the persecution of Jason Arday One of this month’s most-read stories.
bylinetimes.com
The Peter Thiel-Linked Race Science Network that Penetrated Cambridge University and Targeted Jason Arday
The media's coverage of the academic's life was fuelled by the campaign of an established far-right network
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Mike Rees @reesmikeyrees.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Whatever circumstances has brought us to this point, this is a proud moment for the Co-operative movement.
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Pól Micheál O'Slatraigh @pmoslatraigh.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
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Pete Selby @peteselby.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
‘Felled: The Killing at Sycamore Gap’ by Andrew Hankinson is out on 22nd October. It is an essential read by a writing operating at the very top of his profession. Here’s a taster of what to expect from Andrew’s 2025 Observer piece: tinyurl.com/3dcxyymz Pre-order your copy: tr.ee/iorDLH5BQc
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Zito @zeets.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
So Argentina’s football structure is built on the abuse and molestation of young boys and no one hardly gets punished for it. www.espn.com/soccer/story...
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Carole Cadwalladr @carolecadwalla.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
A) This a properly brilliant piece of investigative journalism by BBC & @hopenot.bsky.social Huge kudos to all involved for doing the job the UK police & CPS failed to do: naming the alleged spymaster & clearly showing Kremlin’s role. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Russia was behind arson attacks targeting PM, BBC reveals
Evidence shows Russians directing the plot and stoking tensions with fake far-right and Muslim groups.
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Eoin Higgins @eoinhiggins.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
Context for Belfast riots
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Mike Rees @reesmikeyrees.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Possibly the best chat up line ever
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Christopher Evans @jervisevans.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
It was great to speak to Azad Essa about #AthleticClub, the Basque Country and Palestine and the shared histories of identity, solidarity and resistance that connect them for this brilliant piece. #EuskalHerria #Euskadi #Palestine www.middleeasteye.net/big-story/wh...
middleeasteye.net
Why one of Europe's most famous football clubs chose to stand with Palestine
Athletic Club, famed for its Basque heritage, has distinguished itself from the rest of Europe's footballing elite by showing strong and consistent solidarity with the Palestinian cause
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Mike Rees @reesmikeyrees.bsky.social · 16/05/2026
@louzola.bsky.social
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Memorial Device @memorialdevice.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
David Attenborough. The only National Treasure that is also a MD Alternative National Treasure 🙏
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Josiah Mortimer @josiahmortimer.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
🔴 14 Government Reforms the Media Has Largely Ignored Over Recent Weeks You probably won’t have read much about these announcements. Some of that is understandable. But not all of it. bylinetimes.com/2026/04/10/1...
bylinetimes.com
14 Government Reforms the Media Has Largely Ignored Over Recent Weeks
You probably won’t have read much about these announcements designed to improve people's lives across the UK
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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 25/03/2026
Even after graduating from university, people who grew up in poverty face significant pay gaps when compared with their more affluent peers. Anna Stansbury explains 👇
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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social · 15/03/2026
Morning Bluesky.
Graffiti reads: IN THE FUTURE, EVERYONE WILL WANT TO BE ANONYMOUS FOR FIFTEEN OUTES
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Mike Rees @reesmikeyrees.bsky.social · 10/02/2026
Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill , Dominic Cummings , Morgan McSweeney . Anyone notice the pattern yet ??
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Mike Rees @reesmikeyrees.bsky.social · 01/02/2026
Lev Vygotsky , patron saint of Scandinavian education systems .
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Tanya 🧚‍♀️👑 @faeryqueene73.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
A coworker took this from her apartment. I haven't seen a crowd this size before. Maybe the first Women's March? But it was much much warmer that day. ICE OUT OF MINNESOTA!
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Mike Rees @reesmikeyrees.bsky.social · 31/12/2025
gladstonehellen.co.uk/blogs/news/t... Wrote this for Charlie Gladstone and the Hawarden folk earlier this year. Why we wear what we wear. Will be of interest to all #MDANT people and I suspect @collettwriter.bsky.social
gladstonehellen.co.uk
Taste & style. Cecil Beaton, working class elitists & middle class mediocrity. Written by Mike Rees.
I look forward to Charlie’s regular email missives. One thing caught my eye recently and prompted me to respond. The upcoming Cecil Beaton event and Charlie’s subsequent musings on taste and what he t...
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Christopher Steele @christophersteele.bsky.social · 22/12/2025
By overriding clear evidence of recently-increased Chinese espionage and transnational repression in the UK in its intended decision to approve the new Chinese ‘mega embassy’ in London, our government is shirking its first and foremost responsibility, to defend and protect the country. Just say no.
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EL PAÍS @elpais.com · 05/12/2025
Para el arzobispo de Tarragona, el nuevo disco de Rosalía es un “canto a la luz que los jóvenes necesitan encontrar y la religión les puede ayudar”. La Conferencia Episcopal Española premia a ‘Lux’ de Rosalía y ‘Los domingos’ de Ruiz de Azúa
social.elpais.com
La Conferencia Episcopal Española premia a ‘Lux’ de Rosalía y ‘Los domingos’ de Ruiz de Azúa
Los Premios ¡Bravo! 2025 también han reconocido al periodista Fernando Ónega con el galardón especial y al escritor Javier Cercas en la categoría prensa
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Municipal Dreams @municipaldreams.bsky.social · 07/10/2025
This is a really important point from @robfordmancs.bsky.social. Local government should be a source of and focus for local pride. It should be doing bold, visible stuff that enhances and reflects community. Instead, currently, it is almost literally reduced to ambulance work.
It is deeply unhealthy to have local governments who don't provide many visible/valuable services for most residents (because they lack the resources). Encourages distrust and populism - 'what am I paying my council tax for? The council does nothing for me.'
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Municipal Dreams @municipaldreams.bsky.social · 07/09/2025
1/ I was pleased to attend the launch in Lambeth Archives of this interesting exhibition on "Building ‘Homes for Tomorrow’: Lambeth’s Council Housing of 1965 to 1980". It will be described fully in a guest post by its curator Christiane Felber on Tuesday. www.ianvisits.co.uk/calendar/bui...
ianvisits.co.uk
Building ‘Homes for Tomorrow’: Lambeth’s Council Housing, 1965 to 1980
The exhibition uses original architect’s models, archival documents and images and oral history to explain the planning context and to explore and celebrate Hollamby’s architectural legacy for Lambeth...
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Municipal Dreams @municipaldreams.bsky.social · 30/08/2025
Weoley Castle is a centre of the current flag-waving craze. My new Substack post explores the estate's longer history and radical past politics: municipaldreams.substack.com/p/the-weoley...
August 2025 photo showing entrance to estate and flags on lampposts.
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Municipal Dreams @municipaldreams.bsky.social · 21/08/2025
Between the wars, Conservative-controlled Birmingham built over 51,000 new council homes – more than any other local authority in the country outside London. My new post on Substack tells the story: municipaldreams.substack.com/p/birmingham...
municipaldreams.substack.com
Birmingham’s Interwar Council House Building: an ‘achievement without parallel’
Between the wars, Conservative-controlled Birmingham built over 51,000 new council homes – more than any other local authority in the country outside London.
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Municipal Dreams @municipaldreams.bsky.social · 09/08/2025
My new blogpost is on social housing in interwar Germany and the shift from the Garden City to 'New Building' - 'Social Housing in Cologne, 1913-1933: Light, Air and Trees … and Modernism' municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/08/05/s...
Bickendorf garden suburbRosenhof tenements and squareModernist building at BlauerhofView of modernist blocks and church at Weisse Stadt
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Municipal Dreams @municipaldreams.bsky.social · 09/08/2025
New on Substack, my post on the origins and design of Balfron Tower in Poplar designed by Ernő Goldfinger for the London County Council, completed in 1968. Now sadly privatised; more on that in next week's follow-up. municipaldreams.substack.com/p/balfron-to...
Early black and white view of BalfronGoldfinger photographed in front of Balfron
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Municipal Dreams @municipaldreams.bsky.social · 26/07/2025
1/ My concluding post on the history of council housing in Rochdale looks at the Lower Falinge Estate, stigmatised as 'England’s benefits capital', and the sadly notorious Freehold Estate. What went wrong and where are we now? municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/07/22/a...
municipaldreams.wordpress.com
A History of Council Housing in Rochdale: Part III, from 1967 to the Present
We left Rochdale in last week’s post contemplating the failure of its Ashfield Valley Estate, completed in 1968 and all but demolished by 1992. For the moment, let’s return to the heady days and hi…
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Municipal Dreams @municipaldreams.bsky.social · 15/07/2025
🚨 New blog post: 'A History of Council Housing in Rochdale: Part II, from 1945 to 1966' looks at the town's new 'neighbourhood unit' created in the 1950s and two innovative but troubled projects of the 1960s: municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/07/15/a...
municipaldreams.wordpress.com
A History of Council Housing in Rochdale: Part II, from 1945 to 1966
Although Rochdale had built on a large scale in the interwar period, as we saw in last week’s post, and although it had suffered little direct damage during the war itself, peacetime brought renewe…
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Municipal Dreams @municipaldreams.bsky.social · 09/07/2025
'A wanton and inexcusable waste of life'. My new blog post examines the impact of slum housing in Rochdale and the council housebuilding programme that brought about reform: municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/07/08/a...
municipaldreams.wordpress.com
A History of Council Housing in Rochdale: Part I, from the Industrial Revolution to the Second World War
Rochdale Town Hall, completed in 1871 and recently restored to its founding glory, is a municipal dream in itself – a superb testimony to the vision and pride of our Victorian civic forebears. This…
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Municipal Dreams @municipaldreams.bsky.social · 08/07/2025
🚨 New blog post: A History of Council Housing in Rochdale: Part I, from the Industrial Revolution to the Second World War ... municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/07/08/a...
municipaldreams.wordpress.com
A History of Council Housing in Rochdale: Part I, from the Industrial Revolution to the Second World War
Rochdale Town Hall, completed in 1871 and recently restored to its founding glory, is a municipal dream in itself – a superb testimony to the vision and pride of our Victorian civic forebears. This…
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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 17/04/2025
Public services are highly re-distributive to lower-income households. Households in the lowest income quintile receive an average of £15,900 per year in in-kind benefits. Read more ➡️ buff.ly/58qMKUI
Our analysis shows that public service provision is redistributive in general, providing 
substantial in-kind support for lower-income households. For example, households in 
the lowest income quintile receive an average of £15,900 per year in in-kind benefits each 
year – 53 per cent more than the £10,400 received by the highest-income household 
quintile (Figure 4). As a share of income, the lowest-income households receive in-kind 
benefits worth 61 per cent of their income on an equivalised basis, while in-kind benefits 
are worth just 4 per cent of incomes for the highest income decile
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Brandon Friedman @brandonfriedman.bsky.social · 13/03/2025
Here's the article. It's from May 2022.
vanityfair.com
Inside the New Right, Where Peter Thiel Is Placing His Biggest Bets
They’re not MAGA. They’re not QAnon. Curtis Yarvin and the rising right are crafting a different strain of conservative politics.
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Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu · 23/02/2025
Chaos reigns: “At present, every hacker in the world knows there are a small number of people new to federal service who hold the keys to access all US government payments, contracts, civil servant personal info, and more” www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
theatlantic.com
This Is What Happens When the DOGE Guys Take Over
Inside the federal agencies where Elon Musk’s people have seized control, fear and uncertainty reign.
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The Secret Barrister @barristersecret.bsky.social · 12/01/2025
One of the many benefits of moving to this platform is being shown far more content from @davidallengreen.bsky.social, whose peerless insight reminds me why I first joined social media.
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Fufluns🐈‍⬛🥂🇪🇺🇺🇦🔸😷 @fuflunspw.bsky.social · 15/12/2024
Dystopia has arrived: populist politics plus surveillance technology plus climate emergency. “And now you have some of the richest and most powerful people in the world who became so through the collection of data. They’re now in power with someone who said, ‘I’m going to be a dictator’.” (Kapadia)
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Jennifer Williams @jenwilliamsft.bsky.social · 13/12/2024
Excl: Government will move to scrap district councils in its devolution white paper on Monday, sparking the biggest local government reorganisation in 50 years on.ft.com/3VBH0ui
on.ft.com
District councils face scrapping in major overhaul of English local government
[FREE TO READ] Devolution white paper aims to create larger authorities and more elected mayors
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Municipal Dreams @municipaldreams.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
These statistics are crucial to a proper understanding of the current housing debate and the case for social housing - the state is spending *more than ever* on housing but it's spending it on benefits not bricks and mortar.
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George Eaton @georgeeaton.bsky.social · 29/11/2024
A remarkable stat: Heidi Alexander’s appointment as Transport Secretary means the cabinet is now 100% state-educated for the first time in history.
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EL PAÍS @elpais.com · 23/11/2024
VÍDEO | El emotivo homenaje de Mestalla a las víctimas de la dana en Valencia tinyurl.com/ymcyem35
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Mike Rees @reesmikeyrees.bsky.social · 23/11/2024
I think welsh rugby could learn a lot from the long term approach adopted by welsh football ( reaches for hard hat ). The difference in mood and performance is so clear and stark
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Mike Rees @reesmikeyrees.bsky.social · 16/11/2024
Today’s @Times sports pages. 2 pages for rugby, 3 on England football team ( not playing today) 1 page on WSL, 2 on Italian football , 2 on boxing , page each on tennis and golf , 2 pages on horses. Only mention of tonight’s Turkey v Wales game fixtures small print @willhaycardiff.bsky.social
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Mike Rees @reesmikeyrees.bsky.social · 15/11/2024
Important
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