Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 23hReassuring that today on Bluesky has been much like any other day except interspersed with the occasional post featuring a graph and someone saying "oh no OH NO", with four replies saying variants on "yup, we're screwed". 110
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 30/09/2026My local station is currently benefiting from the biggest Access for All investment in the country - the construction of a big new footbridge that is coming in under budget and ahead of schedule 110
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 29/09/2026(in the manner of Donald Pleasance in that episode of Columbo) "well I suppose to an unsophisticated palate that Burnham speech may have been impressive... But us connoisseurs, well, we are doomed to appreciate only the very finest oratory and, sadly..." 000
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 29/09/2026🚇 Tubed #180 · 🔥 Hard · solved in 1:32 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟨 1 min off optimal route ✨ No hints used 🤔 Think you know the Tube better? ➡️ playtubed.co.uk I dispute this - I deliberately chose two stations with cross-platform interchanges to avoid the horror of Green Parkplaytubed.co.ukTubed - Daily London Underground PuzzleFind the fastest route on the Tube. A new puzzle every day. 100
Reposted by Ed HammondHettie O’Brien @hettieobrien.bsky.social · 24/09/2026My latest Guardian long read is about the people trying to get their ideas into Britain’s new government and whether Burnham is really prepared to be that radical. Grateful to the many people who spoke to me for this - read it online or in Saturday’s paper: www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...theguardian.comLabour’s last chance? The people shaping Andy Burnham’s grand plans for BritainThe long read: The new prime minister has declared he wants to end 40 years of neoliberalism. But is he really prepared to be that radical? 55326
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 22/09/2026I was on a train on the weekend where a man goaded his 7-ish year old son to chant "F*ck the blacks! F*ck the Jews!" at the top of his voice. (yes, I obviously called the police, yes, called the MASH team at the council as well) 130
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 16/09/2026On the offchance that you suffer from imposter syndrome 000
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 15/09/2026So what you're saying is that Macklemore and Cliff Michelmore are not the same person? That explains a lot 100
Reposted by Ed HammondMatthew Fright @matthewfright.bsky.social · 14/09/2026Following Angela Rayner's decision to fully review her predecessor’s LGR decisions, today at 12.30, the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk, in partnership with @grantthorntonuk.bsky.social, has brought together a great panel to discuss how this came about and what happens next. Sign up details below. 243
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 10/09/2026I'm on my way to a conference and can confirm that quarter-zip jumpers twinned with plaid shirts, and gilets, have returned for the autumn 020
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 07/09/2026Fairly robust statement from the LGA @local.gov.uk on today's news www.local.gov.uk/about/news/l...local.gov.ukLocal Government Reorganisation review: LGA statement“Councils across the country will hold different views on the local government reorganisation (LGR) programme, for what it means for their areas, and the announcement of today’s review. But there is n... 020
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 07/09/2026A thread about the LGR statement in the Commons? Surely not! 262
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 07/09/2026On reflection - and this is idle speculation - if HMG is concerned about the likelihood of a successful JR in some places this could be because ministers or senior civ servants gave them the impression that Ministers' decision making criteria were different to those advertised 131
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 07/09/2026Emerging that Government will this afternoon announce plans to pause the process of English local government reorganisation pending a review. So where are councils now? 396
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 31/08/2026my go-to analogy for this kind of thing is Mike Yarwood forlornly doing Harold Wilson impressions in 1988 000
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 31/08/2026Unironically we have invited people round for drinks etc and have described the food on offer in this manner (to general bafflement) 010
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 30/08/2026Blackpool's Evening Gazette used to be a high quality daily paper. Now it's publishing... this? www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/new-ima...blackpoolgazette.co.ukNew images of world-class Blackpool Arena revealed amid local hope for mega-project“The arena is inspired by Blackpool's rich entertainment heritage and its ambition to become one of the UK's leading visitor destinations.” 100
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 24/08/2026"My Hero", surely? (Did you know it ran for six series and 51 episodes?) 000
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 21/08/2026I'm considered a tube bore and knew the answers to a grand total of two of these questions (the two easy ones basically) 220
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 20/08/2026This feels a bit reminiscent of Simon Case complaining about Boris Johnson 001
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 16/08/2026The six followups in question - Lambeth North, St John's Wood, Marylebone, Queen's Park and Edgware Road - were the kernel of a planned ABBA concept album about the Bakerloo Line, which was subsequently shelved 000
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 14/08/2026I'd love it if the emergency alert was agreed at Cobra earlier but it only went out now because they lost the password 110
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 14/08/2026When you ask Claude to do a thing, and it chunters away for a while periodically giving you little updates about what it's doing, is it *actually* doing things or just outputting some plausible "work in progress" text? 110
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 14/08/2026Bizarrely, s62 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 is the source of this rule, and the relevant part is a cracking piece of old-school legislative drafting 240
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 12/08/2026Today's events provide you with an opportunity to remind yourselves of this certified banger open.spotify.com/track/0R1NKH...open.spotify.comBlinded By The SunThe Seahorses · Do It Yourself · Song · 1997 100
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 11/08/2026The stuff about high streets is interesting because it says something about shifting use and culture as much as about criminality 120
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 08/08/2026"What would be the most bafflingly mundane and unimaginative thing you could do with a £100m+ lottery win?" 000
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 07/08/2026Insight here into the hiring practices at 10DS during the 1997-2001 Blair government 010
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 07/08/2026This can't be overstated - the easy, abundant nature of how Boots works is markedly different to a visit to a continental pharmacy, which involves spending 25 mins in a tiny shop with overstocked shelves where every stage of your purchase is mediated by an angry woman in a white coat 120
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 07/08/2026Big fan of how a lot of how the education system works is "apply the sorting hat from Harry Potter as a matter of public policy" 000
Reposted by Ed HammondDrMaxPolitics @drmaxpolitics.bsky.social · 05/08/2026Hi, I'm being made redundant by the University of Southampton at the end of this month. I'm desperately looking for work. I'll consider all offers but have particular skills in policy, strategy and research. I also have a consultancy service I offer. Please let me know if you hear of anything 65686
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 03/08/2026Back in the mists of time I was a scrutiny officer and I was supporting a councillor led review on flooding, water use etc. We took evidence from a chap from Three Valleys Water who - with a straight face - said that leaks were actually good because they help to water street trees 120
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 31/07/2026This is quite something. The most significant and consequential statement of Government intent in my professional lifetime - the question is whether we can, collectively, follow through 260
Reposted by Ed HammondJennifer Williams @jenwilliamsft.bsky.social · 31/07/2026A bit on something that’s worrying me as.ft.com/r/9fe0cfe2-f...as.ft.comMayoral scrutiny is a pressing issueAs Burnham devolves power, remember much of the country lacks Manchester’s media ecosystem 2216952
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 29/07/2026do people with bipolar disorder simply need to pull themselves together and drink more water? Channel 4 investigates 250
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 28/07/2026Hope you're all enjoying your heatwave - here's what it's like in County Mayo (sorry) 020
Ed Hammond @se13ed.bsky.social · 25/07/2026"G.M.C.A, Body Of Which New British P.M. Burnham Hitherto Mayor, Holds Special Election" 000