Offord on the telly again talking about getting '800,000 economically inactive people back to work'.
High time journalists start properly interrogating this abject nonsense.
bsky.app/profile/step...
This is a really odd argument because I think at the heart of it, there is a deep misunderstanding about what writing is for. I write to communicate my thoughts and ideas, and to bring people along with me, which AI cannot do for me because it isn't me.
An image of the full Justice conference programme in Glasgow on 3rd June, with agenda and timings, titles of plenaries and workshops, and speakers.
Looking forward to @socworkscot.bsky.social Justice Conference.
I'll be speaking on:
🟪 Sentencing and Penal Policy Commission, with fellow Commissioner Lynsey Smith.
🟪 Our comparative #probation & Justice #SocialWork research 🏴🏴🏴🇬🇧🇮🇪; (PI: Prof Nicola Carr).
🔗
socialworkscotland.org/sws-events/j...
Screenshot from the SNP manifesto for May 2026 Scottish Parliament election. The key sentence says, 'We will consider how we can improve how long-term prisoners are released with supervision, again with a focus on preventing reoffending.'
👇 This in SNP manifesto* makes no binding promise, but may be interpreted as hinting openness to change the release point for long-term prisoners, i.e., supervised release / automatic early release? One strategy for tackling high prison population and overcrowding.
[* I'm not a member of any party]
Of course, Brexit was deeply foolish and we should have never left. Plenty of us have hopes of Scotland rejoining 🏴🇪🇺
But in the meantime, I'm so pleased for our young people to have #Erasmus available again. We enjoy welcoming students from across the EU when they come to study with us here.
Logo for the ERASMUS+ scheme with an EU flag
Such good news that the UK is rejoining Erasmus+ scheme.
#Erasmus benefits our students and apprentices going out, and it will be great welcoming those coming from across the EU to study and work here 🇪🇺 #EU #StillEuropean #YesforEU #ScotlandWelcomesEU #StrongerTogether
ec.europa.eu/commission/p...
A good listen 👇 There is an evocative, telling part of the discussion from 18mins10seconds in, on the Qn "What is the route out of this voluntary Union, should the Scottish people decide to take it?" Ex-Labour adviser says how unionist politicians don't want to answer because they're "scared of it."
Congratulations, Libby 👏🥂💐
A fascinating piece. I found Simon Reeve's episode on Svalbard similarly striking and concerning.
Forgive my cynicism but the chances of Martinique Du Toit, 'who noted that she was free to speak to The Times because she was not Russian,' getting a visit or change of circumstances are *ahem not zero
Your Party updates, especially from their Scottish branch, have an uncanny ability to come at times when laughter is dearly needed 😂 🤭 Performance art levels of irony and comedy 🎭
Ma este Európa szíve erősebben dobog Magyarországon.
Europe’s heart is beating stronger in Hungary tonight.
European airports face jet fuel shortages within three weeks.
ACI Europe, which represents EU airports, said jet fuel reserves were running low, while “the impact of military activity on demand” was further straining supplies.
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
This Holyrood Election campaign seems lacking in oversized silly props, photo ops, & unscripted hilarity. Do we have fewer candidates who can authentically pull off Willie Rennie and Ed Davey-grade living-their-best-life campaigning joy? Or is the world too much of an awful bin fire for shenanigans?
It's not unusual to have differing policy views among party members. It's not unusual to have candidates with personal convictions. Scottish Greens may not officially have whips, but I guess they'll have ways of figuring this out if Nevens gets elected. Showing empathy for victims is also needed.
This is the ultimate test for a constitutional order.
Either constitutional mechanisms are used to check and balance this, and remove him from office, or they are not.
For there can be no greater test for any constitution.
Scottish Green Party policy and candidate views on prison abolition are in the news.
Labour: "monumentally stupid"
Lib Dems: "dangerously naive"
SNP: "ludicrous," "can't abolish prisons"
Tories: "insane & irresponsible"
Greens official line: "prison as a last resort."
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
In Glasgow sunglasses exist not because the sun is too bright but because the glare off wet roads is out of control.
Photo looking up at grey rocky mountains and slate with sunshine and blue sky
Photo of the River Llugwy in the sunshine with stone houses covered in ivy in the village of Betws-y-Coed in Snowdonia National Park, North Wales.
Photo looking at a tall green, rugged hill near Mount Snowden, with a lake next to it, with lots of green grass and walking paths
Photo looking up at the mountains in the sunshine around Mount Snowden, which has some cloud cover
Enjoyed seeing the beauty and varied landscapes of Eryri — Snowdonia National Park and the village of Betws-y-Coed in North Wales 🏴 #Wales #Eryri
There is 💯% no way to anticipate what lies within
Photo of King's College Chapel at Cambridge.
Photo of a tree full of white blossom outside Selwyn College in Cambridge.
A quick trip to Cambridge to teach a Masters class on interviewing elites in politics, law, and policymaking. Great to meet the second years on the MSt Applied #Criminology, Penology, and Management @cambcriminology.bsky.social ably led by @jakephillips.bsky.social. Cambridge is in full bloom... 🌸💐
Looking forward to speaking at this SASO event as a Commissioner in the independent Sentencing and Penal Policy Commission.
📆 5:45pm, Tuesday 21st April.
🏫 Venue: St George's Tron, Buchanan St, Glasgow.
🎟 👇
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-prison...
#Criminology #CrimSky #Law #SocialWork #Decarceration
They're looking for 700 volunteers for this Opening Ceremony, so there's fairly good chances of becoming a giant dancing teacake or athletes marshall, if you've got access to local-ish/Central belt accommodation...
Purple and blue coloured ad saying 'Welcome to the World: Be part of the Glasgow 2026 Opening Ceremony. Apply befoe 24 April 2026'
Yellow, purple and blue coloured as saying, 'The stage is yours: Be part of the Glasgow 2026 Opening Ceremony. Apply befoe 24 April 2026'
Looks like they are not advertising it on this platform, so if you want to volunteer to be in the Opening Ceremony of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, apply now 👇
💃 Dancers
🎭 Theatre performers
🎶 Musicians
💫 All rounders.
🔗
www.glasgow2026.com/get-involved... #Glasgow #Glasgow2026
Photo of a stage at The King's Theatre in Glasgow for a stand-up comedy gig, with Susie McCabe written in light in large letters in the background
Susie McCabe's 'Coming of Rage' at Glasgow International Comedy Festival is outstanding. Necessary make-up-fix-on-the-way-out levels of funny 😂👏 Her social commentary is catharsis 🔥🎯
Judges in the Inner House of the Court of Session conclude that Scottish Information Commissioner David Hamilton made "an error in law" in ordering the Scottish Government to disclose information covered by legal professional privilege.
Full court decision worth a read.
news.stv.tv/scotland/gov...
Applications are open for the Emerging Leaders’ Programme 2026: an opportunity for future leaders aged 20–35 from across the UK's government, political and civil society sectors to be introduced to inner workings and values of the #EU
5 day study visit to Brussels
www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/...
Call for abstracts - 17th North South Criminology Conference (23rd & 24th June) in Cork. Hosted by Dep of Sociology & Criminology at University College Cork & supported by Collective Social Futures lnkd.in/dyiTAptN
The successful candidate to this part-time Research Associate post will be working in a research team of wonderful people/academics:
@bethweaver.bsky.social
@nicolacarr.bsky.social
@jakephillips.bsky.social
@fergusmcneill.bsky.social
Sarah Doxat-Pratt, Jan Flaherty,
and me!
[2/2]
Screenshot of job ad saying, Research Associate (799929) Salary: £37,694 - £46,049 (pro rata) FTE: 0.5 (17.5 hours/week) Term: Fixed Term (30/09/26) Closing Date: 06 April 2026.
JOB: Research Associate, @unistrathclyde.bsky.social
Fixed term, part-time (0.5 FTE) between 19th May - 1st October 2026 on a comparative research project funded by Leverhulme, 'Penal Supervision in Comparative Context.'
🔗 👇 #Criminology #SocialWork
strathvacancies.engageats.co.uk/Vacancies/I/...
