In France, legislation came into effect recently for all car parks that have over 80 spaces to be covered with solar panels. Estimated to add around 11GW of renewable energy capacity to the national grid. Why not do likewise in Scotland? Braehead, Silverburn, Glasgow Fort etc.
Posts by Jim McCormick
🚨 NEW: The Government has approved the UK's largest solar farm, Springwell, in Lincolnshire
It can produce up to 800MW of electricity, powering over 180,000 homes
"I grew up across the street from a public library, and it was the only place my mom would let me go on my own. It was my second home, and I read everything that I could get."
~ Tracy Chapman
Chapman by Nicholas Albrecht
#Booksky
Why do our second-tier cities underperform?
Why do we have fewer trams in the UK?
I try my best to give an answer to these two interconnected questions.
chriscurtismk.substack.com/p/to-grow-th...
A few years ago my dad got hit by a van when out cycling. He was almost killed and left permanently disabled due to 3 broken vertebre.
The bloke who did it was speeding and fled the scene. Multiple previous offences.
He served less than a year in prison. My dad still cant walk longer distances.
One of the best jobs in UK social science, research & policy.
It’s just so stupid on so many levels.
The *fundamental* problem is that the world has less oil. We need to use less to account for that. Making petrol a fraction cheaper doesn’t help with the real issue, costs the government money and does very little for households.
University of Oxford : maximising oil and gas extraction here would only save UK households up to £82 (€95) per year. A UK fully powered by renewable energy, would save households up to £441 (€510) a year on energy bills.
www.euronews.com/2026/03/27/e...
Trust in government is low in absolute & comparative terms in the UK (35%).
It hasn't collapsed - contra many assertions - more a gentle decline from a low base.
Very different political cultures etc, but levels of trust are *twice* as high in the likes of Finland/Switzerland.
Three cheers for @robertshrimsley.bsky.social. Am reading and listening to too many self-styled fans of liberal democracy saying, in effect, 'let's park international law for the moment and talk about....'
11 chart places too low.
Come and shape the future of the Nuffield Foundation.
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We fund evidence, back innovation & support pioneering practice. Join a great team at an exciting moment.
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Delighted to confirm support for our 2026 Scholarship Programme 🎓
A milestone year as we expand support packages for students entering and progressing through higher education.
Thanks to all our partners who helped shape this - an exciting year ahead!
www.therobertsontrust.org.uk/news/first-c...
Our latest awards are now available, with £3,489,900 awarded to 89 organisations who are working to alleviate poverty and trauma in #Scotland.
View the full list below 👇
www.therobertsontrust.org.uk/news/34m-awa...
Having just read about about yet another 'new' Beveridge report - here's a piece by me & @iprnickp.bsky.social on the (mis)use of Beveridge in British politics & what we can still learn from him today.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
Thanks John. It's a pretty clear polling trend.
And Canada probably in the same thinly populated group.
Good piece, although Pauline Hanson's populist party appears to be going through another wave of support by eating into the Liberal vote.
Dark background with Foundation Practice Rating logo top left. Test at the bottom says: Year Five - 2025/26. Two circles to the right side - one is larger and gradient colours. The text in the blue circle at the front says: Diversity, accountability and transparency in focus.
The Year Five results are now live: foundationpracticerating.org.uk/cohort-resul.... We've seen statistically significant improvements since the FPR began five years ago and the results are the strongest in our five‑year history.
#Diversity #Accountability #Transparency
episode artwork
New #UofGSpotlight out now!
We dig into Scotland’s new Child Poverty Framework with @jimmccormick.bsky.social and why income support needs combined with access to quality services with @thomasrochow.bsky.social.
Tune in 🎧 uofgspotlight.com
Graph of average annual fees for BA/BSc or equivalent courses in the OECD showing England as the most expensive and Nordics the least
Anglosphere agony vs Nordic nirvana.
(PS Can't believe I'd never seen this graph before, so grateful to @stephenkb.bsky.social for sharing in his fab morning newsletter (www.ft.com/inside-polit...)
Nicky Campbell on his new podcast ‘Don’t Say A Word’
‘How I've learned that certainty is the thing to really fear’
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
The Robertson Trust has acted in response to rising anti‑migrant sentiment, increased hostility in public discourse, and the resulting harm experienced by migrants and racially minoritised communities across Scotland.
Read our full response:
www.therobertsontrust.org.uk/news/our-res...
We're #hiring for two amazing roles!
⭐A Communications Manager to lead brand new @therobertsontrust.bsky.social funded three year hope based communications work at WSC.
✨A Policy & Participation Officer to support our policy work.
Check out both & apply!
workersupportcentre.org.uk/get-involved/
New Blog 💡 | One year into our Community Spaces Fund, we’ve reviewed what we’ve learned so far to refine our approach and support stronger applications.
Read more⤵️
www.therobertsontrust.org.uk/news/learnin...
Dressing up for world book day is bullshit, even leaving the parental finance stuff aside. It's one of very few 'event' days in school calenders set aside for a solo, quiet, activity – and then it's turned into dress-up. Spectacularly misses the point. Schools should drop it from a great height.
There is always a tweet.
‘Contra the narrow focus of policymakers on Stem subjects or coding, now more than ever our economy rewards broad skillsets: team players, problem solvers, good communicators and creative thinkers.’ @jburnmurdoch.ft.com
www.ft.com/content/5e25...
Have just subscribed to this AI/jobs newsletter and it's excellent
The AI Shift: What millions of job ads reveal about AI displacement - giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... via @sarahoconnorft.ft.com @jburnmurdoch.ft.com
Very good piece by @jburnmurdoch.ft.com....
The US under Trump 2.0 has shifted towards authoritarianism as record speed but unlike other examples (e.g. Putin, Orban) it's happened by bypassing institutions rather than permanently corrupting them...
www.ft.com/content/b474...