I see the Office for Students is vexed about 'unexplained' levels of first class degrees being awarded, claiming only a small proportion of the rise can be accounted for by improved teaching. I mean universities cannot win can they grades go up, its grade inflation... grades go down, their teaching is failing... grades remain stable, there's no dynamic of improvement. Why doesn't the OfS admit it: they don't like or trust academics.... #universities h/t FT

The World Economic Forum is an exercise in elites talking pious nonsense to elites but the WEF also does some preparatory research each year that does throw up some interesting data on elite views.... most interesting is (as always) their risk assessment (cynically one might add: risks to their ability to hang on to & expand their wealth). So here is this year's two year & ten year risk profiles.... note green issues are pushed into the future by a decade! #environment #politics #inequality

So if you like a bit of cycling, and live in NW Lancashire, you'll be thrilled to know that the 2027 Second Stage of the Tour de France will be travelling down the West coast from Keswick, though the Lake District, via Morecambe to Liverpool.... #cycling #Morecambe #LakeDistrict

Last year 90 UK Higher Education institutions shed 13,300 posts (academics & professional services staff) & spent £303m on severance pay. Moreover those yet to publish data include some universities in the worst financial position. Given that this round of severances follows the post-Covid round for many universities, either, they have become much more efficient or we can safely say the human interactive aspect of the student experience has been badly damaged! #universities h/t THES/LinkedIn

Just to be clear, the delay in local council elections was an offer to those councils being re-organised, but the one year postponement had to be *requested* by those councils, whatever opponent of Labour may claim about a suspension of democracy. So its the councillors in seats they think they may lose after the reorganisation that are driving this not, for once, the anti-democrats in the Govt. #LocalGovernment h/t FT

As many predicted, the Court of the Tangerine Tyrant is now threatening to invoke the US Insurrection Act in response to anti-ICE protests in Minnesota. A key Q.s are whether this will be pushed beyond the this first state; what role will the military play if & wet deployed; and will this be used as a reason to delay the mid-term elections? Its a classic case of provoking resistance to then clamp down more widely! #USPol #protests

As Robert Jenrick (now ex-Tory) joins ReformUK, the sorts of Tories joining Nigel Farage's company (pretending to be a political party) is further indication of what we might expect from a ReformUK administration. The one advantage of these Tories joining Reform is that they have a clear track record in Govt. on which to judge them on; no deflecting saying we'll have to wait to see what they'll to in Govt.; these ex-Tories have been in Govt. and yes, we know all what they did! #politics

Rob Ford (UManchester) predicts a Green surge, suggesting 'Starmer may soon be given a stark reminder of what Nye Bevan warned could happen to those who stay in the middle of the road. They get run down'! Local elections may produce a major swing to the GPEW under Zac Polanski, and then the challenge will be for him/them to establish this as a basis for convincing voters they can win a general election (or at least be 'king-makers'). The (Green) game is on. #Greens

The Observer

Greens look set to clean up as Labour switchers move left

Labour voters liked the insurgent party even before the arrival of their new leader. As local elections approach, Zack Polanski appears ready to br...