Andrew Defty
@adefty.bsky.social
Associate Professor of Politics, University of Lincoln. Parliament, the intelligence services, a little bit of social policy.
🧵The House of Commons administration plans to abolish its world leading parliamentary outreach team. @aileenwalker.bsky.social & @estrangeirada.bsky.social explain why cutting in person public engagement across the UK in favour of digital only engagement is a mistake. Blog 🔗⬇️
My wife, who is a headteacher, has just sent out her customary end of year email warmly thanking her staff for all their hard work, this is in marked contrast to my own employer who end each year by sending out hundreds of at risk of redundancy notices. 😡
Scathing press release from the Intelligence and Security Committee about the collapse of the China espionage case. Raises serious concerns about the government’s handling of the case and further worrying evidence of attempts to hamper the work of the ISC. isc.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/u...
In National Portrait Gallery today seeking more intelligence related art. Hein Heckroth’s surrealist portrait of Basil Liddell Hart features an ear because the artist mistakenly believed L-H was a spy. Reminiscent of the ears stitched into Elizabeth I’s cloak in the rainbow portrait #ArtofSpying
If only university managers put as much effort into saving jobs and promoting their programmes as they do into disposing of staff and running down their own institutions, it’s shameful - Summer of ‘chaos’ predicted as mass job cuts close academic year www.timeshighereducation.com/news/summer-...
Summer of ‘chaos’ predicted as mass job cuts close academic year
‘Impossible to plan’ for research and teaching, say staff, as threat of redundancy looms large over summer breaks
timeshighereducation.com
The professional associations which underpin so much of what we do in politics and international relations at University of Lincoln have written to the VC to express concern about the proposed job cuts. Some great suggestions here for building on our success rather than running down our programmes.
UACES (University Association for Contemporary European Studies)@uaces.bsky.social · 4w ago@uaces.bsky.social, alongside the @polstudiesassoc.bsky.social and the @mybisa.bsky.social, has written to the University of Lincoln urging it to reconsider proposed redundancies affecting Politics and International Relations. www.uaces.org/response-pro...
A trio of Elizabethan spymasters, William Cecil, Robert Cecil and Francis Walsingham. Part of the excellent Elizabeth I Queen & Court exhibition Philip Mould Gallery. If you’re in London it’s free and runs until 10 July. Well worth a visit. Also includes some paintings of Elizabeth I. #ArtofSpying
This week the University of Lincoln informed 142 staff that they are at risk of redundancy. In an all staff email yesterday the Vice Chancellor described this as "a series of proposed localised restructures in a limited number of subject areas". 🤮🤬
This week, University of Lincoln, have briefed 142 colleagues that ~33 roles need to be cut across 7 schools before Sept 2026. We are processing the news with members, and now in a collective consultation with the SLT. The rationale is as murky as ever. Send solidarity our way, more info to come
It’s been an awful week, I can’t say how much of a pleasure it’s been to be back at the National Archives. It’s been a long time, so long that I still want to call it the PRO.
Yesterday 142 academic staff at the University of Lincoln were put at risk of redundancy including the entire Politics and International Relations team. This follows cuts since 2024 which have already seen over 500 people leave the university. This is the 'University of No Regrets'.
When I applied to university I had an interview at Leeds at which I was asked why I’d applied to all Northern universities (Hull Leeds, Liverpool Manchester Sheffield) which I found surprising because from my perspective these places were all down South. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately.
Job cuts fuel staff discontent at Lincoln and Northumbria, reports Tom Williams #highered #jobcuts #academicsky https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/job-cuts-fuel-staff-discontent-lincoln-and-northumbria
A damning 97%. That's how many University of Lincoln staff who voted have lost confidence in senior management, after the university cut a third of its workforce and refused to rule out more compulsory redundancies. www.ucu.org.uk/article/1454...
ucu.org.uk
Good to visit Manchester & Salford this week. Found time to pop into the Spies, Lies and Deception exhibition at the Imperial War Museum North.
England’s poorest communities face deepest cuts to green space under planning law changes, report finds
England’s poorest communities face deepest cuts to green space under planning law changes, report finds
Exclusive: New loopholes for developers will exacerbate extreme environmental disparities, charity coalition warns The poorest and most nature-deprived communities in England will be further left behind in their access to green spaces if proposed changes to planning laws go ahead, a report finds. More than 7.4 million people in England live in areas completely devoid of immediate biodiversity, including 1.42 million children under 15, the report commissioned by a number of wildlife and environmental NGOs says. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Eastern Still Life' tapestry by the Scottish artist Elizabeth Blackadder, which hung in the office of Sir Alex Younger during his time as Chief of MI6. Younger told the @financialtimes.com that he would often look at it in meetings claiming 'you can always find new patterns' #ArtofSpying
That’s a wrap on the 19th Lincoln Model United Nations. A privilege to spend the day with a great group of students and my super colleagues Simon Obendorf and Hamoon Khelghat-Doost. Thanks as always to Lincolnshire County Council for hosting.
Awaiting the start of another session of the University of Lincoln School of Social and Political Sciences Model United Nations. Palpable tension in the room.
Peter Hennessy took his leave of the House of Lords this week. His valedictory speech is worth reading - Hansard contribution by Lord Hennessy of Nympsfield (CB) (Valedictory Speech) on Monday 18 May 2026 hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2026-0...
King’s Speech - Hansard - UK Parliament
Hansard record of the item : 'King’s Speech' on Monday 18 May 2026.
hansard.parliament.uk
More on art and spying, popped into Burghley House today to look at the portraits of William Cecil (the first Lord Burghley), Elizabeth I’s spymaster. Portrait in full Privy Council regalia is by Marcus Gheeraerts who also painted Elizabeth I #ArtofSpying
Doing some work on the representation of spying in art. Really pleased to get hold of the catalogue from James Hart Dyke’s 2011 exhibition ‘A year with MI6’. I’ve seen some of these paintings in the media but my no means all and Hart Dyke’s comments are a treat. #ArtofSpying
Ministers have no authority to withhold Mandelson vetting file, committee says www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Ministers have no authority to withhold Mandelson vetting file, committee says
Group of MPs and peers in effect accuse government of failing to comply with parliament’s will over release of files
theguardian.com
Yesterday Kier Starmer announced Labour will nationalise British Steel, and save 2700 jobs. Today, the Uni of Nottingham put 2700 staff at risk of redundancy. This is just one university. Across the UK 15,000 higher education jobs need saving. Where is the rescue package for our universities?
There is something that I think multiple successive prime ministers over the last decade or so have failed to grasp and to respond to: that the way backbench MPs see their role has shifted.