Aileen Walker
@aileenwalker.bsky.social
Politics, parliaments, citizen engagement, news, arts and culture. Former Director of Public Engagement at UK Parliament. Glaswegian.
🧵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 🔗⬇️
The rise and fall of the parliamentary outreach team: Why cutting regional engagement is a mistake - by @aileenwalker.bsky.social and myself for the @hansardsociety.bsky.social: www.hansardsociety.org.uk/blog/parliam...
The rise and fall of the parliamentary outreach team: Why cutting regional engagement is a mistake
The House of Commons' proposal to abolish its regional parliamentary outreach service marks a significant retreat from two decades of leadership in public engagement. Replacing face-to-face community ...
hansardsociety.org.uk
I’m sad and disappointed to see that the regional outreach team (one of my old teams) is being discontinued by the House of Commons. I’ve written about it with @estrangeirada.bsky.social www.hansardsociety.org.uk/blog/parliam...
The rise and fall of the parliamentary outreach team: Why cutting regional engagement is a mistake
The House of Commons' proposal to abolish its regional parliamentary outreach service marks a significant retreat from two decades of leadership in public engagement. Replacing face-to-face community ...
hansardsociety.org.uk
Board vacancies alert! Two Board Members vacancies have been advertised Find out more ➡ www.scra.gov.uk/2026/06/scra... #PublicAppointments #BoardMember #Governance #Leadership #Scotland #PublicService
SCRA Board Member recruitment - SCRA
Two vacancies for Board Members have been advertised on the Public Appointments website. This round of recruitment, one role on the Board requires applicants to demonstrate particular expertise in dig...
scra.gov.uk
Surge @surge-scotland.bsky.social are looking for volunteers for SURGE Festival 2026 which takes place on the 25 – 26 July & 1- 2 August in Glasgow outdoors in the Merchant City buff.ly/xZXVYmU (deadline - 15 June 2026)
Surge: 2026 Festival Assistant Volunteers - YTAS
Surge are looking for volunteers for SURGE Festival 2026 which takes place on the 25 - 26 July & 1- 2 August in Glasgow outdoors in the Merchant City.
buff.ly
GSA Choir summer concert this Saturday! Join us for an evening of contemporary & classical works by Harry Baines (world premiere!), Jay Capperauld, Eric Whitacre, Lili Boulanger, Lucy Walker & more. Only a few tix left … 📅 Sat 6th June 🕢 7.30pm 🏛️ The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall 🎟️ bit.ly/GSACsummer26
The GSA Choir Summer Concert - Glasgow Life
Inspiring choral music
bit.ly
I’m reading through these newly republished Agnes Owens novellas. She’s a great writer: dark, comic wit and social observation. And gorgeous Joan Eardley paintings on the covers. More info in this Observer article : observer.co.uk/culture/book...
Excellent development opportunity for artists who have some experience in dance and/or performing outdoors
Surge@surge-scotland.bsky.social · 3mo agoDancing in the Streets: Workshop and Experimentation in Dance and Street Performance. Surge and Gigi Art of Dance come together to run a three-day workshop combining their specialities in dance and outdoor arts. Find out more and apply at www.surge.scot
Interesting piece on how peerages can be removed (but not titles)
Alexander Horne@legalmusings.bsky.social · 6mo agoMy latest piece in the Spectator looks at the sad case of Peter Mandelson and questions whether he might be expelled from the House of Lords and have his peerage removed. spectator.com/article/how-...
As our annual weekend draws to a close. We just wanted to say thank you to all our panellists, and chairs for their time over the last two days; to all of you who attended (virtually or in person); and also to our organisers. We hope you enjoyed the weekend & safe travels!
a blue background with a triangle that says thank you on it
ALT: a blue background with a triangle that says thank you on it
media.tenor.com
Looking forward to the @studyofparl.bsky.social annual conference this weekend and to catching up with friends and former colleagues. An interesting programme, as always. studyofparliamentgroup.org studyofparliamentgroup.org/wp-content/u...
So that’s our #Ashes tour over. We enjoyed tootling around various Australian cities. Shame about the cricket! I’ll leave you with pics of the Adelaide Oval, the South Australia state Parliament building, #Glenelg, & the Christmas tree in the state library in #Adelaide. #lovinglegislatures
… and of course, a visit to the Tasmania state Parliament building #lovinglegislatures #Tasmania #australia
We enjoyed Hobart, Tasmania last week. Highlights were the extraordinary MONA - Museum of Old and New Art - and tour up Mount Wellington (Kunanyi) #hobart #tasmania #lutruwita #mona #mountwellington #australia
The Four Nations Outdoor Arts Bursary is now open! Deadline: 1/2/26 4 Nations Bursary Project is offering bursaries for new outdoor work to emerging artists and companies interested in outdoor arts from Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland. Apply -https://www.surge.scot/four-nations-bursary
Parliament House in Brisbane. Queensland State Parliament #lovinglegislatures #queensland #Brisbane #australia
A real parliamentary nerdy day in Canberra yesterday! Sat in the public galleries of the House of Reps & the Senate. Art & Politics tour. Visit to Old Parliament House (inc Clerk of the Senate’s office @ckskm.bsky.social!) - now a museum of democracy. #parliament #lovinglegislatures @marcgeddes.uk
Visit to the fabulous WA Museum Boola Bardip in Perth, including the Terracotta Warriors exhibition @wamuseum.bsky.social
So depressing. Scared to take a decision because of the sums involved, when it’s costing £1.56m a week in maintenance? It was clear years ago that a full decant would be quickest, cheapest & easiest way to do the urgent necessary work to this much-loved building. Some just don’t want to move out
Esther Webber@estwebber.bsky.social · 9mo agoEXCL: Final decision on restoring the Palace of Westminster will be delayed until 2030s MPs were expected to vote by the end of 2025 on a way forward for fixing the crumbling parliament, but that now won't happen Story w/@danbloom1.bsky.social www.politico.eu/article/fina...
Shakespeare’s Globe in Lego? Yes please! You can vote and support this idea … beta.ideas.lego.com/product-idea... #lego
Shakespeare's Globe | LEGO® Ideas
Shakespeare's Globe is a world famous theatre in London. This set recreates it's iconic shape and style, whilst celebrating the many plays of William Shakespear…
beta.ideas.lego.com
Queen’s View, Perthshire. Looking down Loch Tummel. Glorious autumn day.
Only a few tickets left for GSA Choir Christmas concerts!🎄 Join us for a mix of classical & contemporary choral works & well-loved standards. 🎶 📅 13th Dec 2025 🕰️ 3pm & 7.30pm 🏛️ New Auditorium, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall 🎟️ 3pm matinee tix: bit.ly/GSACxmasmati... 🎟️ 7.30pm tix: bit.ly/GSACxmaseven...
The GSA Choir Christmas Concert (Matinee) - Glasgow Life
3pm performance
bit.ly
Tonight! The Royal Philosophical Society of Glasgow’s public lecture will be delivered by Prof Barbara Maher - Magnetism and the Brain: Pollution Particles and Alzheimer’s Disease www.royalphil.org/lecture/magn...
Magnetism and the Brain: Pollution, particles and Alzheimer's disease - The Royal Philosophical Society of Glasgow
Summary
royalphil.org
We bought one of Damian’s prints a while ago (the Tree, Bird, Bell, Fish one you see in the photo). I love his style! Sounds like a good exhibition
Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco@joshpizpom.bsky.social · 9mo ago3- Glasgow artist Damian Henry speaks to me about the inspiration behind his latest exhibition www.heraldscotland.com/news/2556393...
Excellent lecture at the Royal Philosophical Society of Glasgow last night from Prof Daniel Susskind on growth. "Growth does not come from using more resources, but from discovering more productive ways of using resources." www.royalphil.org/lecture/grow...
Growth: A reckoning - The Royal Philosophical Society of Glasgow
Summary
royalphil.org
