Greece is burning. Spain is burning. Sicily, Wales, Türkiye, Canada, the US— the entire planet is engulfed in flames. Decades of warnings ignored. Decades of corporate denial exposed. The science was right all along: our home is on fire. We need immediate, radical climate action.

So it's farewell to the History subject area at the University of Hertfordshire, not the first nor the last to go. One of the best departments in the country, just extinguished like a snap of the fingers. Think of the waste. (1/2)

Given that we are all upset today about Anthropic-shredding-books, I’ll add that I address this here, and it’s part of the same infrastructure threatening the preservation and profession of history but people don’t want to talk about that if the same industry is paying for their research.

Sonja Drimmer@sonjadrimmer.bsky.social · last wk.

“AI has become a blunt instrument in the enterprise to impose precisely this form of sanctioned ignorance about America’s past...Taken together, [Trump’s & Musk’s] plans amount to a one-two punch, history in the hands of the corporate state.” My latest on AI & history: www.salon.com/2026/07/28/t...

July's blog post is now up: ‘Popular “football music” of our time’, inspired by a chance discovery in the loft, the FIFA men's World Cup, and the sad news of Kevin Keegan's death #football #music #nostalgia #worldcup #thistime martinpolley.co.uk/2026/07/27/2...

When the story of why humanity didn't stop climate change is written, it will feature front pages like this. Even as the skies blacken with climate change-induced wildfires, right wing media continue their relentless crusade against measures to tackle it.

Gridiron Invasion by @drkatietaylor.bsky.social @utpress.bsky.social. I was honoured to serve as 1st supervisor on Katie's @icshc.bsky.social PhD on women in American football on which the book is based - it's great to see her work reach a wider audience #sportshistory utpress.org/979889527097...

Gridiron Invasion

Women have long participated in the game of American football. From informal, secret games, to educators’ use of touch football for female students, to att...

utpress.org

'England's first Asian player honoured with blue plaque at his family home'. @icshc.bsky.social Emeritus Prof. and Historic England Blue Plaque Panel Member Martin Polley @historymartin.bsky.social speaks to ITV News following recognition for England player, Frank Soo - www.itv.com/watch/news/e...

Historic England's listing of @stokecityfc.bsky.social & England footballer Frank Soo (1914-1991) to mark the unveiling of the Blue Plaque at his birthplace in Buxton, Derbyshire, UK last week. #blueplaques #commemoration #sportsherirtage #franksoo historicengland.org.uk/listing/nati...

Frank Soo | Historic England

Frank Soo (1914-1991), the first footballer of East Asian descent to play for the England men’s team.

historicengland.org.uk

Dead? No Mr Tice, we want you to be irrelevant aresholes again who 90% ignore It really is that simple

Let's see if the hard left continue to hand Farage the keys to No. 10 by refusing to get behind the radical left-wing leader they couped Starmer for just because they can't compromise on the idea that foreigners aren't full human beings deserving of dignity and rights 🙄

Kevin Schofield@kevinschofied.bsky.social · 3w ago

Scoop: Andy Burnham will vote FOR Shabana Mahmood's immigration crackdown in the Commons tonight. Dozens of Labour MPs had written to him urging him to water down the Immigration and Asylum Bill, warning the party is “losing progressive voters”. Story 👇 www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/andy-b...

Over 2,700 people have died from heat related causes in the past two months. 1 in 20 deaths in Luton are caused by air pollution and still Labour ignored environmental reports and steamed ahead with the Luton expansion. Time they realised we are in an enormous climate emergency.

Zack Polanski@zackpolanski.bsky.social · 3w ago

As wildfires rage, Andy Burnham still won't rule out airport expansion. He still hasn't commited to ending new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea. The incoming Prime Minister can't say the climate crisis is an emergency whilst backing policies that make it worse.

2700+ people in England & Wales died from heat-related causes during May and June. Most likely to be the poor, old. Yet there are climate change deniers who relentlessly push fossil fuels. Earth will be cinders by the time last drop of oil/gas is burnt.

More than 2,700 deaths linked to May and June heatwaves, study suggests

The analysis found that 42% died as a result of the extra heat caused by human activity - mostly burning fossil fuels.

news.sky.com

OTD in 1930, the first FIFA World Cup began in Uruguay. In this article from the archives, Richard Mills explores how football fixtures created meaningful ties between Yugoslavia and its African and Asian allies.

Scoring for the Non-Aligned Movement: Yugoslavia, Football and the Third World

Continuing our History Workshop World Cup series, Richard Mills explores the role football played in establishing diplomatic ties between Tito’s […]

historyworkshop.org.uk

As wildfires rage, Andy Burnham still won't rule out airport expansion. He still hasn't commited to ending new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea. The incoming Prime Minister can't say the climate crisis is an emergency whilst backing policies that make it worse.

Prof Bill McGuire@profbillmcguire.bsky.social · 3w ago

Wildfire Britain! Wildfires over the weekend in at least nine counties of England and Wales www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

And yet there are still politicians that will go on about “Net Zero Madness.” This year, from the look of things, will likely be the worst on record for heat related deaths since records began. We are in serious trouble.

The Bear@bearlypolitics.co.uk · last mo.

It’s far too hot, far too early, and it’s only getting worse. Thankfully, Jerry on Twitter is on hand to explain that 1976 was hotter, his nan wore a bikini for three months straight, he inhaled fifteen ice lollies and everything was fine. Jerry is, unfortunately, also talking out of his bum.

"So that's Theft, Fraud, Financial Misconduct, Political Misconduct and Misconduct in a public office. That's just the EU. In the UK, all of the above plus Treason, Money Laundering and Tax Evasion. The list probably goes on but that's enough of a start. Criminal Filth." via Timothy O'sullivan

New #sportshistory book alert: Migrants, Minorities, and the History of British Boxing: Insiders, Outsiders, and Ringsiders by David Dee of @icshibas25.bsky.social @dmuhistory.bsky.social @dmu.ac.uk global.oup.com/academic/pro...

I'm so proud of Yassin. He made Bristol and Britain his home. He has contributed so much as a Green Party Cllr to his city and to the community in Lawrence Hill. Solidarity in the face of this Reform fuelled racist hate. Hope always wins!

Can someone please take a look at the massive red flags waving in the air over the crisis in UK HE.

Karen Gregory@karengregory.bsky.social · last mo.

"Two former principals at a crisis-hit university received payments totalling more than £290,000 after leaving their posts, despite a financial and governance crisis plunging the institution into turmoil" news.stv.tv/north/dundee...

Brexit and Trump being elected the first time shocked me into accepting how many people could be openly motivated by racist populism. GenAI has opened my eyes to how many people are ready and willing to surrender their thinking and agency to an app. I’m so disappointed with human beings these days.

Historic England photo exhibition 'Football Grounds of England' now open at Swindon Central Library’s Courtyard Gallery until 24 July, using photos from 1880 to 2019 by architectural historian and sports heritage pioneer Simon Inglis @swindoncouncil.bsky.social stfcmuseum.org/football-gro...

FOOTBALL GROUNDS OF ENGLAND EXHIBITION | STFC Museum

Photographs from the Historic England Archive’s ‘Football Grounds of England’ Collection will be on display at Swindon Central Library’s Courtyard Gallery, from 29 June to 24 July. Selected by footbal...

stfcmuseum.org

New @bssh.bsky.social sports history podcast: Lisa Jenkel of @unibas.ch on 'The Discourse and Depiction regarding Jewish Athletes and Jewish Sports in the English Press, 1890-1945' #sportshistory #podcast www.sportinhistory.com/pages/bssh-p...

The Sport in History Podcast | British Society of Sports History

The Sport in History Podcast helps publicise your research with the public and wider academic community.

sportinhistory.com

I’ve said this so many times and I know I will say so many times more but here we go again… There is no ethical use of AI. Ever. Whether it’s the blatant theft of training data, or the environmental and resource costs, there is no ethical justification. None.

I know I’m a broken record but to see universities abandon critical thinking and completely chuck out their own policies around sustainability, research ethics, academic integrity, etc in the pursuit of shiny new tech has been quite something

Daniel Bellingradt@dbellingradt.bsky.social · last mo.

“This collaboration is a result of the University of Oxford’s participation in NextGenAI, a consortium with OpenAI and 15 leading research institutions dedicated to using AI to accelerate research breakthroughs and transform education.” www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/about/media/...

New blog post: A Trace of Rustic Play, based on the Nine Mens' Morris board at St John the Baptist church, Inglesham - with a bit of Joseph Strutt and T S Eliot thrown in. #boardgames #sportshistory #gamehistory #churchhistory martinpolley.co.uk/2026/06/24/a...

#MetPolice #HomeOfice #Starmer When will this lot be proscribed?

Jane@localnotail.bsky.social · 2mo ago

As I understand it, when they proscribed Palestine Action it was on the back of evidence of coordinated attempts to organise trespass and cause damage. Everyone who supported them by so much as holding a paper became arrestable for terrorism. Are they going to do the same for "Patriot Platform"?

“The pure air of sovereignty” Allowing foreign-based billionaires to whip up racist riots on our streets and fund fascism in our politics. Peachy. Thanks again Brexit. And every single complicit politician and media ‘patriot’. app.independent.co.uk/2026/06/13/2...

Our Dr Dave Dee's new book with @academic.oup.com, 'Migrants, Minorities, and the History of British Boxing' is now available electronically (subscription required), prior to the publication of the hard copy in July 2026: academic.oup.com/book/62965?s... global.oup.com/academic/pro...

Migrants, Minorities, and the History of British Boxing: Insiders, Outsiders, and Ringsiders

Abstract. This book provides the first sustained historical analysis of migrant and minority participation in British boxing from the eighteenth century to

academic.oup.com

'World Shin-Kicking Championships: Broken legs and broken toes – ‘It’s not for the faint-hearted’. @icshc.bsky.social Emeritus Prof. Martin Polley @historymartin.bsky.social interviewed by @theathletic.com on the Cotswold Olimpicks - www.nytimes.com/athletic/732... #sportshistory

World Shin-Kicking Championships: Broken legs and broken toes – ‘It’s not for the faint-hearted’

For over 400 years it is believed that people have gathered in a picturesque English town to watch an annual shin kicking competition

nytimes.com