James Hand
@jamesahand.bsky.social
Legal academic (Assoc Prof, and an Assoc Head (R&I), at University of Portsmouth School of Law) https://researchportal.port.ac.uk/en/persons/james-hand; Co-Editor of the Int Jrnl of Discrimination and the Law (Sage) https://journals.sagepub.com/home/JDI
Ohhh, Current Economist analysis shows “…LLMs no longer stuff their prose with em-dashes. Long sentences and the rule of three are more reliable tells that a machine is doing the wordsmithing.” (But things may/will change) www.economist.com/culture/2026...
How to spot AI writing
Large language models like long words and em-dashes—or do they?
economist.com
What I love about Bluesky is what I loved about old Twitter: if I want to find out about something (however recondite) there will be someone here (often with a PhD in it) and the time and patience to share their knowledge. /1
It’s perfectly possible to make big changes to the UK’s “constitutional settlement” without a “written constitution”, in the sense of a single constitutional code. Most such changes would require legislation, like the 90s devolution settlements (which undoubtedly form part of our constitution now)
The Guardian@theguardian.com · 4d agoDevolution plans strengthen case for written UK constitution, says Burnham
🤝 One international research consortium 📋 Two cross-national surveys 🌍 Three years of fieldwork across nine European countries 👥 More than 35,000 participants = One of the most comprehensive datasets ever assembled on discrimination against ethnic minorities in Europe. @sbvanoosten.bsky.social
It's publication day for the 5th edition of the European Union Law textbook edited by Catherine Barnard and me! Thanks as always to my co-editor, the brilliant contributors and the OUP production team global.oup.com/ukhe/product...
Currently one of over 300 people watching the live graduation for the School of Law online www.youtube.com/live/Z8nISq5...
Today marks the 36th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. It’s a day of reflection on our progress and an affirmation of commitment to the ADA's promise in Illinois. We’re building the inclusive state our people deserve with true equity and accessibility for all.
Might explain why the handshake video was filmed at 19:30 but posted online just before 22:15 (with 5 or so posted ahead)
Laura Phillips@lauraphillips.bsky.social · 2w ago‘- Reshuffle hiccup: Burnham originally offered Lisa Nandy the post of energy secretary. She pushed for housing but stayed in culture – President Trump's praise for Burnham's first speech – short, no notes. And Burnham's conversation in Spanish with Pedro Sánchez...’2.
Only just got to see this. It contains a remarkable graph. Appears that Councils stopped building houses...and basically nobody took their place.
@michael-s-marshall.bsky.social · 3w ago1) Andy Burnham wants to pivot the Affordable Housing Programme away from housing associations towards councils. This FT article highlights several associated challenges. Previous attempts to boost social rented delivery show us that these challenges are real. www.ft.com/content/354e...
Is it time to ban job ads that hide the salary?
Is it time to ban job ads that hide the salary?
thetimes.com
Wrote an obituary for Guy Scott, the first and thus far only white man to run a democratic government in postcolonial Africa:
Guy Scott, former president of Zambia, 1944-2026
The academic and farmer was the first and only white man to lead an African democracy
ft.com
UKRI are recruiting for a new Exec Chair for Research England (£160k-£170k). It is a crucial role including QR funding and the REF. I hope they get a great field. But I worry a bit. It's hard to find on their website (see link below) fa-evzn-saasfaukgovprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...
UKRI Careers
fa-evzn-saasfaukgovprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com
Annual (and thusfar futile) plea to move Pi Day from March 14 to July 22 since 22/7 is closer to π than is 3.14.
Reported in last Thursday's London Gazette At the Court at Buckingham Palace, the 10th day of March ... It is this day ordered by His Majesty in Council that The Lord Mandelson be struck out of the List of Members of His Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council. Richard Tilbrook, CVO Alongside...
An aside: obv you’re right that the AG and SG should be lawyers. But there’s nothing in statute to say so, nor any rule about what level or kind of legal experience they should have. I think there should be. I was sometimes asked at reshuffles whether it sufficed that so-and-so had a law degree …
Yes, Ellie Reeves moves up from Sol-Gen - the third youngest AG in the 21st century after Suella Braverman and Jeremy Wright (and half of the 20th, Hartley Shawcross being younger) but with 10 months experience as Solicitor-General
James Hand@jamesahand.bsky.social · 2w agoTomorrow could see the appointment of the first Attorney-General in over 29 years to have served as Solicitor-General (excepting Michael Ellis’s time covering for maternity leave and his v short time under Truss). Chart from www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Chagos with Ed Milliband! [Am I doing this right?]
Sam Freedman@samfr.bsky.social · 2w agoEd Miliband is foreign sec
If you exclude QUB, Trinity College was the most likely to have a British constitutional law question. UCG and UCD were tied for the next position. Still around about one third of all questions.
I'm sure DESNZ were planning to announce this at some point, but it's several days since the SI was laid and this is potentially Miliband's last act in DESNZ too. They should promote it *heavily* as plug-in solar could help millions of renters and those without their own roofs.
It has been the privilege of my life to serve my country as Attorney General over the last two years. I’ve been so lucky to be a part of Keir’s team, as he delivered for the public at home while rebuilding the UK’s reputation abroad, in particular on the rule of law.
This is an unlawful condition police have the power to regulate assemblies of 2 or more or protests of one person They have no power to regulate single person assemblies as is clearly asserted here To impose noise-related conditions on one person, they must be protesting not simply assembling
Will Jennings📉🗳️@drjennings.bsky.social · 2w agoIf this is down to Burnham's team, it suggests impressive attention to small but important details. If it's the Met finally getting their act together over major news events being drowned out, it suggests Burnham may be the luckiest politician in Britain.
Tomorrow could see the appointment of the first Attorney-General in over 29 years to have served as Solicitor-General (excepting Michael Ellis’s time covering for maternity leave and his v short time under Truss). Chart from www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
The AG’s oversight in both senses of the word
Joanna Hardy-Susskind@joannahs.bsky.social · 3w agoThis is the most extraordinary judgment I’ve read all year. If there was not about to be a reshuffle - I suspect it might have been a resigning matter for the Attorney General. www.judiciary.uk/judgments/r-...