News on my street WhatsApp group last month included a break-in where the thief apparently just stole blackcurrant squash. I thought it might have been a bear with very little brain, but in hindsight, maybe it was an embodied AI

Hetan Shah@hetanshah.bsky.social · 17h ago

‘It was like having an intruder crack your security system, break into your home, and steal your paper towels.’

If Foreign Sec is keen to pursue climate policies plus an EU role, I would love to see FCDO pushing for UK to participate in the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. We have capabilities to offer, and this summer shows we may need its support in future. www.politico.eu/article/ed-m...

Ed Miliband grabs Brexit reset role as he reboots UK Foreign Office

Britain’s new foreign secretary brings the U.K.-EU reset into his department’s ambit — and seeks advice from old foes across the political aisle.

politico.eu

Great, thoughtful thread from @christophersmith.bsky.social on Jodrell Bank.

Christopher Smith@christophersmith.bsky.social · 7d ago

@ukri.org have posted on the continuation of @jodrellbank.bsky.social 's site, science and outreach, and this post from @manchester.ac.uk is also helpful www.staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/news/display...

Watching the 6G Call to Action conference in the background. Some of the more interesting sessions are coming later, but what’s been missing from the conversation is acknowledgement of how Huawei ended up becoming one of the most advanced tech companies in the world. Very relevant to today. 🧵

Huawei, 5G, and the Man Who Conquered Noise

A Turkish scientist’s obscure theoretical breakthrough helped the Chinese tech giant gain control of the future. US telecoms never had a chance.

wired.com

We believe those are within New Jorvik.

Spain continuing to win on all fronts right now www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...

Gianni Infantino: La Liga's Javier Tebas says it is Fifa president's 'time to go'

La Liga president Javier Tebas calls for Fifa president Gianni Infantino to quit, and claims the governing body is "destroying the football industry".

bbc.co.uk

I'd put this into the "Spreadsheet Phil" category of DefSec appointments. Streeting has shown he is willing to take on a big, very expensive bureaucracy and - whether you agree with the decisions or not - make decisions on efficiencies. With Healey as CX this is clearly about defence procurement.

open all borders. stop having them be closed 🇺🇦🇱🇹🇵🇸🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿@dov.bsky.social · 2w ago

That being said what /are/ Streeting's defence credentials. Legitimate question

Forget about DSIT/DBIST/DCMS etc - this is the MoG change that will really matter, and will have massive ramifications whether done well or badly

Alex Thomas@alexgathomas.bsky.social · 2w ago

Major machinery of govt changes including - finally! - the creation of an Office for the Prime Minister and Cabinet Long overdue and excellent news that the Burnham govt has grasped this nettle questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-stat...

Science and innovation were within BIS, formed in 2009 under Brown. I have to say I'm less worried about the DSIT change than most. I may well be proved wrong but research did pretty well in the 2010s overall. Tech policy may be a different kettle of fish though, I admit.

Rachel Coldicutt@rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 2w ago

Well so long DSIT. That is a hell of a swing - might seem like a junior dept of little consequence from within govt, but putting science and innovation in with business is a pretty solid Tory move. One can only hope all the non-innovative tech, that keeps everything ticking over, gets a home too.

The problem isn't vegetative electron microscopy. It is vegetative electron microscopers using AI for their literature reviews.

Dr James on a bicycle, psychologist, cycologist 🇨🇦@jamesbicycle.bsky.social · 2w ago

“vegetative electron microscopy” "The term has now appeared in at least 22 different papers" "the nonsense term may now be permanently embedded in AI knowledge bases" 1/2 www.zmescience.com/science/news...

Broke: we expect our Prime Ministers to have bigger achievements than bus reform Woke: the Bus Services Act 2017 is a dogs breakfast and in this thread I will... 1/

Jennifer Williams@jenwilliamsft.bsky.social · 2w ago

From the Downing Street website 🚌 What a time to be alive

This is a huge shame.

Stephen Bush@stephenkb.bsky.social · 2w ago

Patrick Vallance out - a shame, both in its own terms and because it almost certainly portends the death of DSIT:

@timleunig.bsky.social bravo!!

Stephen Bush@stephenkb.bsky.social · 3w ago

First thought: strong list of peers here. Second thought: oh god, Sadiq really isn’t going to run again Third thought: the prospective mayoral ballot in 2028

A new report has shone a light on poor outcomes for white working class children. I've been banging the drum on this and will keep doing so. It shows we need to go even further on driving up attendance, on expanding early years education and on tackling child poverty.

If we remade Nathan Barley for the 2020s, he would absolutely drink matcha

Will someone make a little EMP device I can carry around and use to zap anyone who tries to share my space with some of these torment nexus devices? I'd buy it, honestly I would

Sarah O'Connor@sarahoconnorft.ft.com · 4w ago

When something is so obviously a terrible idea, it is ok to just...say no thanks and ban it. We don't have to wait 15 years and then slowly ban if after a whole bunch of irreperable damage has been done to individuals and society.

The epilogue:

Famous Actors Nodding Meme

ALT: Famous Actors Nodding Meme

static.klipy.com

The Empty City@davidallengreen.bsky.social · 4w ago

NEW at The Empty City On FIFA overturning the Balogun suspension A parable of a clever lawyer and a wise lawyer emptycity.substack.com/p/on-fifa-ov...

I am excited to be joining a panel on 16 July at @imperialbusiness.bsky.social, discussing novel policy approaches to climate, geopolitical conflict, and AI-era disruption, and where they are falling short. Sign up here (online/in-person): www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-6th-in...

We are getting a blow-by-blow account of the briefings between Buck House and "Prince" Harry, but the BBC haven't updated the Balogun red card story for five hours... New editorial madness from the beeb!

Germany and US losing to lesser teams in late-goal thrillers? This World Cup is really doing everything it can to pull me in

Current civil servants: Can you help improve UK policy-making? ukcivilservant.substack.com/p/please-sha... (Please repost if you are followed by civil servants.)

Please Share your Experience of Practical Policy Making

Many of you may remember my Substack from June last year introducing Dr Laura Hilger’s fascinating research on social policy design practice in Whitehall.

ukcivilservant.substack.com

SoftBank’s investor presentation is one of the greatest things ever made. I’ve been thinking about it all day. These are the real slides shown in a speech where Masayoshi Son said he wouldn’t retire for at least another decade. The goose stuff is truly demented. Bravo group.softbank/media/Projec...

Wait... I thought America told us it was only in the UK you could be "arrested for tweets"? 🤔

Musk says not a single person has died due to him axing USAID. Sadly, part of my job involves tracking aid spending. So here’s a thread with just some of the people who lost their lives because of USAID cuts

Incredible

I spoke to @resprofnews.bsky.social about what a Burnham premiership could mean for R&D, regional innovation and the future of DSIT. Thanks to @johnmorgan3.bsky.social for the conversation. LINK: www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

Could Andy Burnham deploy R&D ‘Manchesterism’ across the UK? - Research Professional News

Starmer resignation spotlights ministers’ futures and potential for R&D funding devolution under a Burnham premiership

researchprofessionalnews.com

So, so sad. BBC foreign correspondents are some of the best community assets we have, especially in places like Eastern Europe. Could write multiple posts about this - we lose our ability to understand the world if we don't have people to translate between our worldview and those of others.

Guy De Launey@guydelauney.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Is binning expert correspondents in eastern Europe a good idea at a time like this? Disinformation on the rise, Russia interfering in many countries, threatening several and actually at war with one? Well, BBC News management seems to think so. It's disposing of me and 4 of my colleagues.

So. Solution they’ve gone for (and Starmer suggested he at least had considered this) is nominations open 9 July and close by recess in third week of July). That’ll be to get the MPs PLUS affiliates/ CLP If no one else nominated then Burnham becomes PM by end of July Or full contest over summer

Cath Haddon@cathhaddon.bsky.social · last mo.

So here’s a thing. How does Labour manage an ‘orderly transition’ and a coronation? Well, it’s hard because the current Labour rules mean that you can just get MP support and plan a timetable around that

Good thread by @acjsissons.bsky.social below. The energy storage elements of a 2030+ grid which doesn't rely on gas for flexible generation are really interesting. OFGEM assessing ~30GW new capacity - mostly big Li-ion batteries and hydro... 1/ modoenergy.com/research/en/...

Andrew Sissons@acjsissons.bsky.social · 2mo ago

It seems to have become commonplace to blame net zero for Britain’s high energy bills and/or weak job market… … and I guess I’ll have to explain again why there is very little evidence of this. Britain has plenty of economic problems; net zero is not high on that list (though climate change is) 🧵