Rob Aitken

@kieranmch My best (cynical) guess is that a few wealthy accounts are trying to influence the odds. This fits with large numbers of Republican-aligned polling firms producing polls in recent weeks. Together these build a narrative that if he loses it is due to fraud.

As far as I can tell there’s been no shift in the polls to support this sudden swing. Is it just a few whales doing this? Can someone who knows more share any insight?

@JohnRentoul My favourite is Kilconquhar in Fife, which is pronounced 'Kin-uck-ar'

From the archive, 6 years ago. Haze-borough, Mull-guy, Uffam: #Top10 British Place Names With Unexpected Pronunciations independent.co.uk/voices/top-10-…

Our PassivHaus Plus home is a mini power station. Over the last 9 years our 9.5kWpeak solar PV system has contributed on average 3.3MWh pa to the grid. It also keeps us warm cheaply as we only have to pay for the 1350kWh we import out of the total 5800kWh we use.

@YouGov An approach used in the Netherlands is a national Museum Year Card. Residents (irrespective of nationality) can buy a year card and access all museums but tourists pay an entrance fee.

A former director of the British Museum has said top UK museums should charge foreign tourists for entry, while remaining free for Britons - most people say museums should remain free for all, however Free for all: 55% Free for Britons, charge tourists: 31% Charge all for entry: 6% yougov.co.uk/topics/enterta…

@professor_dave @tombennett71 It is noticeable that they have offered multiple ways to achieve the required interdisciplinary and creative learning. Residential colleges is one way, with I think particular advantages, but may not suit every student.

@AitkenRob @tombennett71 What impressed me most about Singapore was the complete absence of 'dogma' in public policy. It's wholly pragmatic. They simply identify problems, look widely and openly for solutions, and then put all possible resource into delivering the change.

OECD there, still relentlessly flogging the creativity horse, despite the fact that it’s like measuring magic. What we call creativity is directly related to the expertise possessed within a domain. People who know more about a topic can be more creative in their reasoning. Creativity is not transferable.

@professor_dave @tombennett71 My main interest is in the ability to deliver this broader interdisciplinary learning through residential colleges. This also offers learning through extra-curricular activities and engagement with staff and students outside the classroom.

@professor_dave @tombennett71 I think the approach is excellent and better than the US Liberal Arts approach to interdisciplinarity. It is noticeable that NUS has stopped its collaboration with Yale to focus on its own residential college programme.

@rogermacginty As I child I lived in a house with a corrugated tin roof in Nigeria. The drumming of tropical rain on the roof and feeling safe and secure inside is a strong childhood memory.

@professor_dave @tombennett71 This approach is continued into HE. National University of Singapore curriculum requires UG students to take seminar based interdisciplinary modules that encourage critical thinking skills alongside the disciplinary curriculum.

@tombennett71 Of course creativity requires excellent knowledge, but it also requires an ability to connect knowledge in new ways, to intuit things from knowledge, and a willingness to take risks, rather than simply play it safe to get the best mark in an exam.

Great to see these powerful photos featured in @guardian! ⬇️ You can see the photos as part of our #ArtOfPolitics trail at @UniOfYork - I so loved working on this art trail with the amazing professors @de_Jong_Sara & @IndrajitRoyYork! ♥️ #UoYArt @UoYBorthwick @ArtHistoryYork

@robfordmancs Yes though with YouGov the fall for Labour was largely due to methodology change. That may not be the case in the latest two. If real the key issue will be where that fall is happening.

@tomhfh @sundersays They already have an MP - Lee Anderson - so it would be no increase.

@sundersays I suppose it would seem more impressive, given the 2015 election decreased ukip's MP count by 50%, and 2024 would increase Reform's by infinity.

If Reform ended up on 13% and one MP in Clacton, that would exactly mirror UKIP in 2015. Would they be disappointed or impressed with that?

@nsandihelp I am calling from the UK. I have now managed to speak to a human operator who has resolved the problem. It would help if the ai help line recognised when it could not solve the problem and offered to connect to a human rather than disconnecting.

@AitkenRob So we can advise you further, could you inform us where you're calling from? Tomas.

@nsandihelp How do I unlock my PIN number? You have locked my PIN number and your help phone is useless as it continually ignores my problem and talks about two factor authentification which is not the problem.

@nsandihelp Thanks. I asked it to connect me to a human and it rang off.

@AitkenRob Good afternoon, Rob. To deactivate your PIN, please call us on 08085 007 007. When you call us you will be connected to our virtual assistant, please ask it to put you through to an advisor to speak to a human. Tomas.

@martin_oneill If you have any invites for Bluesky let me know.

This site is now basically unusable now that it’s impossible to share news stories or other text-based links. See you on Bluesky.

Join our great department! @uniyorkpolitics is hiring 2 Lecturers (Assistant Prof) & 1 Senior Lecturer (Associate Prof) in any research area in politics. Deadline: 29th October 2023, info below jobs.ac.uk/job/DDD135/lec… jobs.ac.uk/job/DDD135/lec…

@uniyorkpolitics Lecturer post ads can be found here jobs.ac.uk/job/DDD135/lec…

Victoria Derbyshire to permanently replace Laura Kuenssberg on the BBC? RT if you agree.

@lorintbc @MirandaLarbi Congratulations Lorin!

Just got married! 🎉🍾🥳