Duncan Laird

@EwenDCameron Great tap.

New Scotland top - Aye or Naw? #Scotland #Adiddas

@MartinSLewis Liverpool University, BA Archaeology, MBA Environmental Management 1997-2001 Yes it was worth it. It provided a pathway to employment. I was also the first of my extended working class family to get a degree. Made possible due to grant.

Tell Us: Did u go to University? If so was it worth it to u – financially or for other reasons? Pls include what year u went (recent or long ago) and if ur willing what Uni & what you studied. Producer Matt will compile these to read out in the podcast. Pls like ur faves too.

@NVIDIAGeForceUK GeForce PC Week

☀️ GeForce Summer RTX PC Week ☀️ This week, we're celebrating all things PC ahead of Gamescom with PC goodness + giving you chances to WIN: 🟢 3 EPIC FREE PCs 🟢 GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs 🟢 GeForce RTX Build Spotlights 🟢 Caturday?! Reply "GeForce PC Week" to ENTER to WIN

This week on Instagram the National Trust launched a good news account. According to our sources millions of us urgently need it. Our first good news is about seahorses. And then there’s the kestrels. Pop across there and looks cos there’s also guillemots. Honestly.

@TomBloxhamMBE Great news. Congrats Tom.

I am thrilled and delighted for myself and all my amazing colleagues at Factory International , Manchester City Council & Arts Council England that yesterday the King announced a CBE for my work as "Chair of Manchester International Festival .For services to culture" TOM BLOXHAM MBE LISTED IN THE 2025 KING’S BIRTHDAY HONOURS Tom Bloxham MBE, Chairman of award-winning regeneration company Urban Splash and Founding Chair of Factory International, has been awarded a CBE in the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours. The CBE for ‘Services to Culture and Manchester International Festival / Factory International’ is Tom’s second honour following his MBE for services to architecture and regeneration in 1999. It recognises Tom’s longstanding commitment to culture in the UK, particularly his two-decade tenure as Founding Chair of Factory International and the Manchester International Festival (MIF). During his leadership, alongside the artistic direction of Alex Poots, and more recently John McGrath, MIF gained both national and international acclaim. In 2023, Tom led the organisation into a new era with the opening of the OMA designed  Aviva Studios, the UK’s newest cultural landmark and the new permanent home of Factory International. Tom has also held numerous cultural roles, including serving as a trustee for both Arts Council England and the Tate. He has also been Chair of the Ancoats Urban Village Trust and the Centre for Cities think tank, as well as a trustee of the Manchester United Foundation and the Bloxham Charitable Trust. Speaking of the honour Tom said: I’ve been fortunate to enjoy a long and diverse career, one that has opened doors to extraordinary opportunities and allowed me to pursue my passion for arts and culture. Along the way, I’ve had the privilege of working with some of the most brilliantly talented figures in the cultural sector, and I’m truly delighted that those collective efforts have been recognised today.” Added John McGrath, Artistic Director & Chief Executive, Factory International: “"From the earliest ideas of building a distinctive festival of new commissions through to the launch of our unique venue, Aviva Studios, Tom was an inspiring Chair at every step of the journey. His leadership and vision were absolutely pivotal - we simply wouldn’t be where we are today without them. I’m truly delighted to see him receive this official recognition. Manchester, myself, and countless artists and audiences owe him a profound and heartfelt thank you." Tom’s first honour, his MBE, was awarded for services to architecture and regeneration at Urban Splash. Founded in 1993 the company has delivered thousands of new homes, over one million square feet of workspace, and vibrant new neighbourhoods in cities including Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Leeds, Birmingham, and Plymouth. Tom continued: “I’m equally inspired by my day-to-day work, and I see real synergy between the impact Urban Splash has made over the past three decades – creating thoughtfully designed places where people can live, work and thrive – and the cultural legacy of organisations like Factory International. Both are about reimagining how we experience our cities, each raising the bar in their own way, and it’s a real honour to see that contribution acknowledged. “I’m deeply grateful to the exceptional colleagues, collaborators and friends who’ve made this journey possible – whether that’s through shaping new cultural institutions or building new communities rooted in great design.” Photo @Zoe Law at Aviva Studios for Legends Exhibition at National Portrait Gallery 📷

🌟 I’m honored to share my recent article, "X-minute cities as a growing notion of sustainable urbanism: A literature review," co-authored with the incredible Professor @AySharifi, now published in the prestigious journal Cities( SC: 11.2 IF: 6). #15minutecities #15MinuteCity

@WeHaveWaysPod @almurray @James1940 @GoalhangerPods An incredibly moving episode. @RobbieRinder is exceptionally articulate and a brilliant storyteller. Profound and relevant.

@almurray @James1940 @GoalhangerPods

Out now, in the incredible final part of our Auschwitz story, we speak to @RobbieRinder about his family's Holocaust story. An incredible story that has to be heard. Robert has spent his life working with charities and schools in commemoration and remembrance.

Dull As Dyche Water #bbcfootball

@Everton @eToro He's not helped with Young providing no overlap or offensive energy.... Patterson needed.

46' A change on the right to start the second half. COYB! [0-1] #EVENFO @eToro

1' For the final time in 2024... COYB!!! ✊ [0-0] #EVENFO

📢 Our Annual Review 2023-24 is out now! Take a look at the impact we have been having across the UK this year in supporting heritage and community-led regeneration and read about some of the fantastic projects we have supported: ➡️ bit.ly/4g3N7Q2

@MEMckeague @londonderryICT @ArchHFund @ArchHFundNI I was there a few months ago Matthew. It's a fab city with great heritage assets and a vibrant centre.

I needed a positive news injection, so Derry / Londonderry was the place to come. A city that has come a huge way since the 70s, thanks in no small part to @londonderryICT's efforts. Here to learn more with @ArchHFund's other Heritage Development Trusts. @ArchHFundNI

@Samfr Great read Sam. Has anyone undertaken scenario and sensitivity forecasts on the impact of gov policy on key kpis i.e. child poverty, waiting lists? Also be interested to understand the impact of 3rd/private sector on these kpis.

New post just out: "Buying Time" A budget that starts the unpleasant process of acknowledging reality but will it be enough? open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/buy…

@MarkFunnell6 @HartsBakery Arguably, the best bakery in the world!

@GavinBridgeUK @AnneAshworth @Zoopla Super interesting. Gavin, I pressume there are 'sweet spot' geographies where cost V market sale value ratio makes the developer case more viable? And this may not intersect with housing need hence need for public enabling investment?

@AnneAshworth @Zoopla Great stat and yes we should. May I also add that a detached new build house of mid market quality costs around £200ft² to 250ft² to build plus costs of land, infrastructure, fees, capital, contingencies, profit etc. That is without the additional cost of any affordable homes.

Stat of the day from @zoopla which highlights differences in pounds per square foot prices. The averages range between £145 (North East) and £585 (London). Hartlepool's average is £118; Kensington's £1,373. Americans assess a home's value like this. Should we do the same?

@RestPoliticsUS @KattyKay_ @Scaramucci Do commentators and independent political analysts get paid for TV and radio interviews in the US? If so, how is the fee negotiated? Duncan

‼️ QUESTIONS REQUEST ‼️ Got a question for @Scaramucci or @KattyKay_? Questions about how the political system works? Curious about the inner workings of a campaign trail? Drop your questions in the replies below 👇

@Mikey_DAmbra @snikarts Is that also a Biodiversity Net Gain tag? #EnvironmentalGraffiti

Incredible new mural on the NQ car park on Tib Street by @snikarts

@victor_dacunha Bad luck tonight Vic. The future is bright for A Seleção - loads of great young players.

Sad familiarity tonight. I think the end of the road for Clarke. Need someone to come in and work positively with the young players - Hickey, Gilmour, Doak, Patterson, Ferguson, Ramsay, Barron, Wilson #Scotland @ScotlandNT

@alexiskeech @CeliaRichards0n @HilaryMcGrady @nationaltrust Hi Alexis, we've got some to take the next step but need more to fulfil the full vision for the viaduct - nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cheshire…

@CeliaRichards0n @HilaryMcGrady @nationaltrust @dlaird78 Have they managed to get the funding to secure it permanently?

"Working with the community we reopened Castlefield viaduct in 2022, as an urban 'park in the sky'. Since then we've welcomed more than 120k visitors, 300 community groups, Gardeners World, 2 ducks & a peregrine called Stella." Top-rated @nationaltrust email today, from @dlaird78

@jessgill03 Are they not just enjoying their 'liberty' of language choice you champion in your bio? It is hypocritical to define liberty for others particularly when their actions (i.e. their language choice) does not impact the liberty of others.

Just tried to film in Whitechapel for over an hour and everyone we asked to interview said that they couldn’t speak English. How can you have a unified nation we can’t even speak the same language? This is the future of Britain.