It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Thursday, January 23, 2025
Egyptian dinosaur identified from images of fossil destroyed in World War II
A new species of large carnivorous dinosaur found in what is now Egypt has been identified from fossils which no longer exist.
The original fossil was destroyed 80 years ago during World War II. Palaeontologists discovered the new species by looking at photographs of the skeleton taken before 1944.
Tameryraptor markgrafi lived 95 million years ago during the Cretaceous period (145–66 million years ago)
.
Reconstruction of Tameryraptor markgrafi.
Credit: Joshua Knüppe.
At the time, North Africa probably wasn’t the safest place to be. Several large predatory dinosaurs roamed the region. This included the 2 of the largest carnivorous dinosaurs – Spinosaurus aegyptiacus(15m, 8 tonnes) and Carcharodontosaurus saharicus (13m, 6 tonnes).
There was also the 11m-long Bahariasaurus and a smaller, bulldog-faced abelisaurid, fossils of which were discovered in 2022.
Oh, and did I mention the 10m-long crocodile Sarchosuchus found in Niger? Tameryraptor’s fossil was unearthed in 1914 by a team led by German palaeontologist Ernst Stromer von Reichenbach. Ithad previously been assigned to Carchorodontosaurus and was even thought to be a Megalosaurus – one of the very first dinosaurs to be scientifically named.
But the new research, published in the journal PLOS ONE, suggests that these identifications were incorrect.
On July 21, 1944, allied air raids hit the Old Academy building in Munich, Germany where the bones were housed. Along with the enigmatic dinosaur, the best bones of Spinosaurus were destroyed.
All that remains are notes, sketches and a few photos of the original skeletons.
“What we saw in the historical images surprised us all,” says LMU München master’s student Maximilian Kellermann, first author of the new study.
Skeletal remains of Tameryraptor markgrafi in exhibition in the Old Academy. Taken at an unspecified point in time before the material was destroyed in 1944. Credit: Tübingen University Archives.
“The Egyptian dinosaur fossil depicted there differs significantly from more recent Carcharodontosaurus finds in Morocco. Stromer’s original classification was thus incorrect. We identified a completely different, previously unknown predatory dinosaur species here.”
Tameryraptor becomes the fifth large predatory dinosaur found at Egypt’s Bahariya Oasis.
It would have been about 10 metres long and had a prominent horn on the tip of its snout.
Analysis suggests the dinosaur was closely related to the North African and South American Carcharodontosaurs and a group of predatory dinosaurs from Asia called Metriacanthosaurs.
“Presumably, the dinosaur fauna of North Africa was much more diverse than we previously thought. This work shows that it can be worthwhile for paleontologists to dig not only in the ground, but also in old archives,” says Oliver Rauhut from the Bavarian State Collection for Palaeontology and Geology.
“However, a more comprehensive assessment of the Cretaceous predatory dinosaur fauna from the Bahariya Oasis would require the recovery of more fossils from the site.”
Turning the Tide: Building a Wales Where Everyone Thrives
20th January 2025
A new Oxfam report highlights rising global inequality, but here in Wales, we can create an economy that’s fairer for both – people and planet.
Imagine a Wales where every decision is made with the wellbeing of its people and the health of the planet at its core. A Wales where success isn’t just about money, but about the happiness and prosperity of its communities. This isn’t a distant dream, it’s a vision within our reach.
As we step into 2025, the world is facing vast inequalities. Our latest Oxfam report, Takers Not Makers, shows a shocking rise in billionaire wealth globally, while billions remain in poverty. The numbers are staggering. In 2024, billionaire wealth grew by $2 trillion, three times faster than the year before. In the UK alone, billionaire wealth increased by over £35 million ($44m) a day.
Last year, Oxfam predicted the world would see its first trillionaire within a decade. If current trends continue, there will be at least five trillionaires a decade from now. To illustrate the absurdity of it all, we calculated that if you stacked the wealth of the 50 richest billionaires in one-dollar bills, it would reach the moon.
But what of everyone else?
Our global economy is working for billionaires, but not for the one in four people living in poverty in Wales, nor for the billions of people like them around the world.
The current trajectory – more billionaire wealth, widening inequality, and deepening poverty – is a dangerous cycle, one that guarantees more suffering for billions of people.
We need a shift in imagination from governments. And where better for it to start, than here in Wales?
In 2024, billionaire wealth grew by $2 trillion, three times faster than the year before. In the UK alone, billionaire wealth increased by over £35 million ($44m) a day.
Wales can lead the way
The grotesque concentration of wealth isn’t just a global issue; it affects Wales directly.
Wales has a long history of contributing to the wealth of the UK, especially during the Industrial Revolution. The coal mines and steelworks of Wales powered the engines of heavy industry, making owners rich while the workers and their communities were left to struggle.
Today, many of these communities still face the legacy of inequality and poverty. The scars of the pandemic are still with us in the form of unpayable debts, stagnating wages and far higher food prices, making day-to-day life a struggle for ordinary people.
This historical context makes it even more crucial for Wales to adopt a new way of thinking that addresses these deep-rooted issues, alongside other pressing issues, such as climate breakdown, while ensuring we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past.
With the 2026 Senedd election approaching, political debates are heating up. But beyond the promises and slogans, one thing is clear: whoever leads Wales next must embrace a bold new plan that prioritises people and the planet. This isn’t just a feel-good slogan, it’s a necessary shift to tackle the challenges we face and to create a fairer, more sustainable future for everyone.
A fairer economy for all
Too often, economic growth benefits the wealthy while leaving others behind. It’s time to
ensure that prosperity reaches everyone. That’s why the UK Government should be prioritising economic policies that bring down inequality and crucially, start supporting higher taxation on the super-rich. Huge sums of money could be raised to tackle inequality across all areas of the UK, including here in Wales and overseas, as well as providing crucial investment for our public services.
But there’s action we can take in Wales too: ensuring fair wages, good working conditions, and real opportunities for people across the country. Imagine a mother in Llandudno juggling the care of her children and elderly parents. She deserves affordable childcare, financial support, and recognition for her unpaid care work, which underpins our society but goes unacknowledged in traditional economic measures like GDP.
In fact, GDP fails to capture so much of what truly matters. It doesn’t account for the 96 percent of care work in Wales that is unpaid, largely done by women. This hidden contribution props up our economy, yet it’s invisible in how we measure success. What if we shifted the focus? What if we measured success by how happy, healthy, and connected our communities are instead of just by how much money is made?
Protecting our planet for future generations
Wales is known for its breathtaking landscapes, from the rolling hills of Eryri to the vibrant coastlines of Swansea Bay. But these natural treasures are under threat from pollution and climate change. A new plan for Wales must prioritise protecting these resources and reducing our environmental impact. Clean air, renewable energy, and sustainable practices aren’t just for the future, they’re essential now.
However, moving to a green economy must be done fairly. Workers in traditional industries, like coal and steel, need new opportunities as we transition to renewable energy. This ‘just transition’ ensures that no one is left behind, creating a greener Wales while supporting families and communities.
In fact, GDP fails to capture so much of what truly matters. It doesn’t account for the 96 percent of care work in Wales that is unpaid, largely done by women. This hidden contribution props up our economy, yet it’s invisible in how we measure success.
Building a stronger, united Wales
Populism has grown in Wales, as it has around the world, feeding on fear and frustration. It offers easy answers to complex problems but often leads to division. Instead of falling for short-term fixes, Wales needs a unifying plan. By focusing on caring for people and protecting our planet, we can build a society that works for everyone. A fair economy and a sustainable environment aren’t just policies, they’re a shared vision that brings people together and leaves no one behind.
The challenges Wales faces are significant, but the opportunities are even greater. By embracing a plan that moves beyond outdated measures like GDP, invests in people, and protects the planet, Wales can lead the way in creating a fairer, more inclusive future.
The choice is ours: cling to the status quo, or step boldly into a future where everyone, and the planet we call home, can thrive. Let’s seize this moment to show what’s possible when a nation puts people and the planet first. A fairer, greener, united Wales is within our reach – if we choose it.
All articles published on the welsh agenda are subject to IWA’s disclaimer. If you want to support our work tackling Wales’ key challenges, consider becoming a member.
Sarah Rees is Head of Oxfam Cymru and oversees Oxfam’s policy, advocacy, campaigns and communications in Wales.
Markus Spiske
Wales 'lacks plan' to tackle scale of nature loss
Steffan Messenger Environment correspondent,
BBC Wales News
20/01/2025
PA Water voles have declined by over 90% in Wales since the 1980s.
Promises to tackle nature loss and boost biodiversity by the Welsh government have been called into question in a highly critical report.
The Senedd's environment committee warned ministers lacked a "plan, action and investment" to reverse worrying declines in wildlife.
One in six species - such as water voles and curlews - are currently at risk of vanishing from Wales, which has seen a 20% decrease on average in its wildlife over the last 30 years.
The report concluded that current legislation designed to protect the environment had not delivered as intended, with biodiversity still in decline.
Key policy documents, meant to guide the Welsh government's work on saving nature, were also "years out-of-date", it said.
Promises to update a Nature Recovery Action Plan for instance were yet to be acted upon, which the committee described as "deeply concerning".
It said its inquiry, which heard from experts and organisations in the field, found numerous examples of "delays, undelivered commitments, and missed deadlines".
It blamed a lack of staff and resource dedicated to nature at the Welsh government, and singled out cutbacks to its environment watchdog Natural Resources Wales (NRW).
Florian Graner/WWF/PA
Work to expand Wales' network of marine protected sites has been "disappointingly slow", the report says.
Ministers are set to unveil a long-awaited Nature Bill later this year, with new environmental protections.
In 2021, the government said this would include specific, legally binding targets for helping species and ecosystems to recover.
But the committee heard this more detailed work on biodiversity targets was now likely to take a further four years, meaning they would not be in place until at least 2029.
This is significant because of the Welsh government's support for a landmark international agreement to halt and begin to reverse the loss of nature by 2030.
The then climate change minister Julie James attended the COP15 biodiversity summit in Montreal, Canada in 2022 where the deal was struck, also committing to a goal of protecting and managing 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030. Advertisement
The Welsh government says initiatives such as The National Forest, which now has 100 sites, were making a difference for wildlife.
Llyr Gruffydd, chairman of the Senedd's climate change, environment and infrastructure committee, said the government's rhetoric on nature loss "isn't followed up with action".
"They've been talking the talk for a long time, we now need to see them walking the walk," he said.
If biodiversity targets were not in place before 2029, then the government "can't be serious" about meeting its overarching goal of an improving picture for nature by 2030, he argued.
"That means reneging on an international commitment that they've made which isn't acceptable," he added.
"We need to see faster action from the government and not this foot-dragging... because if nature suffers then humanity suffers as well." Advertisement
"After decades of pollution, urbanisation and the impact of climate change, Wales' nature is in trouble," says committee chairman Llyr Gruffydd MS.
"With 2030 only five years away, the Welsh government need to be prioritising setting targets to halt and reverse the loss of nature in Wales by 2030 to bring Wales in line with international biodiversity agreements it has already signed up to," said Policy and Advocacy Manager at WWF Cymru Alex Philips.
Annie Smith, head of nature policy and casework at RSPB Cymru, said the report showed how the Welsh government had made ambitious commitments to restore nature, but was failing to deliver.
"Chronic under-investment in our species and habitats has led to a situation where only a fraction of our protected areas are in good condition and our wildlife is declining at an alarming rate," she added.
The Welsh government said it recognised "the need to increase the scale and pace of our delivery to meet both current and future biodiversity targets".
A spokesperson pointed to initiatives such as The National Forest programme and Local Places for Nature scheme, and said £150m had been invested during this Senedd term alone on efforts to restore nature.
"As the report notes a whole-Wales approach is needed, it is not just for government to tackle on its own," she added.
An NRW spokesperson said it was "reviewing the recommendations" and highlighted the work it had done through its Nature Networks Programme to restore the Welsh landscape.
The organisation added the "scale of the nature emergency means we must all do more and work together across government, business and society".
Shock over Church of Scientology advert allowed at London Tube station Luke Alsford METRO UK
January 19, 2025
An advert promoting the controversial Scientology religion at a London Tube station has caused shock and disbelief among commuters.
The poster, which encourages Londoners to find out more about the group, was spotted over the weekend at a Tube platform.
Scientology has been labelled a ‘cult’ by critics, and has been criticised for its claims about mental health, its finances and even abusive practices.
The Tube advert says in large writing ‘I’m a Scientologist’, accompanied by the picture of a cinematographer called Robert.
Caption: Pro Scientology Adverts have begun appearing on the Underground (Picture: Reddit/R/London/Fdana)
The billboard hopes to spark the interest of commuters, asking ‘Curious?’ before directing them to the religion’s website.
The choice of advertising has been slammed by Londoners familiar with Scientology’s controversies.
One Londoner said: ‘TFL doesn’t allow junk food to be advertised, but this is apparently fine.’
Another complained: ‘A cult being advertised on the Underground. Appalling.’
A spokesman for Transport for London (TfL) told Metro: ‘The advertisement was reviewed against our advertising policy and was found to be compliant.’
TfL banned the advertisement of junk foods in 2019 in a bid to tackle child obesity, while their advertising policy also bans any posters which are ‘likely to cause widespread or serious offence to reasonable members of the public.’
Scientology’s practices are controversial (Picture: Getty Images North America)
Scientology describes itself as a religion that was founded in the 1950s by L. Ron Hubbard.
Members of the group submit to a process called auditing which, through questioning and the use of devise that measures the body’s electric flow, claims to help a person locate areas of spiritual distress.
The Church of Scientology, however, has been hit by allegations of misconduct for decades.
The group’s leader, David Miscavige, has faced a number of lawsuits, including human trafficking allegations.
One is trafficking lawsuit filed in 2022 by Valeska Paris and married couple Gawain and Laura Baxter, who claim they were trafficked into Scientology as children and forced to work as adults for little to no pay.
A spokesperson for the Church has previously denied these allegations, calling them ‘absurd, ridiculous, scurrilous and blatantly false’.
A later statement described the lawsuit as ‘nothing but blatant harassment and an attempted money shakedown. This case has now been sent to religious arbitration, where it always belonged’.
A number of celebrities have embraced the religion, such as John Travolta and Tom Cruise.
Scientology became a recognised religion in the UK in 2013. Last year, demonstrations from an ex-Scientologists group outside its British headquarters in East Grinstead led the organisation to seek a protest ban.
Metro has contacted the Church of Scientology for comment.
‘British Muslims fear Musk influence and emboldened Islamophobia under Trump’
Outgoing Muslim Council of Britain leader Zara Mohammed said this is a ‘deeply challenging time’ for her community.
Young British Muslims are worried about the influence of Elon Musk and whether the Donald Trump presidency in the US might see Islamophobia “emboldened”, the outgoing leader of the UK’s largest Muslim umbrella organisation said.
In her final days as secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), Zara Mohammed, the first woman and youngest person to hold the role, warned of a “deeply challenging time” for her community.
Mr Musk, the billionaire owner of Tesla and SpaceX, is a close ally of Mr Trump, who will be inaugurated for his second presidential term on Monday.
Elon Musk has been making controversial comments on X, formerly Twitter, about British politics (Yui Mok/PA)
Mr Musk is expected to have a key role in the political administration in the US, and has been engaging in controversial commentary online regarding UK politics recently, including piling pressure on the Prime Minister to order an inquiry into grooming gangs.
In an interview with the PA news agency before she steps down after her four-year term as MCB leader, Ms Mohammed said the “normalisation of figures on the far-right” is concerning.
Asked how young British Muslims are feeling, she said: “I think it’s a deeply challenging time. Many Muslims in particular are kind of staying away from X and certain social media platforms.
“It’s so hostile. It’s so disgusting I would say, the kind of vitriol we’re seeing. The smearing of, whether it’s Pakistani communities or Muslim communities, you know.
“Using child grooming to, again, politicise and actually make one community look really barbaric – so I think we’re really worried.
Outgoing Muslim Council of Britain general-secretary Zara Mohammed (MCB/PA) PA Media
“I think we’re worried about the influence of Musk. We’re worried about the kind of normalisation of figures on the far-right, particularly the Tommy Robinsons and even Nigel Farage, which just always veer away from the illegal, you know, just on the borderline.
“But Tommy’s obviously been very vocal about his sentiment and feeling. The anti-immigrant rhetoric, anti-refugee rhetoric, and growing Islamophobia.
“So I think these are going to be the biggest challenges in 2025 and I think with the Trump election, we’ll wait to see how much more that’s emboldened.”
Ms Mohammed said that while the conflict in the Middle East had been “very polarising”, it was the riots last summer after the Southport stabbings which were perhaps the hardest period of her leadership.
I think the politics and the national narrative of belonging is really in a bad juxtaposition
Zara Mohammed, MCB leader
She told PA: “I could not believe that mobs of people were physically trying to destroy, arson attack, hurt Muslims, refugees, mosques, marching around.”
She contrasted the work she and others had done to bring communities together, with the scenes of division on the streets.
She said: “On one hand we’re making great progress, we’re more integrated, you know, but at the same time, we’re being treated as a security and immigration issue.
“And I think the politics and the national narrative of belonging is really in a bad juxtaposition.”
Ms Mohammed said the current climate is one in which there is a particular need for “meaningful partnerships” between the Government and organisations like the MCB.
She said the current policy of non-engagement with the MCB is “a disservice to future generations”, having hoped for official engagement to have been reinstated during her tenure.
Ties were first cut under Labour in 2009, over a reported declaration of support by a then-senior figure in the MCB for Hamas.
They were restored the following year after the MCB stated its opposition to violence, but more recently both the Conservative and Labour administrations have refused to engage with the organisation.
Ms Mohammed said that while the MCB has had “our fair share of history”, they do not advocate for any “negative” views, saying they are democratically-run, with elections, a code of conduct, protocols “and a lot of scrutiny”.
She added: “For me, I think particularly again after the riots, and again after the constant increase in Islamophobia and hate crime, this new Government, I hope, will change its approach.
“I think it’s a disservice to future generations. You know, this Government shouldn’t let down the future of young British Muslims.
“We can’t afford to let them down, actually. And I think that with all that’s going on, what we need is meaningful partnerships.”
Labour minister Alex Norris confirmed to Parliament in August that the Government’s policy not to engage remained unchanged and that there were no plans for ministers to meet the MCB.
A Government spokesman declined to comment on the specific reasons for current non-engagement.
They said: “All forms of religious and racial hatred have absolutely no place in our society.
“The Government engages regularly with faith communities to foster strong working relationships and we are exploring a more integrated and cohesive approach to tackling racial and religious hatred, including Islamophobia.
“Further details of this work will be set out in due course.”
UK
'Worrying' fall in number of toilets, London charity says
20/01/2025 Gem O'Reilly BBC News, London
Age UK London Three times as many public toilets have closed than opened over the past decade, according to Age UK London
Simran Sohal BBC News, London
There has been a "worrying decline" in access to public toilets in London over the past decade, according to a report by Age UK London.
Thirty local authorities out of 33 responded to a Freedom of Information request from the charity.
The mayor of London's office said the authority continued to work with Transport for London (TfL) and others "to ensure the availability and accessibility" of public lavatories.
Holly Fleet, who has ulcerative colitis and a stoma bag, said the city is in "toilet poverty"
Holly Fleet, a 31-year-old who has ulcerative colitis and a stoma bag, said this "toilet poverty" has impacted many people.
Ms Fleet said she does not leave her home unless she knows where the nearest toilet is going to be.
She called it a "disgrace" she had to plan her routes around supermarkets - some of the few places where people can use the facilities without being charged.
London Loo Codes maintains an openly accessible database with many codes on it, while organisations such as the British Toilet Association, campaign for better provision.
The Royal Society for Public Health argues that public toilets should be considered "as essential as streetlights, roads and waste collection, and equally well enforced by legislation and regulations".
In October, TfL announced it would invest £15m on building more public toilets
People with non-visible disabilities have told the BBC they face discrimination in restaurants and cafes when they present a card addressing their condition and the need for an accessible toilet.
John McGeachy, from Age UK London, said: "People with health conditions, older people, disabled Londoners, pregnant women, people with young families, we're all human, so we all benefit from more public toilets."
He said the availability of lavatories can determine whether people feel able to leave their homes.
"We've known provision has been declining in London and across the country for a long time, but this new report means we have a much clearer picture about the scale of decline."
'Biggest investment in toilets'
Mark Evers from TfL, said he recognised the issue is "absolutely essential" in customer care.
"It's the difference between going out and not going out, so it has a wider implication on their quality of life."
In October last year, TfL announced it would invest £15m on building more toilets across the network and improving existing facilities.
Mr Evers said it was the "biggest investment in toilets that London's transport network has ever seen".
The London mayor's office acknowledged the importance of public toilets as "a vital part of social infrastructure" and essential for people moving around the capital "particularly those who are older, disabled or with certain illnesses". Advertisement
Age UK London is now calling for local and national government to take "urgent action" to improve provision.
Exclusive:
Crisis-hit Scottish university to unveil rescue plan 'within weeks' as SNP warns against compulsory job cuts
By Calum Ross Education Correspondent The Scotsman 20th Jan 2025
Letters from Scottish Government minister released to The Scotsman
Acrisis-hit Scottish university plans to reveal details of its recovery plan in “a matter of weeks” after bosses were warned by an SNP minister they must make “every effort” to protect jobs.
The University of Dundee has been under scrutiny since it announced in November that the institution was facing a deficit of up to £30million, with redundancies “inevitable”.
The University of Dundee has flagged staffing cuts to meet a 30 million pound deficit.
A few weeks later its principal, Professor Iain Gillespie, resigned with immediate effect, amid mounting concerns over the scale of the financial woes.
The UCU union is now balloting for strike action at the university over the failure to rule out compulsory redundancies.
Prof Iain Gillespie, former principal of Dundee University | Contributed
It has emerged that on December 4, just two days before Prof Gillespie’s resignation was announced, the minister wrote to the university principal
Mr Dey said: “In noting the likelihood that members of staff at the University of Dundee are at risk of redundancy and whilst ministers cannot compel institutions to commit to no compulsory redundancies, my expectation is that all universities work with staff to make every effort to protect jobs.
“I expect employers, workers, and trade unions to work together, in line with our Fair Work principles, to reach the right decisions and ensure workers are treated fairly; and for workers to have appropriate channels for maintaining constructive and meaningful dialogue with employers.”
Nine days later, on December 13, Mr Dey again raised the issue in a letter to Professor Shane O’Neill, who became the university’s interim principal, following Prof Gillespie’s resignation.
The second letter came after the minister was contacted by trade unions “expressing concern” that they had not been involved in conversations relating to the financial situation, including the resignation of the former principal, and the development of the financial recovery plan.
Mr Dey said: “The University of Dundee is of course an autonomous institution with responsibility for its own operational and resourcing decisions to achieve financial sustainability.
“However, as I set out in my letter to Professor Gillespie of 4 December, I expect employers, workers, and trade unions to work together, in line with our Fair Work principles, to reach the right decisions and ensure workers are treated fairly; and for workers to have appropriate channels for maintaining constructive and meaningful dialogue with employers.
“I have also highlighted these points to the Scottish Funding Council in the context of their ongoing dialogue with the university to support financial recovery.”
Mr Dey added: “Both the Scottish Government and Scottish Funding Council will continue to support colleges and universities in developing their own mitigating strategies to minimise negative impacts on short, medium and long-term financial sustainability.
“Ensuring our institutions are on a sustainable trajectory is at the heart of our considerations to reform the post-school system, so that the significant investment we are making delivers the best outcomes for learners, the economy and society.”
The correspondence has emerged amid unanswered questions over why Dundee’s pressures appear to be worse than other Scottish universities, and over the reasons for Prof Gillespie’s resignation.
Mr Dey told Holyrood’s education committee this month that he was “anticipating” that a report would be produced detailing how Dundee University ended up in its current position.
“I think there needs to be an explanation provided, because of the element of public funding. It needs to be provided for the staff, for the students. We need to understand how this occurred. I fully expect there to be a report,” he said.
The minister also signalled that he could use upcoming legislation to strengthen the oversight and intervention powers of the Scottish Funding Council, in the wake of the crisis.
A spokesperson for Dundee University said details of its financial recovery plan would be unveiled imminently.
“We expect to bring forward a recovery plan and associated proposals in a matter of weeks, to address significant financial challenges, ensure the long-term sustainability of the university and allow us to continue to make a positive difference in the city, region and beyond,” he said.
“We are engaging constructively with campus unions and we are committed to an open and constructive consultation process once we are ready to share the plan.”
Mary Senior, Scotland official at the UCU union, said: “It’s welcome that the minister recognises the value and importance of employers engaging with trade unions and ensuring workers views are integral to the ongoing discussions on the future of the university.
“Since Graeme Dey’s intervention, we have seen a positive change in management’s engagement with trade unions at the university although there is still some way to go in ensuring that university staff and unions’ voices are central to future decision making.
“That said, the situation at Dundee university remains dire, with a seemingly inexplicable financial black hole, the threat of job cuts hanging over workers, and cuts to educational provision for students.
“UCU is balloting for strike action at the university in a bid to defend jobs and education. We’re calling on the employer to rule out compulsory redundancies so that no worker is forced out of the door, and we’re calling on the Scottish Government to do more to properly fund university teaching and to end the decade of underinvestment in our university education.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Our universities play a pivotal role in Scotland’s economy and wider society.
“We value their contribution and have listened closely to the sector in the development of this year’s budget. That is why the 2025/26 budget, if passed, will invest over £1 billion in teaching and research, including an increase in funding for research and innovation.”
“Whilst universities such as Dundee are autonomous institutions with responsibility for their own strategic and operational decision making, the Scottish Government and Scottish Funding Council will continue to offer support to individual universities as they develop their own plans to mitigate their financial challenges.
“The Scottish Government recognises that this will be a worrying time for the staff and students at the University of Dundee, but we expect employers and trade unions to work together, in line with our Fair Work principles, to ensure workers are treated fairly.”
UK
Unions could strike back with post-Tory learning fund revival
Gavin Williamson blitzed it but government-backed union training could return under a new guise now Labour holds power.
By the time Gavin Williamson scrapped the Union Learning Fund (ULF) in 2021, over two million people had used it to access training. Labour accused the then education secretary of ditching the £12 million a year scheme “to settle scores with trade unions”.
Now in government, there is growing speculation Labour could revive the fund, which supporters say helped a generation of workers climb the career ladder and delivered proven value for money for taxpayers.
Big employers including Tesco, Tata Steel and Heathrow Airport lined up with unions and MPs to oppose Williamson. It was an “unnecessary and ideological decision” which “defied economic logic” according to TUC northern secretary Liz Blackshaw, and a source close to government claimed the move flew in the face of Treasury advice.
Funding was instead diverted into the National Skills Fund to provide the free courses for jobs and skills bootcamps schemes, both of which are yet to prove themselves worthy of comparison with the ULF.
A University of Leeds evaluation in 2016 found the ULF delivered an economic return of £12.30 for every £1 spent (£7.60 to the individual and £4.70 to the employer).
Now, with the emergence of Skills England, a more flexible growth and skills levy and greater devolution, unions are eyeing opportunities to embark on a new age of union learning.
Former education secretary Gavin Williamson
Blunkett on a mission
Labour grandee David Blunkett began funding the ULF as education secretary in 1998 and is on a mission to bring it back. The peer wants unions to return to being seen “not just as bodies that only get taken seriously when they go on strike but as engines of positive change”.
Trade unions have a long tradition in learning.
England’s early adult education colleges were affiliated with the trade union movement, and union courses were commonly run in FE colleges.
Blunkett was inspired to create the ULF by his own experience of FE teaching in Huddersfield on “TUC-approved courses” when he became “very familiar with the idea of developing learning representatives”.
He was also later influenced by a scheme rolled out by Sheffield City Council – when he was its leader – which provided 10 days of paid learning opportunities for employees who lacked basic skills.
“It created an atmosphere of combined endeavour, so it wasn’t management versus trade unions. I drew down on that,” Blunkett said.
David Blunkett Photo by Mark Allan
In 2021, Blunkett was tasked by Keir Starmer to form the Council of Skills Advisers to plan how Labour could fix the country’s skills crisis if it won government.
Its top recommendation – to create a ‘national skills taskforce’ of employers and representatives of unions, central and local government and education providers to work cross-government – is now coming to fruition with the creation of Skills England.
The TUC’s learning and skills policy officer Julia Jones is confident that Unionlearn (the skills arm of the TUC that managed the ULF) is on the government’s radar because “we’ve made sure it is”.
It has commissioned Public First to undertake a feasibility study on what a new ULF might look like in light of the devolution agenda, with many areas of the country now gaining control of adult skills budgets.
Proof of concept
Tom Bewick, an advisor to the government on skills policy in the early years of New Labour who “helped devise” the ULF, believes the fund’s “real strength” was “getting to people in the workplace who frankly after bad experiences were mistrusting of school”, but were “more likely to open up” to their union representatives.
Research supports this.
Tom Bewick
A Learning and Work Institute report in 2020 found it was “particularly effective at engaging workers with lower levels of qualifications”, while the University of Leeds evaluation found the fund “notably engaged older learners and learners from ethnic minority groups”.
The ULF provided not only maths, English and digital skills, but also more niche provision. Blunkett cited how the Transport and General Workers Union, working with colleges in the North West, used “transport cafés to lay on IT courses for road hauliers and coach drivers ….stopping off for half an hour – thus bringing about an entirely new version of ‘chips with everything’”.
Employers benefitted too because “they suddenly got motivated employees who wanted progression. They were recruiting in-house from their own workforce, which saved management in external recruitment costs”.
Blackshaw said that union learning set learners on “career paths they’d never envisioned, whether it was a supermarket checkout worker transitioning into an IT apprenticeship or train drivers learning British Sign Language”.
ULF 2.0
With the nation facing critical skills shortages, a new ULF could be purposefully designed to fill those gaps.
Tom Wilson, the TUC’s Unionlearn director from 2007 to 2015, believes that if funding constraints mean a new ULF “must be smaller”, then “priorities should be agreed, for example, social care where there is a desperate shortage of trained staff”.
Dr Benjamin Silverstone, a former union learning rep and now head of skills policy and strategy at the University of Warwickshire, believes a new ULF should focus on “developing the additional technical capabilities that workers need to remain relevant in markets that are rapidly shifting”, highlighting the example of an engineering motor vehicle lecturer who requires “EV competencies”. But he is unsure “how well unions fully understand that”.
Chris Gurdev, who was a union learning rep between 2016 and 2019 tasked with advising people about the union learning courses available, believes the programme lacked the publicity it deserved, and that if reintroduced it should be “linked into education providers and local community groups such as libraries and citizens advice centres”.
But Wilson believes that nowadays, online learning is “often much preferred” by union members. He calls for a future ULF to be designed to support long-term capacity, which the previous scheme did not; annual funding meant unions could only employ union learning staff on annual contracts, which were “fatally vulnerable”.
Chris Gurdev
Economic headwinds
The economic landscape is very different in 2024 to when New Labour took power in 1997.
Skills consultant Aidan Relf questions whether the government could afford to fund union learning, given the urgent need for the Treasury to service the government’s debt.
Blunkett believes a new ULF could be funded if the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Business and Trade share the financial burden with the Department for Education.
He concedes the government will also need to channel greater amounts of skills funding into targeting the growing numbers of people not in education, employment or training. But he believes a new ULF does not require “massive expenditure” if employers are “prepared to play ball with the unions”.
There are also concerns about whether unions are strategically placed in the right workplaces to make an impact.
Bewick believes scrapping the ULF was an “outrageous piece of skills vandalism” but points out that when the fund was launched, the country had a bigger manufacturing industry and those unions had a “powerful impact”.
A report last year by the British Chambers of Commerce found larger firms and the public sector were already “far more likely” to provide such training initiatives.
Dr Benjamin Silverstone
Silverstone has positive memories of his time as a ULR at Pembrokeshire College. But he has “difficulty” embracing the idea of reviving union learning funding as he is no longer a union member.
“I feel like the appeal of unions is dropping in certain respects, because they don’t seem to be achieving much. Maybe having a stronger learning component might help to reverse that. But shouldn’t training be the employer’s responsibility, rather than a union’s?”
After the ULF was axed in England, the number of Unionlearn staff employed by unions in England fell sharply despite efforts to maintain programmes.
But they survived where devolved governments in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland continued funding their work.
The unions could use their seat at the table of the new body Skills England (which skills minister Jacqui Smith pledged would “bring in trade unions in a way that was perhaps not the case previously”), to make their case for union programmes to plug skills shortages.
The devolved nations already have similar arms-length bodies to Skills England tasked with identifying skills gaps, and Unite officer Siobhan Endean says this means these nations “identify the skills needs of the local economy, so as a union we’re able to reach out to the right cohort of workers to encourage them to develop their skills.”
For example, Unite’s Scotland union learning team is working with the construction industry to address “the absolute need for retrofitting of properties”.
Union learning in devolved areas
The devolution of adult skills funding to mayoral combined authorities in England is also slowly helping unions grow their learning provision.
The TUC’s 2024 report says it is “reinvigorating” staff learning with the election of more union learning reps. It is also “exploring new ways of encouraging learning and development, including the offer of individual learning accounts”.
Unison attracted a record 209,000 new members in 2023, including 4,097 union learning representatives, stewards, and health and safety reps – a rise of 56 per cent on 2022.
Skills minister Jacqui Smith
Unions hope the introduction of integrated settlements, giving mayors more freedom to spend their funding as they see fit, could also provide a boost.
They have secured a seat on the West Midlands Combined Authority board, leading to a skills partnership with the TUC which funded workplace learning through the Communication Workers Union in Coventry.
And South Yorkshire Combined Authority is working with Barnsley College and the GMB to teach Sheffield City Council officers digital skills, including its civil enforcement team.
GMB workplace rep Dave Furness, who organised the course, said there was a “massive need for digital skills” within the council and “probably a lot of other local authorities” that have “an ageing workforce”.
The West of England Combined Authority, which is working with unions through its employment and skills panel, recently invited trade unions to fill skills gaps by bidding to deliver training as part of its Union Learn West programme.
Unions can apply for up to £200,000 to“support workers and employers to enhance skills, increase take-up of programmes and simplify access to training”, said mayor Dan Norris.
Meanwhile, in the capital, the TUC last year launched a Greater London Authority-funded union learning project with five unions to provide numeracy and literacy programmes and support migrant workers.
Wilson believes it is “great that some union learning programmes have found local funding”, and believes that a new ULF would “support locally funded learning”.
He said: “Skills should be a priority. History shows that unions can play a crucial role, given the right help.”
UK
Free school meals 'would tackle child poverty'
Joshua Aitken BBC Politics North Free school meals could help children lead a healthier lifestyle, it has been argued
A Labour MP has said he wants to see the government introduce free school meals as a means to tackle child poverty, once the economy improves.
But Sam Rushworth, MP for Bishop Auckland, said despite the idea not being government policy his ambition to see universal free school meals "hasn't changed".
North Tyneside Conservative councillor Lewis Bartoli objected to the possible scheme and said meals for well-off families should not be subsidised.
Rushworth told BBC Politics North it was "absolutely right" not to bring in a policy which had not been costed.
"At the moment we haven't found a way to pay for that so it's not government policy," he said.
"But as an MP who's listening to headteachers, parents and children in my constituency, my job is also to campaign and fight for them.
"I do believe this would be a significant measure that would tackle child poverty."
Labour's Sam Rushworth wants his party to eventually provide universal free school meals
Amelia Lake, professor of public health nutrition at Teesside University, said the move was not about fighting poverty but improving the health of the next generation.
She said free meals could save the health service money in the long run by teaching children to live a healthy lifestyle.
"The reality is there are hungry children and quite unhealthy children who go on to be unhealthy adults which costs our NHS a lot of money," she said.
But Bartoli argued free school meals where already being supplied to those who need them the most.
"I accept there's probably a cohort – the squeezed middle – who are struggling," he said.
"But I think that to be giving free school meals to children of parents on more than enough means would feel like a waste of government money that could be spent somewhere else."
PA Dale Vince, founder of Ecotricity, said "the future is plant-based"
BBC
A green energy company has opened what it claims to be the UK's first fully plant-based workplace canteen.
Ecotricity, in Stroud, Gloucestershire, said the move was part of its aim to combat climate change, protect nature and promote healthy eating.
Dale Vince, founder of the company, said: "We think our new plant-based cafeteria is a first and proves that there's another way to do things.
"Plant-based eating can be affordable, healthy, tasty, and good for the planet. The future is plant-based, and the sooner we get there, the better for us all."
On Friday, the founder's ex-wife Kate Vince was awarded more than £40m after their divorce by a High Court judge.
Cutting meat and dairy products from your diet could reduce an individual's carbon footprint from food by two-thirds, according to an Oxford study, published in the journal Science.
What is climate change?
Climate change is the long-term shift in the Earth's average temperatures and weather conditions.
The world has been warming up quickly over the past 100 years or so. As a result, weather patterns are changing.
