Colin retweeted
Today I went to a select committee hearing on AI. A few interesting things came out of it, but what really stuck with me was the behaviour of the MPs
They weren’t paying attention
At one point I counted 6 of the 13 MPs on the committee looking at their phones. And not in that way you do when you’re quickly checking something - two stared at their phones for over half an hour. Several others left before the end
Many people think AI is the most important thing in the world. The MPs were warned there was a 50/50 chance it might destroy humanity! You’d think that’d be enough to make you take your chance to listen to experts and key players on the topic - apparently not
An email half an hour before the committee? Sorry, as a former PS, unless you verbally tell your boss at that point it's not going to be ingested. I don't think this is the 'gotcha' being claimed. Key point is he didn't spot it on the BBC, and nobody thought to tell him... (1/2)
Colin retweeted
Yesterday Finnish and Swedish Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) fighter jets were scrambled to intercept and identify Russian military aircraft in international airspace over the Gulf of Finland. This was the first joint operational identification mission our air forces.
Colin retweeted
The extent of the PISA gap between England + other western European countries is extraordinary.
In reading, the 25% most disadvantaged pupils in England outperformed the average for *all* students in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Norway etc...
A decade ago there was no gap
New post out:
England's schools are now the second highest performing in the world outside the far east, according to the PISA study.
Is this because of policy? Attitude to technology? Cultural factors like immigration? And where can we still improve?
samf.substack.com/p/why-engl…
Colin retweeted
The UK doesn't seek confrontation.
But together with our allies, we stand ready to defend every inch of @NATO territory.
Colin retweeted
This is magnificent. A reminder that in debating terms, Holyrood is a permanent bin round.
Colin retweeted
Honestly, digging into how the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish school systems work yesterday was radicalising
Colin retweeted
If I had to name one area it would be the reduced focus on core subjects and accompanying elevation of woolly domains and goals that sound lovely but have no evidence base, the lack of strict guidance on minimum content that must be covered for core subjects, and much greater freedom for schools to shape what is taught. I find such a huge deviation from evidence and structure really astonishing, and can’t imagine my kid going through a system so alien to how I was taught in England. Honestly gives “alternative medicine” vibes.
Colin retweeted
When I was political editor of The Scotsman, the newspaper was arguing for school reform and parental choice. It was right 25 years ago and, as its latest editorial shows, right now.
Colin retweeted
Unfortunate truths about Scottish education:
The number of high-achieving kids has collapsed by 40% in the past 20 years.
PE is now the third most popular subject at Higher.
Just 40% percent of kids pass English and Maths at National 5 (ie, GCSE).
Scottish 15 year olds are more than a year behind English 15 year olds in Maths and Science.
"Knowledge" is a contested idea in Scottish education.
And the SNP government's response? The situation is "essentially stable".
Column on a great national disgrace. 👇
thetimes.com/uk/scotland/art…
This is insanity.
Under the SNP's new food price cap scheme, if Tesco's cheapest 75p own-brand loaf sells out, it would be legally required to immediately start selling its next-most-expensive loaf for 75p ("real-time adaptability to pricing"); and if that sells out, it has to discount another.
The price caps will be set by the Scottish govt on up to 50 "essential items" and the only way for a store to avoid this cascade is to take the rest of the loaves off the shelves and not sell any bread, which the SNP itself recognises could be an issue.
Colin retweeted
Scotland raised its top income tax rate to 48% to make the rich pay more.
New HMRC data suggests the result may have been the opposite: Scotland collected about £22m less.
We can't be sure, but Scotland may have fallen over the Laffer curve.
🧵:
Colin retweeted
The end of an era - After almost a century we said goodbye this morning to our great companion of the airwaves Radio 4 198 LW. I shall miss her warmth and crackle. Here’s the final sign off at the end of #theshippingforecast before she fell silent… ❤️ – at London, England
Colin retweeted
🚨Governor DeSantis PRAISES the Scottish for being good guests in South Florida!
“We had all these Scottish people come, and they're wearing the kilts, and they're out in the streets. I mean, just drinking these bars dry, like all this stuff. Having a really, really good time, but yet, no problems. There's no rioting, no anything like that. I t was very cheerful, it was good!”