Tom Rank
Reflections on literature, education - and other ramblings. Was @literaryconnect in the other place 😀
literaryconnections.co.uk
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- Reposted by Tom RankIn an exam-driven system, choosing a modern, diverse GCSE text can feel like a gamble. But Kit de Waal’s My Name Is Leon has given Alix Amrane and Caroline Ovel’s students insight into care, race, class, and shared humanity. www.nate.org.uk/2026/02/06/w... #NATE
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- Reposted by Tom RankDirect quote from the Government's own child poverty strategy "We are committed to ensuring that vulnerable migrant children receive the support that they require, regardless of their immigration status."
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- Reposted by Tom RankAmerica per capita spends more than twice as much on healthcare as the UK, millions have inadequate healthcare insurance, and life expectancy is lower. This is the type of system Nigel Fraud wants for the UK.
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- Reposted by Tom RankKey to this is the 28 day "move on" period for people leaving Home Office accommodation when granted refugee status. Previous government increased the period, but Labour in its desire to demonstrate its cruelty reduced it again, despite knowing the outcome. #r4today www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
- Reposted by Tom RankPour one out for every professional political pundit, writer, consultant whatever that has spent the last decade trying to pretend that the Trump phenomenon was about trade or opiates and not a big chunk of white america losing its mind over having a black president bsky.app/profile/kyle...
- A screenshot from a video posted on Trump's Truth Social account: truthsocial.com/@realDonaldT...
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- Reposted by Tom RankNow I think this could be just what the Olympics needs. Smart money is on @imcmillan.bsky.social in the 400m early morning freeform wander to the corner shop event…
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- "This was a clear example of a crime against humanity under international law.” #Iran www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
- Reposted by Tom RankReading through Sourav Roy and Tuhin Bhowal’s fine anthology of contemporary Hindi poetry, PERENNIAL, I was stopped cold by Seth Michelson’s razor-sharp translation of Rati Saxena’s devastating “Refugee”—a poem for our time, for all times. “…like kites holding tight / to the ruins…”
- Reposted by Tom Rank“We take almost all the decisive steps in our lives as a result of slight inner adjustments of which we are barely conscious.” W.G. Sebald, Austerlitz
- Reposted by Tom RankWhy the "earned settlement" proposals will harm not help integration and social cohesion (and, I'd add, the economy). This by @colinyeo.bsky.social should be read by every Labour MP... wewantedworkers.substack.com/p/labours-ea...
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- Reposted by Tom RankI posted elsewhere about a lady in one of my Leeds Irish Health and Homes workshops who wrote 'I've had dementia / for as long as I can remember'. It came back to me reading @ravoon.bsky.social's tremendous debut 'Dirt Rich', full of technically brilliant, emotionally-devastating work like this:
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- Reposted by Tom RankUtilitarian philosopher R.M. Hare has a discussion about how to bring up your kids if you were solely concerned with their happiness. He says: teach them not to seek happiness directly but be nice to people, make some true friends, get an absorbing hobby and a fulfilling job, be a good neighbour etc
- Reposted by Tom RankThe Home Secretary's view is that if a care worker & spouse come to the UK in 2022 and have a kid in 2024, then it's fine for that (British-born) child to stay in poverty until 2037 *even if their father/mother stays in work throughout*.
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- Reposted by Tom RankEnglish and Media Centre are interested in whether there are differences between the way poetry is taught at KS2 and KS3 & we’re helping them to build that picture. Add your voice and help us all understand how best to support poetry in the classroom: surveymonkey.com/r/MapKS2Colleagues
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- Reposted by Tom RankIf Starmer & McSweeney finally go over the revelations in the Mandelson files Their toxic immigration plans must go with them. NO MORE politicians in the pockets of the seedy rich blaming the outcomes of their greed & corruption on immigrants!
- Labour is creating a vulnerable migrant underclass @zoejardiniere.bsky.social
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- Reposted by Tom RankAre you sufficiently concerned about Palantir and Peter Thiel? Because he wasn't just in Epstein's life or files. He's in yours, and your files are with him thanks to the UK government.
- Reposted by Tom RankIt’s so cruel - and what next? People are housed in hotels (& barracks) often out of town, bus routes are scarce & the weekly allowance is pitiful. Charities can step in, but are people now just going to get sick? What is the plan here?
- Do they understand how mad they sound? As if anyone has ever decided to cross the Channel in a small boat because, if they make it, they might get to take a free taxi to a doctor's appointment? "Pull factors" on steroids. www.bbc.com/news/article...
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- Reposted by Tom RankDo they understand how mad they sound? As if anyone has ever decided to cross the Channel in a small boat because, if they make it, they might get to take a free taxi to a doctor's appointment? "Pull factors" on steroids. www.bbc.com/news/article...
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- Reposted by Tom Rank“It is absurd that asylum seekers are banned from working. There are many who spend long periods in the asylum backlog, or have difficulty proving their claim… such people should be allowed to enter the labour market. This would mean their skills could be recognised under the points-based system…”
- Labour is creating a vulnerable migrant underclass @zoejardiniere.bsky.social
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- Reposted by Tom RankMaybe gutting the World Service was a mistake, I dunno
- The BBC has launched a temporary emergency 30-minute daily radio programme for Iran on mediumwave and shortwave to combat the ongoing internet blackout. It will complement the existing BBC News Persian video and digital services www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/...
- Reposted by Tom RankThe BBC has launched a temporary emergency 30-minute daily radio programme for Iran on mediumwave and shortwave to combat the ongoing internet blackout. It will complement the existing BBC News Persian video and digital services www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/...
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- Reposted by Tom RankI wonder what it was about this piece for @bylinetimes.bsky.social that caused so many MAGA middle managers on LinkedIn (!) to lose their minds. Won't somebody think of the poor ICE agents?! bylinetimes.com/2026/01/29/w...
- Reposted by Tom RankHello teachers. Today I recorded 35 poetry workshops for you to use with your classes. 10 are for Early Years, 25 for KS 1,2 and Year 7. These are to go with the 11 that are already up on our channel. Thanks to @ApplesAndSnakes for support.
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- Reposted by Tom Rankit's not great when the consultation landing page continues the labour habit of just making things up where immigration rules are concerned. SETTLEMENT IS NOT GRANTED AUTOMATICALLY. absolute joke of a government
- PS. Not too late to tell the government what you think about their proposed changes to Indefinite Leave to Remain - the public consultation is open until 12th Feb. www.gov.uk/government/c...
