Zack Hellard

A 20 year old historian in exile (uni). Former MYP, Vice Chairman, and Scrutineer for Cardiff. Occasional guest appearances. @ZackHellard 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[Zack Hellard @RealZackHellard]

Also: a 16 year old is mature enough to vote yet not mature enough to watch YouTube at night?

With how contained a 16 year old’s world is becoming, with worldviews shaped solely by family, friends, schools, and the news, are they still in a position to make an informed vote?

[Zack Hellard @RealZackHellard]

Technology, harmful or not, will be the future- having the next generation effectively offline until 16 guarantees technological illiteracy

If social media is so harmful, why not address those harms- that surely affect everyone- rather than simply ban it?

[Zack Hellard @RealZackHellard]

Shocker

[Politics UK @PolitlcsUK]

🚨 NEW: A Government review has found that the nearly 1 million young people out of work and education are costing the UK over £125 billion each year

[Zack Hellard @RealZackHellard]

But this inherently devalues education boundaries. As Syndrome says in The Incredibles: “when everyone’s super no one will be.”

How do we combat this? Either we accept we are too educated and reduce graduate numbers, or we accept degrees as the standard and masters the exception

[Zack Hellard @RealZackHellard]

At what point does society decide too many people have undergraduate degrees and just shift educational requirements up? Have we reached that point already?

The number of graduates working minimum wage and unrelated to their field makes me think so

[Zack Hellard @RealZackHellard]

This is, arguably, a natural evolution

My grandfather had a primary education, my father a secondary, myself a college (soon degree). When education is seen as a net positive and developmental indicator, each generation learns more and goes further in education

[Zack Hellard @RealZackHellard]

Of course there is also a changing attitude towards work, specifically towards workplace settings and atmospheres, but this guidance does not address the massive (and growing) job deficit that exists, or the number of graduates now outpacing the number of graduate jobs made

[Zack Hellard @RealZackHellard]

My friends have applied for hundreds of jobs, one recent graduate applied for over 500. They are lucky if they receive a formal rejection rather than simply ignored, never mind an offer

The issue is that there simply are no jobs, both entry level and especially at graduate level

[Politics UK @PolitlcsUK]

🚨 NEW: A Government review has found employers must adapt to the "bedroom generation" of unemployed 16-24 year olds by offering more flexibility

It says they're "not snowflakes or faking it" and their anxiety and depression is linked to growing up on social media

[@thetimes]

[Zack Hellard @RealZackHellard]

China is able to build the equivalent to HS2 in ~half a decade, whilst the Shanghai Maglev now operates at 267MPH

HS2 is expected to operate at a maximum speed of 200MPH and will only be seen in the 2040s

Why is our infrastructure decades behind China in existence and quality?

[Politics UK @PolitlcsUK]

🚨 NEW: The Government says HS2 is now set to cost up to £102.7bn

The first trains from Birmingham to west London are expected between May 2036 and October 2039

Services from Euston to the North West and Scotland are expected between May 2040 and December 2043

[Zack Hellard @RealZackHellard]

Welsh Labour, a party with significant control over Wales since (I believe) ~1922, being reduced to just 9/96 seats is a colossal, undeniable change. Brushing that fact aside and acting as if nothing is wrong is delusional

At least Diane Abbot can see that

[Clwyd En Comú @ClwydEnComu]

Diane Abbott seems to be the only Labour MP who gets the significance of #Senedd26.

“This is not what happens. We’ve lost Wales. Wales is the heartland of the Labour movement. Nye Bevan… it’s extraordinary to lose Wales. Tony Blair didn’t lose Wales.”

[Zack Hellard @RealZackHellard]

Although results are still coming in across local/Senedd elections, one thing is clear:

The two-party status quo is gone. Reform, Plaid, and Green have largely swept previous Conservative and Labour strongholds

The real question is: will this trend carry to the next GE/ beyond?

[Calgie @christiancalgie]

Will Welsh results appear sooner than expected?
I understand there won't be any recounts. On account of them counting very Caerphilly

[Zack Hellard @RealZackHellard]

@rodneyberman @cardiffcouncil Was amongst those who could not vote- studying in Exeter, I asked for a postal vote that never arrived, so came home

If you were able to make the polling station before 5PM, you could vote normally- this was not communicated and apparently a lot of people lost their vote today

[Zack Hellard @RealZackHellard]

Finished with another year of uni
Might start a podcast

[Zack Hellard @RealZackHellard]

Certainly an interesting proposition- even if this article is pure speculation. Methinks Rayner may pose a more likely challenge, especially after recent reports of turning down a Cabinet return

Only time will tell

[Zack Hellard @RealZackHellard]

Burnham could be a contender for leader, but Labour’s NEC already turned down Burnham in January 8-1, with Starmer himself voting

A NEC loyal to Starmer stops Burnham getting a foot in the door, never mind moving into No. 10- will the May election outcomes change this?

[Politics UK @PolitlcsUK]

🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham has a plan to return to Westminster "within weeks" with several MPs prepared to resign to trigger a by-election for him

He reportedly has the backing of over 80 Labour MPs, enough to trigger a leadership election

[@guardian]

[Zack Hellard @RealZackHellard]

Happy Ed Balls day to those who celebrate

[Ed Balls @edballs]

Ed Balls

[Zack Hellard @RealZackHellard]

The UK no longer needs large fleets and Admirals as in the Empire’s days, but ready and seaworthy vessels are necessary for an island nation with global interests

Historic defence cuts by all parties have left us undefended and unprepared. It is time to rectify that- not in 2030

[Daily Mail @DailyMail]

HMS Dragon forced to dock in the Med amid 'technical issues' with its water system in latest embarrassment for Royal Navy https://t.co/TXB4FiwrQe

[Zack Hellard @RealZackHellard]

I considered the word ‘reform’ rather than ‘change’, but reform implies remnants are still worth keeping. Project costs and timelines at local and national levels have been spiralling and increasing, yet to most there is no improvement at the point of service.

[Zack Hellard @RealZackHellard]

HS2's failure after ~2 decades shows the problem is not ideological or political, but entrenched inefficacy from endless red tape and chronic mismanagement in our state

Is this trench too deep? PM Starmer spoke of how he pulled levers that did nothing

The system need change

[Financial Times @FT]

Ministers set to order HS2 to consider slower trains to save billions https://t.co/f4NllzerEG

[Zack Hellard @RealZackHellard]

Above included a map of current (limited) UK HS infrastructure to highlight the need for growth, meanwhile China achieved mass expansion in roughly the same period (HS2 dates back to 2009)

How can the UK be competitive when other nations are actually able to get things done?