Eluned Mansell
@e-sings.bsky.social
Leadership, management and change in the education sector. Soprano with the CBSO Chorus. Arts and culture fan.
Inspired by Harmonium at the weekend! open.substack.com/pub/elunedma...
A recipe for (maximal) minimalism
or how to scare a choir in one piece
open.substack.com
July 6, 2026 at 4:40 PM
Inspired by Harmonium at the weekend! open.substack.com/pub/elunedma...
Reposted by Eluned Mansell
New post:
"Seven things we learnt from the elections"
We found out a lot about how multi-party politics is working in Britain over the last few days.
I look at the implications for all the main parties + the broader challenges for our system.
(£/free trial)
samf.substack.com/p/seven-thin...
"Seven things we learnt from the elections"
We found out a lot about how multi-party politics is working in Britain over the last few days.
I look at the implications for all the main parties + the broader challenges for our system.
(£/free trial)
samf.substack.com/p/seven-thin...
Seven things we learnt from the elections
Hopefully Comment is Freed readers will have felt a sense of familiarity as election results came in over Thursday night and Friday.
samf.substack.com
May 10, 2026 at 7:36 AM
New post:
"Seven things we learnt from the elections"
We found out a lot about how multi-party politics is working in Britain over the last few days.
I look at the implications for all the main parties + the broader challenges for our system.
(£/free trial)
samf.substack.com/p/seven-thin...
"Seven things we learnt from the elections"
We found out a lot about how multi-party politics is working in Britain over the last few days.
I look at the implications for all the main parties + the broader challenges for our system.
(£/free trial)
samf.substack.com/p/seven-thin...
My latest blog on change, as we go through the process of finding a new choral conductor!
open.substack.com/pub/elunedma...
open.substack.com/pub/elunedma...
Transitions: the next phase of change
In my last blog, I talked about an ending.
open.substack.com
April 12, 2026 at 6:25 PM
My latest blog on change, as we go through the process of finding a new choral conductor!
open.substack.com/pub/elunedma...
open.substack.com/pub/elunedma...
Not at all relevant to Sam's analysis, but I still find it weird to see my first name in any sort of print as it's fairly unusual even in Wales!
New post out:
"Elections 2026: The Preview"
The first part of an epic preview covering 5,000 seats across 136 councils in England; plus parliamentary elections in Scotland and Wales.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/e...
"Elections 2026: The Preview"
The first part of an epic preview covering 5,000 seats across 136 councils in England; plus parliamentary elections in Scotland and Wales.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/e...
Elections 2026: The Preview
Part one
open.substack.com
April 9, 2026 at 6:18 PM
Not at all relevant to Sam's analysis, but I still find it weird to see my first name in any sort of print as it's fairly unusual even in Wales!
2:22 A Ghost Story in Oxford. Shout out to Natalie Casey getting the show back on track after a hilarious interruption from an audience member caused everyone to get the giggles 😃
March 1, 2026 at 12:20 PM
2:22 A Ghost Story in Oxford. Shout out to Natalie Casey getting the show back on track after a hilarious interruption from an audience member caused everyone to get the giggles 😃
Theatre #7 The Battle (Birmingham Rep)
Fun, sweary telling of the battle for #1 between Blur and Oasis, with a very funny punchline that it could have got to a bit quicker
Fun, sweary telling of the battle for #1 between Blur and Oasis, with a very funny punchline that it could have got to a bit quicker
February 21, 2026 at 6:42 PM
Theatre #7 The Battle (Birmingham Rep)
Fun, sweary telling of the battle for #1 between Blur and Oasis, with a very funny punchline that it could have got to a bit quicker
Fun, sweary telling of the battle for #1 between Blur and Oasis, with a very funny punchline that it could have got to a bit quicker
I mean... I have seen all these skaters skate live and I've never seen anything quite like that from Kagiyama and Malinin (or Shaidorov really, fair play to him!). Insane amount of pressure.
February 13, 2026 at 10:43 PM
I mean... I have seen all these skaters skate live and I've never seen anything quite like that from Kagiyama and Malinin (or Shaidorov really, fair play to him!). Insane amount of pressure.
Reposted by Eluned Mansell
At work, I often threaten to have tattooed on my forehead:
1. What are you trying to achieve?
2. What are the implications of that?
3. What resources do you have to make that happen?
This piece makes me feel like that applies at all levels of operation!
1. What are you trying to achieve?
2. What are the implications of that?
3. What resources do you have to make that happen?
This piece makes me feel like that applies at all levels of operation!
New post out:
"Who runs Britain?"
Politicians complain they are unable to do anything because of the machinery of state. Yet they have more power than ever.
What explains this "paradox of executive power" and how can it be fixed?
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/w...
"Who runs Britain?"
Politicians complain they are unable to do anything because of the machinery of state. Yet they have more power than ever.
What explains this "paradox of executive power" and how can it be fixed?
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/w...
Who runs Britain?
The paradox of executive power
open.substack.com
January 25, 2026 at 9:56 AM
At work, I often threaten to have tattooed on my forehead:
1. What are you trying to achieve?
2. What are the implications of that?
3. What resources do you have to make that happen?
This piece makes me feel like that applies at all levels of operation!
1. What are you trying to achieve?
2. What are the implications of that?
3. What resources do you have to make that happen?
This piece makes me feel like that applies at all levels of operation!
Had a great time at #EuroFigure this week - brilliant to see a bronze medal for the Brits and huge support from a packed arena
January 18, 2026 at 2:18 PM
Had a great time at #EuroFigure this week - brilliant to see a bronze medal for the Brits and huge support from a packed arena
Really interesting on the successes of enabling communities to make the changes they want to see themselves
New post just out:
"Power to the People"
Today we have a guest post from @jamestplunkett.bsky.social on how Labour can counter the "Britain is Broken" narrative by investing in civic life and giving people more control over their community.
(Free to read)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/p...
"Power to the People"
Today we have a guest post from @jamestplunkett.bsky.social on how Labour can counter the "Britain is Broken" narrative by investing in civic life and giving people more control over their community.
(Free to read)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/p...
Power to the People
How Labour can restore civic life and counter the "Britain is broken" narrative
open.substack.com
January 18, 2026 at 10:52 AM
Really interesting on the successes of enabling communities to make the changes they want to see themselves
Reposted by Eluned Mansell
New post just out:
"Troubleshooters"
How fixing the many small frustrations - that make up most of our interactions with the state - can give people faith in goverment's ability to make things work.
And help create a different Whitehall culture.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
"Troubleshooters"
How fixing the many small frustrations - that make up most of our interactions with the state - can give people faith in goverment's ability to make things work.
And help create a different Whitehall culture.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
Troubleshooters
How to get people believing in the state again
open.substack.com
January 13, 2026 at 8:58 AM
New post just out:
"Troubleshooters"
How fixing the many small frustrations - that make up most of our interactions with the state - can give people faith in goverment's ability to make things work.
And help create a different Whitehall culture.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
"Troubleshooters"
How fixing the many small frustrations - that make up most of our interactions with the state - can give people faith in goverment's ability to make things work.
And help create a different Whitehall culture.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
Theatre #5. Incredible performance of All My Sons. Just wow.
January 13, 2026 at 10:22 PM
Theatre #5. Incredible performance of All My Sons. Just wow.
Theatre #4 courtesy of NT Live, one of my favourite innovations. Great performances by Martin Freeman and Jack Lowden, and you get a great view for £20 from the comfort of your local cinema
January 11, 2026 at 4:53 PM
Theatre #4 courtesy of NT Live, one of my favourite innovations. Great performances by Martin Freeman and Jack Lowden, and you get a great view for £20 from the comfort of your local cinema
Theatre #3
Some much needed new year humour from Christmas Carol Goes Wrong. Mischief theatre are just brilliant!
Some much needed new year humour from Christmas Carol Goes Wrong. Mischief theatre are just brilliant!
January 6, 2026 at 9:57 PM
Theatre #3
Some much needed new year humour from Christmas Carol Goes Wrong. Mischief theatre are just brilliant!
Some much needed new year humour from Christmas Carol Goes Wrong. Mischief theatre are just brilliant!
Theatre #2 - The minimalist staging of The Forsyte Saga at the RSC allows the story (and acting) to shine. Loved both parts of this (had managed to miss all previous TV adaptations, so the story was genuinely new to me).
January 3, 2026 at 11:02 PM
Theatre #2 - The minimalist staging of The Forsyte Saga at the RSC allows the story (and acting) to shine. Loved both parts of this (had managed to miss all previous TV adaptations, so the story was genuinely new to me).
Already finished 2 TV series. V much enjoyed the Stranger Things finale - agree that the epilogue was disproportionately lengthy, but I was crying 😢 by the end. Satisfying ending imo.
January 2, 2026 at 8:21 PM
Already finished 2 TV series. V much enjoyed the Stranger Things finale - agree that the epilogue was disproportionately lengthy, but I was crying 😢 by the end. Satisfying ending imo.
Starting this year's support/ enjoyment of the arts with an awesome performance of Fiddler on the Roof, a musical I have actually managed not to see before now (no, not even the film). High quality all round.
January 2, 2026 at 8:10 PM
Starting this year's support/ enjoyment of the arts with an awesome performance of Fiddler on the Roof, a musical I have actually managed not to see before now (no, not even the film). High quality all round.
This one is interesting...
Terrific but depressing by @sarahoconnorft.ft.com and @jburnmurdoch.ft.com. LLMs are, I am convinced, the worst thing to happen to fair hiring since the end of legal discrimination:
The AI Shift: Is hiring becoming less meritocratic?
[FREE TO READ] Use of LLMs encourage more applications but they change the commitment signal of employers and employees
on.ft.com
November 14, 2025 at 3:33 PM
This one is interesting...
Reposted by Eluned Mansell
New post just out:
"Who might replace Starmer?"
With pressure growing on the PM, there are a lot of conversations going on in Westminster about who could take over.
Who are the contenders? Who's best placed to win? Would it make any difference?
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/w...
"Who might replace Starmer?"
With pressure growing on the PM, there are a lot of conversations going on in Westminster about who could take over.
Who are the contenders? Who's best placed to win? Would it make any difference?
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/w...
Who might replace Starmer?
As predicted at the start of the summer, the idea that the Prime Minister might not make it through another year is gaining traction.
open.substack.com
November 2, 2025 at 9:09 AM
New post just out:
"Who might replace Starmer?"
With pressure growing on the PM, there are a lot of conversations going on in Westminster about who could take over.
Who are the contenders? Who's best placed to win? Would it make any difference?
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/w...
"Who might replace Starmer?"
With pressure growing on the PM, there are a lot of conversations going on in Westminster about who could take over.
Who are the contenders? Who's best placed to win? Would it make any difference?
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/w...
Reposted by Eluned Mansell
New post out:
"The worst social policy ever"
Today we have a guest post from @ruthpatrick0.bsky.social on the abomination that is the two-child limit and why Labour need to scrap it ASAP.
Lots of data but also powerful testimony.
(Free to read)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
"The worst social policy ever"
Today we have a guest post from @ruthpatrick0.bsky.social on the abomination that is the two-child limit and why Labour need to scrap it ASAP.
Lots of data but also powerful testimony.
(Free to read)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
"The worst social policy ever"
We have a couple of bonus guest posts over the next week.
open.substack.com
October 30, 2025 at 8:27 AM
New post out:
"The worst social policy ever"
Today we have a guest post from @ruthpatrick0.bsky.social on the abomination that is the two-child limit and why Labour need to scrap it ASAP.
Lots of data but also powerful testimony.
(Free to read)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
"The worst social policy ever"
Today we have a guest post from @ruthpatrick0.bsky.social on the abomination that is the two-child limit and why Labour need to scrap it ASAP.
Lots of data but also powerful testimony.
(Free to read)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
The first line made me laugh out loud, the rest was the usual tone of insightful and somewhat depressing (I have family being educated in Russia)
New post just out:
"Never again?"
On how the radical right are trying to change our collective memory about World War Two as part of their assault on the postwar order.
And why that memory remains a critical defence against nationalism.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/n...
"Never again?"
On how the radical right are trying to change our collective memory about World War Two as part of their assault on the postwar order.
And why that memory remains a critical defence against nationalism.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/n...
Never again?
Memory entrepreneurship and the radical right’s assault on the postwar order
open.substack.com
October 26, 2025 at 10:24 AM
The first line made me laugh out loud, the rest was the usual tone of insightful and somewhat depressing (I have family being educated in Russia)
Sending @samfr.bsky.social lots of get well soon wishes, following his latest attempt to become one of his own NHS statistics. As ever, hugely insightful piece, although I think everyone would prefer you not to have to write from firsthand experience!
New post just out:
"On the edge"
On my unexpected week in hospital and five things I learnt about the state of the NHS.
(Free to read)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/o...
"On the edge"
On my unexpected week in hospital and five things I learnt about the state of the NHS.
(Free to read)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/o...
On the edge
My week in the NHS
open.substack.com
October 20, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Sending @samfr.bsky.social lots of get well soon wishes, following his latest attempt to become one of his own NHS statistics. As ever, hugely insightful piece, although I think everyone would prefer you not to have to write from firsthand experience!
Are you listening? We're on BBC Radio 3 right now, with our season opening concert recorded last week! www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Radio 3 - Listen Live - BBC Sounds
Listen live to BBC Radio 3 on BBC Sounds
www.bbc.co.uk
September 22, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Are you listening? We're on BBC Radio 3 right now, with our season opening concert recorded last week! www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
This week we performed The Dream of Gerontius as the CBSO's season opener - here's my tribute to Simon Halsey who steps down as Chorus Director after 43 years!
elunedmansell.wordpress.com/2025/09/18/i...
elunedmansell.wordpress.com/2025/09/18/i...
September 19, 2025 at 9:28 AM
This week we performed The Dream of Gerontius as the CBSO's season opener - here's my tribute to Simon Halsey who steps down as Chorus Director after 43 years!
elunedmansell.wordpress.com/2025/09/18/i...
elunedmansell.wordpress.com/2025/09/18/i...