Are you saying it's essentially a typo: you've labelled some things as upper when they should be lower and vice versa? If so, won't be a problem, just explain and they'll just ask you to change it.

Abababa - if you're in a lecturer post and you don't have significant research time in your contract, you are at the wrong place. I'm a lecturer in a post 92 and roughly 40% of my time is research. There are pinch points where it doesn't happen of course, but not sure your experience is true across the board.

I think for someone in your position the answer is basically no. A PhD is the usual entry criteria for academic posts. In the UK you wouldn't start as a prof either, you'd start as a lecturer, well down the pecking order. If you were a high ranking official in something to do with peacekeeping the position might be different re entry, but that doesn't apply to you.

I think you should mention it. (If you are / hoping to be in academia in the UK) the next REF is going to increase the weight given to impact. So if you can do anything to demonstrate you have the ability to generate that, that's great. On your CV where you put your academic paper, just add a sentence to show where it was discussed (presumably positively..?) in the popular press.

Yes. Just because with a perm lectureship there are better options, such as your own fellowship, your own grant, even a sabbatical etc to develop your research profile.

If you have the option of a 1 year lectureship or a 1 year post-doc, you'd need to think about it. If you get offered a permanent lectureship Vs a 1 year post-doc, you take the permanent, obviously. I'm a bit worried about your stated plan TQ. Deliberately signing up to casualisation or precarious temp jobs is not a great plan. Obviously if that's all you get, so be it, but don't plan to do that. Often the next job does not arise. Remember, the days of academics doing only research is over, you'll need to teach and research, you might develop a research profile but if you can't (prove) you can talk to a class of students you'll not get hired.

Edit: and obviously don't resign from a permanent job to do a post-doc, if that's what you were suggesting? Something like an ECR fellowship would be your best bet.

It might be that the supervisor applied for one of the studentships (that's how it works, the University will say to the departments we have say 100 studentships available, and they then submit applications to get one) but the project was rejected by the central University. The Uni may have decided to fund other projects instead, for example. Or maybe the supervisor liked the project but you didn't meet the requirements and so were desktop rejected by HR?

Any meeting with this supervisor will almost certainly not be paid - they are just inviting you for a chat by the sounds of it. So you'll need to tell them you can't afford the travel but can they do Skype or whatever.

Edit: you say 'so a meeting can be arranged', so maybe it could be more formal. Just ask if the Uni will pay, otherwise Skype.

Nobody who is wanting to do a PhD for career purposes (rather than just for fun) should be paying for their PhD. Eng is right, why would you get funding for later years if not for year 1? I think if you can't get funding that is a hint about a) you or b) your project. I'd recommend spending a year doing something else to boost your chances and reapplying for funding for next year.

Not sure whether I'm just not understanding the question but usually the grades are quite similar. Generally in the UK level 6 is usually lecturer, level 7 senior lecturer, level 8 associate prof or reader, level 9 is prof. There might be some minor differences, but that's in general how they are banded. Pay is usually more or less the same range for the same bands, that's market forces.

I think eng is being harsh, you shouldn't take a position unless you are sure about it / can put up with it. My advice would be that, but to bare in mind that rejecting this position could be a very grave risk. I wouldn't reject it UNLESS you get offered something else you prefer, as you might end up with nothing. Eng is right, it won't be much of a strife for the Uni if you did quit, slightly annoying maybe, but plenty of others will be available to take your place. Your last question - is it wise? Probably not! But you only live once. Think long and hard about it.

Also - no chance of being able to supervise without being affiliated with a Uni - as who would award the degree?

Not really sure what you mean - if you want to do those things, you need to find a university that is looking for someone to do that and then apply for the job. They would be unlikely to offer you work like that if you contacted them unsolicited. Some of those roles would be what university academics do so there wouldn't be roles to, for example, help students with initial research - that's what the supervisor does. Some of your ideas sound like a research assistant role. So take a look and see whether there are any roles you're interested in.

Definitely stop collecting and move onto the next phase. Remember your supervisor cannot stop you from submitting you thesis when the time comes (eg he can't say 'you needed more data so the thesis isn't ready', if you and your other sups think it is ready). Could you try and freeze out your main sup by working primarily with your other ones, who seem more supportive? Remember again your supervisors are there to support, not control. Consider recording any future meetings, literally, in a device, (openly, not clandestine). If the supervisor is the grant holder you probably can't swap him, but you could try and minimise your contact with him.

Tell him to take it, or he can jog on! Greedy swine.

Also, Middlesbrough is a town not a city.