The Mandelson fiasco reveals the true nature of Starmerism This is a prime minister who does not understand the difficult trade-offs involved in governing

Ultimately all of this is a product of Starmer's governing style:

I tried to articulate that combined point here.

blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandp...

The challenge for his likely successor will be that much harder.

(And if he does somehow cling on, as it is still possible if unlikely, there must be a hard and low ceiling on any recovery.)

I stress constraints more than most and I am still certain that Starmer's operation has made massive, avoidable errors, and that his position has probably been untenable for some time. They have blown a major opportunity. That is on them, and him, and Labour supporters should not be forgiving.

Seats under various MRP Projections More In Common, YouGov, FindOutNow, JL Partners SNP 57 67 67 57 Labour 16 15 14 21 Conservatives 12 7 12 13 Liberal Democrats 14 9 8 8 Greens 8 11 13 11 Reform 22 20 15 19

On the topic of MRPs being effectively useless, I think the Telegraph/JL Poll messed up their own D'Hondt calculations.

The real numbers are:
SNP: 57
Labour:21
Conservatives: 13
Liberal Democrats: 8
Greens: 11
Reform: 19

This is really basic stuff.

Very useful piece from @pollysmythe.bsky.social

Predicting every London election result Plus: What's the tube strike ACTUALLY about?

It’s the most Bluesky thing that’s ever happened: Comment is Freed x London Centric local elections prediction collab just dropped. www.londoncentric.media/p/london-loc...

Postdoctoral Research Associate at Queen Mary University of London Explore an exciting academic career as a Postdoctoral Research Associate. Don't miss out on other academic jobs. Click to apply and explore more opportunities.

Three year postdoc going at @qmulsse.bsky.social working with @karlpike.bsky.social on ‘Politics and mythmaking: disentangling myth from ideology’, funded by the Leverhulme Trust. Details here:

Reminded of Miliband's best line

The problem with Starmer's argument (well one of them) is that it depends on an assertion that he wouldn't have appointment Mandelson if he'd known he'd failed vetting.

But he appointed him before vetting was complete.

MPs are furious about this - especially the quotes from Epstein victims.

Am I wrong to think that it is not conventional for lines to take to be leaked like this, so openly. Telling of mood?

There is a tension between the uni critical view that university exists to produce day one work ready graduates who should be experts in [dice roll] AI and the uni critical view that it exists as a debate club where [dice roll] engineering students should be shocked and offended on a daily basis.

Delighted to hear that you liked it!

Okay this has to end 1-1. That deserves to be the goal that wins this Arsenal side the title

Trevor Phillips said on Sky News this morning that "everybody in the country who could read a newspaper" knew in advance of the Mandelson appointment that he was problematic

is this the same Phillips who interviewed Mandelson on October 08 2023 and didn't ask any questions about Epstein friendship?

Badgers : animated music video : MrWeebl YouTube video by Weebl's Stuff

For those not versed in ancient lore

youtu.be/EIyixC9NsLI?...

A wonderfully evocative poster

This is really important and worth reading in full.

The coming global food crisis Hunger and even famine are foreseeable consequences of the war on Iran. Now the world must act to shield the poorest from effects that will continue long after the fighting stops

The coming global food crisis - www.ft.com/content/3634... via @FT

Frank Herbert I apologize for ever doubting you

Screenshot of the title and abstract of a piece by Colm Murphy. Title: "The Unavoidability of Scarcity and Necessity of Political Choice". Abstract: "Advocates of the ‘abundance’ agenda dream of a bright future, but in the UK its possibility relies on economic sacrifices in the present. The consequent politics are wicked and demand ideologically informed choices about scarce resources."

Pleased that the @ippr.org Progressive Review's special issue on 'abundance', edited by @carsjung.bsky.social, is currently open access. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/25732331...

My essay has been described as "satisfyingly blunt realism". See if you agree: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

IPPR Progressive Review: Vol 32, No 1-3 Click on the title to browse this issue

Latest @ippr.org Progressive Review is out, focused on the "abundance agenda" - including @christabelcoops.bsky.social & @katealexandershaw.bsky.social on the politics of growth, and satisfyingly blunt realism from @gilesyb.bsky.social & @colmpm.bsky.social
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/25732331...

Might put "satisfyingly blunt realism" in my bio.

"what politicians need is not to escape, joyfully, the mental prison of the non-growing pie, but to acknowledge the bargains, trade-offs, foregone pleasures .... intrinsic to growing it again"
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
me in this collection on Abundance edited by @carsjung.bsky.social

Title and abstract of a journal article: "Eyes and ears, and potentially so much more: the role of parliamentary private secretary to the prime minister—a case study".

Reading London Playbook ("The PM seems confident, which is why he got his PPS to text all Labour MPs last night begging them not to sack him / giving important context on the Mandelson case") has reminded me: this just came out (doi.org/10.1093/pa/g...). Possibly of interest to Thatcher 'fans', too?

Modern British Studies Conference 2026 - University of Birmingham Conference information

Registration for MBS2026 is now open! Registration link and the conference programme can be found here: www.birmingham.ac.uk/events/moder...

Why does Keir Starmer even want to be Prime Minister? He clearly has no animating mission, no zeal for addressing the nation and no interest in politics or policy

Over in the @newstatesman1913.bsky.social, @jonnelledge.bsky.social asks "Why does Keir Starmer even want to be prime minister?" It's a good question.

www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...

NEW: Keir Starmer responds to Donald Trump’s threat to row back on trade deal the US signed with UK last year, amid sharp differences with White House on US approach to Iran conflict.