I very much enjoyed my brief appearance on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour this morning to speak about women and conscrption with Amy Hill and presenter, Nuala McGovern. I look forward to opportunities to continue this important conversation! www.bbc.com/audio/play/m...
Want to understand the collapse of Labour in Wales?
And the Senedd elections more broadly?
Take 6 or 7 minutes to watch this report.
(#the implosion of the electorally most successful party in the democratic world.)
www.channel4.com/news/wales-e...
On the Mandelson vetting, either ministers were negligent for not knowing about an extremely sensitive decision, or they are lying. In any case, blaming officials is dishonourable.
Have just remembered, for no reason whatsoever, The League of Gentlemen. Suddenly feel compelled to buy some pegs for my wife.
Thank you very much for the cardigan I've been wanting this colour because Mummy burnt my other one.
Congratulations Jamie! Look forward to reading this. Let us know when it’s out.
This is wonderful news. The UK has officially signed up to rejoin the EU’s Erasmus+ scheme from 2027
It means students, apprentices and young people will be able to study and work across Europe 👏
Hi Tim please could you follow back so I can send you a message about this? Thanks.
I think HMT are trying to get agreement to take over procurement in return for the cash and that's what's causing the delay.
We're currently recruiting for five (yes five!) Collaborative Doctoral Partnership awards at IWM See the full list of projects and partners here, with further details of how to apply: www.iwm.org.uk/research/doc...
🏴“I want to wake up & not have to worry & go to sleep without having to worry”
Spent the weekend in focus groups across south Wales from Cardiff to Merthyr, to Port Talbot & Pembroke Dock, above all else we heard deep pessimism about the state of Wales, the UK & the wider world
🚨 Major intervention on defence spending by Lord George Robertson, author of govt Strategic Defence Review, tonight
UK’s leaders have shown ‘corrosive complacency’, putting nation ‘in peril’ while it’s ‘under attack’
PM ‘not willing to make the necessary investment,’ he tells @financialtimes.com
If I ever fail to correctly identify A Bridge Too Far, medical assistance should be sought as a matter of urgency
My 12-year old self is appalled with my lack of war film knowledge.
Reach for the Sky?
Enjoy the (long!) read. It's poignant but also comical in places. The strange story of my life: www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a....
May I interest you in £10k for humanities or social science research? Our small grants scheme is open. Apply by 3rd June.
We allocate through partial randomisation - awarding randomly between all applications that meet our quality threshold
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/sche...
Why is Aylesbury the county town?
Finally we are getting proper recognition that the UK will have to move towards single market/customs union alignment.
A Downing Street source suggested that if successful, this scheme could be expanded to include inflatable army tanks and fighter jets, allowing for a fully air-powered military by 2035.
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/?p=68155
More fantastic work by UK Security Vetting
Come along to the book launch for our edited volume on ‘Military Humanitarianism’ at 5.30pm on 17th June in the Old Fire Station (Silver St.) in Bristol!
Please spread the word!
For more details and to sign up for tickets, see the eventbrite: www.eventbrite.com/e/military-h...
It is time for European countries to start threatening to evict the US military from bases on their territory.
Looking forward to talking about my current project on seapower & the FWW at @kcllnucsc.bsky.social on 28 May. Link here: www.kcl.ac.uk/events/the-w...
Accepted norms of democratic civil-military relations aver, regarding the use of force, thatmilitary officers may not substitute civilians’ judgement with their own and that civiliansshould not follow their guidance blindly. These theories often rest on the presumption thatthree critical actors—government, armed forces, and the public—adhere to these norms.Democracy suffers if voters are unduly deferential to military leaders and if their elected rep-resentatives follow suit. Existing research has questioned Americans’ commitment to demo-cratic civil-military relations, but we know little about Britons’ views. A popular stereotypeportrays Americans as unique among Western democracies in their veneration of the mili-tary, yet our novel survey data show that the British public’s attitudes toward civil-militaryrelations are strikingly—and concerningly—similar. Many British respondents appear tobelieve that civilian policy makers should defer to the military, even on fundamental ques-tions regarding decisions over whether to use force, and many are comfortable with militaryofficers publicly advocating for their preferred policies. As the new Labour government hasrecently increased the strategic authority of the UK’s most senior military officers, these find-ings have pressing implications for policy. Elected civilians and military leaders alike mustreaffirm civilian primacy, rebuild trust in civilian government, and educate the public on ahealthily democratic civil-military compact.
Excited to have this piece published in The Political Quarterly with @blagdendavid.bsky.social & Ronald Krebs. We have explored in previous work the concerning deference to the military in the U.S. context. After fielding a survey in the UK, we see similar concerning patterns of military deference.
Title: The perils of periodising astropolitics: Space security and the system builders Author: Bleddyn E. Bowen, Durham University Abstract: Space systems are becoming an ever more important part of international security capabilities and practices. However, problematic interpretations of the Space Age are taking root in practitioner and academic circles along the contours of three sequential Space Ages. This article develops an original critique of these periodisations by applying a large technical systems approach and empirical research. It emphasises the role of space system builders and the prevalence of paradoxes in analysing space infrastructure as a method for critiquing three claims over the sweeping waves of democratisation, commercialisation, and militarisation in outer space that the periodisations make. This article proposes an alternative periodisation of a singular Global Space Age from 1957 that advances the counter-arguments that: first, power remains concentrated to a handful of space system builders rather than democratised to the many; second, that the space economy still relies on the state rather than being transferred to the private sector; and third, that the claims of sanctuary in space today ignore the spectre of space warfare that has long stalked space infrastructure. The infrastructural Global Space Age framing is offered as a useful materialist foundation for building bridges between international security, infrastructural technologies, and space security scholarship.
WHIGS IN SPACE! Or why democratisation, commercialisation, and militarisation rhetoric about space is wrong.
Very happy to see my new research article published with @ejisbisa.bsky.social!
The Perils of periodising astropolitics: space security and the system builders
@sgiadurham.bsky.social
🧵👇
These two things may both be true. In fact, one could argue both parties have been complacent about the state of UK defence since Russia invaded Georgia in 2008. If not then, at least since the annexation of Crimea in 2014 - we've had 12 wasted years when we could have prepared for & deterred Putin.
This week over 100,000 ALCS members will receive their share of £34m. Let's celebrate the value of human creativity, something that isn't going anywhere 💡📖🌳
No idea. @rorycormac.bsky.social might know…
Enjoyed visiting Edinburgh yesterday and received a warm welcome at the archives of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. A very well managed regimental collection which continues to grow.
