David Klemperer

I'm in favour of Digital ID, but I fear this backlash was the inevitable result of how government chose to pitch it - explicitly branding it as an authoritarian measure about immigration control, rather than telling an authentically Labour story about more joined-up & accessible public services

Sunder Katwala on race, patriotism and flag-waving: ‘The far right is vocal and angry because it is shrinking’ The director of British Future has spent his career trying to find common ground when it comes to race and immigration. He describes his own experience of racism – and why he’s still hopeful for the U...

"We haven’t come all this way, Katwala says, “just for Elon Musk, a man born into an apartheid state, who’s polarised America, to come and start a civil war here by breaking the law"
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

I think it’s a mistake to assume that she’ll actually run the place. She’ll be a roving political commissar/snitch, leave the actual work to others, and then when it fails claim she was betrayed by a woke staff and move on.

Rob whistle | Robert Hutton | The Critic Magazine The day had begun with Robert Jenrick accused of racism. This is of course quite unfair. Racists believe in something. Some of us remember Jenrick as a chubby-cheeked fan of David Cameron fighting…

"The day had begun with Robert Jenrick accused of racism. This is of course quite unfair. Racists believe in something." Absolutely fantastic sketch by @roberthutton.co.uk. Every line is a banger:

Jenrick being the loudest member of the Conservative party has already been a huge contributor to the poisoning of our politics. We really don't need any four-dimensional chess about him becoming leader. When it happens, it will be a terrible day for our country.

The Bishop of Birmingham has written to the Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick about his comments about Handsworth

It is also deeply unhealthy to have local govts who don’t provide many visible/valuable services for most residents (because they lack the resources). Encourages distrust and populism - “what am I paying my council tax for? The council does nothing for me.”

Still “Thatcher’s Britain”? The Thatcher Legacy, 1925-2025

Still, a good opportunity to advertise our next event at the @mileendinstitute.bsky.social on 20 October:

"Still Thatcher's Britain? The Thatcher Legacy, 1925-2025".

Featuring Gillian Shephard, Simone Finn, @philipjcowley.bsky.social and me.
www.qmul.ac.uk/mei/events/m...

might you be interested in writing about this for us?

Insightful and nuanced piece here from @williamcb.bsky.social analysing Big Tech's relationship to UK (and specifically Labour) politics, and citing Anneliese Dodds's recent Rita Hinden Memorial Lecture as the first sign of a political fightback

same, loved taking a little work break in the afternoon to drink a horrible bitter allongé in a strange windowless zone at the BnF

I'm a big defender of France's coffee culture - I love my horrible, bitter allongés

Reform likely to raise Kent council tax after cost-cutting drive falters Nigel Farage’s party promised to revive local authority finances by slashing wasteful spending

Reform in local govt, latest:
www.ft.com/content/277c...

New PhD Student Session For the first session of term we will be hosting a meet and greet at the IHR for all PhD students in modern British and imperial history.

*Calling PhD students of modern British and imperial history in London*

The @ihrbritainseminar.bsky.social's first session this Thursday (9 Oct.) is dedicated to PhDs, at any stage, for elevator pitches and meet-and-greet. Do come along! Details in the link.

www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...

she's made herself a handmaiden of a movement that loathes everything actually great about western civilization. fascism only cares about 'the west' as a form of racial identity and nothing more

this photo is pretty brutal

www.ft.com/content/5a73...

I also like this system but partly because of the contrast between how much it delights economists and how much it would definitely cause riots lol

We might as well decide our elections via a big Tombola

Loved this book

Mr Blobby patriotism Over recent weeks I have found myself thinking about the country we live in, what it feels like and what I like, and love, about it. I guess I found myself thinking about this because of the summer w...

"Most of us basically love our country, even if begrudgingly – not the version we’re told to, or even presented with, but the one we really see and live in every day. Silly Sausage Britain is the Britain most of us reside in, and love."

@sofiejenkinson.bsky.social on "Mr Blobby patriotism"

There's a fascinating case study to be done on the different strategies of Macron and Sánchez. Both emerged, against the odds, from centrist milieux in the mid-2010s to lead their countries since 2017/18. But their fates are totally different.

Welcome news that Thameslink services will come into public operation in May next year 🚆

After the failures of privatisation, stronger public accountability and better integration will be imortant in driving the service improvements rail users need to see ✅

Mr Blobby patriotism Over recent weeks I have found myself thinking about the country we live in, what it feels like and what I like, and love, about it. I guess I found myself thinking about this because of the summer w...

At a time when patriotism can feel as as contested as ever, this is a bloody lovely ode to so much of what we love about Britain from @sofiejenkinson.bsky.social in @renewaljournal.bsky.social.

Well worth a read 👉 renewal.org.uk/blog/mr-blob...

That's real Britain.

Sof is one of the best comms people I've met.

Read her insightful piece on British patriotism here: renewal.org.uk/blog/mr-blob...

As I was speaking on panels at Labour conference last week I began to describe the Britain I know exists and love. In the end I gave it a name: Mr Blobby Patriotism

And I’ve written about it for @renewaljournal.bsky.social here bsky.app/profile/rene...

this is both extremely true and yet makes British politics incomprensible to the average American

I think Sof would argue that this was part of the point!

"Progressive patriotism" doesn't have to mean po-faced panels about Diggers, Chartists, and Morris dancing.

For @renewaljournal.bsky.social, Sofie Jenkinson argues that social democrats should embrace "Mr Blobby patriotism" and stand up for "Silly Sausage Britain".

renewal.org.uk/blog/mr-blob...

Fun coda to the story, Bari Weiss is now head of CBS news and Radley Balko was fired from the WaPo mostly because he was such a good actual journalist on his beat