Tribute to Lord Taverne: the resilient rebel who was 'too hot to handle' In becoming the first post-war independent victor of an English by-election, Dick Taverne helped break the dominance of the main parties in 1973. W...

"As a new generation of Labour MPs grapple with their unease...Taverne’s example reminds us of the importance of having independently minded MPs with the shrewdness and elegance of the 'Victor of Lincoln'."

Words by our Manager Tom Chidwick in the latest @thehousemag.bsky.social!

shorturl.at/BeTPd

Excellent new podcast

BTW, any UK outlets that want a British based Chilean (party and electoral) politics expert, need look no further than our fab @qmulsse.bsky.social colleague @sajuria.com

If Labour want a fairer society, they must argue for it Labour must make the political argument: taxes are the critical downpayment we all pay to live in a fairer society.  It now seems all but certain that direct taxes will rise in the forthcoming Budget...

Breaking the tax pledge is the right call...and politically sulphurous. Reeves must argue, far more forcefully, that taxes are *the* essential downpayment we all pay for a fairer society.

Patrick Diamond and I wrote for @renewaljournal.bsky.social. Key points in 🧵 👇

renewal.org.uk/blog/if-labo...

YouTube video by Hansard Society Why did Nigel Farage's Ten Minute Rule Bill fail?

ft. our @qmulsse.bsky.social colleague Sofia Collignon.

One observation re. the Dutch election is the enduring strength of the far right (I am not fully subscribing to the 'shift back to the centre' narrative). I should be on ABC Australia News channel at around 11 CET to talk about this and to show my plants (again). www.youtube.com/live/vOTiJkg...

The Professor Will See You Now: Having A Pint Lessons in political science. This week: having a pint

Latest @thehousemag.bsky.social column, on the politics of pints.
www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...

Who joins and why? Does it matter? QMUL colleague @timbale.bsky.social sharing insight in party membership in fragmented party system.

Another excellent edition of an essential text book from the ever excellent @timbale.bsky.social - well worth a look in these ever fragmentary times!!

Just arrived. Look at all those lovely Babybels!

👏👏👏👏👏👏😂

Keir Starmer needs to give voters short-term gain to persuade them he can deliver long-term renewal Keir Starmer says painful decisions are needed now to fix the country for the future. But voters may not stick around to find out if he’s right.

Keir Starmer needs to give voters short-term gain to persuade them he can deliver long-term renewal
theconversation.com/keir-starmer...

“I want it now, I want it now
Not the promises of what tomorrow brings”

Impatient to read more from the excellent research here from @mbarnfield.bsky.social @karlpike.bsky.social and @philipjcowley.bsky.social - wonderful colleagues from
@qmulsse.bsky.social

Liberal Democrat membership has halved in 5 years, figures show Analysis of available figures shows the number of party members has fallen by 49% since August 2020.

Words of wisdom from the excellent ⁦‪@ProfTimBale‬⁩ ⁦‪@QMPoliticsIR‬⁩ colleague and party membership guru!!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

With Andrej Zaslove, I wrote a piece on the recent extreme-right riots in the Netherlands, and what should be learned from them 👇

The professor will see you now: ethos Lessons in political science. This week: ethos

Nice to be quoted in this excellent piece by @philipjcowley.bsky.social on the role of "ethos" in politics - what it is, and why we should pay it much more attention
www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...

Very happy to be back on the Parliament Matters podcast, discussing the latest developments on the assisted dying bill with @ruthfox.bsky.social & @matthewengland.bsky.social. Thank you for having me!

Listen to the episode here: pod.link/1714627828/e...

The professor will see you now: tribalism Lessons in political science. This week: blocs

Latest piece for the @thehousemag.bsky.social, beginning with this:

"One electoral change has been unrelenting: the growing – in fact accelerating – refusal of the electorate to cast a ballot for either of the two governing parties".

When was that sentence first published? 1977...

But you can't run a country on storytelling.

Great news from @mileendinstitute.bsky.social supremo Tom Chidwick

“Last month, I finally finished the draft manuscript of “Now or Never!” – the book I’ve been working on about Scotland’s first devolution referendum in March 1979.
Published next year by @BloomsburyAcad! - @atifajiwa.bsky.social ”

Assisted dying: what happens now the House of Lords has the bill? Peers would be on dicey political ground if they tried to stop the bill passed by MPs – but they may run into problems over timing.

The assisted dying bill begins its substantive Lords scrutiny this Friday.

Re-posting my piece on what we should expect now that the Lords has the bill. theconversation.com/assisted-dyi...

#assisteddyingbill

@markfergusonmp.bsky.social Well done on the Whips Office - enjoy every minute of your time there, it’ll be a good grounding for when you inevitably move on. Best.

"High educational purpose and low wit". I may have that on my gravestone.

Our survey of Green party members suggests Zack Polanski has the mandate to take his party in a more radical direction The new leader wants to be radical and a profile of his members suggests they will follow him.

If you can see past Angela Rayner, PMQs, that Father Ted bloke, and Kim and Vlad, etc. etc., this, just out in @theconversation.com, on @zackpolanski.bsky.social and @greenparty.org.uk and its membership, might be of interest. 1/n 🧵

Our survey of Green party members suggests Zack Polanski has the mandate to take his party in a more radical direction The new leader wants to be radical and a profile of his members suggests they will follow him.

Instant interesting take on Polanski’s victory from the excellent team led by @timbale.bsk.social

Our survey of Green party members suggests Zack Polanski has the mandate to take his party in a more radical direction
theconversation.com/our-survey-o...

It’s 25 years since London got a mayor – and our polling reveals discontent Even though the position is now coveted by politicians, Londoners don’t feel their mayors are delivering.

The London Mayoralty is 25 this year. As a birthday present, the Mile End Institute asked Londoners whether they feel politically empowered.

In short, no. But why? For @theconversation.com, @elizabethsim0n.bsky.social and I dig into the clashing explanations.

theconversation.com/its-25-years...

Looking forward to catching up with the latest tome from the excellent @philipjcowley.bsky.social - will be well worth a read….

Tim Bale: The Conservatives' problems in London run very deep Tories imagining they will make a comeback in the boroughs next year or win the mayoralty in 2028 could be fooling themselves badly

Great diagnosis for On London of the Tories' problems in the capital by the one and only @timbale.bsky.social - www.onlondon.co.uk/tim-bale-the... #london #conservatives

Starmer’s suspension of ‘rebel’ MPs risks alienating his party in a way he can’t afford Poor messaging and internal strife are undermining this government’s promise.

My tuppence worth on the position of the Labour Party after this week
theconversation.com/starmers-sus...

Teased as ‘Dr.Death’ because of expertise on private members bills including #assisteddyingbill - but you needn’t look any further than excellent QMUL colleague and friend @DanielGover for information and analysis on PMBs