Dr James Strong

🚨 Job Opportunity! 🚨 Applications are now open for a new 2.5-year postdoc at @edinburghpir.bsky.social to examine how parliaments gather, analyse and use different types of knowledge - see the full job listing here: elxw.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...

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

My contribution to this issue calls for Labour to counter the growing illiberalism in British politics.

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...

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

After a fantastic few years, I'll soon be leaving @qmpoliticsir.bsky.social and the @mileendinstitute.bsky.social.

I've been surrounded by inspiring and generous colleagues, had lots of time and freedom to pursue my own research agenda, and had the pleasure of running the Polling London project.

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...

This moment never ceases to excite. Out in shops on 9 Sept...

Title page of article "Electoral Hope" in journal Political Studies.

I have a new article out at @polstudies.bsky.social. In "Electoral Hope", I make the case that supposedly irrational "wishful thinking" is actually a crucial part of how voters make rational sense of their role in democracies.

OA link: doi.org/10.1177/0032...

How do you solve a problem like Maria? What's in a politician's name?

Latest article for the @thehousemag.bsky.social - in which I think I discover most common politicians name, worldwide, is David Smith. Only then to discover it might actually be Maria...

www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...

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

What would it take for a new British left-wing party to succeed? History tells us why insurgent parties have struggled to get off the ground.

From the CPGB to Left Unity: Sultana and (now) Corbyn's venture is not the first time a new party has challenged Labour from the left.

I wrote for @theconversation.com about the dilemmas these predecessors faced, which confront the new party today.

theconversation.com/what-would-i...

Why we need to halt ‘hard right’ in its tracks Far-right parties are doing well – so it’s important that we see them for what they are. Yet, in the UK, the label ‘hard right’ is catching on. Why is debateable. But, argues Tim Bale, it’s a misdescr...

Far-right parties are doing well – so it’s important that we see them for what they are. Yet, in the UK, the label ‘hard right’ is catching on. Why is debateable. But, argues, @timbale.bsky.social, this misdescription sanitises far-right parties, and we should push back against it
bit.ly/4eLRBeC

Prudence from the left: Economic restraint and UK social democracy since 1945 Available in #OpenAccess

📝 New BJPIR article out now!

'Prudence from the left: Economic restraint and UK social democracy since 1945' by Colm Murphy (@colmpm.bsky.social‬) & Patrick Diamond

⬇️ Find the article in #OpenAccess here: buff.ly/QV4liQE

@polstudiesassoc.bsky.social

New @mileendinstitute.bsky.social and @savanta.bsky.social polling out today shows that a quarter of Londoners who voted Labour in the 2024 GE would not do so again if there was a GE tomorrow - with Labour losing voters to parties on the right and left in roughly equal measure in the capital

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.

After last week's vote in the Commons, could the assisted dying bill be blocked in the Lords? New piece by me for @uk.theconversation.com.

'Assisted dying: what happens now the House of Lords has the bill?'

theconversation.com/assisted-dyi...

#AssistedDyingBill

Times Radio Breakfast with Kait Borsay and Calum Macdonald | Times Radio | The Times and the Sunday Times Listen to Times Radio live for the latest breaking news, expert analysis and well-informed discussion covering the biggest stories of the day.

I was on Times Radio this morning, bright and early, with @calumam.bsky.social, talking about assisted dying, welfare, and tensions within the governing Labour Party.

From about 1'26".

www.thetimes.com/radio/show/2...

Public Expects To See Improvements In NHS, Education And Housing Before The Next General Election The public expects to see tangible improvements in this Parliament in the NHS, schools and housing, according to new polling.

New piece by @zoecrowther.bsky.social in @politicshome.bsky.social covering some of our ongoing research (w/ @karlpike.bsky.social @philipjcowley.bsky.social) into voters' time horizons and its implications for the current UK government's "politics of patience":

www.politicshome.com/news/article...

Abstract for 'Prudence from the left: Economic restraint and UK social democracy since 1945', authored by Colm Murphy and Patrick Diamond. The abstract is too long to put here, but click on the link in the second skeet to find a machine-readable version.

Very pleased to see my co-authored piece with Patrick Diamond for @bjpir.bsky.social published!

We use the case of the UK since 1945 to show that fiscal orthodoxy, macroeconomic prudence, and even 'austerity' can, in certain conditions, be pursued by the left as well as right.

But... (1/2)

Does the Conservative Party Have a Future? Join us to explore the causes of the Conservatives' problems, the challenges of Opposition and the prospects for the party in future.

What better way to celebrate Big Dog Boris Johnson's birthday today than by signing up to hear @nigelfletcher.bsky.social and the @newstatesman.com's @rmcunliffe.bsky.social and me discuss the death (sorry, future) of the Tory Party this coming Monday? www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/does-the-c...

Our book is out and available to read open access online: academic.oup.com/book/60532. It is dedicated to Niko.

What do we want? Everything. When do we want it? Right now! It turns out that we voters may be to blame for the UK’s short-termism

Great write up of their fascinating research on the different time horizons of politicians and voters by @qmpoliticsir.bsky.social's finest, @philipjcowley.bsky.social , @mbarnfield.bsky.social and @karlpike.bsky.social

Mel Stride promises the Tories won’t repeat the mistakes of Liz Truss – except they already have The Tories try to blame all their woes on Liz Truss but it’s destined to fall flat.

The fact that you won't read this proves one of my points - namely that nobody really cares what Sir Mel says - and not just because he's deflecting blame onto Truss. Only a Tory leader saying sorry could cut through - and Badenoch just doesn't get what her party should be apologising for anyway.

Dutch government collapses over asylum dispute - ABC listen The Dutch Government has collapsed after its anti-immigration leader Geert Wilders withdrew his party from the governing coalition.

A few words from me about Dutch government collapse on Australian radio (after the vox pops).

I'm thrilled to have been published in Past & Present.

Diving into the fractious politics of rich-country macroeconomics after 1973, I use the neglected case of protectionist Keynesians to rethink what happened, and why. I highlight statecraft, geopolitics, and Maier's 'territoriality'. (1/2)

Nice shout-out from @rentouljohn.bsky.social for research on voters' time horizons from @mbarnfield.bsky.social, @karlpike.bsky.social and @philipjcowley.bsky.social of @qmpoliticsir.bsky.social

The Professor Will See You Now: The politics of presence Professor Philip Cowley offers a political science lesson for The House’s readers. This week: the politics of presence

Latest piece for @thehousemag.bsky.social - on three studies about the impact of changing representation...

www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...

Today I will mostly be celebrating the long and noble tradition of me publishing books on both of Britain's (formerly?) major parties just before things turn to sh*t for them.

New piece by me on the prospects for Westminster's assisted dying bill - which returns to the House of Commons chamber this Friday.

theconversation.com/could-the-as...
@uk.theconversation.com

Exploring Parliament: Working together to make sense of Westminster `   The editors of Exploring Parliament, Cristina Leston Bandeira, Alexandra Meakin and Louise Thompson, explain why the book is necessary, and what readers can expect from its second incarnation

NEW BLOG: Exploring Parliament: Working together to make sense of Westminster `  

The editors of Exploring Parliament, @ameakin.bsky.social, @louisevthompson.bsky.social & @estrangeirada.bsky.social explain why the book is necessary, and what readers can expect from its second incarnation.