@mileendinstitute.bsky.social
The Mile End Institute at Queen Mary University of London brings together politicians, policymakers, researchers, students and the public to discuss the major challenges facing British politics, policymaking and public life.
🚨 NEW PODCAST: Who achieved 'the most significant by-election success ever’?
In this week's podcast, Richard and I are joined by Tom Chidwick of the @mileendinstitute.bsky.social to discuss Dick Taverne.
When Taverne was deselected by his local party, he forced a dramatic by-election...
Great to see the @mileendinstitute.bsky.social's own Tom Chidwick on this week's episode of 'Since Attlee and Churchill' with @qmulsse.bsky.social's Richard Johnson and @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social!
How did Dick Taverne overcome the full force of the Labour Party? Find out in this week's episode...
"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
"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
Great to see the @mileendinstitute.bsky.social's own Tom Chidwick on this week's episode of 'Since Attlee and Churchill' with @qmulsse.bsky.social's Richard Johnson and @leedavidevansuk.bsky.social!
How did Dick Taverne overcome the full force of the Labour Party? Find out in this week's episode...
Enjoyable podcast by my colleagues Richard Johnson, Lee Evans and Tom Chidwick on Dick Taverne, who recently died at 97.
Deselected as Lincoln's Labour MP in 1972 for the unforgivable crime of pro-Europeanism, he won a by election as an independent: very rare then!
open.spotify.com/episode/662g...
We shouldn’t be surprised, then, that some government advisors are reportedly arguing for keeping to the letter of the manifesto pledge as much as possible. They advocate a ‘smorgasbord’ of smaller tax rises to make up the missing ‘headroom’. Yet, the obvious danger is that cobbling together a ragtag of tax hikes will alienate vocal interest groups, absorb government attention, and only just create sufficient fiscal headroom. To reduce the risk of another tax rising Budget in 2026, more ambition is required. In contrast, direct taxes reliably raise significant revenue. Estimates vary but a 2p increase in the basic rate alone would yield up to £20 billion by 2028-29. Even if Labour also cut National Insurance for lower earners on grounds of intergenerational fairness, as recent reports strongly suggest they will, they could raise up to £11bn a year.
As Patrick Diamond and I wrote a few days ago for @renewaljournal.bsky.social.....
renewal.org.uk/blog/if-labo...
A pledge from Labour’s most senior politicians, including the Prime Minister - a pledge repeated since taking office - cannot be easily broken. The political consequences could be dire.
The consequences of Labour’s manifesto tax pledge continue to be significant. Real shame there wasn’t enough debate about it, particularly within the party. That it was a key pledge, though, is impossible to ignore: journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
14.11.2025 07:53 — 👍 7 🔁 5 💬 2 📌 0Essential reading from our brilliant Deputy Director @colmpm.bsky.social and former Director Patrick Diamond in @renewaljournal.bsky.social.
Ahead of the Budget, they argue that Rachel Reeves must argue more forcefully that "taxes are *the* essential down payment we all pay for a fairer society".
What are the origins of devolution? What can we learn from the '70s? How long should we wait between referendums?
In @dodspolintel.bsky.social's latest collaboration with @qmulsse.bsky.social, @drjoshwells.bsky.social talks to Tom Chidwick about his forthcoming book, Now or Never!
shorturl.at/93ISv
Do we still live in Thatcher's Britain?
I was joined at the @mileendinstitute.bsky.social by Gillian Shephard, Simone Finn and @philipjcowley.bsky.social to discuss the Thatcher legacy, 100 years after her birth.
The full video is available here.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLJK...
Last week, inspired by @ldfreedman.bsky.social's "Hennessy Lecture", we explored the foreign and domestic policy implications of Britain's support for Ukraine.
Feat. @drjamesstrong.bsky.social, @elkeschwarz.bsky.social, Patrick Porter and @evieaspinall.bsky.social⬇️
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUvQ...
Thank you to everyone who joined us on the night! You can watch the event on the @mileendinstitute.bsky.social's YouTube channel⬇️
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLJK...
Baroness (Gillian) Shephard speaking at the Mile End Institute as Dr Robert Saunders looks on, lovingly. Photo Credit: Gary Schwartz, 20 October 2025.
Baroness (Simone) Finn answering a question from the audience at the Mile End Institute. Photo Credit: Gary Schwartz, 20 October 2025.
Professor Philip Cowley speaking at the Mile End Institute. Photo Credit: Gary Schwartz, 20 October 2025.
Professor Philip Cowley, Baroness Finn, Baroness Shephard and Dr Robert Saunders posing for a photo at the Mile End Institute. Photo Credit: Gary Schwartz, 20 October 2025.
@robertsaunders.bsky.social was joined by @qmulsse.bsky.social's own @philipjcowley.bsky.social, Baroness Finn, the Conservative peer and deputy chief-of-staff to the prime minister from 2021 to 2022, and Baroness Shephard, a minister in the Thatcher government who is a Fellow of @qmul.bsky.social.
04.11.2025 15:14 — 👍 3 🔁 3 💬 1 📌 1
Banner for the Mile End Institute's 'Still "Thatcher's Britain"?' event, held at Queen Mary University of London on 20 October 2025. It features the MEI's logo, the title of the event in white text and a photo of Margaret Thatcher speaking in front of the Union Flag.
Last month, the @mileendinstitute.bsky.social marked the centenary of Margaret Thatcher's birth by exploring why she continues to cast such a shadow across British politics and considering how her reputation has changed and what lessons - good or bad - might be drawn from her time in power.
04.11.2025 15:14 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0Great to see our Director, Dr Sofia Collignon, on the @hansardsociety.bsky.social's 'Parliament Matters' podcast this week!
You can listen to Sofia's contribution about tackling abuse of MPs on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.
At lunchtime today, we'll be exploring the policy implications of supporting Ukraine until the end, inspired by @ldfreedman.bsky.social's "Hennessy Lecture".
You can book your place to hear @evieaspinall.bsky.social, @patporter76.bsky.social, @elkeschwarz.bsky.social and @drjamesstrong.bsky.social🔽
We'll be joined by
@evieaspinall.bsky.social (Director, the British Foreign Policy Group)
@patporter76.bsky.social (Chair of International Security & Strategy, Birmingham)
@elkeschwarz.bsky.social (Professor of Political Theory, QMUL)
@drjamesstrong.bsky.social (Reader in British Politics, QMUL)
"‘Whatever It Takes?’ The Policy Implications of Supporting Ukraine".
What does supporting Ukraine mean in practice?
What are the implications for national security, tax policy, EU relations, energy security & more?
28 Oct 12:00 at @mileendinstitute.bsky.social.
us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
This is really interesting by Matthew Barnfield and colleagues. Our research shows Labour is losing more support among its 2024 voters who feel financially insecure, which - together - suggests voters leaving Labour cant *afford* to wait for ‘jam tomorrow’.
20.10.2025 09:20 — 👍 67 🔁 22 💬 8 📌 1Tonight, we will be marking the centenary of Margaret Thatcher’s birth by asking why she continues to cast such a shadow across British politics.
A handful of tickets are still available, for members of the public and @qmulsse.bsky.social staff and students, so please do join us if you can!
Great to speak to @greenmirandahere.bsky.social for today's FT Inside Politics about the latest finding from our politics of (im)patience project, w/ @karlpike.bsky.social and @philipjcowley.bsky.social.
www.ft.com/content/e984...
“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
Kimberly Hutchings headshot
Announcing our #BISA2026 conference keynote as leading scholar Professor Kimberly Hutchings @qmpoliticsir.bsky.social 🎉
The title will be 'Violence and the Meaning of Peace’ and we are very excited! 🌟
Find out more 👉 buff.ly/c46i8zp
@simonrushton.bsky.social @visitbrighton.bsky.social
Next Monday, 20 October, we will be exploring Thatcher's legacy and her impact on British politics today. With former Thatcher minister Gillian Shephard, Conservative peer Simone Finn, @philipjcowley.bsky.social and @robertsaunders.bsky.social. All welcome!
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/still-that...
As today is the centenary of Margaret Thatcher’s birth, I think it’s obligatory to treat you to a succession of anecdotes about her.
Here goes:
#Thatcher100
Me, on @markpackuk.bsky.social's polling podcast, taking about the book... Or: "50 gems from political science", as Mark puts it...
www.markpack.org.uk/175771/the-s...
Almost all of my good Thatcher stuff has been done with @whyoutloud.bsky.social, of which this was the first. Still one of the best things I've written - and we did it just in time, before too few of them were around. Hardly ever gets cited, but such is life.
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
A reminder: people say "guru" because it uses fewer characters than "charlatan". But still, do come along...
10.10.2025 07:38 — 👍 43 🔁 8 💬 5 📌 0"The Conservatives have been in very deep holes before… But the big difference this time is that they face a threat on their right flank, which is something they have never had to face before."
@timbale.bsky.social on whether the Tories face an existential threat
👉 www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivRL...
