Tom Baldwin

🎧: On today’s episode of Media Confidential, @arusbridger.bsky.social analyses Starmer’s appointment of former Sun editor David Dinsmore to a senior role overseeing government communications:
www.prospectmagazine...

Matthew Goodwin, Reform and the politics of resentment The ‘heterodox intellectual’ turned populist is a morbid symptom of the digital age

Some see Matthew Goodwin’s political realignment as self-serving—to make a killing through reactionary agitprop. Others see career setbacks as having wounded his pride and curdled his politics, writes @jamesbloodworth.bsky.social.
www.prospectmagazine...

There is a dangerous disconnect: on Gaza, politics no longer speaks for the people | Gaby Hinsliff The government now faces a daunting task to show that society’s concerns can be reflected. It will need to do better than this, says Guardian columnist Gaby Hinsliff

There is a dangerous disconnect: on Gaza, politics no longer speaks for the people | Gaby Hinsliff

Farage is making more silly mistakes. The rule of law matters to a lot of people.

Hot of the presses, the new paperback version of my biography of Keir Starmer with new chapters on a difficult first year. You can get it here: www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0008...

Hot of the presses, the new paperback version of my biography of Keir Starmer with new chapters on a difficult first year. You can get it here: www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0008...

Keir Starmer and his First Year in Office Paul Adamson talks to Tom Baldwin

An enjoyable and serious conversation with Paul Adamson about Labour’s first 12 months in power. encompass-europe.com/podcasts/kei...

‪🗞️ Our latest issue is on sale today - The comeback edition

Featuring
@tombaldwin66.bsky.social @petepaphides.bsky.social @soniasodha.bsky.social @youngvulgarian.marieleconte.com
@johnkampfner.bsky.social, Matthew d'Ancona and more

🔗 Subscribe here: www.thenewworld.co.uk/subscribe/?u...

It’s the values, stupid There is no grand vision, no -ism. But Keir Starmer can still succeed if he trusts his political instincts

There is no grand vision, no -ism, writes @tombaldwin66.bsky.social. But Keir Starmer can still succeed if he trusts his political instincts

“You need a plan! What is Keir Starmer’s plan?”

@maitlis.bsky.social questions Keir Starmer biographer and former Labour advisor @tombaldwin66.bsky.social on the PM's vision.

As other contemporaries would attest Marc Stears was a scarily mature thinker 35 years ago, and this is a terrific attempt at reclamation of Blue Labour away from its far right drift and back towards thinking about individuals currently overlooked by far too many across politics.

Marc is one of the smartest political thinkers in the country and as @tombaldwin66.bsky.social rightly notes, this is an exceptionally thoughtful piece.

What’s wrong with the new Blue Labour? How the delusions of Brexit and Maga have alienated the ideological movement from ordinary people

Marc Stears was one of the intellectual founders of Blue Labour. In this brilliant essay, he explains why, in its current MAGA-stained form, Blue Labour offers no answers to either the government or the country. @mds49.bsky.social www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/703...

The private trials of Keir Starmer | The Observer The prime minister reveals the quiet grief and inner determination of his first year in office – and why he ‘deeply regrets’ his ‘island of strangers’ sp...

I’ve written this essay for The Observer on Keir Starmer’s first year as PM, the very private side to him that you don’t often see in public, and how he has learnt from the mistakes he has made. observer.co.uk/news/politic...

The private trials of Keir Starmer | The Observer The prime minister reveals the quiet grief and inner determination of his first year in office – and why he ‘deeply regrets’ his ‘island of strangers’ sp...

I’ve written this essay for The Observer on Keir Starmer’s first year as PM, the very private side to him that you don’t often see in public, and how he has learnt from the mistakes he has made. observer.co.uk/news/politic...

Very struck by this passage in excellent @tombaldwin66.bsky.social read on Starmer one year in.
observer.co.uk/news/politic...

The private trials of Keir Starmer | The Observer The prime minister reveals the quiet grief and inner determination of his first year in office – and why he ‘deeply regrets’ his ‘island of strangers’ sp...

From this magisterial profile by @tombaldwin66.bsky.social:

The private trials of Keir Starmer | The Observer The prime minister reveals the quiet grief and inner determination of his first year in office – and why he ‘deeply regrets’ his ‘island of strangers’ sp...

This interview with Starmer, by @tombaldwin66.bsky.social for @theobserveruk.bsky.social, is the most insightful piece I have read on the PM's year in power.

Covers Reform, the island of strangers speech,
the death of his brother and the arson attacks

observer.co.uk/news/politic...

The private trials of Keir Starmer | The Observer The prime minister reveals the quiet grief and inner determination of his first year in office – and why he ‘deeply regrets’ his ‘island of strangers’ sp...

This is worth reading. @tombaldwin66.bsky.social It does make you wonder. Starmer has undoubtedly made significant mistakes. But to what extent might he also be a victim of a relentlessly aggressive and impatient culture determined to see the worst in any politician?
observer.co.uk/news/politic...

“We didn’t convince any Australian that Dutton was just like Donald Trump — we convinced them that Albanese was better at dealing with Trump”

YouTube video by How To Academy Debate: High Immigration Is Good For Britain - Matthew Goodwin, Nadhim Zahawi, Zoe Gardner.

Immigration: @zoejardiniere.bsky.social & I debate Matt Goodwin and Nadim Zahawi.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXbQ...

Oh.

In the never-ending Brexit Wars saga, reality is finally fighting back | Rafael Behr Voters can see that, in the world of Trump and Putin, Britain’s future is European. Westminster is playing catch-up, says Guardian columnist Rafael Behr

“The big plot twist this time is a Labour government that is prepared to say aloud that Brexit inflicted harm on the UK economy, and that closer relations with European neighbours are in the national interest” 👏

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Starmer to scrap two-child benefit cap as Treasury told to find money | The Observer Policy change following concern among cabinet MPs will lift hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty

Keir Starmer backs end of two child benefit cap and tells Treasury to find the money - my story for @theobserveruk.bsky.social observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

More should have been made about Farage's absence from Parliament in the week of the summit. After all, the date was well known in advance. And next week is a holiday for the Commons anyway. This is someone who deliberately chose not to be present.

As Lord Frost - one of Britain’s top Brexit bores- becomes tumescent in the Telegraph about spending months alone with some EU-UK legal texts, a lot of normal voters will just be happy we have a pragmatic government that has undone some of the damage his sort have done to our country.

When Boris Johnson
posts weird BDSM insults about a successor as UK PM, is he doing it because a) Dan Hannan
did it first, b) Russia’s pro-Farage bots are currently flooding Twitter/X with even weirder fantasies about keir_starmer
or c) Johnson feels left out and wants some attention?

When Boris Johnson
posts weird BDSM insults about a successor as UK PM, is he doing it because a) Dan Hannan
did it first, b) Russia’s pro-Farage bots are currently flooding Twitter/X with even weirder fantasies about keir_starmer
or c) Johnson feels left out and wants some attention?

'More than half the public would prefer closer collaboration with the EU on defence, trade policy, asylum & refugees'

"As Prime Minister of post-Brexit Britain,Keir Starmer has public permission to strengthen ties with the EU in the UK's interests. Doing that isn't going to send most people back into the Brexit referendum trenches" my comment on new May 2025 Focaldata @britishfuture.bsky.social poll findings today

UK and EU reach new deal including 12-year agreement on EU fishing boats in UK waters - live updates As UK and EU leaders meet in London, some parts of the new deal are still subject to negotiation, including a youth mobility scheme.

BBC is giving Reform disproportionate coverage, to promote them right here👇🏼

In their other parties response report re UK & EU’s new deal inc 12-year agreement on EU fishing boats in UK waters

They quote Tories once & Reform’s Braverman, Farage & Tice

No LibDems with 72 MPs vs Reform 5 or Greens😡🤷🏼‍♂️