Really pleased that @ecprtheloop.bsky.social have published my blog setting out my research around how well politicians understand which issues matter to voters, why they sometimes get it wrong, and how this misperceptions play out in real life decisions theloop.ecpr.eu/how-well-do-...

🎄✨ The Otley Xmas Tree Festival starts tomorrow at noon! Come and find our Friends of Otley Lido tree — Number 13, on the left side as you face the altar. We’ve decorated with heritage photos of the Lido in its heyday 💙 Free entry, music, and plenty of festive cheer — come support your local groups!

We had a fabulous day at the Otley Victorian Fayre today, despite the weather because of course a little water doesn't bother us or dampen our spirits! Thanks to everyone who came to support us & hear our updates on our project to restore our beloved outdoor pool #Otley #Otley #otleyvictorianfayre

If you’re in Otley for the Victorian Fair - come for a warming drink and hear about our campaign to re-open Otley Lido www.otleylido.com

Spot-on from @nixonsimon.bsky.social

NEW: @jacknewman.bsky.social and I have just published our new article 'Localism, Levelling Up and Taking Back Control: Tensions in the Ambiguous Justification of English Devolution' open access in @politicalquarterly.bsky.social. Read the article here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...

Fantastic to see Kirkstall Abbey House Museum on the shortlist for best small museum of the year here ⬇️ - a testament to all the hard work campaigning to keep it open kidsinmuseums.org.uk/2025/06/disc...

🚨 New article in Comparative Political Studies (@cpsjournal.bsky.social)! After many years of rewarding work, Sam, Vera, and I can finally share findings from Mosul, Iraq on how shared suffering under ISIS shaped support for LGBT+ rights. 🔗 doi.org/10.1177/0010... 1/4

On 9 June @thesquareball.net & friends will walk from St James' Park back to Elland Road, taking 5 days & over a huge 120 miles! Raising money for #andysmanclub If you are able to donate, or even repost what we're doing, it would be very much appreciated 💙💛🤍 #LUFC #NUFC www.garyspeedwalk.com

Good to talk to supporters at the #OtleyShow today including @katiewhitemp.bsky.social - so heartening to have huge community support for our plans to re-open www.otleylido.com - and to hear all the happy memories & great suggestions for future development of a lido in Otley

This looks a fab (free) event for a sunny #Leeds bank holiday weekend🌞💙

Two brilliant things about #Leeds - champions #lufc and @operanorth.co.uk - marching on together #mot - oh I wish I could have this week all over again www.facebook.com/share/v/16Pu...

Raphinha goal in the champions league semi final tonight #LUFC

Trump's approval ratings have fallen across demographic groups (they have also fallen across specific issues). A classic case of 'parallel publics' (Page and Shapiro, 1992).

If you're looking to visit Hathersage, or any of the other iconic Outdoor Pools that we are currently blessed with, check out the @future-lidos.bsky.social map, which is the go-to destination for architecting a road trip which involves a swim! www.futurelidos.org/lido-map

This is what you need to know about the US research ecosystem…and the Trump/Musk effort to destroy it: www.billjaneway.com/crippling-am...

Death by Shakespeare Causes of 74 deaths in Shakespeare's plays #ShakespeareDay

Here are a few things its good to be mindful of, come the locals... 1. Benchmarks. 2021 was a good year for the Tories, poor for Labour, non-existent for UKIP (for which read Reform). Losses and gains could mainly just be these locals catching up with July 2024 GE. Will we learn anything *new*?

Oh boy - what a day!! No Piroe no party - full time @ Burnley v Sheff U - Leeds are going up 💙 💛 @punjabiwhites.bsky.social #MOT #LUFC

A question for #lufc fans here - where is a good place in London to watch the Plymouth game on the 3rd? Daring to hope this will be a day to celebrate but will be away from home - suggestions welcomed.

A Massive Happy Birthday to Chris Fairclough who turns 61 today. 🎉🥳🎂 Signed amongst some big names in 89. An unsung hero but was crucial in gaining promotion in 89/90. Remember the match v Barnsley where he went off for 7 stitches in a head wound. Comes back on & scores a header. 💪💪💪 #LUFC 💙💛🤍

Totally - 100% westleedsdispatch.com/katie-white-...

The cherry blossom is beautiful at Abbey House today & the Museum is full of children looking enthralled - so good the future looks positive and go visit! museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk/pQaofO/abbey...

Elbows up, Canada!

The future of TV Harrison Sports Ground has been secured. I’m so pleased to announce that Leeds United’s initial proposal to take over and invest in Wortley’s Wembley has been accepted. Full details here: www.facebook.com/share/p/12KC...

This sounds like really good news - www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

At kick off the moon was over Elland Road - but truthfully by the final whistle - ER was over the moon #totl #mot #lufc

New from me - is it possible we are actually at peak populism? This post is an exercise in working through a scenario - I may very well be wrong. But also, outside of America, I think something is shifting. Because of America. 1/n benansell.substack.com/p/twilight-o...

PPS Labour won Uxbridge in the general election even though ULEZ continued unchanged under a Labour mayor so either the motorists who rose up against the party in 2023 have remarkably short attention spans or there are other reasons Uxbridge (which has behaved oddly before) was unusual then.

Oooh 👀 this would be magnifique! www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/leeds-...

My bit for tomorrow’s Observer on Farage’s rise, Tory existential crisis and the wobbling Labour Jenga tower www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

7-0 on Saturday at ER and now this - a very good week all round and - hat tip to all the campaigners and Leeds City Council for listening 💙💛 news.leeds.gov.uk/news/abbey-h...

It's a long way to Cardiff when you're shit 🎶

Such a long way to Cardiff @punjabiwhites.bsky.social #lufc #mot

Popped in for some @burleybanksy.bsky.social merch from his new shop upstairs in the Merrion Centre - passing the wonderful Emett machines on the way merrioncentre.co.uk/promotions-e... Two excellent reasons to visit the Merrion Centre next time you’re in #Leeds #mot

*Attention PhD students and Early Career Researchers* - Call for papers! With support from @ukandeu.bsky.social I will be hosting a workshop event for PhDs and ECRs on April 23rd, just after Easter. A chance to present in a supportive environment & meet new colleagues. Details attached

We should be throwing up lab space in places like Cambridge and Tatton Park at a vast rate. Biggest opportunity to recruit scientific talent since the 1930s.

Last chance to respond to this consultation is today - 23 January. Heartfelt thanks to all those who have already responded to argue against the proposed #closure of Abbey House #Museum bsky.app/profile/cura...

Love this video. Eddie Gray singalong ahead of his 77th Birthday tomorrow. Volume up. ⬆️ ⬆️ #LUFC #MOT #LeedsUnited

Many councils across England meet today to decide whether to bid to join the govt's devolution priority programme. What is it, what's at stake and what will they be considering? Here are some briefing materials from @instituteforgov.bsky.social

Sunlit frozen splashes along the #LeedsLiverpoolCanal today & I was alerted to a flying Harris’s Hawk by the tinkling of its bell - the canalrivertrust.org.uk were there to publicise how they care for our canals - happy to help pass that message on!

News of Trump's threat to 'seize' Greenland reminded me of the wonderful Borgen series 4 - a jolly good primer on the politics of this autonomous territory - perfect for the next few snow days for me! youtu.be/9ZiwZ5IAftc?...

Despite all of the challenges - legal and meteorological - we did it! After 40 years of damaging deregulation, Greater Manchester has this morning successfully retaken control of the whole its bus network. 🙌🏻

Absolute gent!

Snap! I knew there was a good reason to hang on to these! Made me laugh all over again - Fanzine show to put spotlight on supporter culture www.bbc.com/news/article... @thesquareball.net #lufc HNY and #mot

#lufc Brilliant

If you’ve ever wondered “what’s the deal with those odd Samuel Smith pubs?” this completely fascinating article in @theguardian.com is your answer! www.theguardian.com/news/2024/de...

One tricky thing with gauging Reform impacts is standing patterns - lots of local by-elections recently with Reform standing for the first time, which magnifies their impact as people who couldn’t vote Farage before now can….1/2

Great to work with @gretegans.bsky.social on this paper - before, between and after recent UK and US elections!