Now that Roisin Agnew's doc "The Ban" is up on The New Yorker's website, here's a piece I wrote about it, and the broadcasting ban itself, on the 30th anniversary of its lifting last year, and which involved me quizzing Chris Morris about *that* sketch. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024...

✈️ ‘Gowns Flying’: The first one hundred years of University Air Squadrons FASI's @sophyantrobus.bsky.social examines the development of the University Air Squadrons over the past century & explores how they remain a vital link between universities & the armed forces. 👇 ow.ly/OKeQ50XgYQx

My third and final edition of the Journal of the @rafhistorical.bsky.social as editor is in print. It's the proceedings of the RAF culture seminar at @rafmuseum.bsky.social , organised by @sophyantrobus.bsky.social , @rafhistory.bsky.social, wonderfully guest edited by @sophyhiggins.bsky.social.

So assuming this story is correct -- and the WSJ reporter is excellent -- Trump's chief negotiator on Ukraine is meeting with Putin about how to end the war while also scouting sites for a possible Trump hotel in Moscow. www.wsj.com/world/russia...

Excellent analysis

Dr Julia Balm, of the Freeman Air & Space Institute, shares insights into the increasing strategic relevance of space war

Julia Lopez is rumoured to be replacing Stuart Andrew as shadow culture secretary. There should be some kind of prize if you've heard of both of these people.

I could go 'blah, blah, Betteridge' or 'blah, blah, for the 800th time, here's why this is a shit idea', but you know what, the main conclusion is just that this article is ignorant crap.

That letter from Richard Tice is unbelievable....

Don't let the excitable intern write your quotes, kids.

Agree. Also much emphasis on Service Families Accommodation but Single Living Accommodation must also be an immediate priority.

Interesting given my piece with Kevin Rowlands recently published: www.progressivebritain.org/adding-rungs... British fighter jets to carry nuclear bombs www.thetimes.com/article/b3fb...

YES! my second sport column is online! I went to watch some rugby in Twickenham: can you guess how it went? observer.co.uk/news/columni... [free to read!]

My hero. Just loved everything about her. Obvs Alan Alda is in the same league. Loretta Swit: M*A*S*H ‘Hot Lips’ actress dies aged 87 www.thetimes.com/article/24ff...

The Swedish Defence University advertises a postdoc focused on ”narrative geopolitics” - or how widespread and emotionally charged narratives influence international security, great power relations, and geostrategic rivalry. Deadline August 31: fhs.varbi.com/en/what:job/...

💡 Rebuilding the UK's Air and Missile Defence Posture In the final viewpoint of the series, @sophyantrobus.bsky.social reflects on the future of IAMD in the UK, noting its significant shortfalls & how it could be improved through strategic themes - the 4 ‘Ps’ 👇 www.kcl.ac.uk/the-next-bat...

Last week, FASI's @sophyantrobus.bsky.social joined the #ASPC2025 panel discussion 'Doctrine & Leadership' The panel noted the importance of personnel, science, technology & capabilities as critical enablers for future aerospace power policies & doctrine. www.aeronautica.difesa.it/aerospace-po...

DID YOU KNOW: The black smoke announcing no result in the Conclave is produced by burning unsold copies of Boris Johnson’s 2024 political memoir UNLEASHED. Sources at the Vatican say they are prepared for up to six weeks of deliberations

Head of RNSSC, @c21st-sailor.bsky.social, and @sophyantrobus.bsky.social, co-director of @fasikcl.bsky.social have written a joint article on escalation/de-escalation for @progbrit.bsky.social. Read it here👇 www.progressivebritain.org/adding-rungs...

Come and work with me at the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk Academy! You’ll deliver workshops to academics, civil servants and politicians to help government work better. An amazing opportunity to have influence at the heart of politics and policy making - deadline is 11 May, so apply now!

One of these people has at least thought about Ukraine for some time. The other doesn’t understand basic facts about his brief.

Correct. Watch. It isn’t trade policy, it isn’t economic policy. It’s a way to get political control over the business world.

Meritocracy and the Military: Lessons from the Royal Air Force by @sophyantrobus.bsky.social www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... #airpowerhistory

I’ve finally grinded through Adolescence and I am afraid to say it’s the most dull and boring drama ever.

This rocks from first to last frame.

📢 FASI Co-Director wins King's impact award! 🌟Congratulations to FASI’s @sophyantrobus.bsky.social, who has been awarded the SSPP King’s Impact Award for her work on risk within contemporary air power. Read more here 👇 kcl.ac.uk/news/fasi-co...

Great PhD opportunity!!!

Thank you. I'm sorry we're the downstairs neighbors with a meth lab.

Ukrainian-made hilarious summary of what took place in the Oval Office between Trump, Vance, and President Zelensky. Enjoy! 😂😂😂

After five years of supporting each other from different continents, Samuel Oyewole and I finally got to meet in person today at the @rafmuseum.bsky.social Close Air Support includes Sam's chapter on the Nigerian experience of CAS and it was lovely to be able to give him his copy in person

I cannot recommend this podcast enough. Diving into the history of the US-Ukraine relationship. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/esca...

This. I think a feature of a) most people in politics have almost no understanding of defence policy whereas 2.5% is something they can understand B) if you grapple with the bigger picture it is going to force you to confront some choices most people/parties would rather not confront

NEW: updated long-run gap in voting between young men and women in Germany: Gender divide continues to widen, but contrary to what is often assumed, young men continue to vote roughly in line with the overall population, while young women have swung sharply left. www.ft.com/content/29fd...

His coverage all morning was sensationalist, looking for a gotcha moment rather than helping his audience understand. They would do so much better using specialist reporters for events like this. #r4today

Indeed. Anyone still firmly believing the US will honour Article V now aren’t paying attention. Even if there’s a return to sanity in 2029 the damage is done. Europe has to shift its thought to another new security and defence order.

"None of this has anything to do with effectiveness, or “lethality,” or promoting “warfighters,” or any other buzzwords. It is praetorianism, plain and simple." www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

29 years today. Simon ‘Budgie’ Burgess was one of the best. An ex-POW, a pilot and my soulmate. ❤️❤️❤️

Labour should be using the need to increase defence spending as a off-ramp for their promises on tax, not letting their defence policy (like everything else) be constrained by their promises on tax.

📆Save the Date for RAF Museum Conference 2025 ✈️ Join us 4-5 Sept 2025 at the RAF Museum, London, for a two-day Air Power research conference! Open to postgrads, early-career & established researchers. 🌍 📢 Call for Papers soon! Tickets out this summer. For Info: email [email protected]

We’re here with @kclcgs.bsky.social for the launch of our brand new report: 🗺️ Choices and challenges for UK foreign policy Follow along for thoughts from our panel 👇

📢 Exciting PhD opportunity – fully funded! A LISS-DTP CASE PhD studentship with the War Crimes Research Group at KCL & the History Museum of Bosnia and Hercegovina explores how museums shape reconciliation and memorialisation. 📅Apply by 19 Feb Details: www.kcl.ac.uk/study-legacy...

Enjoyed joining the panel for bbc radio 4 start the week this morning discussing the history of the campaign for wages for housework and the resonance for how we value unpaid care now www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

"ooooh you named a new organism after me? thank you so much! what is it? a cute little bee? an adorable new little critter? a....? a what"

‘Astonishing’ is a polite understatement! Quite the read.

I thought the hyper rich would have access to good quality drugs but this piece is just absolutely barking, reminiscent of being trapped in a corner at a party by a crusty who’s had too much of their own “special” cider and decided to reveal all about the frog people.

Good thread this. My 'yes, and' point is that what I think polling about immigration should warn you is that there is no electoral prize for, for instance, deciding that higher inflation is a worthwhile tradeoff for lower immigraiton. (And indeed that is part of why the Tories did not lower it).

Watching Call the Midwife. They have reached 1970 when I was born. Despite neither of my parents being religious I was born in a Catholic maternity hospital so it’s fascinating now seeing what these organisations were like. Anyone else here delivered by nuns?? Or just me… 🤩

Likewise, I would like to opt out of living in interesting times.

Feels like 'dishonest reporting' is an understatement here. It's downright misreporting to be so declarative about a view held by less than one in three respondents, especially when - I presume - it's not even the plurality response. Similarly poor for the BBC to then credulously repeat it.