This, from @catherinedevries.bsky.social, is really useful advice for young (and, tbh, old!) academics. Worth passing on if you know any, maybe? catherineeunicedevries.substack.com/p/fail-bette...

Scholars & pundits have focussed a lot on the electoral demise of center left, but in doing so we paid to little attention to the electoral problems of the center right. Case-in-points here not only British conservatives or center right in France, but increasingly also the center right in Spain.

Reform UK are out of step with the British public. The public are opposed to withdrawing from the ECHR by 46% to 29%

New report out from the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey today, with new data on a wide range of issues, including constitutional preferences: Independent in EU: 40% Independent out EU: 8% Devolution (w/ tax powers): 33% Devolution (no tax powers): 8% No Holyrood: 9% natcen.ac.uk/publications...

As Conservative party conference closes, the Labour deputy leadership contest gets going in earnest: ballots are now open for party members. @meganbryer.bsky.social has updated the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk explainer on the contest - all you need to know here:

No, it's not. It's all a lie. The blunt truth is across the 1991, 2001, 2011 and 2021 Census *every* ethnic group in the UK has become *less* geographically segregated and *all* groups, majority and minorities, are more likely to interact with people not like them.

A lot of discussion judging importance of degrees neglects this. Many disciplines cross-subsidise others. Just like with international student fees, someone will have to pick up the cost if there is government intervention.

*gasp*

is this good

This is excellent from @samfriedman.bsky.social explaining why Lab seems to ignore that they’re losing more votes on left than right. Identity is SUCH a strong motive for them I agree- but, as the now old chestnut Brexitland shows- identity is SUCH an important motive for voters on their left too. 1

As a (supposed) expert on parties & membership, I wouldn't myself call Labour members an "army of union officials, retired teachers and slightly odd students". But I loved @duncanrobinson.bsky.social's "The Labour Party is a place where memories are long and perspective is absent." Top essay title!

On the morning of Keir Starmer's conference speech here's a new post on an odd psychopathology in British politics - our main parties don't like the people who vote for them - the dreaded Professional Managerial Class. And so they are acting out like a divorced dad seeking cooler voters. 1/n

Notice that everywhere except Southern Europe, the middle class have proven to be a much more important part of the left's coalition than the working class since the early 2000s. Labour strategists are pining for the early 1980s. Even then working class Brits today are cleaners not miners. 9/n

Fascinating - and wouldn't be at all surprised if this were the case in the UK too. (Source: www.zora.uzh.ch/server/api/c...)

New @ipsosinscotland.bsky.social Scotland polling out now. No voting intention, but clear ongoing declines in favourability towards Keir Starmer and Labour...

After years of making the running on immigration, Farage may this week have handed the initiative back to his opponents'. @robfordmancs.bsky.social for @ukandeu.bsky.social on the unpopularity of Reform's proposals on ILR ukandeu.ac.uk/reforms-radi...

Got a tshirt made for the first lecture with the first years

Reform are now coming after people with permanent residency. It'll be citizens next. No one is safe from authoritarian governments.

The financial realities of university life for some students; how do we imagine this funding system is fair, or conducive to a positive university experience for many?

"Foreign-born UK residents are much more likely to be of working age than the UK-born — and thus less of a fiscal burden. They tend to be healthier than the UK-born, and are much more likely to have a university degree. 75% have lived in the UK for more than 5 years and 90% speak good English."

Starmer’s job approval hit a new low. It now sits at -46 the lowest we’ve recorded, with just 17% saying the PM is doing a good job. Badenoch is on -23; Davey on -10 and Farage on -7.

If the Tories had a different leader and any kind of strategic plan around rebuilding a centre-right vote this could all be quite helpful in getting rid of some of their most destructive influences. But they don't, so it's just adding to their woes.

Pretty much every year I teach British Politics we have some sort of change in PM, meaning I have to change loads. Semester is about to start, time is running out for Starmer.

UK could raise nearly £2bn by taxing SUVs in line with European countries, study by @transportenvironment.org shows www.theguardian.com/money/2025/s...

Oh noooo But given how this is the rare case when it’s caught, and where people are checking, I’m just increasingly assuming most stuff is just stuffed with hallucinations.

'"You can’t have hobbyist research that’s unfunded going on in institutions. We can’t afford it.”' Such a badly formulated phrasing of the issues, so open to so many misinterpretations. If this is the level of thinking about research among sector leaders and policy-makers, be very afraid.

First Past the Post cannot handle this level of fragmentation. It will produce completely freak results. We can grasp this problem now, or wait for the train to crash.

Tom Tugendhat refers to my story about MPs using ChatGPT to write their speeches in the chamber 🫣

Dundee University staff balloted on fresh strike action www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Radical right accommodation really does not work. New paper out with this exceptionally talented team @katharinalawall.bsky.social @robjohns75.bsky.social @drjennings.bsky.social @sarahobolt.bsky.social @zachdickson.bsky.social @danjdevine.bsky.social & @jack-bailey.co.uk doi.org/10.31235/osf...

Resounding endorsement from Green members for a more campaigning populist radical left approach. Which means they will be competing on the same terrain as the new Corbyn-Sultana party. Will they find a way to work together (formally or informally) to avoid splitting the vote?

This must be said more: 'the nature of British society today is such that much of the public have partners, relatives, friends, and co-workers of a different ethnic group' As: 'Ultimately, diversity should be our greatest strength, and it is that argument that anti-immigration zealots fear most.'

One of the reasons I don’t browse social media much atm is the number of people sharing screenshotted posts full of hate and stupidity telling me it is wrong. Don’t share hate. The amount of hate, particularly from people who should know better, is all getting a bit much for me.

This is the best product listing copy I’ve ever read

The government's net approval rating has fallen to -56, matching the final rating of the Conservative government before the 2024 election Approve: 13% (no change from 9-11 August) Disapprove: 69% (+1) Net: -56 (-1) yougov.co.uk/topics/polit...

Advice for writers: Before putting pen to paper be sure to remember to have a successful TV career

Latest research on public attitudes from me👇 “The public are clear what better transport looks like. No matter how you vote, where you live or currently get around there is a clear desire for more public transport options and for these to be affordable, accessible and better integrated.”

People talk about the culture shock of going abroad but I have the culture shock of coming back from Hong Kong and Chiikawa is no longer plastered everywhere. (Note: I liked Chiikawa being plastered everywhere)

World has been falling apart since I found out the tissue company I have called Jempo for as long as I can remember is called Tempo.

Nick Timothy did delete his post but did not apologise. More fundamentally, Timothy was criticising the police for protecting the delivery person from a racist mob. Not sure how, if he *had* been working illegally, that makes it ok?

This is a key table to understanding public opinion on migration. *When confronted with the real trade offs* people go for protecting the NHS and the economy over reducing migration. The problem as per the rest of the thread is many don't believe those trade offs exist.

Interesting that the GFC is low, it's the most plausible of all those answers.

Did you know that there have been 83 government defeats in the House of Lords so far this parliament? We have a record on our website of every defeat of this kind dating back to 2005! Find out more and sign up to our mailing list to be alerted of new defeats 👉 www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution....

For SD Parties this means that as long as their program is economically to the left, it does not matter much to working class voters what it includes culturally e.g. on immigration. In contrast, educated middle class voters will punish a program for being less culturally progressive.

Among SD potentials, we find less trade-offs based on education and class than often assumed. We find very few issues where a position increases support among one group but reduces it among another. Immigration is an exception where such a trade-off occurs.

We find that left and progressive programs are more popular among SD potentials. Culturally conservative positions like strong reduction of immigration make programs much less popular. This strategy that many social democratic parties are currently drawn to reduces support in our analysis.

Astonishing story. Huge questions over the company culture that allowed this. www.ft.com/content/c0e6...

Today marks our 26th anniversary! 🎈🎉 @parliament.scot's very first Opening Ceremony took place in Edinburgh on 1 July 1999. ⏪📸

I put mealworms out in the grass for the juvenile magpies and they now are eating all the slugs off my veg. Accidentally trained the local wildlife.