An interestin read theconversation.com/the-ten-most...

Article for the House magazine, in which I get a bit Scrooge-like about my Santa poll www.politicshome.com/news/article...

“A pact or merger also helps Reform overcome one of the biggest doubts that people have about voting for it –namely its sheer inexperience. Nigel Farage as prime minister and Robert Jenrick as chancellor? Be afraid – be very afraid.”

The @uniofeastanglia.bsky.social via @tobysjames.bsky.social kindly recorded this event. I gave Kemi Badenoch a grade D. But then I hadn't heard her supposedly brilliant Budget response. So should that have been a D+ or a C-?

For some pre-Budget reading (open access) about fiscal dilemmas, economic restraint, and the politics of tax: bsky.app/profile/bjpi...

I enjoyed a rare privilege today: seeing one of my new journal articles in print.

The Tories are plumbing such depths these days that my whole business model is in severe danger, so thought I better go back to talking about Labour now and then! Here's me on CNN just now on the trouble they (and Keir Starmer) are in.

"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

Excellent new podcast

BTW, any UK outlets that want a British based Chilean (party and electoral) politics expert, need look no further than our fab @qmulsse.bsky.social colleague @sajuria.com

Breaking the tax pledge is the right call...and politically sulphurous. Reeves must argue, far more forcefully, that taxes are *the* essential downpayment we all pay for a fairer society. Patrick Diamond and I wrote for @renewaljournal.bsky.social. Key points in 🧵 👇 renewal.org.uk/blog/if-labo...

ft. our @qmulsse.bsky.social colleague Sofia Collignon.

One observation re. the Dutch election is the enduring strength of the far right (I am not fully subscribing to the 'shift back to the centre' narrative). I should be on ABC Australia News channel at around 11 CET to talk about this and to show my plants (again). www.youtube.com/live/vOTiJkg...

Latest @thehousemag.bsky.social column, on the politics of pints. www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...

Who joins and why? Does it matter? QMUL colleague @timbale.bsky.social sharing insight in party membership in fragmented party system.

Another excellent edition of an essential text book from the ever excellent @timbale.bsky.social - well worth a look in these ever fragmentary times!!

Just arrived. Look at all those lovely Babybels!

👏👏👏👏👏👏😂

Keir Starmer needs to give voters short-term gain to persuade them he can deliver long-term renewal theconversation.com/keir-starmer...

“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

Words of wisdom from the excellent ⁦‪@ProfTimBale‬⁩ ⁦‪@QMPoliticsIR‬⁩ colleague and party membership guru!! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

With Andrej Zaslove, I wrote a piece on the recent extreme-right riots in the Netherlands, and what should be learned from them 👇

Nice to be quoted in this excellent piece by @philipjcowley.bsky.social on the role of "ethos" in politics - what it is, and why we should pay it much more attention www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...

Very happy to be back on the Parliament Matters podcast, discussing the latest developments on the assisted dying bill with @ruthfox.bsky.social & @matthewengland.bsky.social. Thank you for having me! Listen to the episode here: pod.link/1714627828/e...

Latest piece for the @thehousemag.bsky.social, beginning with this: "One electoral change has been unrelenting: the growing – in fact accelerating – refusal of the electorate to cast a ballot for either of the two governing parties". When was that sentence first published? 1977...

But you can't run a country on storytelling.

Great news from @mileendinstitute.bsky.social supremo Tom Chidwick “Last month, I finally finished the draft manuscript of “Now or Never!” – the book I’ve been working on about Scotland’s first devolution referendum in March 1979. Published next year by @BloomsburyAcad! - @atifajiwa.bsky.social ”

The assisted dying bill begins its substantive Lords scrutiny this Friday. Re-posting my piece on what we should expect now that the Lords has the bill. theconversation.com/assisted-dyi... #assisteddyingbill

@markfergusonmp.bsky.social Well done on the Whips Office - enjoy every minute of your time there, it’ll be a good grounding for when you inevitably move on. Best.

"High educational purpose and low wit". I may have that on my gravestone.

If you can see past Angela Rayner, PMQs, that Father Ted bloke, and Kim and Vlad, etc. etc., this, just out in @theconversation.com, on @zackpolanski.bsky.social and @greenparty.org.uk and its membership, might be of interest. 1/n 🧵

Instant interesting take on Polanski’s victory from the excellent team led by @timbale.bsk.social Our survey of Green party members suggests Zack Polanski has the mandate to take his party in a more radical direction theconversation.com/our-survey-o...

The London Mayoralty is 25 this year. As a birthday present, the Mile End Institute asked Londoners whether they feel politically empowered. In short, no. But why? For @theconversation.com, @elizabethsim0n.bsky.social and I dig into the clashing explanations. theconversation.com/its-25-years...

Great diagnosis for On London of the Tories' problems in the capital by the one and only @timbale.bsky.social - www.onlondon.co.uk/tim-bale-the... #london #conservatives

My tuppence worth on the position of the Labour Party after this week theconversation.com/starmers-sus...

Teased as ‘Dr.Death’ because of expertise on private members bills including #assisteddyingbill - but you needn’t look any further than excellent QMUL colleague and friend @DanielGover for information and analysis on PMBs

Food for thought from my excellent QMUL colleague and friend @colmpm.bsky.social

Far-right parties are doing well – so it’s important that we see them for what they are. Yet, in the UK, the label ‘hard right’ is catching on. Why is debateable. But, argues, @timbale.bsky.social, this misdescription sanitises far-right parties, and we should push back against it bit.ly/4eLRBeC

And just in case you're interested, here's my 2017 full-length interview with Lord Tebbit. 2/ENDS

"They say “never meet your heroes” – but meeting your antiheroes can be absolutely fascinating. At least, that was my experience when I met Norman Tebbit." Me for @the-independent.com on why he was so much more than simply "the Chingford skinhead". 1/n

Latest @thehousemag.bsky.social piece - on how to rank MPs, inc one of my fave academic studies, which put Diane Abbott to the right of Giles Radice. Also includes Rush reference.

@oppositionstudies.bsky.social get down with @philcowley.bskyb.social - more Rebel Guru than Metal Guru but excellent as per usual…..

"The NHS will very likely be critical to the government’s re-election, or eviction, in 2029". Pleased to speak to the @bigissue.com, along with my v smart colleagues Patrick Diamond and Richard Johnson, about Labour's NHS plan and the wider political context. www.bigissue.com/news/politic...

A good time to reshare this fun piece I did with @alfiesteer.bsky.social on the Labour left's options: Conversion, Loyalty, Voice, and Exit. In resigning the party membership, Sultana bets on Exit...and a new party. We cover the opportunities and risks 👇 journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...

Labour’s disability cuts rebellion: a former government whip asks, how did Keir Starmer not see this coming? theconversation.com/labours-disa...

Latest @thehousemag.bsky.social article on the costs of governing. Inc references to Game of Thrones (lame), the opening credits of Fame (more than 40 years ago), and Rush (maybe not the coolest band ever). As always, ultra hip, finger on the pulse, etc. www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...

After last week's vote in the Commons, could the assisted dying bill be blocked in the Lords? New piece by me for @uk.theconversation.com. 'Assisted dying: what happens now the House of Lords has the bill?' theconversation.com/assisted-dyi... #AssistedDyingBill

“Many in the Lords will recognise the risks of any situation in which they are now seen to stand in its way.” From our @qmpoliticsir.bsky.social colleague and parliamentary expert @danielgover.bsky.social

Very pleased to see my co-authored piece with Patrick Diamond for @bjpir.bsky.social published! We use the case of the UK since 1945 to show that fiscal orthodoxy, macroeconomic prudence, and even 'austerity' can, in certain conditions, be pursued by the left as well as right. But... (1/2)

What better way to celebrate Big Dog Boris Johnson's birthday today than by signing up to hear @nigelfletcher.bsky.social and the @newstatesman.com's @rmcunliffe.bsky.social and me discuss the death (sorry, future) of the Tory Party this coming Monday? www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/does-the-c...