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...

Our book is out and available to read open access online: academic.oup.com/book/60532. It is dedicated to Niko.

On 10 June we'll be marking 50 years since the 1975 referendum & 9 years since 2016 by asking "How to win a referendum on Europe". Join Anand Menon, Sara Hobolt, Maria Sobolewska & me to explore how referendums are won or lost, & the lessons for today. Do come! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-to-win...

The fact that you won't read this proves one of my points - namely that nobody really cares what Sir Mel says - and not just because he's deflecting blame onto Truss. Only a Tory leader saying sorry could cut through - and Badenoch just doesn't get what her party should be apologising for anyway.

A few words from me about Dutch government collapse on Australian radio (after the vox pops).

"Will a complicated (and costly) mitigation of the policy be sufficient – symbolically and substantively – to cut through to a disappointed electorate? Successful U-turns have tended to be big and bold" Think John Major scrapping the poll tax.

This is first and foremost a work of historical scholarship which intervenes in the historiography of the late C20th. But because I explore arguments for protectionism, and because I emphasise (geo)politics so strongly, I suggest the case has contemporary echoes. (2/2) Read: doi.org/10.1093/past...

I'm thrilled to have been published in Past & Present. Diving into the fractious politics of rich-country macroeconomics after 1973, I use the neglected case of protectionist Keynesians to rethink what happened, and why. I highlight statecraft, geopolitics, and Maier's 'territoriality'. (1/2)

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Re. Keir Starmer's immigration policy/speech, thought this might be useful. We surveyed 1003 members of the Labour Party just after #GE2024 and that was one of the issues we asked about. This is what we found. Suspect that this might be the final straw for some who were thinking of quitting.

Latest piece for @thehousemag.bsky.social - on three studies about the impact of changing representation... www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...

Today I will mostly be celebrating the long and noble tradition of me publishing books on both of Britain's (formerly?) major parties just before things turn to sh*t for them.

There is often talk of icons, legends and the irreplaceable in Parliament and more often than not it is hogwash, self-aggrandisement and political chicanery. All sides would agree however that Sir Roy Stone was all of these things and more - and will be missed. RIP my friend

Latest piece in the House magazine, on the importance of which parties voters don't like... www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...

Great piece from our @qmpoliticsir.bsky.social colleague @philipjcowley.bsky.social (still cosplaying below as the BBC's Nick Robinson) - with a killer anecdote to kick it off.

For this week's @thehousemag.bsky.social, @qmul.ac.uk's Tom Chidwick and James Ellison have written an appreciation of our patron, Peter Hennessy. Read about Peter's work as historian and horizon scanner on Britain's 'Secret State' and nuclear deterrent: www.civilserviceworld.com/in-depth/art...

The hardback. The paperback.* Goodness knows who's next. *Published today: www.amazon.co.uk/Conservative...

Latest piece for @thehousemag.bsky.social: on fish and chips and motorway service stations, and what it tells you about politics... www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...

Commons report stage of the assisted dying bill has been pushed back to Friday 16 May. Now appears imperative that ministers will need to facilitate additional Commons time to consider any Lords amendments. 1/?

New paper out in @electoralstudies.bsky.social w/ @danjdevine.bsky.social & @jwfurlong.bsky.social What drives the link between university study and attitudinal change? www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Thank you to @conunitucl.bsky.social for publishing my written evidence to the Commons Modernisation Committee, on private members' bills and opposition days. constitution-unit.com/2025/04/01/p...

Latest piece for @thehousemag.bsky.social, looking at canvassing - including praise for the late great David Denver. www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...

Spoke to Sean Curran for Radio 4’s Today in Parliament about what comes next for the assisted dying bill, after it completed its Commons committee stage this week. From around 12 mins in here. podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...

I am quoted Danish newspaper Kristeligt Dagblad, speaking about the UK Spring Statement. As my Danish is not the best (!) I am grateful to the journalist Bjarne Norum for translating... www.kristeligt-dagblad.dk/udland/velfa...