Are there policies that everyone in Britain can agree on? Data shows that voters converge around tangible, widely shared benefits but diverge where policies raise distributive conflicts or questions of deservingness. By @lottehargrave.bsky.social.

The new Oxford congestion charge shows that with political will, institutional backbone and coherence, and a compelling evidence-based narrative, cities can turn the tide away from gridlock and poor air quality. By Geoff Dudley and Hebba Haddad

In a much publicised intervention, Michelle Obama said that the US was not grown up enough for a woman president. Faced with so many obstacles, if a woman were to become president, she would need to be extraordinary, write @profrosiecamp.bsky.social & @jonilo.bsky.social

We're rounding off 2025 with a fantastic new episode of 'Uncovering Politics' in partnership with @uclspp.bsky.social. This week the podcast looks at proposals for democratic reform in the UK, featuring guests @louisevthompson.bsky.social and Iain McMenamin. uncoveringpolitics.com/episodes/who...

"One day they will all regret this. But, by then, it will be too late." Donald Sasson reviews 'One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This' by Omar El Akkad. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/review-...

The @politicalquarterly.bsky.social's special collection on housing, guest edited by Christine Whitehead, is now online. Contributors debate the roots of the housing crisis, dissect the govt's focus on planning, and illuminate the resultant policy dilemmas. politicalquarterly.org.uk/collections/...

Wonderful to end the year with news that my recent article with @jacknewman.bsky.social now has a permanent home in Vol.96 Issue 4 of @politicalquarterly.bsky.social. Read it here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...

Nice to be in this spot with co-authors @jydenham.bsky.social and Sam Taylor Hill

Labour’s 2025 budget focuses on planning reform, but existing housing stock would benefit from: 🏠 Reducing stamp duty 🏠 Reforming property taxation 🏠 Taxing second homes 🏠 Reforming private tenancies 🏠 Addressing the underfunding of local authorities.

Martin Reynolds, Boris Johnson’s Principal Private Secretary, turned on his WhatsApp deletion settings less than a month before the Covid inquiry was announced. But when questioned, he said: ‘I can guess or I can speculate, but I cannot recall exactly why I did so’. tinyurl.com/4zrjbkma

The most-read PQ article of 2025 was.... .... Drumroll.... 'The Most Disproportionate UK Election: How the Labour Party Doubled its Seat Share with a 1.6Point Increase in Vote Share in 2024' Congrats, @martamiori.bsky.social @profjanegreen.bsky.social!

When equality legislation is under fire as ‘woke’, it is worth revisiting and the broader vision associated with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. By Nick O'Brien.

Existing housing stock could be used more effectively by: 🏠 Reducing stamp duty 🏠 Reforming property taxation 🏠 Taxing second homes 🏠 Reforming private tenancies 🏠 Addressing the underfunding of local authorities. By economist Christine Whitehead. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/housing...

What do such people really mean when they say that news about Trump is impinging upon their mental well-being? And what are the consequences for democracy? By Professor of Political Communication, Stephen Coleman. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/how-tru...

New Substack post out now! Read 'Will There be Another Financial Crisis? If Labour Continues Cutting Red Tape, Maybe' by Nick Kotucha. open.substack.com/pub/thepolit...

Why the Government is gambling on short-term gains at the expense of long-term stability and prosperity. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/will-th...

The second most-read PQ journal article this year was: 'The Contradictions of the Albanese Labor Government in Australia: The Promise and Limits of Thin Labourism' Well done, Rob Manwaring and Emily Foley! Read it now for free: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

The 3rd most-read PQ journal article this year was: 'Sorry for any Inconvenience Caused: Why Britain Messed up High Speed Rail' Congratulations, @iaindocherty.bsky.social and Jon Shaw! Read it now: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Earlier this year, UK financial regulators were asked to reflect on how rule changes could contribute to competitiveness and growth, leading to a flurry of deregulatory initiatives. Could Labour's enthusiasm for cutting red tape pose a long-term threat? politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/will-th...

When equality legislation is under fire as ‘woke’, it is worth revisiting and the broader vision associated with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. By Nick O'Brien. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/liberal...

The Covid Inquiry revealed that there were ‘substantive discussions’ of important policy decisions via texts. Frequent use of WhatsApp undermines transparency, and decreases the quality of decisions. By @benworthy.bsky.social & @mrosenbaum.bsky.social

What do such people really mean when they say that news about Trump is impinging upon their mental well-being? And what are the consequences for democracy? By Professor of Political Communication, Stephen Coleman. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/how-tru...

Will there be another financial crisis? If Labour continues cutting red tape, maybe. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/will-th...

Number 4 in the most-read PQ journal articles of 2025 was: 'Multicultural Nationalism: Saving the White Working Class from Blue Labour?'. By Sam Taylor Hill, @tariqmodood.bsky.social, @jydenham.bsky.social Read now: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

Labour’s 2025 budget focuses on planning reform. But better allocation of the current housing stock can do more to combat the housing shortage than new housebuilding, and more quickly. By leading economist Christine Whitehead.

Number 5 in the most-read PQ journal articles of 2025 was: 'The Populist Playbook: Why Identity Trumps Policy and How Democrats Can Adapt' which discusses plausible alternatives to populists’ divisive appeals. By @dbrieba.bsky.social and Andrés Velasco onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Are there policies that everyone in Britain can agree on? This visualisation shows which kinds of policies make a platform more appealing when voters weigh competing priorities. By @lottehargrave.bsky.social.

The 6th most-read PQ journal article this year was: 'The Making and Breaking of Jacinda Ardern's Labour Government, 2017-2023', which draws political lessons from Ardern's career, by Grant Duncan. Read it now (for free!) onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Labour’s Pride in Place, giving £5bn to communities to create thriving local places, is a good start towards building a good society. But Labour must also connect local efforts to a national story of renewal. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/what-is... By Sam Taylor Hill

Although women have made considerable progress in American electoral politics, resistance to female candidates is hard wired into the institutions of candidate selection and the primary system. By @profrosiecamp.bsky.social and @jonilo.bsky.social

The Covid Inquiry revealed that there were ‘substantive discussions’ of important policy decisions via texts. Frequent use of WhatsApp undermines transparency, and decreases the quality of decisions. By @benworthy.bsky.social & @mrosenbaum.bsky.social

The 7th most-read Political Quarterly article of 2025 was: 'Are the Rights of Nature the Only Way to Save Lough Neagh?' by @lpcooley.bsky.social and Elliott Hill, which argues a single solution isn't enough to address ecological crisis. Read it now: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Although women have made considerable progress in American electoral politics, resistance to female candidates is hard wired into the institutions of candidate selection and the primary system. By @profrosiecamp.bsky.social and @jonilo.bsky.social politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/what-wi...

The Covid Inquiry revealed how the use of chat apps in gov't created an unprecedented document trail, along with a temptation to avoid record keeping or to lose/delete records. By @benworthy.bsky.social & me, for @politicalquarterly.bsky.social - thepoliticalquarterly.substack.com/p/government...

We've just published a new Substack. The Covid Inquiry revealed there were ‘substantive discussions’ of important policy decisions through texts and messages. Is this ever acceptable? By @benworthy.bsky.social & @mrosenbaum.bsky.social Read: thepoliticalquarterly.substack.com/p/government...

Labour’s 2025 budget focuses on planning reform. But better allocation of the current housing stock can do more to combat the housing shortage than new housebuilding, and more quickly. By leading economist Christine Whitehead. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/housing...

As cities become even more congested, with air quality in decline, there's an urgent need for a solution like the congestion charge. Does the recent introduction of CC in Oxford hint at a revival for urban road pricing? By Geoff Dudley and Hebba Haddad politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/is-the-...

We're sharing our PQ Wrapped, and our 8th most-read article of 2025 was: 'Buying Greenland' by Deborah Mabbett, on Donald Trump's 2019 proposal to buy Greenland from Denmark. Read it now:

AI policy is central to Labour’s agenda at all levels. But there is reason to be sceptical of their techno-solutionist approach. By @nathancritch.bsky.social & @drdarcyluke.bsky.social

Our 9th most-read journal article of 2025 was... 'How Not to Deliver Policies: Lessons in Undeliverability from the Conservative Governments of 2019-2024' by John Connolly, Matthew Flinders and David Judge... Read it now: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.... Stay tuned for more PQ Wrapped.

Labour’s Pride in Place, giving £5bn to communities to create thriving local places, is a good start towards building a good society. But Labour must also connect local efforts to a national story of renewal. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/what-is... By Sam Taylor Hill

It's time for PQ Wrapped - our top 10 most-read journal articles of 2025! At 10, we have 'A Normal(ised) Far-Right Party? A Long-Term Perspective on the FP's Electoral Strength in Austria' by @manesweisskircher.bsky.social. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... Free to read for one month.

"Lecturers, doctors, landlords and employers have been turned into border guards." A Professor of International Migration argues that states do not reduce immigrant irregularity — they create it. By @nandosigona.bsky.social Read now:

Does the the temporary congestion charge introduced in Oxford in October 2025 indicate that this controversial but effective policy is coming back into fashion? By Geoff Dudley and Hebba Haddad politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/is-the-... #ukpol

Following recent controversies at the BBC, we've made "The Case for a Strong BBC: Cultural Sovereignty and Public Service Broadcasting in the Netflix Era" free for one month. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.... By Sir Mark Thompson, Director-General of the BBC between 2004 and 2012.

After news that OpenAI has signed a deal to use AI to increase productivity in the UK's public services, what do we know about Labour’s AI policy plan? And importantly, will it work? By @nathancritch.bsky.social & @drdarcyluke.bsky.social politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/what-do...

"Switchers" are not simply disillusioned Labour supporters but hold different preferences. Labour’s attempts to appeal to them may therefore be unsuccessful, and risk alienating its broader base. By @lottehargrave.bsky.social. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/unity-a...

Britain has lost over 75% of its informal meeting spaces since 1980, pushing people into isolation, more time spent online, and towards the far right. Can new policy 'Pride In Place' turn it around? politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/what-is... By Sam Taylor Hill

As cities become even more congested, with air quality in decline, there's an urgent need for a solution like the congestion charge. Does the recent introduction of CC in Oxford hint at a revival for urban road pricing? By Geoff Dudley and Hebba Haddad politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/is-the-...

Are there policies that everyone in Britain can agree on? @lottehargrave.bsky.social looks at how voters weigh competing policy platforms, finding sharp divides around identity, redistribution and perceived deservingness. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/unity-a...