"One of the very few Western academics—and as few think-tankers and journalists—who reject what has become an ever more solid consensus on the war between Russia and Ukraine." Read Mary Dejevsky's review of a new book by Ivan Katchanovski.

Despite a global military buildup, military power is no longer the primary driver of economic success. It's influence. The Global Soft Power Index shows that it's actually countries with stronger soft power that grow faster economically. By Serhan Cevik politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/the-sof...

Even by French standards, the current administration, and with it the country, is in crisis. Two books help guide the reader through the mazes and smokescreens. Fractured France by Andrew Hussey, and Why Fascism is on the Rise in France by Ugo Palheta. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/book-re...

The 2023 Slovak general election resulted in an illiberal coalition keen to transform the political regime. Then party leaders across the party spectrum engaged in constitutional entrepreneurship, converting the constitutional text into a playground. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/why-con...

"Between 2004 and 2021, China’s soft power expanded dramatically, reflecting its integration into global trade networks, growing technological capabilities, and expanding diplomatic presence."

Nearly two years on from the general election, a lot of this analysis still holds up - but now the Labour government is suffering at the hands of a deeply disgruntled electorate. @politicalquarterly.bsky.social

This week we celebrate the year's best political writing, inspired by Orwell's values of bravery, integrity and fidelity to truth. Subscribe to Orwell News for the latest updates: orwellfoundation.substack.com @homelessnessimpact.bsky.social @prospectmagazine.co.uk @politicalquarterly.bsky.social

"We need to get the message across early to students that economists address problems right across the span of society." With evident weaknesses in traditional economic models, Wendy Carlin wants to change how the subject is taught.

In a world defined by global supply chains, digital networks, and mobile talent, influence—not firepower—has become one of the most powerful engines of prosperity, writes Serhan Cevik politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/the-sof...

Since it's #LocalElections day across England, here is an Open Access report from my friend @drdavidjeffery.bsky.social on local government in Political Quarterly! Enjoy! @politicalquarterly.bsky.social @livunipol.bsky.social onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

"Green Radicalism—Side-show or a New Alternative?" From our archive: A 2000 article comments on green politics becoming part of the political landscape in Britain for the first time.

We recently caught up with Colin Crouch, who has just published a book 'Exclusion and the New Politics of Hatred'. In the book, he argues that conflicts around inclusion are more important than class. Here's why. Read the interview: politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/the-hea...

"A class of 800... many expressed deep concern that they've lost the ability to read and write on their own". CORE director Wendy Carlin speaks with Anya Pearson on AI and the current state of economics education for @politicalquarterly.bsky.social politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/in-the-... #EconEd

"We’re providing everything free... to anyone, anywhere in the world, which is the economically rational thing to do". Stone Centre director Wendy Carlin on tackling inequality in economics teaching. Read the full interview with Anya Pearson for @politicalquarterly.bsky.social bit.ly/4d5VISe

Nice review of Matt Sleat’s Post-Liberalism @politybooks.bsky.social @mattsleat.bsky.social - there are other Post-Liberalism books out there if you’re interested but nice also to see the book reviewed in its own right and not as part of a double act…

US Vice President J. D. Vance has associated himself with the post-liberal right. So what does it mean, and how is it different from liberalism? Karl Pike reviews Matt Sleat's new book Post-Liberalism.

In left-leaning constituencies where the right posed no threat, Labour could face a strong red-green challenge. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/how-ser...

"Thanks to Katchanovski, the truth has now got its boots on, but it may take a new generation of historians with an appetite for revisionism to set the record straight." Read Mary Dejevsky's review of a new book by Katchanovski on the Russia-Ukraine war. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/review-...

Writing about his new book, 'Exclusion and the New Politics of Hatred', Colin Crouch argues that the main answer to developing a population open to inclusiveness lies in urban industrial policy. Read more:

Labour faces difficult decisions regarding housing priorities, not least given budget constraints. Both social housing and home ownership need to be supported with a close eye on cost and impact, argues Peter Williams.

"If you take a much broader view about human behaviour than the caricatured view of homo economicus, you recognise that people have many more motivations than simply self-interest." Anya Pearson interviews Wendy Carlin on a new way of teaching economics. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/in-the-...

Ahead of next week’s election, this is a useful overview of the changes made to the Senedd since 2021 Last year I wrote for @politicalquarterly.bsky.social on the realpolitik considerations & bargaining between Plaid Cymru & Welsh Labour (and within Labour) that underpinned Senedd reform #senedd26

Last year I wrote for @politicalquarterly.bsky.social charting the history of #Senedd reform debates and the realpolitik considerations & bargaining between Plaid Cymru & Welsh Labour (and within Labour) that have led to the model of Senedd reform that Wales has ended up with… #devolution #senedd26

Thanks to @karlpike.bsky.social for his excellent review of Post-Liberalism in @politicalquarterly.bsky.social. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/review-...

Figure 2A shows a safe Labour seat, where Labour wins 70% of the vote to the Tories’ 30%. If a left-wing party detached votes from Labour, the Tories may not necessarily win. A minor-party surge could split the left-wing vote in half (Figure 2B). politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/how-ser...

"Does contemporary green radicalism have key relevance to central social and economic issues in general?" An interesting gem from our archive: A 2000 article comments on green politics becoming part of the political landscape in Britain for the first time. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/green-r...

“Some of [those] associated with Blue Labour also glower at liberalism & share some political concerns with Reform, opposing recent migration policies, querying welfare. Their economic critique [is] close to aspects of the post-liberal imagery, but Blue Labour is for the most part a confused entity”

The Greens pose a threat to Labour in English cities, while Your Party and Muslim independents are competitive in constituencies with sizeable Muslim populations. But what are the conditions under which a major collapse for Labour would happen?

An appraisal of an emergent political philosophy that advocates a large, interventionist state acting for the ‘common good’, informed by Christianity and a critique of free-market capitalism. Karl Pike reviews Matt Sleat's new book Post-Liberalism. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/review-...

Following news that higher-income households benefited most from Help to Buy, it's worth reading this piece about the future of home ownership. While Labour's focus is understandably on social housing, they also need to meet home ownership aspirations.

Why Labour faces credible electoral threats from minor parties to its left – with challenges in some of its safest seats. By Thomas Quinn, @profnjallen.bsky.social and John Bartle. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/how-ser...

This is a useful primer on the main options that have been put forward for Lords reform. I wrote about the ‘chamber of the nations and regions’ proposals & the extent to which the Lords can already be said to function like such a chamber in a recent article for @politicalquarterly.bsky.social:

As Zelensky says failure of US envoys to visit Kyiv is 'disrespectful', a book by Ivan Katchanovski sets about disentangling conflicting narratives of the Russia-Ukraine war. "A tour de force of advocacy—for truth". Read the review by Mary Dejevsky now.

Writing about his new book, 'Exclusion and the New Politics of Hatred', Colin Crouch argues that the main answer to developing a population open to inclusiveness lies in urban industrial policy. Read more:

As Zelensky says failure of US envoys to visit Kyiv is 'disrespectful', a book by Ivan Katchanovski sets about disentangling conflicting narratives of the Russia-Ukraine war. "A tour de force of advocacy—for truth". Read the review by Mary Dejevsky now. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/review-...

Examines 5 Tory policy areas (‘levelling-up’, ‘transport revolution’, ‘build 40 new hospitals’, ‘take back control of borders’ & ‘fix our immigration system’). This article offers a focus on the twin dimensions of promises and processes as the key variables in understanding “policy undeliverability”

Since @theresthistory.bsky.social new series on 1970s Britain incl an episode on the 1975 EEC Referendum, a quick plug for my @politicalquarterly.bsky.social article in which I examined the contingency planning that went on in Whitehall for a potential leave vote and #Brexit from the Common Market:

Following news that higher-income households benefited most from Help to Buy, it's worth reading this piece about the future of home ownership. While Labour's focus is understandably on social housing, they also need to meet home ownership aspirations.

For so long we have lived in societies where increasing inclusiveness was a taken for granted good, that we find it hard to cope with a world where movements pressing for precisely the opposite are making all the political waves. By Colin Crouch.

Between 2 and 3 million households who we might have expected to become owners since 2006 have failed to do so. How should Labour address home ownership? politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/the-fut...

For so long we have lived in societies where increasing inclusiveness was a taken for granted good, that we find it hard to cope with a world where movements pressing for precisely the opposite are making all the political waves. By Colin Crouch.

Where are the protagonists of inclusionary politics to turn, if we have lost the once reliable class base for our politics? Colin Crouch reminds us that exclusionary parties rarely achieve the support of a third of citizens. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/the-end...

"Young men need to be encouraged to see that they’re not going to be squeezed back into a macho life where you get to wield a sledgehammer." Anya Pearson interviews Colin Crouch about his new book, 'Exclusion and the New Politics of Hatred'.

Do we need a more expansive understanding of how democratic power should be structured and overseen? New podcast with Daniel Hind produced by @uclspp.bsky.social @alanrenwick.bsky.social in partnership with PQ. 🎧 Listen now:

How Not to Deliver Policies: Lessons in Undeliverability from the Conservative Governments of 2019–2024 Paying tribute to David Judge. An article co-written with John Connolly and Matthew Flinders in 2025. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Walking the Dark Side: Evading Parliamentary Scrutiny. One of David Judge's articles written for PQ in 2021. Well worth a read. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Lobbying has long occupied an uncomfortable place in democratic politics. On one hand, it's long been associated with backroom deals and undue influence. On the other hand, policymakers depend on interest groups for expertise, data, and feedback. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/from-tr...

As a tribute to David Judge, read his highly acclaimed article ‘Would I Lie to You?’: Boris Johnson and Lying in the House of Commons onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

43% in Scotland and 42% in Wales believe Westminster acts mainly as a government for England. With the May elections potentially resulting in nationalist-led governments in both nations, can the UK adopt a more collaborative way of governing in line with public expectations?

"The cultural and the material can't be separated. I see inclusion and exclusion as more basic than class" Anya Pearson interviews Colin Crouch about his new book, 'Exclusion and the New Politics of Hatred'. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/the-hea...