New publication! Devolution has reshaped how Scotland is governed. Yet power and prosperity have become ever more concentrated in and around Edinburgh. Our new report makes the case for a distinctive Scottish approach for reform to rebalance central–local relations. Read more: edin.ac/3JonpLb

I’d thought my fundraising efforts for the Great North Run were over but I am *so close* to raising 1k for @medicalaidpal.bsky.social that I’m asking again. Link here: www.gofundme.com/f/sean-does-...

Great North 10k ✅ A bit proud of myself, but far more proud of @everebecca.bsky.social, who went on her first ever outdoor run of any distance about 6 weeks ago.

River Cart looking beautiful and inviting today @glasgowcitycouncil.bsky.social

Great workshop yesterday at @ccc-research.bsky.social – we explored how strengths/limitations of English devolution might inform local/regional reform in Scotland. Thanks to all who joined, esp. @ariannagiovannini.bsky.social @paulanderson88.bsky.social & @sekip.bsky.social! @uoe-sps.bsky.social

This podcast is genuinely extraordinary in exposing police practice in the UK around domestic abuse internally, i can't remember something quite so open about how broken the internal systems with the police are with actual testimony from people who've been a part of it.

🚨ICYMI I’ve spent months talking to policewomen abused by fellow officers about how their partners used police training and authority to facilitate abuse - and how their own forces closed ranks when they asked for help. Read: observer.co.uk/news/nationa... Listen: open.spotify.com/episode/5j5L...

Wife guy post: Eve has worked on this story for months, and done so with more journalistic integrity, kindness, and skill than I’ve ever seen. It is an exceptional piece of work and deserves the widest audience. Please read, listen, and share.

🧵 In February, I got a message from Anna*, a female police officer. She was a domestic abuse specialist, responding daily to calls from women abused by their partners. But she was also in an abusive marriage herself, for more than a decade - and her abuser was another officer.

Latest issue out now! onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/1467923x... With John Connolly David Judge Matt Flinders; @sekip.bsky.social; @jimtomlinson45.bsky.social; Andrés Velasco @dbrieba.bsky.social; Coree Brown Swan @paulanderson88.bsky.social Judith Sijstermans; Stewart Lansley; Tom Wraight Kai Green

The Unvirtuous Circle @sekip.bsky.social explores the record of different far-right political parties on immigration policy, arguing that their policy failure feeds into further populist rhetoric on migration. #migration #immigration #populism #governments isrf.org/blog/the-unv...

For most of this year, I’ve been working on one story - and I’m so excited for it to finally be out in the world. Observer subscribers can listen now to the podcast version. Throughout this week, the rest of you will be able to listen and read the story too. Watch this space 🔍

Fine company indeed

Hi @firstbus.bsky.social - what’s the logic behind a 15 minute bus from the airport to Glasgow city centre costing £11? Cheers.

Final day at @ecpr.bsky.social joint sessions in beautiful Prague, where @mesarovicha.bsky.social and I co-chaired a workshop on radical right populism and public policy. Heard some great papers and met some excellent people.

I'm running the Great North Run for @medicalaidpal.bsky.social in September - my GoFundMe link is here www.gofundme.com/f/sean-does-...

I refuse to believe there’s a funnier animal on God’s green earth than this thing

Booking a meal in restaurant by email, I accidentally request a table for "approximately 2 hours and 3 minutes".

I'm running the Great North Run for @medicalaidpal.bsky.social in September - my GoFundMe link is here www.gofundme.com/f/sean-does-...

Out now!

The Unvirtuous Circle @sekip.bsky.social explores the record of different far-right political parties on immigration policy, arguing that their policy failure feeds into further populist rhetoric on migration. #migration #immigration #populism #governments #socialpolicy isrf.org/blog/the-unv...

Every year thousands of workers come from overseas to pick fruit and veg on UK farms. But an organisation who supports them says they’re not being paid for all the hours they work - and payslips they shared with me show the same. My story in tomorrow’s Observer www.theguardian.com/global-devel...

EXC: “There’s a significant risk… [coercive control] will play a part in some cases of assisted dying” In tomorrow’s Observer, domestic abuse experts told me victims had been ignored in the assisted dying bill which could be “misused as a tool for femicide”: www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

New article! Does Keir Starmer’s government represent a golden opportunity for the @coopparty.party.coop? I answer this question with more questions in the @politicalquarterly.bsky.social doi.org/10.1111/1467...

New article! Does Keir Starmer’s government represent a golden opportunity for the @coopparty.party.coop? I answer this question with more questions in the @politicalquarterly.bsky.social doi.org/10.1111/1467...

Murderous stuffed toy

Thought this might hand dispense Tennent’s

Had a great time in beautiful Padova last week discussing the state of public administration research and the role of administrative capacities with a stellar group of international colleagues. So many interesting perspectives and new research avenues ✨

I love crap English language business names in non-English speaking countries. I walked past somewhere called “Hurt Me, Baby” in Padua yesterday.

I will stop going on about this soon, but, the call for papers have been extended until this evening. Please do stick in a paper if you're minded to do so. bsky.app/profile/did:...

Resharing this introduction in light of a load of brilliant new followers. PRs/campaigners/charities etc, send me your stories! Editors please commission me! Everyone else let’s be friends! 🙏🙏

I am in beautiful Padua for the CAPIS conference on public administration reform and administrative capacity.

Researching populist governance in action? There is still, just, time to put in a paper for this workshop with Researching populist governance in action? There is still, just, time to put in a paper for this workshop with @mesarovicha.bsky.social ecpr.eu/Events/Event...

I have many new followers (thanks!). @mesarovicha.bsky.social and I are running this workshop at the @ecpr.bsky.social joint sessions in Prague and we’d love you to submit your paper. Yes, yours! ecpr.eu/Events/Event...

I have many new followers (thanks!). @mesarovicha.bsky.social and I are running this workshop at the @ecpr.bsky.social joint sessions in Prague and we’d love you to submit your paper. Yes, yours! ecpr.eu/Events/Event...

A starter pack of academics (mostly political scientists and political historians) I found on here who (broadly) work in the British Politics subfield. Please (self) recommend others I’ve missed. go.bsky.app/EqXUQbt

Everyone follow @everebecca.bsky.social - she is incredulous that I am a much much bigger deal than her on here x

Bluesky: this is my cat.

Policy! Populism! ECPR! Prague! Put in a paper! ecpr.eu/Events/Event...

I have 900 followers?!

Interested in the intersection of populism and public policy? This ECPR Joint Sessions workshop in Prague next May might be for you. Drop me a line if any questions ecpr.eu/Events/Event...

Interested in the intersection of populism and public policy? This ECPR Joint Sessions workshop in Prague next May might be for you. Drop me a line if any questions ecpr.eu/Events/Event...

Policy! Populism! ECPR! Prague! Put in a paper! ecpr.eu/Events/Event...

Partly inspired by Raygun (!), I am considering writing an autoethnographic paper on the topic of my experience working in Parliament over a decade ago, reappraised in the light of subsequently gained knowledge and expertise as a public policy scholar. Be honest, is this a shit idea?

Man, these kids aren't going to know what's hit 'em.

I haven't logged on here for months. Is it any good, yet?

Politics and Policymaking in the UK: a full set of blog posts to accompany our book paulcairney.wordpress.com/policymaking... @sekip.bsky.social promises to add his podcasts once he's completed his residency at the Conservatoire

An instant classic

It’s here! @paulcairney.bsky.social

Educational equity in England: the shortcomings of the UK Government’s COVID-19 response (by me!)