Adam Drummond
@adamdrummond.bsky.social
Head of Quant Research at Public First. Professional collector of other people's opinions
Reposted by Adam Drummond
Lost amid the discussion of why the Government should get off X is its utter uselessness as an engagement tool and the fact departments are wasting vast sums making content for it. Take this:
January 2, 2026 at 11:15 PM
Lost amid the discussion of why the Government should get off X is its utter uselessness as an engagement tool and the fact departments are wasting vast sums making content for it. Take this:
See also: dogs in offices.
"Hey look we're a funky and inclusive workplace but also one where we expect people to do work that requires concentration and have calls with clients"
"Hey look we're a funky and inclusive workplace but also one where we expect people to do work that requires concentration and have calls with clients"
I don't dislike dogs to be clear. But I really really dislike how many dog owners allow their dogs to foul the streets and to yap at people and scare kids and still expect everyone to think their precious little pooch is such a good dog 14/10 whatever
January 1, 2026 at 2:43 PM
See also: dogs in offices.
"Hey look we're a funky and inclusive workplace but also one where we expect people to do work that requires concentration and have calls with clients"
"Hey look we're a funky and inclusive workplace but also one where we expect people to do work that requires concentration and have calls with clients"
Me and the cat seeing in the new year the right way
December 31, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Me and the cat seeing in the new year the right way
As someone else afflicted by the condition of "big TV and a PS5" (the struggle is real!) I really liked this
How I rebooted my social life <— a slightly more personal essay than usual, for New Year. (Free to read.)
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/this-might...
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/this-might...
How I rebooted my social life
Some self-help for the New Year
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk
December 31, 2025 at 2:27 PM
As someone else afflicted by the condition of "big TV and a PS5" (the struggle is real!) I really liked this
Reposted by Adam Drummond
I think the key to answering this question is understanding Starmer/Reeves unpopularity among natural allies. A majority of Laboir voters disapprove of him, as do large majorities of LD/Green voters. Hostility from natural political opponents is normal. Hostility from natural supporters is not.
Glad the FT is asking the question. Even if I’m not convinced they found a compelling answer.
I get that Starmer & Reeves are unpopular, I really don’t understand the extent of the dislike.
www.ft.com/content/1995... ‘There’s a real dislike, even loathing’: why voters hate Starmer and Reeves
I get that Starmer & Reeves are unpopular, I really don’t understand the extent of the dislike.
www.ft.com/content/1995... ‘There’s a real dislike, even loathing’: why voters hate Starmer and Reeves
‘There’s a real dislike, even loathing’: why voters hate Starmer and Reeves
Allies concede the prime minister and chancellor have made mistakes yet the level of disdain towards them is still striking
www.ft.com
December 31, 2025 at 9:16 AM
I think the key to answering this question is understanding Starmer/Reeves unpopularity among natural allies. A majority of Laboir voters disapprove of him, as do large majorities of LD/Green voters. Hostility from natural political opponents is normal. Hostility from natural supporters is not.
I had a long thread written out but the app closed and it's deleted so here are some mostly-formed thoughts: it's a mixture of their central problem (lack of a clear mission), unforced errors (WFA) and a failure to recognise the information environment they're operating in
Glad the FT is asking the question. Even if I’m not convinced they found a compelling answer.
I get that Starmer & Reeves are unpopular, I really don’t understand the extent of the dislike.
www.ft.com/content/1995... ‘There’s a real dislike, even loathing’: why voters hate Starmer and Reeves
I get that Starmer & Reeves are unpopular, I really don’t understand the extent of the dislike.
www.ft.com/content/1995... ‘There’s a real dislike, even loathing’: why voters hate Starmer and Reeves
‘There’s a real dislike, even loathing’: why voters hate Starmer and Reeves
Allies concede the prime minister and chancellor have made mistakes yet the level of disdain towards them is still striking
www.ft.com
December 31, 2025 at 12:56 PM
I had a long thread written out but the app closed and it's deleted so here are some mostly-formed thoughts: it's a mixture of their central problem (lack of a clear mission), unforced errors (WFA) and a failure to recognise the information environment they're operating in
It won't be, because that's not the political environment we live in, but being in the first team here should be the absolute minimum threshold that any candidate to replace Starmer should meet.
December 31, 2025 at 11:09 AM
It won't be, because that's not the political environment we live in, but being in the first team here should be the absolute minimum threshold that any candidate to replace Starmer should meet.
I once saw Hugh Grant at Labour Party conference and, despite @priyaminhas.bsky.social's urging, declined to follow him into the toilet
Please quote this with the time you didn’t interact with someone famous - eg one time I was in Cardiff the same weekend as Willem Dafoe (but I didn’t see him or even know he was there until he appeared on the telly later)
Please quote this with your major interactions with massive celebrities. eg “I was married to the pope for fifteen years”
December 30, 2025 at 9:36 AM
I once saw Hugh Grant at Labour Party conference and, despite @priyaminhas.bsky.social's urging, declined to follow him into the toilet
The stage show of The Spy Who Came In From The Cold is even better than I was hoping, an absolutely brilliant realisation of one of my all time favourite books
December 29, 2025 at 10:08 PM
The stage show of The Spy Who Came In From The Cold is even better than I was hoping, an absolutely brilliant realisation of one of my all time favourite books
Reposted by Adam Drummond
FWIW I don’t think it will, at least in 2026, but it will come down further. Suspect frantic efforts by Labour to take the credit and from Reform to change the subject (to small boats, problems with migrants already here. Reform efforts likely more successful 1/2
bsky.app/profile/adam...
bsky.app/profile/adam...
Looking forward to this. Would be interesting to get your thoughts on how everyone will react if net migration goes negative
December 29, 2025 at 7:23 PM
FWIW I don’t think it will, at least in 2026, but it will come down further. Suspect frantic efforts by Labour to take the credit and from Reform to change the subject (to small boats, problems with migrants already here. Reform efforts likely more successful 1/2
bsky.app/profile/adam...
bsky.app/profile/adam...
Reposted by Adam Drummond
Donald Trump is unpopular in Europe, according to the new POLITICO Poll.
Even among the supporters of right-wing populist parties he sees as allies.
Even among the supporters of right-wing populist parties he sees as allies.
Trump is unpopular in Europe — even among right-wing populist supporters, POLITICO Poll shows
The US president gets favorable views from only about a third of people who support the parties Trump wants to see win power in France and Germany.
www.politico.eu
December 29, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Donald Trump is unpopular in Europe, according to the new POLITICO Poll.
Even among the supporters of right-wing populist parties he sees as allies.
Even among the supporters of right-wing populist parties he sees as allies.
Emotional moment as my parents' microwave, which they've had since 1979, has finally shuffled off this mortal coil.
December 27, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Emotional moment as my parents' microwave, which they've had since 1979, has finally shuffled off this mortal coil.
If the king's speech montage had a quick shot of Andrew's stuff being hurled out of the palace by bailiffs
December 25, 2025 at 3:09 PM
If the king's speech montage had a quick shot of Andrew's stuff being hurled out of the palace by bailiffs
I watch this at least once every few months, a bit like those (I think improvised?) George Parr interviews, just wonderful
Sadly no longer with us, there are few who compare with John Clarke (and long-time partner Bryan Dawe) as a political satirist and before that a cultural commentator of sorts. 'The front fell off' is perhaps his most viral sketch...
Clarke and Dawe - The Front Fell Off
YouTube video by ClarkeAndDawe
www.youtube.com
December 25, 2025 at 11:55 AM
I watch this at least once every few months, a bit like those (I think improvised?) George Parr interviews, just wonderful
What % of the population right now are turning boxes of Celebrations into boxes of Bounties
December 24, 2025 at 10:44 PM
What % of the population right now are turning boxes of Celebrations into boxes of Bounties
I actually really like this, but then I'm about the same age and Back to the Future was nothing like as big a thing for me so I'm not particularly precious about it
NEW: It's time to reboot Back to the Future
<-- This really is my actual, sincere opinion, and here I explain how to do it successfully.
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/back-to-ba...
<-- This really is my actual, sincere opinion, and here I explain how to do it successfully.
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/back-to-ba...
It's time to reboot Back to the Future
What's a re-run? You'll find out.
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk
December 23, 2025 at 6:00 PM
I actually really like this, but then I'm about the same age and Back to the Future was nothing like as big a thing for me so I'm not particularly precious about it
Then: Arkham Asylum
Now: Uncharted 2
But only because I never had a PS3 and I played a LOT of Arkham City so got a bit Batman'd out
Now: Uncharted 2
But only because I never had a PS3 and I played a LOT of Arkham City so got a bit Batman'd out
Quote this with your favourite game NOW that was released in 2009, and what your favourite was THEN (if you had one)
Localisations/early access count, remasters/ports don't. Remakes depend
Two-way ties count
If you need more of a refresher: backloggd.com/games/lib/po...
Localisations/early access count, remasters/ports don't. Remakes depend
Two-way ties count
If you need more of a refresher: backloggd.com/games/lib/po...
December 23, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Then: Arkham Asylum
Now: Uncharted 2
But only because I never had a PS3 and I played a LOT of Arkham City so got a bit Batman'd out
Now: Uncharted 2
But only because I never had a PS3 and I played a LOT of Arkham City so got a bit Batman'd out
You just know that someone, somewhere in the Home Office has proposed doing an event when the number hits 0, complete with a George W Bush style "Mission Accomplished" banner
The UK will celebrate net emigration and depopulation come 2027.
And by 2028 it will start to realise, with an ageing society and low growth, what a really silly thing it has done.
The right will go "pro-natalist", the centre-left will be completely stuck.
And by 2028 it will start to realise, with an ageing society and low growth, what a really silly thing it has done.
The right will go "pro-natalist", the centre-left will be completely stuck.
December 22, 2025 at 8:38 AM
You just know that someone, somewhere in the Home Office has proposed doing an event when the number hits 0, complete with a George W Bush style "Mission Accomplished" banner
Minor pet peeve: films set in London where it's really snowy at Christmas.
Lads it's 5 days to Christmas and it was 10° today, snow is a late January thing, sometimes even March
Lads it's 5 days to Christmas and it was 10° today, snow is a late January thing, sometimes even March
December 20, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Minor pet peeve: films set in London where it's really snowy at Christmas.
Lads it's 5 days to Christmas and it was 10° today, snow is a late January thing, sometimes even March
Lads it's 5 days to Christmas and it was 10° today, snow is a late January thing, sometimes even March
2012: Mass Effect 3 despite the ending
Now: Mass Effect 3 despite the ending
Now: Mass Effect 3 despite the ending
Quote this with what you would have said your game of the year was at the end of 2012, if you had one, and what you would say your favourite game of 2012 is now, if it differs
Localisations and early access count, remasters don't. Remakes depend
Refresher list: backloggd.com/games/lib/po...
Localisations and early access count, remasters don't. Remakes depend
Refresher list: backloggd.com/games/lib/po...
December 20, 2025 at 11:35 AM
2012: Mass Effect 3 despite the ending
Now: Mass Effect 3 despite the ending
Now: Mass Effect 3 despite the ending
I've been a bit behind with things but I finally saw the animated Animal Farm trailer and it might be the worst thing I've ever seen in my life
December 19, 2025 at 6:28 PM
I've been a bit behind with things but I finally saw the animated Animal Farm trailer and it might be the worst thing I've ever seen in my life
Really interesting
🚨 NEW BLOG
Labour have won every election in Wales for 100 years, but they are on track to (badly) lose the 2026 Senedd election - why?
@jaclarner.bsky.social and I have looked at new data, which shows how support is shifting within (not between) Wales's blocs!
blogs.cardiff.ac.uk/thinking-wal...
Labour have won every election in Wales for 100 years, but they are on track to (badly) lose the 2026 Senedd election - why?
@jaclarner.bsky.social and I have looked at new data, which shows how support is shifting within (not between) Wales's blocs!
blogs.cardiff.ac.uk/thinking-wal...
Consolidation, Not Conversion: Understanding Wales’s Ongoing Realignment
Showcasing current research, comments and analysis on the law, politics, history, culture, government and political economy of Wales from the Wales Governance Centre.
blogs.cardiff.ac.uk
December 17, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Really interesting
Probably speech writers could have phrased it better but I think the public would have been receptive to part of the budget speech being "we need to raise taxes to un-fuck the justice system and make crime illegal again"
Sometimes it's frustrating to not be able to come down on a side of an argument. But this is one of those instances where I don't think there's a right answer. The system is so broken. The best solution would be to pump £bns into it. Can I see the public choosing that over eg NHS or pensions? No.
December 3, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Probably speech writers could have phrased it better but I think the public would have been receptive to part of the budget speech being "we need to raise taxes to un-fuck the justice system and make crime illegal again"
Reposted by Adam Drummond
December 2, 2025 at 8:48 AM