Chris Brooke
@chrisbrooke.bsky.social
"an already elusive subject is considered here from a variety of oblique angles"
Reposted by Chris Brooke
🎶 If I was a Braverman / Would ethno-nationalists take me to their hearts? / If I was a Wiserman / Would my political career be less embarrassing?
January 26, 2026 at 3:40 PM
🎶 If I was a Braverman / Would ethno-nationalists take me to their hearts? / If I was a Wiserman / Would my political career be less embarrassing?
And, possibly for the very last time...
🎶 The only one who could ever reach me / Was Suella Braverman / The only one who could ever teach me / Was Suella Braverman / Yes she was, ooh, Lord knows, she was etc. 🎶
🎶 The only one who could ever reach me / Was Suella Braverman / The only one who could ever teach me / Was Suella Braverman / Yes she was, ooh, Lord knows, she was etc. 🎶
January 26, 2026 at 2:24 PM
And, possibly for the very last time...
🎶 The only one who could ever reach me / Was Suella Braverman / The only one who could ever teach me / Was Suella Braverman / Yes she was, ooh, Lord knows, she was etc. 🎶
🎶 The only one who could ever reach me / Was Suella Braverman / The only one who could ever teach me / Was Suella Braverman / Yes she was, ooh, Lord knows, she was etc. 🎶
Reposted by Chris Brooke
More members of Liz Truss's cabinet are in Reform than in Badenoch's shadow cabinet...
January 26, 2026 at 1:12 PM
More members of Liz Truss's cabinet are in Reform than in Badenoch's shadow cabinet...
Reposted by Chris Brooke
This is essentially the same justification given for cancelling local elections: the costs & burdens of administration, as measured by bureaucrats, exceed the wider public interest in democratic choice. I think this neatly exemplifies why the ‘administrative state’ has lost legitimacy with so many.
Not wanting the biggest by-election in history did indeed turn out to be the reason given by the NEC committee
January 25, 2026 at 1:49 PM
This is essentially the same justification given for cancelling local elections: the costs & burdens of administration, as measured by bureaucrats, exceed the wider public interest in democratic choice. I think this neatly exemplifies why the ‘administrative state’ has lost legitimacy with so many.
Reposted by Chris Brooke
Michael Rosen (Harvard) Why Does Philosophy Have a History? Superb, deeply informed, talk for @triphilosophy.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmxM...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmxM...
Why Does Philosophy Have a History?, Michael Rosen
YouTube video by The Royal Institute of Philosophy
www.youtube.com
January 25, 2026 at 8:18 AM
Michael Rosen (Harvard) Why Does Philosophy Have a History? Superb, deeply informed, talk for @triphilosophy.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmxM...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmxM...
Reposted by Chris Brooke
How does that labour leader’s speech go?
“Party faction first. Palantir, Oracle and X second. America third. Country, 14th. Elections, as rarely as possible”.
“Party faction first. Palantir, Oracle and X second. America third. Country, 14th. Elections, as rarely as possible”.
January 25, 2026 at 12:29 PM
How does that labour leader’s speech go?
“Party faction first. Palantir, Oracle and X second. America third. Country, 14th. Elections, as rarely as possible”.
“Party faction first. Palantir, Oracle and X second. America third. Country, 14th. Elections, as rarely as possible”.
Reposted by Chris Brooke
I do think the basic test of 'do you understand how politics actually works?' is 'did you understand that Angela Rayner having to resign was, in fact, a disaster for Keir Starmer personally' and troublingly not everyone who works for him did!
January 25, 2026 at 12:18 PM
I do think the basic test of 'do you understand how politics actually works?' is 'did you understand that Angela Rayner having to resign was, in fact, a disaster for Keir Starmer personally' and troublingly not everyone who works for him did!
Reposted by Chris Brooke
**** Labour’s NEC blocks Andy Burnham from standing in Gorton by-election**^^
January 25, 2026 at 11:57 AM
**** Labour’s NEC blocks Andy Burnham from standing in Gorton by-election**^^
@philistella.bsky.social Kemi Badenoch has opinions about Becky Sharp.
January 25, 2026 at 11:34 AM
Reposted by Chris Brooke
Essential reading for historians of European political thought - Istvan Hont, Political Economy from Pufendorf to Marx (2026)
www.cambridge.org/gb/universit...
www.cambridge.org/gb/universit...
Political Economy from Pufendorf to Marx | Cambridge University Press & Assessment
www.cambridge.org
January 23, 2026 at 9:20 PM
Essential reading for historians of European political thought - Istvan Hont, Political Economy from Pufendorf to Marx (2026)
www.cambridge.org/gb/universit...
www.cambridge.org/gb/universit...
Reposted by Chris Brooke
Great discussion about cats in pubs on BBC R4’s Broadcasting House (around 20 mins into the programme). I’m more of a dog person but the resident cat at the Kings Arms in Salford left a strong impression on me.
January 25, 2026 at 10:10 AM
Great discussion about cats in pubs on BBC R4’s Broadcasting House (around 20 mins into the programme). I’m more of a dog person but the resident cat at the Kings Arms in Salford left a strong impression on me.
Reposted by Chris Brooke
And - whatever you think of them - heavyweights. Sadiq, Lucy Powell, and Ed Miliband are all in support whereas the "Stop Andy" campaign is the usual "senior Labour figures"... "five NEC members"... "several sources"... "insiders" www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
January 24, 2026 at 5:59 PM
And - whatever you think of them - heavyweights. Sadiq, Lucy Powell, and Ed Miliband are all in support whereas the "Stop Andy" campaign is the usual "senior Labour figures"... "five NEC members"... "several sources"... "insiders" www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Chris Brooke
Down To the River To Pray -- Alison Krauss
Down To The River To Pray (From “O Brother, Where Art Thou” Soundtrack)
YouTube video by Alison Krauss - Topic
youtu.be
January 23, 2026 at 5:29 PM
Down To the River To Pray -- Alison Krauss
Reposted by Chris Brooke
Reposted by Chris Brooke
There will be a painful gap in my list of ‘Blog Posts of the Year’ next December; RIP Deborah Cameron and ‘language: a feminist guide’, which has appeared every year since 2019.
thesphinxblog.com/2026/01/23/a...
thesphinxblog.com/2026/01/23/a...
All The Things She Said
Once upon a time, the internet was all about hyperlinks. My first webpage, back in 1994-5, was roughly 40% links to other people’s pages about stuff I liked (if I recall correctly, an eclectic mixt…
thesphinxblog.com
January 23, 2026 at 4:21 PM
There will be a painful gap in my list of ‘Blog Posts of the Year’ next December; RIP Deborah Cameron and ‘language: a feminist guide’, which has appeared every year since 2019.
thesphinxblog.com/2026/01/23/a...
thesphinxblog.com/2026/01/23/a...
Reposted by Chris Brooke
During the 2015 Labour leadership contest I did a series of posts where the candidates reacted to the news of the day and given AB is back in the running I'll re-up a couple here.
Cecil The Lion
Cecil The Lion
January 23, 2026 at 11:34 AM
During the 2015 Labour leadership contest I did a series of posts where the candidates reacted to the news of the day and given AB is back in the running I'll re-up a couple here.
Cecil The Lion
Cecil The Lion
Reposted by Chris Brooke
There is no evidence presented here, or anywahere AFAICS, that Andy B is seeking to stand in the b-election, or that Andrew G's decision to retire is on anything other than on health grounds.
www.ft.com/content/7066...
www.ft.com/content/7066...
Keir Starmer’s allies ready to block Andy Burnham’s bid for Westminster comeback
Andrew Gwynne’s decision to stand down as an MP offers by-election opening for Labour rival to prime minister
www.ft.com
January 23, 2026 at 8:26 AM
There is no evidence presented here, or anywahere AFAICS, that Andy B is seeking to stand in the b-election, or that Andrew G's decision to retire is on anything other than on health grounds.
www.ft.com/content/7066...
www.ft.com/content/7066...
Reposted by Chris Brooke
“Henry James, who visited in 1873, put it well: ‘You may be as little of a formal Christian as Fra Angelico was much of one, you yet feel admonished by spiritual decency to let so yearning a view of the Christian story work its utmost will on you.’”
Anna McGee · At the Palazzo Strozzi: On Fra Angelico
Faced with a parade of flushed Madonnas and anguished Christs, it would be easy to think that Fra Angelico was somehow...
www.lrb.co.uk
January 22, 2026 at 10:29 PM
“Henry James, who visited in 1873, put it well: ‘You may be as little of a formal Christian as Fra Angelico was much of one, you yet feel admonished by spiritual decency to let so yearning a view of the Christian story work its utmost will on you.’”
Reposted by Chris Brooke
A big part of the reason the UK university sector is in such a mess is that it is led by people who despise their staff & actively try to break their spirits.
January 22, 2026 at 9:30 PM
A big part of the reason the UK university sector is in such a mess is that it is led by people who despise their staff & actively try to break their spirits.
BREAKING - Andrew Gwynne resigns
"It has been the honour of my life to have been an elected representative for almost exactly three decades."
He says his GP has described him as "extremely vulnerable" and recommends his retirement on medical grounds.
"It has been the honour of my life to have been an elected representative for almost exactly three decades."
He says his GP has described him as "extremely vulnerable" and recommends his retirement on medical grounds.
January 22, 2026 at 3:51 PM
Reposted by Chris Brooke
We were incredibly saddened to hear of the death of Deborah Cameron, an EMC patron with a deep commitment to Language study into schools. We loved working with her on many occasions + our thoughts are with her + her family. Here she is talking on emagClips 1/3 englishandmedia.co.uk/videos/colle...
Professor Deborah Cameron on Language and Gender
Professor Deborah Cameron discusses Language and Gender.
englishandmedia.co.uk
January 22, 2026 at 9:47 AM
We were incredibly saddened to hear of the death of Deborah Cameron, an EMC patron with a deep commitment to Language study into schools. We loved working with her on many occasions + our thoughts are with her + her family. Here she is talking on emagClips 1/3 englishandmedia.co.uk/videos/colle...
Debbie was brilliant, and hilarious, and I shall miss her very much indeed.
January 21, 2026 at 8:14 PM
Debbie was brilliant, and hilarious, and I shall miss her very much indeed.
Reposted by Chris Brooke
Beavers are back in London 🦫
Here's how (and why) we did it ⬇️
Here's how (and why) we did it ⬇️
January 21, 2026 at 7:18 AM
Beavers are back in London 🦫
Here's how (and why) we did it ⬇️
Here's how (and why) we did it ⬇️
Oh!
I was colleagues with Stephen many years ago at Magdalen. He once described his research to me as reading the Domesday Book as if it had been prepared by Enron's accountants. V. sorry to hear this news.
I was colleagues with Stephen many years ago at Magdalen. He once described his research to me as reading the Domesday Book as if it had been prepared by Enron's accountants. V. sorry to hear this news.
It is with deep sadness that the Master and Fellows of St Peter’s College share news of the death of Professor Stephen Baxter, Fellow and Tutor in Medieval History. Our full tribute will be shared soon. https://ow.ly/cy8J50Y0yrB
January 21, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Oh!
I was colleagues with Stephen many years ago at Magdalen. He once described his research to me as reading the Domesday Book as if it had been prepared by Enron's accountants. V. sorry to hear this news.
I was colleagues with Stephen many years ago at Magdalen. He once described his research to me as reading the Domesday Book as if it had been prepared by Enron's accountants. V. sorry to hear this news.