Colm Murphy
@colmpm.bsky.social
Historian of UK and ROI politics and political economy. Senior Lecturer at QMUL and Deputy Director of Mile End Institute (https://www.qmul.ac.uk/politics/staff/profiles/murphycolm.html). Book on Labour and 'modernisation' (https://tinyurl.com/37tzatvk).
Reposted by Colm Murphy
Reposted by Colm Murphy
Kerry Goettlich, From Frontiers to Borders: How Colonial Technicians Created Modern Territoriality - @cambup-polsci.cambridge.org, August 2025
www.cambridge.org/gb/universit...
@newbooksnetwork.bsky.social discussion with Morteza Hajizadeh newbooksnetwork.com/from-frontie...
www.cambridge.org/gb/universit...
@newbooksnetwork.bsky.social discussion with Morteza Hajizadeh newbooksnetwork.com/from-frontie...
From Frontiers to Borders | Cambridge University Press & Assessment
www.cambridge.org
January 16, 2026 at 9:40 AM
Kerry Goettlich, From Frontiers to Borders: How Colonial Technicians Created Modern Territoriality - @cambup-polsci.cambridge.org, August 2025
www.cambridge.org/gb/universit...
@newbooksnetwork.bsky.social discussion with Morteza Hajizadeh newbooksnetwork.com/from-frontie...
www.cambridge.org/gb/universit...
@newbooksnetwork.bsky.social discussion with Morteza Hajizadeh newbooksnetwork.com/from-frontie...
Reposted by Colm Murphy
This intro to David Frost's Telegraph column sums up so much that is wrong with British politics.
January 16, 2026 at 8:46 AM
This intro to David Frost's Telegraph column sums up so much that is wrong with British politics.
Interested in the intersection between policymaking, especially in the UK, and academic research? Come work with us! The @mileendinstitute.bsky.social at @qmulsse.bsky.social is advertising for a new Policy Partnerships Officer. Details and application here:
qmul-jobs.tal.net/vx/mobile-0/...
qmul-jobs.tal.net/vx/mobile-0/...
Policy Partnerships Officer - QMUL Jobs
ID: 8276. Title: Policy Partnerships Officer. Application Deadline:
qmul-jobs.tal.net
January 15, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Interested in the intersection between policymaking, especially in the UK, and academic research? Come work with us! The @mileendinstitute.bsky.social at @qmulsse.bsky.social is advertising for a new Policy Partnerships Officer. Details and application here:
qmul-jobs.tal.net/vx/mobile-0/...
qmul-jobs.tal.net/vx/mobile-0/...
Your country point is a good one. The report focuses on Britain wide party members, so no SNP or Plaid - a relevant omission.
January 14, 2026 at 8:13 AM
Your country point is a good one. The report focuses on Britain wide party members, so no SNP or Plaid - a relevant omission.
The "public" is only a comparator for this report.
January 14, 2026 at 8:10 AM
The "public" is only a comparator for this report.
It's party members, not voters.
January 14, 2026 at 8:09 AM
It's party members, not voters.
Had some comments on question wording here. The point, I would guess, is not to establish views about specific historical debates. It's to reveal reactions when history is refracted through a nationalist frame. Hence the wording. The massive variance between the different party members is revealing.
January 14, 2026 at 7:29 AM
Had some comments on question wording here. The point, I would guess, is not to establish views about specific historical debates. It's to reveal reactions when history is refracted through a nationalist frame. Hence the wording. The massive variance between the different party members is revealing.
The point, I would guess, is not to establish views about specific historical debates. It's to reveal reactions when history is refracted through a nationalist frame. Hence the wording. The massive variance between the different party members show this wording does indeed reveal something.
January 14, 2026 at 7:27 AM
The point, I would guess, is not to establish views about specific historical debates. It's to reveal reactions when history is refracted through a nationalist frame. Hence the wording. The massive variance between the different party members show this wording does indeed reveal something.
"So the next time a political book appears it is worth asking not just what it says, but what it is trying to do."
Excellent (and very teaching friendly) blog from @garylove.bsky.social and @richardtoye.bsky.social, teeing up their new edited collection.
cambridgeblog.org/2026/01/what...
Excellent (and very teaching friendly) blog from @garylove.bsky.social and @richardtoye.bsky.social, teeing up their new edited collection.
cambridgeblog.org/2026/01/what...
What Political Books Do (Even When No One Reads Them)
When we think about politics today, we tend to think about speeches, soundbites, social media posts, or rolling news. Books can seem almost incidental: slow, old-fashioned, and increasingly marginal.
cambridgeblog.org
January 14, 2026 at 7:13 AM
"So the next time a political book appears it is worth asking not just what it says, but what it is trying to do."
Excellent (and very teaching friendly) blog from @garylove.bsky.social and @richardtoye.bsky.social, teeing up their new edited collection.
cambridgeblog.org/2026/01/what...
Excellent (and very teaching friendly) blog from @garylove.bsky.social and @richardtoye.bsky.social, teeing up their new edited collection.
cambridgeblog.org/2026/01/what...
There are fascinating nuggets in this report on Britain's Political Party Members (co-authored by QMUL's @timbale.bsky.social).
The chart of different party members' responses to "I am proud of my country's history" is going straight into my lectures.
esrcpartymembersproject.org/wp-content/u...
The chart of different party members' responses to "I am proud of my country's history" is going straight into my lectures.
esrcpartymembersproject.org/wp-content/u...
January 13, 2026 at 5:59 PM
There are fascinating nuggets in this report on Britain's Political Party Members (co-authored by QMUL's @timbale.bsky.social).
The chart of different party members' responses to "I am proud of my country's history" is going straight into my lectures.
esrcpartymembersproject.org/wp-content/u...
The chart of different party members' responses to "I am proud of my country's history" is going straight into my lectures.
esrcpartymembersproject.org/wp-content/u...
"This context means that in a very real sense, it is trade union members, and not Labour Party members, who will decide the outcome of the next leadership contest."
I've spent quite a long time looking into the current system by which the Labour Party grants votes to affiliates in its internal elections. It's more interesting than it sounds, and may be very consequential re, who will be the next Prime Minister.
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
Union members could decide who the next Labour leader is
With membership figures plummeting, affiliates take on a new importance
www.newstatesman.com
January 12, 2026 at 11:15 AM
"This context means that in a very real sense, it is trade union members, and not Labour Party members, who will decide the outcome of the next leadership contest."
Reposted by Colm Murphy
This is right: however, what's interesting about the current situation is that the proportions (members vs affiliates) are so drastically different that actually a fairly low effort from a union could really matter in a tight race. Do any of them want to even try, is the question?
The unknown with affiliate voting is the extent to which any union could get its members to vote and if they would vote the same way as recommended (trying to get members to vote in pay ballots that directly affect them is often challenging enough), and unions are quite busy with industrial issues
January 12, 2026 at 11:06 AM
This is right: however, what's interesting about the current situation is that the proportions (members vs affiliates) are so drastically different that actually a fairly low effort from a union could really matter in a tight race. Do any of them want to even try, is the question?
I had a wonderful time speaking to Jacob Ward about my book Futures of Socialism for the @newbooksnetwork.bsky.social.
Very much enjoyed listening to @colmpm.bsky.social speaking recently about his book on the Labour Party and modernisation on this episode of @newbooksnetwork.bsky.social.
Colm Murphy, "Futures of Socialism: ‘Modernisation', the Labour Party, and the British Left, 1973–1997" (Cambridge UP, 2023)
open.spotify.com
January 12, 2026 at 11:11 AM
I had a wonderful time speaking to Jacob Ward about my book Futures of Socialism for the @newbooksnetwork.bsky.social.
Reposted by Colm Murphy
New: Sources close to Jeremy Corbyn said he didn’t give permission for his name to be used on this slate and a specific request was put in that his name was not included. Sources said Corbyn is “very upset” that this was done without his consent.
New: A new group - Grassroots Left - has launched a slate of candidates ahead of Your Party’s central executive committee elections. The slate is backed by Your Party co-founder Zarah Sultana and has called for “no more top-down party”.
Nominations for the CEC elections close next week.
Nominations for the CEC elections close next week.
January 11, 2026 at 10:14 PM
New: Sources close to Jeremy Corbyn said he didn’t give permission for his name to be used on this slate and a specific request was put in that his name was not included. Sources said Corbyn is “very upset” that this was done without his consent.
Reposted by Colm Murphy
hi, political philosopher here! this is not funny, central banks only do this when they're in extreme distress
Video message from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KckG...
www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/s...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KckG...
www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/s...
Statement by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell
YouTube video by Federal Reserve
www.youtube.com
January 12, 2026 at 1:04 AM
hi, political philosopher here! this is not funny, central banks only do this when they're in extreme distress
Reposted by Colm Murphy
The Fed and markets have a very serious problem
ft.com/content/21b5...
ft.com/content/21b5...
January 12, 2026 at 7:22 AM
The Fed and markets have a very serious problem
ft.com/content/21b5...
ft.com/content/21b5...
Reposted by Colm Murphy
SCOOP: Zarah Sultana’s unauthorised launch of a Your Party membership portal should be referred to the police, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has advised.
Belter from
@meganekenyon.bsky.social
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
Belter from
@meganekenyon.bsky.social
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
Your Party advised to refer unauthorised membership launch to police
An official body told the new left-wing party it should consider referring the incident to determine whether "serious criminal activity" occurred
www.newstatesman.com
January 9, 2026 at 5:42 PM
SCOOP: Zarah Sultana’s unauthorised launch of a Your Party membership portal should be referred to the police, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has advised.
Belter from
@meganekenyon.bsky.social
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
Belter from
@meganekenyon.bsky.social
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
Reposted by Colm Murphy
🚨 AI Minister Niamh Smyth says it isn't appropriate for the Government to maintain a presence on X and will speak to the Taoiseach on the matter.
Says the European Commission should immediately suspend Grok while investigations are continuing.
More on @virginmedianews.bsky.social
Says the European Commission should immediately suspend Grok while investigations are continuing.
More on @virginmedianews.bsky.social
January 9, 2026 at 2:42 PM
🚨 AI Minister Niamh Smyth says it isn't appropriate for the Government to maintain a presence on X and will speak to the Taoiseach on the matter.
Says the European Commission should immediately suspend Grok while investigations are continuing.
More on @virginmedianews.bsky.social
Says the European Commission should immediately suspend Grok while investigations are continuing.
More on @virginmedianews.bsky.social
Reposted by Colm Murphy
NEW: Liz Kendall, the technology secretary, says Ofcom would have the "full backing" of government if it opted to block access to X in the UK (but it's a decision for Ofcom)
January 9, 2026 at 3:39 PM
NEW: Liz Kendall, the technology secretary, says Ofcom would have the "full backing" of government if it opted to block access to X in the UK (but it's a decision for Ofcom)
Reposted by Colm Murphy
Slightly cheating as it took me until a few days into January to finish one of these, but - in no particular order - the best horror and/or fantasy novels I read in 2025:
1. The Lamb by Lucy Rose. As good as everyone says. So visceral (and gory) that I couldn’t read it too near a mealtime.
1. The Lamb by Lucy Rose. As good as everyone says. So visceral (and gory) that I couldn’t read it too near a mealtime.
January 8, 2026 at 10:11 PM
Slightly cheating as it took me until a few days into January to finish one of these, but - in no particular order - the best horror and/or fantasy novels I read in 2025:
1. The Lamb by Lucy Rose. As good as everyone says. So visceral (and gory) that I couldn’t read it too near a mealtime.
1. The Lamb by Lucy Rose. As good as everyone says. So visceral (and gory) that I couldn’t read it too near a mealtime.
The task, for future you, will be retranslation back for a wider audience
January 7, 2026 at 3:47 PM
The task, for future you, will be retranslation back for a wider audience
That's when you're cooking
January 7, 2026 at 3:15 PM
That's when you're cooking
Reposted by Colm Murphy
I couldn't agree more with @mirror.co.uk that it's a good time to investigate Agatha Christie's London.
Especially because there's 40% off Songs of Seven Dials in the @manchesterup.bsky.social sale.
manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526181954/
#sevendials #20s30s
Especially because there's 40% off Songs of Seven Dials in the @manchesterup.bsky.social sale.
manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526181954/
#sevendials #20s30s
January 6, 2026 at 10:01 AM
I couldn't agree more with @mirror.co.uk that it's a good time to investigate Agatha Christie's London.
Especially because there's 40% off Songs of Seven Dials in the @manchesterup.bsky.social sale.
manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526181954/
#sevendials #20s30s
Especially because there's 40% off Songs of Seven Dials in the @manchesterup.bsky.social sale.
manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526181954/
#sevendials #20s30s
Reposted by Colm Murphy
One example of how Grok is being used to target women. Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch being sexualised, degraded, and humiliated step-by-step by Grok. All the images accurately reflect the prompts provided.
January 5, 2026 at 5:37 PM
One example of how Grok is being used to target women. Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch being sexualised, degraded, and humiliated step-by-step by Grok. All the images accurately reflect the prompts provided.