Dr Stylite
@columnist.bsky.social
‘The view from the column is ever distant’
I bet this piece goes down well with the Bluesky crowd!
Britain should pray that Starmer survives ft.trib.al/5esmO4p
Britain should pray that Starmer survives
The country did not and would not vote for the Labour left
ft.trib.al
February 11, 2026 at 12:13 PM
I bet this piece goes down well with the Bluesky crowd!
In other farcical news, managed to split my trousers en route to London.
February 11, 2026 at 12:05 PM
In other farcical news, managed to split my trousers en route to London.
Particularly good newslettering today from Bluesky’s @stephenkb.bsky.social
February 11, 2026 at 10:03 AM
Particularly good newslettering today from Bluesky’s @stephenkb.bsky.social
Obviously, what the UK should do is — irrespective of any other economic or institutional arrangement — agree with the EU to reintroduce FoM. This could be done very quickly and would have have substantial immediate benefits.
February 11, 2026 at 9:38 AM
Obviously, what the UK should do is — irrespective of any other economic or institutional arrangement — agree with the EU to reintroduce FoM. This could be done very quickly and would have have substantial immediate benefits.
I agree with this. It’s really quite distinctive from my perspective. And I’m not sure it goes the other way. France and Gaullism (defined broadly) in particular are framed as the incorrect / unhelpful opposites of what might be consider ‘traditional’ UK foreign policy and economic norms.
Taps sign
At policy and politics events in London too often a latent francophobia shines through that British political and intellectual elites no longer have the luxury to afford
February 11, 2026 at 9:18 AM
I agree with this. It’s really quite distinctive from my perspective. And I’m not sure it goes the other way. France and Gaullism (defined broadly) in particular are framed as the incorrect / unhelpful opposites of what might be consider ‘traditional’ UK foreign policy and economic norms.
On the question of getting closer to the EU (an overwhelmingly popular position) I do think the government should want a fresh electoral mandate if it wishes to cross over any of its much mentioned red lines. I don’t think this is especially complicated…
February 11, 2026 at 9:00 AM
On the question of getting closer to the EU (an overwhelmingly popular position) I do think the government should want a fresh electoral mandate if it wishes to cross over any of its much mentioned red lines. I don’t think this is especially complicated…
On my way to London for two vital missions. Firstly, to save the government via the newly discovered political strategy of ‘govern in poetry, preferably free verse’. Secondly, and more importantly, for the @t0nyyates.bsky.social drinks attended by tout Bluesky London in full emergency session.
February 11, 2026 at 7:59 AM
On my way to London for two vital missions. Firstly, to save the government via the newly discovered political strategy of ‘govern in poetry, preferably free verse’. Secondly, and more importantly, for the @t0nyyates.bsky.social drinks attended by tout Bluesky London in full emergency session.
💯 here for career professionals resigning to pursue poetry degrees
(disclosures etc)
(disclosures etc)
Anthropic's head of safety just resigned.
Most likely a protest against the company's pivot to working with Palantir and Gulf Arab states. The "don't be evil" stage gets shorter.
(I still think Anthropic is the most morally run of the AI corps but it's like cherrypicking rooms on fire.)
Most likely a protest against the company's pivot to working with Palantir and Gulf Arab states. The "don't be evil" stage gets shorter.
(I still think Anthropic is the most morally run of the AI corps but it's like cherrypicking rooms on fire.)
February 10, 2026 at 3:37 PM
💯 here for career professionals resigning to pursue poetry degrees
(disclosures etc)
(disclosures etc)
Reposted by Dr Stylite
My current guess is that well over a millionth of Bluesky's accounts will be turning up to the econ/pol/fin/sci drinks on Wed 11 Feb at a North London pub. [DM me for the venue].
February 9, 2026 at 6:44 PM
My current guess is that well over a millionth of Bluesky's accounts will be turning up to the econ/pol/fin/sci drinks on Wed 11 Feb at a North London pub. [DM me for the venue].
Good lord
February 9, 2026 at 8:32 PM
Good lord
I had toyed with the idea that the Freudian drivers of desire (wanting things — hope! aspiration! joy!) and death (not taking things away — caution! conservation! danger!) are a pretty good framing for the politics of positivity and negativity but this piece has stopped me in my tracks!
Tomorrow's column: the prime minister's wishful thinking saw him sign off cheques he couldn't cash, in both policies and personnel. Now the bills are coming in:
Keir Starmer’s inconvenient truth
Labour must stop believing things because they are politically helpful and engage with the world as it really is
www.ft.com
February 9, 2026 at 4:39 PM
I had toyed with the idea that the Freudian drivers of desire (wanting things — hope! aspiration! joy!) and death (not taking things away — caution! conservation! danger!) are a pretty good framing for the politics of positivity and negativity but this piece has stopped me in my tracks!
Reposted by Dr Stylite
The Bluesky network map doesn't lie. Wed 11 Feb. 645 onwards. DM me for the North London pub venue. If you're coming anyway and haven't let me know please let me know.
February 9, 2026 at 10:58 AM
The Bluesky network map doesn't lie. Wed 11 Feb. 645 onwards. DM me for the North London pub venue. If you're coming anyway and haven't let me know please let me know.
I don’t entirely believe this but there’s at least a case to be made that the current political fragmentation is to do with the poor quality of leading politicians / strategists etc etc.
February 9, 2026 at 9:19 AM
I don’t entirely believe this but there’s at least a case to be made that the current political fragmentation is to do with the poor quality of leading politicians / strategists etc etc.
Where’s the lie etc
Rejoinerism would honestly be an extremely good strategy for Labour to pursue at this point
February 8, 2026 at 6:29 PM
Where’s the lie etc
Arsenal 1 McSweeney 0
February 8, 2026 at 6:11 PM
Arsenal 1 McSweeney 0
A thought that’s *still* ridiculous omg
February 8, 2026 at 5:58 PM
A thought that’s *still* ridiculous omg
What is more than *febrile*?
February 8, 2026 at 3:20 PM
What is more than *febrile*?
Starmer isn’t going to resign unless some additional very bad thing is discovered.*
*It is quite likely some additional very bad thing is going to be discovered
*It is quite likely some additional very bad thing is going to be discovered
February 8, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Starmer isn’t going to resign unless some additional very bad thing is discovered.*
*It is quite likely some additional very bad thing is going to be discovered
*It is quite likely some additional very bad thing is going to be discovered
Reposted by Dr Stylite
This skeet aging well. I also think this is still the case.
Yeah so this is bring down the government territory if there’s more to come (you woudn’t bet against it) so I think we’ll seem some weird stuff over the next few days.
February 8, 2026 at 12:52 PM
This skeet aging well. I also think this is still the case.
Hey anything happen in British politics while I was out and about discussing avant garde poetry?
February 8, 2026 at 2:50 PM
Hey anything happen in British politics while I was out and about discussing avant garde poetry?
No. Prediction markets are not pricing the future (nor are any markets). They are pricing the present (ie the weight of evidence that exists ‘today’). Accordingly, ‘predictions’ tend to be either redundant (because v highly likelihood of happening) or unhelpful (because v uncertain).
February 8, 2026 at 5:13 AM
No. Prediction markets are not pricing the future (nor are any markets). They are pricing the present (ie the weight of evidence that exists ‘today’). Accordingly, ‘predictions’ tend to be either redundant (because v highly likelihood of happening) or unhelpful (because v uncertain).
The current fashion for leading a party or being talked about leading a party while vocally backing policies that are anathema to your voter base is truly bizarre.
February 7, 2026 at 7:12 PM
The current fashion for leading a party or being talked about leading a party while vocally backing policies that are anathema to your voter base is truly bizarre.
Reposted by Dr Stylite
Here is a single free to read version of Mr Sandbu’s essay. So pls be prepared to spend the valuable 30 mins reading it before following the link.
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... The pessimist who became a prophet
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... The pessimist who became a prophet
The pessimist who became a prophet
Philosopher Michael Sandel was ignored by a generation of political optimists. Now he is searching for a way out of the mess he saw coming
giftarticle.ft.com
February 7, 2026 at 6:57 PM
Here is a single free to read version of Mr Sandbu’s essay. So pls be prepared to spend the valuable 30 mins reading it before following the link.
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... The pessimist who became a prophet
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... The pessimist who became a prophet
Noteworthy that these ridiculous stories come from the same (and equally ridiculous) *desperate times* spin of the now long train of failed PMs.
Have Keir Starmer’s allies considered…just getting better at their jobs?
Will Keir Starmer use his nuclear option to try to head off a leadership challenge? www.independent.co.uk/voices/keir-...
February 7, 2026 at 4:18 PM
Noteworthy that these ridiculous stories come from the same (and equally ridiculous) *desperate times* spin of the now long train of failed PMs.
Reposted by Dr Stylite
Counting the cost of money in politics ft.trib.al/sAx2W1p | opinion
Counting the cost of money in politics
Revelations of Mandelson’s cabinet leaks spotlight the symbiotic relationship between government and bankers
ft.trib.al
February 6, 2026 at 4:45 PM
Counting the cost of money in politics ft.trib.al/sAx2W1p | opinion