Jamie Gaskarth
@jamiegaskarth.bsky.social
Prof, Foreign Policy and IR, OU. Writes on British defence, intel and foreign policy. Associate Fellow, Chatham House. Views my own.
I wish people describing Mandelson as Machiavellian would read Machiavelli. He emphasised the importance of character to political success and virtu to civic life. His was never an 'anything goes' approach to politics.
February 8, 2026 at 4:36 PM
I wish people describing Mandelson as Machiavellian would read Machiavelli. He emphasised the importance of character to political success and virtu to civic life. His was never an 'anything goes' approach to politics.
Anyone else think David Lammy is underpriced as next Labour leader?
February 8, 2026 at 3:48 PM
Anyone else think David Lammy is underpriced as next Labour leader?
Sir Keir Starmer reminds me most of Theresa May. Would have been a good Home Secretary (politics aside) but is clearly unable to do the politics of the top spot (and why I think those who can, like Harold Wilson, are often underrated).
February 5, 2026 at 9:36 PM
Sir Keir Starmer reminds me most of Theresa May. Would have been a good Home Secretary (politics aside) but is clearly unable to do the politics of the top spot (and why I think those who can, like Harold Wilson, are often underrated).
Wow
Once had privilege of listening to Ian McKellen perform at Oxford. Seemed timely then - even more so now.
Sir Ian McKellen performing a monologue from Shakespeare’s Sir Thomas More on the Stephen Colbert show. Never have I heard this monologue performed with such a keen sense of prescience. Nor have I ever been in this exact historical moment.TY Sir Ian, for reaching us once again.
#Pinks #ProudBlue
#Pinks #ProudBlue
February 5, 2026 at 2:09 PM
Wow
OK, everybody tuck your pants into your socks...(c) Simpsons...
Even without looking to see the moment, I know for a fact the answer is 'yes', because Norman Shaw South (where the leader of the opposition's office is) is absolutely riddled with mice, even by the standards of Parliament.
You tell me.
February 5, 2026 at 7:31 AM
OK, everybody tuck your pants into your socks...(c) Simpsons...
Reposted by Jamie Gaskarth
Important! AHRC is looking for a new Executive Chair. A critical role for arts and humanities. £160k - £170k. Please share widely to help get the best possible field!
fa-evzn-saasfaukgovprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...
fa-evzn-saasfaukgovprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...
February 3, 2026 at 9:21 AM
Important! AHRC is looking for a new Executive Chair. A critical role for arts and humanities. £160k - £170k. Please share widely to help get the best possible field!
fa-evzn-saasfaukgovprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...
fa-evzn-saasfaukgovprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...
Reposted by Jamie Gaskarth
In the beginning of your career and have a passion for security and defence?
As part of RUSI NextGen you get the chance to connect with peers and senior experts in international affairs, defence and security through our exclusive events.
Apply to join: https://my.rusi.org/membership/nextgen.html
As part of RUSI NextGen you get the chance to connect with peers and senior experts in international affairs, defence and security through our exclusive events.
Apply to join: https://my.rusi.org/membership/nextgen.html
RUSI NextGen: Early Career Network for Defence, Security and International Affairs
RUSI NextGen connects the next generation of leaders and thinkers in defence, security, and international affairs
bit.ly
February 2, 2026 at 3:17 PM
In the beginning of your career and have a passion for security and defence?
As part of RUSI NextGen you get the chance to connect with peers and senior experts in international affairs, defence and security through our exclusive events.
Apply to join: https://my.rusi.org/membership/nextgen.html
As part of RUSI NextGen you get the chance to connect with peers and senior experts in international affairs, defence and security through our exclusive events.
Apply to join: https://my.rusi.org/membership/nextgen.html
Good for him. It's misconduct in public office. Mandelson should be jailed for it.
Full statement here from the Office of Gordon and Sarah Brown.
"I have today asked the Cabinet Secretary to investigate the disclosure of confidential and market sensitive information from the then Business Department during the global financial crisis.
"I have today asked the Cabinet Secretary to investigate the disclosure of confidential and market sensitive information from the then Business Department during the global financial crisis.
February 2, 2026 at 3:17 PM
Good for him. It's misconduct in public office. Mandelson should be jailed for it.
Reposted by Jamie Gaskarth
Are you studying, researching or teaching in the histories of Britain or Ireland? Try using the Bibliography of British and Irish History (BBIH), it contains 670,000+ resources from 55 BCE to today! Find out how to use BBIH buff.ly/yD11954 @brepols.net
Using BBIH online: a help pack for students and lecturers
For the academic year, we've a help pack offering guides to BBIH in undergraduate and graduate teaching and research. With embeddable content for VLEs.
www.history.ac.uk
January 29, 2026 at 12:02 PM
Are you studying, researching or teaching in the histories of Britain or Ireland? Try using the Bibliography of British and Irish History (BBIH), it contains 670,000+ resources from 55 BCE to today! Find out how to use BBIH buff.ly/yD11954 @brepols.net
Reposted by Jamie Gaskarth
🏔️"Davos should therefore have confirmed to Keir Starmer that Britain will need to both rethink its dependence on the US and the slow pace of rearmament."
✍️ Andrew M Dorman reflects on UK defence policy following the geopolitical tensions at Davos
🔗 ukandeu.ac.uk/uk-defence-a...
✍️ Andrew M Dorman reflects on UK defence policy following the geopolitical tensions at Davos
🔗 ukandeu.ac.uk/uk-defence-a...
UK defence and the impact of Davos - UK in a changing Europe
Andrew M Dorman argues that the UK should reduce its reliance on the US for its defence and invest in and strenghten its own capabilities following the geopolitical tensions at Davos.
ukandeu.ac.uk
January 29, 2026 at 12:59 PM
🏔️"Davos should therefore have confirmed to Keir Starmer that Britain will need to both rethink its dependence on the US and the slow pace of rearmament."
✍️ Andrew M Dorman reflects on UK defence policy following the geopolitical tensions at Davos
🔗 ukandeu.ac.uk/uk-defence-a...
✍️ Andrew M Dorman reflects on UK defence policy following the geopolitical tensions at Davos
🔗 ukandeu.ac.uk/uk-defence-a...
I can't process how generationally unfair the student loan system is in the UK. The interest rate should be the BoE base rate. 9% is an absolute scandal. #newsnight.
January 28, 2026 at 10:51 PM
I can't process how generationally unfair the student loan system is in the UK. The interest rate should be the BoE base rate. 9% is an absolute scandal. #newsnight.
Reposted by Jamie Gaskarth
This is IMO the big thing that we need to change England's planning system to do. Once you approve a theme park it should unlock a presumptive yes for the sewage upgrades:
What will be the impact of Universal UK on Bedfordshire sewage system?
What will be the impact of Universal UK on Bedfordshire sewage system?
The system that will deal with sewage from Universal UK does not currently have capacity.
www.bbc.com
January 28, 2026 at 12:24 PM
This is IMO the big thing that we need to change England's planning system to do. Once you approve a theme park it should unlock a presumptive yes for the sewage upgrades:
Reposted by Jamie Gaskarth
@mybisa.bsky.social @isanet.bsky.social @europeanisa.bsky.social @warontherocks.bsky.social @ifjpglobal.bsky.social I'm recruiting! 2x 4-year postdocs: jobs.sussex.ac.uk/job/36e1adc2...
Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Technology and the (future) Human in War x2 Ref: 43027 & 43028 (Fixed Term) - Job page - University of Sussex Job Search
jobs.sussex.ac.uk
January 28, 2026 at 1:08 PM
@mybisa.bsky.social @isanet.bsky.social @europeanisa.bsky.social @warontherocks.bsky.social @ifjpglobal.bsky.social I'm recruiting! 2x 4-year postdocs: jobs.sussex.ac.uk/job/36e1adc2...
Reposted by Jamie Gaskarth
If the UK Government is not a guaranteed customer for the missiles, then the propsect looks immediately less attractive for the businesses loking at the tender. Either way, without replacing US ISR systems having just the UK missiles won’t address US dependency concerns.
Why in God's name would we not adopt our own bloody missiles?
No plan for UK to procure its own Nightfall missiles - Army Technology
A senior Ministry of Defence official confirmed there is “no plan” to procure British-made Nightfall missiles at present.
www.army-technology.com
January 28, 2026 at 7:52 AM
If the UK Government is not a guaranteed customer for the missiles, then the propsect looks immediately less attractive for the businesses loking at the tender. Either way, without replacing US ISR systems having just the UK missiles won’t address US dependency concerns.
Reposted by Jamie Gaskarth
"It is apparent that there is still no final and definitive list of that legislation, nor clarity about what should be done with it all."
✍️ @simonusherwood.bsky.social on the challenges the UK faces in dealing with the legislation it adopted while part of the EU
🔗 ukandeu.ac.uk/the-boundles...
✍️ @simonusherwood.bsky.social on the challenges the UK faces in dealing with the legislation it adopted while part of the EU
🔗 ukandeu.ac.uk/the-boundles...
The boundless mystery of Assimilated EU Law? - UK in a changing Europe
Simon Usherwood explores the issues that the UK faces in managing the legislation it adopted as a member state of the EU following Brexit.
ukandeu.ac.uk
January 27, 2026 at 11:46 AM
"It is apparent that there is still no final and definitive list of that legislation, nor clarity about what should be done with it all."
✍️ @simonusherwood.bsky.social on the challenges the UK faces in dealing with the legislation it adopted while part of the EU
🔗 ukandeu.ac.uk/the-boundles...
✍️ @simonusherwood.bsky.social on the challenges the UK faces in dealing with the legislation it adopted while part of the EU
🔗 ukandeu.ac.uk/the-boundles...
Explaining the Milibands to a non-political person: Why didn't David get leader? Well, he held a banana. What was Ed's problem? He ate a bacon sandwich and it was very messy.
January 25, 2026 at 6:29 PM
Explaining the Milibands to a non-political person: Why didn't David get leader? Well, he held a banana. What was Ed's problem? He ate a bacon sandwich and it was very messy.
Of all the countries you'd want to emulate, who'd pick Israel?!
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/01...
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/01...
We should strive to be America’s new Israel
Britain must find a new national strategy and reinvigorate its relationship with the economic and defence superpower
www.telegraph.co.uk
January 23, 2026 at 9:22 AM
Of all the countries you'd want to emulate, who'd pick Israel?!
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/01...
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/01...
Oh dear. Oh deary dear. That might be the worst IR take I've ever read.
It sure does feel like everyone only ever reads the first chapters.
Hans Morgenthau, of Jewish descent (!), spent a career concerned about how to LIMIT and AVOID whatever Stephen Miller is doing. He'd turn in his grave seeing his name cited as inspiration.
nationalinterest.org/feature/step...
Hans Morgenthau, of Jewish descent (!), spent a career concerned about how to LIMIT and AVOID whatever Stephen Miller is doing. He'd turn in his grave seeing his name cited as inspiration.
nationalinterest.org/feature/step...
Stephen Miller Channels Hans Morgenthau
President Donald Trump’s closest advisor has an intuitive grasp of the hard realities of global power politics.
nationalinterest.org
January 22, 2026 at 1:33 PM
Oh dear. Oh deary dear. That might be the worst IR take I've ever read.
If they can't even get that through, my goodness, just run up the white flag and call an election.
Keir Starmer faces a showdown with over 100 of his backbenchers if he U-turns on a promise to cap ground rent for leaseholders, a senior Labour MP has warned
news.sky.com/story/starme...
news.sky.com/story/starme...
Starmer warned against fresh U-turn that could trigger row 'with 100 MPs'
There is speculation the government could row back on its promise to cap ground rents amid concern from the Treasury about the impact on pension funds.
news.sky.com
January 20, 2026 at 10:29 PM
If they can't even get that through, my goodness, just run up the white flag and call an election.
Excellent discussion here on current workd situation...https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/trump-relations-uk-eu
What does Trump mean for relations between the UK and Europe, and the rest of the world? | Institute for Government
Sir Simon Fraser, Fiona Hill and Anand Menon join us to discuss the impact of Trump's presidency on the UK and Europe
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
January 20, 2026 at 6:57 PM
Excellent discussion here on current workd situation...https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/trump-relations-uk-eu
Carney's speech feels like one that will resonate for years to come. Props to the speechwriter(s).
paulwells.substack.com/p/the-carney...
paulwells.substack.com/p/the-carney...
The Carney doctrine
Open comment thread on the PM's Davos speech
paulwells.substack.com
January 20, 2026 at 6:41 PM
Carney's speech feels like one that will resonate for years to come. Props to the speechwriter(s).
paulwells.substack.com/p/the-carney...
paulwells.substack.com/p/the-carney...
That's a shame. Someone should let the good folks at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change know. They'll want to revise their assumptions, no doubt.
“One notable MIT study found that 95 percent of companies that integrated AI saw zero meaningful growth in revenue. For coding tasks, one of AI’s most widely hyped applications, another study showed that programmers who used AI coding tools actually became slower at their jobs.”
AI Completely Failing to Boost Productivity, Says Top Analyst
AI may or may not excel at a lot of things, but from an economic standpoint, it's definitely not making us more productive.
futurism.com
January 20, 2026 at 12:26 PM
That's a shame. Someone should let the good folks at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change know. They'll want to revise their assumptions, no doubt.
Reposted by Jamie Gaskarth
Our @jamiegaskarth.bsky.social is in @theconversation.com on Keir Starmer's difficult diplomacy with Trump during the Greenland crisis.
@jasonralph.bsky.social and me wrote the following bit about what Trump's shenanigans mean for the balancing act Starmer has tried to maintain in British foreign policy. TLDR, there's a reckoning coming...
theconversation.com/why-keir-sta...
theconversation.com/why-keir-sta...
Why Keir Starmer had to speak out against Trump over Greenland after staying quiet on Venezuela
Pragmatic realism called for compromise when it came to Venezuela, but there is no reasonable explanation for an invasion of Greenland.
theconversation.com
January 20, 2026 at 10:33 AM
Our @jamiegaskarth.bsky.social is in @theconversation.com on Keir Starmer's difficult diplomacy with Trump during the Greenland crisis.
'A UK government spokesperson said...We acted because the base on Diego Garcia was under threat after court decisions undermined our position and would have prevented it operating as intended in future.' It surprises me they still assert this. Obvious tosh.
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
Trump cites UK’s ‘stupidity’ over Chagos Islands as reason to take over Greenland
US president says on social media that Britain’s decision to cede islands to Mauritius is ‘act of total weakness’
www.theguardian.com
January 20, 2026 at 10:03 AM
'A UK government spokesperson said...We acted because the base on Diego Garcia was under threat after court decisions undermined our position and would have prevented it operating as intended in future.' It surprises me they still assert this. Obvious tosh.
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...