Michael Chessum
@michaelchessum.bsky.social
Socialist writer and activist /// 📕 book - This Is Only The Beginning: the making of a new left /// ecosocialist Green /// Work for a trade union /// Personal account, all views my own.
Reposted by Michael Chessum
A few snaps from that demo (ft. @michaelchessum.bsky.social)
December 19, 2025 at 4:08 PM
A few snaps from that demo (ft. @michaelchessum.bsky.social)
It's looked inevitable for a while, but grim news from Chile, where Kast (open Pinochet fan) has won the Presidency comfortably.
Four years ago, a serious left candidate won for the first time since Allende, and it looked like Chile would get a new constitution. Now, god knows.
Four years ago, a serious left candidate won for the first time since Allende, and it looked like Chile would get a new constitution. Now, god knows.
December 15, 2025 at 8:01 AM
It's looked inevitable for a while, but grim news from Chile, where Kast (open Pinochet fan) has won the Presidency comfortably.
Four years ago, a serious left candidate won for the first time since Allende, and it looked like Chile would get a new constitution. Now, god knows.
Four years ago, a serious left candidate won for the first time since Allende, and it looked like Chile would get a new constitution. Now, god knows.
I know we're supposed to be cynical about these things, but it's worth pausing and reflecting that the UK has political prisoners. And that eight people are nearing death on hunger strike.
And that this whole situation - including the ban on Palestine Action - is the policy of a Labour government.
And that this whole situation - including the ban on Palestine Action - is the policy of a Labour government.
December 14, 2025 at 12:16 PM
I know we're supposed to be cynical about these things, but it's worth pausing and reflecting that the UK has political prisoners. And that eight people are nearing death on hunger strike.
And that this whole situation - including the ban on Palestine Action - is the policy of a Labour government.
And that this whole situation - including the ban on Palestine Action - is the policy of a Labour government.
15 years ago, Britain's streets were the scene of a mass youth revolt. If it had taken place under a Starmer government, we would have ended up in prison.
We don't just need slick media performers - we need disruptive movements that can change things 'from below'.
For @newstatesman1913.bsky.social
We don't just need slick media performers - we need disruptive movements that can change things 'from below'.
For @newstatesman1913.bsky.social
Bring back the spirit of the 2010 student fees protests
We need their rampant disdain for the Establishment more than ever
www.newstatesman.com
December 9, 2025 at 8:39 AM
15 years ago, Britain's streets were the scene of a mass youth revolt. If it had taken place under a Starmer government, we would have ended up in prison.
We don't just need slick media performers - we need disruptive movements that can change things 'from below'.
For @newstatesman1913.bsky.social
We don't just need slick media performers - we need disruptive movements that can change things 'from below'.
For @newstatesman1913.bsky.social
"I cannot BELIEVE Zack Polanski said he didn't want to wipe people's bums has he no respect for these people and no we won't pay them properly are you kidding, bond markets won't like that, and by the way we're literally banning their families from the country."
December 7, 2025 at 8:25 PM
"I cannot BELIEVE Zack Polanski said he didn't want to wipe people's bums has he no respect for these people and no we won't pay them properly are you kidding, bond markets won't like that, and by the way we're literally banning their families from the country."
One week on from the Budget, it's clear the government has raised the tax to GDP ratio enough to give Reform an easy "Labour spent all the money" narrative.
But they're not doing much with it. People's lives are not going to improve. The geniuses present: the worst of all worlds. Again.
But they're not doing much with it. People's lives are not going to improve. The geniuses present: the worst of all worlds. Again.
December 3, 2025 at 6:01 PM
One week on from the Budget, it's clear the government has raised the tax to GDP ratio enough to give Reform an easy "Labour spent all the money" narrative.
But they're not doing much with it. People's lives are not going to improve. The geniuses present: the worst of all worlds. Again.
But they're not doing much with it. People's lives are not going to improve. The geniuses present: the worst of all worlds. Again.
This weekend, Your Party members are discovering a culture of bureaucratic control freakery.
It's the same tendency that shut down Momentum's democracy, blocked Open Selections, witch hunted critics and demanded obedience. Those of us who opposed it then were branded wreckers.
So, now you know.
It's the same tendency that shut down Momentum's democracy, blocked Open Selections, witch hunted critics and demanded obedience. Those of us who opposed it then were branded wreckers.
So, now you know.
November 30, 2025 at 12:10 PM
This weekend, Your Party members are discovering a culture of bureaucratic control freakery.
It's the same tendency that shut down Momentum's democracy, blocked Open Selections, witch hunted critics and demanded obedience. Those of us who opposed it then were branded wreckers.
So, now you know.
It's the same tendency that shut down Momentum's democracy, blocked Open Selections, witch hunted critics and demanded obedience. Those of us who opposed it then were branded wreckers.
So, now you know.
Net migration has plummeted. Contrary to all the lies we've been told, wages aren't about to go up.
Instead, we will find that we have no one to build the houses we need, and a worsening NHS staffing crisis. And a lot of young people emigrating from rainy fascism island.
Instead, we will find that we have no one to build the houses we need, and a worsening NHS staffing crisis. And a lot of young people emigrating from rainy fascism island.
November 28, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Net migration has plummeted. Contrary to all the lies we've been told, wages aren't about to go up.
Instead, we will find that we have no one to build the houses we need, and a worsening NHS staffing crisis. And a lot of young people emigrating from rainy fascism island.
Instead, we will find that we have no one to build the houses we need, and a worsening NHS staffing crisis. And a lot of young people emigrating from rainy fascism island.
In under 18 months, this government has:
- backed long prison sentences for climate activists
- prosecuted 2,000 people *as terrorists* for holding signs opposing genocide
- announced the end of trial by jury for almost all cases
Have we ever had a more authoritarian government?
- backed long prison sentences for climate activists
- prosecuted 2,000 people *as terrorists* for holding signs opposing genocide
- announced the end of trial by jury for almost all cases
Have we ever had a more authoritarian government?
November 25, 2025 at 8:04 PM
In under 18 months, this government has:
- backed long prison sentences for climate activists
- prosecuted 2,000 people *as terrorists* for holding signs opposing genocide
- announced the end of trial by jury for almost all cases
Have we ever had a more authoritarian government?
- backed long prison sentences for climate activists
- prosecuted 2,000 people *as terrorists* for holding signs opposing genocide
- announced the end of trial by jury for almost all cases
Have we ever had a more authoritarian government?
Reposted by Michael Chessum
"Greens aren’t afraid to say what so many people already believe: that clean water shouldn’t be a privilege, and pollution shouldn’t be profitable," writes Councillor Martin Abrams @martinabrams.bsky.social
leftfootforward.org/2025/11/when...
leftfootforward.org/2025/11/when...
When the River Turns Brown: Why I Left Labour for the Greens
Councillor Martin Abrams left Labour for the Green Party over a key issue: the 'catastrophic failure' of Thames Water
leftfootforward.org
November 21, 2025 at 12:01 PM
"Greens aren’t afraid to say what so many people already believe: that clean water shouldn’t be a privilege, and pollution shouldn’t be profitable," writes Councillor Martin Abrams @martinabrams.bsky.social
leftfootforward.org/2025/11/when...
leftfootforward.org/2025/11/when...
Surely Labour MPs realise that voting for the nastiest border regime in Europe will lose them their seats. "They'll vote for this shit holding their nose" doesn't work if we're wading in it.
We'll put it on every leaflet, through every door: they want to repeat the Windrush scandal every year.
We'll put it on every leaflet, through every door: they want to repeat the Windrush scandal every year.
November 17, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Surely Labour MPs realise that voting for the nastiest border regime in Europe will lose them their seats. "They'll vote for this shit holding their nose" doesn't work if we're wading in it.
We'll put it on every leaflet, through every door: they want to repeat the Windrush scandal every year.
We'll put it on every leaflet, through every door: they want to repeat the Windrush scandal every year.
Number of refugees per 1,000 people:
🇱🇧 Lebanon: 137
🇩🇪 Germany: 31
🇸🇪 Sweden: 23
🇧🇪 Belgium: 14
🇳🇱 Netherlands: 13
🇬🇧 UK: 6.5
We are not a "generous country". There is no crisis, other than a bankrupt political elite scapegoating the most vulnerable people on Earth.
🇱🇧 Lebanon: 137
🇩🇪 Germany: 31
🇸🇪 Sweden: 23
🇧🇪 Belgium: 14
🇳🇱 Netherlands: 13
🇬🇧 UK: 6.5
We are not a "generous country". There is no crisis, other than a bankrupt political elite scapegoating the most vulnerable people on Earth.
November 17, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Number of refugees per 1,000 people:
🇱🇧 Lebanon: 137
🇩🇪 Germany: 31
🇸🇪 Sweden: 23
🇧🇪 Belgium: 14
🇳🇱 Netherlands: 13
🇬🇧 UK: 6.5
We are not a "generous country". There is no crisis, other than a bankrupt political elite scapegoating the most vulnerable people on Earth.
🇱🇧 Lebanon: 137
🇩🇪 Germany: 31
🇸🇪 Sweden: 23
🇧🇪 Belgium: 14
🇳🇱 Netherlands: 13
🇬🇧 UK: 6.5
We are not a "generous country". There is no crisis, other than a bankrupt political elite scapegoating the most vulnerable people on Earth.
The good news: Jeannette Jara, the candidate of the left, has won the first round of the Chilean Presidential election.
The bad news: she will face José Antonio Kast, an open Pinochet fan, in the run off. He will be the favourite, with the right and far right having won a majority of the vote.
The bad news: she will face José Antonio Kast, an open Pinochet fan, in the run off. He will be the favourite, with the right and far right having won a majority of the vote.
November 17, 2025 at 4:26 AM
The good news: Jeannette Jara, the candidate of the left, has won the first round of the Chilean Presidential election.
The bad news: she will face José Antonio Kast, an open Pinochet fan, in the run off. He will be the favourite, with the right and far right having won a majority of the vote.
The bad news: she will face José Antonio Kast, an open Pinochet fan, in the run off. He will be the favourite, with the right and far right having won a majority of the vote.
The thing about the people who run the Labour Party is that they're not very good at politics, which is a shame because that's their only job.
Their next act of genius is to copy Denmark's "tough" (far right) migration policy to stop the far right. In fact, the Danish far right is surging:
Their next act of genius is to copy Denmark's "tough" (far right) migration policy to stop the far right. In fact, the Danish far right is surging:
November 8, 2025 at 6:45 PM
The thing about the people who run the Labour Party is that they're not very good at politics, which is a shame because that's their only job.
Their next act of genius is to copy Denmark's "tough" (far right) migration policy to stop the far right. In fact, the Danish far right is surging:
Their next act of genius is to copy Denmark's "tough" (far right) migration policy to stop the far right. In fact, the Danish far right is surging:
A thing I've grown to enjoy recently is people who say Polanski can't be left wing because he was a Lib Dem ten years ago.
Usually they combine this view with being a super fan of Tony Benn, the establishment minister who once described himself as being "on the right wing of the middle of the road"
Usually they combine this view with being a super fan of Tony Benn, the establishment minister who once described himself as being "on the right wing of the middle of the road"
November 6, 2025 at 7:29 PM
A thing I've grown to enjoy recently is people who say Polanski can't be left wing because he was a Lib Dem ten years ago.
Usually they combine this view with being a super fan of Tony Benn, the establishment minister who once described himself as being "on the right wing of the middle of the road"
Usually they combine this view with being a super fan of Tony Benn, the establishment minister who once described himself as being "on the right wing of the middle of the road"
Reposted by Michael Chessum
Sortition is sold as the solution to our democratic deficit. Michael Chessum argues that it is a chimaera ripe for undemocratic manoeuvres.
prometheusjournal.org/2025/11/04/a...
prometheusjournal.org/2025/11/04/a...
November 4, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Sortition is sold as the solution to our democratic deficit. Michael Chessum argues that it is a chimaera ripe for undemocratic manoeuvres.
prometheusjournal.org/2025/11/04/a...
prometheusjournal.org/2025/11/04/a...
Reposted by Michael Chessum
‘Zack Polanski is a former Liberal Democrat who talks about expropriating the rich; the Greens are a small environmentalist party transforming into a mass party of the left.’
@michaelchessum.bsky.social on the Green Party’s renaissance, from the blog.
www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/oc...
@michaelchessum.bsky.social on the Green Party’s renaissance, from the blog.
www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/oc...
Michael Chessum | Green New Left
Zack Polanski, the new leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, says he wants to replace Labour. That still seems...
www.lrb.co.uk
November 1, 2025 at 12:30 PM
‘Zack Polanski is a former Liberal Democrat who talks about expropriating the rich; the Greens are a small environmentalist party transforming into a mass party of the left.’
@michaelchessum.bsky.social on the Green Party’s renaissance, from the blog.
www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/oc...
@michaelchessum.bsky.social on the Green Party’s renaissance, from the blog.
www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/oc...
If the Greens really were to replace Labour, this is what the early build-up might look.
Some thoughts for the @lrb.co.uk on the new left gathering around @zackpolanski.bsky.social, the contingent nature of green parties, and why this surge confounds commentators on left and right.
Some thoughts for the @lrb.co.uk on the new left gathering around @zackpolanski.bsky.social, the contingent nature of green parties, and why this surge confounds commentators on left and right.
Michael Chessum | Green New Left
Zack Polanski, the new leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, says he wants to replace Labour. That still seems...
www.lrb.co.uk
October 31, 2025 at 5:51 PM
If the Greens really were to replace Labour, this is what the early build-up might look.
Some thoughts for the @lrb.co.uk on the new left gathering around @zackpolanski.bsky.social, the contingent nature of green parties, and why this surge confounds commentators on left and right.
Some thoughts for the @lrb.co.uk on the new left gathering around @zackpolanski.bsky.social, the contingent nature of green parties, and why this surge confounds commentators on left and right.
Reposted by Michael Chessum
‘Anti-capitalism and environmentalism are common bedfellows. But both the Green Party’s activists and its sceptics would do well to avoid reading its fortunes off a script written abroad or in the past.’
@michaelchessum.bsky.social on the Green New Left.
www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/oc...
@michaelchessum.bsky.social on the Green New Left.
www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/oc...
Michael Chessum | Green New Left
Zack Polanski, the new leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, says he wants to replace Labour. That still seems...
www.lrb.co.uk
October 31, 2025 at 1:15 PM
‘Anti-capitalism and environmentalism are common bedfellows. But both the Green Party’s activists and its sceptics would do well to avoid reading its fortunes off a script written abroad or in the past.’
@michaelchessum.bsky.social on the Green New Left.
www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/oc...
@michaelchessum.bsky.social on the Green New Left.
www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/oc...
ID cards are an almost perfect piece of stupidity, designed to win over Reform voters because they like authoritarianism and state action.
Except Reform voters deeply mistrust the state (look at covid). And they want it to be authoritarian to people who *aren't them*.
Except Reform voters deeply mistrust the state (look at covid). And they want it to be authoritarian to people who *aren't them*.
October 25, 2025 at 6:17 PM
ID cards are an almost perfect piece of stupidity, designed to win over Reform voters because they like authoritarianism and state action.
Except Reform voters deeply mistrust the state (look at covid). And they want it to be authoritarian to people who *aren't them*.
Except Reform voters deeply mistrust the state (look at covid). And they want it to be authoritarian to people who *aren't them*.
Fun fact: my daughter was born the same day Zack became leader. Since then, like the party, she has roughly doubled in size.
By 2029, the Greens will have about a trillion members. And Ella will be the largest organism on Earth, weighing the equivalent of 400 blue whales. Crazy times we live in.
By 2029, the Greens will have about a trillion members. And Ella will be the largest organism on Earth, weighing the equivalent of 400 blue whales. Crazy times we live in.
🚨 BREAKING 🚨
📈 Since the election of our new leadership team, our membership has doubled, now sitting at more than 140,000.
And this is just the beginning: join.greenparty.org.uk
📈 Since the election of our new leadership team, our membership has doubled, now sitting at more than 140,000.
And this is just the beginning: join.greenparty.org.uk
October 22, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Fun fact: my daughter was born the same day Zack became leader. Since then, like the party, she has roughly doubled in size.
By 2029, the Greens will have about a trillion members. And Ella will be the largest organism on Earth, weighing the equivalent of 400 blue whales. Crazy times we live in.
By 2029, the Greens will have about a trillion members. And Ella will be the largest organism on Earth, weighing the equivalent of 400 blue whales. Crazy times we live in.
This autumn business was absolutely fine until it started raining properly, wasn't it.
October 20, 2025 at 9:57 AM
This autumn business was absolutely fine until it started raining properly, wasn't it.
It's properly happening - a whoosh of momentum not seen since the summer of 2015.
The Greens are no longer a minor party. We're third on members and, in many cities, second on votes. The prize is not a few more councillors, it is kicking the doors down on the political system.
The Greens are no longer a minor party. We're third on members and, in many cities, second on votes. The prize is not a few more councillors, it is kicking the doors down on the political system.
Something extraordinary is happening.
+6000 new members in ONE SINGLE day.
@greenparty.org.uk just hit 130,000 members and rising!!!
Join.greenparty.org.uk
+6000 new members in ONE SINGLE day.
@greenparty.org.uk just hit 130,000 members and rising!!!
Join.greenparty.org.uk
October 20, 2025 at 9:40 AM
It's properly happening - a whoosh of momentum not seen since the summer of 2015.
The Greens are no longer a minor party. We're third on members and, in many cities, second on votes. The prize is not a few more councillors, it is kicking the doors down on the political system.
The Greens are no longer a minor party. We're third on members and, in many cities, second on votes. The prize is not a few more councillors, it is kicking the doors down on the political system.
On the left: the people who have an inalienable right to attend any football match.
On the right: the people who must be sent to prison as terrorists.
On the right: the people who must be sent to prison as terrorists.
October 19, 2025 at 9:27 AM
On the left: the people who have an inalienable right to attend any football match.
On the right: the people who must be sent to prison as terrorists.
On the right: the people who must be sent to prison as terrorists.
Listening to the radio thinking "why are they talking about the suspect's nationality? This news bulletin is basically a Reform broadcast."
And realising that the government literally told them to. It turns out it is possible to die of stupidity, and the Labour Right is doing it.
And realising that the government literally told them to. It turns out it is possible to die of stupidity, and the Labour Right is doing it.
Police given new guidance on releasing suspects' nationalities and ethnicities
Police forces will be encouraged to release a suspect's details in a move aimed at combating misinformation.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 16, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Listening to the radio thinking "why are they talking about the suspect's nationality? This news bulletin is basically a Reform broadcast."
And realising that the government literally told them to. It turns out it is possible to die of stupidity, and the Labour Right is doing it.
And realising that the government literally told them to. It turns out it is possible to die of stupidity, and the Labour Right is doing it.