Owen Michael
@owenwmichael.bsky.social
Welsh and European. Biromantic Asexual. @UKLabour, @unisontheunion, and @thefabians. Data person and all round geek. He/him/o
Reposted by Owen Michael
I will stop going on about this soon, but it is striking how so many of the McSweeney people's lines to take a) describe things that aren't, in fact, the chief of staff's *job* and b) have no relation, good or bad, to what the government is actually *doing*.
Yes, god help we risk a floundering government that feels like no one is in charge.
February 8, 2026 at 8:10 PM
I will stop going on about this soon, but it is striking how so many of the McSweeney people's lines to take a) describe things that aren't, in fact, the chief of staff's *job* and b) have no relation, good or bad, to what the government is actually *doing*.
Reposted by Owen Michael
The one thing I do find mildly irritating is hearing from certain Labour people who spent the Corbyn years telling people like me to fuck off and join the tories complain about factionalism, ngl.
February 8, 2026 at 8:05 PM
The one thing I do find mildly irritating is hearing from certain Labour people who spent the Corbyn years telling people like me to fuck off and join the tories complain about factionalism, ngl.
Reposted by Owen Michael
The differance between *what the govt is actually doing* and ehat 90% of people, including its MPs apparently, think its doing is remarkable.
The government is spending tens of billions of pounds on net zero! The government is softening Brexit! The government is consulting on getting every business to do ethnicity pay gap reporting!
February 8, 2026 at 6:30 PM
The differance between *what the govt is actually doing* and ehat 90% of people, including its MPs apparently, think its doing is remarkable.
Reposted by Owen Michael
One of Boris' Cabinet ministers used to say that Dominic Cummings was like Richard II: 'everything is going badly, he just kept going "hey, remember when I stopped the Peasants' Revolt?" and Dom is like that, but with Vote Leave' and so much of this is the same.
That was one of the more astounding things of reading the various “Morgan’s buddies” post-mortems, a total refusal to even acknowledge how the Government’s electoral performance is going while still touting this guy as a brilliant strategist heading off the soft left or whatever
And that's ultimately who he was: the preferred chief of staff of the 'no policies, just vibes' crowd, who are in denial even now that they have driven Labour to the brink of death.
February 8, 2026 at 7:11 PM
One of Boris' Cabinet ministers used to say that Dominic Cummings was like Richard II: 'everything is going badly, he just kept going "hey, remember when I stopped the Peasants' Revolt?" and Dom is like that, but with Vote Leave' and so much of this is the same.
Reposted by Owen Michael
Once again, people are being unfair to CLPs here
Good. The UK is not a big CLP to have fun fighting factional battles with.
BREAKING: Morgan McSweeney quits as Keir Starmer's chief of staff amid fall-out from the Mandelson scandal
February 8, 2026 at 2:32 PM
Once again, people are being unfair to CLPs here
Reposted by Owen Michael
Sorry, who in the Parliamentary Labour Party is using "net-zeroist" like it's derogatory? Are they aware what the climate policy of their own government is?
Yes, god help we risk a floundering government that feels like no one is in charge.
February 8, 2026 at 5:39 PM
Sorry, who in the Parliamentary Labour Party is using "net-zeroist" like it's derogatory? Are they aware what the climate policy of their own government is?
Reposted by Owen Michael
Yeah, I think it's outlived its usefulness as a descriptor
Slightly adjacent conversation but I really think the term “Blairite” needs to be retired from modern politics.
Tony Blair doesn’t even really seem to be a Blairite anymore - the whole term and grouping barely makes sense anymore
Tony Blair doesn’t even really seem to be a Blairite anymore - the whole term and grouping barely makes sense anymore
February 8, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Yeah, I think it's outlived its usefulness as a descriptor
Reposted by Owen Michael
Boring opinion: if people know the name of the Downing Street Chief of Staff, the CoS is not doing a good job.
February 8, 2026 at 3:28 PM
Boring opinion: if people know the name of the Downing Street Chief of Staff, the CoS is not doing a good job.
Reposted by Owen Michael
As Jonathan Powell wrote in his terrific book: “for the first few years, the press didn’t even have a photo of me”.
Boring opinion: if people know the name of the Downing Street Chief of Staff, the CoS is not doing a good job.
February 8, 2026 at 3:29 PM
As Jonathan Powell wrote in his terrific book: “for the first few years, the press didn’t even have a photo of me”.
Reposted by Owen Michael
Maybe he can be the new Envoy to the Nations and Regions.
February 8, 2026 at 2:22 PM
Maybe he can be the new Envoy to the Nations and Regions.
Reposted by Owen Michael
So now that Imane Khelif has revealed that she apparently has a SRY gene, people who were already calling her a man before are saying she's been "proven" to be a man.
My question is, what would they do? Should she be forced to change sex markers? To have genital surgery?
My question is, what would they do? Should she be forced to change sex markers? To have genital surgery?
February 7, 2026 at 5:20 PM
So now that Imane Khelif has revealed that she apparently has a SRY gene, people who were already calling her a man before are saying she's been "proven" to be a man.
My question is, what would they do? Should she be forced to change sex markers? To have genital surgery?
My question is, what would they do? Should she be forced to change sex markers? To have genital surgery?
Reposted by Owen Michael
Not to mention the whole reason she took up boxing was that she wanted to play football as a kid but boys kept trying to beat her up because they didn't want girls to play.
So now that Imane Khelif has revealed that she apparently has a SRY gene, people who were already calling her a man before are saying she's been "proven" to be a man.
My question is, what would they do? Should she be forced to change sex markers? To have genital surgery?
My question is, what would they do? Should she be forced to change sex markers? To have genital surgery?
February 8, 2026 at 9:02 AM
Not to mention the whole reason she took up boxing was that she wanted to play football as a kid but boys kept trying to beat her up because they didn't want girls to play.
Reposted by Owen Michael
i’m not on nextdoor but my wife has shown me anxious posts of adults worrying about the “youths loitering at the end of the road”
at the end of the road there is: a playground
they’re complaining about kids going to a playground
at the end of the road there is: a playground
they’re complaining about kids going to a playground
Kids can't hang out in parks. They can't hang out at the mall. They don't have 3rd spaces because no one wants kids around and then we are surprised when they rely on SM for connection.
If you take that away, what do they have left?
If you take that away, what do they have left?
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
The impacts of locking under 16 yos from their social media networks are now beginning to bite for those young people who relied on them for social connection
The impacts of locking under 16 yos from their social media networks are now beginning to bite for those young people who relied on them for social connection
February 8, 2026 at 9:47 AM
i’m not on nextdoor but my wife has shown me anxious posts of adults worrying about the “youths loitering at the end of the road”
at the end of the road there is: a playground
they’re complaining about kids going to a playground
at the end of the road there is: a playground
they’re complaining about kids going to a playground
Reposted by Owen Michael
This! Labour’s leadership is being talked about as if it’s some kind of poisoned chalice.
In reality it’s a chance to take over the first term of a government with a huge majority. It’s the political opportunity of a lifetime.
In reality it’s a chance to take over the first term of a government with a huge majority. It’s the political opportunity of a lifetime.
Yet this is a government with three years left to run and an enormous Commons majority. For all the problems, there is an enormous opportunity there for someone with the political nous to take it and use it.
Starmer's reported condition - incredibly unpopular, shorn of authority, probably un-reelectable and yet will stagger on for want of an alternative - is just the new normal of how Britain is governed. It was also true for two-thirds of May's premiership, half of Johnson's and all of Sunak's.
February 8, 2026 at 11:27 AM
This! Labour’s leadership is being talked about as if it’s some kind of poisoned chalice.
In reality it’s a chance to take over the first term of a government with a huge majority. It’s the political opportunity of a lifetime.
In reality it’s a chance to take over the first term of a government with a huge majority. It’s the political opportunity of a lifetime.
Reposted by Owen Michael
Developing 1): the major political parties in Weimar Germany were monarchists, right-wing socialists, left-wing socialists, the Nazis, anarchists, and conservative democrats who were *de facto* allied with the monarchists until the latter pivoted to the Nazis.
February 7, 2026 at 8:22 PM
Developing 1): the major political parties in Weimar Germany were monarchists, right-wing socialists, left-wing socialists, the Nazis, anarchists, and conservative democrats who were *de facto* allied with the monarchists until the latter pivoted to the Nazis.
Reposted by Owen Michael
This is the mistake Labour keeps making. THEY'RE NOT IN OPPOSITION ANYMORE. Farage can say what he likes. Labour can do & doing small things well makes people happy Their focus on infrastructure has negated that advantage because they're spending money on stuff that won't happen until the far future
Farage is offering a big picture programme of national renewal. If Labour's answer is "fewer potholes, bins get collected weekly and we throw a few local jamborees every year", then I worry it will make us look very pedestrian.
February 8, 2026 at 12:07 AM
This is the mistake Labour keeps making. THEY'RE NOT IN OPPOSITION ANYMORE. Farage can say what he likes. Labour can do & doing small things well makes people happy Their focus on infrastructure has negated that advantage because they're spending money on stuff that won't happen until the far future
Reposted by Owen Michael
the vassal states of the famously non-colonialist soviet union might beg to differ.
January 30, 2026 at 6:12 PM
the vassal states of the famously non-colonialist soviet union might beg to differ.
Reposted by Owen Michael
There were 3 things going on simultaneously, that both communist hunters and communists want to conflate.
1) quest for actual Communist spies working for the Soviets
2) quest to purge certain sectors of society (like Hollywood) of Communists and fellow travelers supposedly corrupting society...
1) quest for actual Communist spies working for the Soviets
2) quest to purge certain sectors of society (like Hollywood) of Communists and fellow travelers supposedly corrupting society...
February 7, 2026 at 11:12 PM
There were 3 things going on simultaneously, that both communist hunters and communists want to conflate.
1) quest for actual Communist spies working for the Soviets
2) quest to purge certain sectors of society (like Hollywood) of Communists and fellow travelers supposedly corrupting society...
1) quest for actual Communist spies working for the Soviets
2) quest to purge certain sectors of society (like Hollywood) of Communists and fellow travelers supposedly corrupting society...
Reposted by Owen Michael
Greater Manchester Police are investigating Reform over the potential breaking of electoral law in the Gorton & Denton by-election.
The party sent out election materials without identifying they were the promoter.
If Reform won the election the result could be overturned in court.
The party sent out election materials without identifying they were the promoter.
If Reform won the election the result could be overturned in court.
February 7, 2026 at 10:33 PM
Greater Manchester Police are investigating Reform over the potential breaking of electoral law in the Gorton & Denton by-election.
The party sent out election materials without identifying they were the promoter.
If Reform won the election the result could be overturned in court.
The party sent out election materials without identifying they were the promoter.
If Reform won the election the result could be overturned in court.
Reposted by Owen Michael
Yep. I dont feel like I am at least on "yellow alert" going through most any major global city in Western countries bc I dont think seeing non-white ppl or occasional instances of poverty are actually a threat to my wellbeing, but 🤷🏻♂️
"Safe" is such a goddamned dogwhistle.
February 7, 2026 at 8:29 PM
Yep. I dont feel like I am at least on "yellow alert" going through most any major global city in Western countries bc I dont think seeing non-white ppl or occasional instances of poverty are actually a threat to my wellbeing, but 🤷🏻♂️
Reposted by Owen Michael
seeing a lot of discourse lately about this tweet and just want to point out that it’s from 2020, whatever else you think about it.
not sure the author would say the same today. (he might!)
have to think Carl Schmitt would have had follow up thoughts eventually though.
not sure the author would say the same today. (he might!)
have to think Carl Schmitt would have had follow up thoughts eventually though.
February 7, 2026 at 6:16 PM
seeing a lot of discourse lately about this tweet and just want to point out that it’s from 2020, whatever else you think about it.
not sure the author would say the same today. (he might!)
have to think Carl Schmitt would have had follow up thoughts eventually though.
not sure the author would say the same today. (he might!)
have to think Carl Schmitt would have had follow up thoughts eventually though.
Reposted by Owen Michael
An AuDHD person who planned to change their entire life in a day has already ruined it with a single deviation from their vision, it has been rumoured.
Quittin’ time! AuDHD person’s 24-hour life overhaul ruined before 9am
An AuDHD person who planned to change their entire life in a day has already ruined it with a single deviation from their vision, it has been rumoured. Des Ackerman, 40, was reportedly finally ready…
thedailytism.com
February 7, 2026 at 6:03 PM
An AuDHD person who planned to change their entire life in a day has already ruined it with a single deviation from their vision, it has been rumoured.
Reposted by Owen Michael
Another in a long list of "this site is multiple forms of illiterate" is the fact that *so many people* on here seem just fundamentally incapable of grasping the difference btwn what McConnell accomplished in 09-14 and what he accomplished in 15 & 16 (or even beyond).
this isn’t really true? the main political consequence of mcconnell’s intransigence was that obama won reelection and democrats kept their senate majority. to the extent that mcconnell helped trump win, it was after republicans won the senate majority.
February 7, 2026 at 5:33 PM
Another in a long list of "this site is multiple forms of illiterate" is the fact that *so many people* on here seem just fundamentally incapable of grasping the difference btwn what McConnell accomplished in 09-14 and what he accomplished in 15 & 16 (or even beyond).
Reposted by Owen Michael
it's genuinely heart-breaking to me that Stalin had American communists doing protests in front of the White House against Lend-Lease until he was suddenly the newest beneficiary
watched Animal Farm a week ago and even in adaptation Orwell's disillusionment and despair over what Stalin did to Lenin's dream is palpable
February 7, 2026 at 4:09 AM
it's genuinely heart-breaking to me that Stalin had American communists doing protests in front of the White House against Lend-Lease until he was suddenly the newest beneficiary
Reposted by Owen Michael
Not really, because the likelihood of “the Labour government actually doing anything about it” runs through “what does ‘some twerp’ do to break the government out of its stupor?”
This is, and I will be blunt here, enormously more important a political story than what some twerp of a Labour backbench MP may be whispering.
US government to fund Maga-aligned think-tanks and charities in Europe - www.ft.com/content/f869... via @FT
February 6, 2026 at 3:41 PM
Not really, because the likelihood of “the Labour government actually doing anything about it” runs through “what does ‘some twerp’ do to break the government out of its stupor?”