Phil Edwards
@philedwards.bsky.social
"Research fellow" (i.e. retired) at MMU; still writing. Interests: international law, jurisprudence (mainly Kelsen). Other interests: folksong, real ale, the Left, cinema, Bowie, Aickman. Blogs at gapingsilence.wordpress.com and ohgoodale.wordpress.com .
Reposted by Phil Edwards
Under my leadership of the Labour Party, Peter Mandelson had no role, no influence and no part to play, because I do not trust the man and I do not believe the man.
February 4, 2026 at 6:24 PM
Under my leadership of the Labour Party, Peter Mandelson had no role, no influence and no part to play, because I do not trust the man and I do not believe the man.
Reposted by Phil Edwards
I'm not sure people appreciate quite what a blow to Starmer's government the acquittal of the Palestine Action protestors is. It both blows apart the whole proscription idea and demonstrates how out of touch they are.
This was a jury. Juries represent the public.
This was a jury. Juries represent the public.
February 4, 2026 at 2:07 PM
I'm not sure people appreciate quite what a blow to Starmer's government the acquittal of the Palestine Action protestors is. It both blows apart the whole proscription idea and demonstrates how out of touch they are.
This was a jury. Juries represent the public.
This was a jury. Juries represent the public.
Reposted by Phil Edwards
New fuck/marry/kill list just dropped
February 4, 2026 at 6:05 AM
New fuck/marry/kill list just dropped
Reposted by Phil Edwards
Out of nowhere, I was struck by the question, ‘Lembit Öpik… what was his fucking deal again?’ And was rewarded beyond my wildest dreams.
February 4, 2026 at 8:58 PM
Out of nowhere, I was struck by the question, ‘Lembit Öpik… what was his fucking deal again?’ And was rewarded beyond my wildest dreams.
Reposted by Phil Edwards
Westboro Baptist Church tried to make an Anti-Luigi Mangione poster but it just looks like Luigi is threatening billionaires and goes unironically hard af
February 4, 2026 at 8:59 PM
Westboro Baptist Church tried to make an Anti-Luigi Mangione poster but it just looks like Luigi is threatening billionaires and goes unironically hard af
Reposted by Phil Edwards
Weird and almost universal revisionism today. Even at the time, it was pretty clear that Mandelson wasn't appointed *despite* his dodgy links but *because* of them. Trump's Washington is a dirty swamp. Mandelson was deemed a man able to swim in it. This wasn't a secret. Everybody said it out loud.
February 4, 2026 at 8:55 PM
Weird and almost universal revisionism today. Even at the time, it was pretty clear that Mandelson wasn't appointed *despite* his dodgy links but *because* of them. Trump's Washington is a dirty swamp. Mandelson was deemed a man able to swim in it. This wasn't a secret. Everybody said it out loud.
Perhaps Trump supporters, while resentful, vindictive and racist, aren't actually Nazis. It's Brimstone and Treacle - people may have wanted to Make A. G. A. and wipe the smiles off a few undeserving faces, but they didn't want... *this*.
Vast camps are central to Trumpism. Stephen Miller has long been very excited about them. Backlash is another sign that opposition to Trump/Miller runs deeper than revulsion at ICE. There's real resistance to the whole ideological project of mass deportations. 4/
newrepublic.com/article/2060...
newrepublic.com/article/2060...
February 4, 2026 at 8:06 PM
Perhaps Trump supporters, while resentful, vindictive and racist, aren't actually Nazis. It's Brimstone and Treacle - people may have wanted to Make A. G. A. and wipe the smiles off a few undeserving faces, but they didn't want... *this*.
Great news; well done those jurors.
(Also makes me wonder if the government's restriction of jury trials to more serious cases will have unintended consequences.)
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
(Also makes me wonder if the government's restriction of jury trials to more serious cases will have unintended consequences.)
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Palestine Action protesters not guilty of defence firm burglary
The group are cleared of aggravated burglary over the alleged raid at an Elbit Systems warehouse.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 4, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Great news; well done those jurors.
(Also makes me wonder if the government's restriction of jury trials to more serious cases will have unintended consequences.)
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
(Also makes me wonder if the government's restriction of jury trials to more serious cases will have unintended consequences.)
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
In a sense I guess the cordyceps fungus bursting out of its head does shed light on the ant's neurological fragility, but that's not quite where I'd put the emphasis.
Like Tony’s loud support for America’s War on Terror was an absolute disaster for Britain on every metric, except for “Did it earn Tony Blair personally lots of lovely PR like a standing ovation in US Congress, and lots of nice networking opportunities for future exploitation”. Did the project fail?
February 4, 2026 at 12:13 PM
In a sense I guess the cordyceps fungus bursting out of its head does shed light on the ant's neurological fragility, but that's not quite where I'd put the emphasis.
Reposted by Phil Edwards
Is this bit news, or did everyone always know McSweeney was Peter’s boy, taking his instructions? Did they know it when they were repeating drivel they were sent by Morgan in the secret wrecking campaign of 2018? Did they know this when they were talking up Sir Keir’s leadership campaign, or in 2024
February 4, 2026 at 10:09 AM
Is this bit news, or did everyone always know McSweeney was Peter’s boy, taking his instructions? Did they know it when they were repeating drivel they were sent by Morgan in the secret wrecking campaign of 2018? Did they know this when they were talking up Sir Keir’s leadership campaign, or in 2024
Sub-topic/digression: what *used to* make you die inside, but doesn't any more for some reason?
For me it used to be Uptown Girl - not least b/c the bastard thing would immediately earworm me & I'd have this song I loathed in my head for the rest of the day.
Now? It's fine. Nice little pop song.
For me it used to be Uptown Girl - not least b/c the bastard thing would immediately earworm me & I'd have this song I loathed in my head for the rest of the day.
Now? It's fine. Nice little pop song.
Fuck your favourite song. Tell me your least favourite song. The one that makes you die inside the moment you hear the first 3 seconds.
February 4, 2026 at 10:06 AM
Sub-topic/digression: what *used to* make you die inside, but doesn't any more for some reason?
For me it used to be Uptown Girl - not least b/c the bastard thing would immediately earworm me & I'd have this song I loathed in my head for the rest of the day.
Now? It's fine. Nice little pop song.
For me it used to be Uptown Girl - not least b/c the bastard thing would immediately earworm me & I'd have this song I loathed in my head for the rest of the day.
Now? It's fine. Nice little pop song.
You do not, under any circumstances, got to hand it to Jeffrey Epstein.
However.
However.
February 4, 2026 at 9:57 AM
You do not, under any circumstances, got to hand it to Jeffrey Epstein.
However.
However.
Guess who.
"I do not, in fact, lie as easily as breathing; I have suffered from shortness of breath for some time and frequently use an asthma inhaler."
"I do not, in fact, lie as easily as breathing; I have suffered from shortness of breath for some time and frequently use an asthma inhaler."
"I do not, and have never, lobbied government on behalf of any commercial interest," he added.
February 3, 2026 at 12:06 PM
Guess who.
"I do not, in fact, lie as easily as breathing; I have suffered from shortness of breath for some time and frequently use an asthma inhaler."
"I do not, in fact, lie as easily as breathing; I have suffered from shortness of breath for some time and frequently use an asthma inhaler."
Interesting bit of Noticing there, from what you'd imagine was an unimpeachable source (i.e. he's not likely to get his character assassinated by anonymous Labour MPs or be the subject of a sneering column from Fink or Aaro).
February 3, 2026 at 10:25 AM
Interesting bit of Noticing there, from what you'd imagine was an unimpeachable source (i.e. he's not likely to get his character assassinated by anonymous Labour MPs or be the subject of a sneering column from Fink or Aaro).
FOLK-RELATED FILM OPINION 1: you should see THE HISTORY OF SOUND. It's weirdly paced/structured and overlong, but the first hour and some of the second hour are sublime. Good Paul Mescal (as seen in AFTERSUN and AOUS) is back. Some great singing, too.
February 2, 2026 at 11:22 PM
FOLK-RELATED FILM OPINION 1: you should see THE HISTORY OF SOUND. It's weirdly paced/structured and overlong, but the first hour and some of the second hour are sublime. Good Paul Mescal (as seen in AFTERSUN and AOUS) is back. Some great singing, too.
A revealing article, but it isn't nearly critical (or sceptical) enough.
Can we really believe the the question of whether to attack Reform as
a) "the same old Tories"
or
b) far more dangerous than the Tories
is being decided by *what polls better*?
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Can we really believe the the question of whether to attack Reform as
a) "the same old Tories"
or
b) far more dangerous than the Tories
is being decided by *what polls better*?
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
To win the battle against Reform, Labour must first define its enemy | Tom Baldwin
The PM has told Labour it is in the ‘fight of our lives’ against Nigel Farage’s challengers. To win, it must first agree on a line of attack, says Tom Baldwin, author of Keir Starmer, The Biography
www.theguardian.com
February 2, 2026 at 12:29 PM
A revealing article, but it isn't nearly critical (or sceptical) enough.
Can we really believe the the question of whether to attack Reform as
a) "the same old Tories"
or
b) far more dangerous than the Tories
is being decided by *what polls better*?
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Can we really believe the the question of whether to attack Reform as
a) "the same old Tories"
or
b) far more dangerous than the Tories
is being decided by *what polls better*?
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Scenes in the betting market on Gorton and Denton.
- Nobody is giving Labour any better than 4/1 - "winnable on a good day" levels.
- Reform are in the 5/4-6/4 zone, but drifting; the Betfair aggregate puts them on 2/1
- The Greens are literally odds-on favourites, with every single bookie.
- Nobody is giving Labour any better than 4/1 - "winnable on a good day" levels.
- Reform are in the 5/4-6/4 zone, but drifting; the Betfair aggregate puts them on 2/1
- The Greens are literally odds-on favourites, with every single bookie.
February 2, 2026 at 12:00 PM
Scenes in the betting market on Gorton and Denton.
- Nobody is giving Labour any better than 4/1 - "winnable on a good day" levels.
- Reform are in the 5/4-6/4 zone, but drifting; the Betfair aggregate puts them on 2/1
- The Greens are literally odds-on favourites, with every single bookie.
- Nobody is giving Labour any better than 4/1 - "winnable on a good day" levels.
- Reform are in the 5/4-6/4 zone, but drifting; the Betfair aggregate puts them on 2/1
- The Greens are literally odds-on favourites, with every single bookie.
Reposted by Phil Edwards
The second correction here is incredible, a bit like declaring that 95% of the population is currently wearing nappies.
The Times has now published a correction of some of the multiple errors in its front-page splash interview of Alan Milburn on NEETs/SEN.
Of course, having published Milburn's invented numbers, they don't bother to give their readers the actual ones.
Original article here: archive.ph/I0f49
Of course, having published Milburn's invented numbers, they don't bother to give their readers the actual ones.
Original article here: archive.ph/I0f49
February 2, 2026 at 10:55 AM
The second correction here is incredible, a bit like declaring that 95% of the population is currently wearing nappies.
Reposted by Phil Edwards
I know people hate hearing this but: this is why the genocide in Palestine was also domestic politics. This is why it mattered that other people's children were being treated this way by unaccountable armed thugs.
Today in portland parents brought their children to just about the safest most libbed up politically rally you could imagine, something people in this city do safely all the time. ICE tear gassed them, and the nearby hospital, while the regular cops directed traffic around them.
February 2, 2026 at 9:39 AM
I know people hate hearing this but: this is why the genocide in Palestine was also domestic politics. This is why it mattered that other people's children were being treated this way by unaccountable armed thugs.
Reading this excerpt I thought of a long vehicle's reversing alarm. Didn't the guy hear a steady beeping in his mind's ear behind "I do see a real similarity there"? (Because I do.)
February 2, 2026 at 10:29 AM
Reading this excerpt I thought of a long vehicle's reversing alarm. Didn't the guy hear a steady beeping in his mind's ear behind "I do see a real similarity there"? (Because I do.)
Reposted by Phil Edwards
The Labour Party is a careerist crusade or it is nothing.
February 1, 2026 at 1:43 PM
The Labour Party is a careerist crusade or it is nothing.
Reposted by Phil Edwards
“Notorious pedophile Jeffrey Epstein played a role in convincing Bobby Kotick to embrace loot boxes, essentially gambling for children” what is this sentence, what is this world
February 1, 2026 at 1:54 AM
“Notorious pedophile Jeffrey Epstein played a role in convincing Bobby Kotick to embrace loot boxes, essentially gambling for children” what is this sentence, what is this world
Reposted by Phil Edwards
Pro tip: if you look like satan in photos of you performing normal political activity, perhaps consider a different career.
February 1, 2026 at 10:58 AM
Pro tip: if you look like satan in photos of you performing normal political activity, perhaps consider a different career.
Reposted by Phil Edwards
To celebrate the publication of @d-j-frost.bsky.social and mine’s book ‘In Solidarity, Under Suspicion: The British Far Left from 1956’, I am giving away a copy to one randomly chosen person who reposts this post by 11.59pm ACST Sunday 1 Feb.
manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526179593/
manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526179593/
January 27, 2026 at 7:21 AM
To celebrate the publication of @d-j-frost.bsky.social and mine’s book ‘In Solidarity, Under Suspicion: The British Far Left from 1956’, I am giving away a copy to one randomly chosen person who reposts this post by 11.59pm ACST Sunday 1 Feb.
manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526179593/
manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526179593/
