Thomas Prosser
@prossertj.bsky.social
Professor of European political economy, Cardiff University. Essayist. Dislikes partisans, likes paradoxes. Author of two books with Manchester University Press.
Reposted by Thomas Prosser
Really enjoyed doing this podcast, in which I defend Labour's immigration strategy on electoral and ethical grounds.
Do give it a listen!
Do give it a listen!
new episode (2/2) - i've argued giving ground on cultural issues is a horrible strategy
@prossertj.bsky.social thinks labour have it right
we debate
www.politicalphilosophypodcast.com/ukdebate
@prossertj.bsky.social thinks labour have it right
we debate
www.politicalphilosophypodcast.com/ukdebate
Should we compromise with the right on immigration?
A debate with Thomas Prosser
www.politicalphilosophypodcast.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:52 AM
Really enjoyed doing this podcast, in which I defend Labour's immigration strategy on electoral and ethical grounds.
Do give it a listen!
Do give it a listen!
Reposted by Thomas Prosser
NEW: Rachel Reeves signals she intends to remove the two-child cap *in full*
"I don't think a child should be penalised because they're in a bigger family through no fault of their own," she tells BBC.
"I don't think a child should be penalised because they're in a bigger family through no fault of their own," she tells BBC.
November 10, 2025 at 3:05 PM
NEW: Rachel Reeves signals she intends to remove the two-child cap *in full*
"I don't think a child should be penalised because they're in a bigger family through no fault of their own," she tells BBC.
"I don't think a child should be penalised because they're in a bigger family through no fault of their own," she tells BBC.
Sorry to be the archetypal bothsidesist again (!), but the newsreader's eye-roll *and* the editing of the Trump footage both seem quite difficult to defend?!?
November 10, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Sorry to be the archetypal bothsidesist again (!), but the newsreader's eye-roll *and* the editing of the Trump footage both seem quite difficult to defend?!?
Reposted by Thomas Prosser
new episode (2/2) - i've argued giving ground on cultural issues is a horrible strategy
@prossertj.bsky.social thinks labour have it right
we debate
www.politicalphilosophypodcast.com/ukdebate
@prossertj.bsky.social thinks labour have it right
we debate
www.politicalphilosophypodcast.com/ukdebate
Should we compromise with the right on immigration?
A debate with Thomas Prosser
www.politicalphilosophypodcast.com
November 9, 2025 at 9:52 PM
new episode (2/2) - i've argued giving ground on cultural issues is a horrible strategy
@prossertj.bsky.social thinks labour have it right
we debate
www.politicalphilosophypodcast.com/ukdebate
@prossertj.bsky.social thinks labour have it right
we debate
www.politicalphilosophypodcast.com/ukdebate
Really enjoyed doing this podcast, in which I defend Labour's immigration strategy on electoral and ethical grounds.
Do give it a listen!
Do give it a listen!
new episode (2/2) - i've argued giving ground on cultural issues is a horrible strategy
@prossertj.bsky.social thinks labour have it right
we debate
www.politicalphilosophypodcast.com/ukdebate
@prossertj.bsky.social thinks labour have it right
we debate
www.politicalphilosophypodcast.com/ukdebate
Should we compromise with the right on immigration?
A debate with Thomas Prosser
www.politicalphilosophypodcast.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:52 AM
Really enjoyed doing this podcast, in which I defend Labour's immigration strategy on electoral and ethical grounds.
Do give it a listen!
Do give it a listen!
I'm worried that people have forgotten about this classic...
youtu.be/pe8jjaWjRos?...
youtu.be/pe8jjaWjRos?...
Welsh Supporter Swearing At The TV
YouTube video by Zing Wired
youtu.be
November 9, 2025 at 2:44 PM
I'm worried that people have forgotten about this classic...
youtu.be/pe8jjaWjRos?...
youtu.be/pe8jjaWjRos?...
Congrats @pjthinker.bsky.social! And watch this space for a review...
November 8, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Congrats @pjthinker.bsky.social! And watch this space for a review...
Reposted by Thomas Prosser
i just had a spirited (but friendly) debate with @prossertj.bsky.social
is labour correct to try & compromise with the right on immigration? tom yes, me no
is labour correct to try & compromise with the right on immigration? tom yes, me no
November 7, 2025 at 9:03 PM
i just had a spirited (but friendly) debate with @prossertj.bsky.social
is labour correct to try & compromise with the right on immigration? tom yes, me no
is labour correct to try & compromise with the right on immigration? tom yes, me no
Reposted by Thomas Prosser
I've written a blog post about using metric unfolding to extract latent dimensions from data, using the ANES feeling thermometers & BES 'like' scales as examples.
It's a high-level intro to unfolding and using the smacof R package. These plots are the results.
philswatton.github.io/2025/11/05/e...
It's a high-level intro to unfolding and using the smacof R package. These plots are the results.
philswatton.github.io/2025/11/05/e...
November 7, 2025 at 11:55 AM
I've written a blog post about using metric unfolding to extract latent dimensions from data, using the ANES feeling thermometers & BES 'like' scales as examples.
It's a high-level intro to unfolding and using the smacof R package. These plots are the results.
philswatton.github.io/2025/11/05/e...
It's a high-level intro to unfolding and using the smacof R package. These plots are the results.
philswatton.github.io/2025/11/05/e...
Social scientists call this path dependency and it has better empirical support than alternatives...
Something I’ve noticed is there seems to be a sort of pervasive assumption that the status quo has gravity. That there’s a natural, comfortable way things should be and that deviations from the normal state of the world will correct themselves in time.
But as a paleontologist, I know this is false.
But as a paleontologist, I know this is false.
November 7, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Social scientists call this path dependency and it has better empirical support than alternatives...
This was mind-blowing when it came out...
November 6, 2025 at 9:15 AM
This was mind-blowing when it came out...
Been crunching more numbers on this issue. On the 0-10 British Election Study immigration scale, even those 2024 Labour voters who now intend to vote for *progressive* parties have a mean score of only 5.1.
www.thepathnottaken.net/p/labour-is-...
www.thepathnottaken.net/p/labour-is-...
Labour is getting it right on immigration
Almost eighteen months into the Starmer government, immigration has emerged as a major topic of debate.
www.thepathnottaken.net
November 4, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Been crunching more numbers on this issue. On the 0-10 British Election Study immigration scale, even those 2024 Labour voters who now intend to vote for *progressive* parties have a mean score of only 5.1.
www.thepathnottaken.net/p/labour-is-...
www.thepathnottaken.net/p/labour-is-...
Watched this last night and it highlights serious threats to freedom of speech. People may dislike Spiked, yet if traditional media were covering these trends properly, outlets like Spiked wouldn't have so many opportunities to do so.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0sm...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0sm...
Think Before You Post | How the UK fell to a sinister new form of censorship | FULL DOCUMENTARY
YouTube video by spiked
www.youtube.com
November 3, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Watched this last night and it highlights serious threats to freedom of speech. People may dislike Spiked, yet if traditional media were covering these trends properly, outlets like Spiked wouldn't have so many opportunities to do so.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0sm...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0sm...
Reposted by Thomas Prosser
Documents show that for nearly two years Sheffield Hallam University complied with a demand from a Chinese Government foreign intelligence service to halt research about human rights abuses in China.
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
UK university halted human rights research after pressure from China
Exclusive: Leading professor at Sheffield Hallam was told to cease research on supply chains and forced labour in China after demands from authorities
www.theguardian.com
November 3, 2025 at 7:04 AM
Documents show that for nearly two years Sheffield Hallam University complied with a demand from a Chinese Government foreign intelligence service to halt research about human rights abuses in China.
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Reposted by Thomas Prosser
A well argued alternative (one I agree with) to the prevailing Bluesky narrative👇
'Historically, British policymakers have prized moderation and judicious concessions. Currently, the topic of immigration cries out for such an approach; parts of society are highly dissatisfied and there is risk of disorder.'
www.thepathnottaken.net/p/labour-is-...
www.thepathnottaken.net/p/labour-is-...
Labour is getting it right on immigration
Almost eighteen months into the Starmer government, immigration has emerged as a major topic of debate.
www.thepathnottaken.net
November 2, 2025 at 9:45 AM
A well argued alternative (one I agree with) to the prevailing Bluesky narrative👇
'Historically, British policymakers have prized moderation and judicious concessions. Currently, the topic of immigration cries out for such an approach; parts of society are highly dissatisfied and there is risk of disorder.'
www.thepathnottaken.net/p/labour-is-...
www.thepathnottaken.net/p/labour-is-...
Labour is getting it right on immigration
Almost eighteen months into the Starmer government, immigration has emerged as a major topic of debate.
www.thepathnottaken.net
November 2, 2025 at 9:31 AM
'Historically, British policymakers have prized moderation and judicious concessions. Currently, the topic of immigration cries out for such an approach; parts of society are highly dissatisfied and there is risk of disorder.'
www.thepathnottaken.net/p/labour-is-...
www.thepathnottaken.net/p/labour-is-...
Reposted by Thomas Prosser
🚨🚨NEW🚨🚨
Recently, certain left-liberals have argued that Labour’s immigration policy is illiberal and electorally counterproductive.
I disagree; Labour’s position on immigration seems electorally sensible and may also be in the national interest.
www.thepathnottaken.net/p/labour-is-...
Recently, certain left-liberals have argued that Labour’s immigration policy is illiberal and electorally counterproductive.
I disagree; Labour’s position on immigration seems electorally sensible and may also be in the national interest.
www.thepathnottaken.net/p/labour-is-...
Labour is getting it right on immigration
Almost eighteen months into the Starmer government, immigration has emerged as a major topic of debate.
www.thepathnottaken.net
November 1, 2025 at 9:31 AM
🚨🚨NEW🚨🚨
Recently, certain left-liberals have argued that Labour’s immigration policy is illiberal and electorally counterproductive.
I disagree; Labour’s position on immigration seems electorally sensible and may also be in the national interest.
www.thepathnottaken.net/p/labour-is-...
Recently, certain left-liberals have argued that Labour’s immigration policy is illiberal and electorally counterproductive.
I disagree; Labour’s position on immigration seems electorally sensible and may also be in the national interest.
www.thepathnottaken.net/p/labour-is-...
Reposted by Thomas Prosser
critique of my reactionary centrist article by @prossertj.bsky.social
www.thepathnottaken.net/p/labour-is-...?
www.thepathnottaken.net/p/labour-is-...?
Labour is getting it right on immigration
Almost eighteen months into the Starmer government, immigration has emerged as a major topic of debate.
www.thepathnottaken.net
November 1, 2025 at 10:25 AM
critique of my reactionary centrist article by @prossertj.bsky.social
www.thepathnottaken.net/p/labour-is-...?
www.thepathnottaken.net/p/labour-is-...?
🚨🚨NEW🚨🚨
Recently, certain left-liberals have argued that Labour’s immigration policy is illiberal and electorally counterproductive.
I disagree; Labour’s position on immigration seems electorally sensible and may also be in the national interest.
www.thepathnottaken.net/p/labour-is-...
Recently, certain left-liberals have argued that Labour’s immigration policy is illiberal and electorally counterproductive.
I disagree; Labour’s position on immigration seems electorally sensible and may also be in the national interest.
www.thepathnottaken.net/p/labour-is-...
Labour is getting it right on immigration
Almost eighteen months into the Starmer government, immigration has emerged as a major topic of debate.
www.thepathnottaken.net
November 1, 2025 at 9:31 AM
🚨🚨NEW🚨🚨
Recently, certain left-liberals have argued that Labour’s immigration policy is illiberal and electorally counterproductive.
I disagree; Labour’s position on immigration seems electorally sensible and may also be in the national interest.
www.thepathnottaken.net/p/labour-is-...
Recently, certain left-liberals have argued that Labour’s immigration policy is illiberal and electorally counterproductive.
I disagree; Labour’s position on immigration seems electorally sensible and may also be in the national interest.
www.thepathnottaken.net/p/labour-is-...
I grew up in evangelical churches and cannot shed a residual dislike of Halloween; we had Hallelujah parties instead 😱🤣🎃
October 31, 2025 at 12:13 PM
I grew up in evangelical churches and cannot shed a residual dislike of Halloween; we had Hallelujah parties instead 😱🤣🎃
If Labour adopted Lib Dem-style policies and rhetoric on immigration, how much better or worse would they be performing in polls?
October 30, 2025 at 7:33 PM
If Labour adopted Lib Dem-style policies and rhetoric on immigration, how much better or worse would they be performing in polls?
I've now read quite a lot of the Nobel-winning economist institutionalists (e.g. Acemoglu, Robinson, Mokyr) and cannot but conclude that the institutionalists in political economy/sociology (e.g. Streeck, Thelen, DiMaggio, Capoccia) are better.
October 29, 2025 at 9:55 AM
I've now read quite a lot of the Nobel-winning economist institutionalists (e.g. Acemoglu, Robinson, Mokyr) and cannot but conclude that the institutionalists in political economy/sociology (e.g. Streeck, Thelen, DiMaggio, Capoccia) are better.
Reposted by Thomas Prosser
Many studies attribute the success of right-wing parties to sexism.
What is sexism? How is it measured? How does it influence elections?
My systematic review of studies on sexism as a predictor of political behavior and attitudes is about to appear in @poqjournal.bsky.social!
1/7
What is sexism? How is it measured? How does it influence elections?
My systematic review of studies on sexism as a predictor of political behavior and attitudes is about to appear in @poqjournal.bsky.social!
1/7
October 27, 2025 at 7:42 AM
Many studies attribute the success of right-wing parties to sexism.
What is sexism? How is it measured? How does it influence elections?
My systematic review of studies on sexism as a predictor of political behavior and attitudes is about to appear in @poqjournal.bsky.social!
1/7
What is sexism? How is it measured? How does it influence elections?
My systematic review of studies on sexism as a predictor of political behavior and attitudes is about to appear in @poqjournal.bsky.social!
1/7
Among British left-wingers, Reform are less popular than even the Conservative Party! This is another explanation for the coordination in Caerphilly and demonstrates the potential for such coordination at a general election...
October 24, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Among British left-wingers, Reform are less popular than even the Conservative Party! This is another explanation for the coordination in Caerphilly and demonstrates the potential for such coordination at a general election...
The Organization journal has published an editorial on the Gaza war. Yet I worry that such statements create more problems than they resolve. On which other issues will you issue public statements? And crucially, will you maintain your stance if the position becomes unpopular/dangerous?
October 24, 2025 at 4:06 PM
The Organization journal has published an editorial on the Gaza war. Yet I worry that such statements create more problems than they resolve. On which other issues will you issue public statements? And crucially, will you maintain your stance if the position becomes unpopular/dangerous?