Sam Freedman
@samfr.bsky.social
Writes the most popular UK politics Substack (samf.substack.com)
Sunday Times bestselling book "Failed State" out now. (An Economist and Financial Times Book of the Year for 2024).
Senior fellow: Institute for Government
Sunday Times bestselling book "Failed State" out now. (An Economist and Financial Times Book of the Year for 2024).
Senior fellow: Institute for Government
Pinned
Flashing Red
Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list"
open.substack.com
New post just out:
Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list".
No part of the public sector is more broken or brings with it greater political risk. As we saw these past two weeks.
It desperately needs a new approach.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/f...
Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list".
No part of the public sector is more broken or brings with it greater political risk. As we saw these past two weeks.
It desperately needs a new approach.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/f...
The answer to this question is that British people could discuss this question till the end of time and not be done.
Could someone explain to me what is meant when a British person refers to "the middle class" ? Like, in the US, as I hear it, it basically just means a person who makes a certain amount of money, not too far below and not wildly above the median. Seems like a complex concept when UK writers use it?
November 10, 2025 at 10:25 PM
The answer to this question is that British people could discuss this question till the end of time and not be done.
Most people think the BBC is biased but in different directions (or they're not sure).
November 10, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Most people think the BBC is biased but in different directions (or they're not sure).
God yes. It can *always* be an email.
I have two missions in life:
- securing world peace
- dissuading people from organising a "quick preparatory call ahead of next week's panel".
- securing world peace
- dissuading people from organising a "quick preparatory call ahead of next week's panel".
November 10, 2025 at 10:18 AM
God yes. It can *always* be an email.
Just occurred that the BBC is the most literal example of Conquest's third law in that it is actually run by a cabal of its enemies.
November 10, 2025 at 8:25 AM
Just occurred that the BBC is the most literal example of Conquest's third law in that it is actually run by a cabal of its enemies.
Reposted by Sam Freedman
This is an outstanding post on the criminal justice system. Do read.
New post just out:
Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list".
No part of the public sector is more broken or brings with it greater political risk. As we saw these past two weeks.
It desperately needs a new approach.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/f...
Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list".
No part of the public sector is more broken or brings with it greater political risk. As we saw these past two weeks.
It desperately needs a new approach.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/f...
Flashing Red
Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list"
open.substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 9:22 AM
This is an outstanding post on the criminal justice system. Do read.
Reposted by Sam Freedman
Seeing so many posts about who “Starmer and Nandy” will appoint as director general. Easy mistake but the government does not appoint the director general! The BBC board, whose members are appointed for rolling terms by the culture secretary, appoints the director general.
November 9, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Seeing so many posts about who “Starmer and Nandy” will appoint as director general. Easy mistake but the government does not appoint the director general! The BBC board, whose members are appointed for rolling terms by the culture secretary, appoints the director general.
Davie's resignation statement suggests he'd just had enough rather than feeling he had to resign over this particular issue.
November 9, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Davie's resignation statement suggests he'd just had enough rather than feeling he had to resign over this particular issue.
That's the worst I've seen Liverpool play in a long time. So weird how good teams can just suddenly stop working.
November 9, 2025 at 5:27 PM
That's the worst I've seen Liverpool play in a long time. So weird how good teams can just suddenly stop working.
Reposted by Sam Freedman
Incredibly sobering post but do bear this section in mind when you hear Chris Philp and Robert Jenrick getting on their high horse...
November 9, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Incredibly sobering post but do bear this section in mind when you hear Chris Philp and Robert Jenrick getting on their high horse...
Reposted by Sam Freedman
Absolutely wild. Shameful. And only part of the story, as @samfr.bsky.social acknowledges. Criminal justice in the deepest of holes
New post just out:
Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list".
No part of the public sector is more broken or brings with it greater political risk. As we saw these past two weeks.
It desperately needs a new approach.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/f...
Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list".
No part of the public sector is more broken or brings with it greater political risk. As we saw these past two weeks.
It desperately needs a new approach.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/f...
Flashing Red
Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list"
open.substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Absolutely wild. Shameful. And only part of the story, as @samfr.bsky.social acknowledges. Criminal justice in the deepest of holes
Reposted by Sam Freedman
I have to say, I find this letter completely baffling for a number of reasons:
Britain’s top scientists have written to the PM warning that the education system is holding back children and the country and expressing concern about the timidity of the government’s curriculum and assessment review @theobserveruk.bsky.social observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
Broken education system is holding back the young, top scientists warn PM | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 9, 2025 at 10:13 AM
I have to say, I find this letter completely baffling for a number of reasons:
It's also the exact same list of straw men "heresies" he wheels out in every column.
Rage against group think, writes Matthew Syed in the Sunday Times, by reading out a paragraph of what *I* think at the beginning of every BBC editorial meeting.
November 9, 2025 at 9:16 AM
It's also the exact same list of straw men "heresies" he wheels out in every column.
Reposted by Sam Freedman
To be honest one of the scariest things you'll read this year. A prison system permanently on the brink because it will never be a priority for scarce public resources, but politicians will not admit that.
New post just out:
Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list".
No part of the public sector is more broken or brings with it greater political risk. As we saw these past two weeks.
It desperately needs a new approach.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/f...
Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list".
No part of the public sector is more broken or brings with it greater political risk. As we saw these past two weeks.
It desperately needs a new approach.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/f...
Flashing Red
Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list"
open.substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 5:18 PM
To be honest one of the scariest things you'll read this year. A prison system permanently on the brink because it will never be a priority for scarce public resources, but politicians will not admit that.
Reposted by Sam Freedman
Read @samfr.bsky.social post on the atrocious state of prisons.
Some of the report extracts are like something from the film Midnight Express.
Some of the report extracts are like something from the film Midnight Express.
New post just out:
Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list".
No part of the public sector is more broken or brings with it greater political risk. As we saw these past two weeks.
It desperately needs a new approach.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/f...
Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list".
No part of the public sector is more broken or brings with it greater political risk. As we saw these past two weeks.
It desperately needs a new approach.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/f...
Flashing Red
Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list"
open.substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Read @samfr.bsky.social post on the atrocious state of prisons.
Some of the report extracts are like something from the film Midnight Express.
Some of the report extracts are like something from the film Midnight Express.
Reposted by Sam Freedman
Great summary from Sam of just how dire a state the criminal justice system is in — and the massive political and human risks that creates. We go through all the facts and figures in our Public Services Performance Tracker:
November 8, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Great summary from Sam of just how dire a state the criminal justice system is in — and the massive political and human risks that creates. We go through all the facts and figures in our Public Services Performance Tracker:
Reposted by Sam Freedman
Great post from Sam. Hard to square the picture he paints with Mahmood having been promoted in the last reshuffle for having got the department under control
New post just out:
Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list".
No part of the public sector is more broken or brings with it greater political risk. As we saw these past two weeks.
It desperately needs a new approach.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/f...
Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list".
No part of the public sector is more broken or brings with it greater political risk. As we saw these past two weeks.
It desperately needs a new approach.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/f...
Flashing Red
Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list"
open.substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Great post from Sam. Hard to square the picture he paints with Mahmood having been promoted in the last reshuffle for having got the department under control
Drives me mad that people talk about Danish immigration policy as a *political* success without bothering to look at the polls.
Aside from the crucial voting system difference, the Social Democrats over this period have haemorrhaged votes to progressive parties and are currently on course for their worst result in 110yrs, while the Green Left are set for their best ever.
The Danish People's Party are currently gaining.
The Danish People's Party are currently gaining.
what are the odds that the people in Downing Street briefing this out would also break out in hives at the mere mention of proportional representation?
November 8, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Drives me mad that people talk about Danish immigration policy as a *political* success without bothering to look at the polls.
New post just out:
Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list".
No part of the public sector is more broken or brings with it greater political risk. As we saw these past two weeks.
It desperately needs a new approach.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/f...
Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list".
No part of the public sector is more broken or brings with it greater political risk. As we saw these past two weeks.
It desperately needs a new approach.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/f...
Flashing Red
Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list"
open.substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 8:56 AM
New post just out:
Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list".
No part of the public sector is more broken or brings with it greater political risk. As we saw these past two weeks.
It desperately needs a new approach.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/f...
Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list".
No part of the public sector is more broken or brings with it greater political risk. As we saw these past two weeks.
It desperately needs a new approach.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/f...
Reposted by Sam Freedman
That this is populist guff shouldn't obscure the significance of Le Pen's RN shifting from total rejection of the EU and Euro to making policy demands within the EU system that accepts it is there to stay
Bardella wants the ECB (read: Banque de France and other Eurosystem banks) to buy an unlimited amount of French debt.
Other eurozone countries will be delighted at the opportunity to co-finance one of the most generous pension systems in Europe.
www.economist.com/europe/2025/...
Other eurozone countries will be delighted at the opportunity to co-finance one of the most generous pension systems in Europe.
www.economist.com/europe/2025/...
Jordan Bardella starts to lay out his plans
The 30-year-old French populist who is preparing for power
www.economist.com
November 7, 2025 at 9:44 AM
That this is populist guff shouldn't obscure the significance of Le Pen's RN shifting from total rejection of the EU and Euro to making policy demands within the EU system that accepts it is there to stay
Reposted by Sam Freedman
i mean, gilt yields are pretty well behaved for a situation where apparently everyone in the City thinks we're gonna default
on.ft.com/43eNFhX
on.ft.com/43eNFhX
November 6, 2025 at 9:25 AM
i mean, gilt yields are pretty well behaved for a situation where apparently everyone in the City thinks we're gonna default
on.ft.com/43eNFhX
on.ft.com/43eNFhX
This makes a point that's often missed.
"The strategy of minimising the attackable surface doesn’t take into account that the other side also gets a say in deciding what’s attackable"
"The strategy of minimising the attackable surface doesn’t take into account that the other side also gets a say in deciding what’s attackable"
I expand on a rant about the unseriousness of serious politics backofmind.substack.com/p/the-genera...
the generalised problem factory
taking opps research seriously
backofmind.substack.com
November 6, 2025 at 4:24 PM
This makes a point that's often missed.
"The strategy of minimising the attackable surface doesn’t take into account that the other side also gets a say in deciding what’s attackable"
"The strategy of minimising the attackable surface doesn’t take into account that the other side also gets a say in deciding what’s attackable"
Just sent out our regular "ask us anything" post so subscribers can submit questions.
Also some of the highlights from the substack over the last few months.
(Free to read)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/a...
Also some of the highlights from the substack over the last few months.
(Free to read)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/a...
Ask us anything
Every few months we offer paying subscribers the chance to ask us questions on any topic you like.
open.substack.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Just sent out our regular "ask us anything" post so subscribers can submit questions.
Also some of the highlights from the substack over the last few months.
(Free to read)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/a...
Also some of the highlights from the substack over the last few months.
(Free to read)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/a...
Reposted by Sam Freedman
Good post and definitely something government should do more of...in the right places.
I like that the model proposed is to speedrun the approvals, not to skip them - I've seen too many projects put in place to clean up after predecessors that skipped checks in the name of fast implementation.
I like that the model proposed is to speedrun the approvals, not to skip them - I've seen too many projects put in place to clean up after predecessors that skipped checks in the name of fast implementation.
New post just out:
"How to make government work"
We have a guest post from one of the people who built the AI Security Institute on a rare UK success story. With important lessons for the rest of government.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/h...
"How to make government work"
We have a guest post from one of the people who built the AI Security Institute on a rare UK success story. With important lessons for the rest of government.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/h...
How to make government work
Lessons from a rare British success story
open.substack.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Good post and definitely something government should do more of...in the right places.
I like that the model proposed is to speedrun the approvals, not to skip them - I've seen too many projects put in place to clean up after predecessors that skipped checks in the name of fast implementation.
I like that the model proposed is to speedrun the approvals, not to skip them - I've seen too many projects put in place to clean up after predecessors that skipped checks in the name of fast implementation.
I wanted to do this 15 years ago but only got support to create the option for schools to do this voluntarily. Would make a big difference.
A quota of 15% of school places should be given to pupils eligible for free school meals to ensure they have an equitable chance of attending an effective school, @bristoluni.bsky.social research suggests
Call for schools to have FSM pupil places quota
Giving pupils who receive free school meals priority for 15 per cent of places in schools could create a more equitable admissions system, researchers suggest
www.tes.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:51 AM
I wanted to do this 15 years ago but only got support to create the option for schools to do this voluntarily. Would make a big difference.
I'm always amazed to find politicians who know nothing at all about the people who held the office they hold or what they did with it.
I say this as someone who only just realised this, but I think those of us who spend large portions of our leisure time following/commenting/joking about politics underestimate the big ways that politicians are not more successful versions of ourselves but actually a very different type of person
November 5, 2025 at 9:19 PM
I'm always amazed to find politicians who know nothing at all about the people who held the office they hold or what they did with it.