Dr Seth Thévoz
@seththevoz.bsky.social
Historian, writer, immigrant, FRHistS, podcaster, right eyebrow raiser; UK political finance & global private members’ clubs; http://linktr.ee/sathevoz; Latest book: ‘London Clubland: A Companion for the Curious'. clubland.substack.com
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London Clubland
Step into the hidden world of London's private members' clubs with London Clubland: A Companion for the Curious. This guide, by the leading historian on the ...
www.littlebrown.co.uk
Stumped for a Christmas present?
Look no further than 'London Clubland: A Companion for the Curious' - a comprehensive introduction/almanac/guidebook/reference work for navigating the hidden world and unwritten rules of London clubs today. With jokes!
www.littlebrown.co.uk/titles/seth-...
Look no further than 'London Clubland: A Companion for the Curious' - a comprehensive introduction/almanac/guidebook/reference work for navigating the hidden world and unwritten rules of London clubs today. With jokes!
www.littlebrown.co.uk/titles/seth-...
There’s a lot of talk about NATO’s Article 5, and what it would mean if one NATO country attacked another.
There’s not nearly enough attention being paid to Article 42.7 of the Treaty of Lisbon, and what happens if an EU member state is attacked.
There’s not nearly enough attention being paid to Article 42.7 of the Treaty of Lisbon, and what happens if an EU member state is attacked.
January 6, 2026 at 12:06 PM
There’s a lot of talk about NATO’s Article 5, and what it would mean if one NATO country attacked another.
There’s not nearly enough attention being paid to Article 42.7 of the Treaty of Lisbon, and what happens if an EU member state is attacked.
There’s not nearly enough attention being paid to Article 42.7 of the Treaty of Lisbon, and what happens if an EU member state is attacked.
Reposted by Dr Seth Thévoz
It was a little over three years ago that Keir Starmer promised to do away with the House of Lords altogether as part of his plans to restore trust in politics. Now, he's nominating his own (less than stellar) allies, writes @arusbridger.bsky.social
The PM vowed to abolish the Lords. Why is he stuffing it with allies?
In Matthew Doyle, we are about to get another less than stellar peer. Now is the time for change
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
January 5, 2026 at 10:53 AM
It was a little over three years ago that Keir Starmer promised to do away with the House of Lords altogether as part of his plans to restore trust in politics. Now, he's nominating his own (less than stellar) allies, writes @arusbridger.bsky.social
Reposted by Dr Seth Thévoz
Well, the FIFA Peace Prize committee must be feeling very silly today.
January 3, 2026 at 6:43 PM
Well, the FIFA Peace Prize committee must be feeling very silly today.
Reposted by Dr Seth Thévoz
Marco Rubio is reportedly saying Maduro will stand trial in US courts.
Which means it’s now the US administration’s position that US courts can hold foreign presidents, but not the US president, accountable for crimes.
Which means it’s now the US administration’s position that US courts can hold foreign presidents, but not the US president, accountable for crimes.
January 3, 2026 at 10:52 AM
Marco Rubio is reportedly saying Maduro will stand trial in US courts.
Which means it’s now the US administration’s position that US courts can hold foreign presidents, but not the US president, accountable for crimes.
Which means it’s now the US administration’s position that US courts can hold foreign presidents, but not the US president, accountable for crimes.
Reposted by Dr Seth Thévoz
Mamdani has only been Mayor for a day & criminals are already fleeing New York
January 2, 2026 at 4:32 PM
Mamdani has only been Mayor for a day & criminals are already fleeing New York
I've always enjoyed Marty Feldman's work and found him very funny; and colleagues rueing his early death often spoke of his being a very nice man.
What comes out in this extraordinary 1969 documentary-essay on the nature of comedy is that he was very thoughtful, too. www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0it...
What comes out in this extraordinary 1969 documentary-essay on the nature of comedy is that he was very thoughtful, too. www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0it...
1969: Marty Feldman - What is Comedy? | One Pair of Eyes | Comedy Icons | BBC Archive
YouTube video by BBC Archive
www.youtube.com
January 2, 2026 at 11:14 PM
I've always enjoyed Marty Feldman's work and found him very funny; and colleagues rueing his early death often spoke of his being a very nice man.
What comes out in this extraordinary 1969 documentary-essay on the nature of comedy is that he was very thoughtful, too. www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0it...
What comes out in this extraordinary 1969 documentary-essay on the nature of comedy is that he was very thoughtful, too. www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0it...
Over a decade ago, my PhD was co-supervised by the History of Parliament Trust. It’s a great organisation; and reading below the end-of-year round-up, it’s pretty impressive that such a small team generates such a range of discoveries & outputs.
victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2026/01/01/h...
victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2026/01/01/h...
Happy New Year from the Victorian Commons for 2026!
Here’s wishing all our readers a very enjoyable New Year! 2025 was a particularly memorable year for our 1832-68 House of Commons project and the History of Parliament. After 20 years based at Bloo…
victoriancommons.wordpress.com
January 1, 2026 at 12:21 PM
Over a decade ago, my PhD was co-supervised by the History of Parliament Trust. It’s a great organisation; and reading below the end-of-year round-up, it’s pretty impressive that such a small team generates such a range of discoveries & outputs.
victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2026/01/01/h...
victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2026/01/01/h...
Reposted by Dr Seth Thévoz
eww - please do not come to even virtual Greenwich
“Well, I’ve come here today to Greenwich, to have a think about what the country used to be,” says man clearly standing in front of a green screen, with an image of Greenwich superimposed behind him.
December 31, 2025 at 1:59 PM
eww - please do not come to even virtual Greenwich
This seems to sum up so much of what’s wrong with our times. A grifter who touts himself as straight-talking, using a green screen to pretend he’s somewhere that he’s not.
I don’t think anyone would have begrudged him just talking about Greenwich. So why bother lying, pretending that he’s there?
I don’t think anyone would have begrudged him just talking about Greenwich. So why bother lying, pretending that he’s there?
“Well, I’ve come here today to Greenwich, to have a think about what the country used to be,” says man clearly standing in front of a green screen, with an image of Greenwich superimposed behind him.
December 31, 2025 at 12:43 PM
This seems to sum up so much of what’s wrong with our times. A grifter who touts himself as straight-talking, using a green screen to pretend he’s somewhere that he’s not.
I don’t think anyone would have begrudged him just talking about Greenwich. So why bother lying, pretending that he’s there?
I don’t think anyone would have begrudged him just talking about Greenwich. So why bother lying, pretending that he’s there?
“Well, I’ve come here today to Greenwich, to have a think about what the country used to be,” says man clearly standing in front of a green screen, with an image of Greenwich superimposed behind him.
December 31, 2025 at 11:54 AM
“Well, I’ve come here today to Greenwich, to have a think about what the country used to be,” says man clearly standing in front of a green screen, with an image of Greenwich superimposed behind him.
Reposted by Dr Seth Thévoz
Jordan Peterson watches Muppet Christmas Carol
December 24, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Jordan Peterson watches Muppet Christmas Carol
Reposted by Dr Seth Thévoz
One of my favourite parts of that was Nixon’s insistence in redacting all the swearing, but b/c of his upbringing he redacted things like ‘damn’ and taking the lord’s name in vain, so the released transcript was so heavily redacted it looked so much more suspicious than it actually was
December 24, 2025 at 7:27 AM
One of my favourite parts of that was Nixon’s insistence in redacting all the swearing, but b/c of his upbringing he redacted things like ‘damn’ and taking the lord’s name in vain, so the released transcript was so heavily redacted it looked so much more suspicious than it actually was
I’m reminded of the way that at the height of the Watergate scandal, Richard Nixon attempted to stave off demands for the White House tapes by releasing several dozen volumes of transcripts of an edited selection that he had personally found the time to play back and had redacted.
December 24, 2025 at 7:05 AM
I’m reminded of the way that at the height of the Watergate scandal, Richard Nixon attempted to stave off demands for the White House tapes by releasing several dozen volumes of transcripts of an edited selection that he had personally found the time to play back and had redacted.
Reposted by Dr Seth Thévoz
Wish there were still TV programmmes interviewing French critical theorists
December 24, 2025 at 6:34 AM
Wish there were still TV programmmes interviewing French critical theorists
10 Dec 1941 was a landmark in naval warfare: the sinking of HMS Prince of Wales & HMS Repulse in 80 mins, by Japanese aircraft, highlighted that carriers were the future of naval warfare.
Large capital ships? These are just expensive coffins - a lesson more relevant than ever in the age of drones.
Large capital ships? These are just expensive coffins - a lesson more relevant than ever in the age of drones.
December 23, 2025 at 1:02 AM
10 Dec 1941 was a landmark in naval warfare: the sinking of HMS Prince of Wales & HMS Repulse in 80 mins, by Japanese aircraft, highlighted that carriers were the future of naval warfare.
Large capital ships? These are just expensive coffins - a lesson more relevant than ever in the age of drones.
Large capital ships? These are just expensive coffins - a lesson more relevant than ever in the age of drones.
The last ‘Oh God, What Now’ of the year - a Christmas edition!
🔔 Oh God, What Now All Ye Faithful… it’s time for the OGWN Politics Awards of 2025.
🥇 Heroes, villains, underreported stories and more with Xmas elves @seththevoz.bsky.social @rostaylor.bsky.social @jonnelledge.bsky.social & @nndroid.bsky.social
🎄 Listen everywhere: linktr.ee/ohgodwhatnow...
🥇 Heroes, villains, underreported stories and more with Xmas elves @seththevoz.bsky.social @rostaylor.bsky.social @jonnelledge.bsky.social & @nndroid.bsky.social
🎄 Listen everywhere: linktr.ee/ohgodwhatnow...
December 22, 2025 at 12:49 PM
The last ‘Oh God, What Now’ of the year - a Christmas edition!
The problem - which Kevin Hollinrake’s comments suggest he’s unaware of - is that NO-ONE checks CVs in the Lords appointments process.
The House of Lords Appointments Commission “vets for propriety, not suitability”, which is a polite way of saying they see if a nominee looks like a crook.
The House of Lords Appointments Commission “vets for propriety, not suitability”, which is a polite way of saying they see if a nominee looks like a crook.
December 21, 2025 at 10:10 PM
The problem - which Kevin Hollinrake’s comments suggest he’s unaware of - is that NO-ONE checks CVs in the Lords appointments process.
The House of Lords Appointments Commission “vets for propriety, not suitability”, which is a polite way of saying they see if a nominee looks like a crook.
The House of Lords Appointments Commission “vets for propriety, not suitability”, which is a polite way of saying they see if a nominee looks like a crook.
Reposted by Dr Seth Thévoz
One bit I vividly recall from the Crossman diaries was circa 1969 when Wilson missed a Cabinet meeting for the first time ever, supposedly due to a “stomach upset.” RC suspected that it was because he was hungover from “boozing with the industrial correspondents” the night before
December 19, 2025 at 11:26 AM
One bit I vividly recall from the Crossman diaries was circa 1969 when Wilson missed a Cabinet meeting for the first time ever, supposedly due to a “stomach upset.” RC suspected that it was because he was hungover from “boozing with the industrial correspondents” the night before
Reposted by Dr Seth Thévoz
Stumped for a Christmas present?
Look no further than 'London Clubland: A Companion for the Curious' - a comprehensive introduction/almanac/guidebook/reference work for navigating the hidden world and unwritten rules of London clubs today. With jokes!
www.littlebrown.co.uk/titles/seth-...
Look no further than 'London Clubland: A Companion for the Curious' - a comprehensive introduction/almanac/guidebook/reference work for navigating the hidden world and unwritten rules of London clubs today. With jokes!
www.littlebrown.co.uk/titles/seth-...
London Clubland
Step into the hidden world of London's private members' clubs with London Clubland: A Companion for the Curious. This guide, by the leading historian on the ...
www.littlebrown.co.uk
December 3, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Stumped for a Christmas present?
Look no further than 'London Clubland: A Companion for the Curious' - a comprehensive introduction/almanac/guidebook/reference work for navigating the hidden world and unwritten rules of London clubs today. With jokes!
www.littlebrown.co.uk/titles/seth-...
Look no further than 'London Clubland: A Companion for the Curious' - a comprehensive introduction/almanac/guidebook/reference work for navigating the hidden world and unwritten rules of London clubs today. With jokes!
www.littlebrown.co.uk/titles/seth-...
I watch this stuff - so you don’t have to.
The latest ‘Liz Truss Show’ guest, Trump admin official, conspiracy theorist & plagiarist Monica Crowley, started her career working for ex-President Nixon in the 90s.
“I was not born when he was elected President!” she claims.
Crowley was born on 19 Sept 1968- 47 days before Nixon was elected.
“I was not born when he was elected President!” she claims.
Crowley was born on 19 Sept 1968- 47 days before Nixon was elected.
December 20, 2025 at 9:09 PM
I watch this stuff - so you don’t have to.
The latest ‘Liz Truss Show’ guest, Trump admin official, conspiracy theorist & plagiarist Monica Crowley, started her career working for ex-President Nixon in the 90s.
“I was not born when he was elected President!” she claims.
Crowley was born on 19 Sept 1968- 47 days before Nixon was elected.
“I was not born when he was elected President!” she claims.
Crowley was born on 19 Sept 1968- 47 days before Nixon was elected.
December 20, 2025 at 9:02 PM
The latest ‘Liz Truss Show’ guest, Trump admin official, conspiracy theorist & plagiarist Monica Crowley, started her career working for ex-President Nixon in the 90s.
“I was not born when he was elected President!” she claims.
Crowley was born on 19 Sept 1968- 47 days before Nixon was elected.
“I was not born when he was elected President!” she claims.
Crowley was born on 19 Sept 1968- 47 days before Nixon was elected.
Reposted by Dr Seth Thévoz
I read somewhere that the secret key to postwar British history is that in any incident, meeting, whatever, there’s a high chance that most participants are a bit tipsy and someone round the table is absolutely steaming drunk.
Happy 79th anniversary to this diary entry from Evelyn Waugh, in which he drinks enough to make you wonder how he lived for a further 19 years:
December 19, 2025 at 10:19 AM
I read somewhere that the secret key to postwar British history is that in any incident, meeting, whatever, there’s a high chance that most participants are a bit tipsy and someone round the table is absolutely steaming drunk.