Sonia Purnell FRHistS
@soniapurnell.bsky.social
Kingmaker: Pamela Harriman’s astonishing life of power, seduction & intrigue. New York Times bestselling author. A Woman of No Importance. Fellow of Royal Historical Society. Warned you about Johnson. Plutarch Prize winner www.soniapurnell.com
This from @cjayanetti.bsky.social
Ultimately it comes down to what you're going to say at the next election.
Would you rather say "we broke our pledge but at least things are better" or "everything's still shit but at least we kept our pledge"?
Would you rather say "we broke our pledge but at least things are better" or "everything's still shit but at least we kept our pledge"?
Too much analysis was still treating breaking the tax pledge as “just another unpopular decision” rather than recognising consequence of breaking a promise which defined an election for the public. If is correct the govt won’t now break it they may have avoided a deeply scarring loss of public trust
November 14, 2025 at 4:15 PM
This from @cjayanetti.bsky.social
Bang on. Not grown up way to behave but a long standing one all the same. They’ve clearly bottled it and the OBR line looks like a fig leaf?
I know it’s always like this. But one striking thing from the budget kite flying and kite pulling back in, is how major policy decisions are constantly being buffeted around by iterative forecast changes.
All feels a bit of a silly way to be making major economic policy & political decisions.
All feels a bit of a silly way to be making major economic policy & political decisions.
November 14, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Bang on. Not grown up way to behave but a long standing one all the same. They’ve clearly bottled it and the OBR line looks like a fig leaf?
If you’re in Wellesley MA on December 2, come join us. So looking forward to chatting with Elizabeth about the astonishing life of Pamela Harriman!
November 13, 2025 at 4:08 PM
If you’re in Wellesley MA on December 2, come join us. So looking forward to chatting with Elizabeth about the astonishing life of Pamela Harriman!
Brexit damage worse over time. Has already knocked up to 8% off GDP, reduced productivity by up to 4% and investment by up to 18% (let that sink in for a moment) plus the loss of untold jobs. Surely fair to say forthcoming tax rises wouldn’t have been necessary without Brexit. Pain for no gain
Headline from a serious and long working paper on the economic impact of Brexit. Possible that this has been feeding into OBR and HMT discussions?
November 10, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Brexit damage worse over time. Has already knocked up to 8% off GDP, reduced productivity by up to 4% and investment by up to 18% (let that sink in for a moment) plus the loss of untold jobs. Surely fair to say forthcoming tax rises wouldn’t have been necessary without Brexit. Pain for no gain
Friends who’ve worked at the Beeb point to a lack of editing. People in charge of news etc often managerial types interested in planning rather than steeped in the rigorous hardcore discipline of editing
The impossible dream some people on the British right are chasing is that you can have a BBC News operation that retreats from detail and expertise, that takes dictation from the government, but this will only create incompetence and failure when it suits you:
To fix the BBC, focus on competence and cash
Corporation fails to learn from criticism, while politicians have consciously reduced its scope for quality journalism
www.ft.com
November 10, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Friends who’ve worked at the Beeb point to a lack of editing. People in charge of news etc often managerial types interested in planning rather than steeped in the rigorous hardcore discipline of editing
Reposted by Sonia Purnell FRHistS
“In the last year of the Conservative Government alone, 115 prisoners were released in error, including a series of serious offenders.
“At no point did this fact ever make the front pages of British newspapers, or lead news bulletins on the BBC.”
“At no point did this fact ever make the front pages of British newspapers, or lead news bulletins on the BBC.”
How ever since Labour came to power, the British media has started to notice a whole series of problems they spent the previous 14 years completely ignoring
www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/the-great-...
www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/the-great-...
The 'Great Noticing' Era
Ever since Labour came to power, the British media has started to notice a whole series of problems they spent the previous 14 years completely ignoring
www.adambienkov.co.uk
November 8, 2025 at 6:35 PM
“In the last year of the Conservative Government alone, 115 prisoners were released in error, including a series of serious offenders.
“At no point did this fact ever make the front pages of British newspapers, or lead news bulletins on the BBC.”
“At no point did this fact ever make the front pages of British newspapers, or lead news bulletins on the BBC.”
Gaby being her usual wise self - this is spot on
So a weird thing happened to me in Aldi that I cdn't quite place until I was listening to Gabby Bertin talking about choking in porn on the radio this am. (NB: this is 100% not a sex thing). Having the usual polite chitchat with the cashier who is tired from working extra shifts to make £ for xmas..
November 5, 2025 at 9:13 AM
Gaby being her usual wise self - this is spot on
Reposted by Sonia Purnell FRHistS
Wider engagement on this disaster-by almost all media, government but also universities themselves-has been self-indicting for the last two years. No one does indeed seem to care about our national library.
Turns out this news was in the public domain yesterday but no one has covered it as far as I can tell. Does no one care about our national library anymore? It was much the same with the cyberattack. If this was a bit of 'science' infrastructure can you imagine?
www.pcs.org.uk/news-events/...
www.pcs.org.uk/news-events/...
British Library chief executive quits midway through PCS strike
The British Library has been thrown into further turmoil midway through a two-week PCS strike with the resignation of its chief executive Rebecca Lawrence.
www.pcs.org.uk
November 4, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Wider engagement on this disaster-by almost all media, government but also universities themselves-has been self-indicting for the last two years. No one does indeed seem to care about our national library.
Wishing Samir a speedy and full recovery and thank you!
November 4, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Wishing Samir a speedy and full recovery and thank you!
Not sure I’m in favour of the shallowness of our political pool (leads to short sighted and unimaginative self interest) but defo believe in less partisanship more cooperation. As always this is very much worth a read from @jackkessler.bsky.social
November 3, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Not sure I’m in favour of the shallowness of our political pool (leads to short sighted and unimaginative self interest) but defo believe in less partisanship more cooperation. As always this is very much worth a read from @jackkessler.bsky.social
I’m on my way to Boston - come and join me here! Talking #PamelaHarriman and #kingmaker
October 30, 2025 at 9:10 PM
I’m on my way to Boston - come and join me here! Talking #PamelaHarriman and #kingmaker
Kingmaker is coming out tomorrow in paperback in America! Very excited to see it named by @nytimes.com as one of the seven books to read RIGHT NOW!
October 27, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Kingmaker is coming out tomorrow in paperback in America! Very excited to see it named by @nytimes.com as one of the seven books to read RIGHT NOW!
Reposted by Sonia Purnell FRHistS
Beth Rigby: "Keir Starmer has changed his top team more than I've had hot dinners."
In two years before Starmer we had 3 PMs, 4 Chancellors, 3 Foreign Secretaries, 5 Home Secretaries, 5 Education Secretaries, 5 Cabinet Secretaries, etc. - total 221 ministerial departures.
Maybe Beth is on a diet.
In two years before Starmer we had 3 PMs, 4 Chancellors, 3 Foreign Secretaries, 5 Home Secretaries, 5 Education Secretaries, 5 Cabinet Secretaries, etc. - total 221 ministerial departures.
Maybe Beth is on a diet.
October 25, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Beth Rigby: "Keir Starmer has changed his top team more than I've had hot dinners."
In two years before Starmer we had 3 PMs, 4 Chancellors, 3 Foreign Secretaries, 5 Home Secretaries, 5 Education Secretaries, 5 Cabinet Secretaries, etc. - total 221 ministerial departures.
Maybe Beth is on a diet.
In two years before Starmer we had 3 PMs, 4 Chancellors, 3 Foreign Secretaries, 5 Home Secretaries, 5 Education Secretaries, 5 Cabinet Secretaries, etc. - total 221 ministerial departures.
Maybe Beth is on a diet.
Reposted by Sonia Purnell FRHistS
All of it prompted by this arresting statement from @duncanrobinson.bsky.social: "When judged on the past decade, Britain’s corporate lobbyists have a good claim to be the least effective in the rich world."
October 23, 2025 at 9:11 AM
All of it prompted by this arresting statement from @duncanrobinson.bsky.social: "When judged on the past decade, Britain’s corporate lobbyists have a good claim to be the least effective in the rich world."
This
The Conservative immigration proposals cannot be allowed to stand without a profound and widespread statement of moral condemnation inews.co.uk/opinion/tori...
October 22, 2025 at 10:37 PM
This
Reposted by Sonia Purnell FRHistS
Now, is this "residents" in rural Scotland who feel like they live in Communist China, or one hyperbolic opposition MP desperate for a headline (and being given one by an uncritical media)?
Residents in rural Scotland feel like they live in Communist China due to the huge number of clean energy projects being “bulldozed through” by the government, it has been claimed
Scotland’s planning laws are ‘anti-British’, MP warns
John Lamont, a Conservative MP, says changes make Scotland feel like ‘Communist China’
www.thetimes.com
October 22, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Now, is this "residents" in rural Scotland who feel like they live in Communist China, or one hyperbolic opposition MP desperate for a headline (and being given one by an uncritical media)?
This is terrific on the art of biography. I’m so inspired i might do another one myself! www.newstatesman.com/culture/book...
How Richard Holmes humanised Tennyson
The biographer of England’s great poets reveals the secrets of inhabiting his subjects’ lives
www.newstatesman.com
October 14, 2025 at 6:00 PM
This is terrific on the art of biography. I’m so inspired i might do another one myself! www.newstatesman.com/culture/book...
Reposted by Sonia Purnell FRHistS
"An essential condition today for entry into the upper echelons of Conservative party politics is being willing to at least pretend that you think taking Britain out of the EU was a good idea. This is a never-ending lobotomy for the Tories."
Excellent by @stephenkb.bsky.social #Giftlink
Excellent by @stephenkb.bsky.social #Giftlink
How Brexit drained the Tories’ talent pool
The party can’t keep expecting successful people to pretend that leaving the EU was a good idea
on.ft.com
October 14, 2025 at 3:59 PM
"An essential condition today for entry into the upper echelons of Conservative party politics is being willing to at least pretend that you think taking Britain out of the EU was a good idea. This is a never-ending lobotomy for the Tories."
Excellent by @stephenkb.bsky.social #Giftlink
Excellent by @stephenkb.bsky.social #Giftlink
I’m sure other political journos will come out in support? No?
BREAKING: The National Union of Journalists describe the Conservative Party's banning of Byline Times journalists from covering their conference as a threat to media freedom which "undermines the Conservative Party leader’s repeated pledge to fight for free speech"
bylinetimes.com/2025/10/08/c...
bylinetimes.com/2025/10/08/c...
Conservatives Accused of ‘Trumpian’ Tactics After Barring Second Byline Times Journalist From Conference
The National Union of Journalists described the bans as a threat to media freedom which "undermines the Conservative Party leader’s repeated pledge to fight for free speech"
bylinetimes.com
October 9, 2025 at 11:42 AM
I’m sure other political journos will come out in support? No?
Just hosted a table at a fundraising event for the new #LondonMuseum. I can tell you it’s going to be fab!
October 7, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Just hosted a table at a fundraising event for the new #LondonMuseum. I can tell you it’s going to be fab!
Thanks you lovely people! Number One in espionage biogs and number 61 in the whole of kindle!! Thank you so much. An hour to go to buy at just 99p
October 7, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Thanks you lovely people! Number One in espionage biogs and number 61 in the whole of kindle!! Thank you so much. An hour to go to buy at just 99p
Reposted by Sonia Purnell FRHistS
A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of Virginia Hall, WWII's Most Dangerous Spy by @soniapurnell.bsky.social is a bargain 99p on Kindle today #affiliatelink amzn.to/4pP5j5s
A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of Virginia Hall, WWII's Most Dangerous Spy - 'Reads like a thriller' (Ben Macintyre)
A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of Virginia Hall, WWII's Most Dangerous Spy - 'Reads like a thriller' (Ben Macintyre) eBook : Purnell, Sonia: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store
amzn.to
October 7, 2025 at 5:41 AM
A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of Virginia Hall, WWII's Most Dangerous Spy by @soniapurnell.bsky.social is a bargain 99p on Kindle today #affiliatelink amzn.to/4pP5j5s
Thanks so much for pointing this out! A Woman of No Importance is insanely cheap today on Kindle at just 99p!!
A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of Virginia Hall, WWII's Most Dangerous Spy by @soniapurnell.bsky.social is a bargain 99p on Kindle today #affiliatelink amzn.to/4pP5j5s
A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of Virginia Hall, WWII's Most Dangerous Spy - 'Reads like a thriller' (Ben Macintyre)
A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of Virginia Hall, WWII's Most Dangerous Spy - 'Reads like a thriller' (Ben Macintyre) eBook : Purnell, Sonia: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store
amzn.to
October 7, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Thanks so much for pointing this out! A Woman of No Importance is insanely cheap today on Kindle at just 99p!!
Extremely good as always. The battle for Britain’s soul begins. Or does it?
Has Labour woken up? Latest post on my Brexit & Brexitism Blog analysing how Starmer’s Labour seems to be taking a firmer line with Reform and Brexitism, rattling Farage, but many ambiguities and contradictions remain: chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2025/10/has-...
October 5, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Extremely good as always. The battle for Britain’s soul begins. Or does it?