Ben Rosamond
@benrosamond1.bsky.social
Professor of Politics and International Relations, University of Edinburgh. Anglo-Swede, would-be leg spinner, new elite (if only). Political economy and assorted other obsessions.
Exactly this.
The fact that the BBC has made serious culpable errors does not negate the point that there is a real and concerted right-wing media campaign to destroy it. Both points can be true at the same time and the campaign would not end even if the errors did.
November 10, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Exactly this.
Why the humanities *really* matter: a case study. Excellent thread.
What's lost when we lose staff, departments, programmes and faculties in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and what's that got to do with organ donation?
Amid the looming losses faced by Cardiff, Edinburgh, Lancaster, Leicester and Nottingham (among many others), here's a worked example. 1/8
Amid the looming losses faced by Cardiff, Edinburgh, Lancaster, Leicester and Nottingham (among many others), here's a worked example. 1/8
The organ donation ‘opt-out’ has been a fatal failure | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Why the humanities *really* matter: a case study. Excellent thread.
Like inviting King Herod on to talk about developments in paediatric care.
Sky News just had Kelvin Mackenzie on, former editor of The Sun, one of the people at the centre of probably the most disgraceful front page in newspaper history, complaining about BBC journalists not being objective and 'fake news'. Astonishing. ~AA
November 10, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Like inviting King Herod on to talk about developments in paediatric care.
Emma Monk is very good at this. Another magnificent demolition job on malevolent non-story designed to whip up Islamophobia.
It blows my mind that there are real people who see a post like this and actually believe the whole “Christmas is being cancelled by Muslims” BS 🙄
Let’s have a quick look at what’s happening to Sheffield so you can put your Express reading uncle’s mind at ease!😆
1/15
🧵
Let’s have a quick look at what’s happening to Sheffield so you can put your Express reading uncle’s mind at ease!😆
1/15
🧵
November 9, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Emma Monk is very good at this. Another magnificent demolition job on malevolent non-story designed to whip up Islamophobia.
Plus (a) the political context is completely different (PR and the soc dems govern in coalition with the centre-right) & (b) the 'success' of the soc dems has seen a progressive erosion of their voter base (not just in terms of who the residual voters are, but also in terms of how many there are).
The idea of UK learning from Denmark on immigration and asylum is primarily rhetorical: pick fights with the left about how tough we are willing to sound.
The integration context is very different. The broader immigration context is very different.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
The integration context is very different. The broader immigration context is very different.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
UK to announce plans to emulate stringent Danish immigration system
Proposals draw scorn from some Labour MPs who say it is a ‘dangerous path’ to take, while others want the government to go further
www.theguardian.com
November 8, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Plus (a) the political context is completely different (PR and the soc dems govern in coalition with the centre-right) & (b) the 'success' of the soc dems has seen a progressive erosion of their voter base (not just in terms of who the residual voters are, but also in terms of how many there are).
Looking forward to hearing Matt Goodwin's reaction to this.
November 4, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Looking forward to hearing Matt Goodwin's reaction to this.
Of course, it makes most sense to talk about bloc politics within proportional systems where governing coalitions are an inevitability. Equally, to identify potential governing blocs based upon clear polling trends is indicative of the urgent need for the UK to reform its electoral system.
Notable in today's YouGov that the centre/left bloc - Lab/Green/LD/SNP are on 54%. With Reform/Tories on 43%. That's the biggest differential in a long time.
I think useful to track blocs given instability between parties at the moment.
I think useful to track blocs given instability between parties at the moment.
November 4, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Of course, it makes most sense to talk about bloc politics within proportional systems where governing coalitions are an inevitability. Equally, to identify potential governing blocs based upon clear polling trends is indicative of the urgent need for the UK to reform its electoral system.
From the FT's morning email update. The answer to the question posed at the end is so obvious: because people who take a job stacking shelves are unlikely to end up as the kind of rent-a-quote CEOs who sounds off to the FT when the government seeks to raise the minimum wage in line with inflation.
November 3, 2025 at 10:40 AM
From the FT's morning email update. The answer to the question posed at the end is so obvious: because people who take a job stacking shelves are unlikely to end up as the kind of rent-a-quote CEOs who sounds off to the FT when the government seeks to raise the minimum wage in line with inflation.
A film you’ve seen more than seven times with a gif
November 1, 2025 at 8:40 PM
A film you’ve seen more than seven times with a gif
So much for the sanctity of ‘the will of the people’.
November 1, 2025 at 8:27 PM
So much for the sanctity of ‘the will of the people’.
Well, some proper investigative journalists looked into the men (all men) behind the flag protests. You’ll never guess what they found out …
Well, there are some interesting details in this…
The men who raised the flags
Nigel Farage says this summer’s movement was led by ‘ordinary people’ expressing their patriotism. That’s not what we found
manchestermill.co.uk
November 1, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Well, some proper investigative journalists looked into the men (all men) behind the flag protests. You’ll never guess what they found out …
Saturday afternoon in the record shop. A couple of teenagers (13-14 tops) dressed in scouts uniform flicking through the vinyl racks, earnestly discussing their favourites:
‘All I’ll say is that this is the best album ever made’
- What’s that?
‘Abbey Road’
- I prefer Pulp.
I blame the parents.
‘All I’ll say is that this is the best album ever made’
- What’s that?
‘Abbey Road’
- I prefer Pulp.
I blame the parents.
Awyeah Chill GIF
ALT: Awyeah Chill GIF
media.tenor.com
November 1, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Saturday afternoon in the record shop. A couple of teenagers (13-14 tops) dressed in scouts uniform flicking through the vinyl racks, earnestly discussing their favourites:
‘All I’ll say is that this is the best album ever made’
- What’s that?
‘Abbey Road’
- I prefer Pulp.
I blame the parents.
‘All I’ll say is that this is the best album ever made’
- What’s that?
‘Abbey Road’
- I prefer Pulp.
I blame the parents.
Outstanding thread that completely debunks this hysterical, inflammatory and deeply misleading Daily Mail headline.
FFS Daily Mail
No - the school classrooms were NOT used to teach “adult migrants”
Your own article explains this TWICE - and yet your headline…?🙄
I covered this yesterday in a thread when it was just RW accounts lying on Twitter
Now the DM are on it, let’s go again!
🧵
1/12
No - the school classrooms were NOT used to teach “adult migrants”
Your own article explains this TWICE - and yet your headline…?🙄
I covered this yesterday in a thread when it was just RW accounts lying on Twitter
Now the DM are on it, let’s go again!
🧵
1/12
November 1, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Outstanding thread that completely debunks this hysterical, inflammatory and deeply misleading Daily Mail headline.
👀 JFC.
Who are ‘they’? To which ‘you’ is he referring?
Who are ‘they’? To which ‘you’ is he referring?
October 31, 2025 at 2:05 PM
👀 JFC.
Who are ‘they’? To which ‘you’ is he referring?
Who are ‘they’? To which ‘you’ is he referring?
Looks a lot like tactical voting took place here.
Bromsgrove South (Worcestershire) Council By-Election Result:
🔶 LDM: 51.9% (+20.3)
➡️ RFM: 33.4% (-1.5)
🌳 CON: 11.3% (-5.8)
🌹 LAB: 3.4% (-4.1)
No GRN (-5.5) or Ind (-3.4) as previous.
Liberal Democrat GAIN from Reform.
Changes w/ 2025.
🔶 LDM: 51.9% (+20.3)
➡️ RFM: 33.4% (-1.5)
🌳 CON: 11.3% (-5.8)
🌹 LAB: 3.4% (-4.1)
No GRN (-5.5) or Ind (-3.4) as previous.
Liberal Democrat GAIN from Reform.
Changes w/ 2025.
October 31, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Looks a lot like tactical voting took place here.
🎯 💯👇
for many people of my generation and older, our parents saw vaccines as near-miracles, crushing diseases that killed or crippled many of their peers when they were kids. it boggles the mind anyone would want to undo this
Can't overstate how fucked up it is that unraveling what is arguably the greatest achievement in the history of humanity is now a motivating issue of one of the two dominant parties in the U.S.
October 31, 2025 at 9:56 AM
🎯 💯👇
This thread should be compulsory reading.
I wanted to offer some thoughts on the Gates climate memo that has been circulating this week. While I can't directly speak for others, I can say that my own response is one of dismay & deep frustration (and that this view is shared by many climate/Earth scientists). [1/n]
October 30, 2025 at 9:49 PM
This thread should be compulsory reading.
No idea which office lackey gets to pen these captions, but they could certainly use some unconscious bias training. Shaheen's LSE profile does use the word 'activist' (among others), but to not describe Goodwin as an 'activist' is highly misleading. And he is categorically no longer an 'academic'.
So why does the BBC label the academic and economist Faiza Shaheen an "activist" but refuse to do the same for the former academic, turned anti-migrant activist Matt Goodwin?
October 30, 2025 at 2:00 PM
No idea which office lackey gets to pen these captions, but they could certainly use some unconscious bias training. Shaheen's LSE profile does use the word 'activist' (among others), but to not describe Goodwin as an 'activist' is highly misleading. And he is categorically no longer an 'academic'.
Quote post with favourite reaction gif of all time.
October 28, 2025 at 11:34 PM
Quote post with favourite reaction gif of all time.
Tonight on Peston: King Herod - genocidal maniac or visionary pioneer of birth control?
Is the Reform MP who says she’s driven mad by TV adverts full of Black & Asian people a racist or realist? How many migrants would the Tories expel? & should the UK be selling fighter jets to Türkiye?
Join LIVE at 9PM on X & YouTube or on ITV1 at 1045PM 📺
#Peston
Join LIVE at 9PM on X & YouTube or on ITV1 at 1045PM 📺
#Peston
October 28, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Tonight on Peston: King Herod - genocidal maniac or visionary pioneer of birth control?
Part of the problem here is that HE policy is run (and mostly commented on) by people who went to university, but have no conception of either advanced learning or the broader purpose of universities beyond their direct experience. From this vantage point university is self-evidently ‘big school’.
'Proposals to reform assessment and the way teaching quality is measured risk standardising university curricula and treating institutions like big schools, critics have warned.'
'Big schools' does rather appear to sum up DfS's conception of universities, sadly. 1/3
'Big schools' does rather appear to sum up DfS's conception of universities, sadly. 1/3
Risk of ‘standardisation’ as ministers mull progression measures
Universities would look to ‘game’ new metric for testing learning gain, critics warn, with external examination defended as ‘best we’ve got’
www.timeshighereducation.com
October 27, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Part of the problem here is that HE policy is run (and mostly commented on) by people who went to university, but have no conception of either advanced learning or the broader purpose of universities beyond their direct experience. From this vantage point university is self-evidently ‘big school’.
Words have consequences www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Racist incidents against UK nurses surge by 55%
Royal College of Nursing calls on government to stop using anti-migrant rhetoric, which it says emboldens racist behaviour
www.theguardian.com
October 27, 2025 at 9:52 AM
Words have consequences www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Pochin was spouting racist nonsense, obvs. But it's also worth saying that advertising agencies work for clients who want to sell stuff. Maybe some non-white faces appear in adverts because images of a diverse society actually sell - they appeal to consumers, the majority of whom are not racist.
Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin, “It drives me mad seeing adverts full of black people, full of Asian people, full of anything other than white". She goes on to say there are now more or less no white people represented on British television anymore.
October 26, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Pochin was spouting racist nonsense, obvs. But it's also worth saying that advertising agencies work for clients who want to sell stuff. Maybe some non-white faces appear in adverts because images of a diverse society actually sell - they appeal to consumers, the majority of whom are not racist.
An interesting result and one that suggests - as Sunder notes here - the capacity of tactical voting under first-past-the-post to organise the very significant anti-Reform majority in Wales and across the UK.
Reform lost by 11% in Caerphilly - because of a surge in turnout, because Reform looked set to win the seat.
This illustrates Reform's vulnerability *because* they are leading the polls (in a 6 party system) while being an *unpopular* party. A much bigger problem under FPTP 2029 than PR 2026
This illustrates Reform's vulnerability *because* they are leading the polls (in a 6 party system) while being an *unpopular* party. A much bigger problem under FPTP 2029 than PR 2026
October 24, 2025 at 10:00 AM
An interesting result and one that suggests - as Sunder notes here - the capacity of tactical voting under first-past-the-post to organise the very significant anti-Reform majority in Wales and across the UK.