I’m intrigued by reporting on the Caerphilly by-election. I mean bookies had Reform to win. They didn’t. Focus in the media (even the good ones) is on Labour losing. We expected that. Reform non-win is the bigger story here? Compare with reporting on Dutch right-wingers coming second. 🤔

Are mainstream economists losing influence over policy making? "The ‘Appallingly Bad’ Dismal Science: Of the Increasing Irrelevance of (the Wrong Kind of) Economics"
www.gerhardschnyder.com/blog/2025/8/31/the-appallingly-bad-dismal-science-of-the-increasing-irrelevance-of-the-wrong-kind-of-economics

Yes Keir, we’ve noticed! 🙄🤦🏼‍♂️

How does this come as a shock to anyone? It was crystal clear that this would happen given the government’s policies! 🙄

Sadly Labour’s conclusion from this defeat will probably be “Oh look we need to be more like Reform to win” rather than “Oh people don’t like us trying to imitate Reform” - Hopefully they’ll start looking at polls to realise people are less bothered about foreigners, more about climate than Reform!

Good news for those who were 'really sorry to miss' my inaugural lecture "From state to market and back?" The recording is now available: www.lboro.ac.uk/inaugural-le...

Check it out if you want to know what a buff-fronted owl (picture by Gustavo Pinto) has to do with political economy.

Amazing week at OP Jindal Global University in Sonipat (IND)…living Loughborough University London’s philosophy of “taking context seriously,” i.e. not studying international business from East London, but from Delhi, Nairobi, etc

It's not because they don't like the theories and ideas we are teaching. It's not because of alleged 'Mickey Mouse degrees.' It's because we teach young people to think for themselves and have the confidence to stand up and speak out when something's wrong in our societies! .... 👇 2/2

And this 👇🏻 is why authoritarian politicians hate universities…

📯 On March 12, 2025 I will be delivering my inaugural lecture at Loughborough University London alongside my brilliant colleague Professor Anna Grosman.
I hope some of you will want to hear me talk about 'From State to Market and Back? A teleological history of my research to date.' Anyone welcome!

The political situation in Austria is depressing. To depress myself even more, I started reading the memoirs of Austro-fascist Chancellor Schuschnigg about the end of the 1st Austrian Republic and the Anschluss. Unbelievable that this brand of politics is - mutatids mutandis - making a return 1/2

1. Media pluralism will be reduced and their (privately subsidised) voice will resonate further. The most extreme case is perhaps Hungary where the vast majority of local newspapers are now owned by one pro-Orban foundation, which reproduces all over the country the same party line (see pic) 8/11

1. Media pluralism will be reduced and their (privately subsidised) voice will resonate further. The most extreme case is perhaps Hungary where the vast majority of local newspapers are now owned by one pro-Orban foundation, which reproduces all over the country the same party line (see pic) 8/11

The eight-year old back in charge! 🫣🙄

Nice finish to the Birds: Brilliant & Bizarre exhibition at the Natural History Museum, London…what the UK may look like in 2050 if we do take action (rewilding, net-zero transition, reduced pesicide use etc)…😃

I’m going to keep this in my files to explain why Reform (or perhaps Reform-Tories) won the 2029 General Election…(Joking aside, the timidity of Labour and its lack of vision on the economy is truly troubling)

The state of UK public services: 'I want help for a medical issue' ... 'temporarily unavailable'...👍

New @bylinetimes.bsky.social piece
based on our popback.org research.

Contrary to debates in the UK, our data show no trade off between workers‘ rights and growth. Perhaps more importantly, better labour protection leads to fewer votes for far-right parties.

bylinetimes.com/2024/10/28/l...

That may open up a wind of opportunity to show that on the environment – as on other points – neo-fascists are resolutely on the wrong side of history and just a desperate rearguard fight not a recipe for navigating the future…