James Hawes
@jameshawes.bsky.social
Father of three boys. Married to an Irishwoman. Ex-novelist. Historian. Teacher of writing. Novel “Speak for England” (2005) predicted Brexit - “it deserves some kind of prescience prize" (Observer, 2017).
Reposted by James Hawes
I want to thank a generation for bringing the expression “cringe” into the mainstream
November 8, 2025 at 10:14 PM
I want to thank a generation for bringing the expression “cringe” into the mainstream
Reposted by James Hawes
This is a question I've been asking a lot of the BBC political coverage in recent months. I love the BBC and would pay the licence fee for Radio 4 alone, but I do appreciate balance and fairness too please.
For as many years as anyone been counting two or more inmates been mistakenly released from British prisons most weeks. Record does not make it acceptable. System needs to be fixed. It does leave me asking why BBC now gripped by end-of-civilisation hysteria heard on Radio 4 Today programme.
November 6, 2025 at 3:30 PM
This is a question I've been asking a lot of the BBC political coverage in recent months. I love the BBC and would pay the licence fee for Radio 4 alone, but I do appreciate balance and fairness too please.
The catastrophic state of modern languages in this country! When I was doing my PhD in the 1980s, Nottingham was a real powerhouse for #German studies.
November 7, 2025 at 9:18 AM
The catastrophic state of modern languages in this country! When I was doing my PhD in the 1980s, Nottingham was a real powerhouse for #German studies.
I’ve been saying for months: don’t underestimate the fact that Trump cannot repeat cannot have another term. Very soon, the fact that his patronage will be dead and buried within four years is going to start really waking up the GOP.
Some came with complaints about Elon Musk. Others chided the GOP to push back against President Trump’s moves to trample the constitutional power of Congress. In districts around the U.S. over the past week, Republican lawmakers faced a groundswell of fear and disaffection from constituents.
November 6, 2025 at 10:38 AM
Reposted by James Hawes
lol
November 6, 2025 at 4:47 AM
lol
Reposted by James Hawes
That's certainly not borne out by my experience. My own knowledge of the workings of the EU comes solely from freelancing as a translator for its institutions for 40 years. Rarely do I have a conversation with anyone in the UK who understands the bare minimum of its history, purpose and functions.
November 6, 2025 at 10:23 AM
That's certainly not borne out by my experience. My own knowledge of the workings of the EU comes solely from freelancing as a translator for its institutions for 40 years. Rarely do I have a conversation with anyone in the UK who understands the bare minimum of its history, purpose and functions.
Well said. The EU is, in fact, “the rule of law“ made flesh: not since the mediaeval church has any institution had such influence over national executives without possessing the slightest physical means to impose its will.
it’s called civilisation: that’s why all dictators and demagogue hate it.
it’s called civilisation: that’s why all dictators and demagogue hate it.
I am not a lawyer, just a historian, but one fundamental problem with the political debate about the EU, especially in English publications is that the whole principle of the acquis communnitaire is not understood or taken seriously. The EU is a framework of rules, not an alliance.
November 6, 2025 at 10:32 AM
Well said. The EU is, in fact, “the rule of law“ made flesh: not since the mediaeval church has any institution had such influence over national executives without possessing the slightest physical means to impose its will.
it’s called civilisation: that’s why all dictators and demagogue hate it.
it’s called civilisation: that’s why all dictators and demagogue hate it.
In 1903 (sorry) Jack London writes:
November 4, 2025 at 9:06 PM
In 1903 (sorry) Jack London writes:
zB: der damals weltberühmter Schriftsteller Jack London schrieb in seinem Buch „People of the Abyss“ („Volk des Abgrunds“) 1906 über eine „völlig fremde Rasse“ die er, als mutige Sozialforscher, im Osten von London kennen lernte.
Damit meinte er die armen Engländer der Riesenstadt London.
Damit meinte er die armen Engländer der Riesenstadt London.
»Wenn deutlich wird, dass die jeweils rassifizierte Gruppe letztlich austauschbar ist, dann wird erkenntlich, dass es beim Rassismus nicht um die Gruppen selbst geht, sondern um ihre Funktion für den Erhalt des Selbstbildes, der Privilegien und der Macht einer Dominanzgesellschaft.«
Naika Foroutan
Naika Foroutan
November 4, 2025 at 8:56 PM
zB: der damals weltberühmter Schriftsteller Jack London schrieb in seinem Buch „People of the Abyss“ („Volk des Abgrunds“) 1906 über eine „völlig fremde Rasse“ die er, als mutige Sozialforscher, im Osten von London kennen lernte.
Damit meinte er die armen Engländer der Riesenstadt London.
Damit meinte er die armen Engländer der Riesenstadt London.
Under FPTP, this requires vital tactical decisions from “centre left” voters.
Winners will be parties with a strong regional identity, where they are perceived as most likely winners vs Farage
Great for #SNP and #Plaid.
But it helps #Labour only if they re-identify their historic regional base.
Winners will be parties with a strong regional identity, where they are perceived as most likely winners vs Farage
Great for #SNP and #Plaid.
But it helps #Labour only if they re-identify their historic regional base.
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 10:42 AM
The moment he gets tired and can’t cary off his ridiculous “fags and pints” shtick for hoi polloi any more, he reveals himself for what he really is: just another hardline 90s Thatcherite who dreams of the UK being wingman to a Republican USA (which was always the secret narrative of #Brexit)
Farridge is looking haggard.
Could it be time to hand over the baton to one of his able lieutenants? Which one should it be?
Could it be time to hand over the baton to one of his able lieutenants? Which one should it be?
November 4, 2025 at 10:25 AM
The moment he gets tired and can’t cary off his ridiculous “fags and pints” shtick for hoi polloi any more, he reveals himself for what he really is: just another hardline 90s Thatcherite who dreams of the UK being wingman to a Republican USA (which was always the secret narrative of #Brexit)
Reposted by James Hawes
I am celebrating #ReformationDay with this sticker I spotted recently in the lovely city of Heidelberg.
October 31, 2024 at 10:53 AM
I am celebrating #ReformationDay with this sticker I spotted recently in the lovely city of Heidelberg.
As I’ve been saying else elsewhere, the collapse of #Labour is going to be a huge boost to #SNP and #Plaid because unlike England, Wales and Scotland have explicitly civic-nationalist (not ethno-nationalist), vaguely left-leaning alternatives to #Reform
Agreed. I’d also vote SNP if I lived in Scotland 👍
October 31, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Reposted by James Hawes
The Conservatives plans to deport hundreds of thousands of legal residents of the UK are far more extreme than anything Donald Trump is proposing
Piece from me on the horror show of the right morphing into the far right
open.substack.com/pub/nickcohe...
Piece from me on the horror show of the right morphing into the far right
open.substack.com/pub/nickcohe...
"Respectable" racism and the mass deportation of our neighbours
How the British right out-Trumps Trump
open.substack.com
October 24, 2025 at 1:15 PM
The Conservatives plans to deport hundreds of thousands of legal residents of the UK are far more extreme than anything Donald Trump is proposing
Piece from me on the horror show of the right morphing into the far right
open.substack.com/pub/nickcohe...
Piece from me on the horror show of the right morphing into the far right
open.substack.com/pub/nickcohe...
Please not. I mean, unless you actually want Vance.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris said that her time in politics has not come to an end, offering her strongest indication to date that she would consider a third presidential run.
Kamala Harris Suggests She Is Considering Another Presidential Run
Ms. Harris, in an interview with the BBC, gave her strongest indication yet that she was thinking about making another bid for the Oval Office.
nyti.ms
October 25, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Please not. I mean, unless you actually want Vance.
Reposted by James Hawes
Starmer making catastrophic error. It is not the far right taking his votes, it is the pro-European parties (Grn+LD+SNP+PC).
Voting intention of GE2024 Labour voters (YG 19-20 October)
Lab 51%
Grn* 16%
LD* 14%
Ref 9%
Con 5%
SNP* 2%
PC* 1%
oth 3%
Loss to pro-EU* = 33 pp
Loss to far right = 14 pp
Voting intention of GE2024 Labour voters (YG 19-20 October)
Lab 51%
Grn* 16%
LD* 14%
Ref 9%
Con 5%
SNP* 2%
PC* 1%
oth 3%
Loss to pro-EU* = 33 pp
Loss to far right = 14 pp
October 21, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Starmer making catastrophic error. It is not the far right taking his votes, it is the pro-European parties (Grn+LD+SNP+PC).
Voting intention of GE2024 Labour voters (YG 19-20 October)
Lab 51%
Grn* 16%
LD* 14%
Ref 9%
Con 5%
SNP* 2%
PC* 1%
oth 3%
Loss to pro-EU* = 33 pp
Loss to far right = 14 pp
Voting intention of GE2024 Labour voters (YG 19-20 October)
Lab 51%
Grn* 16%
LD* 14%
Ref 9%
Con 5%
SNP* 2%
PC* 1%
oth 3%
Loss to pro-EU* = 33 pp
Loss to far right = 14 pp
October 21, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Glad you found it interesting.
At heart, we are mainly “valence voters“: the decisive question is whether we believe a candidate is somehow “like us”.
Skilful populists are masters at deceiving people in this sense.
But any politician has got to make a firm offer to voters. KS just doesn’t.
At heart, we are mainly “valence voters“: the decisive question is whether we believe a candidate is somehow “like us”.
Skilful populists are masters at deceiving people in this sense.
But any politician has got to make a firm offer to voters. KS just doesn’t.
James Hawes - @jameshawes.bsky.social - says something telling here. No one has a clear idea of what it would be like to have a drink with Keir Starmer. He has failed to project any sort of personality, so it's little wonder he's doing badly in the polls. Who are we being asked to vote for?
The Conservative Party: A warning from history
Nick Cohen's guest on the latest edition of his podcast The Lowdown is the novelist and historian James Hawes, who reminds us that history h...
liberalengland.blogspot.com
October 21, 2025 at 8:39 AM
Glad you found it interesting.
At heart, we are mainly “valence voters“: the decisive question is whether we believe a candidate is somehow “like us”.
Skilful populists are masters at deceiving people in this sense.
But any politician has got to make a firm offer to voters. KS just doesn’t.
At heart, we are mainly “valence voters“: the decisive question is whether we believe a candidate is somehow “like us”.
Skilful populists are masters at deceiving people in this sense.
But any politician has got to make a firm offer to voters. KS just doesn’t.
Reposted by James Hawes
James Hawes - @jameshawes.bsky.social - says something telling here. No one has a clear idea of what it would be like to have a drink with Keir Starmer. He has failed to project any sort of personality, so it's little wonder he's doing badly in the polls. Who are we being asked to vote for?
The Conservative Party: A warning from history
Nick Cohen's guest on the latest edition of his podcast The Lowdown is the novelist and historian James Hawes, who reminds us that history h...
liberalengland.blogspot.com
October 17, 2025 at 5:44 PM
James Hawes - @jameshawes.bsky.social - says something telling here. No one has a clear idea of what it would be like to have a drink with Keir Starmer. He has failed to project any sort of personality, so it's little wonder he's doing badly in the polls. Who are we being asked to vote for?
Delighted you found it interesting. Thanks for saying so here.
Superb contribution by @jameshawes.bsky.social to this fascinating and illuminating discussion about the history of the Tory party.
October 14, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Delighted you found it interesting. Thanks for saying so here.
Reposted by James Hawes
Great interview of Charlie Sykes by @nickcohen.bsky.social on The Lowdown Podcast. Definitely worth a listen if you live in Great Britain and want to avoid having a despot for a PM.
nickcohen.substack.com/p/a-warning-...
nickcohen.substack.com/p/a-warning-...
A warning from Trump's America
Charlie Sykes on breaking out of progressive bubbles
nickcohen.substack.com
October 11, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Great interview of Charlie Sykes by @nickcohen.bsky.social on The Lowdown Podcast. Definitely worth a listen if you live in Great Britain and want to avoid having a despot for a PM.
nickcohen.substack.com/p/a-warning-...
nickcohen.substack.com/p/a-warning-...
Listen to AI! It implies that every student in Britain should consider becoming fluent in German as part of their university studies!
October 8, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Listen to AI! It implies that every student in Britain should consider becoming fluent in German as part of their university studies!
In 1989, on this day, I was in my office in Maynooth 🇮🇪 - in my first job as a Germanist.
This calendar was on my wall.
None of my colleagues anywhere in the world had any idea that within a week, the #DDR would be finished.
This calendar was on my wall.
None of my colleagues anywhere in the world had any idea that within a week, the #DDR would be finished.
October 6, 2025 at 10:36 AM
In 1989, on this day, I was in my office in Maynooth 🇮🇪 - in my first job as a Germanist.
This calendar was on my wall.
None of my colleagues anywhere in the world had any idea that within a week, the #DDR would be finished.
This calendar was on my wall.
None of my colleagues anywhere in the world had any idea that within a week, the #DDR would be finished.
It is!
It is worth zooming in.
September 19, 2025 at 10:52 AM
It is!