@jwmcp.bsky.social
Was Lidington Eurosceptic? Wasn't he the only Tory sufficiently pro-European to be acceptable to the Lib Dems?
January 6, 2026 at 11:16 PM
Was Lidington Eurosceptic? Wasn't he the only Tory sufficiently pro-European to be acceptable to the Lib Dems?
But you said they stopped asking themselves difficult questions whereas i’d say those 2010s positions suggested they didn’t stop at GFC
January 6, 2026 at 6:13 PM
But you said they stopped asking themselves difficult questions whereas i’d say those 2010s positions suggested they didn’t stop at GFC
If you relabel Republican with person who holds views expressed by most young Republicans, would they still find it depressing?
January 6, 2026 at 5:30 PM
If you relabel Republican with person who holds views expressed by most young Republicans, would they still find it depressing?
More seriously, his ability (not) to do do it in France compares unfavourably to Wilkinson
January 6, 2026 at 5:27 PM
More seriously, his ability (not) to do do it in France compares unfavourably to Wilkinson
Maybe the greatest seemingly born without arms
January 6, 2026 at 5:23 PM
Maybe the greatest seemingly born without arms
I mean they still did environmental stuff, international development, gay and trans rights and be nice to middle class ethnic minorities in a way that neither the Tories nor Labour (maybe environment excepted) do now
January 6, 2026 at 5:21 PM
I mean they still did environmental stuff, international development, gay and trans rights and be nice to middle class ethnic minorities in a way that neither the Tories nor Labour (maybe environment excepted) do now
Sadly Spectator coffee house podcast has become notably more X-brained and less insightful since K Balls left…
January 5, 2026 at 8:54 PM
Sadly Spectator coffee house podcast has become notably more X-brained and less insightful since K Balls left…
21% support also seems overly represented in Conservative commentariat opinion
January 5, 2026 at 8:52 PM
21% support also seems overly represented in Conservative commentariat opinion
On the basis that they hold opposite views to all your current voters and your pool of other potential voters (other than Reform)?
January 5, 2026 at 8:50 PM
On the basis that they hold opposite views to all your current voters and your pool of other potential voters (other than Reform)?
The next Democrat president (if any) is going to have to do quite the apology tour of capital cities…
January 5, 2026 at 5:15 PM
The next Democrat president (if any) is going to have to do quite the apology tour of capital cities…
Is that right? From memory, he was quite distinct from RVN or Inzaghi who both literally did sit in the box for 90 mins
January 5, 2026 at 2:10 PM
Is that right? From memory, he was quite distinct from RVN or Inzaghi who both literally did sit in the box for 90 mins
I think the Tories would also rather eat their face than have their vote too tbf - one of those fellow grads is now an ESG (boo!) Lawyer at a Magic Circle law firm and another is a civil servant at HMT (double bad)...
January 5, 2026 at 12:55 PM
I think the Tories would also rather eat their face than have their vote too tbf - one of those fellow grads is now an ESG (boo!) Lawyer at a Magic Circle law firm and another is a civil servant at HMT (double bad)...
To quote the man himself, their youth vote was not limited to fruit cakes, loons and closet racists. Although they’re generally not closeted these days tbf
January 5, 2026 at 12:43 PM
To quote the man himself, their youth vote was not limited to fruit cakes, loons and closet racists. Although they’re generally not closeted these days tbf
There were people at university with an admittedly privileged upbringing (and whose parents paid their fees) who quietly admitted to voting for Cameron in 2015. Helpfully for the Conservatives, they did not look like, sound like, or espouse the views of William Atkinson or Adam Wren
January 5, 2026 at 12:40 PM
There were people at university with an admittedly privileged upbringing (and whose parents paid their fees) who quietly admitted to voting for Cameron in 2015. Helpfully for the Conservatives, they did not look like, sound like, or espouse the views of William Atkinson or Adam Wren
It’s not really about what they say. It’s about one’s own (or one’s country’s) moral hygiene!
January 4, 2026 at 10:10 AM
It’s not really about what they say. It’s about one’s own (or one’s country’s) moral hygiene!
I’m not sure that’s the point. It’s about being able to condemn without it being entirely hypocritical and china or Russia going “well what about Venezuela”
January 4, 2026 at 9:50 AM
I’m not sure that’s the point. It’s about being able to condemn without it being entirely hypocritical and china or Russia going “well what about Venezuela”
There’s not been much recognition of those people who warned for years about overdependency on the US. A lot of Atlanticist “don’t be so silly/naive” when people question the lack of condemnation when historic Atlanticist policy is the reason we can’t condemn! Turns out de Gaulle was right…
January 4, 2026 at 9:42 AM
There’s not been much recognition of those people who warned for years about overdependency on the US. A lot of Atlanticist “don’t be so silly/naive” when people question the lack of condemnation when historic Atlanticist policy is the reason we can’t condemn! Turns out de Gaulle was right…
I guess but it feels odd to do a piece about the perceived threat from Muslims in respect of someone who appears irreligious. Like doing a piece on the threat of Christian nationalism that focuses on an atheist? Maybe it says more about the lack of sophistication of the right’s argument?
January 3, 2026 at 10:18 AM
I guess but it feels odd to do a piece about the perceived threat from Muslims in respect of someone who appears irreligious. Like doing a piece on the threat of Christian nationalism that focuses on an atheist? Maybe it says more about the lack of sophistication of the right’s argument?
Middle class london graduates the target voter? They could have fooled me…
January 1, 2026 at 10:44 AM
Middle class london graduates the target voter? They could have fooled me…
Why is capping NI relief on your voters reasonable when there are plenty of other revenue raisers that aren’t such a direct attack on your own voters?!
December 31, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Why is capping NI relief on your voters reasonable when there are plenty of other revenue raisers that aren’t such a direct attack on your own voters?!
Also compare to Biden - who not only didn’t raise taxes on graduates but went for loan forgiveness!
December 31, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Also compare to Biden - who not only didn’t raise taxes on graduates but went for loan forgiveness!
They common denominator appears to be being gender critical unless mistaken
December 31, 2025 at 10:38 AM
They common denominator appears to be being gender critical unless mistaken
It's certainly not the Times of the James Harding era. Jenni Russell is busy retweeting Pete North over on X!
December 31, 2025 at 9:07 AM
It's certainly not the Times of the James Harding era. Jenni Russell is busy retweeting Pete North over on X!
Qutie striking how elite opinion in the UK is basically the Times editorial line on any given issue. Not sure that would have been the case under New Labour but maybe I'm misremembering.
December 31, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Qutie striking how elite opinion in the UK is basically the Times editorial line on any given issue. Not sure that would have been the case under New Labour but maybe I'm misremembering.
On what basis? Genuinely curious given pay and conditions imposed by the NHS on doctors are worse than other comaparable countries (e.g. Canada and Australia).
December 30, 2025 at 7:47 PM
On what basis? Genuinely curious given pay and conditions imposed by the NHS on doctors are worse than other comaparable countries (e.g. Canada and Australia).