Kai Steemers
@kaisteemers.bsky.social
PhD at King’s College London, Department of Political Economy.
Researching the politics of Britain and Europe.
Support #hcafc. repost ≠ endorsement.
Researching the politics of Britain and Europe.
Support #hcafc. repost ≠ endorsement.
Pinned
Kai Steemers
@kaisteemers.bsky.social
· Nov 17
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
journals.sagepub.com
For my new followers, here’s a recent example of my research:
The emergence of the UK's #RejoinEU movement published in @bjpir.bsky.social
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
The emergence of the UK's #RejoinEU movement published in @bjpir.bsky.social
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Reposted by Kai Steemers
For any interested folks in London tomorrow at 18:15, I so appreciate @govandopp.bsky.social's selection and invitation to give the Leonard Schapiro Memorial lecture this year: www.kcl.ac.uk/events/illib...
Illiberal Times, Inclusive Strategies: What LGBTQ Politics Teach Us About Navigating Crises in Human Rights | King's College London
Government and Opposition’s annual Leonard Schapiro lecture with Professor Phillip Ayoub.
www.kcl.ac.uk
November 26, 2025 at 2:16 PM
For any interested folks in London tomorrow at 18:15, I so appreciate @govandopp.bsky.social's selection and invitation to give the Leonard Schapiro Memorial lecture this year: www.kcl.ac.uk/events/illib...
Reposted by Kai Steemers
Reposted by Kai Steemers
The levy on foreign students is an export tax. Has anyone in government wondered why countries don't usually impose export taxes?
A levy on foreign students is one of the closest things you're going to see to tariffs on services - except the UK will be putting it on its own exports...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Levy on international students’ tuition fees not in best interest of UK, says leader of top university
Duncan Ivison, president of Manchester University, says government’s 6% surcharge plan will ‘hurt the sector’
www.theguardian.com
November 15, 2025 at 10:45 AM
The levy on foreign students is an export tax. Has anyone in government wondered why countries don't usually impose export taxes?
Reposted by Kai Steemers
It is crucial to understand that a tragic number of people dangerously believe that the word "freedom" means not the expansion of freedom for others, but the freedom for themselves to oppress others, to control others, and to force their beliefs on others.
November 13, 2025 at 5:28 AM
It is crucial to understand that a tragic number of people dangerously believe that the word "freedom" means not the expansion of freedom for others, but the freedom for themselves to oppress others, to control others, and to force their beliefs on others.
Reposted by Kai Steemers
My first piece is out now: I argue Reform are the natural conclusion of 80 years of regressive immigration politics in Britain
Check it out, subscribe, and let me know what you think 😄: mikebankole.substack.com/p/reform-uk-...
Check it out, subscribe, and let me know what you think 😄: mikebankole.substack.com/p/reform-uk-...
Reform UK: A Monster Made by Labour and the Conservatives
Attempts to present Reform as an aberration miss the point: it’s the natural conclusion of eighty years of regressive immigration politics in Britain.
mikebankole.substack.com
November 7, 2025 at 10:39 AM
My first piece is out now: I argue Reform are the natural conclusion of 80 years of regressive immigration politics in Britain
Check it out, subscribe, and let me know what you think 😄: mikebankole.substack.com/p/reform-uk-...
Check it out, subscribe, and let me know what you think 😄: mikebankole.substack.com/p/reform-uk-...
Reposted by Kai Steemers
Reform often make their racism explicit, but racism isn’t just a Reform problem. From Jenrick’s complaints about a “lack of white faces” in Handsworth to Starmer’s “island of strangers” speech, racism is being mainstreamed across British politics
Me on @lbc.co.uk earlier
Me on @lbc.co.uk earlier
October 26, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Reform often make their racism explicit, but racism isn’t just a Reform problem. From Jenrick’s complaints about a “lack of white faces” in Handsworth to Starmer’s “island of strangers” speech, racism is being mainstreamed across British politics
Me on @lbc.co.uk earlier
Me on @lbc.co.uk earlier
Reposted by Kai Steemers
NEW: Labour condemn Tory plan to strip people of indefinite leave to remain:
“It’s utterly grotesque that Tories want to deport people with the lawful right to be here to achieve ‘cultural coherence’.
“This policy would mean tearing families apart and ripping out our neighbours from communities."
“It’s utterly grotesque that Tories want to deport people with the lawful right to be here to achieve ‘cultural coherence’.
“This policy would mean tearing families apart and ripping out our neighbours from communities."
October 22, 2025 at 4:05 PM
NEW: Labour condemn Tory plan to strip people of indefinite leave to remain:
“It’s utterly grotesque that Tories want to deport people with the lawful right to be here to achieve ‘cultural coherence’.
“This policy would mean tearing families apart and ripping out our neighbours from communities."
“It’s utterly grotesque that Tories want to deport people with the lawful right to be here to achieve ‘cultural coherence’.
“This policy would mean tearing families apart and ripping out our neighbours from communities."
A great discussion and insightful analysis of the UK-EU Strategic Partnership at @jmce-kcl.bsky.social following a speech by Nick Thomas-Symonds from @pmdfoster.bsky.social @jannikewachowiak.bsky.social @jreland.bsky.social and @anandmenon.bsky.social
October 22, 2025 at 7:01 PM
A great discussion and insightful analysis of the UK-EU Strategic Partnership at @jmce-kcl.bsky.social following a speech by Nick Thomas-Symonds from @pmdfoster.bsky.social @jannikewachowiak.bsky.social @jreland.bsky.social and @anandmenon.bsky.social
Reposted by Kai Steemers
Those beads are people. Families. Friends. Neighbours. Children. Doctors and nurses. Teachers and carers. Millions of them.
Lam believes her policy would deport all of the proportion in pink - keeping the thin group in black - of the post-2021 legal migrant arrivals. (The draft legislation proposes similar thresholds/rules for all past grants too). She says jar is 3.5m people: an astonishing scale of mass deportations
October 22, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Those beads are people. Families. Friends. Neighbours. Children. Doctors and nurses. Teachers and carers. Millions of them.
Reposted by Kai Steemers
FIFTEEN THOUSAND!! 🤯
Whether the causes are financial mismanagement by megalomanic administrators, declining number of students, or lacking state funding, it is clear that this crisis requires government action and vision.
Whether the causes are financial mismanagement by megalomanic administrators, declining number of students, or lacking state funding, it is clear that this crisis requires government action and vision.
Over 15,000 university job cuts made in the last year, UCU claims - Research Professional News
Union urges government to “stop looking the other way”, ahead of ballot for nationwide strikes
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
October 10, 2025 at 12:39 PM
FIFTEEN THOUSAND!! 🤯
Whether the causes are financial mismanagement by megalomanic administrators, declining number of students, or lacking state funding, it is clear that this crisis requires government action and vision.
Whether the causes are financial mismanagement by megalomanic administrators, declining number of students, or lacking state funding, it is clear that this crisis requires government action and vision.
Reposted by Kai Steemers
Join me, @stijntvankessel.bsky.social & Isabelle Hertner next week as we present "Populist Radical Right Parties in Action" (Oxford University Press), available Open Access here:
academic.oup.com/book/60532
If you or your library prefer a printed copy, you can find a discounted code below.
academic.oup.com/book/60532
If you or your library prefer a printed copy, you can find a discounted code below.
October 8, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Join me, @stijntvankessel.bsky.social & Isabelle Hertner next week as we present "Populist Radical Right Parties in Action" (Oxford University Press), available Open Access here:
academic.oup.com/book/60532
If you or your library prefer a printed copy, you can find a discounted code below.
academic.oup.com/book/60532
If you or your library prefer a printed copy, you can find a discounted code below.
Reposted by Kai Steemers
Meta ends (at least for now) political ads in the EU today. Per their ad library data, they've run nearly 11,000,000 different political, social and issue ads in the EU since 2018 and made around €800m from them.
October 6, 2025 at 8:07 AM
Meta ends (at least for now) political ads in the EU today. Per their ad library data, they've run nearly 11,000,000 different political, social and issue ads in the EU since 2018 and made around €800m from them.
Reposted by Kai Steemers
Every time this man opens his mouth nowadays something extremely unpleasant and largely misleading comes out. What fresh hell is a ‘golden ticket’ - it’s a basic human right to family reunion you [redacted]
Starmer to end asylum ‘golden ticket’ of resettlement and family reunion rights
People granted asylum will have to earn right to invite family in plan charities call ‘straight from populist playbook’
www.theguardian.com
October 2, 2025 at 7:38 AM
Every time this man opens his mouth nowadays something extremely unpleasant and largely misleading comes out. What fresh hell is a ‘golden ticket’ - it’s a basic human right to family reunion you [redacted]
Reposted by Kai Steemers
Politics is not like selling biscuits, where the task is to find out what people like & flog it to them.
It's a moral activity. It's about arguing for the things you believe in. It's about *shaping* the "median voter".
Farage has moved the centre-ground of politics. His opponents can move it back.
It's a moral activity. It's about arguing for the things you believe in. It's about *shaping* the "median voter".
Farage has moved the centre-ground of politics. His opponents can move it back.
Crying racism only hurts Labour
Activists like it, but the median voter will feel attacked.
📊 @bwalker.uk
Activists like it, but the median voter will feel attacked.
📊 @bwalker.uk
Crying racism only hurts Labour
Activists like it, but the median voter will feel attacked.
www.newstatesman.com
October 1, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Politics is not like selling biscuits, where the task is to find out what people like & flog it to them.
It's a moral activity. It's about arguing for the things you believe in. It's about *shaping* the "median voter".
Farage has moved the centre-ground of politics. His opponents can move it back.
It's a moral activity. It's about arguing for the things you believe in. It's about *shaping* the "median voter".
Farage has moved the centre-ground of politics. His opponents can move it back.
Reposted by Kai Steemers
I may have said this once or twice previously, the way to counter Reform is on their *weak* issues. People are still struggling with crap public services and high inflation. This is supposed to be Labour's strength, show what you are doing about it.
September 29, 2025 at 6:39 PM
I may have said this once or twice previously, the way to counter Reform is on their *weak* issues. People are still struggling with crap public services and high inflation. This is supposed to be Labour's strength, show what you are doing about it.
Reposted by Kai Steemers
“Facebook’s own researchers found that “64% of all extremist group joins are due to our recommendation tools”, an internal report in 2016 found.”
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
This has been known for several years. What is actually going to be done about it? www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...
Far-right Facebook groups are engine of radicalisation in UK, data investigation suggests
Rioters were influenced by network that exposes hundreds of thousands of Britons to racist disinformation, Guardian research indicates
www.theguardian.com
September 28, 2025 at 10:27 AM
“Facebook’s own researchers found that “64% of all extremist group joins are due to our recommendation tools”, an internal report in 2016 found.”
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Reposted by Kai Steemers
How is this not a bigger scandal?! There is no way we should rely on charity to provide this necessary equipment to disabled children!!!
We’re still one of the richest countries in the world- absolutely beggars belief?! 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
We’re still one of the richest countries in the world- absolutely beggars belief?! 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
'She doesn't get another childhood': The lives on hold waiting for wheelchairs
More than a thousand disabled children are waiting for wheelchairs and equipment that could transform their lives, Whizz Kidz say
www.bbc.co.uk
September 25, 2025 at 11:57 AM
How is this not a bigger scandal?! There is no way we should rely on charity to provide this necessary equipment to disabled children!!!
We’re still one of the richest countries in the world- absolutely beggars belief?! 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
We’re still one of the richest countries in the world- absolutely beggars belief?! 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
Reposted by Kai Steemers
After years of making the running on immigration, Farage may this week have handed the initiative back to his opponents'. @robfordmancs.bsky.social for @ukandeu.bsky.social on the unpopularity of Reform's proposals on ILR ukandeu.ac.uk/reforms-radi...
September 25, 2025 at 8:44 AM
After years of making the running on immigration, Farage may this week have handed the initiative back to his opponents'. @robfordmancs.bsky.social for @ukandeu.bsky.social on the unpopularity of Reform's proposals on ILR ukandeu.ac.uk/reforms-radi...
Reposted by Kai Steemers
spokesperson for Sadiq Khan:
“We are not going to dignify his appalling and bigoted comments with a response.
“London is the greatest city in the world, safer than major US cities, and we’re delighted to welcome the record number of US citizens moving here.”
“We are not going to dignify his appalling and bigoted comments with a response.
“London is the greatest city in the world, safer than major US cities, and we’re delighted to welcome the record number of US citizens moving here.”
Trump to the UN: "I have to say, I look at London where you have a terrible mayor -- terrible terrible mayor -- and it's been so changed, so changed. Now they want to go to Sharia Law ... both their immigration and their suicidal energy ideas will be the death of Western Europe."
September 23, 2025 at 3:16 PM
spokesperson for Sadiq Khan:
“We are not going to dignify his appalling and bigoted comments with a response.
“London is the greatest city in the world, safer than major US cities, and we’re delighted to welcome the record number of US citizens moving here.”
“We are not going to dignify his appalling and bigoted comments with a response.
“London is the greatest city in the world, safer than major US cities, and we’re delighted to welcome the record number of US citizens moving here.”
Reposted by Kai Steemers
On the one hand, better late than never.
On the other hand: why so late?
The case for doing this was just as obvious in May as it is in September.
On the other hand: why so late?
The case for doing this was just as obvious in May as it is in September.
'The speech this week will be the first time Starmer will publicly take on the arguments of Farage since Reform ramped up its policy announcements and visibility over the summer' www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Keir Starmer to launch progressive fightback against ‘decline and division’ fuelled by far right
Prime minister expected to warn UK is ‘at a crossroads’ as he sets out plan to counter Nigel Farage and Reform
www.theguardian.com
September 23, 2025 at 7:03 AM
On the one hand, better late than never.
On the other hand: why so late?
The case for doing this was just as obvious in May as it is in September.
On the other hand: why so late?
The case for doing this was just as obvious in May as it is in September.
Reposted by Kai Steemers
An actual quote from the Secretary of State for Business and Trade
Too often people go to university to ‘explore research and knowledge’
Look forward to Wes S saying 'too often people go to hospital to have operations' or Heidi Alexander saying 'too often people go to the station to catch a train'
Too often people go to university to ‘explore research and knowledge’
Look forward to Wes S saying 'too often people go to hospital to have operations' or Heidi Alexander saying 'too often people go to the station to catch a train'
September 19, 2025 at 10:25 AM
An actual quote from the Secretary of State for Business and Trade
Too often people go to university to ‘explore research and knowledge’
Look forward to Wes S saying 'too often people go to hospital to have operations' or Heidi Alexander saying 'too often people go to the station to catch a train'
Too often people go to university to ‘explore research and knowledge’
Look forward to Wes S saying 'too often people go to hospital to have operations' or Heidi Alexander saying 'too often people go to the station to catch a train'
Reposted by Kai Steemers
Great long thread from James here showing how deep the hole is for Labour but also with some concrete evidence on the way out - raise taxes, be more pro-EU, deliver improvements on the economy and public services
What Happened to Labour's 2024 Voters?
Using the recent wave of the @britishelectionstudy.com I look at people who voted Labour in 2024:
- How many are still with the party?
- How many have left?
- Why might that be?
TLDR: they've left because of economic issues/concerns, probably.
Using the recent wave of the @britishelectionstudy.com I look at people who voted Labour in 2024:
- How many are still with the party?
- How many have left?
- Why might that be?
TLDR: they've left because of economic issues/concerns, probably.
What Happened to Labour's 2024 Voters?
The who, what, when, how and huh of why Labour has lost so much support in such a short period of time
jamesbreckwoldt.substack.com
September 16, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Great long thread from James here showing how deep the hole is for Labour but also with some concrete evidence on the way out - raise taxes, be more pro-EU, deliver improvements on the economy and public services
Reposted by Kai Steemers
Another thing I love about the present moment - Musk regularly goes 'don't worry, we are going to change THAT' whenever Grok produces an answer that doesn't align with his priors, yet the British Labour government thinks that they are going to be able to land an argument on there in 2029.
September 14, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Another thing I love about the present moment - Musk regularly goes 'don't worry, we are going to change THAT' whenever Grok produces an answer that doesn't align with his priors, yet the British Labour government thinks that they are going to be able to land an argument on there in 2029.
Reposted by Kai Steemers
‘I’m not far right but I went to a rally organised by Tommy Robinson’ is a pretty unconvincing position.
September 14, 2025 at 5:45 PM
‘I’m not far right but I went to a rally organised by Tommy Robinson’ is a pretty unconvincing position.
Reposted by Kai Steemers
Angela Rayner's position was untenable once she was found to have breached the ministerial code; she had to resign. But, as a working-class woman in high office surrounded by wealthy men, she had a symbolic importance that makes her resignation a real loss to British politics
September 5, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Angela Rayner's position was untenable once she was found to have breached the ministerial code; she had to resign. But, as a working-class woman in high office surrounded by wealthy men, she had a symbolic importance that makes her resignation a real loss to British politics