Sam Freedman
@samfr.bsky.social
Writes the most popular UK politics Substack (samf.substack.com)
Sunday Times bestselling book "Failed State" out now. (An Economist and Financial Times Book of the Year for 2024).
Senior fellow: Institute for Government
Sunday Times bestselling book "Failed State" out now. (An Economist and Financial Times Book of the Year for 2024).
Senior fellow: Institute for Government
A lot of columnists have a clear political position - it is different from a reporter. Cameron had a Guardian column when he was a newish MP...
Payne was a correspondant at the FT but left when he decided to run and led an (openly) Tory think-tank.
Payne was a correspondant at the FT but left when he decided to run and led an (openly) Tory think-tank.
November 18, 2025 at 11:23 PM
A lot of columnists have a clear political position - it is different from a reporter. Cameron had a Guardian column when he was a newish MP...
Payne was a correspondant at the FT but left when he decided to run and led an (openly) Tory think-tank.
Payne was a correspondant at the FT but left when he decided to run and led an (openly) Tory think-tank.
He wasn't a correspondant - he was a columnist.
November 18, 2025 at 11:17 PM
He wasn't a correspondant - he was a columnist.
A lot of it is stuff Cooper refused to do, which is why she was moved, but yeah the detailed policy work hasn't been done.
November 18, 2025 at 10:27 AM
A lot of it is stuff Cooper refused to do, which is why she was moved, but yeah the detailed policy work hasn't been done.
Fairly sure it's the latter. There's loads of basic details missing from the document.
November 18, 2025 at 10:09 AM
Fairly sure it's the latter. There's loads of basic details missing from the document.
Indeed. But translated to our system the balance of votes between blocs is similar.
November 18, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Indeed. But translated to our system the balance of votes between blocs is similar.
Politically speaking, the distribution of votes across the spectrum is similar in Denmark to here (and most other European countries).
November 18, 2025 at 9:09 AM
Politically speaking, the distribution of votes across the spectrum is similar in Denmark to here (and most other European countries).
Proponents would argue it has a deterrent effect, but the pull factors for the UK are very different from Denmark.
November 18, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Proponents would argue it has a deterrent effect, but the pull factors for the UK are very different from Denmark.
Her resistence to self-reflection should be studied by scientists.
November 17, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Her resistence to self-reflection should be studied by scientists.
Ah but she thinks she's across the detail and doing it well.
November 17, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Ah but she thinks she's across the detail and doing it well.
Cat Eccles and Stella Creasy have also condemned the plans. This much public opposition this quickly indicates they'd struggle to get a Bill through.
November 17, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Cat Eccles and Stella Creasy have also condemned the plans. This much public opposition this quickly indicates they'd struggle to get a Bill through.
And another bsky.app/profile/jess...
Labour MP Simon Opher - "We should stop the boats because it's dangerous, and we should stop the scapegoating of immigrants because it's wrong and cruel.
"Measures that create bureaucracy and insecurity do not offer clarity or strengthen control – they cost money, waste time and weaken the system."
"Measures that create bureaucracy and insecurity do not offer clarity or strengthen control – they cost money, waste time and weaken the system."
November 17, 2025 at 11:33 AM
And another bsky.app/profile/jess...
I know that. You know that....
November 17, 2025 at 10:30 AM
I know that. You know that....
I'm not suggesting this makes it OK - just anticipating what will happen next. So you can all stop your tedious moralising at me.
November 17, 2025 at 10:07 AM
I'm not suggesting this makes it OK - just anticipating what will happen next. So you can all stop your tedious moralising at me.
No this isn't on the civil service. They're doing what they're being asked to do.
November 17, 2025 at 10:06 AM
No this isn't on the civil service. They're doing what they're being asked to do.
If they bottle reforms it will be.
November 17, 2025 at 10:04 AM
If they bottle reforms it will be.
I keep waiting for the government to put out their proposals and then they keep delaying doing so...
November 17, 2025 at 9:30 AM
I keep waiting for the government to put out their proposals and then they keep delaying doing so...
Very much related to yesterday's post on why Reform is finding it hard to run councils...
bsky.app/profile/samf...
bsky.app/profile/samf...
New post just out:
"The Reality Trap"
On Reform's struggles running councils.
What it tells us about how they'd fare if they won a general elections. And about how broken our system of local government is.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
"The Reality Trap"
On Reform's struggles running councils.
What it tells us about how they'd fare if they won a general elections. And about how broken our system of local government is.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
The Reality Trap
Reform's struggles in local government
open.substack.com
November 17, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Very much related to yesterday's post on why Reform is finding it hard to run councils...
bsky.app/profile/samf...
bsky.app/profile/samf...