A beautiful use of Michael Oakeshott’s ‘conservative disposition’—not to be mistaken with conservative politics—by French philosopher Jean-Claude Michéa. He is critical of the left’s unconditional support for ideas of progress or liberal progressivism.

The best and most persuasive account in favour of constitutional monarchy comes from Clement Attlee

The substantial decline of romantic and poetic language or themes in Labour Party manifestos is truly sad. By way of example, compare the rallying call to vote for Labour in the 1924 and 2024 manifesto

The New Statesman’s profile on Shabana Mahmood pin points what, imo, sets her apart from most in the Labour government and wider party—a communitarian belief in rights and duties. I’ve written about the Labour Party’s historical support for this and how it may help Blue Labour.

Some key passages:

In 1951, a young Anthony Crosland published an article titled “Prospects for the Council of Europe”—where he wrote persuasively and forcefully against the supranational institution. The full article is well worth a read, but these passages are particularly good

A good reminder that questions of money and economics are political and should be determined by political authority. It is not, as John Maynard Keynes claimed, “a bloodless scientific investigation”. What would Keynes have made of the growing economic constitution—OBR, Office for Value of Money etc?

My article on the Attlee government’s resistance of the ECHR and how this historical episode can inform contemporary Convention critical debates can be found in the April 2025 edn of Pubic Law