Starmer secures cabinet backing today

Reposted by Steve Peers, W. Andy Knight, Joanna L. Grossman , and 10 more Steve Peers, W. Andy Knight, Joanna L. Grossman, Simon Lester, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, Gerald Friedman, Christopher Barrie, David Darmofal, Melissa Johnson, Steven Pressman, Richard S.J. Tol, Aaron Sojourner, Timothy D. McBride

123%

Scholar power: 123.7%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 50%, Communication & Media Studies 25%, Sociology 15%, Law 10%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Steve Peers	54%	27	28.1%
🎓 W. Andy Knight	48%	21	22.0%
🎓 Joanna L. Grossman	43%	9	12.9%
🎓 Simon Lester	32%	16	12.8%
🎓 Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò	23%	18	9.8%
🎓 Gerald Friedman	27%	13	9.7%
🎓 Christopher Barrie	17%	21	7.8%
🎓 David Darmofal	21%	11	7.0%
🎓 Melissa Johnson	17%	15	6.6%
🎓 Steven Pressman	10%	26	5.1%
🎓 Richard S.J. Tol	1%	107	1.0%
🎓 Aaron Sojourner	2%	23	1.0%
🎓 Timothy D. McBride	0%	23	0.0%
Total			123.7%

Formula for scholar power: sum of each reposter's field match × √reposter's h-index

Ranking score inputs

Relevance

Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

53.0%

72.0 h

7654

123.7%

Ranking score

0.534

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

Aaron Rupar

@atrupar.com

Massie on Howard Lutnick: "He should just resign. Three people in Great Britain resigned for less than what we've seen Howard Lutnick lie about. He clearly went to the island, if we believe what's in these files. He was in business with Jeffrey Epstein."

February 8, 2026 at 4:29 PM

Reposted by Tarik Abou‐Chadi, Colin Talbot, Richard H. King , and 2 more Tarik Abou‐Chadi, Colin Talbot, Richard H. King, Tom Griffin, Federica Genovese

84%

Scholar power: 84.0%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 50%, Communication & Media Studies 25%, Sociology 15%, Law 10%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Tarik Abou‐Chadi	62%	23	29.7%
🎓 Colin Talbot	40%	21	18.3%
🎓 Richard H. King	39%	19	17.0%
🎓 Tom Griffin	23%	20	10.3%
🎓 Federica Genovese	25%	12	8.7%
Total			84.0%

Formula for scholar power: sum of each reposter's field match × √reposter's h-index

Ranking score inputs

Relevance

Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

72.0%

74.3 h

347

84.0%

Ranking score

0.294

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

Pippa Crerar

@pippacrerar.bsky.social

BREAKING: Morgan McSweeney quits as Keir Starmer's chief of staff amid fall-out from the Mandelson scandal

February 8, 2026 at 2:13 PM

by Matthew Goodwin

98%

Scholar power: 98.5%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 50%, Communication & Media Studies 25%, Sociology 15%, Law 10%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Matthew Goodwin	59%	31	98.5%

Formula for scholar power: 3 × author's field match × √author's h-index

Ranking score inputs

Relevance

Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

63.0%

74.2 h

438

98.5%

Ranking score

0.271

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

by Tim Bale Reposted by Tim Newburn

135%

Scholar power: 135.5%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 50%, Communication & Media Studies 25%, Sociology 15%, Law 10%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Tim Bale	61%	35	108.3%
🎓 Tim Newburn	41%	44	27.2%
Total			135.5%

Formula for scholar power: 3 × author's field match × √author's h-index + sum of each reposter's field match × √reposter's h-index

Ranking score inputs

Relevance

Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

54.0%

33.2 h

48

135.5%

Ranking score

0.228

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

Tim Bale

@timbale.bsky.social

Without a clearer sense of direction, Labour's doomed. So, by far the best thing that these two could do now would be to stop worrying about how best to become PM if and when Starmer eventually goes and instead think really, really hard about what they would do were they chosen to replace him.

February 10, 2026 at 7:17 AM

by Steven Fielding

60%

Scholar power: 60.6%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 50%, Communication & Media Studies 25%, Sociology 15%, Law 10%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Steven Fielding	54%	14	60.6%

Formula for scholar power: 3 × author's field match × √author's h-index

Ranking score inputs

Relevance

Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

61.0%

6.8 h

1

60.6%

Ranking score

0.195

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

Steven Fielding

@polprofsteve2024.bsky.social

I’m not exactly sure for whom Finkelstein speaks given that his particular brand of conservatism is even more screwed than McSweeney‘s. But what he says is more than possible if Starmer has any political sense.

John Rentoul @rentouljohn.bsky.social · 19h

The departure of Morgan McSweeney clears the way for Labour to embrace its inner Ed Miliband – Daniel Finkelstein thetimes.com/comment/colu...

February 11, 2026 at 9:40 AM

Reposted by Sanford F. Schram, Manisha Sinha, Susan Young

42%

Scholar power: 42.8%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 50%, Communication & Media Studies 25%, Sociology 15%, Law 10%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Sanford F. Schram	48%	30	26.3%
🎓 Manisha Sinha	37%	9	11.1%
🎓 Susan Young	11%	24	5.4%
Total			42.8%

Formula for scholar power: sum of each reposter's field match × √reposter's h-index

Ranking score inputs

Relevance

Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

50.0%

46.2 h

4548

42.8%

Ranking score

0.189

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

Sen. Adam Schiff

@schiff.senate.gov

Secretary Howard Lutnick lied to the country about his ties to Epstein.

Now we learned that they were in business together.

He has no business being our Commerce Secretary.

He should resign.
www.politico.com/live-updates...

Howard Lutnick faces bipartisan calls to resign over latest Epstein revelations

Recently disclosed records suggest a closer relationship than the Commerce secretary previously indicated.

www.politico.com

February 9, 2026 at 6:19 PM

Reposted by Patrick Dunleavy

38%

Scholar power: 38.7%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 50%, Communication & Media Studies 25%, Sociology 15%, Law 10%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Patrick Dunleavy	57%	46	38.7%

Formula for scholar power: sum of each reposter's field match × √reposter's h-index

Ranking score inputs

Relevance

Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

54.0%

26.4 h

266

38.7%

Ranking score

0.145

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

Reposted by Steve Peers, Ben H. Ansell, Stephen Ryan

47%

Scholar power: 47.4%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 50%, Communication & Media Studies 25%, Sociology 15%, Law 10%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Steve Peers	54%	27	28.1%
🎓 Ben H. Ansell	35%	22	16.4%
🎓 Stephen Ryan	6%	23	2.9%
Total			47.4%

Formula for scholar power: sum of each reposter's field match × √reposter's h-index

Ranking score inputs

Relevance

Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

63.0%

41.9 h

107

47.4%

Ranking score

0.133

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

Sam Freedman

@samfr.bsky.social

Getting really tired of "this is all a media concoction"...

Starmer has the lowest approval rating of any PM in history bar Truss. Senior ministers are openly and unsubtly positioning. His Chief of Staff, Director of Comms and Cab Sec have all resigned on the same day.

I mean come on...

February 9, 2026 at 10:32 PM

Reposted by Matthew Goodwin

32%

Scholar power: 32.8%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 50%, Communication & Media Studies 25%, Sociology 15%, Law 10%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Matthew Goodwin	59%	31	32.8%

Formula for scholar power: sum of each reposter's field match × √reposter's h-index

Ranking score inputs

Relevance

Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

72.0%

74.2 h

438

32.8%

Ranking score

0.124

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

by Steve Peers

84%

Scholar power: 84.2%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 50%, Communication & Media Studies 25%, Sociology 15%, Law 10%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Steve Peers	54%	27	84.2%

Formula for scholar power: 3 × author's field match × √author's h-index

Ranking score inputs

Relevance

Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

74.0%

73.8 h

31

84.2%

Ranking score

0.115

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

Steve Peers

@stevepeers.bsky.social

McSweeney quits as Starmer's chief of staff www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c7...

Morgan McSweeney quits as PM's chief of staff following Mandelson scandal

McSweeney says he takes

www.bbc.co.uk

February 8, 2026 at 2:43 PM

by Tarik Abou‐Chadi

89%

Scholar power: 89.2%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 50%, Communication & Media Studies 25%, Sociology 15%, Law 10%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Tarik Abou‐Chadi	62%	23	89.2%

Formula for scholar power: 3 × author's field match × √author's h-index

Ranking score inputs

Relevance

Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

75.0%

74.1 h

27

89.2%

Ranking score

0.108

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

Tarik Abou-Chadi

@tabouchadi.bsky.social

McSweeney is out. The longer Starmer stays in power, the bigger the damage for the Labour Party. Mandelson is just one of many symptoms of completely failed leadership and strategic failures empowering and enabling the far right in the UK.

Pippa Crerar @pippacrerar.bsky.social · 3d

BREAKING: Morgan McSweeney quits as Keir Starmer's chief of staff amid fall-out from the Mandelson scandal

February 8, 2026 at 2:23 PM

Reposted by Matthew Goodwin

32%

Scholar power: 32.8%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 50%, Communication & Media Studies 25%, Sociology 15%, Law 10%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Matthew Goodwin	59%	31	32.8%

Formula for scholar power: sum of each reposter's field match × √reposter's h-index

Ranking score inputs

Relevance

Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

59.0%

72.3 h

594

32.8%

Ranking score

0.107

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

by Tim Bale

108%

Scholar power: 108.3%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 50%, Communication & Media Studies 25%, Sociology 15%, Law 10%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Tim Bale	61%	35	108.3%

Formula for scholar power: 3 × author's field match × √author's h-index

Ranking score inputs

Relevance

Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

69.0%

53.0 h

15

108.3%

Ranking score

0.107

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

Tim Bale

@timbale.bsky.social

Who's going to be left by lunchtime?

Starmer's communication chief quits No 10 in wake of Mandelson scandal

It comes as Starmer fights for his political future after the resignation of Morgan McSweeney over the Peter Mandelson scandal

inews.co.uk

February 9, 2026 at 11:28 AM

Reposted by Steve Peers

28%

Scholar power: 28.1%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 50%, Communication & Media Studies 25%, Sociology 15%, Law 10%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Steve Peers	54%	27	28.1%

Formula for scholar power: sum of each reposter's field match × √reposter's h-index

Ranking score inputs

Relevance

Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

52.0%

25.3 h

318

28.1%

Ranking score

0.103

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

Mark Jacob

@markjacob.bsky.social

Howard Lutnick must resign as Commerce Secretary because he lied about his close dealings with Jeffrey Epstein. After Epstein’s sex trafficking conviction, Lutnick went into business with him! Of course there are many other reasons why Lutnick is unfit for public office, as this thread shows. 1/7🧵🧵🧵

Howard Lutnick, Trump's commerce secretary, faces calls to resign over Epstein ties

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, a key member of President Trump's Cabinet, is facing calls to resign over new revelations about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.

abcnews.go.com

February 10, 2026 at 3:09 PM

Reposted by Steven Fielding, Brigitte Nerlich

28%

Scholar power: 28.8%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 50%, Communication & Media Studies 25%, Sociology 15%, Law 10%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Steven Fielding	54%	14	20.2%
🎓 Brigitte Nerlich	12%	51	8.6%
Total			28.8%

Formula for scholar power: sum of each reposter's field match × √reposter's h-index

Ranking score inputs

Relevance

Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

77.0%

53.4 h

69

28.8%

Ranking score

0.099

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

Jim Pickard

@pickardje.bsky.social

Tim Allan, Keir Starmer’s director of communications, has just quit his Downing Street role:

“I have decided to stand down to allow a new No 10 team to be built. I wish the PM and his team every success."

February 9, 2026 at 11:03 AM

by Tim Newburn Reposted by Tim Bale

117%

Scholar power: 117.7%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 50%, Communication & Media Studies 25%, Sociology 15%, Law 10%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Tim Newburn	41%	44	81.6%
🎓 Tim Bale	61%	35	36.1%
Total			117.7%

Formula for scholar power: 3 × author's field match × √author's h-index + sum of each reposter's field match × √reposter's h-index

Ranking score inputs

Relevance

Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

55.0%

30.7 h

14

117.7%

Ranking score

0.079

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

Tim Newburn

@timnewburn.bsky.social

Yes, this is bang on. And they need to make sure it’s pretty radical or no-one will notice or care (sadly).

Tim Bale @timbale.bsky.social · 1d

Without a clearer sense of direction, Labour's doomed. So, by far the best thing that these two could do now would be to stop worrying about how best to become PM if and when Starmer eventually goes and instead think really, really hard about what they would do were they chosen to replace him.

February 10, 2026 at 9:48 AM

Reposted by Patrick Dunleavy

38%

Scholar power: 38.7%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 50%, Communication & Media Studies 25%, Sociology 15%, Law 10%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Patrick Dunleavy	57%	46	38.7%

Formula for scholar power: sum of each reposter's field match × √reposter's h-index

Ranking score inputs

Relevance

Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

60.0%

71.4 h

292

38.7%

Ranking score

0.077

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

by Kenneth A. Armstrong

75%

Scholar power: 75.1%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 50%, Communication & Media Studies 25%, Sociology 15%, Law 10%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Kenneth A. Armstrong	56%	20	75.1%

Formula for scholar power: 3 × author's field match × √author's h-index

Ranking score inputs

Relevance

Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

60.0%

20.9 h

0

75.1%

Ranking score

0.077

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

Kenneth Armstrong

@profkaarmstrong.bsky.social

While there may multiple political stories about Monday’s drama over Starmer’s leadership that doesn’t take away from the central story that U.K. Labour has priced in Anas Sarwar’s defeat in May’s Scottish elections. And Sarwar is pissed off.

open.substack.com/pub/kaarmstr...

Taking Sarwar Seriously – Why Starmer’s Reset Must Confront Polycentric Politics

After days of political turmoil, Sir Keir Starmer left a meeting of his parliamentary Labour party secure in his job as UK Prime Minister, at least for the moment.

open.substack.com

February 10, 2026 at 7:32 PM

Reposted by Alex Callinicos

19%

Scholar power: 19.0%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 50%, Communication & Media Studies 25%, Sociology 15%, Law 10%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Alex Callinicos	33%	33	19.0%

Formula for scholar power: sum of each reposter's field match × √reposter's h-index

Ranking score inputs

Relevance

Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

73.0%

53.2 h

140

19.0%

Ranking score

0.074

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

Reposted by Matthew Søberg Shugart

40%

Scholar power: 40.0%

Story's scientific field profile

Political science 50%, Communication & Media Studies 25%, Sociology 15%, Law 10%

Name	Field match	H-index	Scholar power
🎓 Matthew Søberg Shugart	61%	43	40.0%

Formula for scholar power: sum of each reposter's field match × √reposter's h-index

Ranking score inputs

Relevance

Recency

Reposts

Scholar power

47.0%

46.1 h

495

40.0%

Ranking score

0.072

Formula for ranking score (post): scholar_power × max((total_reposts)^(1/3), 1) × (1 / max(hours_since_posted, 1)) × (raw_relevance)^3

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Starmer secures cabinet backing today

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Starmer secures cabinet backing today

Scholar power: 123.7%

Scholar power: 84.0%

Scholar power: 98.5%

Scholar power: 135.5%

Scholar power: 60.6%

Scholar power: 42.8%

Scholar power: 38.7%

Scholar power: 47.4%

Scholar power: 32.8%

Scholar power: 84.2%

Scholar power: 89.2%

Scholar power: 32.8%

Scholar power: 108.3%

Scholar power: 28.1%

Scholar power: 28.8%

Scholar power: 117.7%

Scholar power: 38.7%

Scholar power: 75.1%

Scholar power: 19.0%

Scholar power: 40.0%

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