Ben Rosamond

Such an important point, though barely grasped by key political and media figures.

Christabel Cooper@christabelcoops.bsky.social

Really worth noting that even in Red Wall constituencies which backed Leave, most *Labour* voters back rejoining the EU. Over 90% of Labour considerers back rejoin - opposition to EU membership is mainly coming from non-Labour voters in these seats. Was on Times Radio yesterday making this point.

‘They don’t produce literature’.

The Bulwark@thebulwark.com

RFK: "There's five hundred million Arabs in the world. And yet they don't produce science. They don't win the Nobel Prize. They don't win the Fields Prize. They don't win the Wolf Prize. They don't produce literature."

Well, that is how elections actually work.

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com

Trump says if Republicans lose the election it is voters’ fault

To many MAGA types, the actual content of the trilateral security agreement matters not a jot. If they say ‘we got Greenland’, that becomes a shared belief, regardless of its veracity. Makes me wonder whether the UK govt should have simply said ‘we’ve left the EU’ and just carried on as normal.

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com

Trump: "Why do we always have to take people from shit house countries? We can't we take people from Norway and Sweden and Denmark? By the way, Denmark gave us Greenland ... what do you take, Venezuela or Greenland? We got them both!"

Well into the late 1990s, my parents’ kitchen cupboard contained a bottle of soy sauce with a price tag that read 12 ½ p. I suspect it had been bought to augment dinners of Vesta Chow Mein.

Will Jennings📉🗳️@drjennings.bsky.social

What item has given you best value in terms of use? I bought a secondhand Herman-Miller Aeron chair for about £500 in ~2009. Must have used it nearly every day since. Reckon it has another fifteen years in it.

My aunt gifted me some Le Creuset cookware in the late 1980s. It’s still used every few days in our household. Apparently indestructible.

Will Jennings📉🗳️@drjennings.bsky.social

TLDR - Cofnas: ‘If it wasn’t for all those pesky racists, my racism would be much more legitimate’

Sunder Katwala (sundersays)@sundersays.bsky.social

So Dr Cofnas describes this dilemma for racists: the need to do more to distinguish themselves from thugs + crackpots + obsessive antisemites + racists, who bring stupid, racist support but reputational damage to the whole intellectual project of biological racism.

Meredith Rose (from the grave) 👻@mrose.ink

What is your favorite meme/Onion headline about your profession?

Bloody foreign ideas … coming over here … driving innovation …

Paul Hünermund@p-hunermund.com

Something to chew on for the nativists www.nber.org/papers/w35900

Would the radical professors care to share how they persuaded the electorate to do the reading?

Philip Gourevitch@pgourevitch.bsky.social

EDJ edit page continues its reality-defying streak decade after decade:

Of course, the authentic and much longer-standing English religion of Druidism doesn't revere sacred texts, so I assume that Matt would be fine with a Druidic MP swearing their oath of allegiance on the natural world itself rather than some book?

Adam Bienkov@adambienkov.bsky.social

Don't hide behind your followers Matt. Tell us what YOU think about it

mcgill.caAnne Carson remporte le prix Nobel de littérature - McGill ReporterL’ancienne professeure de McGill récompensée pour son « œuvre audacieuse et inventive »

Fair enough, but …

McGill University@handle.invalid

Former McGill professor Anne Carson has won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature. 🏆 Awarded “for her bold and inventive oeuvre", she has helped redefine contemporary literature through poetry, essays, translation and criticism. Congratulations! ➡️ mcgill.ca/x/5HS

Me: 'Has at least one cat', 'builds comprehensive Apple device ecosystem', 'reads academic literature extensively', 'likely lives in Edinburgh', 'invests in manual coffee brewing methods', 'cultivates houseplants actively', 'owns aquarium fish' ...

This post is unavailable.

bbc.comTrump's aid cut risks causing 14 million deaths, report findsThe figure from the Lancet, a leading medical journal, includes 700,000 child deaths globally a year.

This would put Trump comfortably ahead of Pol Pot, Tojo and Leopold II.

Musa Okwonga@okwonga.bsky.social

This can't be talked about enough. "President Donald Trump's move to cut most of the US funding towards foreign humanitarian aid could cause more than 14 million additional deaths by 2030, according to research published in The Lancet medical journal." www.bbc.com/news/article...

If enacted, this would not go well for the Republican Party. A large chunk of its voter base would be disenfranchised on the spot.

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com

MN GOP House candidate William Beck: "I am personally in favor of a poll test. I know they were ruled unconstitutional, but like, everyone voting, if you have no idea what you're voting for, like, why vote? Like, you clearly don't care if you don't understand what's going on, you know what I mean?"

Unless, of course, by ‘poll test’ he means ‘race test’, in which case …

humanists.ukReform UK Braverman promises 'consequences' if pupils don't sing hymnsReform UK has said schools will face ‘consequences’ if they fail to make pupils regularly sing hymns and the national anthem under a Reform government. The party’s education spokesperson, Suella Brave...

'[T]he requirement ... would be policed through Ofsted inspections and by parents reporting their children’s schools to the party.' A chilling sentence. Would practicing Buddhists (like Braverman herself) or those raised in the Jewish faith (like her children) have dispensation to remain mute?

Alice Roberts@profaliceroberts.bsky.social

Reform want to indoctrinate our children. Freedom of (and from) belief is a human right. humanists.uk/2026/09/10/s...

theguardian.comIndian oil and gas heir made professor of sustainability at Newcastle UniversityIncredulity over role for Anant Ambani, son of India’s richest person, who also runs a controversial mega-zoo

What next? The King Herod Professorship of Obstetrics and Paediatric Medicine?

Guardian Environment@environment.theguardian.com

Indian oil and gas heir made professor of sustainability at Newcastle University

22 Sept

Complete with its own daisywheel printer and 3-inch diskettes. It's so ancient that I sourced this image from a museum website. Wrote my PhD on it.

J Dot practicing resurrection@jdotclarkson.bsky.social

22 Sept

This is how the relevant legislation defines ‘criminal damage’.

elia ayoub@ayoub.bsky.social

Video of the fascist Danny Tommo slashing a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) boat rescuing migrants at sea www.instagram.com/reel/DdmJaD4...

21 Sept

Good point; well made. 👇

Tom Scott@tom--scott.bsky.social

The BBC has been showcasing the views of oil tycoon Jim Ratcliffe in every news show for the last 24 hours, noting that he's "one of Britain's richest men". Shouldn't this be "one of Monaco's richest men"? How about similar airtime for (say) one of Britain's poorest women?

This is all very well, but the US relies heavily on the EU for chemical and pharmaceutical products, machine tools and electrical goods. He must have missed the week on international trade at Wharton.

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com

Trump threatens to cut off all trade with Europe if Canada associates closer with the EU

The RNLI is popular, cherished even. This feels like a mis-step, the kind that follows from being marinated in the toxic cesspool that is X and assuming that it reflects majority public sentiment.

Peter Smith@redpeter99.bsky.social

A lifeboat crew responds to a call and finds a dingy in distress full of migrant men, women and children. Do they leave or rescue them? No-one with a shred of humanity would turn round and head back.

aftonbladet.seSD:s välputsade fasad krackelerade i valetSD:s välputsade fasad krackelerade i valet

Good piece, this (in Swedish). It shows how the far right and even the centre-right has developed a narrative that treats immigrant citizens as second class or non-valid voters. 1/ www.aftonbladet.se/kultur/a/d4e...

View full thread

In other words, they express disgust that citizens have dared to exercise their democratic right to vote against parties that have consistently demonised them in both rhetoric and legislation. 4/

This is straight out of the transnational far right playbook - questioning the very idea that all citizens should have equal political rights and asserting that democratic choices can only be valid when they reflect the will of the ‘native’ people. 5/end

aftonbladet.seSD:s välputsade fasad krackelerade i valetSD:s välputsade fasad krackelerade i valet

Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Åkesson, quoted in this piece: ’This could be the first election in Sweden where Muslim immigration …will decide a parliamentary election.’ 2/

They express disgust that 97.6 per cent of the vote in the Malmö district of Rosengård voted for opposition parties. 3/

thebritishacademy.ac.ukBritish Academy President: UK higher education crisis risks irreversible damageAs course closures, shrinking provision and widening regional inequalities threaten the future of UK higher education and research, President of the British Academy, Susan J Smith calls for an immedia...

It would be a start if someone, anyone, in government would so much as raise an eyebrow in the direction of the unfolding crisis in the UK’s HE sector.

Sunder Katwala (sundersays)@sundersays.bsky.social

Higher Education risks irreversible damage, says British Academy president Prof Susan Smith, with humanities and social sciences disciplines disappearing in many cold spots. BA is tracking subject provision & calling for a comprehensive review www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/news/stateme...

17 Sept

The Swedish far right is blaming immigrants for its electoral defeat. But it can hardly be a surprise that the very people that the Sweden Democrats routinely demonise should mobilise in numbers against the party at the ballot box. As Ulf says here, they could equally blame women … or young men.

Ulf Bjereld@ulfbjereld.bsky.social

Därav hjärtat är fullt talar munnen. Jimmie Åkesson kommentar igår att det är invandrarnas/muslimernas fel om Tidö förlorar valet var sannerligen osmaklig. Vilken är nästa grupp han vill peka ut efter en valförlust? Kvinnorna?

bbc.co.ukReform's Dan Thomas resigns as Wales leader after arrestThomas said he has done nothing wrong as Gwent Police confirms arrest on suspicion of assault.

16 Sept

But obviously Nigel doesn’t know him, right? Right?

Sarah Murphy@13sarahmurphy.bsky.social

£72million can’t fix this. Nothing can fix this. This is Reform. A bunch of raging liabilities who shouldn’t ever be anywhere near public office. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.ukTice says government trying to 'retrospectively change rules' as Reform receives £72m in donationsReform UK announced two £36m donations this weekend, as a bill that could change the rules passes through Parliament. It's being debated again in the Lords later.

14 Sept

Reform has a ’compliance team’? Up there with Monsanto’s ethics department, I guess.

Duncan Hames@duncanhames.bsky.social

Richard Tice MP when quizzed by the BBC's Nick Robinson this morning: "Hopefully your viewers will trust that statement from our compliance team"...

14 Sept

Excellent thread. US focused, but the lessons are generic.

Karin Wulf@kawulf.bsky.social

After reading some of the recent pubs and discourse around US higher ed.… I should just stop right here. But here are the three major fallacies of much of what’s out there, three contexts that are missing, and the one big thing that is driving me around the bend (actually already there, but). 1/

14 Sept

A very helpful thread on the latest in the Swedish election. The current prognosis is showing a seat distribution of 176-173 in favour of the opposition.

Erik Angner@erikangner.com

Good morning from Sweden 🇸🇪 where people have suffered the biggest electoral nail biter that I can remember 🧵

Just short of half of the districts declared in Sweden. Exit poll not far wrong, but the allocation of seats by bloc is looking v. close. Bear in mind that a govt of S+MP+V+C is very unlikely. An M-led govt would prob require inclusion of SD. More creative coalition permutations not impossible.

Europe Elects@europeelects.bsky.social

Sweden, 3,123 out of 6,626 districts counted: National parliament election S-S&D: 27.5% (-2.8) M-EPP: 19.7% (+0.6) SD-ECR: 17.7% (-2.8) V-LEFT: 8.3% (+1.5) C-RE: 7.3% (+0.6) MP-G/EFA: 6.4% (+1.3) KD-EPP: 6.2% (+0.9) L-RE: 5.5% (+0.9) +/- vs. Last election result ➤ europeelects.eu/sweden

The modelling is currently suggesting a very tight result - currently a one seat majority for the opposition bloc. SD are still expected to significantly underperform vs their 2022 result.

Ben Rosamond@benrosamond1.bsky.social

SVT’s exit poll projects a clear opposition victory over the governing centre-right coalition. The stand out is the far-right Sweden Democrats projected to lose 3% of their vote compared to 2022.

SVT’s exit poll projects a clear opposition victory over the governing centre-right coalition. The stand out is the far-right Sweden Democrats projected to lose 3% of their vote compared to 2022.

Breakdown by gender, according to the exit poll. Big gender gap in far right voting - predictable, but striking …

At the same time, the exit poll reports a clear right —> left shift in voting amongst young men …

Ben Rosamond reposted

Erik Angner

@erikangner.com

Replying to @erikangner.com

The story may be young men. They leaned strongly right four years ago but according to polls now tilt left. This is an extraordinary shift over the course of only four years www.svt.se/nyheter/inri...

telegraph.co.uktelegraph.co.uk

12 Sept

This six-year old image from @coldwarsteve.bsky.social is more apt than ever.

Sunder Katwala (sundersays)@sundersays.bsky.social

Harborne has given Reform £36 million to match Delo's £36 million. The Telegraph describes it as a "show of force" from Reform's donors. The two men's £72 million is greater than all of the spending by all political parties on the 2024 GE www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/202...

12 Sept

This is true. A party funded by billionaires and led by millionaires cannot objectively be ‘anti-establishment’, but this is not what they or their supporters mean by ‘the establishment’. Rather ‘the establishment’ is woke, pro net-zero, anti-white and actively accelerating the ‘great replacement’.

Peter Whitewood@pwhitewood.bsky.social

It’s not only the absurdity of a billionaire funding a campaign against the ‘establishment’, but Reform increasingly frames politics as a permanent struggle against the enemy.

11 Sept

A short thread offering a concise and precise capture of the state we’re in.

lastpositivist.bsky.social@lastpositivist.bsky.social

The wealthy countries seem to have a core of 15-30% of their voting populations who *just fucking hate foreigners*. This section of the electorate are for various reasons disproportionately well represented among the ultra-wealthy and thus are able to secure some favourable media coverage.

legislation.gov.ukCrime and Disorder Act 1998An Act to make provision for preventing crime and disorder; to create certain racially-aggravated offences; to abolish the rebuttable presumption that a child is doli incapax and to make provision as ...

10 Sept

'Hampshire Police said officers found no offences had been committed, and the crowd dispersed by about 21:00 BST'. Oh come on! This is a clear prima facie breach of Section 33 of the 1998 Crime and Disorder Act. www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/3...

Leftback@leftback.bsky.social

Well at least we've heard the worst of this story oh wait the mob got into the hotel onto the floor the players were on and were knocking on bedroom doors. I think I'm moving to rage now. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.ukGroup entered hotel of Pakistan cricketers mistaken for migrantsProtesters congregated at a Portsmouth hotel after false rumours that a coach of migrants had arrived.

10 Sept

Hard agree.

Robert Saunders@robertsaunders.bsky.social

I'm probably a dinosaur, but I wish students were allowed more time just to be students: to study, to read, to think, to talk to each other, to have big ideas - maybe even to have fun now & then. I'm not convinced turning unis into training centres is going to fix bigger problems in the jobs market

8 Sept

👇👇👇

Sam Freedman@samfr.bsky.social

One reason England does so well is our second generation immigrants outperform their peers which is not true in most OECD countries. We are also very good at integration. And it's v sad that this is never acknowledge in debates on immigration.

8 Sept

We should always be cautious about drawing parallels between our current predicament and the 1930s. However ...

Robert Saunders@robertsaunders.bsky.social

90 years ago, Parliament responded to the rise of Oswald Mosley's Blackshirts by passing the Public Order Act, which banned political uniforms, private militias and the threat of force for political objects. The debates make very resonant reading today. Here's the Liberal Robert Bernays. (Short 🧵)

7 Sept

The framing here is grotesque. The law (judicially adjudicated distinctions between legal and illegal) is presented as an underhand tool of the nefarious elite, which in turn runs away from the ‘marketplace of ideas’ as if the latter is a domain of purity … 1/2

7 Sept

… free from the distortions of algorithmically-driven content that skews ‘debate’ toward the prejudices of highly resourced bad faith actors. 2/2