Alex Church
@alexchurch.bsky.social
The backlash to the backlash to the thing that's just begun
Reposted by Alex Church
Yeah, exactly this. It's really notable how it's acted like a virus. Formally pretty progressive people suddenly Very Concerned about asylum
November 25, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Yeah, exactly this. It's really notable how it's acted like a virus. Formally pretty progressive people suddenly Very Concerned about asylum
Reposted by Alex Church
Ultimately the minimum wage is a brilliant tool, but it can’t compensate for “we haven’t built any housing”, “we have cut cash transfers to the bone” and “all the third spaces have been cut to pay for social care”.
The minimum wage is not a cure all — we’re asking too much of business
Politicians spend too much time uttering cheap rhetoric about cheap labour
www.ft.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Ultimately the minimum wage is a brilliant tool, but it can’t compensate for “we haven’t built any housing”, “we have cut cash transfers to the bone” and “all the third spaces have been cut to pay for social care”.
Reposted by Alex Church
Much to agree with here, notably on Labour's bewildering lack of interest in what 2010-24 governments actually did in policy terms. But this - something we have known for well over a century! - just cannot be repeated too often.
November 25, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Much to agree with here, notably on Labour's bewildering lack of interest in what 2010-24 governments actually did in policy terms. But this - something we have known for well over a century! - just cannot be repeated too often.
Reposted by Alex Church
Businesses convincing affluent progressive customers that paying extra for a premium product is "anti-capitalist" must, ironically, be the best example of false consciousness there is
www.instagram.com/reel/DQ81pwC...
www.instagram.com/reel/DQ81pwC...
Giti Datt on Instagram: "Craft and capitalism are at odds with each other. Anyone who’s a craftsperson, or has a business selling craft, or both, will know what I mean.
Two of the biggest tensions I...
25K likes, 362 comments - gitidatt on October 25, 2025: "Craft and capitalism are at odds with each other. Anyone who’s a craftsperson, or has a business selling craft, or both, will know what I mean....
www.instagram.com
November 25, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Businesses convincing affluent progressive customers that paying extra for a premium product is "anti-capitalist" must, ironically, be the best example of false consciousness there is
www.instagram.com/reel/DQ81pwC...
www.instagram.com/reel/DQ81pwC...
Reposted by Alex Church
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
Reposted by Alex Church
Brilliant thecritic.co.uk/auntie-in-th...
November 24, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Brilliant thecritic.co.uk/auntie-in-th...
Reposted by Alex Church
need-a-penny, take-a-penny
November 21, 2025 at 7:16 PM
need-a-penny, take-a-penny
Reposted by Alex Church
I'd like to see the response to this if the question added "if that that means universities have less money to spend on UK students".
With Rachel Reeves reportedly set to apply a new tax on tuition fees paid by overseas students, most Britons support such a move at the previously mooted level of 6%
Support: 57%
Oppose: 18%
yougov.co.uk/topics/socie...
Support: 57%
Oppose: 18%
yougov.co.uk/topics/socie...
November 24, 2025 at 4:41 PM
I'd like to see the response to this if the question added "if that that means universities have less money to spend on UK students".
Reposted by Alex Church
A child poverty strategy with the 2-child limit in place would *not* be a credible child poverty strategy. *All* of the growth in child poverty since the 2011/12 low point is for children in scope of this policy.
November 24, 2025 at 3:45 PM
A child poverty strategy with the 2-child limit in place would *not* be a credible child poverty strategy. *All* of the growth in child poverty since the 2011/12 low point is for children in scope of this policy.
Reposted by Alex Church
Things are really patchy in GP land, and many people struggle with access, but overall, primary care has innovated more, and become much more productive than the rest of the NHS.
I am constantly so impressed with my local GP clinic. It is impossibly efficient. There is no relationship with an individual doctor - I don't want one - but the moment you have a concern about something they sort a call back that day or a walk-in appointment that week. They're just brilliant.
November 24, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Things are really patchy in GP land, and many people struggle with access, but overall, primary care has innovated more, and become much more productive than the rest of the NHS.
Reposted by Alex Church
Just seen another 'but you don't get it! Raising income tax would be unpopular!' It certainly would.
I just am asking anyone who posts that to look at the currently planning departmental spending allocations going into 2028-9 and to explain why they think the *current* plans will be popular:
I just am asking anyone who posts that to look at the currently planning departmental spending allocations going into 2028-9 and to explain why they think the *current* plans will be popular:
Spending Review 2025 (HTML)
www.gov.uk
November 23, 2025 at 11:47 PM
Just seen another 'but you don't get it! Raising income tax would be unpopular!' It certainly would.
I just am asking anyone who posts that to look at the currently planning departmental spending allocations going into 2028-9 and to explain why they think the *current* plans will be popular:
I just am asking anyone who posts that to look at the currently planning departmental spending allocations going into 2028-9 and to explain why they think the *current* plans will be popular:
Reposted by Alex Church
This government's relentless focus on growth has got out of hand.
i: Reeves to unveil £600m raid on foreign student
university fees #TomorrowsPapersToday
university fees #TomorrowsPapersToday
November 23, 2025 at 10:17 PM
This government's relentless focus on growth has got out of hand.
Amen!
He doesn't seem to be commenting on Polanski's popularity: he's challenging the workability of his proposed policy. In an age that's dominated by the question "how does this poll?", I'm quite reassured that some still ask "how will this work?" (We can then debate whether or not he's right).
November 23, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Amen!
Reposted by Alex Church
Just as a basic point of fact, Nick Clegg, the most globalist centrist you could possibly meet, knew full well that the referendum was not winnable and had privately resolved that he therefore had to make it a veto to continuing the coalition years before Brexit and the 2015 election.
November 23, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Just as a basic point of fact, Nick Clegg, the most globalist centrist you could possibly meet, knew full well that the referendum was not winnable and had privately resolved that he therefore had to make it a veto to continuing the coalition years before Brexit and the 2015 election.
Reposted by Alex Church
Aren't foreign student fees pretty much the only thing keeping universities solvent?
i: Reeves to unveil £600m raid on foreign student
university fees #TomorrowsPapersToday
university fees #TomorrowsPapersToday
November 23, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Aren't foreign student fees pretty much the only thing keeping universities solvent?
Reposted by Alex Church
It's also vastly easier and cheaper for media outlets to produce culture war content than policy stuff.
With policy, you have to find actual experts that are available and willing, then pray they're good entertaining communicators.
On culture shit, you start with a talking head and work backwards.
With policy, you have to find actual experts that are available and willing, then pray they're good entertaining communicators.
On culture shit, you start with a talking head and work backwards.
This chart (which applies even more to social media than it did to TV) lives in my head rent free.
Social media enveloping traditional media means everything and everyone is now competing in the entertainment market. Boring stuff like policy that affects millions of lives doesn’t stand a chance.
Social media enveloping traditional media means everything and everyone is now competing in the entertainment market. Boring stuff like policy that affects millions of lives doesn’t stand a chance.
November 23, 2025 at 8:37 PM
It's also vastly easier and cheaper for media outlets to produce culture war content than policy stuff.
With policy, you have to find actual experts that are available and willing, then pray they're good entertaining communicators.
On culture shit, you start with a talking head and work backwards.
With policy, you have to find actual experts that are available and willing, then pray they're good entertaining communicators.
On culture shit, you start with a talking head and work backwards.
Reposted by Alex Church
This chart (which applies even more to social media than it did to TV) lives in my head rent free.
Social media enveloping traditional media means everything and everyone is now competing in the entertainment market. Boring stuff like policy that affects millions of lives doesn’t stand a chance.
Social media enveloping traditional media means everything and everyone is now competing in the entertainment market. Boring stuff like policy that affects millions of lives doesn’t stand a chance.
November 23, 2025 at 8:24 PM
This chart (which applies even more to social media than it did to TV) lives in my head rent free.
Social media enveloping traditional media means everything and everyone is now competing in the entertainment market. Boring stuff like policy that affects millions of lives doesn’t stand a chance.
Social media enveloping traditional media means everything and everyone is now competing in the entertainment market. Boring stuff like policy that affects millions of lives doesn’t stand a chance.
Reposted by Alex Church
"These findings highlight the divergence between what the candidate emphasized and what the media reported" hmmmmm
www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi...
www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi...
November 23, 2025 at 4:07 PM
"These findings highlight the divergence between what the candidate emphasized and what the media reported" hmmmmm
www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi...
www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi...
Reposted by Alex Church
I just enjoy pretending I'm in an Imperial base every time I get the tube from Canary Wharf
November 22, 2025 at 10:12 PM
I just enjoy pretending I'm in an Imperial base every time I get the tube from Canary Wharf
Reposted by Alex Church
Having been a lib dem in coalition the vibes are just exactly the same. Total public contempt for the leader. Trust gone. Big picture approach wrong. Activists desperately shouting about the few policy wins to a public that has made its mind up.
It's funny how much they talk like the Liberal Democrats in coalition, except instead of 'negotiating with the senior partner in a coalition', the coalition partner is 'the campaign people refuse to let go of the wheel or to sign off anything suggesting their campaign was anything but perfect'.
Absolutely. The improved forecasts is insane because it's banking inflationary increases in revenue that will surely provoke inflationary increases in spending (particular public sector pay).
This BTW is a work of art. Exactly the type of attitude that has got Labour into this mess.
This BTW is a work of art. Exactly the type of attitude that has got Labour into this mess.
November 22, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Having been a lib dem in coalition the vibes are just exactly the same. Total public contempt for the leader. Trust gone. Big picture approach wrong. Activists desperately shouting about the few policy wins to a public that has made its mind up.
Reposted by Alex Church
In 2010 I first spent an extended period of time in the US on research. And my main takesway from that time was how deluded Europeans in general are if we think of the US as little more than a very powerful extension of Europe on the other side of the Atlantic. This is not an anti-american point.
'America is British'.
It turns out Danny Kruger is peak 'Americans are the same as us'.
Until this mindset – conscious and subconscious – is defeated in Britain, we'll never see ourselves as properly European.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
It turns out Danny Kruger is peak 'Americans are the same as us'.
Until this mindset – conscious and subconscious – is defeated in Britain, we'll never see ourselves as properly European.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
‘America is British’. Heaven is ‘a socialist state’. David Attenborough is ‘anti-human’ – the startling theories of Reform MP Danny Kruger
He was a Conservative party big-hitter who wrote speeches for David Cameron and worked with Boris Johnson before he suddenly jumped ship. He talks family, flags and why Nigel Farage is ‘top dog’
www.theguardian.com
November 22, 2025 at 9:01 AM
In 2010 I first spent an extended period of time in the US on research. And my main takesway from that time was how deluded Europeans in general are if we think of the US as little more than a very powerful extension of Europe on the other side of the Atlantic. This is not an anti-american point.
Reposted by Alex Church
Same. Very do not try this at home Any Other Dem moment
Zohran is a generational talent, but I really worry the democrats are gonna take away all the wrong lessons from this, because none of the rest of them can do this.
November 21, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Same. Very do not try this at home Any Other Dem moment
Reposted by Alex Church
I could’ve sworn the Telegraph led accusations of the BBC skewing its news output but that can’t be right
Quite the correction by the Telegraph. The publication in question is @freemovement.bsky.social
November 21, 2025 at 5:52 PM
I could’ve sworn the Telegraph led accusations of the BBC skewing its news output but that can’t be right
Reposted by Alex Church
Everything you need to know about the government's approach to devolution in England
November 21, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Everything you need to know about the government's approach to devolution in England