Simon Fletcher
@fletchersimon.bsky.social
Former adviser to Labour leaders, former chief of staff to the Mayor of London. Director of winning Labour leadership campaigns. Socialist.
Political campaigns II writing and analysis II consultancy
https://linktr.ee/simonfletcher
Political campaigns II writing and analysis II consultancy
https://linktr.ee/simonfletcher
Pinned
Simon Fletcher
@fletchersimon.bsky.social
· Nov 19
To all the newly-arrived Twitter refugees, I've created a starter pack of UK political journalists, experts, commentators and politicos to follow here
go.bsky.app/2CwmVfN
go.bsky.app/2CwmVfN
I rapidly picked up a lot of followers on here after I was kindly added to some starter-kits, so I thought I should introduce myself properly to all those of you good enough to follow me. It may put some of you off, but perhaps it will not…
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bsky.app/profile/adam...
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bsky.app/profile/adam...
I went to see Emma-Jean Thackray at the Glasshouse tonight and it was outstanding.
October 31, 2025 at 11:44 PM
I went to see Emma-Jean Thackray at the Glasshouse tonight and it was outstanding.
The election of Lucy Powell as deputy leader is a rebuke by party members to Labour’s course under the leadership of Keir Starmer. Her opponents argued that a vote for Powell would destabilise Labour - but Labour was already destabilised (and worse)
modernleft.substack.com/p/who-destab...
modernleft.substack.com/p/who-destab...
Who destabilised Labour?
The election of Lucy Powell as deputy leader of the Labour Party, only a few weeks after she was removed from the Cabinet, is a rebuke by party members to Labour’s course under the leadership of Keir ...
modernleft.substack.com
October 25, 2025 at 3:04 PM
The election of Lucy Powell as deputy leader is a rebuke by party members to Labour’s course under the leadership of Keir Starmer. Her opponents argued that a vote for Powell would destabilise Labour - but Labour was already destabilised (and worse)
modernleft.substack.com/p/who-destab...
modernleft.substack.com/p/who-destab...
Reposted by Simon Fletcher
I am putting myself forward to stand as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party.
I look forward to explaining why, over the three short and undemocratic days we have to do so.
I look forward to explaining why, over the three short and undemocratic days we have to do so.
September 8, 2025 at 8:49 PM
I am putting myself forward to stand as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party.
I look forward to explaining why, over the three short and undemocratic days we have to do so.
I look forward to explaining why, over the three short and undemocratic days we have to do so.
From a story in the current edition of The Beano
August 29, 2025 at 7:24 PM
From a story in the current edition of The Beano
The Labour leadership has not only failed to challenge the anti-migrant, anti-multicultural narrative that’s been unleashed, it’s fed it. Its responses here to Farage’s extremely right wing speech compound that and leave the goal totally wide open for the far right. Disgraceful.
August 26, 2025 at 4:44 PM
The Labour leadership has not only failed to challenge the anti-migrant, anti-multicultural narrative that’s been unleashed, it’s fed it. Its responses here to Farage’s extremely right wing speech compound that and leave the goal totally wide open for the far right. Disgraceful.
I’m away for a few days and not keeping up with everything but this by @adambienkov.bsky.social from a couple of days ago contains much to agree with.
open.substack.com/pub/bylinesu...
open.substack.com/pub/bylinesu...
August 24, 2025 at 1:19 PM
I’m away for a few days and not keeping up with everything but this by @adambienkov.bsky.social from a couple of days ago contains much to agree with.
open.substack.com/pub/bylinesu...
open.substack.com/pub/bylinesu...
Very interesting on the impact of Labour’s political direction on the party’s youth and student structures
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
Inside Labour students' revolt over Gaza
Tensions between HQ and their members on university campuses have reached boiling point.
www.newstatesman.com
August 11, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Very interesting on the impact of Labour’s political direction on the party’s youth and student structures
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
August 7, 2025 at 10:03 AM
This is wide-ranging piece that discusses in depth Keir Starmer’s approach as PM to human rights, and how that is reflected in the policies of the Labour government. Strong recommend.
bsky.app/profile/tril...
bsky.app/profile/tril...
Good morning, I've written a piece about the prime minister. I spoke to several dozen sources, including government insiders, former legal colleagues and campaigners to ask: what happened to Keir Starmer the heroic human rights lawyer? www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Starmer v Starmer: why is the former human rights lawyer so cautious about defending human rights?
The long read: Given his career as a human rights barrister, it was hoped Keir Starmer would be the PM to restore the UK’s commitment to international law. The reality tells a different story
www.theguardian.com
July 29, 2025 at 8:16 AM
This is wide-ranging piece that discusses in depth Keir Starmer’s approach as PM to human rights, and how that is reflected in the policies of the Labour government. Strong recommend.
bsky.app/profile/tril...
bsky.app/profile/tril...
Excellent article by Andrew Fisher on the need for publicly-owned water utilities
bsky.app/profile/fish...
bsky.app/profile/fish...
New column for @theipaper.com
"The Cunliffe Report protects water profiteers, screws over billpayers, and will do little to reduce pollution in our rivers and seas ... water should be taken into public ownership – and run for the benefit of people and planet, not profit"
inews.co.uk/opinion/the-...
"The Cunliffe Report protects water profiteers, screws over billpayers, and will do little to reduce pollution in our rivers and seas ... water should be taken into public ownership – and run for the benefit of people and planet, not profit"
inews.co.uk/opinion/the-...
The Cunliffe report proves it: water must be nationalised
This is the story of privatisation: nationalise the losses, privatise the profits
inews.co.uk
July 22, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Excellent article by Andrew Fisher on the need for publicly-owned water utilities
bsky.app/profile/fish...
bsky.app/profile/fish...
Beautiful day for the Gala
July 12, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Beautiful day for the Gala
Spare some time today to remember all those killed, injured and traumatised on this day twenty years ago in the London bombings, and recall the public service workers who responded to those horrific attacks with such bravery and dedication.
July 7, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Spare some time today to remember all those killed, injured and traumatised on this day twenty years ago in the London bombings, and recall the public service workers who responded to those horrific attacks with such bravery and dedication.
A few reflections on the anniversary of the 7 July bombings, which is tomorrow
open.substack.com/pub/modernle...
open.substack.com/pub/modernle...
7/7 twenty years on
Ken Livingstone's speech from Singapore
open.substack.com
July 6, 2025 at 8:01 PM
A few reflections on the anniversary of the 7 July bombings, which is tomorrow
open.substack.com/pub/modernle...
open.substack.com/pub/modernle...
Reposted by Simon Fletcher
Pathetic stuff from ‘senior government sources’.
July 2, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Pathetic stuff from ‘senior government sources’.
My new column for @theipaper.com on why Labour MPs should still oppose the cuts to disability benefits
"In what moral universe can it be wrong to take away that support from people in need today, but not for those in the same need tomorrow?"
"In what moral universe can it be wrong to take away that support from people in need today, but not for those in the same need tomorrow?"
No Labour MP should be voting for the benefits bill
Despite Starmer's U-turn on the terms, it is still the morally wrong choice
inews.co.uk
June 30, 2025 at 11:46 AM
The problem with this government line is that there is no moral case for it either, quite the opposite
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
June 18, 2025 at 7:52 AM
The problem with this government line is that there is no moral case for it either, quite the opposite
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
As far as I can see, extending a transition period will still mean a transition into poverty – and so nothing has changed.
I remain opposed to the cuts in the welfare green paper.
inews.co.uk/news/politic...
I remain opposed to the cuts in the welfare green paper.
inews.co.uk/news/politic...
PIP olive branch an 'insult' that won't stop revolt, rebel MPs warn Starmer
Kendall is making some tweaks to controversial PIP reforms
inews.co.uk
June 13, 2025 at 5:55 PM
A 'bomber-clad nation.' Dreary and dreadful. Militarism drags society down, sets the sights so low.
Join CND.
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
Join CND.
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
UK moving to ‘war-fighting readiness’, Starmer says, as he calls on ‘every part of society’ to play role in defence – politics live
Prime minister reveals defence spending plans and says UK must be fastest military innovator in Nato
www.theguardian.com
June 2, 2025 at 11:00 AM
A 'bomber-clad nation.' Dreary and dreadful. Militarism drags society down, sets the sights so low.
Join CND.
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
Join CND.
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
Reposted by Simon Fletcher
Fare evasion has been falling on London's transport network for years.
A reminder that one of the times evasion actually did rise in recent years was when the last Conservative mayor spent hundreds of millions of pounds building a fleet of new buses with entirely open backs
A reminder that one of the times evasion actually did rise in recent years was when the last Conservative mayor spent hundreds of millions of pounds building a fleet of new buses with entirely open backs
May 29, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Fare evasion has been falling on London's transport network for years.
A reminder that one of the times evasion actually did rise in recent years was when the last Conservative mayor spent hundreds of millions of pounds building a fleet of new buses with entirely open backs
A reminder that one of the times evasion actually did rise in recent years was when the last Conservative mayor spent hundreds of millions of pounds building a fleet of new buses with entirely open backs
Ridiculous that it even needs saying:
“new data reveals bats and newts are not the main reason planning is delayed in England”
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
“new data reveals bats and newts are not the main reason planning is delayed in England”
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Wildlife charities urge Labour to scrap ‘licence to kill nature’ in planning bill
Conservationists say part of bill allowing developers to avoid environmental laws by paying into nature fund should be ditched
www.theguardian.com
May 25, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Ridiculous that it even needs saying:
“new data reveals bats and newts are not the main reason planning is delayed in England”
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
“new data reveals bats and newts are not the main reason planning is delayed in England”
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
“Party staff will no longer be reporting its membership data to the NEC, the governing body of the Party, which is completely unprecedented”
Covering up the consequences of bad political decisions doesn’t make the bad politics go away.
via @labour-hub.bsky.social labourhub.org.uk/2025/05/22/b...
Covering up the consequences of bad political decisions doesn’t make the bad politics go away.
via @labour-hub.bsky.social labourhub.org.uk/2025/05/22/b...
Bonfire of the equalities
A report of Labour’s 20th May National Executive Committee by left CLP reps Jess Barnard, Gemma Bolton and Yasmine Dar Summary In an unprecedented move, it was declared that the Party will no…
labourhub.org.uk
May 22, 2025 at 5:31 PM
“Party staff will no longer be reporting its membership data to the NEC, the governing body of the Party, which is completely unprecedented”
Covering up the consequences of bad political decisions doesn’t make the bad politics go away.
via @labour-hub.bsky.social labourhub.org.uk/2025/05/22/b...
Covering up the consequences of bad political decisions doesn’t make the bad politics go away.
via @labour-hub.bsky.social labourhub.org.uk/2025/05/22/b...
Reposted by Simon Fletcher
Why trying to out-Farage Farage is just never going to work for Labour.
The most hardline, anti-migrant set of policies from any UK Government in recent years and the Daily Mail still portrays it as a betrayal
The most hardline, anti-migrant set of policies from any UK Government in recent years and the Daily Mail still portrays it as a betrayal
May 12, 2025 at 6:47 AM
Why trying to out-Farage Farage is just never going to work for Labour.
The most hardline, anti-migrant set of policies from any UK Government in recent years and the Daily Mail still portrays it as a betrayal
The most hardline, anti-migrant set of policies from any UK Government in recent years and the Daily Mail still portrays it as a betrayal
Today it is 25 years since Ken Livingstone was confirmed as the winner of the first London Mayor election, beginning a new era of devolution and city-wide govt for London and two terms of ground-breaking delivery and improvement for Londoners.
May 5, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Today it is 25 years since Ken Livingstone was confirmed as the winner of the first London Mayor election, beginning a new era of devolution and city-wide govt for London and two terms of ground-breaking delivery and improvement for Londoners.