This, from @catherinedevries.bsky.social, is really useful advice for young (and, tbh, old!) academics. Worth passing on if you know any, maybe? catherineeunicedevries.substack.com/p/fail-bette...

Scholars & pundits have focussed a lot on the electoral demise of center left, but in doing so we paid to little attention to the electoral problems of the center right.

Case-in-points here not only British conservatives or center right in France, but increasingly also the center right in Spain.

Reform UK are out of step with the British public.

The public are opposed to withdrawing from the ECHR by 46% to 29%

New report out from the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey today, with new data on a wide range of issues, including constitutional preferences:

Independent in EU: 40%
Independent out EU: 8%
Devolution (w/ tax powers): 33%
Devolution (no tax powers): 8%
No Holyrood: 9%

natcen.ac.uk/publications...

As Conservative party conference closes, the Labour deputy leadership contest gets going in earnest: ballots are now open for party members.

@meganbryer.bsky.social has updated the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk explainer on the contest - all you need to know here:

No, it's not. It's all a lie. The blunt truth is across the 1991, 2001, 2011 and 2021 Census *every* ethnic group in the UK has become *less* geographically segregated and *all* groups, majority and minorities, are more likely to interact with people not like them.

Reminds me of the stuff Keir Hardie was throwing at my ancestors who came from Lithuania to Scotland. I really lament that they felt the need to change the family name and lose so much culture to assimilate.

A lot of discussion judging importance of degrees neglects this. Many disciplines cross-subsidise others. Just like with international student fees, someone will have to pick up the cost if there is government intervention.

I am very much of the same mind but I think, relative to Reform, they can at least hold onto more seats if they play up the risk of Reform/Labour and build credibility rather than move to the right. Badenoch is past being able to do this imo.

I’ve heard these lines for years and the serious question is why Scottish Labour has failed to seize on these failures and been able to win as the alternative. This isn’t me having a go, but it does come to mind when I see these lines.

*gasp*

The timing of this style of leadership is awful as this is one of the few times it really looks like one of the main two parties may be overtaken. I suspect there are many Conservatives who view Reform as a risk, so surely the old “strong and stable” mantra makes more sense.

is this good

This is excellent from @samfriedman.bsky.social explaining why Lab seems to ignore that they’re losing more votes on left than right. Identity is SUCH a strong motive for them I agree- but, as the now old chestnut Brexitland shows- identity is SUCH an important motive for voters on their left too. 1

As a (supposed) expert on parties & membership, I wouldn't myself call Labour members an "army of union officials, retired teachers and slightly odd students". But I loved @duncanrobinson.bsky.social's "The Labour Party is a place where memories are long and perspective is absent." Top essay title!

On the morning of Keir Starmer's conference speech here's a new post on an odd psychopathology in British politics - our main parties don't like the people who vote for them - the dreaded Professional Managerial Class. And so they are acting out like a divorced dad seeking cooler voters. 1/n

Notice that everywhere except Southern Europe, the middle class have proven to be a much more important part of the left's coalition than the working class since the early 2000s. Labour strategists are pining for the early 1980s. Even then working class Brits today are cleaners not miners. 9/n

Fascinating - and wouldn't be at all surprised if this were the case in the UK too. (Source: www.zora.uzh.ch/server/api/c...)

New @ipsosinscotland.bsky.social Scotland polling out now.

No voting intention, but clear ongoing declines in favourability towards Keir Starmer and Labour...

After years of making the running on immigration, Farage may this week have handed the initiative back to his opponents'. @robfordmancs.bsky.social for @ukandeu.bsky.social on the unpopularity of Reform's proposals on ILR ukandeu.ac.uk/reforms-radi...

Page long paragraphs are my nemesis.

Got a tshirt made for the first lecture with the first years

Reform are now coming after people with permanent residency. It'll be citizens next. No one is safe from authoritarian governments.

The financial realities of university life for some students; how do we imagine this funding system is fair, or conducive to a positive university experience for many?