Mark Crombie
@northofwatford.bsky.social
Indie music, education, popular and unpopular culture, Some other random stuff.
Reposted by Mark Crombie
Sometimes wonder if what the UK needs is a thinktank that doesn't do any new research, it just repeats obviously true statements that people try to ignore because they're inconvenient.
International students cross-subsidise home students. Your pension is paid for out of general taxation.
International students cross-subsidise home students. Your pension is paid for out of general taxation.
November 25, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Sometimes wonder if what the UK needs is a thinktank that doesn't do any new research, it just repeats obviously true statements that people try to ignore because they're inconvenient.
International students cross-subsidise home students. Your pension is paid for out of general taxation.
International students cross-subsidise home students. Your pension is paid for out of general taxation.
Reposted by Mark Crombie
Gove has been an extremely poisonous influence on our politics. Undermining expert consensus on Brexit [had enough of experts, etc] and lying his way through the whole process in the aftermath of the Referendum. A travesty that he is on this panel of judges assessing political writing.
I’m a past winner of the Orwell Prize & won partly because I exposed Vote Leave’s unlawful activities.
Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
Michael Gove Made Orwell Prize Judge Despite Record of Attacking Journalists and Dodging Scrutiny
Critics say "Orwell would have enjoyed the irony" of the former Conservative minister's appointment
bylinetimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Gove has been an extremely poisonous influence on our politics. Undermining expert consensus on Brexit [had enough of experts, etc] and lying his way through the whole process in the aftermath of the Referendum. A travesty that he is on this panel of judges assessing political writing.
Reposted by Mark Crombie
We urgently need to know how many of these accounts have been spreading/amplifying hate, division and instability in Britain. We already know that a foreign actor - Elon Musk - promoted violent overthrow of the government. Has his platform been enabling foreign adversaries to do the same?
This is one of the big accounts boosting Tommy Robinson, Farage and Reform and ‘English Patriots’.
It’s Russian.
It’s Russian.
November 24, 2025 at 10:09 AM
We urgently need to know how many of these accounts have been spreading/amplifying hate, division and instability in Britain. We already know that a foreign actor - Elon Musk - promoted violent overthrow of the government. Has his platform been enabling foreign adversaries to do the same?
Reposted by Mark Crombie
Labour's plan for a levy on foreign student fees makes no sense, unless it's to appease racists who don't like foreign students, or populists who believe in the lump of student capacity fallacy, that somehow they displace domestic students out of education.
November 23, 2025 at 10:53 PM
Labour's plan for a levy on foreign student fees makes no sense, unless it's to appease racists who don't like foreign students, or populists who believe in the lump of student capacity fallacy, that somehow they displace domestic students out of education.
Reposted by Mark Crombie
Remembering the late 🇺🇲 American actor and comedian Arthur "Harpo" Marx (23 November 1888 – 28 September 1964), seen here in the pre-Code comedy classic film "DUCK SOUP" (1933)dir. Leo McCarey
#HarpoMarx
🎬 Paramount Pictures
#HarpoMarx
🎬 Paramount Pictures
November 23, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Remembering the late 🇺🇲 American actor and comedian Arthur "Harpo" Marx (23 November 1888 – 28 September 1964), seen here in the pre-Code comedy classic film "DUCK SOUP" (1933)dir. Leo McCarey
#HarpoMarx
🎬 Paramount Pictures
#HarpoMarx
🎬 Paramount Pictures
Reposted by Mark Crombie
It’s just nuts. Even if you accept Labour’s policy diagnosis, we “lost control” of our borders, and concern about immigration was rising long before the alarming rise of racism. The big change on racism has been we traded an anti-racist government for one that is at best Trappist on it.
I find insane that shabana mahmood is going out there and saying "white british people cannot be asked to accept too many of us outsiders, it is not in their nature, and their pushback against all of us is to be placated". What???
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood made more explicit her argument that when ethnic minorities face racism, "we have no choice but to ask: what is the cause of our division"
Her answer is the level of net migration, 2019-23 causes racism. (She on Monday said it was caused by the scale of asylum)
Her answer is the level of net migration, 2019-23 causes racism. (She on Monday said it was caused by the scale of asylum)
November 21, 2025 at 1:45 PM
It’s just nuts. Even if you accept Labour’s policy diagnosis, we “lost control” of our borders, and concern about immigration was rising long before the alarming rise of racism. The big change on racism has been we traded an anti-racist government for one that is at best Trappist on it.
Reposted by Mark Crombie
Yes, it's the latest Politics Weekly UK, a rich & questioning chatfest with me, @kiranstacey.bsky.social, @gabyhinsliff.bsky.social & @rafaelbehr.bsky.social podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/p...
How dangerous are Labour’s asylum plans?
Podcast Episode · Politics Weekly UK · 19/11/2025 · 31m
podcasts.apple.com
November 19, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Yes, it's the latest Politics Weekly UK, a rich & questioning chatfest with me, @kiranstacey.bsky.social, @gabyhinsliff.bsky.social & @rafaelbehr.bsky.social podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/p...
Reposted by Mark Crombie
On Labour MPs in a dark place. Featuring King Lear. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Starmer’s squandering of a historic election victory is a tragedy nearing its finale | Rafael Behr
The tactics that gave Labour its huge majority in 2024 were no preparation for government – and the prime minister has proved he has nothing more to offer, says Guardian columnist Rafael Behr
www.theguardian.com
November 19, 2025 at 8:20 AM
On Labour MPs in a dark place. Featuring King Lear. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Mark Crombie
The Covid inquiry’s findings are shocking but unsurprising now, so the main thing it left me thinking is that without a vaccine we wd’ve been utterly screwed. & if you worked round the clock to make a thing that saved millions of lives globally, to see that legacy trashed by anti-vaxxers…
November 20, 2025 at 5:50 PM
The Covid inquiry’s findings are shocking but unsurprising now, so the main thing it left me thinking is that without a vaccine we wd’ve been utterly screwed. & if you worked round the clock to make a thing that saved millions of lives globally, to see that legacy trashed by anti-vaxxers…
Reposted by Mark Crombie
6 music playing Stone Roses first album in its entirety this morning is not exactly helping this middle aged Gen Xer resist the aching undertow of nostalgia for late 20th Century.
November 21, 2025 at 8:10 AM
6 music playing Stone Roses first album in its entirety this morning is not exactly helping this middle aged Gen Xer resist the aching undertow of nostalgia for late 20th Century.
Reposted by Mark Crombie
this week's newsletter is titled "aren't you tired of feeling insane all the time?" and I think it speaks for itself
it is also free to read
youngvulgarian.substack.com/p/arent-you-...
it is also free to read
youngvulgarian.substack.com/p/arent-you-...
November 21, 2025 at 10:18 AM
this week's newsletter is titled "aren't you tired of feeling insane all the time?" and I think it speaks for itself
it is also free to read
youngvulgarian.substack.com/p/arent-you-...
it is also free to read
youngvulgarian.substack.com/p/arent-you-...
Reposted by Mark Crombie
Word of the day is ‘quockerwodger’ (19th century): a puppet politician whose strings are pulled entirely by someone else.
November 21, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Word of the day is ‘quockerwodger’ (19th century): a puppet politician whose strings are pulled entirely by someone else.
Reposted by Mark Crombie
A theme of the Hallett report is that decisionmakers routinely underestimated the ability of the public to deal with complexity & accept hard trade-offs.
It's a problem that continues to plague our politics. One lesson of the pandemic is surely that we can have more honest conversations with voters
It's a problem that continues to plague our politics. One lesson of the pandemic is surely that we can have more honest conversations with voters
November 20, 2025 at 10:31 PM
A theme of the Hallett report is that decisionmakers routinely underestimated the ability of the public to deal with complexity & accept hard trade-offs.
It's a problem that continues to plague our politics. One lesson of the pandemic is surely that we can have more honest conversations with voters
It's a problem that continues to plague our politics. One lesson of the pandemic is surely that we can have more honest conversations with voters
Reposted by Mark Crombie
Also even if privately those people conceded that what Labour was proposing was enough, they'd just outbid them anyway and manufacture further grievances that more extreme measures were required to redress.
VERY funny that Labour are being pointlessly cruel and haemorrhaging support from their base and yet none of what they're offering is ever going to be enough for the people whose approval they're seeking, WHO could have predicted it
November 20, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Also even if privately those people conceded that what Labour was proposing was enough, they'd just outbid them anyway and manufacture further grievances that more extreme measures were required to redress.
Reassuring to see the expected level of humility from someone at the heart of government and willingness to learn any lessons.
November 20, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Reassuring to see the expected level of humility from someone at the heart of government and willingness to learn any lessons.
Reposted by Mark Crombie
My post on why Kent and Reform's other councils have got into such a mess....
samf.substack.com/p/the-realit...
samf.substack.com/p/the-realit...
November 19, 2025 at 12:10 PM
My post on why Kent and Reform's other councils have got into such a mess....
samf.substack.com/p/the-realit...
samf.substack.com/p/the-realit...
Reposted by Mark Crombie
Him: sinking the Tory Party
November 14, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Him: sinking the Tory Party
Reposted by Mark Crombie
Sara Cox completes marathon challenge and raises over £7m for Children in Need
Sara Cox completes marathon challenge and raises over £7m for Children in Need
Radio 2 DJ covered 135 miles in five days carrying a Pudsey Bear backpack from Kielder Forest to Pudsey, Leeds
The BBC presenter Sara Cox has completed her arduous challenge to cover 135 miles in five days, which has raised more than £7m for the Children in Need charity.
The 50-year-old, who presents Radio 2’s Teatime show on weekdays, crossed the finish line for her great northern marathon challenge at about 3.30pm on Friday after covering the equivalent of five marathons in five days, where she was greeted by a performance from former Spice Girl Melanie C. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 14, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Sara Cox completes marathon challenge and raises over £7m for Children in Need
Trying to perfect the Black Country cob experience at home.
November 14, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Trying to perfect the Black Country cob experience at home.
Can relate all too well to this.
Especially the moving thing.
Now I’m increasingly prone to a preliminary oof just anticipating moving.
Especially the moving thing.
Now I’m increasingly prone to a preliminary oof just anticipating moving.
People think Britain was a better place when they were prettier, had more sex, went out more and didn't go oof every time they moved.
November 14, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Can relate all too well to this.
Especially the moving thing.
Now I’m increasingly prone to a preliminary oof just anticipating moving.
Especially the moving thing.
Now I’m increasingly prone to a preliminary oof just anticipating moving.
Reposted by Mark Crombie
People think Britain was a better place when they were prettier, had more sex, went out more and didn't go oof every time they moved.
November 14, 2025 at 9:45 AM
People think Britain was a better place when they were prettier, had more sex, went out more and didn't go oof every time they moved.
Reposted by Mark Crombie
Reposted by Mark Crombie
After populism. New Substack.
In which I argue for a balanced liberalism - with a greater focus on work, place and the public good.
Oh, and 0.5p increase in income taxes to fund the restoration of local government....
open.substack.com/pub/anthonyp...
In which I argue for a balanced liberalism - with a greater focus on work, place and the public good.
Oh, and 0.5p increase in income taxes to fund the restoration of local government....
open.substack.com/pub/anthonyp...
After populism
A more balanced liberalism can lead us away from post-liberal populist malaise - if it focuses on place, work and restoration of the public good.
open.substack.com
November 14, 2025 at 2:17 PM
After populism. New Substack.
In which I argue for a balanced liberalism - with a greater focus on work, place and the public good.
Oh, and 0.5p increase in income taxes to fund the restoration of local government....
open.substack.com/pub/anthonyp...
In which I argue for a balanced liberalism - with a greater focus on work, place and the public good.
Oh, and 0.5p increase in income taxes to fund the restoration of local government....
open.substack.com/pub/anthonyp...
Reposted by Mark Crombie
I think some of the ideas are there in basic form, but the government has no idea how to make good on them. GB Energy and GB Railways spring to mind. Both should be things to get excited about, but there’s nothing there. Where’s the promise of better services to come? It doesn’t exist.
Why all the talk about leadership challenges misses the point that the biggest problem facing this Government is not just a lack of leadership but a lack of clear ideas about what a Labour Government is actually for
Until that changes, the question of who sits in No 10 will remain a hollow one.
Until that changes, the question of who sits in No 10 will remain a hollow one.
Labour's Biggest Problem Is Not a Lack of Leadership but a Lack of Ideas
Until Keir Starmer's party decides what it really stands for, the question of who leads them will remain a hollow one, argues Adam Bienkov
bylinetimes.com
November 14, 2025 at 1:11 PM
I think some of the ideas are there in basic form, but the government has no idea how to make good on them. GB Energy and GB Railways spring to mind. Both should be things to get excited about, but there’s nothing there. Where’s the promise of better services to come? It doesn’t exist.
Reposted by Mark Crombie
The irony is that the Right used to cast the 1970s as the nadir of Britain's postwar decline, from which it had been "rescued" by Mrs Thatcher.
Labour was invariably said to want to "take us back to the 1970s".
But the 80s is less attractive to Reform's new voters, so the 70s are being repurposed.
Labour was invariably said to want to "take us back to the 1970s".
But the 80s is less attractive to Reform's new voters, so the 70s are being repurposed.
"What is certain, and felt instinctively by almost everybody, is that things cannot go on in their present way" – The Times, May 1975
“It is difficult to imagine a previous period when such an all-pervasive hopelessness was exhibited at all levels of British life” – Professor Stephen Haseler, 1975
“It is difficult to imagine a previous period when such an all-pervasive hopelessness was exhibited at all levels of British life” – Professor Stephen Haseler, 1975
November 14, 2025 at 1:57 PM
The irony is that the Right used to cast the 1970s as the nadir of Britain's postwar decline, from which it had been "rescued" by Mrs Thatcher.
Labour was invariably said to want to "take us back to the 1970s".
But the 80s is less attractive to Reform's new voters, so the 70s are being repurposed.
Labour was invariably said to want to "take us back to the 1970s".
But the 80s is less attractive to Reform's new voters, so the 70s are being repurposed.