Nick Anstead
@nickanstead.bsky.social
Associate Professor at LSE, researching political communications and the role of ideas in politics. More on me and my research: https://linktr.ee/NickAnstead
Last night I was able to put this right at the O2. Completely epic evening #paranoidandroid
November 26, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Last night I was able to put this right at the O2. Completely epic evening #paranoidandroid
Enjoyed Bacchae @nationaltheatre.org.uk. It wasn’t perfect - the satire was not quite coherent - but it was fun & bawdy, & final denouncement about the role of theatre in society was v moving. It is also remarkable about seeing Greek tragedy in the Olivier, modelled on Theatre of Epidaurus.
October 28, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Enjoyed Bacchae @nationaltheatre.org.uk. It wasn’t perfect - the satire was not quite coherent - but it was fun & bawdy, & final denouncement about the role of theatre in society was v moving. It is also remarkable about seeing Greek tragedy in the Olivier, modelled on Theatre of Epidaurus.
I love that Aston Villa are playing a team called Go Ahead Eagles. I love even more that when they were founded in 1902 they were called Be Quick but had to change their name because another team was already called that…
October 23, 2025 at 6:17 PM
I love that Aston Villa are playing a team called Go Ahead Eagles. I love even more that when they were founded in 1902 they were called Be Quick but had to change their name because another team was already called that…
Amazing... 23rd July 1979, the height of the post-Iranian revolution oil price rise and Americans are brawling on the forecourt trying to fill up their cars. Meanwhile, Time Magazine is trying to sell electric cars. I wonder if they will catch on?
October 23, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Amazing... 23rd July 1979, the height of the post-Iranian revolution oil price rise and Americans are brawling on the forecourt trying to fill up their cars. Meanwhile, Time Magazine is trying to sell electric cars. I wonder if they will catch on?
Currently delving through 1970s back issues of Time Magazine for a project. Some pretty amazing period adverts in there.
October 23, 2025 at 8:11 AM
Currently delving through 1970s back issues of Time Magazine for a project. Some pretty amazing period adverts in there.
Imagine how disappointed you’d be if you’d got tickets to Kairat vs. Pafos.
October 21, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Imagine how disappointed you’d be if you’d got tickets to Kairat vs. Pafos.
As well as a ballroom, Donald Trump is apparently building massive new metaphor at the White House.
Seems unlikely anyone has done this much damage to the building since George Cockburn.
Seems unlikely anyone has done this much damage to the building since George Cockburn.
October 21, 2025 at 7:37 AM
As well as a ballroom, Donald Trump is apparently building massive new metaphor at the White House.
Seems unlikely anyone has done this much damage to the building since George Cockburn.
Seems unlikely anyone has done this much damage to the building since George Cockburn.
Who robbed the Louvre wrong answers only.
October 19, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Who robbed the Louvre wrong answers only.
Given that US government bugged Angela Merkal’s phone for a decade, isn’t it just more sensible to assume that basically everyone is trying to spy on them?
www.bbc.com/news/world-e...
www.bbc.com/news/world-e...
October 13, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Given that US government bugged Angela Merkal’s phone for a decade, isn’t it just more sensible to assume that basically everyone is trying to spy on them?
www.bbc.com/news/world-e...
www.bbc.com/news/world-e...
No chocolate bar for Mr Wickham?
October 8, 2025 at 10:56 AM
No chocolate bar for Mr Wickham?
Oh God, Jenrick has gone full on prop comedian.
October 7, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Oh God, Jenrick has gone full on prop comedian.
The Tory conference has made me think of this old Dick Morris quote about being functionally out of office if poll numbers drop below 50%.
Tory position is worse. Despite having 119 MPs, they are functionally not HM opposition. And they don't have levers of government to aid recovery.
Tory position is worse. Despite having 119 MPs, they are functionally not HM opposition. And they don't have levers of government to aid recovery.
October 7, 2025 at 10:26 AM
The Tory conference has made me think of this old Dick Morris quote about being functionally out of office if poll numbers drop below 50%.
Tory position is worse. Despite having 119 MPs, they are functionally not HM opposition. And they don't have levers of government to aid recovery.
Tory position is worse. Despite having 119 MPs, they are functionally not HM opposition. And they don't have levers of government to aid recovery.
Your regular reminder that the Midas touch did not work out well for Midas. The use of this metaphor always strikes me as weird.
October 1, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Your regular reminder that the Midas touch did not work out well for Midas. The use of this metaphor always strikes me as weird.
I find the term “working people” fascinating, as it has two distinct readings, which different people may hear.
It could be a synonym for “working class” & a particular economic group. But it could also be about age - the elements of the population that are economically active vs retirees.
It could be a synonym for “working class” & a particular economic group. But it could also be about age - the elements of the population that are economically active vs retirees.
September 30, 2025 at 1:58 PM
I find the term “working people” fascinating, as it has two distinct readings, which different people may hear.
It could be a synonym for “working class” & a particular economic group. But it could also be about age - the elements of the population that are economically active vs retirees.
It could be a synonym for “working class” & a particular economic group. But it could also be about age - the elements of the population that are economically active vs retirees.
The censors seemed to be particularly aggressive during Gulf War 1… my personal favourite from that time is that technically Massive Attack were forced to rename themselves, so Unfinished Symphony charted as being by the band Massive.
September 27, 2025 at 10:00 PM
The censors seemed to be particularly aggressive during Gulf War 1… my personal favourite from that time is that technically Massive Attack were forced to rename themselves, so Unfinished Symphony charted as being by the band Massive.
2. This passage caught my eye. Leaving aside the sheer nonsense, for a man who is auditioning to be PM, he’s basically saying “faced by a range of evidence showing any kind of contradiction, I am flummoxed”. Hardly an ideal position for the person in charge of eg a future pandemic response. [3/4]
September 24, 2025 at 6:21 PM
2. This passage caught my eye. Leaving aside the sheer nonsense, for a man who is auditioning to be PM, he’s basically saying “faced by a range of evidence showing any kind of contradiction, I am flummoxed”. Hardly an ideal position for the person in charge of eg a future pandemic response. [3/4]
Not a headline I ever expected to see.
September 19, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Not a headline I ever expected to see.
Just William is someone with a “knack for getting into the trouble.” It is not a description that can usefully be applied to the Tates.
@thespectator1828.bsky.social needs to have a good look at its performative contrarianism, as they are trashing their reputation.
@thespectator1828.bsky.social needs to have a good look at its performative contrarianism, as they are trashing their reputation.
September 18, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Just William is someone with a “knack for getting into the trouble.” It is not a description that can usefully be applied to the Tates.
@thespectator1828.bsky.social needs to have a good look at its performative contrarianism, as they are trashing their reputation.
@thespectator1828.bsky.social needs to have a good look at its performative contrarianism, as they are trashing their reputation.
I also think we hit on the fundamental problem later in the article. The closer the UK gets economically, the more problematic it becomes being out of the political decision making structure. This issue is magnified by any future CU / SM membership.
September 12, 2025 at 8:34 AM
I also think we hit on the fundamental problem later in the article. The closer the UK gets economically, the more problematic it becomes being out of the political decision making structure. This issue is magnified by any future CU / SM membership.
“Do you, Oliver North, take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife?”
“I do”.
“I do”.
September 10, 2025 at 12:22 AM
“Do you, Oliver North, take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife?”
“I do”.
“I do”.
God, the 90s were a different place, even though they don’t seem so long ago… you didn’t get famous with social media. Instead It involved motor biking singles to Radio 1 and playing live in TFI.
September 1, 2025 at 4:22 PM
God, the 90s were a different place, even though they don’t seem so long ago… you didn’t get famous with social media. Instead It involved motor biking singles to Radio 1 and playing live in TFI.
Proof… less grey hair back then.
September 1, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Proof… less grey hair back then.