I teach History at Oxford Brookes University. Occasionally I write about politics.
Sep 25, 2018 • 8 tweets • 2 min read
So now a @UKLabour split looks almost inevitable, time to look at some of its contours.
(1) How many? I think there's a big number here: 24. That's the number of MPs that in alliance with the Lib Dems would pass SNP and become third party in HoC. Get guaranteed Qs at PMQs.
Jul 12, 2018 • 9 tweets • 2 min read
Okay, we've got far enough now that we can see No. 10's #Brexit strategy. /Thread
It's basically to bring things to a head as late as humanly possible - December to late January. At that stage they will squeeze Tory rebels with (among Euroenthusiasts) 'it's this or chaos' and (among Eurosceptics) 'it's this or no Brexit at all'.
Apr 17, 2018 • 15 tweets • 2 min read
Okay, since we're debating anti-semitism again, let's have a quick run-through of what #Labour might have done, and what they have done.
Have they announced a specific speech by the Leader, or Deputy Leader, admitting mistakes in the past, and laying out a *specific* policy agenda to tackle the problem? No.
Apr 16, 2018 • 9 tweets • 2 min read
On why #SyriaStrikes are such fertile ground for Russia. 👇
The Kremlin is an adversary that thrives on confusion, uncertainty, doubt. Syria is a complex battlefield - peculiarly fertile for dispute and disinformation. Stumbled on it by chance, but pleased to have done so.
Oct 4, 2017 • 16 tweets • 3 min read
Maybe #Labour people feel smug after the Tories' self-indulgent misery-fest. They shouldn't. Theirs was a state too.
A load of people gathering for a self-congratulatory slap on each others' backs, having achieved the square root of jack nothing.
