Ben H. Ansell | Lightnews

Ben Ansell

@benansell.bsky.social

30K followers 1K following 6.8K posts

Professor of Comparative Democratic Institutions, Nuffield & University of Oxford, FBA. http://benansell.substack.com. BBC Reith Lecturer 2023. Host BBC Radio 4 Rethink. Columnist for Prospect. Director, Centre for Advanced Social Science Methods (CASSM). .. more

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Ben W. Ansell is Professor of Comparative Democratic Institutions at Nuffield College, University of Oxford and, with David Samuels, editor of Comparative Political Studies.

Source: Wikipedia

Political science 47%

Economics 40%

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Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 4h

Oh you shouldn't feel guilty - I'm actually an evil person who drives to Broadcasting House from Oxford when I do NN. Although now I am tempted to ask for a cab back to North Oxford rather than say Paddington

Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 4h

As a usual non cab-taker guest on Newsnight I can confirm that plenty of my fellow guests from erm right-leaning backgrounds hop straight into those cabs at 11:05... I guess it's just me who cares about "tax-payer value" 😢

Reposted by Ben H. Ansell

Avery Edison @averyedison.com · 12h

You’re right—swallowing the bird was a half-measure. The bird did eat the spider, as planned, but now you have a bird in you. It reminds you of swallowing the spider to catch the fly. You’re seeing the pattern.

Would you like me to suggest some animals which could eat the bird?

Reposted by Ben H. Ansell

Will @will-rich.bsky.social · 12h

The number of one-off structural changes that disadvantage young people vs their parents at the same age is pretty staggering

Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 1d

This was Adam Wharton through the looking glass today

Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 1d

There will be karate kicks at Selhurst again at this rate.

Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 1d

Tyler Cowen? Sanewashing a policy he would never remotely support under a different leader? Surely not?

Adam Gurri @adamgurri.liberalcurrents.com · 1d

Meanwhile, look at this subheader

Tyler Cowen: ‘Buying’ Greenland Is Not an Option
Greenlanders will prosper under U.S. rule, but they need to be persuaded, not threatened.
By Tyler Cowen

Reposted by Ben H. Ansell, Scott L. Greer, Steve Peers , and 2 more Ben H. Ansell, Scott L. Greer, Steve Peers, Michael A. Clemens, Michael H. Whitworth

John Pfaff @johnpfaff.bsky.social · 1d

Op-Ed in the National Catholic Reporter is not pulling any punches.

“The vice president's comments justifying the death of Renee Good are a moral stain on the collective witness of our Catholic faith”

Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 1d

Maybe Danny Kruger has a soft spot for the Conservatives after all and wants to keep them alive.

Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 1d

Can’t believe the Guehi and Wharton I saw at Selhurst on Wednesday were the same people I saw on TV today.

Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 1d

If you’re going to lose, do it properly IMO

Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 1d

All powered by storm-force resentment

Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 1d

Congrats. You smashed us. Deserved win

Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 1d

Guéhi and Wharton somehow contrived to be the worst two players on the pitch. I saw them at Selhurst on Wednesday when they looked like world-beaters! But not Macc-beaters…

Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 1d

Was going to say. Nixon remains always the most useful comparator (unless you want to go full Andrew Jackson)

Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 1d

One of many gestures of generosity today ;)

Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 1d

Please not Maurice Glasman to Man U…

Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 1d

Well done Macclesfield. You smashed us.

Reposted by Ben H. Ansell

Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 1d

🧵 This is a very useful piece from @shippersunbound.bsky.social providing an insight into the two policy main brains in Reform UK - Danny Kruger and Zia Yusuf and how they are thinking about their approach
Kruger says ‘It’s got to be Trump 2, not Trump 1.’
spectator.com/article/we-w...

‘We will use the power of democracy to blow you away’: Reform plots a path to No. 10

As he made his way to lunch on Monday, Danny Kruger, the former Tory MP who defected to Reform last year, could be seen clutching a well-thumbed copy of John Campbell’s biography of Lord Haldane, one ...

spectator.com

Reposted by Ben H. Ansell

Jonathan Portes @jdportes.bsky.social · 1d

who could have predicted that stopping international students, care workers and nurses from coming to the UK would damage the economy/public finances while yielding precisely no political benefits?

Oh. Me.

[& lots of others obviously]

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 1d

Two-thirds of UK voters wrongly think immigration is rising, poll finds

Exclusive: Voters say they have little confidence that government can control borders despite sharp falls in net migration A large majority of UK voters believe immigration is increasing despite sharp falls in the number of people entering the UK, according to exclusive polling shared with the Guardian. Voters also say they have no confidence in the government’s ability to control the UK’s borders, according to the poll by More in Common. The results will come as a blow to Keir Starmer’s administration, which has taken an increasingly hardline stance on immigration in recent months. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 1d

♥️

Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 1d

Really feel like I’ve got my old Crystal Palace back

Reposted by Jonathan Portes, Ben H. Ansell, Will Jennings , and 3 more Jonathan Portes, Ben H. Ansell, Will Jennings, Andrew Scott, Steven Fielding, Dan Hicks

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 1d

Two-thirds of UK voters wrongly think immigration is rising, poll finds

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Ben H. Ansell, Peter Jacobs

Adam Gurri @adamgurri.liberalcurrents.com · 1d

Meanwhile, look at this subheader

Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 1d

Notice received 🫡

Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 1d

There goes political commentary - fundamentally undermined on this the day of our Lord 10/1/25

Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 2d

Am largely with you on this but as someone who lived in Minneapolis for seven years and so does have a personal connection to this I do also appreciate seeing support on this outrage from around the world. But of course that would also be true for lots of other similar acts elsewhere.