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David Herdson @davidherdson.bsky.social · 18h

First paragraph, good. Second paragraph, not so good.

Europe shouldn't be giving the US a brake on policy and support. Just get on and do it.

David Herdson @davidherdson.bsky.social · 18h

Surely their point is to ingest blood - which doesn't sound very vegan to me?

David Herdson @davidherdson.bsky.social · 19h

Indiana Jones and *his* museum is full of your fucking stuff, the thieving bastard.

Featuring the landmark case of Various indigenous nations and tribes v Jones, Brody et al 1937

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David Herdson @davidherdson.bsky.social · 19h

Is there any reason to assume this will work out better the second time around? No fundamentals have changed so unless someone blinks, France is just going end up back with no government in a couple of weeks.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Macron reappoints Lecornu as French PM after days of turmoil

Sébastien Lecornu resigned on Monday after 26 days in the job and he said two days later his

www.bbc.co.uk

David Herdson @davidherdson.bsky.social · 1d

Not true. The rule of law applied and was taken seriously. Rather more than it does in America at the moment with ICE running unchecked.

In the 1770s, memories of the revolutions of the 17th century were still fresh in political memory.

Besides, as I said, the king didn't control the executive.

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David Herdson @davidherdson.bsky.social · 1d

As an aside, the English / British monarch is whoever parliament says it is, so is effectively elected whenever parliament decides.

The House of Hanover, of which George was only the third king, was given the crown by the Act of Settlement 1701.

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David Herdson @davidherdson.bsky.social · 1d

British government policy was made by ministers accountable to parliament, not the king. George could and did express opinion, and could exercise considerable patronage but he was very far from a despot.

Domestic American matters were, of course, largely handled by the elected colonial assemblies.

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David Herdson @davidherdson.bsky.social · 1d

VI polls are accurate measures of voting intention though. We shouldn't compare apples and oranges as if they're the same thing.

These other polls undoubtedly have utility but to a different purpose.

FWIW I don't consider the Greens 'progressive'. Far too intolerant and inclined to ban or mandate.

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David Herdson @davidherdson.bsky.social · 1d

Although worth noting that George III was neither power-mad nor a despot.

Unlike men such as Washington and Jefferson, he didn't own slaves.

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David Herdson @davidherdson.bsky.social · 1d

Well, apart from it being the clear context of Election Maps post at the head of the thread, votes cast are what decide elections.

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David Herdson @davidherdson.bsky.social · 1d

There *is* a certain sort of consistency there though?

Two consistencies actually, if we count his ignorance as well.

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David Herdson @davidherdson.bsky.social · 1d

Not in real voting intention polls.

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David Herdson @davidherdson.bsky.social · 1d

Also the Greens, though their support is too broad-but-thin mostly to translate into seats yet. But a party in double-figures can't be ignored.

If the Tories do drop to fourth or worse, that creates an interesting question for the Lib Dems with the marginally right-of-centre going uncontested.

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David Herdson @davidherdson.bsky.social · 1d

Probably a mix of campaign dynamics, a national collapse in the Labour vote, as well as tactical voting. I'm assuming the Greens and Labour didn't campaign hard where as the Lib Dems did.

That said, I disagree about the threat of Reform. General elections work differently from local by-elections.

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David Herdson @davidherdson.bsky.social · 1d

One of the main reasons I joined the Lib Dems immediately after the last general election was that I foresaw precisely this dynamic Rob describes below, and wanted to play my part in a political battle with a deep ideological divide and where who wins matters enormously.

Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 1d

Among the many possibilities for the next few years, the scenario of swapping one pair of dominant parties (Lab and Con) for another (Reform and LD) is intriguing, under-discussed and, in English elections, not entirely implausible either (several county councils made this leap in May)

Election Maps UK @electionmaps.uk · 1d

Aggregate Result of the 122 Council By-Elections (for 125 Seats) since the 2025 Local Elections:

RFM: 47 (+40)
LDM: 32 (+10)
CON: 13 (-15)
LAB: 12 (-30)
GRN: 11 (+3)
Ind: 5 (-4)
Local: 3 (-3)
SNP: 1 (-1)
PLC: 1 (=)

Explore: electionmaps.uk/byelections-...

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David Herdson @davidherdson.bsky.social · 1d

That said, I dislike awarding the Prize for anything other than achievements already banked. It's for others - the American people above all - to control Trump's future actions.

David Herdson @davidherdson.bsky.social · 1d

Trump is far more interested in peace than in justice. Yes, he wants the prize (mainly because it infuriates him that Obama has one and he doesn't), but his comfort zone is real estate development. That's where his grift is and he wants peace because it allows him to make money.

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Reposted by David Herdson

Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 3d

Where's the downside? www.theguardian.com/business/202...

However, critics are warning that the planned liberalisation of the alcohol licensing regime in England and Wales will erode local councils’ right to decide on opening hours, hand the drink industry unprecedented power and limit the ability of people affected by late night openings to object.

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David Herdson @davidherdson.bsky.social · 1d

I get the impression that they're not very keen on awarding a Prize to Trump?

That said, if he can make a lasting peace (and a peace of equals) in Palestine, well, there've been less-worthy recipients. A very, very long way to go before that though.

Reuters @reuters.com · 1d

'When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognize courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist,' the Norwegian Nobel Committee said as it announced Maria Corina Machado as the winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize

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David Herdson @davidherdson.bsky.social · 1d

Meanwhile, France still doesn't have a government and that of the US is well into its second week of shutdown.

Just in case what would once have been dominating international news stories are passing us by.

The 2020s, eh?

David Herdson @davidherdson.bsky.social · 1d

To be convincing you need to sound convincing; you need to sound as if you're convinced yourself.

Passion always helps in that regard but so too does a robust argument that can be made from first principles.

But those principles have to be grounded. Too often, at the moment, Labour's aren't.

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David Herdson @davidherdson.bsky.social · 2d

Britain is so vulnerable to its institutions being politicised because it's never needed to protect against it in the modern era; the guardrails have been primarily norms, standards and culture that all sides have abided by (because they work).

Timely study and article.

Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · 2d

🧵🚨

The UK’s independent scientific bodies are highly vulnerable to politicisation - over the past 5 months I've been working with @martinmckee.bsky.social to map out their vulnerabilities and it's not good news.

Today our report is published!
www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...

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UK’s arm’s length public bodies are highly vulnerable to politicisation

Seven in ten Britons say it is important for top scientific institutions to be independent in exclusive new polling.

www.ucl.ac.uk

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David Herdson @davidherdson.bsky.social · 2d

Ha. Well, there is that.

But I do think the Greens will get more in future than they are at the moment, if only because of the right-wing bias of social and print media, and Polanski's colourful past.

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David Herdson @davidherdson.bsky.social · 2d

I think this is the highest-ever Green share of the vote in a UK / GB poll.

Even more notable that they're only two points off second.

FWIW, I don't think they're ready for the level of scrutiny that would come with that kind of performance. A lot of people see what they want to with the Greens.

Election Maps UK @electionmaps.uk · 2d

Westminster Voting Intention:

RFM: 32% (-3)
LAB: 17% (-2)
CON: 17% (+3)
GRN: 15% (+4)
LDM: 12% (=)
SNP: 3% (=)

Via @findoutnow.bsky.social, 8 Oct.
Changes w/ 1 Oct.

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Reposted by David Herdson

Joni Askola @joniaskola.bsky.social · 3d

1/7 Why is Ukraine still winning and Russia still losing the war?

This thread lists a few key facts that Putin would prefer you forget

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