Alexander Clarkson
@aphclarkson.bsky.social
Lecturer for European Politics and History at King's College London. Opinions my own. RT not always endorsement.
Also to be found at @APHClarkson
https://www.ullstein.de/werke/die-macht-der-diaspora/hardcover/978354910
Also to be found at @APHClarkson
https://www.ullstein.de/werke/die-macht-der-diaspora/hardcover/978354910
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
To put it another way: the most important aircraft in WWII was unarmed
February 4, 2026 at 6:29 PM
To put it another way: the most important aircraft in WWII was unarmed
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
One might interpret the Washington Post news as consistent with my ongoing claim that our legacy institutions, once thought to be the bulwark of civil society, will not save our democracy. They are simply too vulnerable to the extortion leveled by the ruling regime.
February 4, 2026 at 4:13 PM
One might interpret the Washington Post news as consistent with my ongoing claim that our legacy institutions, once thought to be the bulwark of civil society, will not save our democracy. They are simply too vulnerable to the extortion leveled by the ruling regime.
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
Wall Street Journal's loonies are confined to the opinion section, it's a top notch newspaper and has had fantastic reporting on Ukraine.
Across the pond, Financial Times is similarly solid.
Across the pond, Financial Times is similarly solid.
New York Times is now the only real newspaper as such left in America. Grim for many reasons.
February 4, 2026 at 6:22 PM
Wall Street Journal's loonies are confined to the opinion section, it's a top notch newspaper and has had fantastic reporting on Ukraine.
Across the pond, Financial Times is similarly solid.
Across the pond, Financial Times is similarly solid.
Great thread on a misreading of the foundations of US power that you can find as much among more "edgy" European as American elites
Sacking The Washington Post probably has Bezos high-fiving his yachted authoritarian friends, all thinking they’re noble Centurions putting a knife into some loudmouth Senator under cover of darkness and saving Rome in the process.
They fail to appreciate that they actually wrecked an aqueduct.
They fail to appreciate that they actually wrecked an aqueduct.
February 4, 2026 at 6:12 PM
Great thread on a misreading of the foundations of US power that you can find as much among more "edgy" European as American elites
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
(We were far poorer in 1954, financially and morally, but these doofuses cooked their brains on far right propaganda infecting FB, X, and Instagram so they can't tell the difference)
February 4, 2026 at 6:10 PM
(We were far poorer in 1954, financially and morally, but these doofuses cooked their brains on far right propaganda infecting FB, X, and Instagram so they can't tell the difference)
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
The central conceit of the "Let's Build!" / "Defense Tech" crowd is identical;
that excellence is right around the corner, you just need to;
"cut the red tape",
eliminate Wokeness,
cut DEI programming,
or heal some other imagined culture war injury & the US will stand like it's 1954 again.
that excellence is right around the corner, you just need to;
"cut the red tape",
eliminate Wokeness,
cut DEI programming,
or heal some other imagined culture war injury & the US will stand like it's 1954 again.
February 4, 2026 at 6:10 PM
The central conceit of the "Let's Build!" / "Defense Tech" crowd is identical;
that excellence is right around the corner, you just need to;
"cut the red tape",
eliminate Wokeness,
cut DEI programming,
or heal some other imagined culture war injury & the US will stand like it's 1954 again.
that excellence is right around the corner, you just need to;
"cut the red tape",
eliminate Wokeness,
cut DEI programming,
or heal some other imagined culture war injury & the US will stand like it's 1954 again.
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
Their collective misunderstanding of the sources of American power - and how their largesse is all downstream from it - is authentically stunning.
They believe they did it on their own, that their fortune isn’t a freak effect of the tax code, the courts, the Navy, rivers, & land grant universities.
They believe they did it on their own, that their fortune isn’t a freak effect of the tax code, the courts, the Navy, rivers, & land grant universities.
February 4, 2026 at 6:10 PM
Their collective misunderstanding of the sources of American power - and how their largesse is all downstream from it - is authentically stunning.
They believe they did it on their own, that their fortune isn’t a freak effect of the tax code, the courts, the Navy, rivers, & land grant universities.
They believe they did it on their own, that their fortune isn’t a freak effect of the tax code, the courts, the Navy, rivers, & land grant universities.
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
Sacking The Washington Post probably has Bezos high-fiving his yachted authoritarian friends, all thinking they’re noble Centurions putting a knife into some loudmouth Senator under cover of darkness and saving Rome in the process.
They fail to appreciate that they actually wrecked an aqueduct.
They fail to appreciate that they actually wrecked an aqueduct.
February 4, 2026 at 6:10 PM
Sacking The Washington Post probably has Bezos high-fiving his yachted authoritarian friends, all thinking they’re noble Centurions putting a knife into some loudmouth Senator under cover of darkness and saving Rome in the process.
They fail to appreciate that they actually wrecked an aqueduct.
They fail to appreciate that they actually wrecked an aqueduct.
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
Largely depends on if Starmer survives the next 48 hours which for anyone else would be completely impossible but this is a political operation that responded to Miliband signalling a coup last week by doubling down and treats its MPs as irrelevant so who knows
I think you could argue that not getting selected for the Gorton and Denton byelection is the best thing to happen to Andy Burnham in the last few years
February 4, 2026 at 6:10 PM
Largely depends on if Starmer survives the next 48 hours which for anyone else would be completely impossible but this is a political operation that responded to Miliband signalling a coup last week by doubling down and treats its MPs as irrelevant so who knows
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
Reminder: Mandelson was appointed to made a trade "deal" (with zero legal basis) with a country which is reneging on it and which anyway buys only 17% of UK goods exports.
Not convinced that's worth a scandal which might bring down a prime minister. America-brain strikes British politics again.
Not convinced that's worth a scandal which might bring down a prime minister. America-brain strikes British politics again.
February 4, 2026 at 6:07 PM
Reminder: Mandelson was appointed to made a trade "deal" (with zero legal basis) with a country which is reneging on it and which anyway buys only 17% of UK goods exports.
Not convinced that's worth a scandal which might bring down a prime minister. America-brain strikes British politics again.
Not convinced that's worth a scandal which might bring down a prime minister. America-brain strikes British politics again.
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
I can't help thinking Mandelson was appointed *because* he was The Prince of Darkness - an alleged master of the dark arts, which, back then, was arguably going to be needed in spades in the Court of King Trump.
"In retrospect Prime Minister, was his nickname of The Prince of Darkness not a tiny bit of a red flag?"
February 4, 2026 at 3:32 PM
I can't help thinking Mandelson was appointed *because* he was The Prince of Darkness - an alleged master of the dark arts, which, back then, was arguably going to be needed in spades in the Court of King Trump.
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
If you are a labour mp morgan mcsweeney thinks you're an idiot
Latest from Downing St:
“Before Peter Mandelson was appointed, there had been reports that linked him with Jeffrey Epstein, including after he was first convicted. This was looked into as part of the appointment process, as the Prime Minister referenced today…”
“Before Peter Mandelson was appointed, there had been reports that linked him with Jeffrey Epstein, including after he was first convicted. This was looked into as part of the appointment process, as the Prime Minister referenced today…”
February 4, 2026 at 5:45 PM
If you are a labour mp morgan mcsweeney thinks you're an idiot
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
Yet again, it seems like the government will be saved from defeat by its own MPs from the quick political judgment of Angela Rayner.
February 4, 2026 at 3:26 PM
Yet again, it seems like the government will be saved from defeat by its own MPs from the quick political judgment of Angela Rayner.
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
always bears repeating that this is NOT a financial decision. jeff bezos is worth over 250 billion dollars. he can afford to lose many millions and never even notice it. this is, at its core, a political and personal decision by bezos to destroy the post
WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington Post says one-third of its staff across all departments, not just the newsroom, is being laid off.
February 4, 2026 at 3:04 PM
always bears repeating that this is NOT a financial decision. jeff bezos is worth over 250 billion dollars. he can afford to lose many millions and never even notice it. this is, at its core, a political and personal decision by bezos to destroy the post
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
I'll say more before too long, but for now: Thanks to anyone who has ever read and supported the Post's books coverage.
February 4, 2026 at 3:24 PM
I'll say more before too long, but for now: Thanks to anyone who has ever read and supported the Post's books coverage.
I think you could argue that not getting selected for the Gorton and Denton byelection is the best thing to happen to Andy Burnham in the last few years
February 4, 2026 at 5:28 PM
I think you could argue that not getting selected for the Gorton and Denton byelection is the best thing to happen to Andy Burnham in the last few years
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
Bring back honor. If you are in charge of an organization and send an email detailing this many failures in its strategic vision, you need to resign at the end of it.
Matt Murray's full email to staff about today's cuts at the Washington Post
February 4, 2026 at 5:18 PM
Bring back honor. If you are in charge of an organization and send an email detailing this many failures in its strategic vision, you need to resign at the end of it.
Not sure what the SNP is up to, but Swinney is a canny enough player to only start digging if he knows where and what he needs to find buried in a treasure chest
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
February 4, 2026 at 5:26 PM
Not sure what the SNP is up to, but Swinney is a canny enough player to only start digging if he knows where and what he needs to find buried in a treasure chest
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
The vibes they are a'changin' bsky.app/profile/rmcu...
The tone of this debate about releasing the Mandelson info is really fascinating. It's become a matter on the sovereignty of parliament itself. Owen Patterson has been mentioned. And Labour MPs are standing firm against the government.
Starting to really wonder how Starmer gets through this
Starting to really wonder how Starmer gets through this
February 4, 2026 at 2:51 PM
The vibes they are a'changin' bsky.app/profile/rmcu...
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
I'd echo this. The mood in the last couple of hours has got *extremely* dark.
I have never seen anger like this on the Labour benches in private and in public. This is the kind of territory where things can move very fast.
February 4, 2026 at 2:11 PM
I'd echo this. The mood in the last couple of hours has got *extremely* dark.
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
INBOX: Washington Post Ukraine Correspondent Lizzie Johnson announces that she has been laid off in the middle of a below-freezing war zone without power, heat, or running water.
February 4, 2026 at 5:11 PM
INBOX: Washington Post Ukraine Correspondent Lizzie Johnson announces that she has been laid off in the middle of a below-freezing war zone without power, heat, or running water.
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
Ahead of Super Bowl Sunday, a digital billboard is pissing off locals at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. Right where tourists are flooding in for the game.
The billboard cycles through three ads comparing ICE to football “defense”.
Paid for by a group calling itself American Sovereignty. 🙄
The billboard cycles through three ads comparing ICE to football “defense”.
Paid for by a group calling itself American Sovereignty. 🙄
February 4, 2026 at 3:04 PM
Ahead of Super Bowl Sunday, a digital billboard is pissing off locals at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. Right where tourists are flooding in for the game.
The billboard cycles through three ads comparing ICE to football “defense”.
Paid for by a group calling itself American Sovereignty. 🙄
The billboard cycles through three ads comparing ICE to football “defense”.
Paid for by a group calling itself American Sovereignty. 🙄
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
this is a wicked man who knows he is being wicked and does it anyway
Reporter: Do you plan to apologize to the family of Alex Pretti?
Vance: For what?
Vance: For what?
February 4, 2026 at 4:41 PM
this is a wicked man who knows he is being wicked and does it anyway
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
Sad sign of the times.
The WP was a must read during my time in Washington and David Ignatius of the WP one of the people you wanted to meet as a press counselor.
The WP was a must read during my time in Washington and David Ignatius of the WP one of the people you wanted to meet as a press counselor.
It's almost as if making key political and cultural institutions dependent on the erratic largesse of a handful of oligarchs means that democracy dies in darkness
But Bezos had $75 million to spend on Melania’s vanity project.
February 4, 2026 at 5:16 PM
Sad sign of the times.
The WP was a must read during my time in Washington and David Ignatius of the WP one of the people you wanted to meet as a press counselor.
The WP was a must read during my time in Washington and David Ignatius of the WP one of the people you wanted to meet as a press counselor.
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
Fun fact: in 2003 the midsized regional papers (think the Chicago Tribune, Dallas Morning News) also had overseas bureaus with permanent staff abroad
Good example of what an institution the size of WaPo can do that is very difficult to replace. Local, worker-owned publications & nonprofits do excellent accountability work but I don’t imagine any could set up an ME bureau, with staff across the region, logistics, legal and security support, etc
WaPo laying off entire Middle East team
February 4, 2026 at 4:58 PM
Fun fact: in 2003 the midsized regional papers (think the Chicago Tribune, Dallas Morning News) also had overseas bureaus with permanent staff abroad