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Ben Worthy

@benworthy.bsky.social

740 followers 950 following 74 posts

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Political science 65%

Sociology 11%

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Ben Worthy @benworthy.bsky.social · 17d

My piece on Trump's Fascism for Political Insight 'Authoritarianism, mass arrests, political violence – Donald Trump’s regime fits the historical pattern of fascism' journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....

The Fascism of Donald Trump - Ben Worthy, 2025

journals.sagepub.com

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Reposted by Ben Worthy

Rebecca McKee @rebeccamckee.bsky.social · 1d

Ages ago I did some research on Patsy Calton MP for Cheadle and I always remember this story about her going street to street in Cheadle with her surgeries!

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Ben Worthy @benworthy.bsky.social · 1d

A big yes to this! Lots of this data comes in newsletters etc but back in 2022 we found only 1 MP actually publishing data about number of surgeries etc.

Alice Lilly @aliceolilly.bsky.social · 1d

Really interesting- and, I think, welcome- to see MPs sharing this kind of data about casework.

Casework is largely invisible (other than to the constituents it helps!) compared to what MPs do in the Commons chamber but is a huge part of MPs’ workload, and it’s really hard to get robust data on it

Dr Beccy Cooper MP @drbeccycoopermp.bsky.social · 1d

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Reposted by Ben Worthy

Rebecca McKee @rebeccamckee.bsky.social · 1d

It's 'funded' by parliament because it's a post about activity that the MPs' staff have undertaken to support the MP in their parliamentary role which they are paid to do by IPSA. If you're interested in MPs staff (it's fascinating!) I have a report on just this www.ucl.ac.uk/social-histo...

NEW REPORT: MPs' Staff, the Unsung Heroes: An Examination of Who They Are and What They Do

A new Constitution Unit report examines the key role played by MPs' staff in our political system, shedding new light on who they are, and what they do.

www.ucl.ac.uk

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Reposted by John Foot, Ben Worthy, Kevin O’Sullivan , and 1 more John Foot, Ben Worthy, Kevin O’Sullivan, Kathleen Kennedy

Jonathan Healey @jonathanhealey.bsky.social · 1d

It was two OUP books.

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Reposted by Will Jennings, Ben Worthy, Philip Cowley

Alice Lilly @aliceolilly.bsky.social · 1d

Dr Beccy Cooper MP @drbeccycoopermp.bsky.social · 1d

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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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Ben Worthy @benworthy.bsky.social · 3d

This is a great interview. The three motives for writing, the inequalities, and the advice to champion voice over volume, are very helpful.

Cas Ⓜ️udde @casmudde.bsky.social · 3d

This was a really challenging interview and I thank @catherinedevries.bsky.social for pushing me to reflect on why and how I write. I was kind of surprised by the result myself.

Hope you like it… and read the other interesting interviews by her.

Catherine E. de Vries @catherinedevries.bsky.social · 3d

Writing isn’t just about what you say, it’s about what you refuse to lose in the process.

Read my conversation with Cas Mudde on writing, voice, and resisting conformity in academia, in the media, and on the page.

🔗 catherineeunicedevries.substack.com/p/etched-in-...

🧵

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Reposted by Catherine E. De Vries, Mirya R. Holman, Ben Worthy , and 1 more Catherine E. De Vries, Mirya R. Holman, Ben Worthy, Tom Louwerse

Cas Ⓜ️udde @casmudde.bsky.social · 3d

Catherine E. de Vries @catherinedevries.bsky.social · 3d

catherineeunicedevries.substack.com

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Reposted by Nandita Sharma, Richard S.J. Tol, David Rothschild , and 4 more Nandita Sharma, Richard S.J. Tol, David Rothschild, Robert C. Richards, Ben Worthy, Henry Jones, Prokla Redaktion

Steve Mullis @stevemullis.net · 4d

"hand-to-hand combat with antifa every night"

a guy in a frog costume standing facing a line of police and ICE agents in Portland

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Reposted by Daniela Gabor, Ben H. Ansell, Will Jennings , and 5 more Daniela Gabor, Ben H. Ansell, Will Jennings, Tim Bale, Lesley A. Hall, Anne Goulding, Ben Worthy, Margot C. Finn

Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 5d

Reform likely to raise Kent council tax after cost-cutting drive falters on.ft.com/4pTvJ62

Reform likely to raise Kent council tax after cost-cutting drive falters

Nigel Farage’s party promised to revive local authority finances by slashing wasteful spending

on.ft.com

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Reposted by Ben Worthy

Dr Adam Evans @a-b-evans.bsky.social · 6d

#stormont #devolution #CashforAshTwoEconomicBoogaloo

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Reposted by Ben Worthy

opendemocracy.net @opendemocracy.net · 7d

I spent years reporting on digital IDs like the Brit Card. This is what I found ⤵️
www.opendemocracy.net/en/digital-i...

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Ben Worthy @benworthy.bsky.social · 8d

This is fascinating by @jonnelledge.bsky.social. I had no idea Cornwall had its own Parliament

Jonn Elledge @jonnelledge.bsky.social · 9d

"There’s been a petition. There’s been a vote. There’s been a government response that can be translated as “Bugger off and stop being silly”.

So – could Cornwall really take its place in the brotherhood of nations?

From the Outside

This week: everything I thought about Labour conference while not being there. Also: a deep dive into Cornish separatism and the nature of national identity.

jonn.substack.com

Reposted by Ben Worthy

Jonn Elledge @jonnelledge.bsky.social · 9d

From the Outside

This week: everything I thought about Labour conference while not being there. Also: a deep dive into Cornish separatism and the nature of national identity.

jonn.substack.com

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Ben Worthy @benworthy.bsky.social · 10d

Just recirculating this on Trump's Fascism.

Ben Worthy @benworthy.bsky.social · 17d

The Fascism of Donald Trump - Ben Worthy, 2025

journals.sagepub.com

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Reposted by Cas Mudde, Will Jennings, Ben Worthy , and 1 more Cas Mudde, Will Jennings, Ben Worthy, Simon Usherwood

Mike Slaven @mcslaven.bsky.social · 12d

So I just happen to have published this article on when and why it works to call anti-immigrant policies racist. And this is, uh... not how you do it www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

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Reposted by Daniel W. Drezner, Ben Worthy

Thomas Zimmer @thomaszimmer.bsky.social · 13d

Ezra Klein has played a fascinating role in entrenching “polarization” as the – deeply flawed – master narrative of our time: His 2020 book “Why We’re Polarized” did a lot to propagate the idea.

But if you read the book carefully, Klein inadvertently provides a good case *against* this diagnosis.

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Reposted by Ben Worthy

Sam McBride @sjamcbride.bsky.social · 14d

Until two days ago, I believed the Secretary of State had the sole power to call a border poll. Remarkably, he doesn't. The Government says a little-known fetter on his power means the Commons or the Lords hold a veto. That could be incredibly messy.

Largely unknown parliamentary veto on border poll exists — but Government dismisses possibility of a rogue minister

Most people — even those with deep knowledge of the subject — would say confidently that the legal power to call a border poll rests with the Secretary of State alone. I believed so until two days ago...

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk

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Reposted by Will Jennings, Scott L. Greer, Steve Peers , and 7 more Will Jennings, Scott L. Greer, Steve Peers, Tim Bale, Julian Petley, Ailsa Henderson, Ben Worthy, Justin Lewis, Christina Pagel, Nicolai von Ondarza

Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 19d

It just straightforwardly *insane* how much political chatter in the United Kingdom is about the next general election, an event that is a long way in the future, and how basically none of it is about 'uh, this policy agenda doesn't look adequate to the scale of the inherited problem'.

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Reposted by Becky Francis, Steve Peers, Ben Worthy , and 1 more Becky Francis, Steve Peers, Ben Worthy, Steven Fielding

Peter Geoghegan @petergeoghegan.bsky.social · 19d

I wrote my first investigative piece raising concerns about Covid contracts in *April 2020*. Great to see this finally on screen

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 19d

The Covid Contracts: Follow the Money review – a devastating picture of the biggest spending scandal ever

This rigorous look at the Tories’ ‘VIP lane’ for PPE suppliers during Covid raises questions about the motivations of those involved – ones that are almost too disgusting to contemplate

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Will Jennings, Steve Peers, Ben Worthy , and 3 more Will Jennings, Steve Peers, Ben Worthy, Seán Hanley, Stuart White, Thomas Pink

Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 19d

I hate to admit it but I suspect McSweeney is right that the 2029 election will be a ‘republican front’ vs Farage. Farage veering further right makes that easier to do. Whether McSweeney’s own advice over the past year has made this situation more likely is another question…

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Reposted by Steve Peers, Ben Worthy, Ariadne Vromen , and 1 more Steve Peers, Ben Worthy, Ariadne Vromen, Simon Usherwood

Will Jennings 🗳️ @drjennings.bsky.social · 19d

It’s worth asking the question why British politics is trying so hard to copy American politics when the same policies aren’t even popular there, let alone here.

Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 19d

I'll have more to say on Reform's proposals to scrap ILR at some point but for now I'll just note this - anyone telling you this is a popular idea doesn't know the polling. Overwhelming majority of public back giving people who work and pay taxes most or all rights after 5 years or less

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Reposted by Becky Francis, Steve Peers, Ben Worthy

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 19d

The Covid Contracts: Follow the Money review – a devastating picture of the biggest spending scandal ever

This rigorous look at the Tories’ ‘VIP lane’ for PPE suppliers during Covid raises questions about the motivations of those involved – ones that are almost too disgusting to contemplate

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Ben Worthy

Dr Adam Evans @a-b-evans.bsky.social · 20d

Some rather bracing discussion in today’s @willhaycardiff.bsky.social substack (featuring analysis from @jaclarner.bsky.social) of *that* @walesgovernance.bsky.social/ ITV Wales @yougov.co.uk poll & where things stand ahead of next year’s Senedd election
#devolution #senedd

Everything is about to change

If this poll is anywhere near accurate, we are in uncharted territory

willhaywardwales.substack.com

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Ben Worthy @benworthy.bsky.social · 20d

In a world awash with data, does the Trump White House really believe it can black out the web, and avoid transparency? And if not, why are they even trying?
www.liberalcurrents.com/trumps-war-o...

Trump’s War on Transparency

Information is power, and information removed is power weakened.

www.liberalcurrents.com

Reposted by John Foot, Ben Worthy

Liam Thorp @liamthorp.bsky.social · 20d

I’m only surprised this headline didn’t finish with ‘and why this is all good for Nigel Farage’

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Ben Worthy @benworthy.bsky.social · 20d

John, I'm based at Birkbeck in Social Sciences (actually in Politics). Drop me an email [email protected]

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Reposted by Ben Worthy

John Oxley @joxley.jmoxley.co.uk · 20d

Always feel slightly weird doing the 🚨personal news🚨 thing, but anyway, I am somewhat excited to be starting a masters in International Security and Global Governance at Birkbeck this coming week.

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Ben Worthy @benworthy.bsky.social · 21d

Trump’s War on Transparency www.liberalcurrents.com/trumps-war-o...

Trump’s War on Transparency

Information is power, and information removed is power weakened.