Colm Murphy
@colmpm.bsky.social
Historian of UK and ROI politics and political economy. Senior Lecturer at QMUL and Deputy Director of Mile End Institute (https://www.qmul.ac.uk/politics/staff/profiles/murphycolm.html). Book on Labour and 'modernisation' (https://tinyurl.com/37tzatvk).
Reposted by Colm Murphy
Is the government right to restrict trial by jury for all but the most serious offences?
What can behavioural science tell us about how juries make decisions?
Have we really had "800 years of trial by one's peers"?
Find out at our free webinar, Tuesday at 12:00!
us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
What can behavioural science tell us about how juries make decisions?
Have we really had "800 years of trial by one's peers"?
Find out at our free webinar, Tuesday at 12:00!
us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
February 2, 2026 at 8:56 AM
Is the government right to restrict trial by jury for all but the most serious offences?
What can behavioural science tell us about how juries make decisions?
Have we really had "800 years of trial by one's peers"?
Find out at our free webinar, Tuesday at 12:00!
us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
What can behavioural science tell us about how juries make decisions?
Have we really had "800 years of trial by one's peers"?
Find out at our free webinar, Tuesday at 12:00!
us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Reposted by Colm Murphy
Alistair Darling and the official Treasury were always aware that investment banks had an inside track to Number 10. But the brazen nature of that inside track is rather breath-taking.
Who leaked this Number 10 discussion to Jeffrey Epstein? And are there consequences for the leaker?
It’s an internal discussion re. getting markets moving in the aftermath of the financial crisis. No doubt of great interest to Epstein and his financial market clients.
It’s an internal discussion re. getting markets moving in the aftermath of the financial crisis. No doubt of great interest to Epstein and his financial market clients.
February 2, 2026 at 10:33 AM
Alistair Darling and the official Treasury were always aware that investment banks had an inside track to Number 10. But the brazen nature of that inside track is rather breath-taking.
Reposted by Colm Murphy
BREAKING on ft website:
Lord Peter Mandelson leaked a sensitive UK government document to Jeffrey Epstein while he was business secretary that proposed £20bn of asset sales and revealed Labour’s tax policy plans
www.ft.com/content/fdf7...
Lord Peter Mandelson leaked a sensitive UK government document to Jeffrey Epstein while he was business secretary that proposed £20bn of asset sales and revealed Labour’s tax policy plans
www.ft.com/content/fdf7...
Mandelson leaked sensitive UK government tax plans to Epstein
Former ambassador forwarded memo from special adviser to Gordon Brown to late sex offender in 2009
www.ft.com
February 2, 2026 at 11:30 AM
BREAKING on ft website:
Lord Peter Mandelson leaked a sensitive UK government document to Jeffrey Epstein while he was business secretary that proposed £20bn of asset sales and revealed Labour’s tax policy plans
www.ft.com/content/fdf7...
Lord Peter Mandelson leaked a sensitive UK government document to Jeffrey Epstein while he was business secretary that proposed £20bn of asset sales and revealed Labour’s tax policy plans
www.ft.com/content/fdf7...
Reposted by Colm Murphy
A big shift has come from the realisation that these models often work better as data manipulators than data generators. 'Reorganise this information' often works better than 'Write an essay.
The many eulogies for AI capability growth after the release of GPT-5 seem especially short-sighted right now, and it created voluntary blinders for many people.
Models have advanced a lot since summer, but, more importantly, good agentic harnesses seem to lead to capability leaps on their own.
Models have advanced a lot since summer, but, more importantly, good agentic harnesses seem to lead to capability leaps on their own.
February 2, 2026 at 11:29 AM
A big shift has come from the realisation that these models often work better as data manipulators than data generators. 'Reorganise this information' often works better than 'Write an essay.
Reposted by Colm Murphy
Reckon the bloke who really pushed for his appointment over the objection of others should probably resign.
Mandelson leaked sensitive UK government tax plans to Epstein ft.trib.al/UgTxZVm
Mandelson leaked sensitive UK government tax plans to Epstein
Former ambassador forwarded memo from special adviser to Gordon Brown to late sex offender in 2009
ft.trib.al
February 2, 2026 at 11:51 AM
Reckon the bloke who really pushed for his appointment over the objection of others should probably resign.
Regrettably this is true
i’m not saying that @colmpm.bsky.social is a massive nerd, not by any means, but he has just explained the plot of ‘event horizon’ while confusing the names laurence fishburne and lawrence freedman the entire time
January 30, 2026 at 8:13 PM
Regrettably this is true
I have read almost every single cosmere book (and there are a lot). I'm intrigued as to how they will pull this off. The Mistborn film will struggle, I think, with showing the mechanics of the magic system in a cinematic way. The Stormlight series will struggle with the scale. But I hope it works!
Apple has landed the rights to Brandon Sanderson's 'Cosmere' universe
• ‘Mistborn' will be a film franchise
• 'The Stormlight Archive' will be a TV series
• Sanderson will have creative control of the projects
(via THR)
• ‘Mistborn' will be a film franchise
• 'The Stormlight Archive' will be a TV series
• Sanderson will have creative control of the projects
(via THR)
January 29, 2026 at 10:04 AM
I have read almost every single cosmere book (and there are a lot). I'm intrigued as to how they will pull this off. The Mistborn film will struggle, I think, with showing the mechanics of the magic system in a cinematic way. The Stormlight series will struggle with the scale. But I hope it works!
Reposted by Colm Murphy
The Parliament Act is not ‘archaic’. The constant possibility of using it is what maintains the supremacy of the Commons, and means the Lords almost always give way.
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
Assisted dying backers could use archaic procedure to bypass ‘undemocratic’ block by peers
Exclusive: MPs backing bill to use ‘nuclear option’ of 1911 Parliament Act if it continues to be blocked by Lords
www.theguardian.com
January 29, 2026 at 4:50 AM
The Parliament Act is not ‘archaic’. The constant possibility of using it is what maintains the supremacy of the Commons, and means the Lords almost always give way.
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
Reposted by Colm Murphy
‘“Democracy Has Come!” The Third Reform Act & the Making of British Democracy’.
I'll be speaking at the IHR Modern British Seminar on Thursday 29 Jan, on why the 1884 Reform Act is more exciting than you think...
17:30 in London or online. Read on for a taster...🧵
www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...
I'll be speaking at the IHR Modern British Seminar on Thursday 29 Jan, on why the 1884 Reform Act is more exciting than you think...
17:30 in London or online. Read on for a taster...🧵
www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...
January 28, 2026 at 11:19 AM
‘“Democracy Has Come!” The Third Reform Act & the Making of British Democracy’.
I'll be speaking at the IHR Modern British Seminar on Thursday 29 Jan, on why the 1884 Reform Act is more exciting than you think...
17:30 in London or online. Read on for a taster...🧵
www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...
I'll be speaking at the IHR Modern British Seminar on Thursday 29 Jan, on why the 1884 Reform Act is more exciting than you think...
17:30 in London or online. Read on for a taster...🧵
www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...
Looking forward to @robertsaunders.bsky.social's paper tomorrow!
I'm delighted that we can share the termcard of the IHR Britain at Home and Abroad since 1800 seminar.
First up, @robertsaunders.bsky.social on 29 January to present on the history of UK democracy (specifically, the neglected Third Reform Act). Sign up in the link below!
First up, @robertsaunders.bsky.social on 29 January to present on the history of UK democracy (specifically, the neglected Third Reform Act). Sign up in the link below!
HERE IT IS! We are super excited to share our 2025/26 spring programme! Mark your calendars for some exciting new research in modern British history...
www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...
First up! QMUL's Dr Rob Saunders on DEMOCRACY on 29 January. Online or in person at the IHR. See you there.
www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...
First up! QMUL's Dr Rob Saunders on DEMOCRACY on 29 January. Online or in person at the IHR. See you there.
January 28, 2026 at 10:43 AM
Looking forward to @robertsaunders.bsky.social's paper tomorrow!
Reposted by Colm Murphy
trump has probably destroyed the minnesota republican party for the duration
pretty wild statement re: Republican Chris Madel drop from race for MN governor:
"Saying he cannot support the national GOP's 'stated retribution on citizens of our state, nor can I count myself a member of a party that would do so."
"Saying he cannot support the national GOP's 'stated retribution on citizens of our state, nor can I count myself a member of a party that would do so."
January 26, 2026 at 2:40 PM
trump has probably destroyed the minnesota republican party for the duration
Reposted by Colm Murphy
Essential reading. Great big picture understanding of the economic struggle the UK has, and its impact on our politics.
The @ippr.org asked me to write about Klein and Thompson's"abundance" agenda for their Progressive Review.
Rather than a choice, scarcity has been unavoidable in the UK recently - with implications for both abundance and more dirigiste supply agendas.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Rather than a choice, scarcity has been unavoidable in the UK recently - with implications for both abundance and more dirigiste supply agendas.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
The Unavoidability of Scarcity and Necessity of Political Choice
Advocates of the ‘abundance’ agenda dream of a bright future, but in the UK its possibility relies on economic sacrifices in the present. The consequent politics are wicked and demand ideologically i...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
January 26, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Essential reading. Great big picture understanding of the economic struggle the UK has, and its impact on our politics.
Reposted by Colm Murphy
I'm really looking forward to reading Matthew Hilton's timely new @universitypress.cambridge.org book Charity after Empire: British Humanitarianism, Decolonisation, and Development.
www.cambridge.org/core/books/c...
www.cambridge.org/core/books/c...
Charity After Empire
Cambridge Core - Global History - Charity After Empire
www.cambridge.org
January 26, 2026 at 10:26 AM
I'm really looking forward to reading Matthew Hilton's timely new @universitypress.cambridge.org book Charity after Empire: British Humanitarianism, Decolonisation, and Development.
www.cambridge.org/core/books/c...
www.cambridge.org/core/books/c...
Reposted by Colm Murphy
I have a new article just published in Political Studies: What is Centrism? Open access here: doi.org/10.1177/0032...
What Is Centrism? - Karl Pike, 2026
Centrism, an ambiguous political term, requires greater analytical scrutiny. After summarising conceptualisations of centrism – and of a centre in politics – th...
doi.org
January 26, 2026 at 9:21 AM
I have a new article just published in Political Studies: What is Centrism? Open access here: doi.org/10.1177/0032...
The @ippr.org asked me to write about Klein and Thompson's"abundance" agenda for their Progressive Review.
Rather than a choice, scarcity has been unavoidable in the UK recently - with implications for both abundance and more dirigiste supply agendas.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Rather than a choice, scarcity has been unavoidable in the UK recently - with implications for both abundance and more dirigiste supply agendas.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
The Unavoidability of Scarcity and Necessity of Political Choice
Advocates of the ‘abundance’ agenda dream of a bright future, but in the UK its possibility relies on economic sacrifices in the present. The consequent politics are wicked and demand ideologically i...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
January 26, 2026 at 7:42 AM
The @ippr.org asked me to write about Klein and Thompson's"abundance" agenda for their Progressive Review.
Rather than a choice, scarcity has been unavoidable in the UK recently - with implications for both abundance and more dirigiste supply agendas.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Rather than a choice, scarcity has been unavoidable in the UK recently - with implications for both abundance and more dirigiste supply agendas.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Nigel Farage attended Davos as adviser to Iranian billionaire - www.ft.com/content/7b40... via @FT
Some good sleuthing here.
Some good sleuthing here.
Nigel Farage attended Davos as adviser to Iranian billionaire
Reform UK leader’s pass and hotel costs for World Economic Forum event were paid for by Sasan Ghandehari
www.ft.com
January 24, 2026 at 11:24 AM
Nigel Farage attended Davos as adviser to Iranian billionaire - www.ft.com/content/7b40... via @FT
Some good sleuthing here.
Some good sleuthing here.
Reposted by Colm Murphy
Further thoughts on this
Never waste a crisis, right? So how can Labour use the geopolitical crisis to re-build its fortunes at home? My thoughts today...
The Rupture
A way forward for Labour after Greenland
open.substack.com
January 24, 2026 at 9:23 AM
Further thoughts on this
"The big picture takeaway is, though, that as the costs of doing computer work continue to decline, the relative value of being able to read and interpret and understand just went up."
tompepinsky.substack.com/p/agentic-ai...
tompepinsky.substack.com/p/agentic-ai...
Agentic AI and Social Science Research Practice
Generative AI that follows rules to produce executable statistical code will change social science research practice, for the better and for the worse.
tompepinsky.substack.com
January 23, 2026 at 2:58 PM
"The big picture takeaway is, though, that as the costs of doing computer work continue to decline, the relative value of being able to read and interpret and understand just went up."
tompepinsky.substack.com/p/agentic-ai...
tompepinsky.substack.com/p/agentic-ai...
Reposted by Colm Murphy
This is a really useful article for anyone researching British capitalism, especially on the intellectual currents and political contexts of Starmer's political economy.
My latest article is out in British Politics. I try to account for the distressed confusion gripping the UK government's economic strategy. In honour of the article's namesake, I include a tortured football analogy.
It's free to read (open access) here.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
It's free to read (open access) here.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
January 23, 2026 at 2:25 PM
This is a really useful article for anyone researching British capitalism, especially on the intellectual currents and political contexts of Starmer's political economy.
Reposted by Colm Murphy
Interesting discussion in this thread.
Personally I don’t want to play a board game based on the troubles.
1/2
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
1/2
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
‘Target mainland’: planned Troubles board game condemned in Northern Ireland
By turning conflict into entertainment US games company is ignoring its living legacy, says victims rights’ group
www.theguardian.com
January 23, 2026 at 1:08 PM
Interesting discussion in this thread.
I violently disagree with this one in Stanley's fun chain.
- All non-monetary gifts are impositions of a kind. If you think this, just give money.
- Some of the best books I have ever read were given to me as gifts, and I would not have read them otherwise.
- You can always stop reading
- All non-monetary gifts are impositions of a kind. If you think this, just give money.
- Some of the best books I have ever read were given to me as gifts, and I would not have read them otherwise.
- You can always stop reading
- Books make for terrible gifts
Easy, this one. When you give someone a book you are implicitly demanding they spend many hours doing something *you* think is interesting (ie reading that book). It is incredibly imposing. Or should they offend you by not reading it?
Recommend books, don't give them
Easy, this one. When you give someone a book you are implicitly demanding they spend many hours doing something *you* think is interesting (ie reading that book). It is incredibly imposing. Or should they offend you by not reading it?
Recommend books, don't give them
January 23, 2026 at 12:13 PM
I violently disagree with this one in Stanley's fun chain.
- All non-monetary gifts are impositions of a kind. If you think this, just give money.
- Some of the best books I have ever read were given to me as gifts, and I would not have read them otherwise.
- You can always stop reading
- All non-monetary gifts are impositions of a kind. If you think this, just give money.
- Some of the best books I have ever read were given to me as gifts, and I would not have read them otherwise.
- You can always stop reading
Reposted by Colm Murphy
www.joxleywrites.jmoxley.co.uk/p/airport-bo...
Great piece on “airport book brain” - the tendency of politicians to swallow simplistic solutions. Latest example the Jonathan Haidt book shaping policy on teens and social media
Great piece on “airport book brain” - the tendency of politicians to swallow simplistic solutions. Latest example the Jonathan Haidt book shaping policy on teens and social media
January 23, 2026 at 8:50 AM
www.joxleywrites.jmoxley.co.uk/p/airport-bo...
Great piece on “airport book brain” - the tendency of politicians to swallow simplistic solutions. Latest example the Jonathan Haidt book shaping policy on teens and social media
Great piece on “airport book brain” - the tendency of politicians to swallow simplistic solutions. Latest example the Jonathan Haidt book shaping policy on teens and social media
Reposted by Colm Murphy
New piece by me for @uk.theconversation.com, explaining yesterday’s Lords vote on under-16s’ social media use.
‘The House of Lords has voted to stop under 16s using social media – what happens now?’
theconversation.com/the-house-of...
‘The House of Lords has voted to stop under 16s using social media – what happens now?’
theconversation.com/the-house-of...
The House of Lords has voted to stop under 16s using social media – what happens now?
The vote in the Lords took place on an amendment to the government’s Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
theconversation.com
January 22, 2026 at 7:00 PM
New piece by me for @uk.theconversation.com, explaining yesterday’s Lords vote on under-16s’ social media use.
‘The House of Lords has voted to stop under 16s using social media – what happens now?’
theconversation.com/the-house-of...
‘The House of Lords has voted to stop under 16s using social media – what happens now?’
theconversation.com/the-house-of...
Reposted by Colm Murphy
Very strong demand at this morning's gilt auction - bids worth 3.66 times the £4.75 billion on offer for a 4% gilt due in 2029.
It ranks as the 9th strongest out of the 1,208 auctions held since 1998.
DMO said to be ecstatic, someone has broken out a packet of Blue Ribands.
It ranks as the 9th strongest out of the 1,208 auctions held since 1998.
DMO said to be ecstatic, someone has broken out a packet of Blue Ribands.
January 21, 2026 at 10:22 AM
Very strong demand at this morning's gilt auction - bids worth 3.66 times the £4.75 billion on offer for a 4% gilt due in 2029.
It ranks as the 9th strongest out of the 1,208 auctions held since 1998.
DMO said to be ecstatic, someone has broken out a packet of Blue Ribands.
It ranks as the 9th strongest out of the 1,208 auctions held since 1998.
DMO said to be ecstatic, someone has broken out a packet of Blue Ribands.