David Klemperer
@dmk1793.bsky.social
Historian, researcher, and co-editor of @renewaljournal.bsky.social
Pinned
David Klemperer
@dmk1793.bsky.social
· Oct 26
NEW EPISODE OUT NOW!
In today’s episode David & @dmk1793.bsky.social try to answer some of the hundreds of questions, comments and suggestions we have had about this series. How do we know if democracy is broken? Have we ever had a real democracy anyway?
Find us at...🎧 ppfideas.com
In today’s episode David & @dmk1793.bsky.social try to answer some of the hundreds of questions, comments and suggestions we have had about this series. How do we know if democracy is broken? Have we ever had a real democracy anyway?
Find us at...🎧 ppfideas.com
Really enjoyed recording this discussion with David Runciman, covering threats to democracy, early 20thc theories of oligarchy, how algorithmic social media is changing politics, the problem with 19thc approaches to suffrage - and much, much more!
Reposted by David Klemperer
i think this book would be best enjoyed with a Wetherspoons curry, regularly breaking off to google who felix marquardt is, with @duncanrobinson.bsky.social also there for some reason
It was quite a triggering read at points, the moment online politics went truly mainstream. Anyway here’s the full version of the picture.
February 7, 2026 at 11:44 AM
i think this book would be best enjoyed with a Wetherspoons curry, regularly breaking off to google who felix marquardt is, with @duncanrobinson.bsky.social also there for some reason
Reposted by David Klemperer
It is terribly sad that the former PM feels the need to say this in the face of low life blowhards.
We cannot allow this to even be a question.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
We cannot allow this to even be a question.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
‘I’m British, English and British Asian’, says Rishi Sunak in riposte to racially charged debate over identity
Podcaster claimed former prime minister not English because he is ‘brown-skinned Hindu’
www.theguardian.com
February 7, 2026 at 7:06 AM
It is terribly sad that the former PM feels the need to say this in the face of low life blowhards.
We cannot allow this to even be a question.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
We cannot allow this to even be a question.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by David Klemperer
February 7, 2026 at 11:54 AM
Reposted by David Klemperer
This sums it up perfectly- such a good read and can’t really add much more to Jim’s take here! Congrats @morganj0nes.bsky.social
Don’t tend to read political books but enjoyed @morganj0nes.bsky.social on 2nd referendum. No big show off explanations you normally get about “how clever we were inside the campaign”. More an anthropology study of the weirdness of FBPE and a two years of Twitter-driven national psychosis.
February 7, 2026 at 11:57 AM
This sums it up perfectly- such a good read and can’t really add much more to Jim’s take here! Congrats @morganj0nes.bsky.social
Reposted by David Klemperer
Almost exactly the same Labour fiscal rule has been seen as prudence under Gordon Brown, profligacy under Ed Miliband, Communism under Jeremy Corbyn and austerity under Keir Starmer
February 7, 2026 at 10:51 AM
Almost exactly the same Labour fiscal rule has been seen as prudence under Gordon Brown, profligacy under Ed Miliband, Communism under Jeremy Corbyn and austerity under Keir Starmer
Reposted by David Klemperer
💥"Nothing less than a century-defining rebalancing of power and accountability is equal to this moment and the trauma of the victims."
A significant intervention from former PM Gordon Brown on why the Epstein-Mandelson revelations demand a fundamental cleaning up of UK politics.
More ⤵️
A significant intervention from former PM Gordon Brown on why the Epstein-Mandelson revelations demand a fundamental cleaning up of UK politics.
More ⤵️
We owe it to Epstein’s victims and to British democracy to demand historic change | Gordon Brown
The abuse of women by figures such as Epstein, and of political power by the likes of Mandelson, must be confronted. As far as I am able, I will play my part, says former UK prime minister Gordon Brow...
www.theguardian.com
February 7, 2026 at 11:27 AM
💥"Nothing less than a century-defining rebalancing of power and accountability is equal to this moment and the trauma of the victims."
A significant intervention from former PM Gordon Brown on why the Epstein-Mandelson revelations demand a fundamental cleaning up of UK politics.
More ⤵️
A significant intervention from former PM Gordon Brown on why the Epstein-Mandelson revelations demand a fundamental cleaning up of UK politics.
More ⤵️
Reposted by David Klemperer
Don’t tend to read political books but enjoyed @morganj0nes.bsky.social on 2nd referendum. No big show off explanations you normally get about “how clever we were inside the campaign”. More an anthropology study of the weirdness of FBPE and a two years of Twitter-driven national psychosis.
February 7, 2026 at 11:34 AM
Don’t tend to read political books but enjoyed @morganj0nes.bsky.social on 2nd referendum. No big show off explanations you normally get about “how clever we were inside the campaign”. More an anthropology study of the weirdness of FBPE and a two years of Twitter-driven national psychosis.
Reposted by David Klemperer
New on FT website:
Downing Street has refused to say whether Sir Keir Starmer knew Palantir was a client of Peter Mandelson’s lobbying firm when they both visited the company in Washington last February — ahead of it winning a £240mn UK government contract.
www.ft.com/content/5bba...
Downing Street has refused to say whether Sir Keir Starmer knew Palantir was a client of Peter Mandelson’s lobbying firm when they both visited the company in Washington last February — ahead of it winning a £240mn UK government contract.
www.ft.com/content/5bba...
Starmer faces questions over visit to Palantir office alongside Mandelson
Former ambassador was also shareholder in lobbying group that counted US tech firm as a client
www.ft.com
February 7, 2026 at 8:20 AM
New on FT website:
Downing Street has refused to say whether Sir Keir Starmer knew Palantir was a client of Peter Mandelson’s lobbying firm when they both visited the company in Washington last February — ahead of it winning a £240mn UK government contract.
www.ft.com/content/5bba...
Downing Street has refused to say whether Sir Keir Starmer knew Palantir was a client of Peter Mandelson’s lobbying firm when they both visited the company in Washington last February — ahead of it winning a £240mn UK government contract.
www.ft.com/content/5bba...
Reposted by David Klemperer
Starmer's reported condition - incredibly unpopular, shorn of authority, probably un-reelectable and yet will stagger on for want of an alternative - is just the new normal of how Britain is governed. It was also true for two-thirds of May's premiership, half of Johnson's and all of Sunak's.
February 6, 2026 at 11:36 AM
Starmer's reported condition - incredibly unpopular, shorn of authority, probably un-reelectable and yet will stagger on for want of an alternative - is just the new normal of how Britain is governed. It was also true for two-thirds of May's premiership, half of Johnson's and all of Sunak's.
Reposted by David Klemperer
The latest in 'we're now in a era of bloc politics'
Will be more going on under the hood - but you can almost see straight intra-bloc transfers here (which was evident on the door)
Will be more going on under the hood - but you can almost see straight intra-bloc transfers here (which was evident on the door)
Clevedon South (North Somerset) Council By-Election Result:
🌹 LAB: 29.0% (-25.4)
➡️ RFM: 27.7% (New)
🌳 CON: 18.6% (-27.0)
🌍 GRN: 16.3% (New)
🔶 LDM: 8.3% (New)
Labour HOLD.
Changes w/ 2023.
🌹 LAB: 29.0% (-25.4)
➡️ RFM: 27.7% (New)
🌳 CON: 18.6% (-27.0)
🌍 GRN: 16.3% (New)
🔶 LDM: 8.3% (New)
Labour HOLD.
Changes w/ 2023.
February 6, 2026 at 9:23 AM
The latest in 'we're now in a era of bloc politics'
Will be more going on under the hood - but you can almost see straight intra-bloc transfers here (which was evident on the door)
Will be more going on under the hood - but you can almost see straight intra-bloc transfers here (which was evident on the door)
Reposted by David Klemperer
Don't want to sound flippant about the nature and severity of the threat, but to quote that anonymous Ukrainian soldier, "we are lucky they are so fucking stupid". Imagine how much more dangerous this would be if they weren't threatening invasion, dissing NATO troops, hitting us with tariffs etc
Remember the controversy when Obama was accused of intervening in UK politics? This is the current US government openly seeking to undermine liberal democracy in Europe.
February 6, 2026 at 10:58 AM
Don't want to sound flippant about the nature and severity of the threat, but to quote that anonymous Ukrainian soldier, "we are lucky they are so fucking stupid". Imagine how much more dangerous this would be if they weren't threatening invasion, dissing NATO troops, hitting us with tariffs etc
Reposted by David Klemperer
Why the new narrative that 2024 Labour MPs are Mandelson clones is nonsense. www.newstatesman.com/politics/lab...
February 6, 2026 at 11:02 AM
Why the new narrative that 2024 Labour MPs are Mandelson clones is nonsense. www.newstatesman.com/politics/lab...
Reposted by David Klemperer
We should be clear: Reform are the quisling's party and just a extension of Trump.
This should be everywhere
This should be everywhere
February 6, 2026 at 9:03 AM
We should be clear: Reform are the quisling's party and just a extension of Trump.
This should be everywhere
This should be everywhere
Reposted by David Klemperer
someone’s given their copy of the purple book to the charity bookshop. in anger i can only assume
February 5, 2026 at 11:47 AM
someone’s given their copy of the purple book to the charity bookshop. in anger i can only assume
Reposted by David Klemperer
There is no logic to it whatsoever. Someone said on a podcast to justify racism and now they all spout it like it means something.
I really don't get the 'Britishness is a national identity, English is an ethnicity' argument. Have these people ever lived in the borderlands? I think of my Scottish cousins with whom I share some genes but a different national identity, how does this work?
February 5, 2026 at 12:23 PM
There is no logic to it whatsoever. Someone said on a podcast to justify racism and now they all spout it like it means something.
Reposted by David Klemperer
It's one thing for Elon Musk to post whatever deluded trash propaganda he wants on his own account, but Telegram owner Pavel Durov sent *every single user of his app in Spain* an uninvited message yesterday to rail against Sanchez creating “a surveillance state”
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
Spain hits back at Pavel Durov over mass Telegram post on social media ban plan
Founder’s extraordinary intervention has laid bare rising tensions between European governments and tech firms
www.theguardian.com
February 5, 2026 at 9:20 PM
It's one thing for Elon Musk to post whatever deluded trash propaganda he wants on his own account, but Telegram owner Pavel Durov sent *every single user of his app in Spain* an uninvited message yesterday to rail against Sanchez creating “a surveillance state”
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
Reposted by David Klemperer
‘Can cork man stay afloat?’ was right there.
Cork man Morgan McSweeney is embroiled in a scandal over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as UK Ambassador to the US
Who is Irish Starmer aide at centre of Mandelson scandal?
www.rte.ie
February 5, 2026 at 6:06 PM
‘Can cork man stay afloat?’ was right there.
Reposted by David Klemperer
Please, my magic bean, it is very sick
February 5, 2026 at 6:51 PM
Please, my magic bean, it is very sick
Reposted by David Klemperer
Pride in Place is powered by the Community Right to Buy - sharing the power as well as pounds and pence to make a difference in our communities through ownership.
We spoke to LBC earlier this morning about the difference this new power will make.
youtu.be/fWeEebv8C0Q
We spoke to LBC earlier this morning about the difference this new power will make.
youtu.be/fWeEebv8C0Q
Caitlin Prowle on LBC | Pride in Place
YouTube video by Co-operative Party
youtu.be
February 5, 2026 at 1:20 PM
Pride in Place is powered by the Community Right to Buy - sharing the power as well as pounds and pence to make a difference in our communities through ownership.
We spoke to LBC earlier this morning about the difference this new power will make.
youtu.be/fWeEebv8C0Q
We spoke to LBC earlier this morning about the difference this new power will make.
youtu.be/fWeEebv8C0Q
Reposted by David Klemperer
Oh my god, this is one hell of a scoop.
Jim and the FT have been absolutely all over this and the hits just keep coming.
Jim and the FT have been absolutely all over this and the hits just keep coming.
EXCLUSIVE:
Peter Mandelson sought advice from Jeffrey Epstein on setting up his advisory firm, Global Counsel, including how to target potential new clients such as the Chinese government.
www.ft.com/content/13d2...
Peter Mandelson sought advice from Jeffrey Epstein on setting up his advisory firm, Global Counsel, including how to target potential new clients such as the Chinese government.
www.ft.com/content/13d2...
Peter Mandelson sought help from Jeffrey Epstein on setting up advisory firm
Emails from 2010 show former UK minister asking child sex offender how to win political and corporate clients
www.ft.com
February 5, 2026 at 1:13 PM
Oh my god, this is one hell of a scoop.
Jim and the FT have been absolutely all over this and the hits just keep coming.
Jim and the FT have been absolutely all over this and the hits just keep coming.
As ever, Pedro Sanchez shows the way
February 5, 2026 at 11:44 AM
As ever, Pedro Sanchez shows the way
Reposted by David Klemperer
The only way Labour can win the next election is by governing well.
That might not be enough, but it’s the bare minimum.
The questions to be asking about any potential new PM are “what is their agenda and can they achieve it?”
Not “do they currently poll well?”
Or “can they handle a media round?”
That might not be enough, but it’s the bare minimum.
The questions to be asking about any potential new PM are “what is their agenda and can they achieve it?”
Not “do they currently poll well?”
Or “can they handle a media round?”
February 5, 2026 at 10:37 AM
The only way Labour can win the next election is by governing well.
That might not be enough, but it’s the bare minimum.
The questions to be asking about any potential new PM are “what is their agenda and can they achieve it?”
Not “do they currently poll well?”
Or “can they handle a media round?”
That might not be enough, but it’s the bare minimum.
The questions to be asking about any potential new PM are “what is their agenda and can they achieve it?”
Not “do they currently poll well?”
Or “can they handle a media round?”
Reposted by David Klemperer
If only this is was the headline and the focus. If only.
Would add to this list of rights becoming law, bereavement leave entitlement for all workers who experience miscarriage and all forms of pregnancy loss.
Would add to this list of rights becoming law, bereavement leave entitlement for all workers who experience miscarriage and all forms of pregnancy loss.
Some big changes to workers' rights coming very soon, following the Employment Rights Act becoming law
February 5, 2026 at 10:50 AM
If only this is was the headline and the focus. If only.
Would add to this list of rights becoming law, bereavement leave entitlement for all workers who experience miscarriage and all forms of pregnancy loss.
Would add to this list of rights becoming law, bereavement leave entitlement for all workers who experience miscarriage and all forms of pregnancy loss.
Reposted by David Klemperer
What is the point of Keir Starmer staying as prime minister?
February 5, 2026 at 8:19 AM
What is the point of Keir Starmer staying as prime minister?
Reposted by David Klemperer
One piece of good news for Mandelson this week...
I can reveal the council is NOT taking any enforcement action against him for pissing in the street, due to a "lack of evidence"
I can reveal the council is NOT taking any enforcement action against him for pissing in the street, due to a "lack of evidence"
EXC: Kensington and Chelsea Council is investigating whether Lord Peter Mandelson committed an offence when he publicly urinated in the street last week
Kensington Council Investigating Peter Mandelson For Urinating In The Street
Exclusive: Kensington and Chelsea Council is investigating whether Lord Peter Mandelson committed an offence when he publicly urinated in the stree...
www.politicshome.com
February 4, 2026 at 1:52 PM
One piece of good news for Mandelson this week...
I can reveal the council is NOT taking any enforcement action against him for pissing in the street, due to a "lack of evidence"
I can reveal the council is NOT taking any enforcement action against him for pissing in the street, due to a "lack of evidence"