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
Coming round to Nadine Dorries thought - she was so real for this
February 8, 2026 at 10:59 AM
Coming round to Nadine Dorries thought - she was so real for this
Reposted by David Klemperer
This piece is as good as everyone's saying. It's striking how willing this bonehead is to outsource all ethical judgement to the tiktok algorithm. Just a humble participant in the market, responding to the incentives on offer.
February 8, 2026 at 10:57 AM
This piece is as good as everyone's saying. It's striking how willing this bonehead is to outsource all ethical judgement to the tiktok algorithm. Just a humble participant in the market, responding to the incentives on offer.
Reposted by David Klemperer
only i solider on
February 8, 2026 at 2:25 PM
only i solider on
Reposted by David Klemperer
Read this earlier today and it's a great and thoughtful piece. Too much discourse among the left on AI has fallen into a lazy hostility largely disinterested in the technology. This piece is a real antidote
People say AI will be the end of democracy. Will it? A reasoned answer here from me today.
AI and the destruction of democracy
Can we, should we, tame the beast?
open.substack.com
February 8, 2026 at 10:40 AM
Read this earlier today and it's a great and thoughtful piece. Too much discourse among the left on AI has fallen into a lazy hostility largely disinterested in the technology. This piece is a real antidote
Reposted by David Klemperer
Hate-filled fake videos about London are everywhere. We've obtained a recording of a TikToker confessing to secretly filming Londoners in their homes for clicks.
He says it's not political. He just wants to make money from far-right anger.
Read what he says: www.londoncentric.media/p/london-tik...
He says it's not political. He just wants to make money from far-right anger.
Read what he says: www.londoncentric.media/p/london-tik...
February 8, 2026 at 7:44 AM
Hate-filled fake videos about London are everywhere. We've obtained a recording of a TikToker confessing to secretly filming Londoners in their homes for clicks.
He says it's not political. He just wants to make money from far-right anger.
Read what he says: www.londoncentric.media/p/london-tik...
He says it's not political. He just wants to make money from far-right anger.
Read what he says: www.londoncentric.media/p/london-tik...
Reposted by David Klemperer
Good piece from a series of conversations with Michael Sandel. Sandbu is right to highlight caring more about “the civic consequences of economic power” as key theme from his work, esp in current context www.ft.com/content/7804...
The pessimist who became a prophet
Philosopher Michael Sandel was ignored by a generation of political optimists. Now he is searching for a way out of the mess he saw coming
www.ft.com
February 7, 2026 at 2:25 PM
Good piece from a series of conversations with Michael Sandel. Sandbu is right to highlight caring more about “the civic consequences of economic power” as key theme from his work, esp in current context www.ft.com/content/7804...
Reposted by David Klemperer
If we had an Electoral Commission with teeth, or even opposable thumbs, this sort of blatant electoral fraud could be swiftly and decisively punished during the by-election period, which would also serve to encourager les autres. But we don't. And a police investigation will take us past the vote.
Reform faces police investigation over ‘concerned neighbour’ byelection letters
Material distributed in Gorton and Denton did not have legally required imprint stating it was funded by party
www.theguardian.com
February 7, 2026 at 12:48 PM
If we had an Electoral Commission with teeth, or even opposable thumbs, this sort of blatant electoral fraud could be swiftly and decisively punished during the by-election period, which would also serve to encourager les autres. But we don't. And a police investigation will take us past the vote.
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