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
Grim morning for the Labour Party but it is healthier to live in a country where decisions have consequences than one where an administration steeped in contact with Epstein sails happily on, even as the resignations pile up across Europe
February 9, 2026 at 8:29 AM
Grim morning for the Labour Party but it is healthier to live in a country where decisions have consequences than one where an administration steeped in contact with Epstein sails happily on, even as the resignations pile up across Europe
Reposted by David Klemperer
This is the key point that is lost in so much Westminster bubble talk on net zero. It is popular. It’s hugely popular with Labour’s base and with the progressive voters it needs to vote tactically to defeat Reform. And it’s even popular with Tories who Labour needs not to switch to Reform.
…as well as being supported by the vast majority of Lab/Lib/Gn voters, almost all Labour MPs, a 2-1 majority of voters overall and – even now – a healthy majority of Con voters
February 8, 2026 at 10:16 PM
This is the key point that is lost in so much Westminster bubble talk on net zero. It is popular. It’s hugely popular with Labour’s base and with the progressive voters it needs to vote tactically to defeat Reform. And it’s even popular with Tories who Labour needs not to switch to Reform.
Reposted by David Klemperer
The MoJ continues to be truly terrible for transparency and open data.
They haven’t commented for this article, but I will bet money that the reason turns out to be they want to licence the data out to a company that will then charge a *massive* markup on it, making it inaccessible to the public.
They haven’t commented for this article, but I will bet money that the reason turns out to be they want to licence the data out to a company that will then charge a *massive* markup on it, making it inaccessible to the public.
The Ministry of Justice has ordered the deletion of the UK’s largest court reporting archive.
This risks undermining open justice, and I believe, undermines the public accountability role of the press by making it harder to see what is going on in the courts.
www.thetimes.com/article/77b0...
This risks undermining open justice, and I believe, undermines the public accountability role of the press by making it harder to see what is going on in the courts.
www.thetimes.com/article/77b0...
MoJ orders deletion of UK’s largest court reporting archive
Courtsdesk, which supports the media in monitoring records, is an important tool for journalists and the move raises concerns over open justice
www.thetimes.com
February 8, 2026 at 9:58 PM
The MoJ continues to be truly terrible for transparency and open data.
They haven’t commented for this article, but I will bet money that the reason turns out to be they want to licence the data out to a company that will then charge a *massive* markup on it, making it inaccessible to the public.
They haven’t commented for this article, but I will bet money that the reason turns out to be they want to licence the data out to a company that will then charge a *massive* markup on it, making it inaccessible to the public.
Reposted by David Klemperer
And here is the link to our lively discussion of the history of the idea that Might is Right on BBC Radio 4 Free Thinking, presented by @drmatthewsweet.bsky.social with @hdrochon.bsky.social , Margaret MacMillan and @leaypi.bsky.social, produced by @lukewm.bsky.social: bit.ly/3ZnGUYN
BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, Is Might Right?
The history of an idea that's shaped political philosophy, from Plato to Carl Schmitt.
bit.ly
February 7, 2026 at 7:03 PM
And here is the link to our lively discussion of the history of the idea that Might is Right on BBC Radio 4 Free Thinking, presented by @drmatthewsweet.bsky.social with @hdrochon.bsky.social , Margaret MacMillan and @leaypi.bsky.social, produced by @lukewm.bsky.social: bit.ly/3ZnGUYN
Reposted by David Klemperer
NEW EPISODE OUT NOW!
In the third part of our series David and Paul Sagar explore what the German writer and sociologist Max Weber can teach us about the pitfalls of political life and political philosophy. Why is doing politics so hard?
Find us at...🎧 ppfideas.com
In the third part of our series David and Paul Sagar explore what the German writer and sociologist Max Weber can teach us about the pitfalls of political life and political philosophy. Why is doing politics so hard?
Find us at...🎧 ppfideas.com
February 8, 2026 at 8:47 AM
NEW EPISODE OUT NOW!
In the third part of our series David and Paul Sagar explore what the German writer and sociologist Max Weber can teach us about the pitfalls of political life and political philosophy. Why is doing politics so hard?
Find us at...🎧 ppfideas.com
In the third part of our series David and Paul Sagar explore what the German writer and sociologist Max Weber can teach us about the pitfalls of political life and political philosophy. Why is doing politics so hard?
Find us at...🎧 ppfideas.com
Reposted by David Klemperer
"Eighty-two years after his execution by the Gestapo on June 16, 1944, the Jewish historian and resistance fighter Marc Bloch will be inducted into the Pantheon on June 23... His family requested that 'the far right, in all its forms, be excluded from any participation in the ceremony.'"
Marc Bloch, historien et résistant juif, entrera au Panthéon le 23 juin
Marc Bloch, historien et résistant juif, entrera au Panthéon le 23 juin
La date du 16 juin avait été dans un premier temps pressentie pour son entrée au Panthéon, mais la cérémonie a dû être décalée de quelques jours en raison du G7 à Evian-les-Bains.
www.lemonde.fr
February 8, 2026 at 7:02 PM
"Eighty-two years after his execution by the Gestapo on June 16, 1944, the Jewish historian and resistance fighter Marc Bloch will be inducted into the Pantheon on June 23... His family requested that 'the far right, in all its forms, be excluded from any participation in the ceremony.'"
Reposted by David Klemperer
The madness of X in a nutshell:
A groyper‘s Holocaust denial post (cut off) does great numbers — 12K likes, 500K views.
A prominent liberal journalist and author comes in to try to rationally debate it. 300 likes, 25K views.
In a healthy info environment, these two things wouldn’t be interacting
A groyper‘s Holocaust denial post (cut off) does great numbers — 12K likes, 500K views.
A prominent liberal journalist and author comes in to try to rationally debate it. 300 likes, 25K views.
In a healthy info environment, these two things wouldn’t be interacting
February 8, 2026 at 8:38 PM
The madness of X in a nutshell:
A groyper‘s Holocaust denial post (cut off) does great numbers — 12K likes, 500K views.
A prominent liberal journalist and author comes in to try to rationally debate it. 300 likes, 25K views.
In a healthy info environment, these two things wouldn’t be interacting
A groyper‘s Holocaust denial post (cut off) does great numbers — 12K likes, 500K views.
A prominent liberal journalist and author comes in to try to rationally debate it. 300 likes, 25K views.
In a healthy info environment, these two things wouldn’t be interacting
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