Jamie Gaskarth
@jamiegaskarth.bsky.social
Prof, Foreign Policy and IR, OU. Writes on British defence, intel and foreign policy. Associate Fellow, Chatham House. Views my own.
If they can't even get that through, my goodness, just run up the white flag and call an election.
Keir Starmer faces a showdown with over 100 of his backbenchers if he U-turns on a promise to cap ground rent for leaseholders, a senior Labour MP has warned
news.sky.com/story/starme...
news.sky.com/story/starme...
Starmer warned against fresh U-turn that could trigger row 'with 100 MPs'
There is speculation the government could row back on its promise to cap ground rents amid concern from the Treasury about the impact on pension funds.
news.sky.com
January 20, 2026 at 10:29 PM
If they can't even get that through, my goodness, just run up the white flag and call an election.
Excellent discussion here on current workd situation...https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/trump-relations-uk-eu
What does Trump mean for relations between the UK and Europe, and the rest of the world? | Institute for Government
Sir Simon Fraser, Fiona Hill and Anand Menon join us to discuss the impact of Trump's presidency on the UK and Europe
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
January 20, 2026 at 6:57 PM
Excellent discussion here on current workd situation...https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/event/trump-relations-uk-eu
Carney's speech feels like one that will resonate for years to come. Props to the speechwriter(s).
paulwells.substack.com/p/the-carney...
paulwells.substack.com/p/the-carney...
The Carney doctrine
Open comment thread on the PM's Davos speech
paulwells.substack.com
January 20, 2026 at 6:41 PM
Carney's speech feels like one that will resonate for years to come. Props to the speechwriter(s).
paulwells.substack.com/p/the-carney...
paulwells.substack.com/p/the-carney...
That's a shame. Someone should let the good folks at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change know. They'll want to revise their assumptions, no doubt.
“One notable MIT study found that 95 percent of companies that integrated AI saw zero meaningful growth in revenue. For coding tasks, one of AI’s most widely hyped applications, another study showed that programmers who used AI coding tools actually became slower at their jobs.”
AI Completely Failing to Boost Productivity, Says Top Analyst
AI may or may not excel at a lot of things, but from an economic standpoint, it's definitely not making us more productive.
futurism.com
January 20, 2026 at 12:26 PM
That's a shame. Someone should let the good folks at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change know. They'll want to revise their assumptions, no doubt.
Reposted by Jamie Gaskarth
Our @jamiegaskarth.bsky.social is in @theconversation.com on Keir Starmer's difficult diplomacy with Trump during the Greenland crisis.
@jasonralph.bsky.social and me wrote the following bit about what Trump's shenanigans mean for the balancing act Starmer has tried to maintain in British foreign policy. TLDR, there's a reckoning coming...
theconversation.com/why-keir-sta...
theconversation.com/why-keir-sta...
Why Keir Starmer had to speak out against Trump over Greenland after staying quiet on Venezuela
Pragmatic realism called for compromise when it came to Venezuela, but there is no reasonable explanation for an invasion of Greenland.
theconversation.com
January 20, 2026 at 10:33 AM
Our @jamiegaskarth.bsky.social is in @theconversation.com on Keir Starmer's difficult diplomacy with Trump during the Greenland crisis.
'A UK government spokesperson said...We acted because the base on Diego Garcia was under threat after court decisions undermined our position and would have prevented it operating as intended in future.' It surprises me they still assert this. Obvious tosh.
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
Trump cites UK’s ‘stupidity’ over Chagos Islands as reason to take over Greenland
US president says on social media that Britain’s decision to cede islands to Mauritius is ‘act of total weakness’
www.theguardian.com
January 20, 2026 at 10:03 AM
'A UK government spokesperson said...We acted because the base on Diego Garcia was under threat after court decisions undermined our position and would have prevented it operating as intended in future.' It surprises me they still assert this. Obvious tosh.
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
Classic policy overreach. Net migration target is met but they can't fix the boats so they just keep pounding away at higher education. No one cares how many students come in. They do care about crossings.
In any other context, requiring a high-productivity sector to offshore the production of its highest value-added exports would be seen as the economic illiteracy it so obviously is...
www.ft.com/content/a23c...
www.ft.com/content/a23c...
UK drops target for international student recruitment
Government to encourage education providers to open campuses overseas as it focuses on reducing migration
www.ft.com
January 20, 2026 at 8:54 AM
Classic policy overreach. Net migration target is met but they can't fix the boats so they just keep pounding away at higher education. No one cares how many students come in. They do care about crossings.
Reposted by Jamie Gaskarth
@jasonralph.bsky.social and me wrote the following bit about what Trump's shenanigans mean for the balancing act Starmer has tried to maintain in British foreign policy. TLDR, there's a reckoning coming...
theconversation.com/why-keir-sta...
theconversation.com/why-keir-sta...
Why Keir Starmer had to speak out against Trump over Greenland after staying quiet on Venezuela
Pragmatic realism called for compromise when it came to Venezuela, but there is no reasonable explanation for an invasion of Greenland.
theconversation.com
January 19, 2026 at 6:10 PM
@jasonralph.bsky.social and me wrote the following bit about what Trump's shenanigans mean for the balancing act Starmer has tried to maintain in British foreign policy. TLDR, there's a reckoning coming...
theconversation.com/why-keir-sta...
theconversation.com/why-keir-sta...
@jasonralph.bsky.social and me wrote the following bit about what Trump's shenanigans mean for the balancing act Starmer has tried to maintain in British foreign policy. TLDR, there's a reckoning coming...
theconversation.com/why-keir-sta...
theconversation.com/why-keir-sta...
Why Keir Starmer had to speak out against Trump over Greenland after staying quiet on Venezuela
Pragmatic realism called for compromise when it came to Venezuela, but there is no reasonable explanation for an invasion of Greenland.
theconversation.com
January 19, 2026 at 6:10 PM
@jasonralph.bsky.social and me wrote the following bit about what Trump's shenanigans mean for the balancing act Starmer has tried to maintain in British foreign policy. TLDR, there's a reckoning coming...
theconversation.com/why-keir-sta...
theconversation.com/why-keir-sta...
Reposted by Jamie Gaskarth
Why the Greenland crisis is an opportunity for Starmer: pursue a far more ambitious reset with Europe + remake fiscal policy for a new era of self-reliance. www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
The Greenland crisis is an opportunity for Starmer
Donald Trump’s threats have given the Prime Minister a chance to reset his government
www.newstatesman.com
January 19, 2026 at 11:17 AM
Why the Greenland crisis is an opportunity for Starmer: pursue a far more ambitious reset with Europe + remake fiscal policy for a new era of self-reliance. www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
Reposted by Jamie Gaskarth
This morning the Prime Minister set out the UK's position on Greenland, tariffs, and the relationship with the United States in a speech in Downing Street.
Senior Researcher @jackpannell.bsky.social reflects on the key takeaways from his address to the nation. bfpg.co.uk/2026/01/star...
Senior Researcher @jackpannell.bsky.social reflects on the key takeaways from his address to the nation. bfpg.co.uk/2026/01/star...
What we learned from Keir Starmer’s speech on Greenland and UK-US Relations of the world order - British Foreign Policy Group
BFPG summarises the key takeaways from Starmer's statement on Trump's threats to impose tariffs on the UK over Greenland.
bfpg.co.uk
January 19, 2026 at 3:59 PM
This morning the Prime Minister set out the UK's position on Greenland, tariffs, and the relationship with the United States in a speech in Downing Street.
Senior Researcher @jackpannell.bsky.social reflects on the key takeaways from his address to the nation. bfpg.co.uk/2026/01/star...
Senior Researcher @jackpannell.bsky.social reflects on the key takeaways from his address to the nation. bfpg.co.uk/2026/01/star...
Reposted by Jamie Gaskarth
Apropos of nothing in particular, I thought I would re-up my March 2025 article for @warontherocks.bsky.social, Eurodeterrent: A Vision for an Anglo-French Nuclear Force.
Eurodeterrent: A Vision for an Anglo-French Nuclear Force
Recently published Signal discussions in which senior Trump administration officials admit they “hate bailing out” America’s “pathetic” European allies
share.google
January 19, 2026 at 7:14 AM
Apropos of nothing in particular, I thought I would re-up my March 2025 article for @warontherocks.bsky.social, Eurodeterrent: A Vision for an Anglo-French Nuclear Force.
My thoughts on Starmer's speech:
1. This was not a 'Love Actually' moment. Sir Keir Starmer stuck to the line that the UK-US relationship is crucial to UK security and brings benefits to the British people. 1./
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
1. This was not a 'Love Actually' moment. Sir Keir Starmer stuck to the line that the UK-US relationship is crucial to UK security and brings benefits to the British people. 1./
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Sir Keir Starmer to give No 10 speech over Greenland row
Sir Keir Starmer is due to respond to US President Donald Trump's latest move to take over the Danish territory.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 19, 2026 at 10:33 AM
My thoughts on Starmer's speech:
1. This was not a 'Love Actually' moment. Sir Keir Starmer stuck to the line that the UK-US relationship is crucial to UK security and brings benefits to the British people. 1./
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
1. This was not a 'Love Actually' moment. Sir Keir Starmer stuck to the line that the UK-US relationship is crucial to UK security and brings benefits to the British people. 1./
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Very interesting choice for #pm to make a statement this morning. An aggressive statement will likely cause more damage to UK-US relations. Too passive and you upset domestic audience and allies. Surely not a Love Actually moment?
January 19, 2026 at 9:17 AM
Very interesting choice for #pm to make a statement this morning. An aggressive statement will likely cause more damage to UK-US relations. Too passive and you upset domestic audience and allies. Surely not a Love Actually moment?
If the UK has a foreign policy, it's to hang on till the midterms and hope everything goes back to normal after that.
It continues to be a bad failure that essentially there's a policy debate that is obvious to you if you read a business newspaper OR the gov dot uk website or the MI5 threat update OR a decent policy Substack is basically invisible on the BBC and in 90 per cent of Commons debates.
Maybe we can, oh I dunno, start to have a conversation with voters about this? The problem is not going to go away.
January 18, 2026 at 6:34 PM
If the UK has a foreign policy, it's to hang on till the midterms and hope everything goes back to normal after that.
Reposted by Jamie Gaskarth
“We have had from President Trump what amounts to a revolution. It is not grandiose to call this the end of the Western alliance.”
Last night Bronwen Maddox delivered the Director’s Annual Lecture at @chathamhouse.org, chaired by Matt Frei (@channel4news.bsky.social)
Find out more ➡️ bit.ly/4pHKSpH
Last night Bronwen Maddox delivered the Director’s Annual Lecture at @chathamhouse.org, chaired by Matt Frei (@channel4news.bsky.social)
Find out more ➡️ bit.ly/4pHKSpH
January 14, 2026 at 1:00 PM
“We have had from President Trump what amounts to a revolution. It is not grandiose to call this the end of the Western alliance.”
Last night Bronwen Maddox delivered the Director’s Annual Lecture at @chathamhouse.org, chaired by Matt Frei (@channel4news.bsky.social)
Find out more ➡️ bit.ly/4pHKSpH
Last night Bronwen Maddox delivered the Director’s Annual Lecture at @chathamhouse.org, chaired by Matt Frei (@channel4news.bsky.social)
Find out more ➡️ bit.ly/4pHKSpH
In responding to reviewer comments on a grant application, is it acceptable to say you're going to ignore reviewer X because they were clearly drunk? Asking for a friend...
January 12, 2026 at 6:54 PM
In responding to reviewer comments on a grant application, is it acceptable to say you're going to ignore reviewer X because they were clearly drunk? Asking for a friend...
No rush. It's better to get the paperwork right than prepare for a world on fire.
'The DIP is now not expected to be delivered until March'
About six months late and almost a year after the Strategic Defence Review.
As ever, a widening gap between rhetoric and action.
About six months late and almost a year after the Strategic Defence Review.
As ever, a widening gap between rhetoric and action.
UK armed forces warn of £28bn defence funding shortfall
Military chiefs wrangle with Keir Starmer’s government over spending plan
www.ft.com
January 9, 2026 at 7:45 PM
No rush. It's better to get the paperwork right than prepare for a world on fire.
In other news, this is a very poor decision which seems to have been taken with no consideration for the risks involved, the limits of UK capabilities and demands on resources, or the lessons of recent conflicts.
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
UK and France ‘ready to deploy troops’ to Ukraine after ceasefire
Trilateral declaration of intent signed after ‘coalition of the willing’ summit in Paris with plan to establish military hubs
www.theguardian.com
January 6, 2026 at 9:48 PM
In other news, this is a very poor decision which seems to have been taken with no consideration for the risks involved, the limits of UK capabilities and demands on resources, or the lessons of recent conflicts.
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
This statement is significant and impressively crafted. A firm rebuttal to the Trump administration's rhetoric threatening Greenland's sovereignty. Well done to all who drafted and approved it.
Joint Statement of major EU/NATO countries on Greenland, together with Denmark:
January 6, 2026 at 1:42 PM
This statement is significant and impressively crafted. A firm rebuttal to the Trump administration's rhetoric threatening Greenland's sovereignty. Well done to all who drafted and approved it.
Reposted by Jamie Gaskarth
“and in other news, President Trump has ordered the bombing of Venezuela”
“Caracas?”
“not according to his doctors”
“Caracas?”
“not according to his doctors”
January 3, 2026 at 8:10 AM
“and in other news, President Trump has ordered the bombing of Venezuela”
“Caracas?”
“not according to his doctors”
“Caracas?”
“not according to his doctors”
If the debacle of #REF2029 guidance teaches anything, it's the utility of red teaming stuff before it enters the public domain. So many contradictions, examples of confusing syntax and basic information missing; on top of which, the old guidance is still up for some reason...
December 19, 2025 at 2:23 PM
If the debacle of #REF2029 guidance teaches anything, it's the utility of red teaming stuff before it enters the public domain. So many contradictions, examples of confusing syntax and basic information missing; on top of which, the old guidance is still up for some reason...
Hey @telegraph.co.uk, u OK hun? Feels like you're not yourself lately....
The Telegraph: now advocates for mutiny.
The enemy within.
The enemy within.
December 18, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Hey @telegraph.co.uk, u OK hun? Feels like you're not yourself lately....
It's a neglected principle of government that if you say something is important, you should make sure you act on it.
Shock.
While No.10 quibbles, the threat grows and our ability to combat it remains diminished.
But defence is apparently a 'top priority' for government....
While No.10 quibbles, the threat grows and our ability to combat it remains diminished.
But defence is apparently a 'top priority' for government....
Defence spending plan delayed over Starmer concerns
New national armaments director insists the paper is in its ‘final stages’
www.ft.com
December 17, 2025 at 11:12 AM
It's a neglected principle of government that if you say something is important, you should make sure you act on it.
A counterpoint might be that we can now prevaricate and the US can 'punish' us by not continuing with stuff that was never gonna happen anyway, or if it did, wasn't going to be meaningful in the long term (7k jobs?! Pfft), rather than hit us somewhere that matters.
Only took three months for the US to weaponize the US-UK Tech deal: "British officials on Monday confirmed the US suspended the deal last week, with one saying the Trump administration was pushing for UK concessions in areas of trade outside the tech partnership."
www.ft.com/content/afd4...
www.ft.com/content/afd4...
US suspends technology deal with the UK
Washington pushes for concessions from London on the broader trade relationship
www.ft.com
December 16, 2025 at 4:53 PM
A counterpoint might be that we can now prevaricate and the US can 'punish' us by not continuing with stuff that was never gonna happen anyway, or if it did, wasn't going to be meaningful in the long term (7k jobs?! Pfft), rather than hit us somewhere that matters.