Jamie Gaskarth
@jamiegaskarth.bsky.social
Prof of Foreign Policy and IR, OU. Writes on British defence, intel and foreign policy. Assoc Ed. International Affairs. Views my own.
True story. I grew up with the Oliver Stone/Rush to Judgment view. Then on a trip to Dallas I read the Warren report and visited the book depository. It's so obvious he did it you realise how much nonsense they had to sprinkle over it to sow doubt.
Today is the 62nd anniversary of JFK being assassinated by a trained marksman firing a close and unobstructed volley of shots at a slow-moving and unprotected car, hitting a target who could not physically move. RIP, President Kennedy.
November 23, 2025 at 6:17 AM
True story. I grew up with the Oliver Stone/Rush to Judgment view. Then on a trip to Dallas I read the Warren report and visited the book depository. It's so obvious he did it you realise how much nonsense they had to sprinkle over it to sow doubt.
Shout out to the linguistic content analysts...
❗️The Guardian: Phrases originally written in Russian found in the American “peace plan”
The document contains several formulations that would sound natural in Russian but appear unnatural and out of place in the English version, clashing with the overall style.
The document contains several formulations that would sound natural in Russian but appear unnatural and out of place in the English version, clashing with the overall style.
November 21, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Shout out to the linguistic content analysts...
Reposted by Jamie Gaskarth
“Can the UK afford to fight a war?” Join this open Chatham House event on
📅 27 November 2025
🕕 6-7PM
Hybrid – In-person (Chatham House, London) & Online
👉 Register via: www.chathamhouse.org/events/all/o...
@jamiegaskarth.bsky.social @gunjans.bsky.social @oliviaosullivan.bsky.social
📅 27 November 2025
🕕 6-7PM
Hybrid – In-person (Chatham House, London) & Online
👉 Register via: www.chathamhouse.org/events/all/o...
@jamiegaskarth.bsky.social @gunjans.bsky.social @oliviaosullivan.bsky.social
LinkedIn
This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn
lnkd.in
November 20, 2025 at 12:31 PM
“Can the UK afford to fight a war?” Join this open Chatham House event on
📅 27 November 2025
🕕 6-7PM
Hybrid – In-person (Chatham House, London) & Online
👉 Register via: www.chathamhouse.org/events/all/o...
@jamiegaskarth.bsky.social @gunjans.bsky.social @oliviaosullivan.bsky.social
📅 27 November 2025
🕕 6-7PM
Hybrid – In-person (Chatham House, London) & Online
👉 Register via: www.chathamhouse.org/events/all/o...
@jamiegaskarth.bsky.social @gunjans.bsky.social @oliviaosullivan.bsky.social
Great piece here by Simon...
Me, for @encompasseurope.bsky.social, on why it doesn't serve either side's interests to get bogged down in UK-EU finances as negotiations start on SPS and ETS
@oupolitics.bsky.social
@oupolitics.bsky.social
November 20, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Great piece here by Simon...
Booked 3 trips to London this month. Each time the train has been cancelled. Nationalisation can't come soon enough.
November 17, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Booked 3 trips to London this month. Each time the train has been cancelled. Nationalisation can't come soon enough.
Peak Bluesky....it's possible the misuse of asylum has led to this....or do we think Albania suffered a humanitarian catastrophe in 2022/23?!
www.gov.uk/government/s...
www.gov.uk/government/s...
November 15, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Peak Bluesky....it's possible the misuse of asylum has led to this....or do we think Albania suffered a humanitarian catastrophe in 2022/23?!
www.gov.uk/government/s...
www.gov.uk/government/s...
This is just political cowardice. People will forgive anything but weakness in politicians. If true, I'd say their days are numbered.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Rachel Reeves to abandon plans to raise income tax rates in budget
Labour had laid the ground to break a manifesto pledge on taxes for working people but has now made a U-turn
www.theguardian.com
November 14, 2025 at 3:59 PM
This is just political cowardice. People will forgive anything but weakness in politicians. If true, I'd say their days are numbered.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
For defence and security types, I'll be talking about whether the UK can afford to fight a war with General Sir Richard Barrons and @oliviaosullivan.bsky.social at Chatham House on 27th November. You can sign up here for online or in person:
www.chathamhouse.org/events/all/o...
www.chathamhouse.org/events/all/o...
Can the UK afford to fight a war?
Assessing the post-budget outlook for Britain’s defence and security commitments.
www.chathamhouse.org
November 10, 2025 at 4:07 PM
For defence and security types, I'll be talking about whether the UK can afford to fight a war with General Sir Richard Barrons and @oliviaosullivan.bsky.social at Chatham House on 27th November. You can sign up here for online or in person:
www.chathamhouse.org/events/all/o...
www.chathamhouse.org/events/all/o...
Reposted by Jamie Gaskarth
Delve deeper into your family tree by finding lost relatives who served in WWI. Ensure their service & sacrifice are never forgotten. Free access until 13th November.
@findmypast.bsky.social findmypast.co.uk.
T&Cs apply
@findmypast.bsky.social findmypast.co.uk.
T&Cs apply
November 7, 2025 at 6:05 AM
Delve deeper into your family tree by finding lost relatives who served in WWI. Ensure their service & sacrifice are never forgotten. Free access until 13th November.
@findmypast.bsky.social findmypast.co.uk.
T&Cs apply
@findmypast.bsky.social findmypast.co.uk.
T&Cs apply
Reposted by Jamie Gaskarth
😮
Norway finds out that its electric busses - produced by a Chinese firm - can be remotely controlled from China!
The good news of this is that the Norwegians realised this because they did a cybersecurity test. We need to think about, and test, stuff like this more.
www.focus.de/panorama/wel...
Norway finds out that its electric busses - produced by a Chinese firm - can be remotely controlled from China!
The good news of this is that the Norwegians realised this because they did a cybersecurity test. We need to think about, and test, stuff like this more.
www.focus.de/panorama/wel...
Norweger stellen fest, dass China 850 ihrer Elektrobusse fernsteuern und sogar stoppen kann
Etwa 850 in Norwegen eingesetzte Elektrobusse können aus China vollständig kontrolliert werden. Das hat ein geheimer Test der öffentlichen Verkehrsbetriebe ergeben.
www.focus.de
November 6, 2025 at 10:43 AM
😮
Norway finds out that its electric busses - produced by a Chinese firm - can be remotely controlled from China!
The good news of this is that the Norwegians realised this because they did a cybersecurity test. We need to think about, and test, stuff like this more.
www.focus.de/panorama/wel...
Norway finds out that its electric busses - produced by a Chinese firm - can be remotely controlled from China!
The good news of this is that the Norwegians realised this because they did a cybersecurity test. We need to think about, and test, stuff like this more.
www.focus.de/panorama/wel...
Watching Homes under the Hammer. Somewhere in this image are a couple of housebuyers. Repost if you see them but no spoilers.
November 5, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Watching Homes under the Hammer. Somewhere in this image are a couple of housebuyers. Repost if you see them but no spoilers.
Reposted by Jamie Gaskarth
I did a lecture on the impact of Brexit on British politics. Watch it here if you're really bored www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztqL...
Reflections on the Brexit Revolution: 2025-26 Mackenzie-Stuart Lecture
YouTube video by Cambridge Law Faculty
www.youtube.com
November 5, 2025 at 9:25 AM
I did a lecture on the impact of Brexit on British politics. Watch it here if you're really bored www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztqL...
Reposted by Jamie Gaskarth
"We knew in 2011 when #Libya was collapsing that we needed to hurry up…they came with huge amounts of #arms: convoys of arms … It was like a huge supermarket of arms for free … The Secretary-General requested a draft #strategy"
#Sahel @oxunipress.bsky.social @egmontinstitute.bsky.social
#Sahel @oxunipress.bsky.social @egmontinstitute.bsky.social
November 5, 2025 at 9:24 AM
"We knew in 2011 when #Libya was collapsing that we needed to hurry up…they came with huge amounts of #arms: convoys of arms … It was like a huge supermarket of arms for free … The Secretary-General requested a draft #strategy"
#Sahel @oxunipress.bsky.social @egmontinstitute.bsky.social
#Sahel @oxunipress.bsky.social @egmontinstitute.bsky.social
Reposted by Jamie Gaskarth
I've only just been able to watch this, as I was teaching at the time, but it's excellent.
Clear-eyed, challenging & wide-ranging, it grapples with hard questions about the stakes of the war, what Britons are willing to pay, the reliability of NATO & who supplies new weapons.
Well worth watching.
Clear-eyed, challenging & wide-ranging, it grapples with hard questions about the stakes of the war, what Britons are willing to pay, the reliability of NATO & who supplies new weapons.
Well worth watching.
Our webinar on "Whatever it Takes: The Policy Implications of Supporting Ukraine" is now online.
Starring @evieaspinall.bsky.social, @elkeschwarz.bsky.social, @patporter76.bsky.social and @drjamesstrong.bsky.social.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUvQ...
Starring @evieaspinall.bsky.social, @elkeschwarz.bsky.social, @patporter76.bsky.social and @drjamesstrong.bsky.social.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUvQ...
"Whatever it takes": The Policy Implications of Supporting Ukraine
YouTube video by Mile End Institute
www.youtube.com
November 4, 2025 at 9:34 PM
I've only just been able to watch this, as I was teaching at the time, but it's excellent.
Clear-eyed, challenging & wide-ranging, it grapples with hard questions about the stakes of the war, what Britons are willing to pay, the reliability of NATO & who supplies new weapons.
Well worth watching.
Clear-eyed, challenging & wide-ranging, it grapples with hard questions about the stakes of the war, what Britons are willing to pay, the reliability of NATO & who supplies new weapons.
Well worth watching.
This should be a resigning matter for the VC. Senior leadership forgot the primary purpose of a university: to generate new knowledge.
This is a remarkable case of Chinese authorities threatening a UK university into halting research on human rights violations, and the university acquiescing.
China intimidated UK university to ditch human rights research, documents show
Sheffield Hallam University apologises to Professor Laura Murphy for restricting her academic freedom.
www.bbc.com
November 3, 2025 at 7:34 AM
This should be a resigning matter for the VC. Senior leadership forgot the primary purpose of a university: to generate new knowledge.
Another 'financial crash imminent' warning...these valuations are insane.
November 2, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Another 'financial crash imminent' warning...these valuations are insane.
Reposted by Jamie Gaskarth
Infuriatingly, this repeats the historically illiterate: This hasn't happened since Labour replaced the Liberals. Only nothing has replaced anything. There's been some striking opinion polls and midterm results, years from an election. The last time what we are seeing happened was actually 1981. 1/3
Andrew Marr: I was wrong to believe in Keir Starmer
YouTube video by The New Statesman
www.youtube.com
October 26, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Infuriatingly, this repeats the historically illiterate: This hasn't happened since Labour replaced the Liberals. Only nothing has replaced anything. There's been some striking opinion polls and midterm results, years from an election. The last time what we are seeing happened was actually 1981. 1/3
People are very judgy about the celebrities in the Traitors, but if your whole life you're the centre of attention, having to focus on other people and read their social cues must be incredibly difficult.
October 25, 2025 at 7:03 PM
People are very judgy about the celebrities in the Traitors, but if your whole life you're the centre of attention, having to focus on other people and read their social cues must be incredibly difficult.
FGS, why do I ever bother with trains? Could have driven to London and back for cheaper and be home by now. Instead, the morning train was cancelled and the one back appears to have broken down.
October 23, 2025 at 7:16 PM
FGS, why do I ever bother with trains? Could have driven to London and back for cheaper and be home by now. Instead, the morning train was cancelled and the one back appears to have broken down.
I know this is clickbait, but it needs to be rebuffed: Russia doesn't want a ceasefire or to settle. If you're really aware of the limits of US power, you'll know you can't wish that away...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
New sanctions and weapons will not stop Russia. It’s time for Ukraine’s allies to change their flawed strategy | Christopher S Chivvis
A negotiated settlement would be unfair and frustrating. But after nearly four years of fighting, it may be the best option, says Christopher S Chivvis of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peac...
www.theguardian.com
October 23, 2025 at 6:42 PM
I know this is clickbait, but it needs to be rebuffed: Russia doesn't want a ceasefire or to settle. If you're really aware of the limits of US power, you'll know you can't wish that away...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
If you have any excellent Masters students looking to do a PhD, do send them our way at the OU, funding available!
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPD380/g...
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPD380/g...
Grand Union DTP Studentships at The Open University
Discover a Grand Union DTP Studentships on jobs.ac.uk. Apply now and explore other PhD opportunities.
www.jobs.ac.uk
October 23, 2025 at 4:57 PM
If you have any excellent Masters students looking to do a PhD, do send them our way at the OU, funding available!
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPD380/g...
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPD380/g...
Reposted by Jamie Gaskarth
Thank you, Dan, for your review! And thanks again to our wonderful contributors, @byrnealice.bsky.social Lori Maguire, Adrien Rodd, Bent Boel, Christian Turner, @ameliahadfield1.bsky.social @thibaudharrois.bsky.social
Edited by @meltorrent.bsky.social & Lauriane Simony, this collection of articles is key reading for anyone interested in British foreign policy in the second half of the Twentieth Century: www.tandfonline.com/toc/fcbh20/3...
Latest articles from Contemporary British History
Browse the latest articles and research from Contemporary British History
www.tandfonline.com
October 21, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Thank you, Dan, for your review! And thanks again to our wonderful contributors, @byrnealice.bsky.social Lori Maguire, Adrien Rodd, Bent Boel, Christian Turner, @ameliahadfield1.bsky.social @thibaudharrois.bsky.social
Reposted by Jamie Gaskarth
An OpenAI executive said GPT-5 found solutions to 10 "previously unsolved" math problems when in reality all it did was find online references to places where people had already solved them
techcrunch.com/2025/10/19/o...
techcrunch.com/2025/10/19/o...
OpenAI’s ‘embarrassing’ math | TechCrunch
No, GPT-5 did not solve a bunch of previously unsolved math problems.
techcrunch.com
October 20, 2025 at 4:14 PM
An OpenAI executive said GPT-5 found solutions to 10 "previously unsolved" math problems when in reality all it did was find online references to places where people had already solved them
techcrunch.com/2025/10/19/o...
techcrunch.com/2025/10/19/o...
Not great....
The situation is combustible, and the blast could reach the U.S. This year, the Afghan Taliban has been quietly lifting restrictions on foreign and regional militants operating on Afghan soil. www.wsj.com/opinion/al-q...
Opinion | Al Qaeda Rises Amid Afghan-Pakistani Conflict
Why America should care about a South Asian skirmish.
www.wsj.com
October 16, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Not great....
Strong refutation here...
My statement on the allegations of a Chinese state compromise of Britain’s most highly classified government systems in 2020
www.linkedin.com/posts/cyberc...
www.linkedin.com/posts/cyberc...
My statement on the allegations of a systematic Chinese state compromise of Britain’s classified information systems in 2020
STARTS
“Following the reports earlier today in The Times, as the senior… ...
My statement on the allegations of a systematic Chinese state compromise of Britain’s classified information systems in 2020
STARTS
“Following the reports earlier today in The Times, as the senior o...
www.linkedin.com
October 15, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Strong refutation here...