Joel Budd
@joelbudd.bsky.social
Journalist at the Economist, writing about life in Britain. Author of "Underdogs".
All swing voters agree with me about everything. Westminster is in denial about this.
February 10, 2026 at 8:26 PM
All swing voters agree with me about everything. Westminster is in denial about this.
Tips for watching the winter olympics gratefully received, given that (a) I have work to do, (b) the BBC seems to think that people only want to watch tiny snippets or 5 hour programmes on iplayer, and (c) Britain is really not good at winter sports.
February 10, 2026 at 8:18 PM
Tips for watching the winter olympics gratefully received, given that (a) I have work to do, (b) the BBC seems to think that people only want to watch tiny snippets or 5 hour programmes on iplayer, and (c) Britain is really not good at winter sports.
Reposted by Joel Budd
I've been using AI a hell of a lot more recently. I'm finding that if you use it as a search engine/general information thing for my job, it is reassuringly still pretty crap (reassuring because my job is gathering new information.) But writing python scripts to gather data is amazing
February 10, 2026 at 5:27 PM
I've been using AI a hell of a lot more recently. I'm finding that if you use it as a search engine/general information thing for my job, it is reassuringly still pretty crap (reassuring because my job is gathering new information.) But writing python scripts to gather data is amazing
Reposted by Joel Budd
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.
Not sure anyone was listening, but this speech by Keir Starmer yesterday was deeply strange on the subject of immigrants and integration. The bit about the Windrush generation is especially bizarre.
www.gov.uk/government/s...
www.gov.uk/government/s...
PM remarks in Hastings: 5 February
Prime Minister Keir Starmer gave remarks during a visit to Hastings.
www.gov.uk
February 6, 2026 at 7:55 AM
Not sure anyone was listening, but this speech by Keir Starmer yesterday was deeply strange on the subject of immigrants and integration. The bit about the Windrush generation is especially bizarre.
www.gov.uk/government/s...
www.gov.uk/government/s...
Reposted by Joel Budd
Whole column here if you like reading column www.economist.com/britain/2026...
Britain’s worst political scandal of this century
The Mandelson affair threatens Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership
www.economist.com
February 5, 2026 at 8:20 AM
Whole column here if you like reading column www.economist.com/britain/2026...
A strange side-effect of the UK government's attempt to make local democracy more efficient: a rash of new councils. They are more powerful than they look.
www.economist.com/britain/2026...
www.economist.com/britain/2026...
Why lots of English towns are creating puny local governments
Mad for parish councils
www.economist.com
February 4, 2026 at 9:24 AM
A strange side-effect of the UK government's attempt to make local democracy more efficient: a rash of new councils. They are more powerful than they look.
www.economist.com/britain/2026...
www.economist.com/britain/2026...
Reposted by Joel Budd
The international development community isn’t adapting fast enough to official aid cuts. That’s a big problem: www.africanistperspective.com/p/the-intern...
The international development community isn’t adapting fast enough to official aid cuts. That’s a big problem.
On the urgent need for a pivot to spending more time trying to supporting specific countries interested in boosting their state capacity; and catalyzing commercial revolutions in low-income countries.
www.africanistperspective.com
January 30, 2026 at 12:50 PM
The international development community isn’t adapting fast enough to official aid cuts. That’s a big problem: www.africanistperspective.com/p/the-intern...
Reposted by Joel Budd
New Swingometer post now out - my look at the Gorton and Denton by-election, taking place down the road from me swingometer.substack.com/p/the-gorton...
The Gorton and Denton by-election: a tale of two Manchesters?
Unpopular incumbent + fragmented opposition + unusual seat = unpredictable contest
swingometer.substack.com
January 29, 2026 at 8:50 AM
New Swingometer post now out - my look at the Gorton and Denton by-election, taking place down the road from me swingometer.substack.com/p/the-gorton...
Reposted by Joel Budd
The cost of the cost of living, or: how the British state evolved into Martin Lewis with nukes
economist.com/britain/2026...
economist.com/britain/2026...
January 29, 2026 at 7:57 AM
The cost of the cost of living, or: how the British state evolved into Martin Lewis with nukes
economist.com/britain/2026...
economist.com/britain/2026...
And on London’s much-abused mayor. I think he’s popular partly because, whereas his predecessors represented London stereotypes, Khan represents Londoners as they actually are.
www.economist.com/britain/2026...
www.economist.com/britain/2026...
Sadiq Khan is not the mayor right-wingers imagine him to be
Even if he drives Donald Trump mad
www.economist.com
January 29, 2026 at 7:28 AM
And on London’s much-abused mayor. I think he’s popular partly because, whereas his predecessors represented London stereotypes, Khan represents Londoners as they actually are.
www.economist.com/britain/2026...
www.economist.com/britain/2026...
Reposted by Joel Budd
My story, written this morning from Minneapolis, is part of The Economist's cover package this week
Inside the movement challenging—and disrupting—ICE
www.economist.com/united-state...
Inside the movement challenging—and disrupting—ICE
www.economist.com/united-state...
Inside the movement challenging—and disrupting—ICE
A non-violent network of activists is forming across America
www.economist.com
January 29, 2026 at 4:07 AM
My story, written this morning from Minneapolis, is part of The Economist's cover package this week
Inside the movement challenging—and disrupting—ICE
www.economist.com/united-state...
Inside the movement challenging—and disrupting—ICE
www.economist.com/united-state...
ChatGPT is so fantastically lazy. Like a recalcitrant child. "Would you like me to do more than you could have achieved through a simple Google search?" Er, no thanks.
January 27, 2026 at 12:05 PM
ChatGPT is so fantastically lazy. Like a recalcitrant child. "Would you like me to do more than you could have achieved through a simple Google search?" Er, no thanks.
Reposted by Joel Budd
Really happy this work with @fraraffaelli.bsky.social found a home at EJPR. We show that growing up at times of high salience of immigration produces cohorts of voters who are more likely to vote for parties that they agree with specifically on immigration.
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
January 27, 2026 at 8:56 AM
Really happy this work with @fraraffaelli.bsky.social found a home at EJPR. We show that growing up at times of high salience of immigration produces cohorts of voters who are more likely to vote for parties that they agree with specifically on immigration.
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Reposted by Joel Budd
Really good to see @yougov transitioning to using an occupational measure of social class (ns-sec) but it is worth adding that by far the strongest occupational class pattern is in non-voting.
January 22, 2026 at 9:12 AM
Really good to see @yougov transitioning to using an occupational measure of social class (ns-sec) but it is worth adding that by far the strongest occupational class pattern is in non-voting.
Reposted by Joel Budd
Some great charts in this fine piece by @lanegreene.bsky.social. Popular music is getting sadder and angstier
www.economist.com/graphic-deta...
www.economist.com/graphic-deta...
January 19, 2026 at 8:10 PM
Some great charts in this fine piece by @lanegreene.bsky.social. Popular music is getting sadder and angstier
www.economist.com/graphic-deta...
www.economist.com/graphic-deta...
Bit of architectural awesomeness for Sunday. Clifton (Catholic) Cathedral in Bristol, by Ronald Weeks, who really liked hexagons. Recently restored and looks great.
January 18, 2026 at 10:20 AM
Bit of architectural awesomeness for Sunday. Clifton (Catholic) Cathedral in Bristol, by Ronald Weeks, who really liked hexagons. Recently restored and looks great.
Reposted by Joel Budd
The latest USoc wave lets us split out the Covid years from what came after.
So striking that they look the same!
Average mental ill health (based on a general screening instrument) is no better now than during the lockdown years, at any age. @alexbryson.bsky.social @dannyblanchy.bsky.social
So striking that they look the same!
Average mental ill health (based on a general screening instrument) is no better now than during the lockdown years, at any age. @alexbryson.bsky.social @dannyblanchy.bsky.social
January 15, 2026 at 1:53 PM
The latest USoc wave lets us split out the Covid years from what came after.
So striking that they look the same!
Average mental ill health (based on a general screening instrument) is no better now than during the lockdown years, at any age. @alexbryson.bsky.social @dannyblanchy.bsky.social
So striking that they look the same!
Average mental ill health (based on a general screening instrument) is no better now than during the lockdown years, at any age. @alexbryson.bsky.social @dannyblanchy.bsky.social
Reposted by Joel Budd
"Reform offers a nostalgia that harks back not to Winston Churchill or Margaret Thatcher, but to the half-baked policy papers and whingeing that marked the final years of Conservative rule"
www.economist.com/britain/2026...
www.economist.com/britain/2026...
Reform UK risks blowing a once-in-a-century moment
Nigel Farage’s party is turning into a bunch of bed-blockers
www.economist.com
January 14, 2026 at 9:08 PM
"Reform offers a nostalgia that harks back not to Winston Churchill or Margaret Thatcher, but to the half-baked policy papers and whingeing that marked the final years of Conservative rule"
www.economist.com/britain/2026...
www.economist.com/britain/2026...
This isn't the worst academic paper I have ever read, but I think it might be the most annoying. Important question, pioneering research, great data, incomprehensible conclusion.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Street pedestrianization in urban districts: Economic impacts in Spanish cities
This study analyzes the influence of pedestrianization of urban space on the revenues of surrounding retail stores. Pedestrianization refers to the co…
www.sciencedirect.com
January 14, 2026 at 5:38 PM
This isn't the worst academic paper I have ever read, but I think it might be the most annoying. Important question, pioneering research, great data, incomprehensible conclusion.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Joel Budd
On my way to Florence, where I will be presenting at the EUI's PBC @behaviour-eui.bsky.social a project co-authored w/ @leonardocarella.bsky.social
We show that (anti-immigration) 🇬🇧🇮🇹 people 'update' their social identity when primed with narratives pitting immigrants against other social groups
We show that (anti-immigration) 🇬🇧🇮🇹 people 'update' their social identity when primed with narratives pitting immigrants against other social groups
January 12, 2026 at 1:05 PM
On my way to Florence, where I will be presenting at the EUI's PBC @behaviour-eui.bsky.social a project co-authored w/ @leonardocarella.bsky.social
We show that (anti-immigration) 🇬🇧🇮🇹 people 'update' their social identity when primed with narratives pitting immigrants against other social groups
We show that (anti-immigration) 🇬🇧🇮🇹 people 'update' their social identity when primed with narratives pitting immigrants against other social groups
Reposted by Joel Budd
If anyone is involved in monitoring the Iranian communications blackout or in helping Iranians access technology to communicate with each other and the outside works, then please get in touch.
January 11, 2026 at 1:19 PM
If anyone is involved in monitoring the Iranian communications blackout or in helping Iranians access technology to communicate with each other and the outside works, then please get in touch.
Also: the proportion of Londoners who say they feel safe on the streets at night is the same as elsewhere in England. (Yes, yes, the proportion should be higher, etc.)
I wonder what Londoners know that the rest of the country don’t?
January 11, 2026 at 1:19 PM
Also: the proportion of Londoners who say they feel safe on the streets at night is the same as elsewhere in England. (Yes, yes, the proportion should be higher, etc.)
I was worried about what this says about British people until it occurred to me that treasure is implicitly old. A doubloon is treasure, a Bitcoin is not treasure.
In fact there is a very clear correlation between age and national treasure status, Stephen Fry at 68 is the closest to achieving majority support for national treasure status whereas David Beckham is the youngest in the top ten age 50.
January 9, 2026 at 3:47 PM
I was worried about what this says about British people until it occurred to me that treasure is implicitly old. A doubloon is treasure, a Bitcoin is not treasure.