John Denham
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jydenham.bsky.social
John Denham
@jydenham.bsky.social
Professor | Former Labour MP and Cabinet Minister | Director, Centre for English Identity and Politics | Writing about how ideas of nation and nationhood shape politics today at nationstateandpolitics.substack.com ✍️
Reposted by John Denham
Like it or not, national populism raises difficult questions about the future of European nations. Opposition must answer them, not duck them. From my latest post
buff.ly/vG2cdSM
November 26, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Reposted by John Denham
Really pleased to see a new commitment to place-based budgets today. Further progress towards the implementation of 'Total Place' principles as urged with @jesstud.bsky.social a couple of years ago. www.newlocal.org.uk/publications....
November 26, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Like it or not, national populism raises difficult questions about the future of European nations. Opposition must answer them, not duck them. From my latest post
buff.ly/vG2cdSM
November 26, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Really pleased to see a new commitment to place-based budgets today. Further progress towards the implementation of 'Total Place' principles as urged with @jesstud.bsky.social a couple of years ago. www.newlocal.org.uk/publications....
November 26, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Reposted by John Denham
With Reform UK leading the polls here and national populism advancing across Europe, effective opposition means putting some old ideas aside. From my latest Nation, State and Politics post...
buff.ly/vG2cdSM
November 26, 2025 at 10:15 AM
With Reform UK leading the polls here and national populism advancing across Europe, effective opposition means putting some old ideas aside. From my latest Nation, State and Politics post...
buff.ly/vG2cdSM
November 26, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Reposted by John Denham
Will Labour’s ‘us or Reform’ be the answer to national populism?👇
Mimicking national populism doesn't work for centre left and centre right parties. But mobilising the opposition isn't straightforward. From my latest post: buff.ly/vG2cdSM
November 25, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Reposted by John Denham
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.

They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Reposted by John Denham
National populism's potential electoral appeal is broader than many think. From my latest post on 'Europe's electoral battlegrounds': buff.ly/vG2cdSM
November 25, 2025 at 12:58 PM
National populism's potential electoral appeal is broader than many think. From my latest post on 'Europe's electoral battlegrounds': buff.ly/vG2cdSM
November 25, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Will Labour’s ‘us or Reform’ be the answer to national populism?👇
Mimicking national populism doesn't work for centre left and centre right parties. But mobilising the opposition isn't straightforward. From my latest post: buff.ly/vG2cdSM
November 25, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Mimicking national populism doesn't work for centre left and centre right parties. But mobilising the opposition isn't straightforward. From my latest post: buff.ly/vG2cdSM
November 25, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Reposted by John Denham
Europe needs a new approach to tackling national populism
buff.ly/vG2cdSM
November 24, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Reposted by John Denham
Why has it been so hard to resist national populism?
buff.ly/vG2cdSM
November 24, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Europe needs a new approach to tackling national populism
buff.ly/vG2cdSM
November 24, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Why has it been so hard to resist national populism?
buff.ly/vG2cdSM
November 24, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Reposted by John Denham
Englishness is a contested identity: we must engage - or lose open.substack.com/pub/nationst...
November 23, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Englishness is a contested identity: we must engage - or lose open.substack.com/pub/nationst...
November 23, 2025 at 5:06 PM
The left needs to talk about England
England for the English?
After the “summer of flags”, Labour needs a long-overdue conversation about England.
open.substack.com
November 22, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Reposted by John Denham
England for the English? open.substack.com/pub/nationst...
November 22, 2025 at 1:13 PM
England for the English? open.substack.com/pub/nationst...
November 22, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Reposted by John Denham
John Denham examines the flag phenomenon, why Labour is getting its response to England dangerously wrong and why it should develop a programme of genuine national and local democracy buff.ly/GDTh6VU #chartist48
November 21, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Reposted by John Denham
”While in Wales and Scotland this fostered demands for devolution or independence, in England, decline was associated with the EU, a feeling that grew with large-scale EU migration. In the predominantly white working-class communities living socially and geographically apart from more diverse… ”
November 21, 2025 at 7:10 PM
After the ‘summer of flags’ the left needs to engage with England and Englishness
England for the English? — Chartist
John Denham examines the flag phenomenon, why Labour is getting its response to England dangerously wrong and why it should develop a programme of genuine national and local democracy After the “summe...
www.chartist.org.uk
November 21, 2025 at 6:41 PM
The biggest danger from national populism is that it further disrupts the ability of national governments to tackle national problems. From latest post.
buff.ly/R0XfEFD
November 21, 2025 at 9:01 AM