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Reposted by John Denham

David Higham @oldtrotter.bsky.social · 1d

That’s also true of many other groups given the loss of traditional industries. If you were a miner (or a car worker in the Midlands) in the 1970s society paid attention to you. Pointed out here substack.com/@jydenham/no...

John Denham (@jydenham)

I’ve a new post on my Optimistic Patriot section of Nation, State and Politics - for those who like to listen rather than read it’s a podcast with LED Confidential that discusses identity, place, poli...

substack.com

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Reposted by John Denham

Compass @compassoffice.bsky.social · 1d

You can now read John Denham's (@jydenham.bsky.social) full remarks from our 2025 Labour Conference panel on our website👇

www.compassonline.org.uk/john-denham-...

John Denham - Compass Labour Conference Event Speech - 29th September 2025 - Compass

Here you can find former Minister John Denham's talk to the Compass event at 2025 Labour Party Conference.

www.compassonline.org.uk

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Reposted by John Denham

William Temple Foundation @williamtemplefdn.bsky.social · 1d

Our upcoming public lecture 'Towards the Conversion of the CofE by the Rest of England' will explore the CofE's engagement with'Englishness' and changing identity, and will
feature Linda Woodhead and John Denham
Tues 28 Oct, 7-8.15pm, online
Sign up for free here: eventbrite.co.uk/e/book-launc...

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Reposted by John Denham

John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 1d

Liberal ideas of a diverse, multicultural, nation with limited sovereignty and relatively open borders are not the established norm but the insurgent and, in some ways, almost revolutionary idea. They can be defended but liberal national democracy is not an inevitable outcome of human progress.

Changing and contested ideas of nationhood

This post explores how our ideas of democratic nation states can conflict with the current reality.

nationstateandpolitics.substack.com

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 1d

Thanks!

John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 1d

Liberal ideas of a diverse, multicultural, nation with limited sovereignty and relatively open borders are not the established norm but the insurgent and, in some ways, almost revolutionary idea. They can be defended but liberal national democracy is not an inevitable outcome of human progress.

Changing and contested ideas of nationhood

This post explores how our ideas of democratic nation states can conflict with the current reality.

nationstateandpolitics.substack.com

1

Reposted by John Denham

David Higham @oldtrotter.bsky.social · 1d

This is a really interesting listen which is full of insights but did make me regret the opportunity Labour has missed to reinvigorate English local democracy.

John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 1d

I’ve a new post on my Optimistic Patriot section of Nation, State and Politics - for those who like to listen rather than read it’s a podcast with LED Confidential that discusses identity, place, politics and growth

🎧 Listen: Total Place 2.0 and the politics of belonging

I join Mike Spicer and David Marlow on LED Confidential to unpack the rise of English identity politics and its implications for place-based inclusive growth.

nationstateandpolitics.substack.com

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 1d

I’ve a new post on my Optimistic Patriot section of Nation, State and Politics - for those who like to listen rather than read it’s a podcast with LED Confidential that discusses identity, place, politics and growth

🎧 Listen: Total Place 2.0 and the politics of belonging

I join Mike Spicer and David Marlow on LED Confidential to unpack the rise of English identity politics and its implications for place-based inclusive growth.

nationstateandpolitics.substack.com

1

John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 2d

David Higham (@oldtrotter)

Do give this a listen. It really is very good. The government appears to be missing yet another opportunity to actually fix the foundations, in this case reviving local democracy in England.

substack.com

John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 2d

Those who care least about ideas of nationhood are often unaware that the positions they take on EU membership, economic liberalism, international law, or migration and asylum policy are, inescapably, interventions in a debate about the nation.

Changing and contested ideas of nationhood

This post explores how our ideas of democratic nation states can conflict with the current reality.

nationstateandpolitics.substack.com

Reposted by John Denham

John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 3d

The simple idea of the sovereign democratic nation state serving its people is an increasingly inaccurate description of the reality. National political sovereignty has been eroded, national economic sovereignty reduced, democratic states struggle to deliver and the people have been changed.

Changing and contested ideas of nationhood

This post explores how our ideas of democratic nation states can conflict with the current reality.

open.substack.com

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 3d

The simple idea of the sovereign democratic nation state serving its people is an increasingly inaccurate description of the reality. National political sovereignty has been eroded, national economic sovereignty reduced, democratic states struggle to deliver and the people have been changed.

Changing and contested ideas of nationhood

This post explores how our ideas of democratic nation states can conflict with the current reality.

open.substack.com

2

Reposted by John Denham

John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 4d

The very modernity of the nation state means that today’s nations embody much older ideas of nationhood with deep roots long before the emergence of democracy.

Changing and contested ideas of nationhood

This post explores how our ideas of democratic nation states can conflict with the current reality.

nationstateandpolitics.substack.com

3 1

John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 4d

The very modernity of the nation state means that today’s nations embody much older ideas of nationhood with deep roots long before the emergence of democracy.

Changing and contested ideas of nationhood

This post explores how our ideas of democratic nation states can conflict with the current reality.

nationstateandpolitics.substack.com

3 1

Reposted by John Denham

John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 4d

Opposition to national populism is often framed as a defence of the values of liberal democracy. But to the extent that liberal democracy was associated with sovereign democratic nation states, it remains an idealised view of nations that hardly came into existence before it began to be eroded.

Changing and contested ideas of nationhood

This post explores how our ideas of democratic nation states can conflict with the current reality.

nationstateandpolitics.substack.com

3 1

John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 4d

Opposition to national populism is often framed as a defence of the values of liberal democracy. But to the extent that liberal democracy was associated with sovereign democratic nation states, it remains an idealised view of nations that hardly came into existence before it began to be eroded.

Changing and contested ideas of nationhood

This post explores how our ideas of democratic nation states can conflict with the current reality.

nationstateandpolitics.substack.com

3 1

John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 4d

Is opposition to national populism a defence of liberal democracy? If liberal democracy means sovereign democratic nation states, it's an idealised view that hardly came into existence before it began to be eroded.

Changing and contested ideas of nationhood

This post explores how our ideas of democratic nation states can conflict with the current reality.

nationstateandpolitics.substack.com

Reposted by John Denham

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 6d

What an admirably clear statement from the Jewish Leadership Council, especially when all of those involved must surely have been dealing with so many other urgent challenges in safety, security and grief + shock today before having this further divisive and distracting intervention to address too.

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 8d

There’s a lot to explore in those relationships (so please follow/subscribe to the Substack) but the response cannot simply be describe National Populism as self-serving bs. To counter, we need to understand why it works.

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 8d

Take another look at the article, perhaps

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 8d

‘Deglobalisation’ is better understood as the widespread abandonment of the ideal of the globalised free market. No longer is it assumed that globalisation per se is the best outcome of foreign and economic policy.’

The rise of National Populism

National Populism, nationhood and nation states

emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 8d

Please keep engaging. The issue about globalisation is its impact on economic sovereignty. States cannot deliver what voters expect them to be able to do.

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Reposted by John Denham

John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 9d

European nations thought globalisation had benefits which outweighed its costs and, in any case, was inevitable. ‘You might as well debate whether the sun will come up in the morning’ as UK Prime Minister Tony Blair put it. The ‘inevitability’ did not last long.

Globalisation and the hollowing out of nation states

How globalisation hollowed out the economic sovereignty of nations.

eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com

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Reposted by John Denham

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 9d

The idea that "the median voter will feel attacked" by challenging Reform over racism is certainly not shown by the data in this piece. It shows they may be indifferent. (It may mean a different important swing voter, who isn't the median voter)

The New Statesman @handle.invalid · 9d

Crying racism only hurts Labour

Activists like it, but the median voter will feel attacked.

📊 @bwalker.uk

Crying racism only hurts Labour

Activists like it, but the median voter will feel attacked.

www.newstatesman.com

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John Denham @jydenham.bsky.social · 9d

When ‘patriots’ was the name claimed by democratic radicals. Johnson was a Tory.

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