@richposting.bsky.social
Pinned
The lion is OUT of the cage
My God, it really is. They warned us — the Zookeepers — that this could happen. They warned us and we didn’t listen. Now the lion is out…
rich-writes.medium.com
A trip to the zoo with your favourite centrist podcast
This may be true [citation needed] but the problem is we currently have a single shared source of untruth.
A single shared source of truth is essential for a functioning democracy.
Without it you’re left with fragmentation, polarisation and a perpetual culture war where the discourse focuses on what divides us rather than what we have in common.
My column from last week: www.ft.com/content/5060...
Without it you’re left with fragmentation, polarisation and a perpetual culture war where the discourse focuses on what divides us rather than what we have in common.
My column from last week: www.ft.com/content/5060...
Why American-style polarisation is spreading across the west
New research shows how incentives in the modern media ecosystem help explain rising division and negativity
www.ft.com
November 11, 2025 at 10:43 AM
This may be true [citation needed] but the problem is we currently have a single shared source of untruth.
The BBC thing is perfect in that it represents not just the threat the right poses to democracy, and the role of establishment cowardice *but also* the role of lazy, incurious liberal groupthink that did actually cause the BBC to libel Trump in a way that left them vulnerable.
November 10, 2025 at 9:34 PM
The BBC thing is perfect in that it represents not just the threat the right poses to democracy, and the role of establishment cowardice *but also* the role of lazy, incurious liberal groupthink that did actually cause the BBC to libel Trump in a way that left them vulnerable.
For me the key lesson from Mamdani is it's not actually hard to win elections, what's hard is breaking through the party apparatuses to do it.
November 3, 2025 at 5:06 PM
For me the key lesson from Mamdani is it's not actually hard to win elections, what's hard is breaking through the party apparatuses to do it.
Reposted
RIP Kaleb Horton
kalebhorton.ghost.io/2025-so-far/
kalebhorton.ghost.io/2025-so-far/
September 27, 2025 at 1:01 PM
RIP Kaleb Horton
kalebhorton.ghost.io/2025-so-far/
kalebhorton.ghost.io/2025-so-far/
Farage poses an existential threat to Labour's core values (Ministerial posts and donor connections for a small in-group of freaks)
This is first time I’ve heard the govt making the Labour argument for controlling immigration.
Mahmood argues that controlling our borders is good for race relations, because uncontrolled immigration is feeding far right rhetoric and tensions.
Expect to hear a lot more of that.
Mahmood argues that controlling our borders is good for race relations, because uncontrolled immigration is feeding far right rhetoric and tensions.
Expect to hear a lot more of that.
September 24, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Farage poses an existential threat to Labour's core values (Ministerial posts and donor connections for a small in-group of freaks)
It's honestly macabre to recognise a state purely to advance its destruction www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Starmer announces formal UK recognition of Palestinian state
Canada, Australia and Portugal also announced the move on Sunday, with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu accusing leaders of giving a
www.bbc.co.uk
September 22, 2025 at 1:31 PM
It's honestly macabre to recognise a state purely to advance its destruction www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted
I can't sit for too long cuz of my back
September 1, 2025 at 12:46 PM
I can't sit for too long cuz of my back
Abuse of MPs is now nbd 👍
In which I argue that:
a) The Paul Ovenden messages about Diane Abbott are really repugnant, and
b) We might want to be careful about deciding anything bad anyone has ever said online, however long ago, even in a private message is grounds for resignation
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
a) The Paul Ovenden messages about Diane Abbott are really repugnant, and
b) We might want to be careful about deciding anything bad anyone has ever said online, however long ago, even in a private message is grounds for resignation
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
Who will be the next Paul Ovenden?
The messages from Starmer’s ousted aide are repugnant. But digital skeletons have become almost inevitable
www.newstatesman.com
September 16, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Abuse of MPs is now nbd 👍
Its so jarring that what brings down PMs is not the media reporting new information, but the repeating known information in a different tone of voice.
September 16, 2025 at 8:54 AM
Its so jarring that what brings down PMs is not the media reporting new information, but the repeating known information in a different tone of voice.
Does anyone actually think this though? The non-strawman is that racism is activated and sharpened by (inter alia) economic hardship, and that crucially, we have better structural control of the economy than people's souls.
Agree. This is a misdiagnosis that does not fit the evidence at all well, and one which gets in the way of useful responses
The myth that racism is primarily driven by economic conditions must die, especially on the left. It is a misdiagnosis and a kind of excuse
September 15, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Does anyone actually think this though? The non-strawman is that racism is activated and sharpened by (inter alia) economic hardship, and that crucially, we have better structural control of the economy than people's souls.
Here too, the problem is not just the Republicans saying "the radical left are murderers" (bad as that is) but that there isn't a media or opposition party saying "that's an insane fucking lie"
September 12, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Here too, the problem is not just the Republicans saying "the radical left are murderers" (bad as that is) but that there isn't a media or opposition party saying "that's an insane fucking lie"
Reposted
The principle that Israel is pioneering (or reviving) for the rest of "the West" is a sharp line between us -- the white, civilized nations -- among whom rules are followed and agreements can be made, and the rest, who are just bodies that can be killed freely.
BREAKING: Israel Defense Force claims responsbility for an airstrike on Doha, the capital of Qatar.
September 9, 2025 at 1:48 PM
The principle that Israel is pioneering (or reviving) for the rest of "the West" is a sharp line between us -- the white, civilized nations -- among whom rules are followed and agreements can be made, and the rest, who are just bodies that can be killed freely.
Reposted
wrote a little bit about the greatest to ever do it
Thank You, Melvyn Bragg | Defector
Melvyn Bragg, host of the BBC Radio 4 programme In Our Time since its very first episode back in 1998, has greeted me in the same delightfully brusque manner hundreds and hundreds of times. Hello. In ...
defector.com
September 8, 2025 at 3:56 PM
wrote a little bit about the greatest to ever do it
This is legitimately interesting and smart research - but the practical problem is that Labour and Euro SD parties are ambivalent as to whether right-accommodation is successful. We aren't going to evidence them out of this.
V. interesting. The "island of strangers" speech happened serendipitously (in one sense) during a panel survey. Paper uses this natural experiment to see the effect of such migrant-sceptic interventions on individual perceptions and voter intentions.
Upshot: it harmed Labour for no obvious benefit.
Upshot: it harmed Labour for no obvious benefit.
Using a triple-differences model, we show that the biggest negative effect of turning right was among the party’s own supporters
September 5, 2025 at 9:10 AM
This is legitimately interesting and smart research - but the practical problem is that Labour and Euro SD parties are ambivalent as to whether right-accommodation is successful. We aren't going to evidence them out of this.
Political Scientists prey on people who know enough to trust experts but not enough to know Political Scientists aren't experts.
September 4, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Political Scientists prey on people who know enough to trust experts but not enough to know Political Scientists aren't experts.
Reposted
It's not like Radiohead haven't been asked nicely over and over and over again to stop being bastards about this, for years, and their response is always condescending bullshit www.nme.com/news/music/b...
BDS movement call for boycott of Radiohead's 2025 tour
The pro-Palestine BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement has called for a boycott of Radiohead’s newly announced 2025 tour.
www.nme.com
September 4, 2025 at 5:37 AM
It's not like Radiohead haven't been asked nicely over and over and over again to stop being bastards about this, for years, and their response is always condescending bullshit www.nme.com/news/music/b...
Reposted
Green Party of England & Wales Leadership Election Result:
Zack Polanski: 84.6% ✅
E. Chowns & A. Ramsay: 15.4%
Turnout: 24,265 (37.6%)
Zack Polanski: 84.6% ✅
E. Chowns & A. Ramsay: 15.4%
Turnout: 24,265 (37.6%)
September 2, 2025 at 10:16 AM
Green Party of England & Wales Leadership Election Result:
Zack Polanski: 84.6% ✅
E. Chowns & A. Ramsay: 15.4%
Turnout: 24,265 (37.6%)
Zack Polanski: 84.6% ✅
E. Chowns & A. Ramsay: 15.4%
Turnout: 24,265 (37.6%)
Re xenophobia, the trick is to recognise its complex structural and economic causes (and not simply point out that voters who fall for it are very stupid), whilst also knowing in your heart that voters who fall for it are very stupid.
August 28, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Re xenophobia, the trick is to recognise its complex structural and economic causes (and not simply point out that voters who fall for it are very stupid), whilst also knowing in your heart that voters who fall for it are very stupid.
Ultimately this won't stop when we refuse to abide a fascist right, but when we refuse to abide a centre-left which enables a fascist right.
August 26, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Ultimately this won't stop when we refuse to abide a fascist right, but when we refuse to abide a centre-left which enables a fascist right.
I'm increasingly convinced that the reason for Labour's failure is not that managing worsening quality of life is politically impossible (hard as it is!) but that a prerequisite for this management is *honesty* about the situation, something they are simply incapable of.
August 21, 2025 at 8:40 AM
I'm increasingly convinced that the reason for Labour's failure is not that managing worsening quality of life is politically impossible (hard as it is!) but that a prerequisite for this management is *honesty* about the situation, something they are simply incapable of.
Imo the only way to understand this is as an elite consensus that:
1) Median UK quality of life must fall.
2) The resulting anger can only be safely vented through immigrants.
Hence
3) The electoral implications are of secondary importance. It's a class, rather than party project this point.
1) Median UK quality of life must fall.
2) The resulting anger can only be safely vented through immigrants.
Hence
3) The electoral implications are of secondary importance. It's a class, rather than party project this point.
Strategically, it is also terrible electorally (unsurprisingly) as it not only normalises the far right as a credible alternative, it puts off most as this is not what the Labour base or the wider majority are concerned with on the ground
August 20, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Imo the only way to understand this is as an elite consensus that:
1) Median UK quality of life must fall.
2) The resulting anger can only be safely vented through immigrants.
Hence
3) The electoral implications are of secondary importance. It's a class, rather than party project this point.
1) Median UK quality of life must fall.
2) The resulting anger can only be safely vented through immigrants.
Hence
3) The electoral implications are of secondary importance. It's a class, rather than party project this point.
Creasey: 'Because of my concerns about violent right-wing groups I voted to use anti-terror legislation on a non-violent left-wing group'.
What Creasey (clearly the lead author) is saying is that it's a bad look for Labour. But she still insists intimidation & damage to property must be criminalised, ignoring how she & others in the PLP have lowered the bar on these to a ridculous level.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
We voted for and against the ban on Palestine Action. Now we have a plan to end this mess | Stella Creasy and Peter Hain
Neither of us support the organisation, but what is happening fails to either protect protest or make it policeable. There is another way, say MP Stella Creasy and life peer Peter Hain
www.theguardian.com
August 19, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Creasey: 'Because of my concerns about violent right-wing groups I voted to use anti-terror legislation on a non-violent left-wing group'.
Reposted
"Cleaning up" is a trope. It's like calling people rats or octopuses. Absolutely no place for it in public life; this MP should be losing the whip.
August 9, 2025 at 9:19 AM
"Cleaning up" is a trope. It's like calling people rats or octopuses. Absolutely no place for it in public life; this MP should be losing the whip.
Reposted
Either all the people in the rooms signing off on proving arms, bombs, materiel and intelligence for this slaughter are rabid ideologues, or hermetically sealed off from the world, or, like you and me, they stood there asking themselves, “Are we really doing this?” And they said and did nothing.
An aerial view of what the Gaza City area looked like this week. Taken from a Jordanian military aircraft, by our colleague Heidi Levine.
August 2, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Either all the people in the rooms signing off on proving arms, bombs, materiel and intelligence for this slaughter are rabid ideologues, or hermetically sealed off from the world, or, like you and me, they stood there asking themselves, “Are we really doing this?” And they said and did nothing.
Please stop saying 'paradox' when you mean 'fiction useful to right wing politics'
August 1, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Please stop saying 'paradox' when you mean 'fiction useful to right wing politics'