Robert Saunders
@robertsaunders.bsky.social
Historian of modern Britain, singer and political nerd. Author of "Yes to Europe! The 1975 Referendum & Seventies Britain". "A jaw-dislocating page turner"(Andrew Marr). Deputy-director @mileendinstitute.bsky.social, Reader @QMHistory
Just a jaw-dropping paragraph in Trevor Phillips's column for The Times.
This is a policy that, by his own account, has left parents of a particular race too frightened to walk their children to school.
And that's the example he chooses of the "vigour" we "need".
www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...
This is a policy that, by his own account, has left parents of a particular race too frightened to walk their children to school.
And that's the example he chooses of the "vigour" we "need".
www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...
November 24, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Just a jaw-dropping paragraph in Trevor Phillips's column for The Times.
This is a policy that, by his own account, has left parents of a particular race too frightened to walk their children to school.
And that's the example he chooses of the "vigour" we "need".
www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...
This is a policy that, by his own account, has left parents of a particular race too frightened to walk their children to school.
And that's the example he chooses of the "vigour" we "need".
www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...
Reposted by Robert Saunders
The problem before Brexit wasn't too much "sensible face politics"; it was politicians putting in their angry eyes and endorsing populist policies in which they did not believe.
Oddly, they then found it hard to persuade people to vote against them.
Oddly, they then found it hard to persuade people to vote against them.
mr. potato head is packing you an extra pair of shoes and your angry eyes just in case
ALT: mr. potato head is packing you an extra pair of shoes and your angry eyes just in case
media.tenor.com
November 23, 2025 at 10:04 PM
The problem before Brexit wasn't too much "sensible face politics"; it was politicians putting in their angry eyes and endorsing populist policies in which they did not believe.
Oddly, they then found it hard to persuade people to vote against them.
Oddly, they then found it hard to persuade people to vote against them.
Reposted by Robert Saunders
The fact that in both 2019 and 2024, the winning party did so with a set of manifesto promises that could not be kept and dissolved upon contact with actual office is something that as an industry we should be much more bothered by than we are.
November 23, 2025 at 12:35 PM
The fact that in both 2019 and 2024, the winning party did so with a set of manifesto promises that could not be kept and dissolved upon contact with actual office is something that as an industry we should be much more bothered by than we are.
Reposted by Robert Saunders
the entirety of human history has actually been manipulation by cats to get them to every corner of earth.
"Domestic cats finally crossed the Alps with the Roman conquest of Gaul"
Huh. I never really thought about the connections between animal populations and military campaigns before
Huh. I never really thought about the connections between animal populations and military campaigns before
November 23, 2025 at 7:14 AM
the entirety of human history has actually been manipulation by cats to get them to every corner of earth.
Reposted by Robert Saunders
An X user asks Elon Musk why they’re seeing tweets from left-wing lawmakers.
Musk: “Because we are failing very badly with the recommendations algorithm. Doing my best to address this.”
Musk: “Because we are failing very badly with the recommendations algorithm. Doing my best to address this.”
November 21, 2025 at 12:34 AM
An X user asks Elon Musk why they’re seeing tweets from left-wing lawmakers.
Musk: “Because we are failing very badly with the recommendations algorithm. Doing my best to address this.”
Musk: “Because we are failing very badly with the recommendations algorithm. Doing my best to address this.”
Reposted by Robert Saunders
The plan says that "A dialogue will be held between Russia and NATO, mediated by the United States." This implies that both Russia and the Trump administration don't see the US as part of NATO in any real sense. That should deeply alarm every other NATO state.
November 21, 2025 at 10:06 AM
The plan says that "A dialogue will be held between Russia and NATO, mediated by the United States." This implies that both Russia and the Trump administration don't see the US as part of NATO in any real sense. That should deeply alarm every other NATO state.
Michael Gove on claims of a bad culture in No. 10 during the pandemic:
"The business of govt can't be carried on in the manner of a Jane Austen novel".
As so often, this assumes that the macho, hyper-aggressive style of Cummings & co produces better decisions. All the evidence suggests the reverse
"The business of govt can't be carried on in the manner of a Jane Austen novel".
As so often, this assumes that the macho, hyper-aggressive style of Cummings & co produces better decisions. All the evidence suggests the reverse
November 21, 2025 at 8:25 AM
Michael Gove on claims of a bad culture in No. 10 during the pandemic:
"The business of govt can't be carried on in the manner of a Jane Austen novel".
As so often, this assumes that the macho, hyper-aggressive style of Cummings & co produces better decisions. All the evidence suggests the reverse
"The business of govt can't be carried on in the manner of a Jane Austen novel".
As so often, this assumes that the macho, hyper-aggressive style of Cummings & co produces better decisions. All the evidence suggests the reverse
A theme of the Hallett report is that decisionmakers routinely underestimated the ability of the public to deal with complexity & accept hard trade-offs.
It's a problem that continues to plague our politics. One lesson of the pandemic is surely that we can have more honest conversations with voters
It's a problem that continues to plague our politics. One lesson of the pandemic is surely that we can have more honest conversations with voters
November 20, 2025 at 10:31 PM
A theme of the Hallett report is that decisionmakers routinely underestimated the ability of the public to deal with complexity & accept hard trade-offs.
It's a problem that continues to plague our politics. One lesson of the pandemic is surely that we can have more honest conversations with voters
It's a problem that continues to plague our politics. One lesson of the pandemic is surely that we can have more honest conversations with voters
Intrigued, and mildly alarmed, to be invited to a "skip-level meeting".
Isn't a "skip" what you use when you're tearing down a building, and need somewhere to throw all the old furnishings you're ripping out???
Isn't a "skip" what you use when you're tearing down a building, and need somewhere to throw all the old furnishings you're ripping out???
November 19, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Intrigued, and mildly alarmed, to be invited to a "skip-level meeting".
Isn't a "skip" what you use when you're tearing down a building, and need somewhere to throw all the old furnishings you're ripping out???
Isn't a "skip" what you use when you're tearing down a building, and need somewhere to throw all the old furnishings you're ripping out???
"Nigel Farage has been paid over £330,000 by GB News in the last year alone.
Farage is deep in the pockets of a company that aims to replace the BBC".
Punchy video from @eddavey.libdems.org.uk.
Farage is deep in the pockets of a company that aims to replace the BBC".
Punchy video from @eddavey.libdems.org.uk.
Donald Trump is gunning for the BBC, and Farage is cheering him on. Want to know why? Follow the money…
November 19, 2025 at 6:14 PM
"Nigel Farage has been paid over £330,000 by GB News in the last year alone.
Farage is deep in the pockets of a company that aims to replace the BBC".
Punchy video from @eddavey.libdems.org.uk.
Farage is deep in the pockets of a company that aims to replace the BBC".
Punchy video from @eddavey.libdems.org.uk.
Reposted by Robert Saunders
Amazing archival footage here of drivers staggering out of the pub, slurring their words, while insisting they're fit to drive.
Yet most also express an instinctive deference to "the law of the land". Rather different to those Tories telling people to smash ULEZ cameras...
bsky.app/profile/ruth...
Yet most also express an instinctive deference to "the law of the land". Rather different to those Tories telling people to smash ULEZ cameras...
bsky.app/profile/ruth...
The reaction to these sensible measures was extreme..
She received death threats & was told by a BBC journalist 'You're only a woman, you don't drive, what do you know about it?'
This report from the time shows some of the attitudes to the change!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_tq...
She received death threats & was told by a BBC journalist 'You're only a woman, you don't drive, what do you know about it?'
This report from the time shows some of the attitudes to the change!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_tq...
Legal Drunk Drivers from the 1960s
YouTube video by Robert Exley
www.youtube.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Amazing archival footage here of drivers staggering out of the pub, slurring their words, while insisting they're fit to drive.
Yet most also express an instinctive deference to "the law of the land". Rather different to those Tories telling people to smash ULEZ cameras...
bsky.app/profile/ruth...
Yet most also express an instinctive deference to "the law of the land". Rather different to those Tories telling people to smash ULEZ cameras...
bsky.app/profile/ruth...
Excellent thread on Barbara Castle and the introduction of the breathalyser!
It's an episode with an important moral: that having the courage to do the right thing, even if it's unpopular at the time, can save lives and bring public opinion with it over time.
It's an episode with an important moral: that having the courage to do the right thing, even if it's unpopular at the time, can save lives and bring public opinion with it over time.
This week is Road Safety Week & a chance to talk about Barbara Castle!
Barbara was Transport Minister for three years yet she was able to introduce the Breathalyzer, a proper integrated transport strategy & more!
This was done despite fierce opposition.
📸 Photo from the Parliamentary Achieve
Barbara was Transport Minister for three years yet she was able to introduce the Breathalyzer, a proper integrated transport strategy & more!
This was done despite fierce opposition.
📸 Photo from the Parliamentary Achieve
November 19, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Excellent thread on Barbara Castle and the introduction of the breathalyser!
It's an episode with an important moral: that having the courage to do the right thing, even if it's unpopular at the time, can save lives and bring public opinion with it over time.
It's an episode with an important moral: that having the courage to do the right thing, even if it's unpopular at the time, can save lives and bring public opinion with it over time.
Reposted by Robert Saunders
Reading about an old lady, early 20th century, who celebrated collecting her weekly pension by sending a niece to fetch half a pint of stout from the beer-shop. 'She had the poker in the fire,' the niece recalls, 'they used to put it into the stout.'
Help me: WHY WOULD YOU PUT A HOT POKER IN BEER?
Help me: WHY WOULD YOU PUT A HOT POKER IN BEER?
November 19, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Reading about an old lady, early 20th century, who celebrated collecting her weekly pension by sending a niece to fetch half a pint of stout from the beer-shop. 'She had the poker in the fire,' the niece recalls, 'they used to put it into the stout.'
Help me: WHY WOULD YOU PUT A HOT POKER IN BEER?
Help me: WHY WOULD YOU PUT A HOT POKER IN BEER?
See also Curtis Yarvin's remarks in a recent Oxford lecture:
"Say what you want about MBS, he's quite an effective king I think in a lot of different ways. Um love the Ritz thing, the whole Saudi embassy thing, I don't know, but I mean he was a journalist". [Giggles]
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXYl...
"Say what you want about MBS, he's quite an effective king I think in a lot of different ways. Um love the Ritz thing, the whole Saudi embassy thing, I don't know, but I mean he was a journalist". [Giggles]
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXYl...
November 18, 2025 at 10:22 PM
See also Curtis Yarvin's remarks in a recent Oxford lecture:
"Say what you want about MBS, he's quite an effective king I think in a lot of different ways. Um love the Ritz thing, the whole Saudi embassy thing, I don't know, but I mean he was a journalist". [Giggles]
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXYl...
"Say what you want about MBS, he's quite an effective king I think in a lot of different ways. Um love the Ritz thing, the whole Saudi embassy thing, I don't know, but I mean he was a journalist". [Giggles]
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXYl...
Not the ideal evening for the heating to pack up.
elmo from sesame street is standing in the snow in front of a sign that says no parking
ALT: elmo from sesame street is standing in the snow in front of a sign that says no parking
media.tenor.com
November 18, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Not the ideal evening for the heating to pack up.
At some point we have to ask why British politics keeps producing leaders who struggle to do the job.
That's partly about the pressures of the role itself, but it's also about the "pipeline": how likely are our procedures to generate leaders with the skill-set to manage those pressures?
[THREAD] 🧵
That's partly about the pressures of the role itself, but it's also about the "pipeline": how likely are our procedures to generate leaders with the skill-set to manage those pressures?
[THREAD] 🧵
November 15, 2025 at 2:15 PM
At some point we have to ask why British politics keeps producing leaders who struggle to do the job.
That's partly about the pressures of the role itself, but it's also about the "pipeline": how likely are our procedures to generate leaders with the skill-set to manage those pressures?
[THREAD] 🧵
That's partly about the pressures of the role itself, but it's also about the "pipeline": how likely are our procedures to generate leaders with the skill-set to manage those pressures?
[THREAD] 🧵
Reposted by Robert Saunders
When so many politicians are desperately trying to out-Farage Farage, it's odd how few of them reflect on the most important lesson of his career: that the "centre-ground" of politics is not fixed, but can move, and that arguing for unpopular positions can bring about massive political change.
November 15, 2025 at 11:25 AM
When so many politicians are desperately trying to out-Farage Farage, it's odd how few of them reflect on the most important lesson of his career: that the "centre-ground" of politics is not fixed, but can move, and that arguing for unpopular positions can bring about massive political change.
The first Thatcher govt had a majority of just 43.
Thatcher, like Starmer, was not a natural orator, but she recognised that the battle of ideas mattered.
She saw it as part of her job to go out & win the argument: to shape public opinion, not just react to it.
That's almost wholly missing today.
Thatcher, like Starmer, was not a natural orator, but she recognised that the battle of ideas mattered.
She saw it as part of her job to go out & win the argument: to shape public opinion, not just react to it.
That's almost wholly missing today.
Has a government with a large majority ever *tried* less to impose itself and change the terms of debate?
November 15, 2025 at 11:16 AM
The first Thatcher govt had a majority of just 43.
Thatcher, like Starmer, was not a natural orator, but she recognised that the battle of ideas mattered.
She saw it as part of her job to go out & win the argument: to shape public opinion, not just react to it.
That's almost wholly missing today.
Thatcher, like Starmer, was not a natural orator, but she recognised that the battle of ideas mattered.
She saw it as part of her job to go out & win the argument: to shape public opinion, not just react to it.
That's almost wholly missing today.
Reposted by Robert Saunders
Robbie Gibb was appointed to the BBC Board by Boris Johnson, was an editorial advisor for GB News, and worked as Theresa May's Director of Comms.
He is not impartial or neutral. The government should remove him from the Board immediately to protect the BBC's independence.
He is not impartial or neutral. The government should remove him from the Board immediately to protect the BBC's independence.
November 11, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Robbie Gibb was appointed to the BBC Board by Boris Johnson, was an editorial advisor for GB News, and worked as Theresa May's Director of Comms.
He is not impartial or neutral. The government should remove him from the Board immediately to protect the BBC's independence.
He is not impartial or neutral. The government should remove him from the Board immediately to protect the BBC's independence.
I enjoyed teaching the British anti-apartheid movement today. It's always nice to be able to feature a former student - in this case the future cabinet minister Peter Hain.
November 14, 2025 at 4:59 PM
I enjoyed teaching the British anti-apartheid movement today. It's always nice to be able to feature a former student - in this case the future cabinet minister Peter Hain.
The irony is that the Right used to cast the 1970s as the nadir of Britain's postwar decline, from which it had been "rescued" by Mrs Thatcher.
Labour was invariably said to want to "take us back to the 1970s".
But the 80s is less attractive to Reform's new voters, so the 70s are being repurposed.
Labour was invariably said to want to "take us back to the 1970s".
But the 80s is less attractive to Reform's new voters, so the 70s are being repurposed.
"What is certain, and felt instinctively by almost everybody, is that things cannot go on in their present way" – The Times, May 1975
“It is difficult to imagine a previous period when such an all-pervasive hopelessness was exhibited at all levels of British life” – Professor Stephen Haseler, 1975
“It is difficult to imagine a previous period when such an all-pervasive hopelessness was exhibited at all levels of British life” – Professor Stephen Haseler, 1975
November 14, 2025 at 1:57 PM
The irony is that the Right used to cast the 1970s as the nadir of Britain's postwar decline, from which it had been "rescued" by Mrs Thatcher.
Labour was invariably said to want to "take us back to the 1970s".
But the 80s is less attractive to Reform's new voters, so the 70s are being repurposed.
Labour was invariably said to want to "take us back to the 1970s".
But the 80s is less attractive to Reform's new voters, so the 70s are being repurposed.
This is probably a crazy idea, but wouldn't it be better to react to the *actual* budget, rather than to every leak and piece of speculation in the months beforehand?
November 14, 2025 at 9:48 AM
This is probably a crazy idea, but wouldn't it be better to react to the *actual* budget, rather than to every leak and piece of speculation in the months beforehand?
This is always a danger when authoritarians come under pressure: that they respond either by ramping up the assault on their enemies, to distract attention, or by seizing more power, to fortify their position.
Really unnerving point from Nicole Hemmer, historian of the right: Trump's Epstein fiasco could drive MAGA to push him to go even fuller authoritarian, because the whole project is now in such serious doubt. She's so good on MAGA's future.
Check out this exchange:
newrepublic.com/article/2031...
Check out this exchange:
newrepublic.com/article/2031...
November 13, 2025 at 8:28 PM
This is always a danger when authoritarians come under pressure: that they respond either by ramping up the assault on their enemies, to distract attention, or by seizing more power, to fortify their position.
Reposted by Robert Saunders
I wrote a rather choleric piece about elected Police and Crime Commissioners in 2013.
"This crapulous experiment has failed. It is time to pull the flush".
gladstonediaries.blogspot.com/2013/03/an-e...
"This crapulous experiment has failed. It is time to pull the flush".
gladstonediaries.blogspot.com/2013/03/an-e...
An Experiment That Failed
Last November, for the first time in my life, I boycotted a national election. I don't suppose anyone noticed - the polling station didn...
gladstonediaries.blogspot.com
November 13, 2025 at 11:26 AM
I wrote a rather choleric piece about elected Police and Crime Commissioners in 2013.
"This crapulous experiment has failed. It is time to pull the flush".
gladstonediaries.blogspot.com/2013/03/an-e...
"This crapulous experiment has failed. It is time to pull the flush".
gladstonediaries.blogspot.com/2013/03/an-e...
This is excellent news. You cannot have democratic accountability when nobody knows who the candidates are, what they stand for, what the job involves or how to measure their success.
Police and crime commissioners to be abolished, government to announce
Police and crime commissioners to be abolished, government to announce
System introduced in 2012 across England and Wales has faced criticism from police chiefs
*
UK politics live – latest updates
The controversial system of police and crime commissioners is to be abolished by the government, the Guardian has learned.
Under the system, introduced under the Conservatives, all 43 police forces covering local areas across England and Wales had to answer to an elected official. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 13, 2025 at 11:26 AM
This is excellent news. You cannot have democratic accountability when nobody knows who the candidates are, what they stand for, what the job involves or how to measure their success.