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Tom Blackburn @tomblackburn.bsky.social · Aug 15

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Tom Blackburn @tomblackburn.bsky.social · Aug 14

Wrote this for Tribune on the new left party, its prospects, tasks and challenges:

Tribune @tribunemagazine.bsky.social · Aug 14

The unpopularity of Keir Starmer’s reactionary Labour government has created a generational opportunity in British politics. Rebuilding the Left will be difficult — but this could be a start.

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Tribune @tribunemagazine.bsky.social · Aug 14

Based on sign-ups, the new Corbyn-Sultana party may soon have the largest membership base of any political party in the country. Read Tom Blackburn on the new left-wing party.

Party Time

tribunemag.co.uk

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Simon McGarr @tupped.bsky.social · Aug 15

The U.K. Online Safety Act was (avowedly, as revealed in a recent High Court case) “not primarily aimed at protecting children” but at regulating “services that have a significant influence over public discourse.”

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Tom Blackburn @tomblackburn.bsky.social · Aug 14

Starmer and McSweeney are zealots and they're killing that party

Election Maps UK @electionmaps.uk · Aug 14

Westminster Voting Intention:

RFM: 31% (-1)
LAB: 19% (-1)
CON: 19% (+3)
LDM: 12% (=)
GRN: 10% (+1)

Via @findoutnow.bsky.social, 13-14 Aug.
Changes w/ 6 Aug.

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Reposted by Tom Blackburn

Tom Blackburn @tomblackburn.bsky.social · Aug 14

Wrote this for Tribune on the new left party, its prospects, tasks and challenges:

Tribune @tribunemagazine.bsky.social · Aug 14

The unpopularity of Keir Starmer’s reactionary Labour government has created a generational opportunity in British politics. Rebuilding the Left will be difficult — but this could be a start.

Party Time

tribunemag.co.uk

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Tom Blackburn @tomblackburn.bsky.social · Aug 14

Wrote this for Tribune on the new left party, its prospects, tasks and challenges:

Tribune @tribunemagazine.bsky.social · Aug 14

The unpopularity of Keir Starmer’s reactionary Labour government has created a generational opportunity in British politics. Rebuilding the Left will be difficult — but this could be a start.

Party Time

tribunemag.co.uk

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Reposted by Tom Blackburn

Running Dog @runningdog.bsky.social · Jun 30

Robustly listening to Joy Division to signal my commitment to lawful speech while shaking my head to show I disapprove on the grounds of taste

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · Jun 30

Its lawful speech to have an offensive/shock value band name like "Kneecap". I would disapprove of calling a band Kneecap, Suicide Vest, Lynch Mob, Pogrom, Nail Bomb, or Punishment Beating or White Hoods on taste/ethics. I guess Guillotine or Executioner/Hangman might be more defensible in context.

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Reposted by Tom Blackburn

Tom Blackburn @tomblackburn.bsky.social · Jun 28

I wrote this on Tony Benn's life, ideas, career and legacy to mark his centenary:

Jacobin @jacobinmag.bsky.social · Jun 27

Having been vilified and spied on when he was an active politician, Tony Benn was patronizingly dismissed in his later years.

A new collection of Benn’s writings shows why his democratic socialist vision was such a powerful threat to the status quo.

The British Establishment Still Fears the Ideas of Tony Benn

Having been vilified and spied on when he was an active politician, Tony Benn was patronizingly dismissed in his later years. A new collection of Benn’s writings shows why his democratic socialist vision was such a powerful threat to the status quo.

jacobin.com

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Tom Blackburn @tomblackburn.bsky.social · Jun 28

He co-wrote a report years ago arguing that northern cities should be left to rot news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_poli...

BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | Northern cities 'beyond revival'

news.bbc.co.uk

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Tom Blackburn @tomblackburn.bsky.social · Jun 28

I wrote this on Tony Benn's life, ideas, career and legacy to mark his centenary:

Jacobin @jacobinmag.bsky.social · Jun 27

Having been vilified and spied on when he was an active politician, Tony Benn was patronizingly dismissed in his later years.

A new collection of Benn’s writings shows why his democratic socialist vision was such a powerful threat to the status quo.

The British Establishment Still Fears the Ideas of Tony Benn

Having been vilified and spied on when he was an active politician, Tony Benn was patronizingly dismissed in his later years. A new collection of Benn’s writings shows why his democratic socialist vision was such a powerful threat to the status quo.

jacobin.com

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Reposted by Tom Blackburn

Horace V. Wigglesworth @wiggler.bsky.social · Apr 18

I have to say, if you need proof that there is absolutely no basis for ever allying with liberals, all you need to do is read this thread. The levels of mutual hatred between the left and the centre are *staggering* and only getting more intense with every day.

Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò @olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social · Apr 17

I'm seeing a lot more of my far left friends posting things like "both parties aren't the same after all" and "there are meaningful ideological divisions even amongst capital/the right/etc". which is good! We should move with the times. but I'm seeing less contrition about it than I'd hope

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Tom Blackburn @tomblackburn.bsky.social · Mar 27

It really is the world's town square

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Ansell Eade @anselleade.substack.com · Mar 14

Worth your time:

“Leaving the means of production firmly in private hands was precisely what enabled capital to unpick Labourist reforms when a crisis of sufficient magnitude presented the opportunity.”

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Tom Blackburn @tomblackburn.bsky.social · Mar 16

Lowe's response is even more pathetic

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Tom Blackburn @tomblackburn.bsky.social · Mar 16

Profoundly repulsive

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Tom Blackburn @tomblackburn.bsky.social · Mar 15

It's been 15 years since Tony Judt's Ill Fares the Land was first published, so I wrote this for New Socialist on how the book still stands up (not well) newsocialist.org.uk/the-last-soc...

The Last Social Democrat

by Tom Blackburn // Tony Judt’s Ill Fares the Land, 15 years on

newsocialist.org.uk

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Reposted by Tom Blackburn

New Socialist @newsocialist.bsky.social · Mar 15

An update on what we've published this week, featuring
Lauren Taylor & @tomblackburn.bsky.social, some other recent pieces, featuring @garethwatkins.bsky.social & Ravachol Mutt, and some brief thoughts on @redpeppermag.bsky.social www.patreon.com/posts/124433...

This Week on New Socialist | New Socialist

Get more from New Socialist on Patreon

www.patreon.com

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Tom Blackburn @tomblackburn.bsky.social · Mar 15

It's been 15 years since Tony Judt's Ill Fares the Land was first published, so I wrote this for New Socialist on how the book still stands up (not well) newsocialist.org.uk/the-last-soc...

The Last Social Democrat

by Tom Blackburn // Tony Judt’s Ill Fares the Land, 15 years on

newsocialist.org.uk

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Reposted by Tom Blackburn

wint @dril.bsky.social · Mar 13

ok sorry . my lawyer has advised me to say that drinking israeli diarrhea is good actually no matter how many kindergartners they murked

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Reposted by Tom Blackburn

Horace V. Wigglesworth @wiggler.bsky.social · Mar 6

Starmer taking money away from the sick, elderly and disabled so he can hand it over to ultra-reactionary American military-industrial companies with links to the Trump administration.

Look forward to seeing liberal journalists describe this as a Masterful Gambit

Max Colbert @mc00.bsky.social · Mar 6

🔴 NEW: UK’s £32m Investment in Peter Thiel-backed Autonomous Weapons Firm Revealed Amid Deepening Ties to Trump Administration.

Me, for @bylinetimes.bsky.social:
bylinetimes.com/2025/03/05/u...

UK's £32m Investment in Peter Thiel-backed Autonomous Weapons Firm Revealed Amid Deepening Ties to Trump Administration

The contracts, seen by Byline Times, include £7 million for a fleet of near silent 'ghost drones'

bylinetimes.com

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Tom Blackburn @tomblackburn.bsky.social · Feb 28

Review coming soonish

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Tom Blackburn @tomblackburn.bsky.social · Feb 22

Pointless discussing this on the other place (unless you want to be bombarded by statue pfp Nazis) but I've always thought reactionaries hate Brutalism's functions - as public housing, universities etc - more than its aesthetic, and that it has the temerity to be unapologetic and strident about them

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Owen Dowling @owenjdowling.bsky.social · Feb 21

I've reviewed Brigitte Studer's masterful recent history of the Comintern and the "professional revolutionaries" who dedicated their lives to its service, 'Travellers Of The World Revolution' (@versobooks.bsky.social) for @jacobinmag.bsky.social.

jacobin.com/2025/02/comi...