Matthew Bailey
@whyoutloud.bsky.social
Political bits and bobs, often to no meaningful end. Formerly the likes of thatchersrise etc over on the 'other' place.
Reposted by Matthew Bailey
Enjoyed the launch for this last night. OK, so the book's not published yet, but still: it was great to see so many election nerds (and non-nerds) there. Thanks to the panellists and to @ukandeu.bsky.social (and @robfordmancs.bsky.social) for organising and @britishacademy.bsky.social for hosting.
November 26, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Enjoyed the launch for this last night. OK, so the book's not published yet, but still: it was great to see so many election nerds (and non-nerds) there. Thanks to the panellists and to @ukandeu.bsky.social (and @robfordmancs.bsky.social) for organising and @britishacademy.bsky.social for hosting.
Reposted by Matthew Bailey
Anyone enjoying the current re-runs of vintage Call My Bluff on BBC Four might like to check out the show's cameo appearance ten minutes into this barking mad NF Simpson parody. I remember watching this in 1973 and being flabbergasted.
Elementary My Dear Watson (1973)
YouTube video by TV Gold
www.youtube.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Anyone enjoying the current re-runs of vintage Call My Bluff on BBC Four might like to check out the show's cameo appearance ten minutes into this barking mad NF Simpson parody. I remember watching this in 1973 and being flabbergasted.
Reposted by Matthew Bailey
Glasman: 'We will keep fighting the 1955 general election until you give us the RIGHT answer!'
The newspaper of British Conservativism: 'What a necessary voice!'
The newspaper of British Conservativism: 'What a necessary voice!'
November 24, 2025 at 11:56 PM
Glasman: 'We will keep fighting the 1955 general election until you give us the RIGHT answer!'
The newspaper of British Conservativism: 'What a necessary voice!'
The newspaper of British Conservativism: 'What a necessary voice!'
Reposted by Matthew Bailey
Likewise 'if that means closures of departments and programmes limit students' choice of area and location of study'. Student choice, the mantra of days gone by, is being killed by a thousand uncoordinated cuts.
Cold spots: Mapping inequality in SHAPE provision in UK higher education
This British Academy report reveals that many parts of the UK are becoming subject cold spots – areas with no provision in a subject within a commutable distance. These are often in rural, coastal or ...
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk
November 24, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Likewise 'if that means closures of departments and programmes limit students' choice of area and location of study'. Student choice, the mantra of days gone by, is being killed by a thousand uncoordinated cuts.
Reposted by Matthew Bailey
I fucking hate budget polling.
Might as well poll if everyone wants to eat pies, kebabs and cakes all the time and exclude the consequences of possible heart attack.
Might as well poll if everyone wants to eat pies, kebabs and cakes all the time and exclude the consequences of possible heart attack.
With Rachel Reeves reportedly set to apply a new tax on tuition fees paid by overseas students, most Britons support such a move at the previously mooted level of 6%
Support: 57%
Oppose: 18%
yougov.co.uk/topics/socie...
Support: 57%
Oppose: 18%
yougov.co.uk/topics/socie...
November 24, 2025 at 6:37 PM
I fucking hate budget polling.
Might as well poll if everyone wants to eat pies, kebabs and cakes all the time and exclude the consequences of possible heart attack.
Might as well poll if everyone wants to eat pies, kebabs and cakes all the time and exclude the consequences of possible heart attack.
Reposted by Matthew Bailey
November 24, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Reposted by Matthew Bailey
Does the government perhaps understand that this is very bad for Britain?
'Ahead of the autumn budget on 26 November, Universities UK (UUK) has calculated that funding per student for teaching in 2025-26 is at 64 per cent of the level it was in 2015-16.' 1/3
University teaching income ‘£6.4 billon less’ than 10 years ago
UUK says shortfall in teaching money is ‘baked in’ to higher education funding system as institutions brace for new tax in upcoming budget
www.timeshighereducation.com
November 24, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Does the government perhaps understand that this is very bad for Britain?
Reposted by Matthew Bailey
I highly recommend this entire thread, not just the initial link.
It was 62 years ago #OnThisDay in 1963 that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.
Here's a piece I wrote for the History of the BBC website a couple of years ago about how the BBC covered the news.
I'm quite pleased with this one...
www.bbc.com/historyofthe...
Here's a piece I wrote for the History of the BBC website a couple of years ago about how the BBC covered the news.
I'm quite pleased with this one...
www.bbc.com/historyofthe...
Breaking news - November 1963
BBC History recalls one of the first truly global news stories of the modern multi-media age
www.bbc.com
November 22, 2025 at 7:31 PM
I highly recommend this entire thread, not just the initial link.
Reposted by Matthew Bailey
Supporters of the Labour government would do well to read this and take it on board
Latest piece for the @thehousemag.bsky.social, on the island of strangers speech and similar. Also ft Bob Hawke.
www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...
www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...
The Professor Will See You Now: Island of strangers
Lessons in political science. This week: island of strangers
www.politicshome.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Supporters of the Labour government would do well to read this and take it on board
Looking at newspapers during the 1918 General Election campaign. Daily Mail...
November 21, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Looking at newspapers during the 1918 General Election campaign. Daily Mail...
Reposted by Matthew Bailey
Brilliant post about the electoral suicide that Labour is committing.
It is no rocket science that making your opponents‘ topic important, well, is not exactly a winning strategy. 🤯
It is no rocket science that making your opponents‘ topic important, well, is not exactly a winning strategy. 🤯
Latest piece for the @thehousemag.bsky.social, on the island of strangers speech and similar. Also ft Bob Hawke.
www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...
www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...
The Professor Will See You Now: Island of strangers
Lessons in political science. This week: island of strangers
www.politicshome.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Brilliant post about the electoral suicide that Labour is committing.
It is no rocket science that making your opponents‘ topic important, well, is not exactly a winning strategy. 🤯
It is no rocket science that making your opponents‘ topic important, well, is not exactly a winning strategy. 🤯
Reposted by Matthew Bailey
Shout it from the rooftops @philipjcowley.bsky.social www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...
The Professor Will See You Now: Island of strangers
Lessons in political science. This week: island of strangers
www.politicshome.com
November 20, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Shout it from the rooftops @philipjcowley.bsky.social www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...
Reposted by Matthew Bailey
Latest piece for the @thehousemag.bsky.social, on the island of strangers speech and similar. Also ft Bob Hawke.
www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...
www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...
The Professor Will See You Now: Island of strangers
Lessons in political science. This week: island of strangers
www.politicshome.com
November 20, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Latest piece for the @thehousemag.bsky.social, on the island of strangers speech and similar. Also ft Bob Hawke.
www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...
www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...
Reposted by Matthew Bailey
This is every fucking bit as bad as it sounds. Also, even the AI fuckers themselves are starting to dump their shares in their own shit but Labour are somehow still shackled to the fucking mast of the skynet titanic.
Exclusive: The Labour Government is planning to slash electricity bills for AI companies (while everyone else struggles with sky-high bills)
www.thenational.scot/news/2563567...
www.thenational.scot/news/2563567...
Labour plot to slash electricity prices for AI companies while families struggle
LABOUR are planning to cut electricity prices for tech companies while energy bills continue to leave families struggling, The National can reveal.
www.thenational.scot
November 19, 2025 at 10:27 PM
This is every fucking bit as bad as it sounds. Also, even the AI fuckers themselves are starting to dump their shares in their own shit but Labour are somehow still shackled to the fucking mast of the skynet titanic.
Reposted by Matthew Bailey
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 1:59 PM
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
Reposted by Matthew Bailey
Reminiscent of the old Johnny Carson joke about the mudslides putting out the wildfires
UK inflation dips to 3.6% despite accelerating food price growth – business live
UK inflation dips to 3.6% despite accelerating food price growth – business live
Chancellor Rachel Reeves will be keeping a close eye on inflation data ahead of her autumn budget, due next Wednesday.
www.theguardian.com
November 19, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Reminiscent of the old Johnny Carson joke about the mudslides putting out the wildfires
Reposted by Matthew Bailey
Nice that Trump has finally found an Oval Office guest he *doesn't* want to embarrass.
Trump suggests Khashoggi had it coming: "You're mentioning someone that was extremely controversial. A lot of people didn't like that gentleman that you're talking about. Whether you like him or didn't like him, things happen. But he knew nothing about it. You don't have to embarrass our guest."
November 18, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Nice that Trump has finally found an Oval Office guest he *doesn't* want to embarrass.
Reposted by Matthew Bailey
We begin today with a content warning: this dispatch from history is not for the faint-hearted. However, if you wish, do please join me for the tale of the Sun King’s anal fistula and the three-hour operation performed on it without anaesthetic on this day in 1686... 🧵
November 18, 2025 at 9:05 AM
We begin today with a content warning: this dispatch from history is not for the faint-hearted. However, if you wish, do please join me for the tale of the Sun King’s anal fistula and the three-hour operation performed on it without anaesthetic on this day in 1686... 🧵
Reposted by Matthew Bailey
"It is terrible that Shabana Mahmood faces overt racism for being a high profile Asian woman" = good argument
"The key to ending overt racism against Asians in Britain is that we must Stop the Boats" = a very bad argument indeed, on so many levels
"The key to ending overt racism against Asians in Britain is that we must Stop the Boats" = a very bad argument indeed, on so many levels
November 17, 2025 at 11:23 PM
"It is terrible that Shabana Mahmood faces overt racism for being a high profile Asian woman" = good argument
"The key to ending overt racism against Asians in Britain is that we must Stop the Boats" = a very bad argument indeed, on so many levels
"The key to ending overt racism against Asians in Britain is that we must Stop the Boats" = a very bad argument indeed, on so many levels
Reposted by Matthew Bailey
"don't unpack yer suitcase, Paddington" - Labour
November 17, 2025 at 6:25 PM
"don't unpack yer suitcase, Paddington" - Labour
Reposted by Matthew Bailey
Doesn’t matter. “Starmer and Mahmood wanted to take jewellery from asylum seekers” is a mark those two will never be able to wash off and which the party as a whole will have to put in onerous work to remove.
My guess is they will end up u-turning on the jewellery thing (you can already see it being softening in interviews) and possibly the 20 years (which is way longer than Denmark).
November 17, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Doesn’t matter. “Starmer and Mahmood wanted to take jewellery from asylum seekers” is a mark those two will never be able to wash off and which the party as a whole will have to put in onerous work to remove.
Reposted by Matthew Bailey
Six weeks since the PM said Britain faced a choice between decency or division and our bad, obviously, for not understanding that he was in fact Team Division
November 17, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Six weeks since the PM said Britain faced a choice between decency or division and our bad, obviously, for not understanding that he was in fact Team Division
Reposted by Matthew Bailey
I've never felt more ashamed of being a Labour supporter. Not even during Iraq, where at least we had cabinet members resigning in disgust. Now: just jostling for position.
If I wasn't already turning my back on the party I've backed my whole life, I would be now.
#ImmigrantsWelcome
#NotInMyName
If I wasn't already turning my back on the party I've backed my whole life, I would be now.
#ImmigrantsWelcome
#NotInMyName
The Prime Minister said in September that we are at a fork in the road. These asylum proposals suggest we have taken the wrong turning.
The idea that recognised refugees need to be deported is wrong.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
The idea that recognised refugees need to be deported is wrong.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Asylum system in UK ‘out of control’ and dividing country, home secretary says
Shabana Mahmood to unveil new proposals modelled on Denmark’s controversial system
www.theguardian.com
November 17, 2025 at 12:13 AM
I've never felt more ashamed of being a Labour supporter. Not even during Iraq, where at least we had cabinet members resigning in disgust. Now: just jostling for position.
If I wasn't already turning my back on the party I've backed my whole life, I would be now.
#ImmigrantsWelcome
#NotInMyName
If I wasn't already turning my back on the party I've backed my whole life, I would be now.
#ImmigrantsWelcome
#NotInMyName