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Ailsa Henderson

@ailsahenderson.bsky.social

1.9K followers 580 following 100 posts

PoliSci Prof at Edinburgh - run Scottish Election Study, co-run Union survey/Future of England survey Voting, polling, attitudes to the union @scotvoting.bsky.social @theunionsurvey.bsky.social

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Ailsa Henderson @ailsahenderson.bsky.social · Nov 15

Interested in Scottish voting data?

Follow Scottish Election Study team at account below

Or individually:
@ailsahenderson.bsky.social
@robjohns75.bsky.social
@cjcarman.bsky.social
@jaclarner.bsky.social
@chanret.bsky.social
@martamiori.bsky.social
(Fraser's arriving soon)

Scottish Election Study @scotvoting.bsky.social · Oct 1

New blog ‼️

Following the Scottish Conservative leadership election, we decided to crunch some numbers and take a look at the party's standing across constitutional and ideological divides 🔵📊

Keep an eye out for more on the other parties soon 👀

scottishelections.ac.uk/2024/10/01/g...

Are there really so-called “Tartan Tories” in the Scottish electorate?

Following a bruising leadership contest, at the end of September the Scottish Conservative Party opted to elevate Russell Findlay MSP to a job described by some commentators as a “poisoned chalice” wi...

scottishelections.ac.uk

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Ailsa Henderson @ailsahenderson.bsky.social · 7d

New SES methodology incoming. Flawless.

RDCK98 @comradekenobi.bsky.social · 7d

I cannot believe someone has signed off a post saying they are confident about what the Scottish are like because they drink Ardberg

rawkitbawl @rawkitbawl.bsky.social · 7d

This dork has an army of either bots or losers who think like him.

And I very much believe it's a bot army and very much don't care.

Pretty sure the Scottish are not just sexist all the time. Confident about this as an Ardbeg drinker.

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Ailsa Henderson @ailsahenderson.bsky.social · 16d

Was just drawing distinction with English single tier locals, London boroughs etc

Not a comment on speed, flavour of devolved govt formation!

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Ailsa Henderson @ailsahenderson.bsky.social · 16d

Indeed. While often ignoring the devolved elections in May, which *will* lead to government formation

Both UK Lab and UK Cons making life difficult for their devolved parties by fighting the next UKGE 4 years early

Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 16d

It just straightforwardly *insane* how much political chatter in the United Kingdom is about the next general election, an event that is a long way in the future, and how basically none of it is about 'uh, this policy agenda doesn't look adequate to the scale of the inherited problem'.

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Ailsa Henderson @ailsahenderson.bsky.social · 17d

You need breadcrumbs to navigate back out

Ailsa Henderson @ailsahenderson.bsky.social · 18d

Advice for the age

Josiah Mortimer @josiah.writes.news · 18d

The conclusion was: if it's bunting, it's a fete.

If there's no bunting and an anti-refugee message, it's the far right.

Just flags: could be for the women's rugby...

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Reposted by Ailsa Henderson

Jac Larner @jaclarner.bsky.social · 22d

Latest ITV BarnCymru 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 poll confirms trend seen over last 6 months - neck and neck race between Plaid Cymru and Reform UK for largest party, with Labour falling to even more distant third. Evidence growing of distinct realignment in Wales 🧵

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Reposted by Ailsa Henderson

Ariel Edwards-Levy @aedwardslevy.bsky.social · Sep 3

158. AP-GfK, 2009: "If you had to choose, would you prefer to attend a wedding that served champagne and caviar, wine and chicken breasts, or beer and pigs in a blanket?"

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Reposted by Ailsa Henderson

Ariel Edwards-Levy @aedwardslevy.bsky.social · Sep 3

153. Gallup/CNN/USA Today, 1998: "For the next question, assume that the Seinfeld characters were real people. Aside from how funny you think they are, would you generally consider them to be likeable people or annoying people?"

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Ailsa Henderson @ailsahenderson.bsky.social · 26d

Well done James!

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Ailsa Henderson @ailsahenderson.bsky.social · 28d

Calls to mind this beloved Quebec classic.

Wee Habs fan's mum navigates the English catalogue badly, gets him a Leafs sweater by mistake. Drama ensues

Can't imagine it quite working like that with mystery SPL options tho

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Reposted by Ailsa Henderson

The British Academy @britishacademy.bsky.social · 28d

Humanities, arts and social sciences degrees are disappearing in many UK regions.

With more young people than ever studying close to home, course cuts are narrowing their choices at university.

@timeshighered.bsky.social covers our 'Cold Spots' report today. Read more at https://bit.ly/46e3wOy

Humanities and arts degrees disappearing in parts of UK

Students from rural and disadvantaged areas disproportionally affected by subject cuts, British Academy warns

bit.ly

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Ailsa Henderson @ailsahenderson.bsky.social · Sep 7

No!!

Reposted by Ailsa Henderson

Polling Canada @canadianpolling.bsky.social · Sep 6

Those who say the Western provinces should join the United States:

🔴 MB: 6%
🔴 AB: 6%
🔴 BC: 4%
🔴 SK: 3%

Read it here: open.substack.com/pub/canadian...

Western Canadians Cooling On Separation

While many believe they'd be better off on their own, support for leaving remains low

open.substack.com

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Ailsa Henderson @ailsahenderson.bsky.social · Sep 6

Department of Offense

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Sep 5

Trump: "We decided to go woke and we changed the name to Department of Defense. So we're going to Department of War ... I think it's a much more appropriate name especially in light of where the world is right now."

Ailsa Henderson @ailsahenderson.bsky.social · Sep 6

Featuring @scotvoting.bsky.social data and our recent blog

You can read it, and other great SES analysis, here:
scottishelections.ac.uk/category/blog/

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Reposted by Ailsa Henderson

Benedict Douglas @benedictdouglas.bsky.social · Sep 1

Lovely use of the phrase "constitutional Tetris" in explaining why lack of effective devolved (and local?) democracy in England enables Farage to stir up xenophobia

Richard Wyn Jones @richardwynjones.bsky.social · Aug 29

NEWYDD - gan @ailsahenderson.bsky.social a minnau.

NEW by me and my fellow student of Englishness, Prof. Ailsa Henderson.

theconversation.com/nigel-farage...

Nigel Farage and the political power of English grievance

The Conservatives and Labour have allowed resentment to fester in the biggest part of the UK – and the only region not to have its own parliament.

theconversation.com

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Ailsa Henderson @ailsahenderson.bsky.social · Aug 28

My own was mostly loop of Cartier to Riel, but esp 1759-1885. Could have wept when 1st yr uni history was New France to Confederation. Again.

Did get a break for causes ww1, Russian revolution at one pt in high school

Ailsa Henderson @ailsahenderson.bsky.social · Aug 28

Up here we get WW2 as a break from the endless cycle of Romans and wars of independence

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Reposted by Ailsa Henderson

Alain-G. Gagnon @alainggagnon.bsky.social · Aug 17

centre.irpp.org/research-stu...

A Less Resentful Federation? Findings from the 2025 Provincial Resentment Index - Centre of Excellence on the Canadian Federation

The fourth edition of the Provincial Resentment Index shows that, on average, Canadians feel slightly less aggrieved about their province’s place in the federation than at any point since the index wa...

centre.irpp.org

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Ailsa Henderson @ailsahenderson.bsky.social · Aug 17

Same is visible in SQA data (which admittedly is begging out for control vars like course choice)

Large gap at Nat5
Visible gap at Highers
Gone by Adv Highers - pity we don't use those for uni entrance as much

www.itv.com/news/2025-08...

www.itv.com

Reposted by Ailsa Henderson

Andy Philip @andydphilip.bsky.social · Aug 14

I grew up near the route of the old Aberdeen-Ellon-Fraserburgh railway - it would have made my life a lot easier.
Freight was still using the line after oil was struck, and towns mushroomed.
Maybe a pipe dream, but this would be great for the region.
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/politics/...

Fraserburgh and Peterhead now 'strongest candidates in Scotland' for new rail links

Campaigners say it’s more important than ever to reverse historic railway cuts in north Aberdeenshire - ahead of a major energy conference.

www.pressandjournal.co.uk

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Ailsa Henderson @ailsahenderson.bsky.social · Aug 14

I think it's really nice they do this but this is my fairly regular request that someone in the PSA puts the Scottish Higher results day in the diary and creates an equivalent post.

We need Scottish students to study politics as well.

Political Studies Association @polstudiesassoc.bsky.social · Aug 14

Good luck to #Students receiving their #ALevel results today. If you are continuing your studies at #University why not consider a #Politics degree! Here are some helpful pointers from PSA CEO Michelle Doyle Wildman. buff.ly/1LYW8F8
#ALevelResultsDay #ALevelResults2025

Considering doing a degree? Why not choose Politics? | The Political Studies Association (PSA)

Exam results season 2025 is well and truly underway. If you are considering clearing or applying for a university place in the future, I’ve set out a few pointers below on why choosing to do a…

buff.ly

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UK in a Changing Europe @ukandeu.bsky.social · Aug 11

❗Calling all social scientists ❗

🔎 Want your work to get noticed by non-academic audiences?

Our blog page provides clear and insightful analysis on topical issues, especially UK-EU relations🇬🇧🇪🇺

Got an idea? Send it to [email protected]

Check out our latest blogs 👉 ukandeu.ac.uk/analysis/blo...

Blogs - UK in a changing Europe

ukandeu.ac.uk

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Reposted by Ailsa Henderson

Scott Clement @sfcpoll.bsky.social · Aug 7

A new iPhone update threatens to upend public opinion research, particularly state and local polls - Op-ed from pollster Patrick Ruffini www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

Opinion | How Apple could send democracy to the spam folder

An iPhone update threatens to upend public opinion research.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Ailsa Henderson @ailsahenderson.bsky.social · Aug 6

More SQA data

Attainment gap for girls and boys

%A at National 5
Girls 43.6
Boys 34.7

%A at Higher
Girls 34.1
Boys 27.0

%A at Adv Higher
Girls 31.6
Boys 31.1

www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/114507.h...