Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

The bomb Europe needs | David Blagden and Patrick Porter | The Critic Magazine

Reposted by David Blagden

Patrick Porter @patporter76.bsky.social · Mar 31

@blagdendavid.bsky.social and I in @TheCriticMag make the case for adding lower-yield nuclear weapons to Britain's arsenal, to bolster the credibility of NATO Europe's deterrence:
thecritic.co.uk/the-bomb-eur...

Whether it is becoming post-American, or just less American, Europe’s defence will need tactical nuclear weapons in order to deter Russia from attacking NATO territory. Two unwelcome realities now put...

Ukraine's transformation into a military powerhouse

5 7

Reposted by David Blagden

University of Exeter News @uniofexeternews.bsky.social · Apr 2

Read analysis by @blagdendavid.bsky.social in this article on #Ukraine
www.newsweek.com/ukraine-mili...

"Ukrainian technologies are going to be required by the world," Kyiv's strategic industries minister, Herman Smetanin, told Newsweek.

www.newsweek.com

Is Britain right to sacrifice capability today for ‘jam’ tomorrow?

Reposted by David Blagden

Council on Geostrategy @congeostrategy.bsky.social · Apr 11

‘The choice has been made, and so now the Navy – and the citizenry it protects – must hope that yet more cuts in the present lead to a better future force before that future turns violent,’ writes @blagdendavid.bsky.social, @exeter.ac.uk

#BigAsk #BritainsWorld

The Big Ask | No. 15.2025

www.britainsworld.org.uk

2 1

Reposted by David Blagden

University of Exeter News @uniofexeternews.bsky.social · Apr 23

"The choice has been made, and so now the Royal Navy must hope the cuts borne in the present are offset by a superior fleet in future … and that that superior fleet arrives before future risks turn into present dangers" - by @blagdendavid.bsky.social
thecritic.co.uk/losing-our-s...

Losing our ships | David Blagden | The Critic Magazine

Earlier this month, the UK Ministry of Defence finally confirmed what had long been expected — that the Royal Navy’s last two amphibious assault ships, HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, will be sold to a…

There won't be a 'final victory' for Iran or Israel

Reposted by David Blagden

Adam Humphreys @adamhumphreys.bsky.social · May 22

It was a pleasure to speak to Exeter SSI and @cais-exeter.bsky.social yesterday about my new book Causal Inquiry in International Relations
(open access: fdslive.oup.com/www.oup.com/...). Thanks to @blagdendavid.bsky.social and @profalexp.bsky.social for organizing

fdslive.oup.com

3 5

Reposted by David Blagden

University of Exeter News @uniofexeternews.bsky.social · Jun 24

"The US and Israeli governments – plus the governments of other states that could yet get dragged in – now have choices to make about whether to strike again when the question of Iranian capability advancement returns in future" - @blagdendavid.bsky.social
www.newstatesman.com/internationa...

Washington, Tehran and Jerusalem still have choices to make about whether to strike again.

www.newstatesman.com

The case for keeping out of things | David Blagden | The Critic Magazine

Reposted by David Blagden

Robert Ralston @robertralston.bsky.social · Jul 8

This piece by @blagdendavid.bsky.social is very good--and spot on: "The case for keeping out of things" thecritic.co.uk/the-case-for...

On 23 June, the Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, arrived in Singapore. Reportedly accompanying her were various highly capable escorts, including HMS Dauntless (a…

French scientist denied US entry after phone messages critical of Trump found

David Blagden @blagdendavid.bsky.social · Mar 20

The idea that @isanet.bsky.social can persist with holding all its annual conventions in the US (barring the odd token visit to Canada) is now clearly toast.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

France’s research minister said the scientist was traveling to Houston for a conference when his phone was searched

www.theguardian.com

1 1 10

Reposted by David Blagden

Andrea Ghiselli @andreaghiselli.bsky.social · Feb 27

I’ve never participated in such kind of events.

So, thanks to the students behind the Exeter Debating Society for the invitation to share the stage with @blagdendavid.bsky.social and talk international politics!

US congressional committee warns on new Chinese embassy in London

David Blagden @blagdendavid.bsky.social · Feb 20

One downside (among many) of the USA's descent into hostile revisionism towards allies is that those allies are less likely to listen when Americans make good points.

Lucy Fisher @lucyfisher.ft.com · Feb 20

NEW: US House of Representatives committee has sounded the alarm over China’s plan to build a huge embassy in London

The House China cmtte warned the project raises “significant security concerns” for the UK financial services industry

www.ft.com/content/7015...

Plans raise ‘significant’ security concerns for financial services industry, says Washington

www.ft.com

3 9

Reposted by David Blagden

Robert Saunders @robertsaunders.bsky.social · Feb 19

This is an excellent speech by the new Chancellor of Oxford University, William Hague.

Lots of good jokes, but also a staunch defence of what a university should be. We're going to need a lot of that in the years ahead.

Robert Saunders @robertsaunders.bsky.social · Feb 19

"We do not need a foreign policy: we are not a country. Nor do we need a view on every occurrence: we are not a newspaper. The concern of a university is that opinions are reached on the basis of truth, reason & knowledge, which requires thinking & speaking with freedom"
www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-02...

Lord Hague's Chancellor admission speech | University of Oxford

Speech by Lord Hague of Richmond on his admission as Chancellor of the University of Oxford, 19 February 2025

www.ox.ac.uk

7 54 280

David Blagden @blagdendavid.bsky.social · Feb 17

The indefatigable Patrick Porter and I have a piece in The Critic on flaws in the Chagos deal, progressive realism, and how a superior version of the latter - that could yet dodge the pitfalls of the former - is still there for the taking. thecritic.co.uk/has-the-chag...

Has the Chagos Islands deal killed progressive realism? | David Blagden and Patrick Porter | The Critic Magazine

Whatever happened to progressive realism? As you may recall, that was the foreign policy doctrine declared by the incoming Labour government’s foreign secretary, David Lammy. The short answer is that…

Natural England accused of favouring rewilding over saving farmland

2 4

Reposted by David Blagden

Tony Juniper @tonyjuniper.bsky.social · Feb 14

The @Telegraph excels itself today with the claim that @NaturalEngland is ‘ideologically wedded to concept of conservation’. This is our job, & we do it as a matter of legal requirement. Would be odd for a conservation organisation to do anything else.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/02...

Calls for body to be scrapped for being ‘ideologically wedded to concept of conservation and removing food production from the countryside’

www.telegraph.co.uk

25 99 420

Reposted by David Blagden

Gregory Koblentz @gregkoblentz.bsky.social · Feb 14

This is not the right way to do denuclearization, however you define it.

www.npr.org/2025/02/13/n...

David Blagden @blagdendavid.bsky.social · Feb 13

P.S. Yes, there *is* a 'steelman' case for the deal (trying to be as empathetic as possible)...it's just countered by a hefty set of downsides.

1

David Blagden @blagdendavid.bsky.social · Feb 13

(Obviously, there are plenty of more right-coded objections to this deal...but since those on the right already tend to be more persuaded, since it's not their team pushing it, thought it worth having out some potential problems from the opposite perspective)

David Blagden @blagdendavid.bsky.social · Feb 13

Or, put more bluntly: want to do free breakfast for school children? Rebuild the NHS while keeping it public? Improve our crumbling infrastructure? Build homes for young people? Great! So why make it easier for opponents to gut all that in 2029 by surrendering to foreign revisionists?

David Blagden @blagdendavid.bsky.social · Feb 13

Overall then, even if your inclination is towards normative alignment with international law (dubious here) and decolonisation (which this deal isn't), how far are you willing to jeopardise progressive domestic goals to hand UK Chagossian citizens' homeland to an imperial power...and pay to do so?

David Blagden @blagdendavid.bsky.social · Feb 13

11. Even if you're a staunch believer in international law, the case is tortuous here. It comes down to Chagos having previously been administered from Mauritius, for mere efficiency's sake, while both were UK colonies. So, ironically, the basis for the legal claim is...colonial.

David Blagden @blagdendavid.bsky.social · Feb 13

10. The Faragists (again). In the same week that one (admittedly marginal) poll placed Nigel's fanclub first, why would you gift them a MASSIVE stick with which to beat Labour on charges of being unpatriotic / anti-British? Especially after so much work to shed that taint.

David Blagden @blagdendavid.bsky.social · Feb 13

9. Russia and China. Ok, you may not relish 'great-power competition' etc. But one is currently conducting ethnic cleansing in Eastern Europe, the other has a >million Uyghurs in concentration camps. So any progressive foreign policy should prize bases from which to counter them.

David Blagden @blagdendavid.bsky.social · Feb 13

8. Trump. Worried that America's mad king could prove a menace? The UK has few levers more potent vs the US than Diego Garcia. But give BIOT away and - best-case - the UK becomes an extraneous middle-man. Tragicomic outcome is UK cedes sovereignty, then Mauritius sells DG to the US.

David Blagden @blagdendavid.bsky.social · Feb 13

7. £18bn (yet again). You may hope that it doesn't cut through. But Reform, the Conservatives, and even the Lib Dems will be trying to make sure it does. The opponents of every single Labour incumbent in 2028-29 will be pointing at the nearest pothole and saying "£18bn would fix that".

David Blagden @blagdendavid.bsky.social · Feb 13

6. £18bn (again). That number is politically deadly. Yes, the public finances Labour inherited were in a parlous state. But if this deal goes through, that line's done for. Every single thing that's cut / wasn't funded will be hit with "but you found £18bn for Mauritius".