Armando Martino
@bouncymandy.bsky.social
Professor of Maths at Southampton University. Geek, somewhat Italian. Opinions are my own.
I really love your emergency podcasts! Great insights, excellent patter.
January 26, 2026 at 10:04 PM
I really love your emergency podcasts! Great insights, excellent patter.
The truth is more likely that they have boxed themselves in so much that the next leader is going to struggle to fix anything and will suffer political damage as a result.
Eg, Streeting as next leader/PM would further damage Blairism.
Probably the same for Burnham and the soft left.
Eg, Streeting as next leader/PM would further damage Blairism.
Probably the same for Burnham and the soft left.
January 26, 2026 at 8:58 AM
The truth is more likely that they have boxed themselves in so much that the next leader is going to struggle to fix anything and will suffer political damage as a result.
Eg, Streeting as next leader/PM would further damage Blairism.
Probably the same for Burnham and the soft left.
Eg, Streeting as next leader/PM would further damage Blairism.
Probably the same for Burnham and the soft left.
I think it's fair to say that people will continue as they came to power.
That's why I found the celebration of lying and factionalism when they were in opposition so baffling at the time.
That's why I found the celebration of lying and factionalism when they were in opposition so baffling at the time.
January 25, 2026 at 12:48 PM
I think it's fair to say that people will continue as they came to power.
That's why I found the celebration of lying and factionalism when they were in opposition so baffling at the time.
That's why I found the celebration of lying and factionalism when they were in opposition so baffling at the time.
I don't want to perform an annoyingly knowing cynicism, but I am really not surprised. The BBC is really compromised in ways that people are not admitting.
January 25, 2026 at 9:54 AM
I don't want to perform an annoyingly knowing cynicism, but I am really not surprised. The BBC is really compromised in ways that people are not admitting.
Pretty shocking behaviour from a government that wants to be seen as competent.
January 16, 2026 at 10:14 PM
Pretty shocking behaviour from a government that wants to be seen as competent.
Will Farage say no? I guess we won't have long to wait, but I am fascinated in the calculation here for Farage/Reform. Surely it is still better to accept RJ? Not sure.
January 15, 2026 at 11:52 AM
Will Farage say no? I guess we won't have long to wait, but I am fascinated in the calculation here for Farage/Reform. Surely it is still better to accept RJ? Not sure.
The priority of some is neither to get re-elected nor to govern well but to win internal factional battles.
January 9, 2026 at 4:45 PM
The priority of some is neither to get re-elected nor to govern well but to win internal factional battles.
The contempt with which he holds Labour members and anyone remotely on the left is striking.
January 9, 2026 at 12:58 PM
The contempt with which he holds Labour members and anyone remotely on the left is striking.
The dynamic is similar to that of Brexiteers, I think.
There's a big ideological project, where adherence to it is all-encompassing, but the question of whether it will be good for the country is just assumed.
There's a big ideological project, where adherence to it is all-encompassing, but the question of whether it will be good for the country is just assumed.
January 8, 2026 at 11:10 AM
The dynamic is similar to that of Brexiteers, I think.
There's a big ideological project, where adherence to it is all-encompassing, but the question of whether it will be good for the country is just assumed.
There's a big ideological project, where adherence to it is all-encompassing, but the question of whether it will be good for the country is just assumed.
But surely the fact that the West is openly hypocritical and dismissive of international law is an issue? I mean more than an ethical issue?
January 4, 2026 at 12:22 PM
But surely the fact that the West is openly hypocritical and dismissive of international law is an issue? I mean more than an ethical issue?
He is making an astounding admission, in my view. The meaning is clear but he simply cannot engage with it.
January 2, 2026 at 11:59 AM
He is making an astounding admission, in my view. The meaning is clear but he simply cannot engage with it.
You are right that people aren't across the details of all the factional stuff at all. So I may be wrong.
But I do note that "lying" appears to be a prominent criticism. This is hard to understand otherwise, imo. I think that breaking manifesto pledges is not quite enough to explain it. *shrug*
But I do note that "lying" appears to be a prominent criticism. This is hard to understand otherwise, imo. I think that breaking manifesto pledges is not quite enough to explain it. *shrug*
December 31, 2025 at 11:19 AM
You are right that people aren't across the details of all the factional stuff at all. So I may be wrong.
But I do note that "lying" appears to be a prominent criticism. This is hard to understand otherwise, imo. I think that breaking manifesto pledges is not quite enough to explain it. *shrug*
But I do note that "lying" appears to be a prominent criticism. This is hard to understand otherwise, imo. I think that breaking manifesto pledges is not quite enough to explain it. *shrug*
That's certainly a key aspect. But I also think the lying and bullying - initially against factional enemies - has had a toll.
I think people identify Starmer as a bureaucratic bully, something they may well have experienced themselves.
I think people identify Starmer as a bureaucratic bully, something they may well have experienced themselves.
December 31, 2025 at 11:09 AM
That's certainly a key aspect. But I also think the lying and bullying - initially against factional enemies - has had a toll.
I think people identify Starmer as a bureaucratic bully, something they may well have experienced themselves.
I think people identify Starmer as a bureaucratic bully, something they may well have experienced themselves.
Trans people are rightly terrified that they will win more legal/political battles.
But, as you say, the public are not vicious enough to be put up with the victimisation of an oppressed group.
So, oddly, the best thing for SM and JKR etc is for us to remain tolerant. Must drive them mad.
But, as you say, the public are not vicious enough to be put up with the victimisation of an oppressed group.
So, oddly, the best thing for SM and JKR etc is for us to remain tolerant. Must drive them mad.
December 30, 2025 at 8:22 AM
Trans people are rightly terrified that they will win more legal/political battles.
But, as you say, the public are not vicious enough to be put up with the victimisation of an oppressed group.
So, oddly, the best thing for SM and JKR etc is for us to remain tolerant. Must drive them mad.
But, as you say, the public are not vicious enough to be put up with the victimisation of an oppressed group.
So, oddly, the best thing for SM and JKR etc is for us to remain tolerant. Must drive them mad.
I dunno, its probably the best strategy Labour have for the next GE. It would help growth, it would mobilise their base and it would differentiate from Reform.
It also undermines Starmer of course, so its perfect for Streeting.
It also undermines Starmer of course, so its perfect for Streeting.
December 22, 2025 at 10:11 AM
I dunno, its probably the best strategy Labour have for the next GE. It would help growth, it would mobilise their base and it would differentiate from Reform.
It also undermines Starmer of course, so its perfect for Streeting.
It also undermines Starmer of course, so its perfect for Streeting.
I played by relying *very* heavily on casts and lunar hexes.
Amazing variety in how you can play!
Amazing variety in how you can play!
December 21, 2025 at 9:40 AM
I played by relying *very* heavily on casts and lunar hexes.
Amazing variety in how you can play!
Amazing variety in how you can play!
But surely part of this is that what he believes would be very unpopular amongst Labour members, so he needs to keep it quiet in order to have a chance of winning.
(I assume that means a shift to the right on economic and social issues.)
(I assume that means a shift to the right on economic and social issues.)
December 21, 2025 at 9:34 AM
But surely part of this is that what he believes would be very unpopular amongst Labour members, so he needs to keep it quiet in order to have a chance of winning.
(I assume that means a shift to the right on economic and social issues.)
(I assume that means a shift to the right on economic and social issues.)
Sure. But its naive to say that the community should be listened to regardless, when many demands of said community are unreasonable. Does this make racism acceptable? No. But the 'any other minority' framing is also inadequate.
December 18, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Sure. But its naive to say that the community should be listened to regardless, when many demands of said community are unreasonable. Does this make racism acceptable? No. But the 'any other minority' framing is also inadequate.
Broadly agree.
However, it does seem relevant that the broader context whereby, Amnesty, Human Rights Watch, the International Court, the UN and UNRWA, and recognition of the state of Palestine have been condemned (by some) as anti-Semitic has a bearing here?
However, it does seem relevant that the broader context whereby, Amnesty, Human Rights Watch, the International Court, the UN and UNRWA, and recognition of the state of Palestine have been condemned (by some) as anti-Semitic has a bearing here?
December 18, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Broadly agree.
However, it does seem relevant that the broader context whereby, Amnesty, Human Rights Watch, the International Court, the UN and UNRWA, and recognition of the state of Palestine have been condemned (by some) as anti-Semitic has a bearing here?
However, it does seem relevant that the broader context whereby, Amnesty, Human Rights Watch, the International Court, the UN and UNRWA, and recognition of the state of Palestine have been condemned (by some) as anti-Semitic has a bearing here?
As with your other take about the 2024GE, the big driver of this is just antipathy to the left. Thats the demographic that Corbyn mobilised, therefore they must be spurned as that is route to failure.
So much of the Starmer project is driven by this kind of logic.
So much of the Starmer project is driven by this kind of logic.
December 17, 2025 at 9:35 AM
As with your other take about the 2024GE, the big driver of this is just antipathy to the left. Thats the demographic that Corbyn mobilised, therefore they must be spurned as that is route to failure.
So much of the Starmer project is driven by this kind of logic.
So much of the Starmer project is driven by this kind of logic.