Simon Norris
@simonnorris.bsky.social
"Talk to me about Batteries" A recovering chemist. Love a good fanfare.
Reposted by Simon Norris
At Labour’s conference, Keir Starmer promised his government would “fight with everything we have” against those pushing racism and the idea of two-tier Britishness.
Now it is the clear and stated policy rationale of his government that the racists were correct and must be appeased.
Now it is the clear and stated policy rationale of his government that the racists were correct and must be appeased.
It’s just nuts. Even if you accept Labour’s policy diagnosis, we “lost control” of our borders, and concern about immigration was rising long before the alarming rise of racism. The big change on racism has been we traded an anti-racist government for one that is at best Trappist on it.
I find insane that shabana mahmood is going out there and saying "white british people cannot be asked to accept too many of us outsiders, it is not in their nature, and their pushback against all of us is to be placated". What???
November 21, 2025 at 3:04 PM
At Labour’s conference, Keir Starmer promised his government would “fight with everything we have” against those pushing racism and the idea of two-tier Britishness.
Now it is the clear and stated policy rationale of his government that the racists were correct and must be appeased.
Now it is the clear and stated policy rationale of his government that the racists were correct and must be appeased.
Reposted by Simon Norris
VERY funny that Labour are being pointlessly cruel and haemorrhaging support from their base and yet none of what they're offering is ever going to be enough for the people whose approval they're seeking, WHO could have predicted it
November 20, 2025 at 3:20 PM
VERY funny that Labour are being pointlessly cruel and haemorrhaging support from their base and yet none of what they're offering is ever going to be enough for the people whose approval they're seeking, WHO could have predicted it
Reposted by Simon Norris
My greatest disappointment with Starmer is the continuation of this same old game. Half-arsed policy with focus on electoral dynamics over effectiveness. Underlying situation gets worse. Then you complain the border is out of control, when in fact it is your policymaking which has failed.
November 18, 2025 at 8:56 AM
My greatest disappointment with Starmer is the continuation of this same old game. Half-arsed policy with focus on electoral dynamics over effectiveness. Underlying situation gets worse. Then you complain the border is out of control, when in fact it is your policymaking which has failed.
Reposted by Simon Norris
The basic problem with the temporary refugee status policy - especially one lasting up to 20 years - is it leads to very few removals (based on Denmark's experience) but does significantly worsen integration.
November 18, 2025 at 9:05 AM
The basic problem with the temporary refugee status policy - especially one lasting up to 20 years - is it leads to very few removals (based on Denmark's experience) but does significantly worsen integration.
The Greens' next attack line, probably:
"Labour would rather steal jewellry and bikes from refugees fleeing war than tax the rich"
God I'm so angry. Incompetent and cruel.
"Labour would rather steal jewellry and bikes from refugees fleeing war than tax the rich"
God I'm so angry. Incompetent and cruel.
November 17, 2025 at 12:16 PM
The Greens' next attack line, probably:
"Labour would rather steal jewellry and bikes from refugees fleeing war than tax the rich"
God I'm so angry. Incompetent and cruel.
"Labour would rather steal jewellry and bikes from refugees fleeing war than tax the rich"
God I'm so angry. Incompetent and cruel.
Reposted by Simon Norris
The idea of the Home Office selling off the confiscated jewellery of those who have fled war and persecution should, in an ideal world, be the death knell for this government.
November 17, 2025 at 7:28 AM
The idea of the Home Office selling off the confiscated jewellery of those who have fled war and persecution should, in an ideal world, be the death knell for this government.
Reposted by Simon Norris
🧵/ How far does the public support net zero?
Support: 60%
Oppose: 25%
Net support by party
Green: +81
Lib Dem: +67
Lab: +64
Con: +11
Reform: -44
yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
Support: 60%
Oppose: 25%
Net support by party
Green: +81
Lib Dem: +67
Lab: +64
Con: +11
Reform: -44
yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
November 11, 2025 at 10:43 AM
🧵/ How far does the public support net zero?
Support: 60%
Oppose: 25%
Net support by party
Green: +81
Lib Dem: +67
Lab: +64
Con: +11
Reform: -44
yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
Support: 60%
Oppose: 25%
Net support by party
Green: +81
Lib Dem: +67
Lab: +64
Con: +11
Reform: -44
yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
Reposted by Simon Norris
Generative AI being 'wrong' in the information it produces, and being unethical in how it steals human labor are both overlapping issues and it's important to show a bit of damn solidarity even if you're not a scientist, or information worker, or a writer, or an artist, or a photographer
November 4, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Generative AI being 'wrong' in the information it produces, and being unethical in how it steals human labor are both overlapping issues and it's important to show a bit of damn solidarity even if you're not a scientist, or information worker, or a writer, or an artist, or a photographer
Reposted by Simon Norris
Flow of the vote in the average Lab gain from Con seat, i.e. somewhere like Southend E, Carlisle or Rugby.
The largest dynamics here are Con -> Ref and Lab -> DK, tho Lab's wider splintering is costing them and allowing Reform a clear lead in such seats.
The largest dynamics here are Con -> Ref and Lab -> DK, tho Lab's wider splintering is costing them and allowing Reform a clear lead in such seats.
October 26, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Flow of the vote in the average Lab gain from Con seat, i.e. somewhere like Southend E, Carlisle or Rugby.
The largest dynamics here are Con -> Ref and Lab -> DK, tho Lab's wider splintering is costing them and allowing Reform a clear lead in such seats.
The largest dynamics here are Con -> Ref and Lab -> DK, tho Lab's wider splintering is costing them and allowing Reform a clear lead in such seats.
Reposted by Simon Norris
This is why these kinds of takes don't really grasp what is happening in what are currently Reform-facing Labour seats. The actual Lab -> Ref movement is small (and the least likely to reverse). Labour's key to remaining competitive is reuniting their losses to don't knows, LDs and Greens.
Labour in danger of taking the wrong lesson from defeat in Caerphilly www.independent.co.uk/voices/three...
October 26, 2025 at 9:15 AM
This is why these kinds of takes don't really grasp what is happening in what are currently Reform-facing Labour seats. The actual Lab -> Ref movement is small (and the least likely to reverse). Labour's key to remaining competitive is reuniting their losses to don't knows, LDs and Greens.
Reposted by Simon Norris
Yay. Priceless. The right column at the right time. And a gleefully English two fingers to the haters.
October 25, 2025 at 7:38 AM
Yay. Priceless. The right column at the right time. And a gleefully English two fingers to the haters.
Reposted by Simon Norris
These are particularly critical points that should be much better understood, not just by the government but also by political commentators, journalists, and broadcast bookers.
September 28, 2025 at 11:35 AM
These are particularly critical points that should be much better understood, not just by the government but also by political commentators, journalists, and broadcast bookers.
Reposted by Simon Norris
Just a reminder that Starmer's accommodation of the radical right has not paid any electoral dividends to date. It's difficult to imagine circumstances in which it would...
Radical right accommodation really does not work.
New paper out with this exceptionally talented team
@katharinalawall.bsky.social @robjohns75.bsky.social @drjennings.bsky.social @sarahobolt.bsky.social @zachdickson.bsky.social @danjdevine.bsky.social & @jack-bailey.co.uk
doi.org/10.31235/osf...
New paper out with this exceptionally talented team
@katharinalawall.bsky.social @robjohns75.bsky.social @drjennings.bsky.social @sarahobolt.bsky.social @zachdickson.bsky.social @danjdevine.bsky.social & @jack-bailey.co.uk
doi.org/10.31235/osf...
September 14, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Just a reminder that Starmer's accommodation of the radical right has not paid any electoral dividends to date. It's difficult to imagine circumstances in which it would...
Reposted by Simon Norris
Most political punditry misses this fundamental insight from political science.
The key to winning at both politics and elections is realizing that future opinions — "latent opinion" — is different from what we can measure about public opinion using polls _today_. Future opinion is downstream of both what leaders do *and* don't do today. The future is not exogenous
May 27, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Most political punditry misses this fundamental insight from political science.
Reposted by Simon Norris
Here's a figure from IPCC AR6 Summary for Policymakers showing the linear relationship between fucking around and finding out.
Every tonne of CO₂ we add to the atmosphere makes things worse for us and all other living things.
Every tonne of CO₂ we add to the atmosphere makes things worse for us and all other living things.
May 15, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Here's a figure from IPCC AR6 Summary for Policymakers showing the linear relationship between fucking around and finding out.
Every tonne of CO₂ we add to the atmosphere makes things worse for us and all other living things.
Every tonne of CO₂ we add to the atmosphere makes things worse for us and all other living things.
Reposted by Simon Norris
A useful counter to the celebration of Reform as a "working-class insurrection".
It suits both Farage and Maurice Glasman to present the party in this way, but that rests heavily on a particular idea of "the working class" as old, white and male, rather than (for example) young, black and female.
It suits both Farage and Maurice Glasman to present the party in this way, but that rests heavily on a particular idea of "the working class" as old, white and male, rather than (for example) young, black and female.
A quick chart on the Reform UK 'working class' revolution. It is true that Reform support is higher among working class groups but that doesn't make it a majority (or even the most popular) among the working class and more than 1 in 3 strongly disliked the party at GE last year.
May 8, 2025 at 10:17 AM
A useful counter to the celebration of Reform as a "working-class insurrection".
It suits both Farage and Maurice Glasman to present the party in this way, but that rests heavily on a particular idea of "the working class" as old, white and male, rather than (for example) young, black and female.
It suits both Farage and Maurice Glasman to present the party in this way, but that rests heavily on a particular idea of "the working class" as old, white and male, rather than (for example) young, black and female.
Reposted by Simon Norris
This is why mooting 'ditching net-zero' as the solution to Labour's woes is so silly. It's a policy that is popular with their core voters, critical to progressive voters they need to woo back, and Reform voters are sceptical but it's way down their priority list.
May 2, 2025 at 11:19 AM
This is why mooting 'ditching net-zero' as the solution to Labour's woes is so silly. It's a policy that is popular with their core voters, critical to progressive voters they need to woo back, and Reform voters are sceptical but it's way down their priority list.
Reposted by Simon Norris
I’m all for expanding the social democratic coalition beyond liberals and progressives. But the idea that you can do social democratic politics *in opposition* to liberals and progressives is a nostalgic, self-indulgent fantasy.
The Glasmanisation of the Labour Party is a massive risk to them. The Conservatives discovered that if you insult your professional base long enough in a desperate attempt to win populist right votes, they will flock to the Lib Dems and you lose 60 seats. Labour may find similar soon enough.
I had many problems with Blair, but his talk of a modern, open, knowledge-based economy was a breath of fresh air compared to this atavistic, closed-minded economically illiterate shit.
April 30, 2025 at 10:35 AM
I’m all for expanding the social democratic coalition beyond liberals and progressives. But the idea that you can do social democratic politics *in opposition* to liberals and progressives is a nostalgic, self-indulgent fantasy.
Reposted by Simon Norris
As the article (in thread) says, outsize SUVs cost the public purse more in terms of strain on the infrastructure & pollution, and are far more dangerous for pedestrians & cyclists. Yes, we should tax them and their usage heavily. Why on Earth should the rest of us subsidise this obnoxious trend?
Large SUVs are too big for parking spaces and dangerously heavy in crashes - time to bring in weight and size based charges?
“In 2024, a record 1,213,385 cars wider than 1.8 metres were sold.”
“In 2024, a record 1,213,385 cars wider than 1.8 metres were sold.”
April 4, 2025 at 7:30 AM
As the article (in thread) says, outsize SUVs cost the public purse more in terms of strain on the infrastructure & pollution, and are far more dangerous for pedestrians & cyclists. Yes, we should tax them and their usage heavily. Why on Earth should the rest of us subsidise this obnoxious trend?
Reposted by Simon Norris
A quick linkedin re-post of my thread here about what seems to be a detectable rise in "WELL WE DIDN'T STOP 1.5C MIGHT AS WELL GIVE UP ON EVERYTHING AND JUST ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE WHICH I'M SURE IS POSSIBLE HAVEN'T CHECKED THIS BUT SURE ITS FINE" vibes
www.linkedin.com/pulse/fossil...
www.linkedin.com/pulse/fossil...
March 17, 2025 at 2:33 PM
A quick linkedin re-post of my thread here about what seems to be a detectable rise in "WELL WE DIDN'T STOP 1.5C MIGHT AS WELL GIVE UP ON EVERYTHING AND JUST ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE WHICH I'M SURE IS POSSIBLE HAVEN'T CHECKED THIS BUT SURE ITS FINE" vibes
www.linkedin.com/pulse/fossil...
www.linkedin.com/pulse/fossil...