Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 09/10/2026Whilst perhaps he should, I'm far from convinced that what comes next won't be far worse. The entryists they've have captured the party and they don't really have the structures to win it back. Their candidate will win - more extreme, less environmentalist. It may be that the party is lost. 1140
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 09/10/2026"The government deliberately scheduled the by-election for days after our Conference, where we get the most press coverage and the public gets to hear what we actually think. What saboteurs!" Hmmmm... 🤔 Not beating the 'more people hear, less they like' allegations 020
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 09/10/2026Unlike with Labour under Corbyn, I'm not sure there's a viable 'stay and fight' strategy. The next leader after Polanski will be a more extreme version. The environmental priorities Caroline has championed will be increasingly marginalised. Not sure where I'd turn in her shoes. 100
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 09/10/2026I do feel for those like Caroline in the Green Party. Their structures were set up for admirable (if probably naive) principles, but have led to a scenario where now the party she fought for for decades has been captured by people she fundamentally isn't aligned with. Quite probably irrevocably. 100
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 09/10/2026It's also the case that, with the membership as it is now... if he was to go, the next leader is not going to suddenly be better on these issues 000
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 01/10/2026It is unacceptable for Ed to say 'we'll support Burnham if he can build a consensus but every party opposes this' when we are one of those parties opposing it for purely partisan grounds. This has *always* been the problem with fixing social care, unless we actually engage nothing will change. 010
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 01/10/2026With defending the triple lock to the hilt, pledging tax cuts as priority or failing to successfully articulate a positive case for our liberal values, being a young(ish) Lib Dem is becoming increasingly depressing. I didn't join the Tories, but seems we want to be as Cameronesque as possible 330
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 20/09/2026Actually trying to shift the narrative in favour of liberal values. The obsession with winning a few more seats here and there means the party doesn't actually try to win the argument over what type of country we should be. No point getting more MPs elected if they do nothing with it. 022
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 16/09/2026Really struggle with this line from Ed & the party Whilst not technically wrong that Brexit made it harder to return asylum seekers, it does feel a bit like our messaging should be 'no, migrants aren't all evil, we should treat them better' rather than just 'we'd be better at sending them back'... 010
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 15/09/2026Think it's also our horizons have grown so much so quickly, it's still essential a social experiment. Even compared to 40 years ago, it's so much easier to see what other people are doing & what other people have (or we think they have) day to day that it makes our everyday mundane lives feel worse 010
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 08/09/2026If this ends up being a major goal of this year's Conference, may find it ends up being my last Conference, certainly under Ed's leadership. It's insanity. Pandering to the sort of centre-right politics that decimated us over more than a decade. Genuinely awful approach. 010
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 05/08/2026On the one hand, stories of people who have recognised and evolved from their own radicalisation are importany. On the other, it doesn't help that his twitter timeline appears to be heavily anti-migrant, and appears he may have just switched victimisation of one minority for others. 010
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 30/07/2026The reason for this is v funny Apparently google doesn't realise we really exist in Brighton because Wikipedia 000
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 29/07/2026Genuinely struggling to think of a dumber thing suggested by a politician than 'you don't apologise if it was only a mistake' Like, I know there's been stiff competition over the years, but that's something you learn when you're about 4 010
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 29/07/2026'If I'd done this deliberately I'd be apologising but because this was a mistake I won't' Does this idiot know what an apology actually is? Everyone apologises for mistakes, that's kind of the point of it 150
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 20/07/2026Like, even if you don't intend to take a drastically different approach, the symbolism of changing nothing thereby implicitly endorsing the existing approach just feels incredibly amateurish. A huge missed opportunity 020
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 20/07/2026To be able to see how Starmer lost masses of votes to the Progressive left, armed with the knowledge that the harsh approach on issues like immigration & trans right were key drivers of that, yet keep both Shabana Mahmood as Home Secretary and Bridget Phillipson as Equalities Minister is... baffling 191
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 20/07/2026Trans people to be banned from the military in 3... 2... 1... 010
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 20/07/2026The attitude towards trans people and immigrants have been the two key indicators to progressive voters, where changing personnel would be a clear message that things will change and Labour can be trusted again. Keeping Mahmood in post to continue her approach on migration is a terrible choice. 010
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 20/07/2026Keeping Mahmood in post is insane. Especially for someone so aware of the need for a reset. Even if he promoted her, he could claim she's a capable and talented politician he just wants a different approach in the Home Office. Keeping her in post is just an endorsement of her aggressive approach. 140
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 20/07/2026That or he's trying to make a point about governing without leaking like a sieve 010
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 13/07/2026Yeah I'm sure this position is gonna hold.... Does seem a bit of a problem that everyone can just assume that every announcement that comes from the US President is complete and total bollocks 020
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 07/07/2026"He's fighting a bin, he's fighting a biiiiin, Nigel Farage, he's fighting a bin" Song of the summer? 1246
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 07/07/2026"He's fighting a bin, he's fighting a biiiiiiin, Nigel Farage, he's fighting a bin" 060
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 07/07/2026If he wins he claims vindication and tries to move on. If he loses, he goes into 'retirement' for two years, comes out, returning just before the next general election and has another go. Dreadful, pathetic, attention seeking man. 000
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 07/07/2026Part of me thinks he may step down from the leadership, go into hiding/'retirement' for two years then re-emerge ahead of the next election as a 'surprise', allowing a short term tilt at an election with limited time for scrutiny/mud to stick 010
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 07/07/2026Even if he steps down from the leadership, expect him back in mid-late 2028 ahead of the next election, when he can have a run up with limited time for scrutiny. He generally doesn't have the stamina for the mid-term parts. Just wants the big headlines. 1101
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 06/07/2026England are playing 5-3-1 for the last 20 minutes this feels like it is going to be terrible for everyone's nerves 000
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 06/07/2026Sorry Alan Shearer, but yes unfortunately that is a penalty 010
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 06/07/2026Quansah a bit unlucky there - his leg bounced up off the top of the ball to take the player high, still a red but don't think he intended to go in high 000
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 24/06/2026Think yes, he knows there's no way to make it look anything but awful so the idea was to just bulldoze his way through it and hope everything moves on and everyone forgets about it in a couple of weeks time. Not impossible, but could rear its head if the standards committee finds against him. 130
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 24/06/2026Honestly should make him Attorney General, can't be anyone more qualified 000
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 22/06/2026The only people who hate Wes more than the far right are Labour members and Progressives who he should be courting 000
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 22/06/2026Seems poor old Wes has realised that poor old Wes isn't quite as popular or important as poor old Wes appears to think Be very funny if he ends up staying on the backbenches 100
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 22/06/2026I imagine Starmer will look back on his tenure as PM & be like 'I wish I'd had the confidence to say which I thought' or 'I wish I hadnt felt forced to say stuff I dont believe' and the frustrating is, for the most part he didn't need to. He could have been more true to himself. I hope MPs take note 010
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 22/06/2026Lots of people expressing sympathy for Starmer's demise but... he's been shit. He's actively harmed vulnerable minorities like immigrants and LGBT people - against his instincts - to save his own skin out of fear of taking on the culture war nonsense from the right It's a record of total failure 110
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 21/06/2026Hope everyone is looking forward to PM resignation week! Seems to come round quicker every year 000
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 16/06/2026What winds me up is in some cases - eg trans kids - government wants to treat parents as if they'll be universally supportive, there's no bad parents & schools must tell them, but on others - eg social media - parents are treated as if they're all bad & cant be trusted with their own kids wellbeing🤷♂️ 020
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 15/06/2026This ban will obviously not work. All it does is serve to isolate young people, especially LGBT+ youngsters and those who are 'different', who rely on online communities to meet like-minded people All that will happen is it'll drive these kids to unregulated, unsafe & unmoderated forums & platforms 030
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 15/06/2026The simple truth is the social media ban is an admission of failure & inaction. Social media has become a cesspit of radicalisation and harm, but rather than enforce regulation to make it safe for everyone, the government realises it doesn't want to do that but wants to be see to doing something. 130
Josh @joshwoolcott.bsky.social · 14/06/2026This will in particular harm young people who diverge from the norm. Many thousands of LGBT+ people for example, have found support and community from like-minded people in online spaces Let's make those spaces safe, otherwise they'll just end up in unofficial, unregulated & unsafe places online 150