Sign in

Jim Williams

@lintywilliams.bsky.social
281 followers 287 following 139 posts

Former semi-serious person. Current board game designer and armchair political strategist. Shares half-baked ideas about politics at prototypepolitics.substack.com, and writes about electoral data at ofseatsandsegments.substack.com

PostsRepliesMedia
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 04/11/2025
Time for another half-finished prototype! Here’s Polly C, a work-in-progress AI chatbot designed to provide comparisons of UK party policies. Give her a spin and let me know what she gets wrong and how she could be improved. prototypepolitics.substack.com/p/introducin...
000
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 19/10/2025
open.substack.com/pub/prototyp...
000
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 25/05/2025
@leorzmigrod.bsky.social Thank you for your thoughtful answer to my question this morning around non-divisive political messages. I'd love to ask you some further questions, around rigidity and authoritarianism. Are you still around Hay at all?
000
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 23/05/2025
@steveakehurst.bsky.social Hello! I'm doing a masters dissertation on electoral viability of policies that increase tax. Your MRP data on this is fantastic. Could we chat? I'd love to ask you some questions.
000
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 23/04/2025
Cor. Very jealous. I particularly recommend Bath Soft Cheese, Gem Ale, those amazing biscuits by the Bath Cheese Company!
020
Reposted by Jim Williams
Wera Hobhouse MP @werahobhouse.org.uk · 23/04/2025
Now more than ever, it is imperative that we buy local. I am delighted to be hosting some of Bath's best businesses in Parliament to give my colleagues a 'Taste of Bath'. Throughout the day I will be highlighting these fantastic businesses as I encourage you to buy Bath and back Britain 🇬🇧
2285
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 23/04/2025
Thanks Glenn!
000
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 21/04/2025
Yes please! Very glad that you liked it. I had worried it might be a bit turgid. Glad it isn't! Please bore away.
000
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 18/04/2025
Should I set this organisation up? It's a monstrous hybrid of a lean think tank and a full fat public communications campaign. Could it ever work? Should it see the light of day? Come poke holes in it here: open.substack.com/pub/prototyp... With more art from the wonderful www.lengrant.co.uk
010
Reposted by Jim Williams
Liberal Democrats @libdems.org.uk · 25/03/2025
The Digital Services Tax currently brings in over £830M a year - enough to completely cover the cost of free school meals. Politics is about choices. Cutting this Tax while diluting free schools meals would be choosing Donald Trump and Elon Musk over hungry school children.
912565
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 23/03/2025
Fred, my policy chat bot in training, is a show off. He already knows what happened at Conference this weekend. But is he getting it right? Maybe? Probably? Sort of? Take a look, let me know, and give me some of that juicy negative feedback goodness. prototypepolitics.substack.com/p/harro-grea...
prototypepolitics.substack.com
Harro-Great News! Frederalist the Policy Bot Made Some Friends at Conference
And he already knows all the policies that got passed. Bit keen if you ask me.
020
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 23/03/2025
🙋‍♂️ I'd be up for that. Here's a bunch! docs.google.com/presentation...
docs.google.com
Portfolio - Jim Williams
Jim’s⁁Portfolio of (mostly) very silly games super professional
010
Reposted by Jim Williams
UK Politics News // Papernaut @ukpolitics.papernaut.co · 23/03/2025
THE GUARDIAN: Kemi Badenoch’s floundering leadership struggles to inspire a beleaguered Tory party as PMQs reveal her weaknesses and undermine her authority ahead of critical local elections. - by Andrew Rawnsley
theguardian.com
Kemi Badenoch is failing to hit the spot at PMQs – and everywhere else | Andrew Rawnsley
The Conservative leader isn’t convincing fellow Tories that she possesses a viable route map to recovery
064
Reposted by Jim Williams
Robert Saunders @robertsaunders.bsky.social · 22/03/2025
The UK is unusual in the low level of support among younger voters for a party of the radical right. (Reform polls at 5% among 18-24 year olds, compared with 31% for 65+). But there's clearly a significant pool of support that *could* be mobilised, by a successor (or rival) to Nigel Farage.
6618
Reposted by Jim Williams
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 22/03/2025
The reason @eddavey.libdems.org.uk's focus on sewage has worked so well is that it's tapped into something bigger. People feel taken for granted and (to be honest) more than a little bit shat on. The party should lean into the metaphor. open.substack.com/pub/prototyp...
open.substack.com
Clean Up The Crap
A proposed narrative for the Liberal Democrats - take two!
022
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 22/03/2025
The reason @eddavey.libdems.org.uk's focus on sewage has worked so well is that it's tapped into something bigger. People feel taken for granted and (to be honest) more than a little bit shat on. The party should lean into the metaphor. open.substack.com/pub/prototyp...
open.substack.com
Clean Up The Crap
A proposed narrative for the Liberal Democrats - take two!
022
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 21/03/2025
Congrats Jo!
020
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
@james.fieldleveltech.org - you might appreciate this.
000
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
I've been playing around with messaging recently about cleaning up the crap (sewage, dirty money, crony contracts, etc), and decided that an image of Nigel Farage as a fatberg could be quite fun. ChatGPT told me it could call Dall-E and make a cartoon for me, so I said yes. I'm so glad I did.
111
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
@sarahgreenld.bsky.social - reporting from the Guardian today shows that raw sewage poured out of the Chesham sewage treatment works for 2,681 hours last year. That's 111 days' worth of sewage dumped on your patch by Thames Water. Here's the article: www.theguardian.com/business/202...
000
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
@rory-stewart.bsky.social As a supporter of proportional representation, I wonder if this might be of interest to you? Updates and analysis regarding electoral reform and the broader fight to clean up British politics, from @libdems4er.bsky.social.
000
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
@compassoffice.bsky.social @bestforbritain.bsky.social @electoralreform.bsky.social @unlockdemocracy.bsky.social Latest issue of Fair Votes Watch from @libdems4er.bsky.social, full of updates and analysis about developments in the first to clean up British politics. All feedback welcome!
000
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
@openbritain.bsky.social @mkieran.com @mattmgallagher.bsky.social @appgfairelections.bsky.social @fairvote.bsky.social Hi all! @libdems4er.bsky.social has launched a monthly newsletter about developments in electoral reform. Might be of interest!
031
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
Hello @makevotesmatter.bsky.social! 👋 This month's issue of Fair Votes Watch includes a link to your upcoming seminar this week on Equal Votes & Women's Representation in Politics. Best of luck with it! actionnetwork.org/events/make-...
actionnetwork.org
Webinar - Thursday 20 March 2025, 6pm to 7pm
We would like to invite you to a special webinar that delves into the impact of proportional representation on increasing women's representation in politics. We are honoured to feature three esteemed...
110
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
@markpackuk.bsky.social @lisasmartmp.bsky.social @wendychambld.bsky.social @ollyglover.bsky.social Second issue of LDER's Fair Votes Watch out now. Might be of interest!
010
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
Plus of course those big stories that Diane Abbott and Kemi Badenoch both now appear to be supportive of Proportional Representation. A month is a verrrry long time in politics it would seem. If you like what you see, subscribe at: fairvoteswatch.substack.com
fairvoteswatch.substack.com
Fair Votes Watch | Jim Williams | Substack
Updates and analysis on UK electoral reform, from Liberal Democrats for Electoral Reform (https://www.lder.org/). Covering developments across Westminster, the democracy sector, think tanks and public...
000
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
... and from Willie Sullivan of the @electoralreform.bsky.social on the same question: www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...
scotsman.com
Why UK's voting system could benefit Nigel Farage's Reform UK
At the last general election, Labour won two-thirds of the seats on a third of the votes. Reform is now getting into a position where it could disproportionally benefit from the UK’s voting system in ...
100
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
Plus, this month's issue has analysis from @labour4pr.bsky.social on Farage's claim that First Past The Post will benefit Reform UK ... www.scotsman.com/news/opinion... www.labourforanewdemocracy.org.uk/news/fptp-fr...
labourforanewdemocracy.org.uk
First Past the Post becoming my “friend”, says Farage — Labour For A New Democracy
Reform UK has reached an “inflection point” where the voting system disproportionately advantages the party, claims Farage
100
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
Watch Manuella's speech here, in a video posted by @appgfairelections.bsky.social: youtube.com/shorts/qsyE5...
youtube.com
Manuela Perteghella on capping political donations
YouTube video by APPG for Fair Elections
100
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
Also featuring the brilliant Political Donations Bill proposed by Lib Dem MP Manuela Perteghella (@mp4stratford.bsky.social), which aims to "take big money out of British politics" and "protect our democracy from foreign interference". www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
independent.co.uk
MP proposes cap on political donations amid fears of ‘bidding war for influence’
Manuela Perteghella described her Political Donations Bill as one ‘that will take big money out of British politics’.
100
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
Featuring polling from @moreincommonuk.bsky.social showing that 88% of the public think that the political system needs to change. (Thanks @luketryl.bsky.social for great data as always.)
100
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
Issue 2 of Fair Votes Watch from @libdems4er.bsky.social is out now, bringing you the latest news on the fight to clean up Britain's democracy. This issue: Badenoch criticises FPTP; Farage praises it; and Diane Abbott backs Proportional Representation. fairvoteswatch.substack.com/p/issue-2-18...
100
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 16/03/2025
Unlike the gloriously bananas North Berkeley, which is the housing consultation workshop-game you never knew you wanted, and is SOOO gloriously political. In our playthrough, @markpackuk.bsky.social filibustered the negotiations to force the state to randomly build housing, for example.
220
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 16/03/2025
I suppose you could argue that Poll & Write is area control, but it feels completely different - it's mediated by the demographics of the voters, while in TH you can just put a voter anywhere. Makes sense with the immigration theme, but doesn't feel political to me.
220
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 16/03/2025
Yeah I find Tammany Hall doesn't excite me as much as I'd like. I think it's really tempting to present elections as area control, but that's just not what elections are like - it doesn't hit the theme for me. It's clearly a well built game though, and has some fun backstabby moments.
120
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 16/03/2025
That's kind of you Paul, thank you! Guessing you gave Frederalist a go? Was there anything you spotted that I should train it to do better? (Or anything else that needs improving?) chatgpt.com/g/g-67ae219b...
chatgpt.com
ChatGPT - Frederalist! Your Unofficial Lib Dem Policy Bot
New to the job and eager to learn, Frederalist provides unofficial but diligent summaries of Lib Dem policy.
010
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 07/03/2025
You also mention an archive of historical immigration polling by @drjennings.bsky.social (hi Will! 👋). I'd love to access that too if at all possible. I thought it might be this: ropercenter.cornell.edu/esrc-project, but it doesn't seem to have a section on immigration. All help very welcome!
ropercenter.cornell.edu
Social and Political Change in Britain (1945-1991): Restoring Hundreds of Historical Public Opinion Surveys | Roper Center for Public Opinion Research
000
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 07/03/2025
@robfordmancs.bsky.social Hi Rob. Has the online appendix for Brexitland been moved? The footnotes say it's at www.cambridge.org/brexitland, but that gets a 404 error. I'd love to dig into the data.
100
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
Great article James! I've only had time to read the first half so far, and it's very interesting indeed. Chimes well with @psurridge.bsky.social's piece about consistent picture of similarity between different LD voters. Looking forward to reading more! pollingsnippets.substack.com/p/youve-real...
pollingsnippets.substack.com
You've really got a hold on me - maybe
Liberal Democrat voters in seats won and elsewhere
020
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
It's heart-wrenching watching R1 reason on Perplexity. I've asked it to select strings of up to four words from larger strings, and the poor thing nearly has a breakdown. Got there in the end though!
000
Reposted by Jim Williams
Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
Just looking at the latest YouGov poll - the Tories are on 9% with people under 50. It is not clear to me how this helps with that problem.
1061161223
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
Then it's looking to me like lots of potential for @libdems.org.uk to convince Labour voters to back them against Conservatives, and Reform (sadly) to take votes away from Conservatives too. So big LD gains possible. (Doubly so given these councils were last contested during Johnson's honeymoon.)
000
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
Thanks Calum! That's nice of you. Yep, given: 1) few Lib/Lab contests in the locals, 2) Lab/Lib local priorities look similar, 3) Labour drop in polling AND 4) lots of Lib/Con contests this year, 5) Reform/Con local priorities look similar, AAAND 6) Reform/Con poll ratings...
100
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
So all in all, while the data behind that first chart showed that there was only an *opportunity* in front of the Lib Dems, the priorities of voters shows that the party may well be able to capitalise on that opportunity. Thoughts @markpackuk.bsky.social @cwp-weir.bsky.social ?
110
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
Final point to note, when looking in terms of which group cares most about a given issue (as opposed to exact %s who care), 2024 Conservative and Reform voters are very closely aligned. (Looks a bit like 2024 Greens are off doing their own thing... ) PS Usual formatting apology.
110
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
And 2024 Lib Dem and Labour voters seem closely aligned on most local issues. I've highlighted cells where the differences between the two are within the margin of error.
110
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
Well, almost half of those considering voting LD locally voted Labour nationally in 2024. (Again, apologies to Opinium for the travesties I've inflicted upon their Excel sheets with my formatting.)
110
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
While we have the highest percent 'currently OR might considering voting for' us, we have the lowest 'currently considering voting for' us, tied with the Greens, and the highest 'might consider voting for' us. So how to get those 'might' consider-ers to become 'currently' consider-ers?
110
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
Looks positive certainly, but there's a challenge in the underlying data, kindly shared by Opinium (and then befouled by my horrendous formatting). Breaking the 'NET' line apart shows that our support is not as strong as it appeared.
122
Jim Williams @lintywilliams.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
Thanks so much! Sorry I missed this. Will take a look. 😊
010