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Dr Nick Dickinson

@nickdickinson.bsky.social
2K followers 1K following 626 posts

Political Scientist | British Politics and History | PhD on political salaries (Exeter) | Mst. Modern British and European History (Oxford) | Teaching methods and stats in social science

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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 7h
If you think no one is going to ever beat Liz Truss’ record, remember that politics is a a never say never business
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 7h
Anthony Scaramucci right now
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 15/10/2026
The coalition was sort of the opposite though. A lot of predictions of chaos and it lasted five years with a pretty coherent, if misguided in many aspects, program. The trouble started with the return to single-party government.
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 15/10/2026
Interesting to think how few people in 1964 saw it as the start of what turned out to be a 15 year period of extreme volatility in British politics. Very like 2015 in that way. But the cracks were there both times.
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UCL Constitution Unit @conunitucl.bsky.social · 15/10/2026
Should the UK adopt a codified or written constitution? The case in favour Ahead of a House of Lords debate next week, and following comments by Andy Burnham in August, Sionaidh Douglas-Scott makes the case in favour of a codified constitution. We will publish a case against tomorrow. Read it 👇️
blogs.ucl.ac.uk
Should the UK adopt a codified or written constitution? The case in favour
Next week, the House of Lords will debate introducing a codified or written constitution. This is also something that the Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, discussed over the summer. Sionaidh Douglas-Scott makes the case in favour of the UK adopting codified or written constitution. A second post in this series, making the case against a codified or written constitution, will be published tomorrow.
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
I talked to the BBC World Service Asia Specific Podcast about Lawrence Wong's upcoming pay rise, how it compares globally, and what post-office business appointments rules are like in the UK vs Singapore. www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqXI...
youtube.com
With politicians, do you get what you pay for? - Asia Specific podcast, BBC World Service
YouTube video by BBC World Service
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
I talked to the BBC World Service Asia Specific Podcast about Lawrence Wong's upcoming pay rise, how it compares globally, and what post-office business appointments rules are like in the UK vs Singapore. www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqXI...
youtube.com
With politicians, do you get what you pay for? - Asia Specific podcast, BBC World Service
YouTube video by BBC World Service
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
That is some serious Blair era vibes
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Charlie Feldman @parlcharlie.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
UK parliament nerd friends - might anyone have the gift sop "Asbo Bear" in their collection? This is for research...
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Maitrijen⁷ @maitrijen.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
Sending all good blessings to Joshua Wong as he celebrates his 30th birthday today in prison for promoting freedom and democracy in Hong Kong. May he celebrate his next birthday in freedom. 
A photograph of tens of thousands of people flooding the streets of Hong Kong in support of democracy
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Dinah Rose KC @dinahrose.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
Remembering Gwyneth Bebb today. She passed Oxford law finals with first class marks in 1913, but was refused a degree. The CA rejected her claim to become a solicitor, saying only men were "persons" within the legislation. In 1920 she finally became a Bar student. But died in childbirth in 1921.
Screenshot of a Facebook post recording the fact that on this day in 1920, women were awarded Oxford degrees for the first time. Image of graduating women.
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Alex Prichard @profalexp.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
Ruth and I wrote a blog for the Cambridge University Press website about anarchism and constitutions. Link to the newly published Constitutionalising Anarchy at the foot of the page. Hands up who thinks anarchism is a constitutional theory?
cambridgeblog.org
Hands up who thinks anarchism is a constitutional theory?
Our guess is that most people’s arms are still bolted tightly to their sides. If so, this book is for you.
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
One of the things about recent Spider Man discourse has been seeing parts of the 2000s Sam Raimi movies again which just look really good, and it's not some glamour shot just like... the school cafeteria. What happened?
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
Also a 'rival' is such an odd framing. It's a completely different thing with almost no overlapping purpose. In fact the kind of personal testimony this sounds like it is going to collect would be specifically banned on Wikipedia.
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Rebecca McKee @rebeccamckee.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
We are hiring! TWO new researcher roles, one with me (and my wonderful colleagues) in the UK government team. Take a look, shout if you have any questions and please do send this on to anyone you think would be interested! www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/about-us/car...
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
Definitely an interesting interpretation of whose Vietnam the Ukraine war is. My history is a little rusty but probably not the side that isn't the aggressor, has no troops on the ground, and is only just now getting around to meeting its 2% of GDP minimum defense spending targets for peacetime
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Eliot Higgins @eliothiggins.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
New upcoming workshops from Bellingcat, October 27th - Conflict Monitoring in Data-Scarce Environments: An Open-Source Introduction Focused on Africa www.bellingcat.com/workshops/co...
bellingcat.com
Conflict Monitoring in Data-Scarce Environments: An Open-Source Introduction Focused on Africa - bellingcat
Join Bellingcat and learn about confluct monitoring in data-scarce environments on October 27, 2026.
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
Rajan's YouTube channel is really weird. Six weeks after launch it has no content except a recording of a speech and a load of shorts (despite being pitched as a 'slow' explainer channel). And they are just him speaking into camera about stuff like "has liberalism gone too far".
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Chris Prosser @caprosser.com · 09/10/2026
🚨Job alert! 🚨 Come work with us on the British Election Study! We are looking for a postdoc to join the new BES team: 5 year contract, starting in Jan 2027. Happy to chat if you've got any questions. Applications close 12 Nov, for details see: jobs.royalholloway.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx...
jobs.royalholloway.ac.uk
Job Opportunity at Royal Holloway University of London: British Election Study Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Full-Time, Fixed-Term for 5 yearsThe Department of Politics, International Relations and Philosophy at Royal Holloway seeks to appoint a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to work on the British Election St...
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
*after 1950
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
Pretty much why Robert Eggers said he never wanted to make a film set before 1950. Steven Soderbergh and Paul Thomas Anderson have said similar iirc. Having to deal with smartphones, the internet, and modernity in general makes contemporary-set remakes a generally bad idea.
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
Sadly it isn't quite that simple. Still though, good to remember the internet is a physical thing that exists at particular locations. bsky.app/profile/anti...
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
Western governments: there is no easy solution to the problem of disinformation. The internet has fundamentally changed the nature of hybrid warfare. Ukraine: drone inbound
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
To be fair this is actually a great example of careful polling language. Because you absolutely could interpret that as say, people who practice Wicca, without a supernatural component.
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
I believe in witches without magic powers
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Robert Moses smiling down from heaven / up from hell
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Cas Mudde @casmudde.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
This is bad news. UKICE was an extraordinarily successful project which took the debate well beyond Brexit. Obviously, the role of UK in a changing Europe remains as relevant as ever. One would have hoped the Labour government understood this and would have found funding to continue UKICE.
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Will Jennings📉🗳️ @drjennings.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Anand and UKICE have done remarkable work and made a huge contribution to public life. I'm not sure how he has found the energy to keep going, or the character to avoid going as mad as British politics. Proud to call Anand a friend and look forward to what comes next.
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Alan Renwick @alanrenwick.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Sad news indeed. UKICE has done brilliant work, helping to ground Brexit debates in fact and evidence, and showing how to communicate social science with both accuracy and elan. Thank you to @anandmenon.bsky.social for your brilliant leadership, and to all the team for your stellar work.
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Very sad to hear. But what an amazing case study in how well timed and executed social science can elevate political debate. One of the best investments the ESRC ever made.
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Daniel Devine @danjdevine.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
❗ There's a permanent, research and teaching lectureship over at the University of Surrey in the broad area of behaviour, attitudes, parties, etc. jobs.surrey.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx...
jobs.surrey.ac.uk
Job Vacancy at the University of Surrey: Lecturer in Politics
The University of Surrey is a global community of ideas and people, dedicated to life-changing education and research. We are ambitious and have a bold vision of what we want to achieve - shaping ours...
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Tim Bale @timbale.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Top marks, Playbook. Top marks! 😂👏
MEET YOUR MP: Abdi-Wali, 42, has taken an unusual route to Westminster. Born in Somalia, she arrived in Britain as a child refugee and went on to become leader of Camden Council. She has also experienced hardship, choosing to support Tottenham Hotspur at a young age. Politically Abdi-Wali is firmly in Labour’s mainstream, backing Andy Burnham rather than Jeremy Corbyn for leader after she joined the party in 2015. She later chaired Starmer’s constituency party and remains a close ally of the ex-PM.
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Everyone knows elite universities should recruit by hiring janitors who turn out to have genius level intelligence once their emotional issues are resolved by a kindly but firm old colleague in the psychology department who has his own demons to wrestle with
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Anthropic and Google are fine I guess
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
So are OpenAI and xAI changing their names or what?
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Imo this is quite dependent on a) the Conservative definition of holding power, which tends to mean being the senior partner at least and b) the considerable personal antipathy between senior loyalists and defectors to Reform.
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Or that when he started his political career in 1918 Germany was doing just fine. A few little issues here and there.
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
The guy who got sent in to just observe and report on a political meeting but got so animated he made a speech so aggressive it forced the guy he directed it at to leave in shame? Yeah he’d just throw his hands up and give in
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Hitler absolutely would know where to start. This is one of the main things about Hitler.
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Is there a Churchill-New Brunswick connection? Or is that actually a tribute to Han Solo in when he gets frozen with a political overcoat?
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Not that there is anything wrong with a pressure group mode of organising. It's often very effective. It's just weird coming from a party that stands a very good chance of *being* in the next government not asking something from it.
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
One of the interesting things about these motions is they all call on the UK government do something, rather than say this is Green policy which we will implement in government. That difference between a protest and party mindset in terminological form.
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Stefan Müller @stefanmueller.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
New feature @irishpollingind.bsky.social: you can now explore election results and polling estimates from 1987 to 2026 interactively. Select one or more parties to check how their (combined) support has changed. The graph also lists cabinets and government composition. pollingindicator.com/#graphs
Party support in general elections and opinion polls, 1987 to 2026 – graph covers all parties included in the Irish Polling IndicatorSupport for Fianna Fáil, 1987–2026Combined support for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, 1987–2026Combined support for Sinn Féin, Social Democrats, Labour, Green Party, and Solidarity-PBP, 1987–2026
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
We're all going to be classified eventually I'm sure
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Next up, "This account writes all the names of political leaders they dislike into insulting but generally unfunny puns"
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Bluesky apparently having an official reply guy mark of shame goes so hard
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Strange cardinals sending up white smoke is no basis for a system of government
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
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Dr Nick Dickinson @nickdickinson.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
The Pope? How many data centers does he have?
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