iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Think is the problem of being oppositional rather than just the Opposition. Implementation is only going to happen if you lose the next election, so why not have input into shaping it - and even if you don't want to co-operate, politically, storm out when they suggest sth you can paint as outrageous

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a rare photo of sean connery signed by roger moore @steamedhamms.bsky.social · 15h

i know a lot of people have been long invested in the idea that andy burnham is a bit crap at politics, and with the caveat I know polling this far out isn’t the whole thing, but taken together with his electoral record is there a chance he’s maybe alright at it

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Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Electoral reform: “I hear you, I agree with you, and today I am announcing a new national commission on electoral reform.” Biggest opportunity to reform FPP in perhaps a century has now arrived. But long way to go…

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Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Burnham really is going all in on social care here. Powerful uncompromising rhetoric and, it seems, radical reforms. An area where the status quo is terrible yet efforts to change it have fallen apart before.

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Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

“I will tell you things no leader has been brave enough to say before…” “Thatcher was bad, 1945 govt was good, Tories are bad.” (*wild applause*)

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Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

If you’re at Labour conference this is kicking off soon - come along!

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James Ball @jamesrball.com · 29/09/2026

Want to build a skyscraper where there are none? An obvious no: it would change the character of the area. What to build a skyscraper where they exist already? Absolutely not. Aren't there enough of the damn things already? Solution: never build high density housing in central London.

capx.co

Nimbys: no skyscrapers anywhere – even Vauxhall

If you can't build a tower between two towers, you can't build one anywhere

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Jim Pickard @pickardje.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

as a satire on so-called late stage capitalism how could one beat investors pouring a trillion into a company offering to wipe out humankind

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Robert Hutton @roberthutton.co.uk · 28/09/2026

Hopeless Healey: my SKETCH of a Chancellor who's rather better at despair. thecritic.co.uk/the-...

“I’m a proud optimist,” John Healey told the Labour Party conference, unconvincingly. Perhaps he is. Let’s imagine that, away from the cameras, the Chancellor of the Exchequer is known as the cheeriest chap in the office, spotting the silver lining on every cloud and for ever detecting blessings beneath their disguises. Unfortunately, the Almighty, displaying once again the sense of humour that holds the universe together, has bestowed upon Healey the demeanour of an undertaker who’s just learned his business has burned down.

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Tyron @tyron.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

rare column from @stephenkb.bsky.social that combines my interest in the state of the UK charts in a siloed culture with my interest in public policy giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...

giftarticle.ft.com

What ‘Choosin’ Texas’ tells us about Burnham’s social care obstacles

Convincing the British public to pay higher taxes for something they wrongly assume the state provides will not be easy

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Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

In other decent predictions of what was to come later - it was also pretty obvious that the migration figures would be lower than OBR had initially forecast. @jamesbowes01.bsky.social had done sterling work on that.

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Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Good thing that this couldn’t have been predicted almost a year ago <runs bitter victory lap> and the government didn’t just blithely carry on doing the same thing. www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/718...

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Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Also under current proposals they won't be allowed to be social care workers after 2028. Ministers still don't seem to understand their own plan.

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Marie Le Conte @youngvulgarian.marieleconte.com · 27/09/2026

oh we've got a classic one today

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Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Sir John Curtice lays down the numbers at the Demos fringe while Polly Curtis and Chris Curtis look on - a Curtice/Curtis full house

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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Big live risk to balancer coalition of progressives + moderates is to get settlement reforms wrong. By accident or design, the draft is a Labour plan for mass remigration by stealth (for reasons most ministers + MPs do not understand:most people told its 10-15 years lose legal status by 2030 first)

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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Burnham govt should show what it can do, not why it is too difficult, nor promise impossible - an immig budget that sets a sustainable level + defends net migration at 100k-250k - controlled routes, to negotiate routes for returns, scaled up - accelerate new accom model (ditch contractor model)

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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

On immigration @thefabians I noted that the Starmer government had changed immigration outcomes (net migration down dramatically to lowest net migration; boat crossings beginning to fall since Autumn; removals up) without changjng the politics of immigration. Could a Labour govt do the latter too?

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Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

As Labour conference begins, here’s my analysis for @news.sky.com on the progress so far under Burnham and the work still to do for the party to recover from the late Starmer collapse This Charming Man: Can Andy Burnham restore Labour's fortunes? news.sky.com/share/13591718

news.sky.com

This Charming Man: Can Andy Burnham restore Labour's fortunes?

This is the third in a series reviewing the polling and electoral performance of the parties as they gather for their annual conferences. How grim was Burnham's inheritance, and how much of a bounce d...

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Katie Martin @katie0martin.ft.com · 25/09/2026

I have blamed The agents That hacked Your website And which You probably Reasonably thought I controlled Forgive me I am rich And unaccustomed To taking responsibility

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Luke LeBrun @lukelebrun.ca · 26/09/2026

Tech companies suddenly decide they can, in fact, moderate content on their platforms after all

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Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

One of humanity's greatest heroes

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Twlldun @twlldun.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

No, PIP is not being made available to “recently medicalised layabouts”, you mad fucking bastard, have you ever tried applying for PIP for someone?

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Twlldun @twlldun.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Others will have their say about this, but I think it’s worth pointing out that this - or laundered versions of it - are accepted wisdom amongst a big chunk of our political and media classes and it is simply bad for society when the elites have little or no understanding of *the systems they run*

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Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Probably never beating this run: MP Chain 🏛️ I recognised 2️⃣5️⃣ MPs in a row. How long is your chain? toys.jamesomalley.co.uk/mpchain/

toys.jamesomalley.co.uk

MP Chain — How many MPs can you recognise?

Pick the named MP from two portraits. One wrong answer ends your chain.

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James O'Malley @jamesomalley.co.uk · 25/09/2026

I'm very sorry everyone, I made *another* new game. MP Chain 🏛️ I recognised 1️⃣5️⃣ MPs in a row. How long is your chain? toys.jamesomalley.co.uk/mpchain/

toys.jamesomalley.co.uk

MP Chain — How many MPs can you recognise?

Pick the named MP from two portraits. One wrong answer ends your chain.

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Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

If you're at Labour conference next Tuesday and would like to hear my thoughts on the current political landscape, then come along to this session put on by Policy@manchester and @manchester.ac.uk

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Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

One Labour MP who may be nervous about Andy Burnham calling an early election is the member for Makerfield. He narrowly held off reform in a by-election a few months ago and both of this week’s MRPs suggest he will face a tough fight again.

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Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

People on this app will post anything. “Chris Philp has hoes.” No he doesn’t. That’s not true.

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Damian Lyons Lowe @damiansurvation.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Some graphics from our tactical analysis run with MRP:

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Andrew Teale @andrewteale.me.uk · 24/09/2026

TUNBRIDGE WELLS, Cranbrook, Sissinghurst and Frittenden - LD gain from Tunbridge Wells Alliance (seat not defended) LD 697 C 590 RUK 392 Grn 186 Previous results: andrewteale.me.uk/in5y Preview: andrewspreviews.substack.com/p/previewing...

andrewteale.me.uk

Local Elections Archive Project — Cranbrook, Sissinghurst and Frittenden Ward

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Labour4PR 🌹🗳️ @labour4pr.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

🗳️ The Big Electoral Reform Debate 🪑 @siennarodgers.bsky.social with @robfordmancs.bsky.social 🎤 For PR @jessicatoale.bsky.social @paulsweeney.bsky.social 🎤 For FPTP Supportive Labour MPs invited 🕡 18:45, Sun 27 Sept 📍 Auditorium 1C, ACC www.labourforanewdemocracy.org.uk/event-listin...

labourforanewdemocracy.org.uk

The Big Electoral Reform Debate — Labour For A New Democracy

Parliamentarians debate: is First Past the Post still fit for purpose?

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Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Two MRPs show Labour losing 100 plus seats and their majority and still everyone is going “DOES THIS MEAN EARLY ELECTION???”

static.klipy.com

Life of Brian: He Is the Messiah!

ALT: Life of Brian: He Is the Messiah!

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Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

This finding underlines why we should not take precise MRP numbers v seriously at this stage - huge numbers of seats are projected to be v close - a small shift in national sentiment or a modest and plausible level of tactical switching could dramatically change seat numbers

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Re:State @re-state.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

🚨NEW REPORT: 'No Job for the Centre: the case for devolving employment support'🚨 Jobcentre Plus is a centrally-controlled, one-size-fits-all institution which is incoherent in the context of English devolution. Our new report argues that it should be scrapped.

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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

BBC "broadcast a livestream" Other outlets (Times, Metro) see slashing the dinghy as the headline

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Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

This is completely pathetic from the BBC. Do better!

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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Mr Thomas is banned from France, and the Port of Dover, for previous lawbreaking. The French authorities warn that the conduct is prosecutable. bsky.app/profile/yeom...

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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Mr Thomas appears determined to test this hypothesis on a weekly basis bsky.app/profile/sund...

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Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Slide away….Reform falling into third on growing number of polls

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Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Why has this live-streaming serial criminal not been arrested?

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Will Jennings📉🗳️ @drjennings.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

There are so many crimes in this thread you have to wonder what the police and Home Secretary think they are doing at this point.

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Randall Munroe @xkcd.com · 22/09/2026

Tyrannosaurus xkcd.com/3300/

Comic. [Person with long hair pointing to diagram with Tyrannosaurus Rex standing next to a person.] PERSON: We now believe the primary prey of Tyrannosaurus Rex was these humans who kept standing next to it for scale.

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UK in a Changing Europe @ukandeu.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

⏰ STARTING SOON ⏰ 💻 Join us online for a disucssion on the policy and politics of the Burnham government With @anandmenon.bsky.social, @johnmct.bsky.social, @robfordmancs.bsky.social & @sophiestowers.bsky.social 🕐 1pm kick off Tune in live here 👉 app.sli.do/event/ug4CL3...

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Alexander Davenport @alexanderdavenport.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Great piece from @stephenkb.bsky.social - with all the discussion on the party over the last few days I've gone back and forth on whether the Lib Dems should be doing better. On one hand I think there's a huge, largely untapped, market for the LDs (and liberals elsewhere) www.ft.com/content/f309...

ft.com

Changing leader is not the panacea many Lib Dems think it is

The party faces serious structural problems in an era of growing political polarisation

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Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

The thing I really didn’t expect about this by-election is that there would be less Labour literature through the door than there was in the local elections.

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Janine Gibson @janinegibson.ft.com · 22/09/2026

How has the Holborn/St Pancras byelection been progressing in my absence? A full array of the leaflets I returned to after 10 days away: 5 Polanski: 1 Sagal *I had a doorknock from Labour and one from Reform before I went away. Yet to spot George Galloway

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UK in a Changing Europe @ukandeu.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

‼️ Tomorrow ‼️ 🍂 September is here and our new PM must confront a number of tricky policy choices 💻 Join @anandmenon.bsky.social, @johnmct.bsky.social, @robfordmancs.bsky.social & @sophiestowers.bsky.social online as they discuss the politics of the Burnham govt. 🔗 ukandeu.ac.uk/events/ukice...

ukandeu.ac.uk

UKICE Lunch Hour: The state of British politics - UK in a changing Europe

Join our experts online as they discuss the policy and the politics of the new Burnham government.

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