John Carey and The Intellectuals and the MassesThe death of John Carey, the critic and former Merton Professor of English Literature at Oxford, has been reported today. I discovered him through his 1992 book The Intellectuals and the Masses: Pride and Prejudice among the Literary Intelligentsia 1880-1939, which skewered the snobbish and anti-democratic attitudes that pervaded modernist literature and Fabian politics. Here is Ian Hamilton reviewing Carey's book in the London Review of Books the year it came out: The book is not meant to be straight literary criticism. It is about attitudes, not artworks. And on the matter of attitudes, Carey's testiness can be joyously unreined. ... (more) |
ALDC's by-election report - 11 December 2025[IMG: 4 parallel white vertical lines on orange background ALDC logo] This week, there were nine local council by-elections, from all over the country. Three local by-elections did not have a Liberal Democrat candidate. We start in the Highlands, where wewere able to gain this seat, at the expense of the SNP. Congratulations are due to Councillor Matthew Prosser and the local team for winning this seat. Highland Council, Fort William and Ardnamurchan First preferences: Liberal Democrats (Matthew Prosser): 925 (40.5%) SNP: 665 (29.1%) Reform UK: 220 (9.6%) Green Party: 216 (9.4%) Conservative: 175 (7.6%) Labour: 87 (3.8%) Liberal Democrats ... (more) |
Stuffed Victorian dog returns to train station homeThe judges didn't like "train station" but were won over by the second mention in the story below: "the beloved Victorian mascot". So BBC News wins our Headline of the Day Award. This post is illustrated with a picture of my favourite Victorian dog, Sir William Wallace, who belonged to my great great grandmother's brother Sandy Campbell. This photo appeared in The Sphere for 13 October 1900, so he was very much a late Victorian dog. (more) |
Let him eat cakeThe Gateshead flyover closed to traffic a year ago today. The closure was an emergency measure because the 1960s structure was found to be unsound and bits were dropping off the edge. Labour Leader of Gateshead Council, Martin Gannon, told the BBC in March that the concrete eyesore would be demolished by the end of the year. Alas, with only 19 days left, it's looking like Martin's (more) |
Latest voting intention and leadership ratings opinion pollsWelcome to my summary of the latest national voting intention polls for the next general election, along with the latest MRP projections and party leadership ratings. If you'd like to find out more about how polls work, how reliable they are and how to make sense of them, check out my book, Polling UnPacked: the History, Uses and Abuses of Political Opinion Polls, or sign up for my weekly email, The Week in Polls: General election voting intention polls PollsterConLabLDGrnRefLab leadFieldwork Find Out Now 18% (-2) 14% (nc) 12% (+1) 18% (nc) 30% (-1) -16% (4th, vs Ref) 10/12 GB ... (more) |
RetrospectiveRetro, life straightens. Fresh: passion! Now, an outline. Love slips into place. (more) |
Let us meet this challenge with unyielding resolveAs of writing this, the date is 11/12/2025. The illegal expansionist Russian invasion of Ukraine has now reached its 11th year, with the firing shot taking place all the way back in 2014, with the unlawful annexation of Crimea and the Donbas Region, followed by several years of empty threats from Russia, whilst occupied Ukrainians suffered under Russian rule. Ukraine's forces, while still strong in spirit, are beginning to be pushed back by invading Russian troops, due to several factors. North Korean troops have been deployed, in aid of Russia, to assist in the illegal expansionist invasion. The Kremlin has ... (more) |
A 'whole society' response to threats to national securityHow seriously should we now take threats to Britain's national security? Liberals by temperament have never been hawkish on defence, though concerned increasingly with threats to society and economy like pandemic diseases and climate change. We've been happy with the progressive transfer of funds for defence into health and welfare since the end of the Cold War 35 years ago, including the selling-off of former barracks and training centres for what used to be the Territorial Army - though we've been very unhappy about recent cuts in development spending to find money for defence. But the international situation has now ... (more) |
Banning children from online games, and spying on every device: Why we must oppose Baroness Benjamin's attack on libertyShortly, families across the country will gather to celebrate Christmas. Elves will have been busy making presents for Children, and Santa will be loading his sack. Parents will look forward to the joy on their children's faces as they unwrap them. For many teenagers, this joy might take the form of a new computer game to play with friends over the holiday. Maybe Minecraft, Fortnite, or the latest Mario Kart. Yet if one Liberal Democrat peer has her way, no one under the age of 16 would be able to play an online game that allows them to talk or ... (more) |
The digital battlefield: Why the Liberal Democrats must supercharge online communicationsIn the rapidly evolving landscape of modern politics, the campaign trail is no longer just paved with leaflets and street stalls—it's dominated by algorithms, viral content, and instant digital connection. For the Liberal Democrats, a party with deep roots in local activism and a compelling national vision, improving online communications is not merely an optional extra; it is a critical necessity for survival and growth. The challenges we face in a multipolar political environment are compounded by structural disadvantages—particularly the overwhelming dominance of established parties in funding and the disproportionate attention given to populist rivals. This imbalance makes the digital ... (more) |