👌👌👇 . Also real insight into role of Europe Minister for bilateral relations (even more important since Brexit), for developing first hand political understanding of how other states view 🇪🇺 + amount of travelling! Suggests need for strategic thinking about role going forward

Here is a wide ranging interview with David Lidington and Robert Saunders via Mile End Institute. Watch for a great dollop of Conservative history and more.

youtu.be/2CqWUmDhXZ8?si…

The 10 April 1998 was a historic day. The signing of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement paved the way for a new future for Northern Ireland. It was an extraordinary achievement by all those involved. 1/3

I really enjoyed this 'In Conversation' with David Lidington last month, which ranged across so many elements of Conservative history over the last five decades.

You can watch the full recording here: youtube.com/watch?v=2CqWUm…

This is really interesting on the post-1992 election discourse within the Labour Party

Two more weeks to go until the next Utrecht Lecture in Political History! We look forward to welcoming Robert Saunders School of History, Queen Mary University of London Queen Mary University of London to Humanities Utrecht for his lecture on the challenges of British democracy between 1832 and 1928! Have you signed up yet?
uu.nl/en/events/lect…

With Tim Bale laid up with Covid - Get Well Soon, Tim! - we're delighted to be joined tomorrow by another former Mile End Institute Director, Philip Cowley!

You can sign up to join Phil, Iain Dale ⚒️🇺🇦.🇮🇱, Robert Saunders and Dr Jennifer Davey for a lively discussion about 190 years of elections⬇️

'You go to the toilet very successfully now, but once you were potty trained'.

High praise for Nick Robinson on BBC Radio 4 Today this morning, from the irrepressible Gyles Brandreth.

Very much enjoying this as my holiday read. Robert Saunders's chapter on 1886 a particular highlight so far.

Letter of the day. The Times

Margaret Thatcher died on this day in 2013.

Here's a piece I hammered out that night, reflecting on her legacy.

'If you seek her monument, look around you'.
gladstonediaries.blogspot.com/2013/04/si-mon…

On Wednesday at 12, the Mile End Institute will be celebrating the launch of Iain Dale ⚒️🇺🇦.🇮🇱's new history of 'British General Election Campaigns, 1830-2019'.

Join me, Iain, Tim Bale & Dr Jennifer Davey online to explore 190 years of elections - & their lessons for today.
qmul.ac.uk/mei/events/mei…

If this shows anything, it's the role of 'vibes' in political positioning.

On most policy issues - tax, spending, economics, social attitudes, immigration - Sunak is well to the right of Boris Johnson.

But he talks like a technocrat, not a populist. So he's cast as 'left-wing'.

'Twentieth-Century British History' is changing its name to 'Modern British History'.

This account is no longer active, so please follow our new account at Modern British History. x.com/OUPHistory/sta…

🔴 ‘Panic, Misinformation and Hysteria About Freeports is Drowning Out the Real Concerns’

Chris Grey 🇺🇦 disentangles the myriad alarming claims being made about ‘special economic zones’ and freeports in order to focus on the real risks

bylinetimes.com/2024/04/04/fre…

This advert captures quite brilliantly the gulf between chest-thumping & governance in recent years.
- The England men's team? Mocked for taking the knee.
- The monarchy? Lied to over prorogation.
- The armed forces? Cut to the bone.
- UK science? Locked for years out of Horizon.

It is disgraceful the Conservative London Mayoral candidate has falsely accused the Mayor of planning a pay per mile charge for two reasons. First, it’s a blatant falsehood. Mayor Sadiq Khan has repeatedly ruled out a pay per mile scheme.