Sebastian Payne
Leader writer and columnist @thetimes.com
Previously seen at Onward and FT. Author of Broken Heartlands and The Fall of Boris Johnson.
- [Not loaded yet]
- Feels like a snapshot form the Cretaceous era. Imagine telling yourself then about politicians on TikTok
- [Not loaded yet]
- Do let me know if you find it, have searched for it in vain before
- I've reviewed Matt Goodwin's new book Bad Education for @thetimes.com on why he left academia and what he thinks has gone wrong with our universities. His case about the rise of intolerance is powerful, but I found the book wanting on the wider problems facing universities. t.co/CmoJ3ykFuQ
- [Not loaded yet]
- [Not loaded yet]
- Oslo Court is a fantastic experience for waist-expanding yet affordable dining. In fact it's in my neighbourhood if you fancy a dinner date.
- The Times view on Sir Keir Starmer’s targets and Plan for Change - Back to Earth. Some welcome realism and tangible targets from the PM, but it was mostly more of the same. The already limited horizons of his government have been lowered further. t.co/nnMs0Kquct
- The Times view on reducing cow methane: Bovaer Backlash. The likes of Rupert Lowe and Andrea Jenkyns should know better than to spread conspiracy theories. t.co/Gv9eJ8sXem
- The Times view on Sir Keir Starmer’s Lord Mayor’s Banquet speech: Man in the Middle t.co/uVhuUPsM2e
- Well, that’s all folks! I’ve loved every moment of the last two years at Onward. Thank you to the frankly amazing team, the board and our supporters for making us the best think tank in Westminster. I can’t wait to watch it go from strength to strength. From Monday, @thetimes.com awaits.
- This is absolutely going to be worth your time - subscribe!
- I've started a substack - The Political Whiteboard - where I analyse polls, trends and politics. Click through to read. It's free. The first post is about whether there's another way to think about the political cycle politicalwhiteboard.substack.com/p/is-there-a...
- This - shouldn't be hard
- Peggy Noonan and @bariweiss.bsky.social are two of my favourite American writers. Their podcast in convo does not disappoint t.co/kN6s2qaC3d
- Fascinating thread that makes Jaguar’s doubling down even more bizarre. Well on the way to trashing a great brand for good.
- I'm baffled by the Jaguar advert/rebrand. A tale of branding failure & the culture wars. Here at @focaldata.bsky.social towers we were intrigued - in a kind of Friday afternoon-esque way - to understand if the online viral backlash was as bad in the real world. In short, yes. In short. Yes.
- Here’s a centre right starter pack, for those who want to ensure this isn’t entirely an echo chamber go.bsky.app/DNLEPTuat://did:plc:mo4lezmsi2b6gtvyjyfqkhbr/app.bsky.graph.starterpack/3laxvx5ambb2b
- [Not loaded yet]
- Added him!
- Great piece this by @igmansfield.bsky.social that I wholeheartedly endorse www.edrith.co.uk/p/those-on-t...
- The great @rcolvile.bsky.social is now here and added below
- Here’s a centre right starter pack, for those who want to ensure this isn’t entirely an echo chamber go.bsky.app/DNLEPTuat://did:plc:mo4lezmsi2b6gtvyjyfqkhbr/app.bsky.graph.starterpack/3laxvx5ambb2b
- @j-amesmarriott.bsky.social isn't messing about on Jordan Peterson www.thetimes.com/culture/book...
- Keeping this updated as more people come over to Bluesky
- Here’s a centre right starter pack, for those who want to ensure this isn’t entirely an echo chamber go.bsky.app/DNLEPTuat://did:plc:mo4lezmsi2b6gtvyjyfqkhbr/app.bsky.graph.starterpack/3laxvx5ambb2b
- [Not loaded yet]
- Too true
- For those wondering why the farmers’ protest is having so much coverage, here’s a reminder from @yougov.bsky.social of how the public feel about their work
- Here they come
- [Not loaded yet]
- [Not loaded yet]
- Agree
- [Not loaded yet]
- The political professionals discussion is kinda interesting but seems much less relevant than the strategy, message and intellectual point. From my detached perspective, Kamala seemed indelibly flawed from the start and the campaign did little to paper over that.
- Third Onward person here - after @jameskanag.bsky.social
- [Not loaded yet]
- This 'perfect campaign' is the dumbest argument imaginable from people desperate to avoid reality. Elections exist to do one thing: win. She didn't, it was therefore a bad campaign. People who care about the performance art of politics should be ignored.
- [Not loaded yet]
- [Not loaded yet]
- You might enjoy our look at the problem www.ukonward.com/reports/pens...
- [Not loaded yet]
- [Not loaded yet]
- Have deleted the post and removed it from the starter pack - thanks for flagging. Something something blue ticks something.
- Kemi has made the right opening salvo - how the state works is now much more important than what it does, as Labour are experiencing. Any chat of John Hoskyns and 'Stepping Stones' should remember how much more complicated the state and society are now than in 1975. www.thetimes.com/uk/article/k...
- [Not loaded yet]
- I didn’t create the starter pack with any sense of morality. It was more than left leaning people have left the other place first and I thought it’d be useful to bring together/highlight folks with other views!
- [Not loaded yet]
- [Not loaded yet]
- Agree with lots of these thoughts. My main reason to coming over was that lots of interesting folks simply stopped using Twitter, so its value slumped. It also became impossible to get into any debate without a pile on. So far, smaller but much much friendlier here.
- [Not loaded yet]
- Make sure you’re doing something all the existing Substacks aren’t. Pithy and set yourself a regular rhythm. Include at least one chart that will go viral. Make sure each post has an argument to it. I have faith you can do all of these!
- [Not loaded yet]
- Couldn’t miss you out! Added x
- Updated this throughout today with new names - keep 'em coming
- Here’s a centre right starter pack, for those who want to ensure this isn’t entirely an echo chamber go.bsky.app/DNLEPTuat://did:plc:mo4lezmsi2b6gtvyjyfqkhbr/app.bsky.graph.starterpack/3laxvx5ambb2b
- [Not loaded yet]
- Check again :)
- [Not loaded yet]
- Done, shout if you see any more similar-minded folks joining
- [Not loaded yet]
- [Not loaded yet]
- Added!
- [Not loaded yet]
- Along with your Bebo and MySpace accounts?
- [Not loaded yet]
- Piece confirms there is absolutely zero reason it will be different this time
- [Not loaded yet]
- One step ahead - shout if you see anyone else go.bsky.app/DNLEPTuat://did:plc:mo4lezmsi2b6gtvyjyfqkhbr/app.bsky.graph.starterpack/3laxvx5ambb2b
- [Not loaded yet]
- Is that a way to make sure I never do any work ever again?
- Popping up on @bbcnewsnight.bsky.social with @jeevunsandher.bsky.social from 10:30pm to talk Mansion House, pension pots, Brexit and trade, Trumpworld and (no doubt) RFK Jr 📺
- don't know if it's properly escaped British containment yet but I really need the whole world to know that Rivals is maybe the single most entertaining TV show made this year, I promise you that even if you think "horny Brits who work in TV in the 80's" isn't your thing: it will be your thing
- [Not loaded yet]
- Just hilarious from beginning to end
- [Not loaded yet]
- With all due respect, politics will only become more tribal if people take that attitude. The other place was at its best when people could debate reasonably with those they disagreed with.
- This list handily highlights a current flaw with Bluesky: everyone here is left leaning. Haven’t seen a single Conservative MP sign up, while centre right figures are thin on the ground. British politics should split into a left and right wing echo chamber, it needs a common town hall.
- With MPs seemingly joining this website at breakneck speed, I fear PolHome's @zoecrowther.bsky.social has her work cut out updating her invaluable starter pack. That said, she made her bed and there she must lie — so follow it! go.bsky.app/LrPkHJJat://did:plc:qqsyx7otajyfeteo655v37xd/app.bsky.graph.starterpack/3laf36dk2nw25
- [Not loaded yet]
- You might well be right. Let’s see!
- [Not loaded yet]
- I think it worked when Twitter was at its small peak. Say pre 2014, it was a fun place for debate - to post, exchange ideas, meet friends. I don’t think it’s impossible to have a platform where people speak to each other like they would at the pub.
- [Not loaded yet]
- Agree entirely, Bluesky is totally refreshing for the lack of bile and bizarre content thrown up by the algorithm. Hope you’re keeping well!
- [Not loaded yet]
- Think I’m going to do a centre right starter pack, AI or no AI
- [Not loaded yet]
- Absolutely!
- [Not loaded yet]
- [Not loaded yet]
- His last two albums are also great, esp track Darkness
