Feargal Cochrane
Professor (Emeritus) University of Kent. Also Prof at University of Warwick.
Have taught & written about political conflict & peacebuilding for last 30 years. Still learning. Living in Peak District England but FROM Belfast in NI.
Politics nerd
- Smile when you’re winning…
- “Getting rid of Morgan is our only way back..." why many Labour MPs now think McSweeney's exit is the only way to save Starmer's leadership and why some think it will just bring the Prime Minister down too bylinetimes.com/2026/02/05/p...
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- There’s another way of looking at it though -other than the PM is just a gullible fool. It’s more in cynical fecker territory -how better to wrangle a convicted sex offender serial liar & harasser, just elected US President, than appoint someone who ‘understands’ him? Marriage made in hell perhaps?
- Nice obit of the great man here -no one did Alex Higgins impressions as well as JV -including Alex Higgins! Saw him ambling into the Crucible at last years World Championships -dandering along talking to all the punters. #RIP
- They are definitely leaning into their Mountbatten legacy these days 😉
- 👏 seems a good case for misconduct in public office and significant jail time if convicted. (ironically nothing to do with his friend being a convicted pedophile -but due his leaking of sensitive information from Cabinet to a hostile foreign actor).
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- Been a farcical pantomime so far -an awful ordeal for their victims to endure. Hopefully lawyers will now get on with it - finally.
- GBeebies level of ignorance on this show - woeful 2 minute ‘discussion’ of current Troubles Bill which Philips refers to as, ‘sort of domestic affairs’, while Baroness Cavendish 🤷♂️ opines gravely about 100s of soldiers being prosecuted! Sonia Sodha: ‘yeah I agree. It’s a difficult message to send’ 🤦♂️
- The totalitarian turn of US is well underway. Closing down the media print & broadcast, show trials & suspension of constitution are next -with rule via emergency legislation while a new (territorially larger) America is built. Killing US citizens in the street & denying due process only the start.
- Reposted by Feargal CochraneI wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis. It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Stay free
- UK clearly needs to rejoin EU for Nat security and economic reasons. But As I recall it, the UK was the author of its own misfortune in #Brexit. EU merely backed Ireland as a remaining member state in its negotiations with UK which proved a very unreliable and amateurish negotiating partner.
- Reposted by Feargal Cochrane"Top UK universities increase their reliance on China for overseas recruitment: Data shows that two in five overseas [NB OVERSEAS] students at Russell Group institutions last year were from China" (though that figure hides considerable variation!) www.ft.com/content/9db6...
- Correct! And when he was an academic he ate his own books as a penalty for getting it completely wrong! This was his inevitable destiny.
- Agreed and probably a great boost for Andy Burnham in the long term as well as others like Angela Raynner. Starmer looks increasingly weak and vulnerable.
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- Get in! #TeamRachel #Traitors
- Reminds me of Dick Tracy’s ragbag of villains -he is Bigboy Caprice of course but Mumbles, Pruneface, Flattop and the Rodent are all on board. Oh and Tony Blair who has clearly now found his tribe,
- Solidarity with colleagues @sheffielducu.bsky.social at the latest example of institutional cruelty within HE. Not an isolated case of course, but indicative of the current mismanagement within the sector and further evidence that converting mediocre academics into managers isn’t the solution.
- Myself & many colleagues are facing this at Sheffield Uni - double punishment for strike action. In the midst of this, yesterday many departments got an email announcing imminent structural reviews (ie redundancies). @sheffielducu.bsky.social
- Reposted by Feargal CochraneMyself & many colleagues are facing this at Sheffield Uni - double punishment for strike action. In the midst of this, yesterday many departments got an email announcing imminent structural reviews (ie redundancies). @sheffielducu.bsky.social
- The University of Sheffield has stopped paying staff. Not for striking but for refusing to work unpaid to make up for strike days they were already docked for. This is punishment, not negotiation. And it’s completely reckless. www.ucu.org.uk/article/1438...
- Rejoining the #EU as quickly as possible is now a UK national security imperative. You’re welcome.
- Delighted to have this piece on attitudes in GB towards constitutional change in Northern Ireland published in the forthcoming 500th issue of Fortnight. Yes that’s 500 issues going back to 1970! Full magazine is out next week 👍 (Spoiler -don’t hold your breath for a BP-but change is coming anyway)
- Not before time -and possibly due to lack of academics remaining there rather than any ethically driven decision? Long since time for MSM and governments to do likewise. Outrageous that BBC news and journalists is still overwhelmingly on X -with a few notable exceptions @bbcnewsnight.bsky.social
- 👀 UK Research and Innovation and its councils quietly quit X / Twitter. Funding agency has “been using alternative platforms” amid ongoing controversies over social media company. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
- His ‘address’ was same old constructive engagement waffle. No actual action proposed in response to US aggression towards Greenland/Denmark. He made no ref to Trump being responsible for crisis. Has positioned UK as Trump’s de facto henchman, logic being that it will best protect UK interests.
- Good piece on link bet sport, identity & politics in NI. Ironically if unionists had allowed the CGNI to rebrand with more inclusive flag/logo, there would have been less push factors for nationalists to opt into Team Ireland -in CG context at least that could have strengthened Team NI.
- Kudos to @niallstanage.bsky.social who is a highly respected and experienced journalist and won’t be at all worried by this sort of bellicose tantrum. Apart from his answer being factual, her response shows how brittle authoritarian regimes are when challenged.
- Not sure that importing a rag bag of failed Tory grifters and sleeze bags is the political master stoke that Reform UK seems to imagine?
- Reposted by Feargal CochraneThis ought to be a huge national news story. But the quiet dismantling of a key sector barely registers outside HE. Maybe someone will care when the local economies that Unis sustain start to go bust too. Important story from @patrickjack.bsky.social & @timeshighered.bsky.social
- Ninety UK universities to have posted accounts so far cut 13,300 jobs last year, spending £303 million on severance pay - sector-wide total clearly going to be well in excess of predicted 10,000. Great reporting by @patrickjack.bsky.social www.timeshighereducation.com/news/pay-spe...
- Loved this show -wish it was repeated on telly but never is 😩
- Sadly -Westminster will do sweet FA about reform unless Assembly indicates support -clear it will be unforthcoming-DUP prob bigger obstacle than SF on this -e.g opposition to Justice/d’Hondt & even to minor tinkering at edges./ Joint FMs etc. Been plenty of advice from academics to AERC & NIA Comm.
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- I think Derek speaks for us all in terms of Mandleson’s ‘apologies’.
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- Agreed -and another 12 months of modest achievement at local government level won’t help. Also not sure that surrounding himself with disgraced Tories will be a big vote winner for Farage?
- Reminds me of one of those films where a gaggle of super villains gets together for a fiendish heist -or perhaps a swindle?
- I agree -but not sure this is realistic option when senior politicians including the PM, cabinet ministers & main media organisations inc BBC & all senior journalists are still actively posting content there. Rather than a ban -it needs to become socially unacceptable -like not picking up dog poo.
- It’s like he went to a ‘how to’ retreat run by Putin- or did a distance learning course at the very least. Little doubt now that he wants to expand the territorial footprint of the US, as his mentor is doing in Russia.
- This does seem like a real gear change now -where it’s just gangsterism,with nothing to separate US policy from that of Putin. It’s the ‘Big fu*ks Small’ school of int diplomacy. Really looking forward to hearing the UK Prime Minister condemning the naked aggression of the US government!
- So much generalisation here —value really depends on individual circumstances. However, notion that UK degrees are world class ‘because’ UG is subsidised by Int students, obscures fact that desperation for this income has led to dependency & in some cases dire educational standards at MA level.
- This used to be called ‘state sponsored terrorism’ Is it fine now for a country to bomb another one if it feels like it?
- Happy New Year all you beautiful people and I hope 2026 is a more peaceful year than the last 12 months ✊
- A masterpiece- well ahead of its time.
- That time you were interviewing and the candidate kept spouting on about themselves and clearly hadn’t thought one jot about how they would add value to your department!
- Those sweat glands be tested
- Top project with a top scholar -what’s not to like? A 3 yr post doc will set up an academic career -so don’t be shy, do apply 👍💪
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- Generational change is polite way of saying deaths v new voters -& from these figs supporting #Brexit was def bad for your health as 56% more Leavers have died than Remainers. 3.2M leave voters have died since 2016 v 1.8m remainers. 🤔 I expect Reform to blame migrants for the disparity!
- 👏
- Quite an intervention from JB over the last few days -not just about Stakeknife and NCND but also the implications for current and future credibility of UK gov & its legacy reforms/planned Legacy Commission. (Hope CAJ makes a transcript/recording available for the non locally based.)
- While perhaps a second level issue the clear exasperation of the PSNI Chief Constable at the continuing role of MI5 in NI surely renders the publicly funded project focused on writing Britain's 'Official' History of the Troubles untenable now? They've been promised full access to gov archives! LOL 🤣
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- Congrats and looks great @allimcculloch.bsky.social & @drsiobhanbyrne.bsky.social just in time for my Christmas list 🎅 👍
- Ludicrous situation that UK government refuses to allow Kenova to release the identity of Stakeknife -despite everyone knowing his identity, while clinging on to secrecy norms such as NCND is undermining government credibility over new Troubles legacy legislation.
- Must be serious questions for UK government to answer now over current NI Troubles Bill (to establish new Legacy Commission) over secrecy and lack of accountability highlighted by Kenova. If the PSNI Chief Constable thinks there is a lack of accountability how does gov expect to convince others?
- Most interesting aspect of this is the clear tension between PSNI chief constable & UK government. The lack of accountability & secrecy that remains will undermine efforts to address legacy. It is not just about the past, it is about the future & the lack of UK government credibility on legacy.
- Interesting figures -NI trailing behind on most of the key economic and social benchmarks -not least life expectancy! Starting to give off some East Germany vibes!
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- I think she is now at a level that is more to be pitied than mocked…. This has become a mental health issue I think?
- Once you see it -you can’t unsee it 😂 outstanding work 👏👏👏
- Amazing performance of Nessan Dorma by Andrea Bocelli at start of #FIFAWorldcup draw. But cut aways to Trump were a reminder that he is going to have his little piggy fingers all over it. Almost enough to make me hope that England puts the USA out if they reach the knockout stages —Almost enough!
- Used to be called Diplock courts where I was from -only introduced in extremis, when juries were being intimidated by paramilitaries in the 1970s. Now it’s being advocated as a state of the art justice system! What a world we live in 🙃
