After eight years of writing this blog on WordPress, I’m moving to Substack. Please join me there – I’ll be writing something every week 🙂| Tom's curiosity shop
Last week, I wrote that I was thinking of voting for the Conservative Party in the next election, suggesting that the party remained capable of administering a liberal democracy and criticizing extremism on the left. The essay proved controversial, many discussing it on Twitter. Whilst I was unconvinced by some criticism, more on that below, […]| Tom's curiosity shop
This blog has run for a few years, meaning that it tracks my political development. This has spanned campaigns against Central European authoritarianism and Brexit and support for the Withdrawal Agreement, among other things. In this post, I will write about a recent development; in the next election, I am considering voting for the Conservative […]| Tom's curiosity shop
Patterns of support for free speech are changing. Historically, support for free speech has been concentrated among liberals. This reflected the balance of power within society. Freedom of speech was in the interests of minorities, protecting the precarious against the powerful. Over centuries, liberals developed compelling arguments for freedom of speech, focusing on the rights […]| Tom's curiosity shop
Radical ideas are gaining ground. In sociocultural sectors such as universities, arts and public sector, there are ideas about race and gender which should worry liberals. Substantive developments are concerning, sex being erased and race being accentuated, but procedural developments are conspicuous. Radicals stigmatize disagreement as bigotry, interpret preferences on identarian lines and advocate segregation. […]| Tom's curiosity shop
Keir Starmer’s first year has been a mixed one. Though Starmer has made Labour more electable, reflected in some encouraging polls, there is much to do; the Conservatives are consistently ahead in polls. Last week, a YouGov poll gave the Conservatives a lead of 14%. If Labour lose the Hartlepool by-election, Starmer will come under […]| Tom's curiosity shop
Following the resignation of Labour MP Mike Hill, there will be a by-election in Hartlepool. This is a big test for Keir Starmer’s Labour. Hartlepool is a red wall seat, 69.6% of voters supporting Leave in the 2016 referendum. In this post, I consider Labour’s prospects in the constituency. Limited survey evidence restricts analysis of […]| Tom's curiosity shop
As a Welsh speaker from Llandeilo, many assume that I have a longstanding interest in Welsh politics. In fact, my first love was European politics and interest in Welsh politics is more recent. Though curious, this means that I approach Welsh politics with something of a European eye. To mark the upcoming Welsh elections, I […]| Tom's curiosity shop
A few days ago, I published a blog which (in passing) mentioned my position on the transgender issue; I advocate traditional definitions of gender and sex and am very concerned about the transitioning of children. As an academic, I have never researched gender and/or sex nor intend to do so in the future. On my […]| Tom's curiosity shop
Over the last week, there has been debate over freedom of speech within UK universities. There is disagreement about the extent of the problem, yet most acknowledge that certain issues exist. Despi…| Tom's curiosity shop