Ben Bradshaw
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benbradshaw.bsky.social
Ben Bradshaw
@benbradshaw.bsky.social
1.1K followers 240 following 530 posts
Ex Labour Minister & ex MP for Exeter, now growing olives in Sicily.
He/him
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Reposted by Ben Bradshaw
paulusthewoodgnome.bsky.social
"I'm not a defence expert."

Even by Kemi Badenoch's lamentable standards, this is agonising. Just give thanks she will never, ever be Prime Minister. 🙏

#politicslive
October 6, 2026 at 12:02 PM
benbradshaw.bsky.social
The Conservatives are looking so amateurish. Badenoch can’t answer simple questions about her “flagship” iron dome announcement & would-be London mayoral candidate James Cleverly won’t give straight answers on Heathrow, Net Zero or Europe. 🤷‍♂️
October 6, 2026 at 1:48 PM
benbradshaw.bsky.social
Looks like the Green Party really has been taken over by a bunch of antisemitic Trots & Corbynites.
sundersays.bsky.social Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 2d
The Green Party conference has concluded its debate on this motion, titled 'Zionism is Racism'. The result will be announced shortly. Well informed observers anticipate it is likely to pass.
Green Party Motion A105 Proposer: Lubna Speitan Title: Zionism is Racism Type: E Motion (Policy) ZIONISM IS RACISM SYNOPSIS: This motion defines Zionism, recognises its continued harm to Palestinians, and seeks to clarify that the Green Party is opposed to Zionism. It further affirms the right to self-determination and liberation of the Palestinian people and supports the establishment of a single democratic Palestinian State in all of historic Palestine. MOTION TEXT: Zionism is a political ideology which called for the creation – and, now it exists, the continuity – of an ethnonationalist Jewish State in historic Palestine to the exclusion and/or domination of the non-Jewish population. The real, material manifestation of Zionism has been the historic and ongoing dehumanisation, displacement, dispossession, disenfranchisement and destruction of Palestinians. This is based upon European settler-colonial systems of domination and oppression, which has also created racial hierarchies between Jews of different ethnicities in Palestine. The practice of Zionist ideology, promoting ethnonationalism, privileges one ethnic group on the basis of the subjugation of others. Zionism is Israel's foundational ideology. Zionism has created and seeks to maintain – and where possible – expand, an apartheid regime between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, designed to cement the supremacy of one group, Jews, over another, Palestinians. As such, Zionism is racist. This motion is aimed at the political ideology and practice of Zionism, as defined, and not at the religious or ethnic background of those who may identify as Zionists. Not all Jews are Zionists and not all Zionists are Jews. Rejecting Zionism and supporting the liberation of the Palestinian people is not discriminatory against Jewish people. Nor is it discriminatory to support the establishment of a single democratic Palestinian State between the Jordan river and the Me…
October 4, 2026 at 1:11 PM
Reposted by Ben Bradshaw
davidheniguk.bsky.social
I see that Kemi Badenoch will finally unveil the long lost magic money tree at Conservative conference.

Well, either that or make a lot of promises that like the last government she couldn't deliver.
October 4, 2026 at 6:57 AM
benbradshaw.bsky.social
Disappointing to hear Lib Dem leader Ed Davey, who comes across as a reasonable man, sounding so churlish on the Today programme about Andy Burnham’s big moves on #Brexit, PR and social care, especially given they are long standing Lib Dem priorities. 🙄
October 1, 2026 at 2:51 PM
benbradshaw.bsky.social
As a mild Andy sceptic, that was terrific. The leader’s speech I’ve been waiting for. National Care Service, Triple Lock, honesty about disaster of #Brexit & a renewed closer relationship with the EU, electoral reform. If he delivers, he’ll go down as a great Labour PM & all Labour should back him.
September 29, 2026 at 2:27 PM
benbradshaw.bsky.social
Time for Andy Burnham to say in his conference speech the UK will negotiate to rejoin the European customs union if Labour win the next electionhttps://giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/actions/redeem/298f2775-1b14-4c58-a135-762cafbe3658e
EU urges UK to raise tariffs on Chinese cars to avoid ‘made in Europe’ barriers
London has lobbied intensely to secure equal treatment for British products but continues to rule out a customs union
giftarticle.ft.com
September 25, 2026 at 10:41 AM
benbradshaw.bsky.social
At last, a UK Prime Minister willing to spell out the scale of Kremlin generated misinformation poisoning our politics & undermining Britain & other western democracies. This goes back to long before the #Brexit referendum. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
UK to fight Russian disinformation and push new global AI standards, Burnham says
The UK could act as "an honest broker" on AI and other global challenges, the prime minister tells world leaders at the UN.
www.bbc.co.uk
September 23, 2026 at 5:24 AM
benbradshaw.bsky.social
Although the latest German state election results are bad, they’re not as terrible as the last one in Sachsen Anhalt. SPD likely to lead governing coalition in Mecklenburg & right lose power in Berlin. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
German state elections: Chancellor Friedrich Merz vows to stay on despite 'disaster' in polls
Exit polls show damaging losses for Merz's centre-right CDU party in the states of Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
www.bbc.co.uk
September 20, 2026 at 6:22 PM
Reposted by Ben Bradshaw
georgeeaton.bsky.social
Lib Dem pledge to cut fuel duty by 10p is depressingly bad policy: poorly targeted, expensive (£5bn), and it weakens incentives to switch to EVs and reduce usage.
September 20, 2026 at 8:55 AM
benbradshaw.bsky.social
Brazen cheek for Badenoch to attack *this* Govt on Russian threat when she was in a Cabinet that *cut* defence & tried to block publication of the Intelligence & Security Committee report that found the then Govt had “taken their eye off the ball” & “seriously underestimated the Russian threat” 🤬
September 20, 2026 at 7:20 AM
Reposted by Ben Bradshaw
philbrickellmp.bsky.social
Party financing in this country is out of control

The government needs to act via the Representation of the People Bill to restrict spending limits and donations👇🏻

Reform receives second £36m donation in two days as crypto investor matches record www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reform receives second £36m donation in two days as crypto investor matches record
Cryptocurrency investor Christopher Harborne says he has matched a donation from Ben Delo announced late on Friday.
www.bbc.co.uk
September 12, 2026 at 12:11 PM
Reposted by Ben Bradshaw
sundersays.bsky.social
Media presenters in UK may have skewed perceptions of balamce of Jewish opinion towards Israeli govt. Centre of gravity aligns with Miliband (attached to Israel & critical of Netanyahu). Varies by faith/denomination & politics: many cons & mainstream orthodox disapprove Netanyahu govt too. See IJPR
sundersays.bsky.social Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · Aug 15
Jewish views by denom+ politics

Strictly orthodox are pro-Netanyahu outliers. Prog disapproval universal.

Most right-leaning/Cons Jews in Britain disapprove of Netanyahu. A quarter approve.

Voters for Cons/Reform x20 more likely to approve than left voters. But most on right disapprove too

IJPR
September 9, 2026 at 11:55 AM
Reposted by Ben Bradshaw
henrymance.ft.com
Yet he is regularly presented on the BBC as speaking for all British Jews.
September 9, 2026 at 1:17 PM
benbradshaw.bsky.social
Badenoch might have ingratiated herself with Netanyahu with her opposition to the UK other democracies sanctioning the illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine, but 3 out of the 6 backbench Tories who spoke in his Commons statement backed Ed Miliband hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2026...
Israel and Palestine - Hansard - UK Parliament
Hansard record of the item : 'Israel and Palestine' on Tuesday 8 September 2026.
hansard.parliament.uk
September 9, 2026 at 12:08 PM
Reposted by Ben Bradshaw
chadbourn.bsky.social
For those still learning about Germany’s neo-Nazi AfD, here are the salient facts:
INTELLIFACTS ALICE WEIDEL BECOMES THE FIRST LEADER IN THE WORLD WHO IS ANTI-IMMIGRATION BUT HAS AN IMMIGRANT WIFE, IS ANTI-LGBTQ+ BUT IS A LESBIAN HERSELF, OPPOSES LGBT ADOPTION BUT HAS ADOPTED TWO CHILDREN, AND IS A HARDCORE GERMAN NATIONALIST BUT LIVES IN SWITZERLAND
September 9, 2026 at 11:19 AM
Reposted by Ben Bradshaw
oliverbullough.bsky.social
The fact something as fundamental and superb as the RNLI is a charity is one of the most magical and strange things about Britain. You can support them here.

rnli.org/support-us/g...
Donate to the RNLI and help save lives at sea
Your donations really make a difference. We depend on your generosity to educate people to stay safe and prevent tragedies on and offshore. Donate here.
rnli.org
September 8, 2026 at 8:50 AM
Reposted by Ben Bradshaw
chathamhouse.org
The UK has a strategic interest, a legal obligation and a moral duty to stop any trade with unlawful Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Banning UK trade with illegal Israeli settlements is long overdue
It would be a natural extension of current UK positions, and parliament’s cross-party Foreign Affairs Committee has recommended a formal ban for over a year.
www.chathamhouse.org
September 8, 2026 at 8:30 AM
Reposted by Ben Bradshaw
samfr.bsky.social
New PISA data out

England is now top ten in all three areas (reading, maths, science) and the second highest performing country outside of east Asia (after Estonia).

This is a huge public policy success.
September 8, 2026 at 7:44 AM
benbradshaw.bsky.social
Following the black-masked fascist thugs invading Dover & Portsmouth have just donated to the excellent @hopenothate.org.uk
hopenothate.org.uk HOPE not hate @hopenothate.org.uk · Sep 6
Patriot Platform, the far-right group whose black-clad masked members caused hours of disruption in Dover yesterday, calls itself a Christian “army of patriots” dedicated to protecting women and children.

There’s a problem with that story.
September 7, 2026 at 9:18 AM
benbradshaw.bsky.social
Having lived in Germany & followed its politics for 50 years I never thought a far right German aristocrat, granddaughter of a leading Nazi, relative of our King, would take prime slot on BBC Today celebrating victory for her AFD - a party Berlin’s intelligence service considers unconstitutional.
September 7, 2026 at 8:13 AM
Reposted by Ben Bradshaw
roberthutton.co.uk
How could an associate professor in divinity at Cambridge be expected to know that lying is bad?
thecritic.co.uk/mone...
Ah yes, James Orr. A lot of us had been hazy about what it is exactly that associate professors in a divinity department do all day. It doesn’t seem to involve a lot of work: Orr is often to be seen at Reform events in London, which take up the whole morning even for those of us with offices down the road. Now we know he was also sipping cocktails while discussing ways in which wealthy foreigners might be able to get round the laws that ban them donating to the party. The associate professor of divinity was filmed explaining to an undercover reporter that so long as everyone kept their mouths shut, there was no way that the authorities would ever find out. Orr spent four years as a postdoctoral fellow in theology, ethics and public life at Oxford, and it would be fascinating to know at what point he developed this theory of What the Electoral Commission Don’t Know Won’t Hurt Them. Perhaps he was off sick the day they opened the gospel of Luke: “What you have said in the dark will be h
September 5, 2026 at 8:44 AM
Reposted by Ben Bradshaw
electionmaps.uk
🚨 | Following the Channel 4 News Investigation, the British Polling Council has confirmed that JL Partners were in clear breach of Rule 2.1 and that the matter has been referred to the Market Research Standards Board.
September 4, 2026 at 1:11 PM
Reposted by Ben Bradshaw
pickardje.bsky.social
it’s weirdly fortuitous that the FT Magazine just happened to run a brilliant deep dive into James Orr yesterday morning, hours before the scandal broke:

www.ft.com/content/c2d0...
September 4, 2026 at 8:22 AM
benbradshaw.bsky.social
Seems Reform might have broken both party funding laws & polling transparency rules 🍿
bphillipsonmp.bsky.social Bridget Phillipson MP @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social · Sep 3
This scandal goes right to the top of Reform UK.

The sleaze now engulfing their Party isn’t going away – it’s getting worse.

Farage must urgently prove that his top team haven’t broken the law and secretly plotted to undermine our democracy.

www.channel4.com/news/exclusi...
Exclusive: Nigel Farage filmed undercover celebrating secret new foreign donations
Undercover footage verified by Channel 4 News reveals a secret plot by senior Reform UK figures to break the law on party donations. A leading legal expert is now calling for a criminal investigation.
www.channel4.com
September 4, 2026 at 8:08 AM