Archive
Britain and Power
Essays on British politics, memory, institutions and the systems that shape public life.
When “Efficiency” Becomes a Way of Avoiding Ownership
When efficiency becomes the only measure of a public service, ownership, accountability and power can disappear from the argument.
When Real Anger Is Given the Wrong Target
Real anger about decline, insecurity and inequality can be politically powerful. The question is who gives that anger its target.
Immigration as Displacement: What the Debate Moves Out of View
The immigration debate often absorbs real anger about housing, wages and public services while moving power out of view.
Why British School History Leaves So Much Out
British school history often teaches power from above more clearly than rights won from below. That choice shapes political imagination.
The Blitz Spirit in Politics: What the Phrase Is Really Doing
The Blitz spirit in politics is not only a reference to endurance. It can also turn complaint into a failure of character.
Why Heritage Never Feels Political, Even When It Is
Heritage often feels neutral, but the choices about what Britain preserves and celebrates are never outside politics.
Nostalgia in British Politics: Why the Past Keeps Returning
Why nostalgia in British politics keeps returning, and how selective memory can make present inequality harder to see.