Teach @StAndrewsIR, dodgy golfer, FHEA. Political theory; liberalism; IR. Out now: Democracy, the Courts, & the Liberal State.
St Andrews, Scotland
Joined November 2011
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An important lesson from 1930s Germany, Bosnia, and Rwanda: Bloodshed and genocide doesn’t start with concentration camps. It starts with the normalisation of the abnormal, attacks on institutions, and the vilification & dehumanisation of minority groups.
After the Charlottesville far right marches where Trump said there were “very fine people” on both sides, I with @EachOtherUk made a short film with survivors of three genocides called The Warning Signs.
The signs are there; we just need to read them
Is the Pope a Catholic? Vance clearly thinks no. It’s par for the course for this kakistocracy of the worst people that Vance, a convert of 7 years standing and one of the big phonies on the planet, would dare to think he can lecture the Bishop of Rome on theology.
Arrogance to achievement ratio approaches infinity
nytimes.com/2026/04/14/us/po…
Dr David Miles retweeted
A White House spokesperson says any implication that people linked to the Trump admin have used inside info to make big profits from putting bets on US attacks on Iran, peace deals or falls in the price of oil is ‘baseless and irresponsible reporting’. Phew — that’s a relief.
Dr David Miles retweeted
Israel escalates its evil & illegal policy of medicide:
"Israel escalates attacks on medics in Lebanon with deadly ‘quadruple tap’. Lebanese health ministry says killing of 91 healthcare workers shows ‘total disregard’ for international law"
theguardian.com/world/2026/a…
Dr David Miles retweeted
Israel killed two UNICEF drivers trying to get WATER to families in Gaza. Is this story going to get any coverage?
Or is the ongoing genocide not newsworthy?
UNICEF is outraged by the killing of two drivers of trucks contracted by UNICEF to provide clean water to families in the Gaza Strip.
The victims were killed by Israeli fire in an incident that took place early this morning at the Mansoura water filling point in northern Gaza. UNICEF extends our condolences to the families of the men killed.
Full statement: unicef.link/4cVCyP9
Dr David Miles retweeted
The supreme irony in the whole Mandelson mess will be if Number 10 appoints Karen Pierce to become the new head of the Foreign Office. It was her removal by Starmer as our ambassador in Washington to pave the way for Mandelson that is the source of this all engulfing shitstorm. If only he’d just kept her in place……
The Guardian isn’t pulling any punches in highlighting how Starmer’s story about the Mandelson vetting doesn’t add up.
“By endorsing Lord Mandelson’s appointment in advance, Sir Keir seems to have made the vetting process about delivery not scrutiny.”
theguardian.com/commentisfre…
Dr David Miles retweeted
Heartbreaking description of the pointless, thoughtless damage being done to the Kennedy Center. It was such an important part of life in Washington, and is now being destroyed for no reason
theatlantic.com/culture/2026…
Dr David Miles retweeted
JD Vance, paraphrased: one if my proudest moments was making sure Ukraine is starved of air defenses.
Russia launched its deadliest attack of the year on Ukraine, killing at least 18 people, including a 12-year-old child, and injuring over 100 more across the country on.wsj.com/4dMmVLP
Dr David Miles retweeted
Starmer blaming FCDO civil servants just won’t wash. His hurried and premature announcement of Mandelson’s appointment put FCDO officials in an impossible position. Yet another embarrassing example of Starmer’s profound lack of judgment.
Dr David Miles retweeted
Beth Rigby’s question to Starmer is key here. Starmer announcing Mandelson’s appointment before vetting was complete shows he was either indifferent to that process or mistakenly confident of the outcome. This either shows incompetence or complacency.
NEW: Anger in No 10 tonight - am told by a source that neither the PM nor his advisors were told, over a series of months, that Mandelson had been granted security clearance against the recommendation of UK security vetting. That suggests this information was held in foreign office and not shared.
Big Qs now about the PM misleading the House. I am told the PM had been asking Qs about vetting and not been told this information while giving statements to parliament.
Told this week PM had been trying to get answers about what happened since Tues night - Guardian got ahead of story.
The critical point is that the minister has to have ‘knowingly misled’ the House, and clearly No 10 saying tonight the PM was not aware. I understand the PM had been intending to update the HoC as soon as No 10 had established facts, which they have been doing since Tues. So expect to see the PM come to HoC on Monday to correct the record
I asked PM on March 16 whether he has misled the House when he said due process was followed. This is what he told me
BETH RIGBY: On the Mandelson files, your national security adviser said the process was quote, weirdly rushed, and Mandelson was appointed before developed vetting had been complete. You told MPs in the House of Commons that due process was followed. Is there a possibility that you have misled the House when you said that?
KEIR STARMER: No, and the independent adviser looked at that very question. I think on Thursday or Friday of last week, and answered it very robustly, that the process had been followed. The process wasn't strong enough. And amongst the changes that I intend to put into place is the fact that you can't announce someone until the vetting is finished. It wasn't an individual decision in the Mandelson case, that was the process. Well, you only have to look at that. in the light of the appointment, to realise that that needs to change. But on due process, the process that was there was followed, the problem was the process wasn't strong enough, but ultimately, it was my mistake and I have apologised for that and quite right to.
Dr David Miles retweeted
Only three possibilities really
1) PM wasn’t told his own pick for US Ambassador has failed his security clearance. Foreign Office officials stood by and saw PM unknowingly mislead House and didn’t say anything. Still questions as to how it could possibly be neither No 10 nor PM nor FS asked as to what the status of his clearing was. Potentially gross incompetence in every direction. Or they just didn’t want to know. Which is especially outrageous given Starmer later essentially blamed security services.
2) PM did know. He misled House and country. Resignation matter.
3) it’s not quite 1 or 2 and there’s something about this story or details of this story we don’t fully understand yet.
Beth Rigby’s question to Starmer is key here. Starmer announcing Mandelson’s appointment before vetting was complete shows he was either indifferent to that process or mistakenly confident of the outcome. This either shows incompetence or complacency.
NEW: Anger in No 10 tonight - am told by a source that neither the PM nor his advisors were told, over a series of months, that Mandelson had been granted security clearance against the recommendation of UK security vetting. That suggests this information was held in foreign office and not shared.
Big Qs now about the PM misleading the House. I am told the PM had been asking Qs about vetting and not been told this information while giving statements to parliament.
Told this week PM had been trying to get answers about what happened since Tues night - Guardian got ahead of story.
The critical point is that the minister has to have ‘knowingly misled’ the House, and clearly No 10 saying tonight the PM was not aware. I understand the PM had been intending to update the HoC as soon as No 10 had established facts, which they have been doing since Tues. So expect to see the PM come to HoC on Monday to correct the record
I asked PM on March 16 whether he has misled the House when he said due process was followed. This is what he told me
BETH RIGBY: On the Mandelson files, your national security adviser said the process was quote, weirdly rushed, and Mandelson was appointed before developed vetting had been complete. You told MPs in the House of Commons that due process was followed. Is there a possibility that you have misled the House when you said that?
KEIR STARMER: No, and the independent adviser looked at that very question. I think on Thursday or Friday of last week, and answered it very robustly, that the process had been followed. The process wasn't strong enough. And amongst the changes that I intend to put into place is the fact that you can't announce someone until the vetting is finished. It wasn't an individual decision in the Mandelson case, that was the process. Well, you only have to look at that. in the light of the appointment, to realise that that needs to change. But on due process, the process that was there was followed, the problem was the process wasn't strong enough, but ultimately, it was my mistake and I have apologised for that and quite right to.
Dr David Miles retweeted
“I think the British public wants to be disassociated, not just in principle but in practice, from Donald Trump’s aggression against the Iranian people”
Former RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch believes the UK should not allow the US to use its military bases “at all”
#Newsnight
Dr David Miles retweeted
Rutte is a disgrace
Dr David Miles retweeted
1/2. Notice that after losing the war Trump threatens his allies rather than Russia — even though Russia quite literally helped Iran defeat the US and he knows it.
Dr David Miles retweeted
The negotiator of the ceasefire, Shehbaz Sharif, clearly says here in his announcement of the peace agreement that it includes Lebanon. Netanyahu went out of his way today to destroy the ceasefire by launching an unprecedented assault on Tyre & Beirut, killing at 254+ innocent civilians. Yet again, Israel drags the US & the wider region towards conflict & away from peace.
With the greatest humility, I am pleased to announce that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.
I warmly welcome the sagacious gesture and extend deepest gratitude to the leadership of both the countries and invite their delegations to Islamabad on Friday, 10th April 2026, to further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes.
Both parties have displayed remarkable wisdom and understanding and have remained constructively engaged in furthering the cause of peace and stability. We earnestly hope, that the ‘Islamabad Talks’ succeed in achieving sustainable peace and wish to share more good news in coming days!
@realDonaldTrump
@JDVance
@SecRubio
@SteveWitkoff
@SEPeaceMissions
@drpezeshkian
@mb_ghalibaf
@araghchi
Dr David Miles retweeted
Says the Ozemprick who accuses Brussels of interfering in elections. While praising far right right leaders to the skies, not a word of criticism of Russia, plenty for Ukraine. We should not be sending the King to the far right authoritarian political cesspit that Trump Vance are creating
After the Munich speech, Greenland threats, & Iran shitshow we’re way past the point where we can regard the US under Trump and fawning minions like Vance as anything but adversaries to Europe. Right now, even Putin seems more sane. This BS is all for US domestic consumption.
Dr David Miles retweeted
I'm struggling to recall any such kind of intervention by a US president or vice president in another country's democratic elections in the last half century.