Recent posts by UK Constitutional Lawyers on Bluesky

It will also be interesting to see if the Israelis hit IRGC infrastructure and personnel tasked with sustaining regime control in regions like Iranian Balochistan

Doing barbecue for a group of lawyers certainly focuses the mind. I have been prodding every sausage with a probe and making sure there’s a margin of error on the minimum serving temperature.

Thank you for having me! Really enjoyed this discussion. For more of my views on free speech, try www.penguin.co.uk/books/441683...

A guest at P’s chambers party tells me that he was born after Frank Lampard joined Chelsea and I’m going to check myself into supported accommodation for the elderly.

“David Albright, a nuclear weapons expert, speculated that the initial wave of attacks could set back any Iranian attempt to develop a nuclear weapon by about a year.” apnews.com/article/iran...

Today marks 8 years since the Grenfell Tower fire. Still families of victims are waiting for answers. The time for words is over, we need action so that victims get the justice they deserve.

Jesus fucking Christ

“At least 60 people, including 20 children, were killed after an Israeli airstrike hit the Shahid Chamran Nobonyad Complex, a housing development linked to Iran’s Ministry of Defense, in northeast Tehran.” www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/20....

Have a second, they said.

Aber ich glaube nicht das die Israelis besonders viel tun werden um nach einen Zusammenbruch des Regimss direkt in der iranischen Innenpolitik einzugreifen. Netanyahu wird da eher auf amerikanische Initiativen hoffen

Doorknocking and case work collecting this morning around the Brunswick (which is looking for a new landlord if running a lovely pub with a popular quiz is your next career move)

Fear that a faction-ridden regime with unclear succession options after Khamenei's death, angry populations and restive minorities in key regions might enter into dangerous instability has been a matter of discussion for years. I'm old enough to remember people claiming Baathist Syria wouldn't fall

www.nytimes.com/live/2025/06...

That article about Hegseth is so wonderful. archive.ph/xG4FF#select...

Hot day in London. Cool by the river.

Now this is how to switch off from the world

Don't miss this wonderful episode of @EmpirePodUK- Really one of our very best Murder in the Congo, The Cuban Missile Crisis, & India in the UN How did the first Asian UN Secretary General prevent multiple Armeggedons in the 1960s? podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...

The road to hell is paved with think tank papers claiming that everyone involved is too sensible to do that obviously stupid thing

And today police came through my train at Frankfurt (Oder) and delayed it. My passport wasn’t checked, but probably because I’m not an ethnic minority. So when, dear European Commission, are you taking action against Germany on this? #Schengen

Ian Wace appears to be a remarkable man www.ft.com/content/448b...

Rachel Reeves has bet all our money on Wes Streeting saving the NHS. My weekend article for @the-independent.com Free to read www.independent.co.uk/voices/rache...

The common belief that the IRGC would benefit in any state crisis scenario in Iran is based on an assumption of IRGC ideological and command cohesion that I'm not sure reflects the IRGC's faction-ridden realities

Even if the state doesn't collapse, an Israeli operation that kills off the top 2 or 3 tiers of Iran's military-industrial leadership would lead to rapid rise of obscure colonels and majors whose strategic outlook would be unknown to most outsiders in ways that make the regime less predictable

A lot of analysis around Iran's options is reminiscent of speculation in 2024 about supposed asymmetric retaliation Hezbollah was going to inflict through attacks in Europe and the Gulf only for structural pressures to paralyse it in the face of an Israeli onslaught that ignored old unwritten rules

It also ignores that a large chunk of "young professionals paying higher rate taxes and unable to buy a home" are (I) women (II) non-white (III) sometimes even both.

‘One Israeli official estimated that in the first 12 hours of air strikes Israel had “barely destroyed 20% of the nuclear programme”. But Mr Netanyahu is planning at least two solid weeks of strikes, targeting many types of Iranian military assets’ www.economist.com/middle-east-...

If Kemi Badenoch continues as Tory leader, Reform could become the main party of the right, writes Andrew Adonis. www.prospectmagazine...

A group called “Looking For Growth” which seems to want to be part of the tech community keeps flirting with Brexiter Dominic Cummings and Right Wing groups.

Even as a Gloucester fan, watching de Glanville it’s hard to see if Carreras is really likely to get much game time next season. #batvlei

Even as a Gloucester fan, watching de Glanville it’s hard to see if Carreras is really likely to get much fame time next season. #batvlei

The Iranian Parliament is considering closing the Strait of Hormuz due to Israel's attacks. Some 24% of the world's oil passes through it. A disruption would see a surge in oil prices, potentially impacting tech stocks negatively.

Yup. The more you know, the more you doubt. You slowly and painfully realise that not knowing is the point.

Two Democratic lawmakers and their spouses have been shot in their homes by a man dressed as a police officer, in Champlin and Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.

The siren sounds when watching the news are definitely triggering for me. They transport my feelings to what I felt as a kid terrified of an imminent bomb falling on us. I wish I can recall the good moments’ feelings as intensely as this. War is forever so real to me. It’s the worst of humanity.

Beautiful Colmar in the Alsace

Think of it as the equivalent of the 18th century Parisian salon.

See it for yourself! Stockholm to Hamburg by SJ sleeper train, filmed 2 weeks ago youtu.be/_KzTVf31Frw?...

“Defy statutory intent” here meaning - as it usually does in these cases - “interpret the law in a way I don’t like”.

🍫 This is real, apparently 🙄 (source: www.londoncentric.media/p/looking-fo...)

On the 25th anniversary of Jaws, please enjoy Fidel Castro's review

One thing I really hate about the British media is the way that they make us look like idiots to foreigners.

Today's cycle

Really interesting to hear @lizzicollinge.bsky.social speaking about humanism in British politics and parliament — thinking through what an APPG on humanism can actually achieve, what it might add to the political conversation and how it enriches parliamentary and political dialogues.

There is an empty space where Britain’s largest mass political campaign once stood: the pro-EU movement. ‪@benansell.bsky.social‬ asks: where on earth is the Rejoin campaign? www.prospectmagazine...

From the archive, 10 years ago: #Top10 Pop Songs Shorter Than Two Minutes independent.co.uk/arts-enterta... spoti.fi/1L7s1vE

Incredibly irresponsible for about a hundred different reasons

In defence of London #10000000 Flowers and plants. We are so good at this in public spaces

Salmon the king of pinks, obvs

A problem with geopolitical analysis produced in the US is it often assumes other states will succumb to similar structural constraints on political will and doctrine that affect America's way of war. That goes as much for analysis of Ukraine and Israel as Iran or Russia

The extent to which the concept of ‘nation’ dominates our thinking is astonishing. Just to point out that it is very possible to be pro-Hungary and anti-Orban, anti-Putin but pro-Russian (in fact you can believe Russians are better off if Russia loses the war), pro-Israel but any-Netanyahu.

Ukrainian drones have hit explosives manufacturer Novokuybyshevsk Petrochemical Company in Russia’s Samara region — that’s 1000 km from the border. #explodey

After all, the sun doesn’t choose who she shines on. She just does….

A reminder that not only are most migrants on settlement routes subjected to what is known as "no recourse to public funds", meaning no state support, the majority actually pay more into state finances than take out, on top of tens of thousands in visa costs, and the immigration health surcharge. 1/

On the way to talk about nearby nature, we found a Scarlet Tiger moth with a misformed wing in nettles by the side of the path. #nearbynature #LandBeneaththeWaves #mothsmatter

Your helpful reminder that Iran’s nuclear programme predates the Islamic Republic and may well survive it.

Wow. Who would have thought women in their 60s would be politically active or angry

It is soooooo good that the US is having NO KINGS day when we have YAY KING day

Latest Maybe I'm Amazed Substack from me: on neurodiversity, creativity, genius & Brian Wilson. It's free, as are subscriptions maybeimamazed.substack.com/p/neurodiver...

Since I'm now reading about east London in the FT and NYT I feel there may soon be a place for me to do "The urban hell-hole that was Walthamstow before it was fashionable"... though it still looks broadly the same when I go back there

From DeepMind to Nvidia, the pioneers of AI have one thing in common: video games. Dedicated gamer Peter Hoskin charts the journey of AI from Lara Croft to Nobel Prizes: www.prospectmagazine...

The last couple of days of #CrossBorderRail have been a bit of a struggle - I ate the wrong thing somewhere... Anyway I am back and fit and today is Day 7 - Rzeszów - Berlin - Köln - Bruxelles Map: umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/cross... Live blog: crossborderrail.trainsforeurope.eu/live-blog-14...

I'm not a fan of the yah-boo British parliamentary culture at all, but I do feel that when someone lands an absolute zinger of a question like this and literally brings receipts, there should at least be a chant of "NICE ONE MAGGIE" from the public gallery or an airhorn or something.

Er, thanks very much for the house, but could you have another go at the wording on the sign?

This is everywhere. Every academic institution I know is held together by some exhausted woman in her early 40's who waits until the old white male professors have finished their vague rants and says, "alright, so concretely can I propose the following next steps..." She makes half their salary.

Latest Maybe I'm Amazed Substack from me: on genius, creativity, neurodiversity & Brian Wilson (it's free, as are subscriptions) johnharris1969.substack.com/p/neurodiver...

Victor Adebowale, the chair of the NHS Confederation, slams the 'black service' his dying mum received from the NHS: www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Published this piece earlier this week on Builder.ai, in part to debunk the mega viral “700 secret Indian engineers” claims circulating online (as ever, the truth much more nuanced than the clickbait)… on.ft.com/3SHlkuY

Military parades are weird because big army equipment is quite interesting to look at, but watching from behind a barricade as it rolls past you in an endless column is the most boring way imaginable to do that.

That accelerated

Went to sell my own books and accidentally bought @drmjwarren.bsky.social's. #sorrynotsorry #booksky

When even Joe Rogan thinks you have gone too far.... I think Joe Rogan is an opportunist douchebag but kudos to the guy for actually taking a stand that matters, even though he knows this may well 'alienate his base'. When Joe thinks Trump's AmeriKKKa is too cruel, perhaps there is hope.

Trump is mobilising troops against US citizens without any obvious sound legal basis. In many other countries such a move would lead to immediate impeachment and removal, @davidallengreen.bsky.social writes. www.prospectmagazine...

War & conflict are connected to health. Racism, sexism & fascism are connected to health. Climate change is connected to health. And of course poverty is connected to health. If your lane is improving population health, these things are your lane too. Yes they’re thorny but your lane nevertheless.

V&A Storehouse is v cool.

We cannot be complacent. There is a lot of work and a lot of money going into undermining democracy, and human rights globally. Follow the money.

Part of the reason the Club World Cup might succeed is because a certain kind of football fan (ie, me) can’t fail to be enchanted by combos like “Bayern Munich v Boca Juniors” or “Internazionale v River Plate” or even “Palmieras v FC Porto”

I haven't been so appalled by content on Bluesky as I was last night. Dozens of replies explicitly celebrating attacks on civilians in Tel Aviv. If you've convinced yourself that attacking Israeli civilians is a good thing - you're no better than Netanyahu, and you are yourself a genocidal maniac.

Childhood immunisations are one of the most powerful and effective public health interventions of all time. We used to take them from granted but not anymore. Conspiracy theory, wars, poverty and systems collapse put them at risk. We must keep shouting about their importance.

“Thought leader” second only to the Welsh assembly, I take back everything I said about Twitter

A post from the official Tory party account over on X says that “Nigel Farage is Jeremy Corbyn wrapped in a union jack.” Haven’t heard this line of attack before. Seems very weird.

Going to change my business card to “Sam Lowe — Artist”

When life gives you lemons Make fabulous lemonade.

When life give you lemons Make fabulous lemonade.

This is what happens when you're Jewish and post about Israel. Even if the post is overwhelmingly critical of Israel, as mine was, and even if you often denounce Israel's abominable actions, as I do. "The rest of the world is absolutely appalled by you" I'm not in the Israeli govt or even Israeli.

This is what happens when you're Jewish and post about Israel. Even if the post is overwhelmingly critical of Israel, as mine was, and even if you often denounce Israel's abominable actions, as I do. "The rest of the world is absolutely appalled by you" I'm not in the Israeli govt or even Israeli.

ICE will completely fail at hitting any deportation targets but will manage to provoke mass public disorder in US cities

The Trump administration will have inflicted huge trauma on 10 000s of families only to concede to entirely predictable structural economic pressure that leads to not much change to wider migration numbers into the US

As we’ve been talking about a potential Israeli strategy of regime change in Iran, here’s a very good analysis of where things stand by the BBC’s Persia Editor Amir Azimi.

So I've run five miles from home and have that much to return, in the hot sun. This is apparently how I relax. But it's nice here.

🎧: News outlets should be wary of making deals with “a company or industry that fundamentally doesn't want you to exist”, says @karenhao.bsky.social‬, author of ‘Empire of AI’, on Media Confidential with @arusbridger.bsky.social and ‪@lionelbarber.bsky.social‬. www.prospectmagazine...

World class lawyers including heroic solicitor for the Birmingham 6 and Guildford 4 Gareth Pierce, as well as Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh and Darragh Mackin to defend @kneecapceol.bsky.social in the UK

My shows at the @edfringe.bsky.social , 2-5 Aug with Rachel Reeves, Jess Phillips, Jacqui Smith, Tessa Dunlop, Joanna Cherry KC, Sir Jeremy Hunt, Michael Crick, Brian Taylor, Michael Heseltine, Sir John Curtice, Lord Dannatt & Lord Darroch. Buy tickets www.pleasance.co.uk/search?query...

World class lawyers including heroic solicitor for the Birmingham 6 and Guildford 4 Gareth Pierce, as well as Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh and Darren Mackin to defend @Kneecapceol in the UK. www.irishtimes.com/culture/musi...

"But that: was a mirage."

re-reading the Mishra-Ferguson fight, and surrounding media coverage for a thing, and now want to set the Times' commentary on the whole thing ('historians hate forever, and never forget') as a 'Discuss' essay question the next time I teach historiography theory

Are you a science lead, or key stage 3 teacher in North or West London? The @linneansociety.bsky.social 's Nature Network is sponsoring a nature engagement project, 'building confidence and creativity using nature connection and natural history'. Details below.

General assessment from analysts is that yesterday was Iran’s peak for standard ballistic missile attacks on Israel. Since then Israel has destroyed much of Iran’s launch capabilities.

Poetic Delivery Service, one from 2017

There are people who disagree with abortion reform across all parties - will always defend their right to do so democratically. Only NC20 would stop what we have seen in other nations where ministers tried to use their position to directly restrict access.