Yearning for past glamour, the contemporary diplomat rebels with puerile impotence. (See: lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v45/…)

On Matt Pottinger, the Taiwan strait as a boiling moat, and war with "China's Wehrmacht" lrb.co.uk/blog/2024/june…

"The paradox of the monarch’s sacrificial gesture is that it keeps him on the throne as a heap of glowing ash and serves, to his mind, as a call to the electorate for clarity. But there’s already smoke in the air" lrb.co.uk/blog/2024/june…

‘The experiment in opening political space in Iran comes late to an exhausted and bitter electorate. Turnout on Friday is impossible to estimate.’ Azadeh Moaveni on the Iranian elections: lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v46/…

‘A global crisis over Taiwan would be a disaster for the world. Yet in their talk of Wehrmachts and victory, supporters of a war with China appear to yearn for that disaster.’ Tom Stevenson on Sino-American relations: lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v46/…

In the latest election special on the podcast, @tomfstevenson, Iona Craig and James Butler (James B) discuss the challenges facing the next foreign secretary, from Gaza to the pressures of a possible Trump presidency. Listen on our website: lrb.co.uk/podcasts-and-v…

Well worth your time to read Grey Anderson’s review of Tom Stevenson’s new book: newleftreview.org/issues/ii147/a…

Over the course of the election, I've done some special episodes of the London Review of Books podcast, trying to look deeper at some of the issues being sidestepped in the campaign. First, I spoke to Ann Pettifor and Adrienne Buller about climate: lrb.co.uk/podcasts-and-v…

It's over. For the last London Review of Books podcast of our special election series, I managed to persuade Tom Crewe, Florence Sutcliffe-Braithwaite and John Lanchester to join me this morning, bleary-eyed, to consider the new dawn. Foreboding, with outbreaks of hope. lrb.co.uk/podcasts-and-v…

From the book. Tom Stevenson is quite right about the risks posed by minor nuclear arsenals to the populations of their possessors. It’s a megadeath version of Hélène Rey’s curse of the regional safe asset provider. Recall that the first targets of Russian nuclear attack would

‘Although the Anglo-American "special relationship" is the major determinant of the UK’s place in the world, sober assessment of its content is rare.’ Grey Anderson reviews Tom Stevenson’s ‘Someone Else’s Empire’: newleftreview.org/issues/ii147/a…

Our new issue, 46.14, is now online, featuring: James Butler (James B) on Starmer’s victory Christian CHRISTIAN LORENTZEN on bad times for Biden Thomas Meaney on Indigenous political strategies Poems by Alicia E. Stallings and Rae Armantrout Read now at lrb.co.uk

granta.com/dispatch-from-…

lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v46/…

"The Tractatus may include many passages which, despite its author’s best efforts, do make sense!" lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v46/…

Attempted Madımak in Rotherham, averted at the last moment.

I wrote about Britain, for Sidecar: newleftreview.org/sidecar/posts/…

Allegations of widespread torture and sexual abuse have been reported by Palestinian detainees - held by Israeli forces. The Israeli army and prison service deny abuse systematic and say wrongdoing is being investigated. Watch part one of two. 1/3

Credulous reporting. There is no shift. What Labour has in fact done is maintain 92% of arms export licenses to Israel. Massive support for the attack on Gaza via Cyprus unmentioned. ft.com/content/e5c27d…