David Blagden
@blagdendavid.bsky.social
Assoc Prof at the University of Exeter's Strategy and Security Institute. Also currently: NATO Defence College, RN Strategic Studies Centre, UofE Press (co-edit the 'Exeter Strategic & Security Studies' book series). @blagden_david on The Other Place.
"this is a useful bit of extra money that will help to sustain the current programme; it’s not a massive splurge that will allow the services to meaningfully increase their numbers of soldiers, ships or aircraft" - @blagdendavid.bsky.social on #defencespending www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
New spending on drones and lasers will ‘revolutionise’ UK defence, says Reeves
Chancellor says new money will help turn Britain into a ‘defence industrial superpower’
theguardian.com
@blagdendavid.bsky.social and I in @TheCriticMag make the case for adding lower-yield nuclear weapons to Britain's arsenal, to bolster the credibility of NATO Europe's deterrence: thecritic.co.uk/the-bomb-eur...
The bomb Europe needs | David Blagden and Patrick Porter | The Critic Magazine
Whether it is becoming post-American, or just less American, Europe’s defence will need tactical nuclear weapons in order to deter Russia from attacking NATO territory. Two unwelcome realities now put...
thecritic.co.uk
‘The choice has been made, and so now the Navy – and the citizenry it protects – must hope that yet more cuts in the present lead to a better future force before that future turns violent,’ writes @blagdendavid.bsky.social, @exeter.ac.uk #BigAsk #BritainsWorld
Is Britain right to sacrifice capability today for ‘jam’ tomorrow?
The Big Ask | No. 15.2025
britainsworld.org.uk
"The choice has been made, and so now the Royal Navy must hope the cuts borne in the present are offset by a superior fleet in future … and that that superior fleet arrives before future risks turn into present dangers" - by @blagdendavid.bsky.social thecritic.co.uk/losing-our-s...
Losing our ships | David Blagden | The Critic Magazine
Earlier this month, the UK Ministry of Defence finally confirmed what had long been expected — that the Royal Navy’s last two amphibious assault ships, HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, will be sold to a…
thecritic.co.uk
It was a pleasure to speak to Exeter SSI and @cais-exeter.bsky.social yesterday about my new book Causal Inquiry in International Relations (open access: fdslive.oup.com/www.oup.com/...). Thanks to @blagdendavid.bsky.social and @profalexp.bsky.social for organizing
fdslive.oup.com
"The US and Israeli governments – plus the governments of other states that could yet get dragged in – now have choices to make about whether to strike again when the question of Iranian capability advancement returns in future" - @blagdendavid.bsky.social www.newstatesman.com/internationa...
There won't be a 'final victory' for Iran or Israel
Washington, Tehran and Jerusalem still have choices to make about whether to strike again.
newstatesman.com
This piece by @blagdendavid.bsky.social is very good--and spot on: "The case for keeping out of things" thecritic.co.uk/the-case-for...
The case for keeping out of things | David Blagden | The Critic Magazine
On 23 June, the Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, arrived in Singapore. Reportedly accompanying her were various highly capable escorts, including HMS Dauntless (a…
thecritic.co.uk
The idea that @isanet.bsky.social can persist with holding all its annual conventions in the US (barring the odd token visit to Canada) is now clearly toast. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
French scientist denied US entry after phone messages critical of Trump found
France’s research minister said the scientist was traveling to Houston for a conference when his phone was searched
theguardian.com
I’ve never participated in such kind of events. So, thanks to the students behind the Exeter Debating Society for the invitation to share the stage with @blagdendavid.bsky.social and talk international politics!
One downside (among many) of the USA's descent into hostile revisionism towards allies is that those allies are less likely to listen when Americans make good points.
Lucy Fisher@lucyfisher.ft.com · last yr.NEW: US House of Representatives committee has sounded the alarm over China’s plan to build a huge embassy in London The House China cmtte warned the project raises “significant security concerns” for the UK financial services industry www.ft.com/content/7015...
This is an excellent speech by the new Chancellor of Oxford University, William Hague. Lots of good jokes, but also a staunch defence of what a university should be. We're going to need a lot of that in the years ahead.
Robert Saunders@robertsaunders.bsky.social · last yr."We do not need a foreign policy: we are not a country. Nor do we need a view on every occurrence: we are not a newspaper. The concern of a university is that opinions are reached on the basis of truth, reason & knowledge, which requires thinking & speaking with freedom" www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-02...
The indefatigable Patrick Porter and I have a piece in The Critic on flaws in the Chagos deal, progressive realism, and how a superior version of the latter - that could yet dodge the pitfalls of the former - is still there for the taking. thecritic.co.uk/has-the-chag...
Has the Chagos Islands deal killed progressive realism? | David Blagden and Patrick Porter | The Critic Magazine
Whatever happened to progressive realism? As you may recall, that was the foreign policy doctrine declared by the incoming Labour government’s foreign secretary, David Lammy. The short answer is that…
thecritic.co.uk
The @Telegraph excels itself today with the claim that @NaturalEngland is ‘ideologically wedded to concept of conservation’. This is our job, & we do it as a matter of legal requirement. Would be odd for a conservation organisation to do anything else. www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/02...
Natural England accused of favouring rewilding over saving farmland
Calls for body to be scrapped for being ‘ideologically wedded to concept of conservation and removing food production from the countryside’
telegraph.co.uk
This is not the right way to do denuclearization, however you define it. www.npr.org/2025/02/13/n...
Probably not the most popular first foray on here, but - under the urgings of people I respect - here's something done elsewhere... The Left-Wing Case Against the Chagos Deal 🧵
I finally pulled my finger out and got on here...happy Thursday, acquaintances old and new!
Excellent news. Do follow @blagdendavid.bsky.social on U.K. defence and security policy. Among other things, he has a lot to say about the Chagos Islands Deal.
Jamie Gaskarth@jamiegaskarth.bsky.social · last yr.Good to see @blagdendavid.bsky.social on here! Well worth a follow if British foreign/defence policy is your bag.
Good to see @blagdendavid.bsky.social on here! Well worth a follow if British foreign/defence policy is your bag.
