Daisy Blackburn
@daisyblackburn.bsky.social
PhD student @ Southampton Political Geography 🌎🗳 Seaside towns and political disaffection
Gerry Stoker, @daisyblackburn.bsky.social, @nickclarkegeo.bsky.social, and @drjennings.bsky.social outline how place-based policies can address populist dynamics: doi.org/10.1111/1467...
How Place‐Based Policy Could Counter Populist Discontent
Resentment felt by people in areas that have suffered from social and economic decline is a significant driver of populist backlash—‘the revenge of the places that don't matter’. An effective place-b...
doi.org
Happy to have been able to present at this year's @psaepop.bsky.social Conference in Liverpool. Thank you to everyone for their helpful comments and positive feedback 😊 A great event! #EPOP2026
How Place-Based Policy Could Counter Populist Discontent New article in @politicalquarterly.bsky.social with Gerry Stoker, @daisyblackburn.bsky.social and @drjennings.bsky.social onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
How Place‐Based Policy Could Counter Populist Discontent
Resentment felt by people in areas that have suffered from social and economic decline is a significant driver of populist backlash—‘the revenge of the places that don't matter’. An effective place-b...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
One year, 17 towns, dozens of voices: what we heard along the coast of England and Wales
One year, 17 towns, dozens of voices: what we heard along the coast of England and Wales
Reporting from some of the poorest seaside towns revealed how young people have been left isolated – but remain resilient and full of hope
theguardian.com
Half (49%) of Brits rate the Labour government’s performance in 2025 as poor, with 6 in 10 (63%) expressing disappointment about what it has done since the election 👉 https://bit.ly/3ZlHMgq
Britons pessimistic about government performance in short and long term, survey reveals
Half (49%) of Britons rate the Labour government’s performance in 2025 as poor, with six in ten (63%) expressing disappointment about what it has done since the election.
bit.ly
📈 Our key finding: the rural–urban divide didn’t grow gradually. It *jumped* in 2016. Support for Republicans became much more strongly associated with living in rural areas in 2016—and this pattern then remained stable in 2020.
Government/Starmer/Reeves' unpopularity isn't so surprising imo. - pervasive mood of discontent - voters are increasingly volatile and dealigned from parties - economic stagnation/cost of living - polarised/toxic information environment - weak govt/PM comms - flawed strategy (alienating core vote)
Duncan Weldon@duncanweldon.bsky.social · 10mo agoGlad the FT is asking the question. Even if I’m not convinced they found a compelling answer. I get that Starmer & Reeves are unpopular, I really don’t understand the extent of the dislike. www.ft.com/content/1995... ‘There’s a real dislike, even loathing’: why voters hate Starmer and Reeves
71% of people say the country is heading in the wrong direction – Ipsos’ highest % ever recorded. This is up from 69% last month. Only 12% think the country is heading in the right direction, giving a net score of -59.
Latest party leader net favourability ratings, December 2025 Kemi Badenoch: -26 Nigel Farage: -35 Keir Starmer: -54 Zack Polanski: -6 (49% DK) Ed Davey: -10 (38% DK) yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
