Simon Fletcher
@fletchersimon.bsky.social
Former adviser to Labour leaders, former chief of staff to the Mayor of London. Director of winning Labour leadership campaigns. Socialist. Political campaigns II writing and analysis II consultancy https://linktr.ee/simonfletcher
Thoughts on Labour’s messaging shift under Andy Burnham, and the tension with the fact that as long as the govt is hemmed in by the framework of the Reeves-era Treasury, that will dictate the terms of its domestic programme. tribunemag.co.uk/2026/10/burn...
Burnham Says He’ll Break with Consensus. Healey’s Policies Say Otherwise
Let’s face the facts. The new government is stifled by the orthodoxy of the Treasury.
tribunemag.co.uk
Five points after Makerfield. New by me, free to read modernleft.substack.com/p/labours-ch...
Labour's choices after Makerfield
The Makerfield byelection was unique.
modernleft.substack.com
. @andyburnham.bsky.social’s huge victory in the Makerfield byelection built a coalition that derailed Reform, who should have expected to win. The majority is easily clear of the Restore vote, giving Farage no excuse. A very important defeat for Farage, Lowe and the right as a whole
Good to spend time talking to residents in Orrell today. After all the hate of the last few days, inflicting a defeat on the right in the Makerfield by-election would put an obstacle in their path. Vote Andy Burnham, stop Reform. @andyburnham.bsky.social
bylinetimes.com/2026/06/10/t...
Tommy Robinson, Nigel Farage and the ‘Pure Cold Rage’ Used to Trigger a Racist Pogrom in Belfast
Mainstream politicians have stood by as the global far-right campaigns for anti-migrant violence on our streets. Now we're suffering the consequences, argues Adam Bienkov
bylinetimes.com
Polling of trade union members this week showed Labour and Reform neck and neck. I’ve written about this - on both the possible weaknesses of the poll itself but also implications. modernleft.substack.com/p/how-far-ha...
How far has Labour shed union members to Reform?
Trade union members are as likely to vote for Reform as they are for the Labour Party, according to the top lines of a new poll published this week.
modernleft.substack.com
Why Farage's 'White Lives Matter' speech and Reform's increasingly desperate descent into explicitly far-right rhetoric is a sign of the party's growing fears that their time at the top of British politics may soon be coming to an end bylinetimes.com/2026/06/02/n...
Nigel Farage’s ‘White Lives Matter’ Speech Is a Sign of Reform’s Growing Desperation
The Reform leader's descent into explicitly far-right rhetoric is the mark of a politician and party which fears its time at the top of British politics may soon come to an end, argues Adam Bienkov
bylinetimes.com
Really good piece by @fletchersimon.bsky.social on for @bylinetimes.bsky.social "The problem is not that Labour’s programme is basically good but hindered by errors, but rather that its most fundamental choices – primarily on the economy – were wrong" bylinetimes.com/2026/05/11/k...
'Labour’s Leader Must Change Not Just Because Keir Starmer Is Unpopular, but Because of What Made Him Unpopular'
Replacing Keir Starmer won't be enough to solve the far deeper problems of how a Labour Government lost the trust of the British people, argues his former adviser Simon Fletcher
bylinetimes.com
bylinetimes.com/2026/05/11/k... ‘Labour’s Leader Must Change Not Just Because Keir Starmer Is Unpopular, but Because of What Made Him Unpopular’ Latest for @bylinetimes.bsky.social
'Labour’s Leader Must Change Not Just Because Keir Starmer Is Unpopular, but Because of What Made Him Unpopular'
Replacing Keir Starmer won't be enough to solve the far deeper problems of how a Labour Government lost the trust of the British people, argues his former adviser Simon Fletcher
bylinetimes.com
"Unless Labour changes, and does so quickly, it will be consigned to the history books. Thats is about more than changing one face at the top and bringing back former leaders, the party needs a dramatic shift in policy and strategy too" My new column for @theipaper.com inews.co.uk/opinion/labo...
Labour is in an existential crisis - and has no idea how to stop it
Vowing to remain and bringing in additional help in the form of Gordon Brown won't be enough to win voters, the public needs to see tangible change - and quickly
inews.co.uk
The @fbunational.bsky.social General Secretary Steve Wright says in the fire service “with our wages and also with the lack of funding and investment in public services, it’s just been austerity mark II” and calls for the unions to be heard. Interview: modernleft.substack.com/p/after-the-...
'I’m angry that Labour's in this position'
FBU General Secretary Steve Wright on Labour's leadership, austerity and the unions
modernleft.substack.com
The new episode of London Voices is out! This time, Chair of the London Assembly, Lord Duvall of Woolwich, spoke to the Chief of Staff of the first Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone: www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/w...
I recently took part in the @londonassembly.bsky.social podcast series reflecting on 25 years of the Greater London Authority. With Len Duvall I discussed Ken Livingstone’s time as mayor and his administration’s legacy. On YouTube here and also Spotify. youtu.be/atqn8qowkbY?...
London Voices: Ken Livingstone / Simon Fletcher
YouTube video by London Assembly
youtu.be
Exclusive on my Substack - voting projections show Labour is set for historic losses in Tyne & Wear at this May’s local elections, according to new modelling. It shows Labour losing control of all four councils up for all-out elections in May. Full details: modernleft.substack.com/p/exclusive-...
Exclusive - Labour facing historic council losses in the North East
Labour projected to lose Newcastle, Sunderland, Gateshead and South Tyneside
modernleft.substack.com
I now have a public Instagram, maybe see you over there too: www.instagram.com/p/DUla5Y-DFp...
Create an account or log in to Instagram - Share what you're into with the people who get you.
instagram.com
Important thread ... 👇
Peter Geoghegan@petergeoghegan.bsky.social · 8mo agoWhen he ran Labour Together, Cabinet Office minister Josh Simons hired a PR firm to investigate journalists After our revelations, and a flurry of news stories, Simons finally gave his side of the story But it doesn't seem to tally with the facts... 🧵 democracyforsale.substack.com/p/mcsweeney-...
Insightful insider perspective from @fletchersimon.bsky.social on the close relationship between Starmer's office and Mandelson modernleft.substack.com/p/the-mandel...
The Mandelson crisis is a crisis of Labour's leadership project
The scandal of the Peter Mandelson crisis and his relationship with the convicted criminal Jeffrey Epstein is immense.
modernleft.substack.com
Labour’s leadership brought Mandelson in and clung to him because of a shared political project. The Mandelson crisis is a crisis of that project. By me: modernleft.substack.com/p/the-mandel...
Bruce Springsteen’s song responding to the murders of Renée Good and Alex Pretti was the highest-selling song in the USA last week. www.billboard.com/music/chart-...
Bruce Springsteen’s Anti-ICE Song ‘Streets of Minneapolis’ Makes No. 1 Sales Debut
Bruce Springsteen's anti-ICE song "Streets of Minneapolis" was the most-sold song of the week, debuting at No. 1 on the Digital Song Sales chart.
billboard.com
I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis. It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Stay free
Bruce Springsteen - Streets Of Minneapolis (Official Audio)
YouTube video by Bruce Springsteen
youtu.be
Late sharing it, but this by @jemgilbert.bsky.social from just before Christmas is good on the mismatch between the scale of the economic and social challenges in Britain, and the policy programme of the Labour leadership. www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
Why is Keir Starmer so unpopular?
Britain needs a leader willing to break with the legacy of Thatcherism
newstatesman.com
Excellent by @fisherandrew79.bsky.social on Wes Streeting and BMA - a very welcome corrective to all the boneheaded denunciations of resident doctors. bsky.app/profile/fish...
Andrew Fisher@fisherandrew79.bsky.social · 10mo agoMy column for @theipaper.com on the @bma.org.uk resident doctors' strike "The Christmas strikes are on Wes Streeting, not the BMA." Read in full at: inews.co.uk/opinion/stre...
British and European militarism is out of control: “To serve. And if necessary, to fight. And more families will know what sacrifice for our nation means." news.sky.com/story/uks-so...
UK's 'sons and daughters' need to be ready to fight, amid growing Russian threat, says head of armed forces
In an extraordinarily blunt intervention, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton warned that Russia's military strength is increasing and is something to fear, with Russian troops now battle-hardened ...
news.sky.com
MPs of all parties should be pressed to sign this motion tabled by @johnmcdonnellmp.bsky.social calling on the Justice Secretary to intervene urgently to ensure the Palestine hunger strikers’ treatment is humane and their human rights are upheld. edm.parliament.uk/early-day-mo...
Palestine Action hunger strike - Early Day Motions - UK Parliament
That this House expresses its extreme concern that six prisoners associated with Palestine Action have felt that they had no other recourse to protest against their prison conditions but to launch a h...
edm.parliament.uk
I went to see Emma-Jean Thackray at the Glasshouse tonight and it was outstanding.
The election of Lucy Powell as deputy leader is a rebuke by party members to Labour’s course under the leadership of Keir Starmer. Her opponents argued that a vote for Powell would destabilise Labour - but Labour was already destabilised (and worse) modernleft.substack.com/p/who-destab...
Who destabilised Labour?
The election of Lucy Powell as deputy leader of the Labour Party, only a few weeks after she was removed from the Cabinet, is a rebuke by party members to Labour’s course under the leadership of Keir ...
modernleft.substack.com
