Sebastian Milbank

Apologies for long Twitter absence. My previous account - JSMilbank - has been hacked and I'm locked out for the foreseeable future. If you've received a message from that account its a scam. Would deeply appreciate if previous followers would follow me here at @SebMilbank

@wessiedutoit The loss is real but the revivalism is equally real — take maypole dancing which was revived at least twice, by Charles II during the restoration and by the Victorians

@SebMilbank Enjoyed yours too. Made me think I exaggerated the loss of English particularism in the industrial era.

Excellent piece, and I thought this especially was a sharply made point

If you are not yet an online subscriber to The Critic, you are missing out on exclusive columns from @baylissbaghdad, @BDSixsmith, @glosswitch, @jo_bartosch, @SebMilbank, @93vintagejones and many more thecritic.co.uk/checkout/?plan…

@OBEhizele There always seems to be an underlying sneer when discussing British or English nationhood

There is nothing wrong with criticising one’s own nation. In fact, it is often a sign of healthy belonging. But the spirit matters: critique should arise from a desire to see it flourish, not from the urge to embarrass or denigrate it. Tone and temperament matter.

Historian here - please remember, St George never visited England! That was Joseph of Arimathea, first with a young Christ and then after the resurrection, bringing the Holy Grail, Book of Common Prayer, and King James Bible - from whence derives the English language.

Nail on the head from @SebMilbank on the progressive idiocy of the Church of England hierarchy. thecritic.co.uk/the-church-of-…

Top quality. England. Saint George.

Phenomenal article by @SebMilbank: "A century ago, the emergent Labour party and movement were steeped in Edwardian imagery of St George, medieval heroism and English folk culture. By referring to the social evils of “Want, Disease, Ignorance, Squalor, and Idleness” as five “giants” that must be valiantly slain the Beveridge Report was echoing a national folklore going back to Geoffrey of Monmouth’s legendary national history, in which Britain was originally a wasteland ruled over by terrible giants. In this context, St George, and the “medievalism” of English identity, is a symbol of both tradition, but also of social progress. When shipyard workers from Jarrow marched to London with a petition, they called themselves crusaders. Before departing, 1200 marchers gathered to be blessed by the Bishop of Jarrow. It was a scene — of working men marching with religious blessing to take a petition to the King’s ministers — that could easily be transposed to 500 years earlier." thecritic.co.uk/cry-sod-harry-…

We're continuing to highlight the fantastic speakers who will be presenting at the conference ‘What makes a novel Christian?’ on 13 May @PuseyHouse Professor Alison Milbank is Professor Emeritus of Theology and Literature at @UniofNottingham ... 1/4

“Society is built not on agreements or constitutions, but rather is founded upon shared loves” — @sebmilbank argues that we need a more affirmative Englishness thecritic.co.uk/cry-sod-harry-…

@TheHistorianMan @TheCriticMag There are a lot of middle class ponces out there, speaking as one - happily I am a patriotic ponce

@TheCriticMag @SebMilbank People are proud to be English, its just middle class ponces who aren't

“Negativity about England and British nationhood in general reflect a longstanding elite allergy to patriotism in any form” — @sebmilbank asks why people aren’t proud to be English thecritic.co.uk/cry-sod-harry-…

Britain leads the world in lack of pride in our country, outcompeting countries currently in a state of civil war in the self-loathing stakes. How did this happen? And what can we do to change it? My latest for @TheCriticMag on St George's Day thecritic.co.uk/cry-sod-harry-…

Very thoughtful St George's Day reflections from the great, powerful and newly back on Twitter @SebMilbank. Happy St George's Day! thecritic.co.uk/cry-sod-harry-…

@pbw15204825 Sure, which is why the value of the industry you’re protecting needs to justify the cost to consumers

@SebMilbank "so tariffs can easily end up being a tax rather than a subsidy for producers" They are a tax on consumers too, of course.

I think the problem with the protection versus free trade debate is that both sides seem to want to limit options. But why do so? Protection should be used surgically and strategically, rather than as the blunt instrument many make of it

@AdamPollock No fear!

@SebMilbank Phew - was worried you had “migrated to bluesky”

Apologies for long Twitter absence. My previous account - JSMilbank - has been hacked and I'm locked out for the foreseeable future. If you've received a message from that account its a scam. Would deeply appreciate if previous followers would follow me here at @SebMilbank

@jfwduffield Yep

@SebMilbank The hacker changed your email?

@jfwduffield I have but it won't let me set up a new password with my original email

@SebMilbank I got my account back by revoking the two factor security authentication. Have you tried that?

@llggeorgia The prize was being booted off twitter

@SebMilbank so how did the spotify podcast competition go?