Simon Atkinson

NEW Ipsos Update. International consensus that “my country should not get involved in the war”. London takes top billing in Europe’s Best Cities ranking. Ahead of its 250th birthday, 88% of Americans say there’s an urgent need for greater national unity ipsos.com/sites/default/…

Oxfordshire is looking glorious! Here are some great photos sent in by our Weather Watchers 🥰 👉 Share your picture here: bbc.in/4d7A4hW

Ipsos, mid April

NEW @Ipsos Generations Report. Featuring Empty Planet author @darrellbricker on the realities of population decline, and why AI may not save us: "Robots don't buy a new dress to go to a party. Robots don't buy baby carriages. Robots don't buy anything" ipsos.com/en/ipsos-gener…

If Starmer goes that would be 5 different PMs in five years, despite two of them having historically large Parliamentary majorities… Impossible to plan, strategise and deliver even medium term economic plans, let alone long term thinking going on elsewhere…

It’s a beautiful morning in High Barnet ☀️

Ireland will not broadcast the #Eurovision this week - and instead of the final, RTÉ will air a repeat of the Father Ted Eurovision episode A Song for Europe rte.ie/entertainment/…

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🗳️2026 London Local Elections: DONE!

1 in 4 Americans followed news around King Charles III’s recent visit to the US closely. The new Ipsos poll also finds a notable shift in how Americans perceive the broader relationship between the two countries. Take a look. ipsos.com/en-us/does-us-…

Happy #Caturday from Millie in Barnet ☀️ 🐈 💤

We are only in May, but the @ftweekend has hit peak 2026 already 🎾 Apparently the number of courts has gone from 69 in 2020 to 1,553 today, and players from 15,000 to 860,000! 📈

@oxtweeter I will most certainly fill in the form, but just to say I always had a soft spot for Damian Batt

Oxblogger is 20 years old this year. Who are your favourite players of the last twenty years. From Rob Duffy to James Constable and from Kemar Roofe to Cameron Brannagan. Or maybe Ivo Pekalski to Agon Mehmeti, weirdos. Choose your favourites: forms.gle/bHHEAxGQwiVhQf…

@theiaincameron Great map, and there’s so much more texture within. For example in my home county of Oxfordshire it’s getting quite “west country” even by Oxford, whereas Banbury older folk have a midland twang blended in

It never ceases to amaze me how many completely different regional accents there are in the Black Country, north-east, and north-west England. That the Bolton twang of Fred Dibnah is only 20-odd miles from the Scouse of Wayne Rooney will never not be a source of wonder to me.

@rfj1966 @RhynesThe You get extra points for fractions of a mile like 1/4, I reckon

@SimonMAtkinson @RhynesThe Fabulous post

Stunning Somerset Signpost, newly renovated by the keen inhabitants of Moorlinch. Happy #FingerpostFriday to all @RhynesThe

Barnet remains firmly in the 2 party system zone! (At least in terms of seat outcomes)

BBC Projected National Share of the vote via @PME_Politics, and change from last year Reform 26% -4 Green 18% +7 Labour 17% -3 Conservative 17% +2 Lib Dems 16% -1

Congratulations to these students who were today awarded a Headteacher’s Award for their achievements, dedication, and commitment to our school community. Well done to each and every one of you! 👏⭐ #NBSProud #HeadteachersAward #StudentSuccess

Newcastle City Council Results (all up) LDM: 25 (+2) GRN: 24 (+22) RFM: 24 (+24) IND: 3 (-3) LAB: 2 (-44) CON: 0 (-1) Labour LOSS to NOC Changes w/ 2022/23/24 (new boundaries).

Chart du jour

Where and when you were born matters, but not everything can be conveniently placed into a handy 15-year age group. We find that similarities between people of different ages can often outweigh the much-talked-about differences. Revisit our webinar now. ipsos.com/en-us/KEYSwebi…

My take on results so far: 1) Reform winning support across England & Wales in a way that suggests they would form a govt if General Election was tomorrow*. Q is could they govern alone or would they need the Tories? 2) In theory this gives Labour a route back - certainly an attack line. But in reality they are losing support everywhere. In vast swathes of the north to Reform but to the Greens in several cities too. Sub 20% national share = really bad! 3) What does Labour do? Part of the discussion will turn to personalities (Burnham popular) but wider question is what is the party even for? Who does is serve? Who / what does it stand against? That question is as important. In fact more so. Maybe in the meantime it should just hunker down and govern? 4) More broadly, we now clearly occupy a fractured multi party system that is extremely volatile. To say what would happen at a future election with any certainty is a fools game. *Of course there isn’t a general election tomorrow. Labour has a large majority too. All to play for might be a bit strong. But nothing is decided yet. And in that majority there is opportunity still.