Alexander Clifford

@alexclifford

Research & write on 30s Britain, Spain, Germany. Britain's Iron Chancellor out now! Author of Hindenburg, Ludendorff & Hitler, Fighting for Spain, The People's Army and of the introduction to new release Britain's Iron Chancellor

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Bluesky

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Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· 5d

Got ready yesterday evening

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· 16d

Please tell me about how Andy Burnham can’t be allowed to become an MP because it risks Labour losing Manchester to the Greens… (or indeed Reform)

Result of the Greater Manchester mayoral by-election. Labour 47.1% first preference (66% second preference), closest are reform on 21% and green on 12.2%

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· 27d

Interestingly, the leading figures of the East German allied parties inherited the state after the fall of the Wall. The sham parliament elected in 1986 started acting like a real one and oversaw the re-unification negotiations. Must have been interesting to transition from fake politicians to real

Screen shot of wikipedia on East German rulers, showing after Honecher's brief communist successor Egon Krenz resinged in December 1989, he was suceeded first by a Liberal Manfred Gerlach, and then by the East German CDU's Sabine Bergmann-Pohl

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· Jul 14

The French at their Bastille Day celebrations rn

David Brent in the Office getting sacked and
saying “that’s that ruined”

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· Jun 26

Guess I'm converting 🤷‍♂️ britmonkey.com/2020s-politi...

2020s political compass result giving me Pope Leo XIV

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· Jun 23

The strangest looking result on this funny scale. Anyway, down with free markets! Your overall right-wing affinity is 17%. Take the quiz here: www.edrith.co.uk/p/discover-y... moryscarter.com/vespr/starpl...

Strange shaped pentagon map of my Right Wing beliefs - 0% Nativist, 0% Libertarian, 0% Free marketer, 40% traditionalist, 5% social conservative

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· Jun 12

It was streamed and I emailed Friends of the World of Bede for a recording at the time as I knew I wanted to watch again & pick bits from it. Also because I thought I'd send it to you on here! But didn't hear back - might try again...

List of lecture series at Friends of World of Bede, read here https://friendsworldbede.com/friends-events/

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· Jun 12

Pictures don’t seem to appear on the website version of Bsky so I’ve narrowed it down to 4 and attached again

7th century style dress with necklace and cardboard brooches to hide safety pins

Another dress, different style. Kids developed their own belt with the fabric

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· Jun 12

One of those days that reminds me why I love my job. That was just one of the tasks over the week and so much wonderful work was done ☺️ The north-east Mount Rushmores they made of cardboard were incredible (no pics sadly) but here is the voting booth our incredible repro technician made

Voting booth for visitors to choose their greatest Northumbrians by sticking stars beside their favourite figure

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· May 31

Moors weekend 3 - Philip Snowden’s 1938 memorial cairn on Ickornshaw Moor, a short walk from his home. He “lived his whole life in the service of the common people” Then Ripon cathedral, whose Wilfridian crypt dates from 672(!) The 15th c. choir stalls feature some weird and wonderful creatures

Snowden memorial cairn on the edge of Ickornshaw moor, where he played as a boy

Inscription on the cairn:
In this place mingled with the soil and near to the friends he loved are the ashes of Philip Snowden First viscount of Ickornshaw Who lived his whole life in the service of the common people and died in the love of his native land on May 15th 1937
Below:
Here also are the ashes of Ethel his beloved and devoted wife who shared his labour’s of so many years and died on February 22nd 1951

The crypt of Ripon cathedral, dating from 672. St Wilfred, several times bishop of York, ordered the construction of the stone church on this site, including the crypt and was buried somewhere in there upon his death in 709

Strange monkey like carving, one of many weird and wonderful creatures in the 15th century choir stalls at Ripon cathedral

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· May 30

Moors weekend 2 - Haworth moor and Top Withins, Withins Height The landscape that inspired the Brontës Saw and heard lots of curlews, as well as *cuckoos* for the first time in my life, which was magical

View of Top Withins from about a mile away on the Brontë Way

Little stream at the so-called Brontë waterfall

Top Withins, farmhouse on Withins Height, whose location inspired Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights. The house was destroyed by a lightening strike and is now a ruin

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· May 30

Moors weekend - Cowling, home to Labour’s first chancellor, Philip Snowden I’m rather taken with the place - still isolated and tranquil

Snowden’s house in the hamlet of Ickornshaw, parish of Cowling. Moors stretching in the distance

View of Cowling from Wainman’s Pinnacle at sunset

Snowden’s house, where he was born, grew up and spent his period of disability

Plaque on Snowden’s house. Reads “In this cottage was born on July 18th 1864 the Right Hon. Philip Snowden P.C. First Viscount of Ickornshaw who was three times chancellor of the exchequer of Great Britain

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· May 30

In action at the beautiful Keighley Library today Repeatedly stabbing Philip Snowden in the front on his home turf by explaining why he was Labour’s Heathcliff (in a bad way) A great turnout and some really interesting questions - not least, was he just a conviction politician?

Me speaking at keighley local studies library

Me reading from Britain’s Iron Chancellor, Snowden’s autobiography

The lovely interior of Keighley Local Studies library, upstairs in the library. The Snowden Library - his collection of books, is to the right at the back

Poster advertising the talk - Labour’s Heathcliff: the political revenge story of Philip Snowden

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· May 25

Bede was given to the monastery of Monkwearmouth age 7 and went with Abbot Coelfrith when that monastery founded a sister house at Jarrow In 686, plague hit Jarrow and left only Coelfrith and a 14 year old Bede. In that chapel they sang the holy offices together, keeping religious life going alone

7th century stained glass window in St Paul’s Jarrow

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· May 25

On Bede’s feast day, I’ll share these photos I took on Friday evening of St Paul’s, Jarrow It’s a remarkable 7th century church that was part of Bede’s monastical complex. Contains a dedication stone from 685 and the oldest stained glass in England This is where Bede prayed and preached and sang

Sunset at St Paul’s Jarrow. The right hand section dates from the 7th century and was the chapel within the monastery that stood here and was home to Bede

Interior of the nave of St Paul’s, which was completed in 685

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· May 24

Yesterday’s game: ARVN Rangers v Communists The ARVN had to destroy 6 objectives - tunnel entrances, arms cache, encampment - against unlimited reinforcements of first VC then NVA After surviving a tunnel ambush and eliminating 3 objectives, the Rangers ended up pinned at the river crossing. Draw!

Opening moves of the game - ARVN Rangers emerge from the village, VC move in from the west

Tunnel ambush! VC emerge and engage an ARVN MG team at close range

ARVN Rangers attempt to force the river with their Commander, only to be pincered by NVA reinforcements. The commander was killed and the attack faltered

End of the game, with the Rangers having hit their exhaustion point of 50% casualties. Stalemate at the ford with ARVN MGs having the crossing under a crossfire, while NVA mortars and infantry make the Ranger toehold on the north bank untenable. 3 of the 6 objectives remain intact, including the guerrilla camp in the woods to the west

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· May 16

It is however mildly horrifying to be called French

Findmypolitics results showing which country you are most similar to. Mine is France, with an 89% match

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· May 16

I got progressive realist on findmypolitics.com, which is what I’d say I am. Apparently I’m most like Bernie, as it’s a little US-focused findmypolitics.com?e=-62&so=-28...

Breakdown of my result on findmypolitics.com

Find My Politics Results — findmypolitics.com
Test: Deep Dive · 80 Qs
Closest Ideology: Progressive Realist

Leans left on economics and social issues, but focuses on what's actually achievable rather than what's ideal. Pragmatic about working within existing institutions and building coalitions. Values evidence and compromise over ideological consistency. Obama-era politics and mainstream center-left Democrats are the clearest reference point.

Economic: 62% Left-wing
Social: 28% Libertarian
Civil Liberties: 3% Pro-Liberty
Governance: 37% Globalist
System Trust: 50% High Trust

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· May 15

After this week I couldn’t resist starting this again… it’s so delicious acted, just the right level of camp Already looking forward to series 2 and the brilliant fictionalised Charles. The final scene in which Urquhart verbally destroys the king sends a chill down my spine every time

Start titles to the 1990 UK series House of Cards

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· May 12

Starmer at cabinet: “No but just say that it’s not definite now before you go. I will try twice as hard, I really will, I’m not being complacent and I will- I’ll turn this place around if we just say that it’s not definite now and then we can… if we started from now. Starting from now…”

David Brent getting sacked in The Office

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· May 12

Genuine lol. Run away from your problems fast enough and they won’t exist 😂

BBC live blog on the Starmer situation. Says Starmer refused to discuss the local elections or leadership questions at cabinet and said anyone with issues should come to him individually. He then refused to see ministers individually after cabinet…

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· May 10

May afternoon

View east down the river Tyne of Hagg Bank Bridge

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· May 10

May morning

Whittle dene flowing past the bridge end inn, Ovingham, Northumberland

St Mary’s church Ovingham, towering over the village

The Anglo-Saxon church tower of St Mary’s, Ovingham

They Tyne valley, looking west from above Ovingham

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· May 9

That Keir Starmer article in the Guardian immediately made me think of the brilliant cover of this week’s New Statesman Complete denial about what is happening… this isn’t just a bad midterm dip - it’s an existential crisis. He cannot continue and yet his only response is “steady as she goes”

Cover of this weeks New Statesman, with Keir Starmer as the black night from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, with the headline “Tis but a scratch”

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· May 8

Utter head in the sand madness. In Newcastle, which couldn’t be safer Labour territory, the Labour Party finished behind a mad family group of independents who only stood in a single ward… Labour behind one household of candidates in a city they governed. Not to mention Wakefield, Sunderland etc etc

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· May 8

Looked at 12 seats (half of what Reform won) to check this out and no I'm afraid - combined Lab and Green not enough to beat Reform in any of them

Ward result breakdowns from Newcastle, can be read here https://new.newcastle.gov.uk/election/newcastle-city-council-election-7-may-2026

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· May 8

The final result is absolutely extraordinary From controlling the council, Labour have crashed to just 2 seats, behind a mad family group of indys who ran in only 1 ward And it's Labour's challenge in microcosm, losing votes and seats to Reform and Green in equal measure. How do you win back both?

Newcastle city council election results table. 25 Lib Dem, 24 Green & Reform, Labour 2. Full details here https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2026/england/councils/E08000021

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· May 8

Not seen any big coverage of this but it's a big story imo Newcastle, a totally Labour-domianted city & home to the party central office, is a total wipeout for Labour with over half the wards counted. ZERO seats. The sole Tory to be elected to the council since 1992 has also lost his seat

Table showing results so far in Newcastle local election - can be found at this link https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2026/england/councils/E08000021

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· May 5

Labour's Heathcliff: The Political Revenge Story of Philip Snowden Forsaken by the party he loved, Philip Snowden began a lifelong self-destructive quest for revenge, not unlike another native of the moors... A forthcoming lecture by myself, Keighley Local Studies Library, Sat 30 May 1.30pm

Poster for the lecture, featuring Snowden in front of his memorial cairn on Ickornshaw moor. The text of the poster reads as follows:
Labour’s Heathcliff

The political revenge story of Philip Snowden

Philip Snowden was a product of the moors of Brontë country. With typical Yorkshire grit, he overcame grinding rural poverty and paralysing disability to become the Labour’s first Chancellor of the Exchequer.

But one decision would change his life totally, turning him from socialist hero to traitor and villain and resulting in his expulsion from the party.

Snowden embraced his new role with gusto, dedicating the rest of his life to attacking the party and people he had once loved. His bitter, self-destructive quest for vengeance has strange parallels to a more famous fictional moorland outsider.

Historian Alexander Clifford, editor of a new edition of Snowden’s autobiography, explores the fascinating story of how and why Philip Snowden betrayed his party and then ruthlessly pursued a political vendetta. Was he Labour’s Heathcliff?

Keighley Library, Saturday 30 May, 1.30pm

Alexander Clifford@alexclifford· Apr 19

While scrolling through Youtube looking for a decent introduction to the General Strike for students, I came across one of the most bizarre and unsettling AI slop videos I've yet encountered For context (or lack thereof) I have never come across General Strike sex stories in my studies 👀