Sebastian Whale

London, United Kingdom

Freelance journalist and author. Ex @POLITICOEurope, @TheHousemag, @politicshome. Writing a book on whips; John Bercow biographer. Em: [email protected]

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Articles

Coalition Revisited

2 weeks ago | politicshome.com | Sebastian Whale |Alain Tolhurst

The Rundown Podcast: What Can We Learn From The Coalition?
Finally, The London Media Scene Gets a Reset

Sep 6, 2024 | news-future.com | Ian Silvera |Sebastian Whale |Ed West |Nick Tyrone

PREVIOUSLY:The Myth of The First Amendment Bruising is the best way to describe the past few years for the UK’s media sector. Following the pandemic, you had the invasion of Ukraine and inflation soared to wallet crushing levels — 10% and more. As consumer behaviours changed, the ad market took a hit and many prized media assets were under threat from takeovers, while others attempted to stay afloat.
A tribute to Andy Murray

Jul 8, 2024 | whalemigration.substack.com | Sebastian Whale

With his storied career nearing a reluctant end, I thought I’d share some thoughts on Andy Murray. I wrote something of a love letter to the Scot after he gave an emotional press conference at the 2019 Australian Open, suggesting a serious and persistent hip injury might prematurely end his time as a tennis player. That I was more than five years early in writing an obituary of his career illustrates how remarkable it was that his comeback transpired at all.
Lessons from Writing Non-Fiction

Jan 29, 2024 | open.substack.com | Sebastian Whale

By almost every conceivable metric, as I have found with subsequent, ill-fated book proposals, my first experience with publishing was not, let’s say, typical. With an idea for a book generously planted by my then-editor in the late summer of 2019, I wrote a speculative email to a publisher well-known in Westminster circles for political memoirs and the like, many of whose offerings I had read and enjoyed.
All I Want for 2024 is One Lousy Pull-Up

Jan 8, 2024 | whalemigration.substack.com | Sebastian Whale

Happy New Year, one and all! I hope Father Christmas delivered the goods and your post-festive weight is shedding like dandruff as we plod through the interminable month of January. Before I begin in earnest, some quick housekeeping. The more observant of you will have noticed this landed in your inboxes on a Tuesday rather than a Monday morning. I figured I’d switch things up for the new year and bother you as the week settles in rather than right at the start.
101* Interviews, a Video, and a Quote

Dec 10, 2023 | whalemigration.substack.com | Sebastian Whale

I’ve done something a bit different for today’s newsletter. Fear not; our filming budget has already increased since this exceptionally choppy and amateur effort (it was one take, believe it or not!), which I include in its entirety because it will make me laugh to watch back when we get the hang of it. We even have some fancy lights and a decent camera now, so you’ll be able to see my droopy eyelid in even higher definition.
Cleverly Done

Dec 6, 2023 | whalemigration.substack.com | Sebastian Whale

How to solve a problem like sky-high net migration? That’s the conundrum facing the UK government after the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revised its figures for 2022 to show that 745,000 more people migrated to Blighty than those who left for new pastures. Part of the government’s knee-jerk solution*? Put a price on love. Specifically, the government is proposing to increase the required salary to £38,700 for a British citizen to be able to bring over a foreign spouse.
Pareja de hecho

Dec 3, 2023 | whalemigration.substack.com | Sebastian Whale

Two years ago this very day, walking along the Vistula River during their first weekend together in Krakow, *James thought he was on the verge of passing out. To understand why, we first need to rewind a bit. WhaleMigration is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. They had actually met in Scotland a month earlier.
A day in the life of a tall person

Nov 12, 2023 | whalemigration.substack.com | Sebastian Whale

6.00 a.m. My girlfriend’s alarm goes off. She apologises softly. I say don’t worry, and rollover. I notice my ankles are sore from my feet hanging off the end of the bed. I tuck my knees and soothe my tendons. 6.10 a.m. My girlfriend’s alarm goes off. She apologises. I say don’t worry. I adjust the pillow between my legs, which helps with my aching hips. I make a mental note to bring up the “duvet thief’s mysterious return” at breakfast. I wonder who it could be.
Rishi’s problem

Nov 5, 2023 | whalemigration.substack.com | Sebastian Whale

A controversial thought for you early on this Monday morning: I think Rishi Sunak is doing OK as British prime minister. In some specific areas, I’d go so far as to say he’s done quite well. Before you break your keyboard in a rush to unsubscribe, hear me out for a second. WhaleMigration is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. First, the bad stuff.