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James Cartlidge

UK Politicians Twitter/X

Platform:

X (391) Instagram (157)

#62

X Rank

162,095

Score

Shadow Defence Secretary

Role

391

Posts

137,991

Likes

12,052

Comments

353

Avg Likes

Avg Comments

150,043

Total Engagement

384

Engagement Rate

15.7

Posts/Week

Daily

Posting Regularity

Metrics are based on tracked posts and calculated averages. Actual performance may vary.

17,051 followers

Data last refreshed: July 17, 2026

Engagement metrics shown below reflect data as of this date. Current X stats may differ.

20 posts

The DIP is still unravelling: reports that cuts to forces’ housing are not £300m as feared, but actually £3bn. In government, I took the decision to buy back the defence estate to enable a complete...

Defence & National Security Military Spending Armed Forces Jul 16, 2026 View on X

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data as of 17 Jul 2026, 07:09 BST

Chagos Chaos Latest - I hope these stories aren’t true & that Burnham will join us in firmly rejecting Starmer’s terrible deal. If he did, he could follow our lead & use some of the cash du...

Defence & National Security Defence Procurement Armed Forces Military Spending Jul 13, 2026 View on X

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data as of 17 Jul 2026, 07:09 BST

Tax-Free Reserve Service is our plan to attract thousands more people into the Reserves. Today we’ve launched a calculator to show how the scheme could help you👇 https://t.co/SfDDjUKlQ9

Defence & National Security Armed Forces Taxation Jul 10, 2026 View on X

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data as of 17 Jul 2026, 07:09 BST

On Defence, Labour are “up to” their old tricks. https://t.co/3XUoqnPttF

Party Politics & Leadership Labour Party Armed Forces Jul 08, 2026 View on X

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data as of 13 Jul 2026, 07:10 BST

Defence Ministers failed to answer any of our questions yesterday, so I've written to the new Secretary of State to ask again👇 https://t.co/AXwVBbeOoG

Defence & National Security Armed Forces Ministerial Standards Jul 07, 2026 View on X

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data as of 13 Jul 2026, 07:10 BST

The Defence Secretary thinks it's ‘performative’ to ask about the £5bn IOU for the next PM that blew up the Defence Investment Plan... not sure Andy Burnham would agree. https://t.co/wTyib0Al7G

Defence & National Security Military Spending Defence Procurement Jul 06, 2026 View on X

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data as of 10 Jul 2026, 07:08 BST

Atlantic Bastion is Labour’s key programme for delivering a hybrid navy. So how much have they spent on it in total… £1.49m (that’s an m not a bn). https://t.co/zp1lY0OGzU

Defence & National Security Defence Procurement Military Spending Labour Party Jul 02, 2026 View on X

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data as of 6 Jul 2026, 07:09 BST

DIP unravelling (cont)… turns out Starmer has left a £5bn unfunded black hole for Andy Burnham. Is the DIP already dead in the water?👇 https://t.co/gvVnrcChWF

Party Politics & Leadership Public Spending Regional Investment Labour Party Jul 01, 2026 View on X

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data as of 3 Jul 2026, 07:13 BST

DIP unravelling (continued)…

N/A N/A Jul 01, 2026 View on X

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data as of 3 Jul 2026, 07:13 BST

The Defence Investment Plan is barely 24 hours old but it’s already completely unravelled. https://t.co/s8knyQ8EQ3

Defence & National Security Defence Procurement Military Spending Jul 01, 2026 View on X

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data as of 6 Jul 2026, 07:09 BST

DIP unravelling (cont)… from chaos to unadulterated shambles👇

Defence & National Security Defence Procurement Armed Forces Jul 01, 2026 View on X

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data as of 6 Jul 2026, 07:09 BST

Confirmation that funding for the Defence Investment Plan is no more than what Healey was offered - which begs the question👇 https://t.co/u8nV1x3wBz

Defence & National Security Military Spending Defence Procurement Jun 30, 2026 View on X

219

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data as of 3 Jul 2026, 07:13 BST

Starmer announced the DIP at @MalloyAero in Maidenhead - the same place I launched the MOD’s first ever Drone Strategy in Feb 24. But back then we led the world in drone warfare, supporting Ukraine...

Defence & National Security Defence Procurement Armed Forces Ukraine Jun 30, 2026 View on X

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data as of 3 Jul 2026, 07:13 BST

The Defence Investment Plan isn’t just inadequately funded, the capabilities it boasts off don’t enter service till the 2030s - that’s far too late when the threat we face is right now.

Defence & National Security Military Spending Defence Procurement Armed Forces Jun 30, 2026 View on X

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data as of 3 Jul 2026, 07:13 BST

DIP unravelling alert - no denial by Jarvis of £300m cut to forces’ housing; no detail on £10.7bn ‘efficiency savings’; Healey says DIP ‘will still leave Britain unsafe’; the 2.68% spend in 2030 th...

Defence & National Security Military Spending Armed Forces Jun 30, 2026 View on X

220

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data as of 6 Jul 2026, 07:09 BST

Busy morning on the media round discussing the long overdue Defence Investment Plan. https://t.co/tXjgnMQ2p6

Defence & National Security Defence Procurement Military Spending Jun 30, 2026 View on X

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data as of 6 Jul 2026, 07:09 BST

Yesterday we announced our new policy - a Tax Free Reserve Service. Read my full piece in the @Daily_Express below👇 https://t.co/Ht68eQx9O4 https://t.co/zgdbfEcGAs

Defence & National Security Taxation Armed Forces Jun 28, 2026 View on X

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data as of 3 Jul 2026, 07:13 BST

A message from the Shadow Defence Team on Armed Forces Day. #ArmedForcesWeek https://t.co/jfWohHrFDN

Defence & National Security Armed Forces Veterans Jun 27, 2026 View on X

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data as of 3 Jul 2026, 07:13 BST

John, I said your resignation was honourable - I hope you will do me the courtesy of admitting who was responsible for reversing Annington. Yes, it happened under a previous Conservative govt in 19...

Party Politics & Leadership Conservative Party Leadership Ministerial Standards Jun 27, 2026 View on X

174

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data as of 3 Jul 2026, 07:13 BST

Tax Free Reserve Service - our new policy to incentivise growing the Reserve to 50,000 personnel. Other nations are using conscription to boost their Reserve. We would use tax cuts instead, funded ...

Defence & National Security Armed Forces Taxation Benefits & Welfare Public Spending Jun 27, 2026 View on X

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data as of 3 Jul 2026, 07:13 BST

RT @KemiBadenoch: Keir Starmer has confirmed he knew about Mandelson’s continued relationship with the paedophile Epstein when he appointed…

Party Politics & Leadership Feb 04, 2026 View on X

14,171

Likes

742

Cmnts

2,352

Reposts

data as of 11 Feb 2026, 20:55 GMT

On Iran, it’s quite simple – we must stand with the brave protestors. https://t.co/I14WUZo4yV

Foreign Affairs & Diplomacy Jan 09, 2026 View on X

11,222

Likes

1,295

Cmnts

2,397

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data as of 11 Feb 2026, 20:55 GMT

RT @KemiBadenoch: Enough is enough. We need a full Cabinet Office investigation into how Mandelson and his husband took money from the paed…

Crime, Justice & Policing Feb 02, 2026 View on X

8,811

Likes

515

Cmnts

1,413

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data as of 11 Feb 2026, 20:55 GMT

Total shambles - Labour surrendered our fishing rights to get access to the EU’s Defence Fund, but confirmation today that they won't be getting a penny. Exactly as I predicted six months ago👇 http...

Party Politics & Leadership Nov 28, 2025 View on X

8,807

Likes

132

Cmnts

2,231

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data as of 11 Feb 2026, 20:55 GMT

RT @KemiBadenoch: The announcement of a police investigation into the Mandelson scandal is welcome. But it should not distract us from aski…

Crime, Justice & Policing Feb 03, 2026 View on X

7,266

Likes

354

Cmnts

1,024

Reposts

data as of 11 Feb 2026, 20:55 GMT

RT @Conservatives: Jeffrey Epstein. Peter Mandelson. Sir Keir Starmer. This is the story of one of the shadiest scandals in British histor…

Party Politics & Leadership Feb 04, 2026 View on X

4,698

Likes

398

Cmnts

1,104

Reposts

data as of 11 Feb 2026, 20:55 GMT

Keir Starmer worked with disgraced lawyer Phil Shiner, who hounded our veterans through the courts on false charges. Now, he’s back to try it all over again. Help us stop him: https://t.co/Sr9H3...

Public Engagement & Campaigning Apr 24, 2026 View on X

4,479

Likes

Cmnts

1,366

Reposts

data as of 1 May 2026, 07:14 BST

RT @NJ_Timothy: Labour are spending millions of your money… … to remove dead people from NHS waiting lists… … so they can boast they’ve c…

Health & Social Care Feb 02, 2026 View on X

3,069

Likes

152

Cmnts

1,212

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data as of 11 Feb 2026, 20:55 GMT

Chagos chaos latest: last May the Defence Secretary claimed that without Labour’s deal, the UK would face legal rulings “within weeks”. But surely he knew that Article 298 of UNCLOS exempts milit...

Defence & National Security Feb 20, 2026 View on X

2,683

Likes

138

Cmnts

954

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data as of 22 Mar 2026, 00:36 GMT

Diego Garcia latest - whilst we await official UK confirmation on concerning reports that our sovereign territory was targeted by Iranian missiles, surely even Labour MPs can now see what Starmer’s...

Defence & National Security Mar 21, 2026 View on X

2,182

Likes

106

Cmnts

355

Reposts

data as of 27 Mar 2026, 07:06 GMT

On Iran, it’s quite simple – we must stand with the brave protestors. https://t.co/I14WUZo4yV

Foreign Affairs & Diplomacy Jan 09, 2026 View on X

11,222

Likes

1,295

Cmnts

2,397

Reposts

data as of 11 Feb 2026, 20:55 GMT

Ukrainian flags are flown from buildings, worn as badges & displayed on x profiles to show sympathy with their people - bombed & brutalised by Putin, without provocation. For a new Reform c...

Foreign Affairs & Diplomacy May 16, 2026 View on X

940

Likes

758

Cmnts

197

Reposts

data as of 22 May 2026, 07:11 BST

RT @KemiBadenoch: Keir Starmer has confirmed he knew about Mandelson’s continued relationship with the paedophile Epstein when he appointed…

Party Politics & Leadership Feb 04, 2026 View on X

14,171

Likes

742

Cmnts

2,352

Reposts

data as of 11 Feb 2026, 20:55 GMT

This is painful - to see a former colleague I respected reduced to spouting Reform’s Lord Haw Haw lines for pulling down the Ukrainian flag. Nadhim, you’re better than this. In your heart of hearts...

Party Politics & Leadership May 16, 2026 View on X

1,008

Likes

612

Cmnts

166

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data as of 22 May 2026, 07:11 BST

How is Norway able to fund such a Defence budget when we aren’t? One factor is they’re still drilling in the North Sea - we buy their fossil fuels from the same basin we deny ourselves the economic...

Defence & National Security Mar 28, 2026 View on X

945

Likes

516

Cmnts

204

Reposts

data as of 3 Apr 2026, 07:10 BST

RT @KemiBadenoch: Enough is enough. We need a full Cabinet Office investigation into how Mandelson and his husband took money from the paed…

Crime, Justice & Policing Feb 02, 2026 View on X

8,811

Likes

515

Cmnts

1,413

Reposts

data as of 11 Feb 2026, 20:55 GMT

RT @Conservatives: Jeffrey Epstein. Peter Mandelson. Sir Keir Starmer. This is the story of one of the shadiest scandals in British histor…

Party Politics & Leadership Feb 04, 2026 View on X

4,698

Likes

398

Cmnts

1,104

Reposts

data as of 11 Feb 2026, 20:55 GMT

RT @KemiBadenoch: The announcement of a police investigation into the Mandelson scandal is welcome. But it should not distract us from aski…

Crime, Justice & Policing Feb 03, 2026 View on X

7,266

Likes

354

Cmnts

1,024

Reposts

data as of 11 Feb 2026, 20:55 GMT

UK troop numbers have fallen almost continuously since WW2. But the world has changed & I’m proud to work for a leader willing to take tough decisions to reverse that trend, with a fully funded...

Defence & National Security Mar 07, 2026 View on X

207

Likes

312

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data as of 22 Mar 2026, 00:36 GMT

Question @jtworr - Ukraine or Russia, whose side are you on?

Foreign Affairs & Diplomacy May 16, 2026 View on X

172

Likes

246

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data as of 22 May 2026, 07:11 BST

Rank History

Jul 2026

#62

Jun 2026

-2 #62

May 2026

-6 #60

Apr 2026

#54

Mar 2026

-1 #54

Feb 2026

#53

Jan 2026

+7 #53

Dec 2025

-12 #60

Nov 2025

#48

Content Categories

Defence & National Security 231

Party Politics & Leadership 36

Foreign Affairs & Diplomacy 29

Legislative & Parliamentary Activity 20

N/A 14

Topics & Themes

Defence Procurement Armed Forces Military Spending Labour Party Ukraine Diplomacy Veterans Benefits & Welfare Russia Industrial Strategy Public Spending Small Business Conservative Party Taxation Leadership Ministerial Standards NATO US Relations Northern Ireland Middle East

Top Quartile Benchmarks

Based on top 31 of 124 in UK Politicians

Posts

496

James: 548 ↑

Likes

1,277,595

James: 142,961 ↓

Comments

112,433

James: 12,152 ↓

Avg Likes

1,221.9

James: 260.9 ↓

Avg Comments

184.6

James: 22.2 ↓

Score

1,502,461

James: 167,265 ↓

Posts/Week

14.6

James: 15.7 ↑

Avg Post Length

225 chars

James: 201 ↓