2026-08-20T22:13:13Z https://nostr.now Donald Roy https://nostr.now/npub1peaesc6t276ma48734e937ql5g6jln8ecjv9kwh9ya38f65w4ngsruawt0 https://files.mastodon.social/accounts/avatars/112/905/806/340/117/924/original/764368541b48bf1d.jpg https://files.mastodon.social/accounts/avatars/112/905/806/340/117/924/original/764368541b48bf1d.jpg https://nostr.now/nevent1qqszlx348nhw30ec94ufs479mkk6yf2wzgl83k6gaz5x58mv4h4aj5czyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdz40stzv The logistics and phasing of any reform of #socialcare in the #uk look rather daunting. There will be need to be results that are both perceptible and tangible well before the next #generalElection - otherwise things will risk being kicked back into the long grass. That means that something - even if it is very much a first step - has to have been in place and seen to be working in 2028/29 at the latest. Getting there has to limit the duration of any cross - party attempt to find a consensus. 2026-07-29T14:31:25Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqstsqhp2j9z38suzrkd2kw64n2l5n07tmsyx7dezgashqcucrjqveczyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzj6f7sn In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs0acjad07xz6r737plg8ne60gf70fewerhru5yajjew44whekfzmc7h90hz'>nevent1q…90hz</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Not sure whether anyone else has noticed this but the #ukgoverment has just put through a #statutoryinstrument bringing back the #supplementaryvote for #mayoralelections . Just in time for that in #greatermanchester - which is scheduled for Thursday 30th July. That would weaken the case for anyone plumping for a specific &#39;stop Farage&#39; candidate for purely tactical reasons. 2026-06-20T16:20:11Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqspgrw7dmmamk3m6snkmkhgl58zs6n6jyplyw7a4635zx5jylsuj4gzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzh6cvam In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs2j3t7grd6wktunh2cvv59s36jmmtq3unexyff7sdekhtx77qwqxquwa20u'>nevent1q…a20u</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>I think another factor may be the deterioration in the term structure of gilts many of which were long dated or even perpetual until the 2010s. Increasing the churn in order to borrow marginally more cheaply is not necessarily particularly sensible debt management. 2026-05-18T09:13:22Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs9kyy5k9tu4jvyjlme25dg8jrpsm7hwufjpf3yzfa28sx3k7qmr0szyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzjc0uv0 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsd3w50xgltzraddmrqyxyvndywf03zrjsa4yudlvwxa4zkvv0p07qayl23x'>nevent1q…l23x</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>If so this would not be without precedent. #theresamay was in an analogous situation for more than a year. What would be unique would be for a prime minister to have a &#39;supply and confidence&#39; arrangement with their own party. 2026-04-23T07:27:26Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqspldmq5n66rya7dm3temrkp66rdzasp2kr3wlhc7wlx7dtn05psngzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzfq5xdr In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsxwv32e0s5c9jl2q3yg83mvwlszmadfv9nleequ5u7vjfpr5uzgwcxv3vup'>nevent1q…3vup</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>One has to hope that this particular episode will mark the swansong of - the now mercifully departed from #downingstreet - #morganmcsweeney and his friends in #bluelabour and that lessons will have been learnt. 2026-03-29T13:10:52Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsqygkv7vcg29qqhzsvkf7mss3u4zy2whx6fld9q5fse379z7kydggzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzdc5rcx In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqstcs6869kha8ezwpwqnnfpv0lvpwd2pu7jrn3kng0f5u4sw2fj6pq3f0aq0'>nevent1q…0aq0</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>A lot will surely depend on who they - the #danish SDs -lose support to - groups to the right or those to the left. Gains by the right might indeed please the #us but my reading is that gains by the left may be more likely - especially after recent local elections there. Which might in turn raise questions about whether centre-left parties elsewhere should be adopting their approach to immigration! 2026-03-23T21:35:11Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsfnaag2ffkut0utnwjhmtprglcs8un4sjqsguzwulf0dzrdqhe8cczyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzpaf7h6 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsvya97gfcfa6utx3v5lzqdhm4w2u4x7gcjrt5a6t09ycsn56d87cgvp45y9'>nevent1q…45y9</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>However it may prove to be too late. The legacy of #morganmcsweeney , #petermandelson , #labourtogether and their various allies and fellow travellers may be just too debilitating for #uklabour to recover from. However that is by no means certain. 2026-02-22T14:54:50Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsvya97gfcfa6utx3v5lzqdhm4w2u4x7gcjrt5a6t09ycsn56d87cgzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzszts2c In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs9aqk2gus5gqg06wkv029ukgfvxe667nf2ws4lte6tl8lmp00884qdg0n5e'>nevent1q…0n5e</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Just enough of them understood in the summer of 2024 - and one of them - #vidhyaalakeson - was in a position to act - to be able to prevent #shabanaMahmood , #jessphillips and #wesstreeting from sharing the fate of #thangamdebonaire and #jonathanashworth . There are some suggestions that their authority has increased - with the departure of #morganmcsweeney and others. Somebody there may even got round to reading the latest version of #thebritishelectionstudy! 2026-02-22T14:40:05Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsvw84wrxrk7kcg2vgkmhmzznhd347pfup7u6jmglnxgsx2nk2wt9gzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdz3mmzy8 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqswrdr5wwsaene54g92exlhecdnqxev8fa2puutmt0w8p0t5g5xn7g6vl7x8'>nevent1q…l7x8</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>I am not sure that their view of the future is that certain. It looks to me more like a precautionary and prudential move designed to increase resilience. As such it should be welcomed and emulated in the #uk . 2026-02-17T13:45:10Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqstt3cvuhp8stawnzzv03k97ln599fw2yk9hmhu35h7de3g5ur4zpqzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzkwczf4 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsrkg258vxfc7mp8804x93658uxu3lvsk3al2nljh9zp7y3tnn9zzc4pnu2x'>nevent1q…nu2x</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>One should never underestimate a capable educated woman of apparent Dravidian heritage. I do not in my recently-published novel - &#39;The Election - A Modern Chronicle of Barsetshire&#39; - another shameless plug I am afraid! 2026-02-16T10:13:47Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsqrztlznx7z7lpnsxxhcr0gspf5l0ysze7hhav7v2w2qpwwzgqqpqzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzye2teh In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsqc44zjvwhagf2l8f90nscqf6mlw36zkg6e90cva8fjwlt4y6qprq66v60c'>nevent1q…v60c</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>I would have to say that the record of #vidhyaalakeson - who has been in that central team for some years - is rather encouraging. She did have the sense to recognise that a problem was developing with #muslim voters and the clout to get campaigning resources to constituencies where this mattered. Among others #shabanaMahmood and #wesstreeting owe their seats in the #houseofcommons to her possession of both authority and sense, Not sure that they would admit that though! 😀 2026-02-15T17:58:17Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsrjfwkrlzfqlfjfjtv29fw7dl03sz25fpeew3t22amvp0p6fyeunszyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdz4hyzej In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs85ykvc34tvnvhdatu4xlj8ykvu0qypcg827zqx7ucjm3lanyvg9szlse72'>nevent1q…se72</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>This reminds me of #robertsolow &#39;s remark a few decades back that computers seemed to be everywhere except the productivity statistics!😆 2026-02-15T09:53:21Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqst984rwse9jdke6gwrchv8jhv7pjw35dez7lhfqmzq69wl4audgyszyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzwj9chy In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs8fxq9zfc0x5mh4rugpnxf0qhs6mqzrnhkdcc9mxkvseg5qhpsh6slpe8xe'>nevent1q…e8xe</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>I should add that both agents and election courts predate the #ballotAct - which came into force more than a hundred and fifty years ago and assures secrecy of voting. National political organisations/parties became significant after a legal limit was placed on expenditure on behalf of any individual candidate. Rules on donations came in at the turn of the century - in part in reaction to donations by a businessman in #hongkong to the 1992 #conservative campaign., 2026-02-07T21:30:25Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs8fxq9zfc0x5mh4rugpnxf0qhs6mqzrnhkdcc9mxkvseg5qhpsh6szyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzeaygqj In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsga7w0fed5eeyhj8rarxw3ryj2z4kcd0tc4vmmut3jmhsr3duu60czhl3zn'>nevent1q…l3zn</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Breaches of electoral law are a matter for the police and the #electioncommission . The candidate&#39;s agent has been held to be responsible for a couple of centuries. If the breaches are likely to have affected the result it may go to an election court which may impose criminal penalties and set the result aside - although the latter event is rare! National parties are more difficult to deal with although the #conservatives were in trouble after #ukgeneralelection2015 . 2026-02-07T20:56:27Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsgxawc0v5nnqj6szhcu8vzqtqnp4kk0a94292cms03rrnec59anaczyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdz3gulvy In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsq8esq00tq53ctg0z2udc57ujjc6ktqwvuvcfzl9stca5zc6fwytsrzgvg9'>nevent1q…gvg9</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>There were quite a few people on the #blairite wing of the #labourparty who found #mandelson a useful ally and were prepared to overlook a lot. A tendency to favour #dueprocess for ones friends and #duediligence for everyone else? 2026-02-02T21:58:47Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqszz8ztqnuw07qtcktrxhd6hzx8jc5g9ez4wtpmjzyq8hhdqujeeeszyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzxupct9 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs2fphuf0w3wvfl45nsaauj9j2cn5r0nycgt6kzf39gnkug6zc4xlgca2ckk'>nevent1q…2ckk</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>I should perhaps add - rather shamelessly - that the rationale for pre-emptive resignation from the #labourparty is set out on page 215 and a fictional occasion of it referred to on page 259 of &#39;The Election - A Modern Chronicle of Barsetshire&#39; published last November! 2026-02-02T18:19:46Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs2fphuf0w3wvfl45nsaauj9j2cn5r0nycgt6kzf39gnkug6zc4xlgzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdztft4tf In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsgfu289qan232h9jxsp5uct4s7z9qpe0ucunyd4576990zhm4ynacxjwcy9'>nevent1q…wcy9</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>An immediate resignation from membership pre-empts disciplinary action and avoids wider investigation by the #LaɓourParty . However the leaking of confidential government information could lead to prosecution for the common law offence of &#39;misconduct in public office&#39;. I am not sure where there is any limitation on the latter. 2026-02-02T17:51:28Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs2ud99ffgrsxxst3n8km7lezydk2ucpwumzje85wkkkl0lwphvugqzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzq9dkhq In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqszzay4jwyhwsva90duzrz99yxlrvslp9kq357k5jwzvpmp8rmwf8sgdy2fu'>nevent1q…y2fu</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>This reminds me of the intrepid #emilyhobhouse who exposed conditions in #concentrationcamps operated by the #uk in #southafrica at the beginning of the last century. 2026-02-02T14:23:23Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs8ps7j4p2mps29wnl8h3pttrwussqma7dncqjqfnr3en2ranwa84qzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdz0g0x95 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsr7wte8qcr968wr5hq7wteesmhdgwkx4nydvvhcz00j8e25hnnvpc35tajr'>nevent1q…tajr</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>That agrees with both the most recent #electoralcalculus projection and with some stuff in the current issue of the #economist which sees the #greens as the principal challenger to most #labour M.P.s in #london ! . 2026-02-01T10:29:36Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsvvv78wudqtf64cxgvn3kgw0p3ygahhj5dmcjp6cl90yk5jjdckwszyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzkty00y In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsfdy0cvhpad2xkmxf6u6njxk326zvzrfx8m3ernx6e3jpx5m8zjycnnnczy'>nevent1q…nczy</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>It would make far more sense for him to ostentatiously support whoever #Laɓour selects - so the blame for a poor result would have to go elsewhere. It is also worth bearing in mind that #shabanaMahmood has announced that she wishes to abolish #policeandcrimecommissioners and remove the comparable role from those mayors who exercise it. Such legislation if enacted would enable a dual mandate - as #borisJohnson had through much of 2015 and the first part of 2016. 2026-01-25T14:58:12Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs87x8qhf8l98h6cfjed6e5qfd4dm8wchqhcqfplurl84ezs3z9g5qzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdz94eflz In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsd0s68ddcslr2673yqve5c4hm2u2d3uyh4zsgdc3v7agjgdzdjups4sqjcy'>nevent1q…qjcy</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>I do not expect the initial decision to refuse permission to #andyburnham to be reversed in time for him to make the short list let alone the long list. That means that members in the #gortonanddenton constituency #labourparty will not be able to consider him. A quick check on the - publicly available - #electoralcalculus site puts the #greens ahead of #labour - although not by much - and #reformuk in third place there. 2026-01-25T14:44:37Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs2c4gkt9kusqatqxs5whulu303q4pr4lnyr9y8cly69rdv70x5glszyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzfy66gc In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsytng6g69xkk6dqdck69rehyn5p6rsksadrh6rzckwe8auq498rqsdhkcqf'>nevent1q…kcqf</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>I do not know whether I can do so but still think it is worth the effort . I fear that &#39;new movements&#39; will prove to be a series of &#39;will o the wisps&#39; as the &#39;fruit and nut&#39; party has become already! 2026-01-24T20:21:07Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqszaj4c0np05k3y6njp92764fuwgjr4r78rvdn02y35m7nrwyk7e3gzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzpuagd5 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsdxqt2xxag2gatyj5hx64nsg462cxkngzcv6njkdv5y0j7g2hfcrg703qy7'>nevent1q…3qy7</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>If this happened and #labour then lost the seat the most likely result would be a clean sweep of places on the #nec later this year followed by as a sharp a change in the running of the #labourparty as occurred at the beginning of the #starmer era - albeit in a rather different direction!. This might yet save the #labourparrty . However I would much prefer a less dramatic and messy process of change! 2026-01-24T19:55:09Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs90htg876wtrgvnzk7np3msa8863wcx67r4nz7xdvm5l4mva6n4pczyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzpgt7nc In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsflsgjupqd63tw95tyg6l0x02u8wuy3xzgys89s0s4vcm8n6tsu0g2j93qv'>nevent1q…93qv</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>#andyburnham has used conciliatory language in his letter asking for permission to apply. This puts the ball in the court of the hardliners on the #labournec - an immediate block would make it particularly difficult to hold the seat in the forthcoming byelection. And many members of the #nec come up for re-election by the membership later this year. However they may yet be blinkered enough to fall into the trap of blocking him and then losing it to #farage, #galloway or #polanski ! 2026-01-24T18:45:09Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqspssrag4xvvh8hv90769slll75nd55haz3zf9gytmjskmcjxnjl5qzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzp9cdre In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsdtx52mp0ul37fv2sy8edh25nq9rddke0knl6ucjly3d4ltzcw9jqg5wwqj'>nevent1q…wwqj</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>There is one significant difference from them. Data on immigration were based on a passenger survey which had inadequate coverage and was thus entirely unreliable. This is no longer the case . Data are a lot more reliable these days. At the same time most resource allocation decisions are backward looking - something which some local authorities have been very successful at gaming to their advantage . That has yet to change. 2026-01-11T10:58:40Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsqtaxd9z4qnwae7py2wq0uvelv2hmcj0qyrlmnlsdel0fth2hsj6gzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzmccxgt In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs9s9cyl6s9ym7xfnsnl6j2ydtyre6a0xedjmzydxk9gngx6ggqv3ggl38kl'>nevent1q…38kl</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Much the same is true with crime! 2026-01-10T18:11:28Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsfd3hrphrhxr9quwtzj0ts62vdmxyfxm9k0xg7yvmt36z8ndt277szyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdz3dlust In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsqrz9w8ajs6u6v54hfges8072sste0mdc8kgnjytqvfjmdujvf70g5j498q'>nevent1q…498q</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Worth remembering also that diverting oil from #venezuela will improve utilisation of #us oil refining capacity - largely located in places which vote for his party. That would be an immediate benefit to him even if the process of increasing oil production in #venezuela proves to be both costly and lengthy - as I suspect it will! 2026-01-08T15:49:01Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs943xq478r0ncfhgdqn7pc2q9psv332gwvhf6n6rr0s8d5gpuspegzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdze7zw29 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsgw3sln83034cf2spaxyz3fa0340z4gra7mvkqzyjm7dnmwp6ylkchfyax2'>nevent1q…yax2</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Schumpeterian &#39;creative destruction&#39; will work its way into productivity statistics after a lag - which should be rather good news for whoever is #chancelloroftheExchequer in 2027 or 2028! 2026-01-05T09:32:06Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsfkz54g92hgw63r57rxuscjmk5x2apk5vqwhdmke3jl7zqjmprqaqzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzqs3dq4 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs88eecsdukwvgeqx3xcqg9cs5t2my7psusptp70qs9u8aaq3sdppc5jttha'>nevent1q…ttha</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Best not to underestimate the ability of #bluelabour to more than outplay the #conservatives in the role of the &#39;nasty party&#39; ! 2026-01-02T14:52:57Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs2nt95mzywml3wruucpjuvnwfkms6h2404zpl2zyndvd8hlhpfqfgzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdz3zzxaq In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsz0y397e2emaylurx59c2lnz98y6djpdys7vfy7dd9a580fxp4t4c7p8dfc'>nevent1q…8dfc</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>This poses an acute dilemma for the #conservatives because their best prospect for gains in the elections in May lies in #london where they have a reasonable chance of taking two or three boroughs back from #labour. But not if they give the impression of hating the place and its residents! 2026-01-02T13:43:03Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsgpt3zs9afsar466csxeaz95swetv8uvju9slygesmfxcay9437nczyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzd554fh In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsrzxt6j6y0dtncvuw5xx4pnvpl0a080w9wpnej4r3aju85crx2fgqnrwhdr'>nevent1q…whdr</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>The trick for any successful investor is to get off a bandwagon a long time before it becomes a tumbril! 2025-12-31T10:51:36Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsrekt0qvqfpl8wrtfuvgh2qzd6krglc2t0fxmxdaw5d47ec9qj65czyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzr5gv59 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsxm7ttza8pypau80x7sj52px2pj9l5gg7h9sygfceu5q3u0q039lc9vm0cy'>nevent1q…m0cy</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Social mobility should not be regarded as a substitute for equality but as something associated with and thus complementary to it. There is a pretty strong relationship between the two across countries. Occasionally somewhere does better on one than on the other - #France does economic equality better than social mobility while the reverse seems to be the case for the #Netherlands . 2025-12-26T10:42:27Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsrl9qzvn5hr6774dz6enjpactyklkem4r8dalfpntqd7dncq0t5nszyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdza7ngwu In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsxt93cs78a4sm66fpc2x2wyzugfay847ms7pep7cgasvrt6kdz5tgpp74zg'>nevent1q…74zg</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Even after it gets Royal Assent we will still have to see what transpires with Commencement Orders, Regulations and other secondary legislation relating to it. 2025-12-16T18:23:09Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs0jmk0mnx5v9l7gzztrzykus09z5mr57frwghfq327ykawhdd0alszyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzfjka6g In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsps8aymlvg3q5lhw2ueqapmtruhfws05xgqlfv6wft5euv5lt8l4suvfuj4'>nevent1q…fuj4</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Given that there are people in #Downingstreet with past connections to #Resolutionfoundation - most notably #vidhyaalakeson and #baronessshafik - there is at least some hope that note will be taken of this! 2025-12-15T10:02:29Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs0yf5n9sur7lku4wuqz86fa970xgdes4equmn7yz5dfyquft27q7gzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzpd33za In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqstl773tyh2rdf28dmv5ps5ekg3pazlmwumqcm9lvmj2melwtta94q0tszq7'>nevent1q…szq7</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>There is also a timing issue - pointed out in the #ftweekend . It is at least plausible that #uk share prices will decline sharply in the near future as the #AI bubble bursts. It would make far more sense to encourage #nationalsavings and even bring back the ability to purchase #gilts over a #postoffice counter. However nobody will be lobbying for any of that! 2025-12-14T10:27:20Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs858penwhat3cv7700annvzej8a0x94xjjw706zgrmzapzprp00fszyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzdusfd4 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsxz5k04yefj6xjj2pfmehdxacn3fqrz6f2l3x3xrv4gqxvh4hcy0sgu5y5w'>nevent1q…5y5w</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Unfortunately #tonyblair was quite happy to see that attrition continue - as were &#39;ultras&#39; such as #alanmilburn . The people round #gordonbrown were rather more sceptical so the attrition stopped - and was even reversed albeit partially - for a while from 2007 onwards. Unfortunately the business of advocating further degrading of state capacity can be pretty lucrative - especially if the beneficiaries of outsourcing think individuals or organisations can influence #labour ! 2025-12-10T19:55:21Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsx4n9sz5tddm03mp9stqhq5atdkmh7yr6x5ad2jtfr2wdclthm88szyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzdgj552 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs0f6hs0v6z5ez8j7xxgerlad8wjccyhumuk7wmak536l246sz6jzqv4rpkl'>nevent1q…rpkl</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>I think that they may have run up against a problem of reduced state capacity. Dealing with this is particularly difficult because there seems to be an ideological divide within #labour between those believe that this does not really matter because one can always outsource to the private sector - to the extent even of ceasing to be an &#39;informed buyer&#39; of goods and services - and those who recognise how crucial basic state capacity is - and how costly its absence is proving to be. 2025-12-10T17:52:40Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsql9m6ale2u3yerjuanv857hj2p6xc5yqgta2wg6nxnnk2eyltk4czyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzwrvfpg In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs8y679w3q0hxp362as5nx8d62j2jvtuysnvgmnue4eq20vrta9e7qe3sxek'>nevent1q…sxek</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>The risk has to be that the prospect of watering down of legislation at the stage of commencement orders, regulations and other matters not on the face of the bill will prolong uncertainty for business while creating an opportunity for any number of questionable &#39;consultancies&#39; and lobbyists to &#39;muddy the waters&#39;. Not clever at all! 2025-11-24T20:15:33Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs8ul2fa058pyfj2n2cnnesg6cxtrvy9u8kpqqfudv4lvzd6msjg8szyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzc0zxwz In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs9a7z2rnk6zamvl2yknta5jcl36hj82vs9rfg76l20putyfy489qgq95tyw'>nevent1q…5tyw</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>One problem is that the provisions both of the Parliament Acts and the Cranbourne/Salisbury Convention only apply to primary legislation and the latter only to items explicitly in the manifesto . The House of Lords can block secondary legislation such as commencement orders and detailed regulations time after time again if it chooses. To the extent that ministers have chosen to rely on secondary legislation they have laid themselves open to such tactics. 2025-11-23T10:24:07Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsre6v7mwzdhrethjasgna3avnf08gw5f08yszwqauc3qt99ypu7fszyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdz40fp68 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs20xrlvxsyr9hlwuaf57eas4ngu4njt8hqywtt53trt3mv9ftd34clgv324'>nevent1q…v324</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>I just wonder how long before someone claims that he is a political prisoner! 2025-11-21T18:02:52Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsvamzgalztmk4qqlw6mezarzeyd3v93q2rtwyuj9drcmam9pkjhzgzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzsuht9w In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs26846qd9pqd6fukuyxqtkd2rnhmv9u7urf9h0eyhmqgg5twaa20cl5khz9'>nevent1q…khz9</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Historically there have been substantial barriers to entry by new political parties - for example #labour only contested two thirds of seats in the 1923 General Election and the #liberals less than a sixth in 1951. These barriers have diminished markedly in the last half century and especially in the last quarter century. So voters have been offered much more choice - although this does not appear to have increased their satisfaction with the political system! 2025-11-09T16:43:51Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsps3wmtekyyey9wn8jcmaqfp7efq2sayyzggtsl66jyekn50gsyaqzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzjym3su In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsguccx5uy29eh62n79de9nyvlu7tg66vpd8mp5kqqahm04jdvl0pgtwp60e'>nevent1q…p60e</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Furthermore the most recent survey has been criticised for bias towards #london because it takes more account of housing costs than its predecessors. This criticism has come explicitly from #lukeakehurst - now an M.P. in #durham . 2025-11-06T14:50:32Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsguccx5uy29eh62n79de9nyvlu7tg66vpd8mp5kqqahm04jdvl0pgzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzaytnek In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs02nw58a8k3039lhv022hkq4jezqc8hg7mx5pvrhulnxu4evezfgq6mn3xs'>nevent1q…n3xs</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>The survey is an excellent piece of work but deserves a rather less superficial analysis than a simple North South divide plus coastal communities versus urban centres dichotomy. Even aggregated to local authority level there is evidence of quite serious relative deprivation ( the 20% most deprived category) in parts of Greater London and disaggregated down to neighbourhood level severe relative deprivation can found in leafy and affluent #london boroughs. 2025-11-06T14:20:46Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs0rf0ekvh4a4kw3snr3wrflxaj0kpzgrlg50m530vck48xpf5fz5czyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzkxxu0q In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsrdhu3j2hr39z2dglufcw33w2tak3jpm8akk789sukcpsvpu2qxucyp60wj'>nevent1q…60wj</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Something rather similar happened the other way round with #pfi schemes in the 1990s and 2000s when remarkably high valuations were made of the supposed transfer of risk to the private sector. I seem to recall that when someone had the temerity to suggest that there should be a rational and transparent process for doing this the idea was stamped on from a great height! 2025-11-04T13:14:34Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsz7cvmwjqy0w3qq330nv2xhtqe39k5r984e6amsqj24kpzjtap5wszyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzn3gzxx In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsrn8gpsmcszs7yscq066kd9uwlzjcj49mcwu25murfrd5j9scam3c7eaufq'>nevent1q…aufq</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>In the same context but in lighter vein I wonder whether the time has come for someone to commission new versions of two films I saw many years ago - &#39;The Manchurian Candidate&#39; (perhaps Anglicised as &#39;The Mancunian Candidate&#39;!) and &#39;Morgan - A Suitable Case for Treatment&#39;? 😆 2025-10-26T18:05:56Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsrn8gpsmcszs7yscq066kd9uwlzjcj49mcwu25murfrd5j9scam3czyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzp366l4 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs2xpnw6smh8nndwxvskl8qs67f79m64qagwq497npkcxjtqkzs3tqgmzv7w'>nevent1q…zv7w</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>It is unlikely to be anyone else - if only because almost all the others have gone - other than #vidhyaalakeson . She however appears to have been cast into the classic female role of clearing up a series of messes that others have made through arrogance and carelessness. - starting with the haemorrhage of #muslim support for #labour in the run up to the 2024 General Election. #shabanaMahmood and #WesStreeting would have lost their seats without her redirection of resources. 2025-10-26T17:32:06Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsyvj0mx5ds0ma38qpwmpf5nsd4nam8njmqx6d3uzv5dald8l9q7lczyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzaxmla7 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsvzy20jjp0qwxwh2rl777uud7yq944x7r4ep4sndqrn3qfte8lzfs4wadn4'>nevent1q…adn4</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>The piece by #andrewrawnsley in #theobserver is interesting about the treatment of #lucypowell . It claims to have heard that #keirstarmer was unable to give a reason for removing her from the cabinet other than that he had been told to do so - presumably by #morganmcsweeney ? Couple that with an outbreak of briefing against the #cabinetsecretary - a career civil servant appointed less than a year ago - in the last couple of days and things begin to look seriously dysfunctional! 2025-10-26T16:55:42Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsvzy20jjp0qwxwh2rl777uud7yq944x7r4ep4sndqrn3qfte8lzfszyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzmjf3ey In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsttwx5ucmxm8fmeq2z5n3ygta2knx2m75ff33mzc0s4d64fr4h0qgvcfxyz'>nevent1q…fxyz</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>This is significant because #simonfletcher - the author of the piece - was part of the #starmer team until the summer of 2021. Also worth looking at is the critique of #starmer by #stephenbush in the #ft this weekend. From provenance much further left comes &#39;The Fraud - Keir Starmer, Labour Together and the Crisis of British Democracy&#39; by #paulholden. Although written from a #corbynista perspective it seems likely to contain a lot of verifiable - and even verified - material. 2025-10-25T17:46:53Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsythupx8pgarlv5q7myvc3dw0496fhgxd90dfj9rawvt3e2lx62wszyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzf09rxl In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqstg2n8a3nq0h3uztwyf9aq73k3qe5lrhu755dr3l3gexaqr2hcfuc87x7d2'>nevent1q…x7d2</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>The irony is that a return to defined benefit schemes would ease the #uk government&#39;s supposed funding problem by increasing demand for lower risk assets such as #gilts ! Odd that #torstenbell cannot see this! 2025-10-23T14:58:33Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsy6whcs88l3kwhza6nj3r6p8zc5w9zu00xm25wevu7wsdjepdjugszyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdztgvhh2 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsga0syl5spdlr3um0pd8c4tg46jeh5y8p60m0gphae3ukanrznspcykk2l6'>nevent1q…k2l6</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>What has happened to cocoa and coffee prices may well be attributable to climate change. However I suspect that there may be another more traditional explanation for what has happened to beef, butter and milk. The &#39;pig cycle&#39; was a familiar part of any course in agricultural economics - when I was at #university in the late 1960s. I suspect that something similar may be happening with beef and dairy products currently - a &#39;cattle cycle&#39; - which should ease in a year or two. 2025-10-21T14:37:31Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs03fyw2us8a4mdznwt7zmreemaemjldtf00ewrcq5kl32pmwalkdqzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzyy0sxq In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsd69tfqryk4e5y8mmzrjpl5hfhtuluh84vz5lrelyy8nhwrjgdpdsv35zdu'>nevent1q…5zdu</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>In the late 1970s there were quite a few macroeconomic forecasting models around - several of which were funded through the ESRC. There was then a cull in the early Thatcher period. What the creation of the OBR has done is to outsource the Treasury&#39;s own forecasting model and process. 2025-10-18T09:10:19Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs9z2ekaxr276dwtw7us2kansdqtfl6h7hfg78jedn49q3ag2cgqzqzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzufcqpr In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsv8dgds34lm3d77et6rfmqhgd90ckt3dpstkun99x9g0tcjkcscfg9anyzp'>nevent1q…nyzp</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>This suggests to me that the idea of pre-distribution through intervention in the labour market - by raising the living wage - can work to some extent. It may, however, be hitting the political buffers - at least in the #uk ! 2025-10-17T09:17:07Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsqynfpdsk8r4cp9zesyqacgzreau2655atlg9de8zlrce2hkaut8gzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzj75u95 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsxtxnaf0nrd0sqawxd0cfckemm08lcz44d84v89ce65am95t6mx8c3u4zwe'>nevent1q…4zwe</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>But one facilitated or even induced by the change in remit of the #bankofengland in 1997! 2025-09-17T16:59:11Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsrtdhxhrme6s3d2v2526q2nyts27pk0704a8yn8zl9zaxaaugfxmgzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzkvasm7 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsrw9kmcm2e560xmkvgp92r0eta5pj0cw94nc59x0wwhvlq3d78tdgl3fyyf'>nevent1q…fyyf</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Inflation-adjusted #uk house prices seem to have fluctuated around the level they reached in the runup to the 2008 financial crisis over the 2010s and thus far into 2020s. This is very different from the experience in #london - where there was a further rise in inflation-adjusted house prices during the first half of the 2010s. 2025-09-17T16:08:45Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsrw9kmcm2e560xmkvgp92r0eta5pj0cw94nc59x0wwhvlq3d78tdgzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdz7qykgg In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsd8fjsj3y5298q8xgy7huzk4vjkl6ckpnrqan2286kxulgae2djmcs3eq9r'>nevent1q…eq9r</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>The #london divergence in inflation-adjusted house prices emerged after 2008, peaked in 2016 and has declined somewhat since then - although it still seems significant. 2025-09-17T15:50:45Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsd8fjsj3y5298q8xgy7huzk4vjkl6ckpnrqan2286kxulgae2djmczyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdz92tq4y In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs0mghlsctak38zsj7ce2y3zznyj7vk76s7nf7spl5uaxp6yqc4pvq89g7xa'>nevent1q…g7xa</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>The timing is intriguing. The sustained rise in inflation-adjusted #uk house prices appears to have started in the late 1990s . This was before significant net immigration from the #eu but just after the #bankofengland was given both independence and an inflation target which excluded both asset prices and housing costs. I can recall #sircharlesgoodhart being extremely worried about this omission at the time - and saying so. 2025-09-17T14:57:53Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs0mghlsctak38zsj7ce2y3zznyj7vk76s7nf7spl5uaxp6yqc4pvqzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdz6nah6h In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsxqmt300hd20k3r7hshxk9xt5s6vawul9c6d22she5eaa9nqk609gyewn2a'>nevent1q…wn2a</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>The housing market in the #uk appears to have changed radically towards the end of the 1990s. Earlier despite fluctuations the level of house prices did not change much in relation to prices in general - it seems to have been roughly the same under #johnmajor as it had been under #edwardheath . It then tripled in less than a decade. Across the #uk it is still two and a half times the previous level while in #london it is close to four times. This divergence occurred after 2008. 2025-09-17T10:02:46Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs0fgq270cttzf86vysyux7h7jexm8r3k6x0za6ljsz8xh53sqw0zszyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzf4y5wv In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs2q7z24y5cuygzjl7chzx5xsnhcflgpxsvm4m3mjze5hqhz588sgq75wdlt'>nevent1q…wdlt</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>I would have to add that there is even inconsistency in the degree of inconsistency across the #nhs The acute hospital sector has experienced far less imposed organisational change than primary care and public health - let alone representation of the patients and the public! This has meant that any notion of moving emphasis away from the acute sector has been stillborn. 2025-09-12T09:20:48Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqspc70e6hd9fukku2cjj9vja4lcu6xfczpweaufanld4l3e903vz2czyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdznmxdya In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsgp7d4nlu2uxhm0pyz7lc4zgf7nvwwr9haz4mk7jc7fkehsx6wk2s6amr3a'>nevent1q…mr3a</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>It is not first past the post but ranking in order of preference. 2025-09-08T21:16:18Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs23a8ep752gx5jfynz87kn02hy3lc9h4m8sqexl8xhg02290zu0mszyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzsw6ex2 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsgwzmx54efphlkypa04ehlj38fwwg586ac5ytzyj0dj98vrjvk6ucfnvn5r'>nevent1q…vn5r</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>We should know later this week who got sufficient nominations to reach the starting line - my guess just two or three people. 2025-09-08T20:13:09Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsdc3dhdzke7yykmry34h0ucnqz4lwwhnrltl29wd09t0g0ywc2f6czyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdz46727x In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsg8f8qpstg960wuelk98j486ycx7628m9swvh6s0qmtdctjgx0tdc5laqau'>nevent1q…aqau</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>It s remarkable just how many people around #starmer spent time at the #Resolutionfoundation - officially non-partisan and with a #conservative former minister - #davidwilletts - as its chair. #torstenbell , #minoucheshafik , #vidhyaalakeson are obvious examples but I must confess to having encountered #rachelreeves at a meeting organised by it a few years back. My impression was that they were particularly concerned at working age poverty and ready to increase tax if necessary! 2025-09-07T12:29:59Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs8f5uh243d3n4d6w0nffdrnjdln75jtq4g09vgz0gtmd7ul4ch9tczyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzu98607 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsr68t4nuv6e78mykvwhdczgz66jxcanrt7yh658jeehz60qkavezs2jx2qz'>nevent1q…x2qz</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Not just the departure of #angelarayner but the movement of #jonathanreynolds to another role and the departure of #justinmadders to the backbenchers would enable this - if someone had this in mind! 2025-09-06T17:08:59Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsvxefufmw2rxklyspppa39h6wx9e954p0g6nlskc6xd7qapcjvksqzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdza4td80 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsqmamw0mehyd5yakay7t2hldtf4h9d7m5sfvpxmful7k0wq835kcghyeng2'>nevent1q…eng2</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>A constraint that has emerged is the quality of #hmrc software - according to the #ft today it cannot cope with the in year changes to capital gains tax rates in online returns for 2024/5 ! 2025-08-30T19:17:42Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqspkqd8nlfpjnv93h3pr0q7splpduljqrwe8f5wa80nzsld7n2l6jgzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzyq7saq In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs8fw9zmw5tyc9l7p0fgh93f3yy522yacya9un97jrn53uj58amj5s4kk03f'>nevent1q…k03f</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>On the other hand the right wing website &#39;Guido Fawkes&#39; have denounced her - so she may be good news! 2025-08-30T12:45:49Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs0xrjfkshmzl6tkwr5mlsx95yk5n30la9lkj5krkz058xttf96daczyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzkrr76c In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsvmvf0rs9jp2l79f62ppm62qtlc43nw2v30fmkvl85hprpggvk9ag58x3kq'>nevent1q…x3kq</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Arguably the - presumably unintended - degrading of the output of the #ons is an even more flagrant example. 2025-08-24T14:41:39Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqswewnzjjm4nasd2ewjzgs7w8y0e984np70ge380xgur6fa7fh72lqzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdztlx6t7 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqspsdv2csjfrv5jfa736dueash6d49ccd6fu65dyzh80eyn45znlkck4lgrz'>nevent1q…lgrz</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>That is also why private business investment in #sicily - where crime was relatively &#39;organised&#39; - was much higher than in #sardinia - where it was much more individualistic! 2025-08-22T16:17:20Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsy0yz4tvcgt3au76f0gneycalyyxah3ygdc2r6n8w2hguqsec36pszyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdz2uytkw In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsdh0l8patuw8fssf34kcadmxljl5m7gpgrdp9f4yput5apje4y3rcsmt5jv'>nevent1q…t5jv</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>The table includes a further six economies. In descending order of size these are #italy , #türkey , #mexico , #southkorea , #spain and #canada . It is perhaps worth recalling that in the late 1980s #italy overtook the #uk in size of economy - &#39;il sorpasso&#39; - although it did not maintain this for very long! 2025-08-21T13:25:04Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsdh0l8patuw8fssf34kcadmxljl5m7gpgrdp9f4yput5apje4y3rczyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzujrzug I have just seen a table in the #ft showing the #imf ranking of estimated size of economy at purchasing parity this year <br/><br/>Notable features are - #China is No.1<br/> <br/> - #US No.2<br/><br/> - #india No.3<br/><br/>#Russia just makes it to fourth place, narrowly ahead of #japan and #germany .<br/><br/>#Indonèsia is No.7, followed by #brazil , #france and the #uk - which just remains within the &#39;top ten&#39; in size. 2025-08-21T12:56:02Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsret3qfecntgld8anl920eppdxdfevjcqtqreda852aumqdzqwglqzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzdc0tdq In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsw77rk52c44klrw7c292wk04jtjm2uacqhk6mfwehh6c5vr4jjuvg43mpjm'>nevent1q…mpjm</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>That may explain why the announcement of the outcome of the review of #localgovernmentfunding originally scheduled for #15August has not taken place yet. 2025-08-18T17:12:15Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs2auy7pxt7r0mjzf088yxd4np3xgus7ymcts8zk33dq6kffkz7qvszyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzq8fq4u In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs9c75qu7tp3f3r6a7yepmwm0fay2r2qcq4949k0g7jscztr2lj8sgfxlu0t'>nevent1q…lu0t</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Not just the political class! I have spent decades trying to get academics specialising in poverty/ income distribution to recognise the existence of relative price differences - without all that much success!😩 2025-08-15T08:37:05Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsv8634s2zyz0jn4nd5elftjwl0zk2ggg2agxpqa88qqsd3v7ummgczyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzt2d5n7 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsz527azpvlnzzk03nvcwrwkm6z0n05q2kqk7gf2gzxxyj7my84stsl0rjue'>nevent1q…rjue</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>To judge from what happened when he set aside a particularly scandalous superinjunction they may not get what they want. 2025-08-11T17:32:13Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqswgw0svg2kvfckpz4ggxhx2xhmccjt4pf9uzuech6m6dfdzq8dsqczyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdz3tnrw4 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsz3yh7ejhjk0vpah007zun0fruyex84tsttydaxzruh8x65qcesgsfhw94j'>nevent1q…w94j</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Also worth seeing what #justicechamberlain decides in November - which could invalidate the original decision to proscribe and thus all convictions. 2025-08-11T17:25:28Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsyqnduxgven32smkxqzc6rwv5alrch6ce5erjec9ne5834drxg2nczyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzdc3ej8 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsdnf63nvcjqsx76z3hxnldk99u66k472efa5g6t5ftrwpqcmlpgpc48sr3a'>nevent1q…sr3a</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>I had best declare an interest in that #wandsworth - where I live - is one of the #boroughs in #innerlondon most affected. If pushed I would be willing to campaign in a local referendum for an increase of more than 5% in council tax if the alternative were major cuts in services. I might not like doing so but would be inclined to prefer the unpalatable to the disastrous! 2025-08-08T12:32:44Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsdnf63nvcjqsx76z3hxnldk99u66k472efa5g6t5ftrwpqcmlpgpczyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzjp94vx In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsx5pwtfndt0xd9kusxavjrpvdkvkud5u3apzza4cxpxkjjm30elrgh4hykc'>nevent1q…hykc</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>A complication is that several of the most conspicuous losers are councils under #labour administration - most notably in #innerlondon . Managing redistribution is likely to be very tricky - particularly if councils are not allowed to increase council tax rates by more than 5% p.a. without either special permission or approval in a local referendum. Having said that some of the ideas proposed - such as including a &#39;sparsity factor&#39; to help thinly-populated areas - are long overdue. 2025-08-08T12:13:39Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsfucngukkmlc00fpctvpj5m4xxep3ug8pj4k9p6aqrg5332clgyhqzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdz9gzmn7 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsfz5cpcwj42lrpda6dx2huuvykfwkugcsuawzz6yccm37ldgtc7yg88rqd6'>nevent1q…rqd6</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>As I understand it she did try to sell the house while it was unoccupied. There may be another narrative here as to why this particular story emerged at a time when she was involved with proposals to tighten electoral law which would reduce if not eliminate the number of loopholes used to fund politics in the #uk . 2025-08-07T14:31:12Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsgtr37whunfe4eq0l9r664p0y4ll3ax48p3txd6ll3ku8ds5v9jsqzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzhf8jjr In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqswmv43g33pnyq4kszgl4k3ctfsw9rfxe89c4a5uj2wdmgv4xthz9smad5wy'>nevent1q…d5wy</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>The changing composition of crime in #englandandwales fits a pattern identified by #economists in the #homeoffice more than thirty years ago relating to the business cycle. Property crime is counter-cyclical while violent crime is pro-cyclical. This analysis upset #conservative ministers but was still published. 2025-08-02T13:03:37Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsrl56yhmhczfg9lffk79akljrrlwznkwpwwhcpnd0pv74tlfaq7qgzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdz58jeaw In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs2jnrc4ar06h24c6dsaukl27t5at694v2x25r2ymd94cg02k38pps4jk0l9'>nevent1q…k0l9</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>The appointment of a former editor of #thesun to head #uk government communications suggests that senior female ministers can expect to get even more attention - although perhaps not in a particularly appropriate form! 2025-07-28T17:21:53Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsgdcz2gw86el6gy5f9l7vu0lpunttvqlr7m3686hxesndnep4jtwgzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdz8g03ss In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsgamv78k65lh8kdeaxjt3ta3gqk8ylhlnzvz649f7n67k39yv76ngelgceu'>nevent1q…gceu</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>This is likely to have a delegitimising effect on democratic politics unless actions are taken to mitigate and offset this. In the #uk the forthcoming legislation to tighten the rules about political donations will be crucial in this respect. We will need to watch like hawks for attempts to water it down or even shelve it. 2025-07-28T07:54:02Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs0ueyt0pfc7ccfs8tfgxawyy2v4ttmx08a553z9l5zjg7gfncfy5czyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdz6hwfkc In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsr4rpm6thdj8xr3jnp7umg73wwzcrjsj6xncc63qyf06gkgqs5suq2zk8dd'>nevent1q…k8dd</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Can anyone remember what happened at Betteshanger in the early 1940s? 2025-07-19T19:43:35Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsrnkr20hh6ck02a9h6xhs6k68v67sk4pwksuruhrurlt6xpq3yefczyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzuf6j3v In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs2frwfepm09hln33eqrl97hks63dg6czqlydy7uscpc7kllunuthcd4p6cz'>nevent1q…p6cz</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>It ought to be possible to abhor all forms of #racism equally without having to assume that they are all the same in every particular. 2025-07-18T16:59:30Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsf6udj4353tgpzhzzzc3n8dwnmev3m0nr0f8vrvfffv8hc6c8zf2gzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzw7cxyx In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsfxvyyrs9mh8peuhc9ykfsey6jr3sfst5pszp32nw00996k9dwt6s6arttl'>nevent1q…rttl</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>I was not arguing about growth in the 1950s. I was making the #alanmilward point that #nationalisation resulted in accelerated productivity growth the whole way to the 1980s privatisations. 2025-07-07T17:31:37Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsy4s8gfyp6v8q3lgluxcy3gfvcpxm58vqv89hzhhtp4zamahcanjszyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzjw0aql In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsprlnykd5t2anaju9620rlgx5lqxev0t02lztc2deeh60x7hpxtfg6effsw'>nevent1q…ffsw</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Whereas #attlee&#39;s experiment actually succeeded in increasing growth in real GDP per head thereafter - although that was not its purpose! An example of obliquity? 2025-07-07T13:12:45Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsdz3nk9ek58vsk6pc65yufgclrkdtsj22w6gmvse56rxwdn6qw8fqzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdz24ku85 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsxezaxqef9fyhpvhwx5fry42tw6ggf9z82ryydcr8cud9yz6zsjgg60j5r6'>nevent1q…j5r6</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>This is a serious programme based on the ex post evaluation of #surestart - which generated far more benefits than it cost. Spoiler alert! Last month I attended a conference organised by the #ifs on precisely this subject. It ended with a conversation with the ultimate - if relatively benign ! - #centristdad - #edballs . Better him than #bigballs determining policy! 2025-07-06T14:16:10Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsrek6kmmgm28n4f8u507erelgzj5msa9ag9j4dweh8g33972rt2dszyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzag76hu In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsvqffcp6r85aa5xhr6cr5zttznck2lfpr3urwuvcl89qtg6z76edsmtx464'>nevent1q…x464</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Another change which would be wise would be to move the term structure of #gilt issuance back towards longer term bonds. This would put servicing costs of public debt up a bit but would reduce the amount of refinancing required. The term structure of debt was a past source of stability which was jettisoned too lightly by #georgeosborne ! This may look like #financialrepression but if so it is hardly the &#39;full fat&#39; version that existed between the 1930s and the 1980s. 2025-07-04T19:26:41Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsvqffcp6r85aa5xhr6cr5zttznck2lfpr3urwuvcl89qtg6z76edszyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzsyc0re In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsfg3ne0u4pwckjc6zm3e8a0ursv8t35zfj3l7rfl3he5hk5h688xgm0f8fe'>nevent1q…f8fe</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>The #ft also points out elsewhere that the rally was driven by big players who saw an opportunity for a bargain. Which suggests to me - at any rate - that confidence may be rather less fragile than various commentators and interested parties suggest. #uk #gilts may well be seen as less risky than #ustreasuries in current circumstances. It may just be enough for the #uk to build in a bit more headroom/resilience into its projections to avoid &#39;bear raids&#39; on #gilts . 2025-07-04T19:12:36Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs8t364d8p62c6epqcrhxcurlsqejvrh2fqavktl03223gyall2lhszyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzrxdzha In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsrxyd0yg44sc7a0p4xtf5lpumhnz38n28l4ux6975vz0sy0zhgwdcj407mn'>nevent1q…07mn</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Others see it as somewhere where the classic social democratic model where a mass party linked formally or otherwise to organised labour still has traction. The case for this has been best set out by #davidbrady in &#39;Rich Democracies, Poor People&#39; . It seems likely that the #labourparty members, the #tradesunions and most of the #parliamentarylabourparty believe they are living in a #davidbrady world - unfortunately it is not clear whether those in charge in #downingstreet do! 2025-07-01T11:00:27Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsrxyd0yg44sc7a0p4xtf5lpumhnz38n28l4ux6975vz0sy0zhgwdczyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzz9zykw In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs2pyp4dq87xkw8mzm6rltc3vhk50n5t0w32s6ehhshfe6sm4un28sq9r8pj'>nevent1q…r8pj</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>The problem is that #UKLaɓour is unsure what world it is operating in. There are those who see the world as one of #postdemocracy - a term coined by #colincrouch more than a quarter of a century back - in which though formal institutions may remain political parties are reduced to electoral machines at best and policy discussions limited to experts at best but more often lobbyists. #colincrouch saw both the #italy of #silvioberlusconi and the #uk of #tonyblair as examples of this. 2025-07-01T10:43:19Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsrz20kuq0lpekhsfkszpeejnjx30y6y89k7hnyuf9g6m06f9pgckqzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzcq6cn6 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsyny7k0w8k86m5evezwn03skymtwqm0q3gqgcztd27hyjktzxgdqqprhmcg'>nevent1q…hmcg</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Another interesting effect is that almost everyone on the #statepension will 😀 fill in a self-assessment form for tax since the triple locked pension will exceed the personal allowance.. The form includes their national insurance number. As it happens a national insurance number is now required when applying to vote by post - an application which lapses and would have to be renewed every three years. So fiscal drag will support postal voting and reduce #votersuppression ! 2025-06-28T16:52:15Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsqs6c2mhsreuxwwfnklctqaglqm5kxqtwneylr0gya04ekc492emszyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzfkmf2x In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsxw6ae57wnkn5d37xxss6ufy8wmh4vzx5edmpsxkpx0m5za2cd6tg4kyfac'>nevent1q…yfac</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Which means that the current #uk government has a maximum of three years in which to be seen to deliver improvements in material wellbeing. This may well be possible. However a lot of the sensible stuff it can do will take time while all kinds of dodgy lobbies will be pushing for it to do seriously stupid stuff in the meantime - much of which can be expected to backfire quite quickly! 2025-06-18T06:25:17Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsvfw4f86n664sqphjtk44ves6s900w2qgee307psdap8uva0pmlwgzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzmddy4n In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsq72sm4az6ux8rnk9rv5relgam5cl0jv7fry5dj75try3ys04xqzsssqsv3'>nevent1q…qsv3</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>For historical and personal reasons I am particularly keen on including #stik in distributional calculations. However I do suspect that the argument has been overdone slightly on this occasion. I also have a feeling that health spending may be rather less redistributive at the margin than overall. This is I fear something of an academic argument since I doubt whether #labour officials can understand the issues let alone communicate them! 2025-06-12T08:46:45Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsfuzfz2jnk7qudqv8dmrxvlzuw2eqm8ur7zwa4vh6jcpc9jjkc8mczyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzczr56a In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs94dzasjjhssex8ckwenuf9jyjlva7szjlrwman6g80pns6z5u8eslflaey'>nevent1q…laey</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>There is rather more redistribution in the #comprehensivespendingreview than would appear at first reading. However it has taken the form of #socialtransfersinkind - usually abbreviated to #STIK - rather than cash. #nhs spending has been estimated to have a particularly strong redistributive effect so the concentration of growth in day to day spending on health will have turbocharged this. So quite a strong case can be made - but not clear #labour communications are up to it! 2025-06-12T08:28:56Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsztfecjsv9l33e0ymgvg5fetr7fhfw74e6dvtnt44cytxd4rqqheczyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzyplyd0 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs0hdtyarpmhlzkf5p84uhha76rrsv7alydsg3x42prw845fcch4zsgtqlnz'>nevent1q…qlnz</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>The #us healthcare system can indeed be learned from - but in aggregate as a spectacular cautionary tale ! It can sometimes get things right at a granular/local level - as I found when on a visit to study the #hospitalforspecialsurgery in #newyork twenty three years ago That particular piece of learning influenced the development of the #southwestlondonelectiveorthopediccentre at #epsom - something of a success for the #nhs. 2025-06-11T08:38:01Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqswu49qvmh3h203h3m0uvmvv0sala4tv0u0a36xtne0t7ak32x4hhgzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzs0302d In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsv3v0rd8ktshquf09sydvttm3zh5475z3xpkpq33grlvrxsvd5ddqafldr9'>nevent1q…ldr9</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Tacit knowledge and experience ought to be of value to the individual - and can support institutional memory - except that in the #uk there seems all too often active hostility to any form of institutional memory - which could, of course, explain why things seem not to work very well and gratuitous but costly mistakes are made on a routine basis! 2025-06-08T14:14:30Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsf9pzezqclvesxwnxwlf0zjr7f8hjpaevggefmn7ypjqlsyt4ltdszyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzszu0wv In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs8e0l89qcg4d0mdxamyrvqggqm006h4puptsjk2s8gdd8kzg64xdcafqs2a'>nevent1q…qs2a</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Yes I did. Clever but silly because the argument is extendable almost infinitely - to concepts like social capital , social impact bonds etc. Which means that it will arouse suspicion among lenders. National accountants have been flexible enough to reclassify research and development spending as capital - as indeed they have with much military equipment - after a proper process. Furthermore they think they know how to depreciate physical capital but not human capital as yet! 2025-06-08T13:14:54Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsqwhytmf6yjtynj9caf9pnftmma4z7nfhkle7zcl9ncnezlkvl4mqzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzajj30a In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsyc3fvfcdnrjc0lh0tfyt4hq3np4s22xq9wfjqrez5uwkqymywm2cc5yn0c'>nevent1q…yn0c</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Half a loaf - in the form of capital spending funded by borrowing - is still a lot better than no bread! And not pressing the Bank of England to hit the 2% p.a. inflation target too soon is a bit of a nod towards credit creation by the state - otherwise known as &#39;seigniorage&#39; - although best not made too explicit - and in my view less likely to cause worry to lenders than playing clever but silly games with the definition of public investment! 2025-06-08T12:58:27Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsqdk4fyvu9pkzf6qq2cwwk20940nhk3uwf6ftkzy3ltsfqhhwresszyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdz0czpcu In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsqm7xkqrenyt6zzx56c0lm5jp8fyznwveqf2mztlyefdctf3kjrxczjdv9q'>nevent1q…dv9q</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>I would be very cautious indeed about preferring administrative data as opposed to survey data. 2025-06-07T12:43:31Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsy92fuf6t834udzf7lt38z0scwrsg52sdqgqz998le4rneh59yvjqzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzzz8zgk In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsygtxazrhwk6ys4gswm8cpyrausr03pa82dvelzhhk8xtlnke68qqzma4fa'>nevent1q…a4fa</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>So a lot hangs on whether #angelarayner and #rushanaraali are able to see the bill through into law in the next year or two. They deserve support on this - particularly against opponents within #Laɓour ! 2025-06-02T17:22:05Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsygtxazrhwk6ys4gswm8cpyrausr03pa82dvelzhhk8xtlnke68qqzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzjvjqgg In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsdctt9xegnz6zr0539ucwze4e3klps4tg7kg902yvjppn0l3e4y7sus7rdy'>nevent1q…7rdy</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Which is why the forthcoming #electionsbill will be crucial. It needs to clean up #partyfinance in the way that the last #Laɓour manifesto would have proposed were it not for the alleged intervention of #waheedalli and #morganmcsweeney . If it does not then #us experience will not just be an awful warning. 2025-06-02T17:03:49Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqspug3ht8zwp0fzm3hxulfud98nc44m73ujg4pl8v2s46r4sdq0chgzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzds3534 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsgx69jws8cp6e24e00x3l6djnau2nl9mmkq2fcespqvk7gp9ky27set4c3t'>nevent1q…4c3t</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>They are there because groups like #labourtogether and the heroically misnamed #labourtowin saw them as useful auxiliaries against their #corbynista opponents - just as the latter earlier on had made use of some pretty unpleasant groupuscules themselves. History is littered with cases where supposed auxiliaries get out of hand - the #freikorps in the early #weimarrepublic being the classic example! 2025-06-02T11:30:53Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsf29269dx969vavz7pp6f28nmlpnhp4zdkvwew2237qfkw7953hhgzyq88hxrrfdtmt0k5l6xhyk8cr73r2t7vl8zfske6u5nkya8236kdzw0zjvx In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqstffcpnl8yzvhvh047840j3qfwx72quu3y2qdgmeet8c2p3er78scxp3859'>nevent1q…3859</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Unfortunately they are capable of operating over a wider spectrum - as the renewed monstering of the #attorneygeneral #richardhermer for daring to speak up for the rule of law - even international law - and citing #carlschmitt as a cautionary tale of where rejection of this can lead - shows only too well. I fear that they may be taking particular pleasure in going after the equalities minister - #seemamalhotra - who happens to be both female and of #southasian heritage! . 2025-06-02T11:13:31Z