Emeritus Prof Christopher May

Retired Professor of Political Economy
(Lancaster University, UK - retired 2021)
(also #ProfDJ across the Lune Valley)
Contributor: North West Bylines #NoBridge

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Last Notes

2026-04-18 08:34:30 UTC

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@nprofile…rc8f
Agreed, and this is where he seems to lack the skills (interest?) required

2026-04-05 14:31:53 UTC

Those seeking to push the green transition, might thank the Tangerine Tyrant & his attack (with Israel) on Iran;
price signals are a powerful economic force & so a rise in energy prices should encourage further efficiencies (reductions in energy use) & also aid the (continued) expansion of the use of alternate energy sources.
The Govt. still needs to help with 'transition costs' but price rises help the transition to renewable energy!
But at an *awful* cost to Iranians!
#GreenTransition

2026-04-04 07:54:56 UTC

I have posted before about how men are complicit in toxic masculinity when they (we) don't call it out in casual or 'normal' social interactions.... well, imagine what its like to be a female teacher in schools where the social media impact of the mansophere is shaping young male minds.
I've been persuaded that a total social media ban is not the answer, but the Q. then is: what should we do about this social rupture?
#manosphere #schools #ToxicMasculinity
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2026/apr/04/masculinity-crisis-brewing-uk-schools-teachers-union

2026-04-03 04:57:49 UTC

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@nprofile…cz6y
Yes, the shift into the (quasi) mainstream requires skills that they haven't bothered to develop, and now they're more exposed than they'd like.... the Q. is whether they *do* develop those skills in the next year or so, I suppose

2026-04-02 21:34:36 UTC

ReformUK Ltd's key problem is it is full of people who do not seem to understand that you can no longer say one thing to a group of people keen to see their prejudice reflected back at them, and then something else to a wider public you're trying to convince that you are a reasonable & mainstream political party.
Social media allows just too much cross (in both senses) messaging to get through.
Its almost as if they don't really understand the modern world?
#ReformUK #politics #SocialMedia

2026-04-02 17:03:24 UTC

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@nprofile…0k7v
No, one of the reasons the Brexit referendum went the way it did is the link to Europe is weak (not just to the EU).... even though the UK has over the years become more European (especially with the younger generations), there is significant feeling that Europe is somewhere else... and indeed, this is partly due to the social orientation towards the US (partly due to the languages issue - speaking another language is not as common as one might hope).

2026-04-02 11:41:09 UTC

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@nprofile…0k7v
yes, but also how willing the British are to accept they are *European*.... not an easy shift for some

2026-04-02 11:19:25 UTC

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@nprofile…0k7v
Quite a lot; if only the UK was better trusted in the EU (but we have, as we say our here: 'pissed in our chips')

2026-04-02 08:51:25 UTC

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@nprofile…0k7v
Well, that's an interesting point - while not completely self-sufficient our production is not insignificant - but of course controlled by a small numbers of MNCs

2026-04-02 06:10:16 UTC

Some great music from the 80s, no.46
Shalamar. A Night to Remember
This slice of LA-based pop-disco is a great bouncy eminently danceable party record. Driven by a strident drum sound typical of early 80s disco & a great bass line, its a classic pick-up record, enlivened by Shalamar's characteristic ensemble vocals. There's nothing particularly subtle going on here, but sometimes you just need to bounce on to the dance floor forgot it all (especially right now!).
#music #80sClassics #disco

2026-04-02 05:28:27 UTC

Having awarded a major contract to (controversial) data firm Palantir, a growing number of NHS staff are refusing to work with the firm's tools for ethical reasons, with wider passive resistance to its deployment.
One manger said: 'People are saying, ‘I refuse to work on this software. You have to find something else for me to do’... They’re calling it a workplace adjustment. [as] if you were disabled & needed a different desk, they’re literally treating it like that'!
#NHS #Palantir
h/t FT

2026-04-02 05:18:49 UTC

The FT reports 'Ofcom found that this social media use was “becoming more passive and circumspect”, with around half actively posting, sharing or commenting — down from 61% in 2024'.... and this might be something to do with 'the number of people who think the benefits of being online outweigh the risks had also dropped — to 59%, down from 72% last year'!
Is that finally we have passed peak social media?
Have people realised Big Tech are *not* our friends?
Hope so!
#SocialMedia #politics

2026-04-01 20:37:19 UTC

As Aditya Chakrabortty points out, as we head into a worsening economic crisis prompted by the US/Israeli attack(s) on Iran, we can also be sure that not everyone in the UK will be suffering to the same extent as the crisis deepens.
As always the key structural condition to understand our plight is the UK's character as an unequal political economy with a large sector of low paid precarious work impoverishing households (even in 'good times').
#inequality #politics
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/apr/01/inflationary-shock-pay-the-price-uk-energy-crisis-us-iran-war

2026-04-01 20:15:22 UTC

Why has NATO seemingly shifted its stance on getting involved in military deployments to (re)open the Strait of Hormuz?
Because, it now transpires that the Tangerine Tyrant threatened to withdraw support from Ukraine unless NATO members pitched into the US/Israeli initiated Iran conflict.
Obviously we shouldn't be surprised, the TT is always transactional, but this (to me) represents a new low even for him.... a complete disgrace as a human being!
#Iran #Ukraine #politics
h/t FT

2026-04-01 17:16:56 UTC

Today Keir Starmer said:
'It is increasingly clear, as the world continues down this volatile path, our long-term national interest requires closer partnership with our allies in Europe & with the EU'....
the problem is that until the UK understands that such a pivot requires a proper partnership, not the cherry picking (termed 'our red lines'), this statement will remain the usual declaratory politics (with little actual practical importance).
#EU #UK #politics #brexit
h/t FT

2026-04-01 05:36:10 UTC

There's lots of talk of the need to wrench Europe out of its dependence on US software & digital services/products.
In Schleswig-Holstein the local government has got on with it; over the last two years they've migrated a range of digital functions to free & open source alternatives
No-one is saying its easy, but equally as this small German state is proving, it is certainly possible!
My guess is a lot of public sector IT mangers are watching very closely!
#BigTech #OpenSource
h/t FT

2026-03-31 17:12:16 UTC

The BMA is looking to expand the industrial action in the NHS;
whatever you think about the merits of their case, if they win the ballots of consultants & speciality medics what this will conclusively prove is the Wes Streeting has completely lost the confidence of the medical profession.
How long can a Minister of Health survive after such a profound breakdown of trust?
The answer may be tied up with whether Keir Starmer wants him to succeed or fail?
#NHS #politics
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/mar/31/bma-ballot-senior-doctors-england-strikes-pay-dispute-escalates

2026-03-31 17:02:52 UTC

As the Tangerine Tyrant lashes out at reticent allies, chaining the 'The USA will remember!!!' actually his bigger issue is that the allies he has insulted, tried to manipulate & then ignored, whose economies have been damaged by his reckless actions, yup, they're all going to remember too.
The TT may think the US can go it alone, but my guess is in the next couple of years that strategy is going to become unstuck with potentially very difficult consequences.
#USPolitics #Iran #Trump
h/t FT

2026-03-31 15:16:31 UTC

Our changing world:
In 1975: 31% of the global population lived in rural locations, and 31% lived in cities... the rest (38%) live in towns.
in 2025: 20% live in rural locations, 45% live in cities, and 35% are living in towns.
This suggest an exodus out of the country & into cities... which likely reflects the decline of agricultural employment & the clustering of work (and wealth) in cities.
Nothing you didn't know, but a pretty quick shift!
#cities #economics
h/t Delayed Gratification

2026-03-31 09:37:57 UTC

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@nprofile…60lh
yes, the issue of its impact on pricing & more vernally inflation is a key issue.... otherwise it would love the situation where we are (if it had to be topped up on a means tested basis)

2026-03-31 05:43:23 UTC

Many in Big Tech argue that the 'answer' to AI's social disruption is Universal Basic Income; but the Q. is: if that's the case how would you fund it?
For followers of Modern Monetary Theory, this may be the wrong Q. as the state *could* choose to create the money/credit to do so....
For mainstream economists the answer would need to be higher taxation....
But Big Tech only insist its not their profits that should be used to pay for UBI; so just more sociopathic economics, then!
#AI #UBI

2026-03-31 05:06:50 UTC

As Sarah O'Connor (FT) argues, while Govt.s want to 'unleash' the potential(s) of AI & associated technologies, voters are more sceptical about the positive impact of such deployment, not least as historically technological change's immediate negative impacts hit workers hard(er).
as she sums it up:
'many people feel they are in a speeding car without either a seatbelt or their hands on the wheel. In those circumstances, nobody should be surprised if they vote to hit the brakes'
#AI #workers

2026-03-30 21:03:45 UTC

Zack Polanski is taking the GPEW's strategy of undermining Labour's residual claims to be a party of the left to it logical next step; trying to strip union support away from Labour and get them to commit to supporting the Green Party of England & Wales.
Whether he's successful or not, its a great way of causing Labour even more internal anxiety about the GPEW. Polanski is proving himself to be an astute player of party politics.... interesting times.
#unions #politics
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/mar/30/zack-polanski-meets-unions-in-attempt-to-get-them-to-switch-party-funding-to-greens

2026-03-30 17:17:16 UTC

After taking control of British Steel while leaving ownership with Chinese firm Jingye, the Govt. is now looking to nationalise BS but the level of 'compensation' to Jingye is proving fraught; the UK offered £100mn, Jingye want £1bn.
If agreement can be reached the Govt. may try to ready BS for a sale to a firm committed to revive steel making in the UK, but this seems like a risky move in the current climate.
More likely continuing state subsidies for the time being?
#steel #politics
h/t FT

2026-03-30 11:24:10 UTC

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@nprofile…0k7v
I'm always going to be going with the latter....

2026-03-30 05:35:20 UTC

The Labour Govt. wants to increase the construction of housing (while recognising there is a shortage of skilled building workers, not least of all due to the impact of the Govt.s Reform-friendly immigration stance), and Keir Starmer has declared his support for a pivot to valuing Further Education more highly.
All very well, but then then funding allocations were announced for FE Colleges, it turns out they have received a real-terms cut in funding.
Just hopeless.
#housing #education
h/t FT

2026-03-29 21:23:33 UTC

As Wes Streeting's reorganisation of the NHS (and merger of NHS England & the Dept. of Health & Social Care) creates more chaos, the Q. is: what is it about Health Secretaries that they seem always to see reorganisation as the answer?
Is it because, in our political class' commitment to general management as a skill, incoming Health Secretaries really have no idea how the NHS works & so try to transform it into something they recognise?
A form of political solipsism?
#NHS #health #politics

2026-03-29 09:18:52 UTC

As criticism of Palantir's NHS patient data system work grows and a number of hospital trusts continue to not use it (and those that are, are often doing so partially), the Govt. is apparently exploring using a break clause in the contract to end Palantir's NHS work.
If they do, I think I can safely say Palantir will not go quietly; expect a challenge to the legality of using the break clause (if the Govt. does) & significant pressure from Palantir's political allies.
#NHS #Palantir
h/t FT

2026-03-29 08:36:24 UTC

Once again state funding of parties is becoming a hot topic; not least due to the revelations about who funds ReformUK Ltd (a company not a political party).
As always the issues remain: how much would it cost (not much - less than £2 a year to fund all parties at the current level); which parties should be funded (a minimum level of support needed; professing to support democracy?); and of course who would decide?
But, the logic is becoming irresistible...
#politics
h/t Ceri Thomas/Observer

2026-03-29 08:17:39 UTC

As a Govt. the Labour Party have proved to be politically cackhanded:
Once again (this time on the proposed 'crackdown' on migrants, including making the leave to remain more difficult to secure), the Govt. has announced draconian measures - crafted most often to appeal to potential ReformUK Ltd voters - then in light of either pressure from, or actual rebellions by MPs has seen it prudent to scale back such promised measures.
Thus, generating contempt both to its left & its right
#politics

2026-03-29 07:20:44 UTC

Whatever you think of having more students with Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) taught in mainstream schools, there's a significant practical problem.
At the vey same time that the Govt. has claimed it wants to reduce burdens on teachers (not least to try & raise recruitment), once again (as with additions to the curriculum) a policy is predicated on teachers having sufficient extra time to provide more teaching;
its madness.
#schools #education #SEND
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c15dzz8z153o

2026-03-29 07:14:37 UTC

As I used to tell my students:
the key problem with economics is that to make analysis & predictions, many economists posit an idealised 'econoworld' & then later introduce elements to modify that analysis so that it starts to reflect real world conditions...
But, this leads to a bias towards the idea that the best economic policies are those which are most likely to establish conditions nearer 'econoworld'.
The disembedding of economics from society is its fatal flaw!
#economics #politics

2026-03-28 21:24:29 UTC

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@nprofile…7nlh @nprofile…mr2m
Do you not think that if the Govt.'s appeal fails, part of that judgement will be a measure to ensure the police are not exposed to what would be a large number of cases of false arrest?

2026-03-28 19:22:25 UTC

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@nprofile…mr2m
No, while the appeal is still running the High Court explicitly said the proscription would stand... thus, if the law is rendered null, the charges will be too, but the arrests were legitimate (in a legal sense, not a moral one) under the law existing on the day. It will be an interesting issue of retrospective application of the law, but I imagine there will be a way round any accusations of false arrest - although it would be fun if this doesn't get into the final judgement

2026-03-28 18:26:18 UTC

So as good as their word, after 18 people protested outside New Scotland Yard with placards reading 'I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action' they have all been arrested by the Metropolitan Police.
They will now of course find themselves in a sort of legal limbo as charges will be dropped (indeed rendered null & void) if the appeal by the Govt. fails to overturn the judgement that the proscription of Palestine Action was itself illegal.
#protest #democracy #politics
h/t Guardian

2026-03-28 18:20:07 UTC

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@nprofile…vt7u
now done, thanks Alex - heads up appreciated - its been a day.....

2026-03-28 18:12:06 UTC

Care homes have become of great interest to Private Equity not least of all as they seem to be a sustainable source of income & profits.
In an excerpt from her new book Hettie O'Brien explores what this actually entails for people in care homes, the staff & those whose loved one are residents.
Its not a happy tale.
#CareHomes #PrivateEquity
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/mar/28/the-great-care-home-cash-grab-how-private-equity-turned-vulnerable-elderly-people-into-human-atms

2026-03-28 18:08:24 UTC

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And meanwhile in the USA today has seen a range of further No Kings marches & demonstrations - if the Right things people will walk quite into the fascist state they are wrong - we know what they are doing & we will not be quiet about it!
#protest #fascism #politics

2026-03-28 18:05:11 UTC

As always the massive Together Alliance march against the far right already involves a dispute about how many were involved - organisers claim half a million, the police say 50,000 (while admitting they found it difficult to count). That's a pretty big disparity... but film on the Guardian website suggests a big demo, so perhaps we might say the average of the two estimates - quarter of a million?
In any case, great to see people out en-masse demonstrating!
#politics
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live/2026/mar/28/london-protest-march-together-alliance-against-the-far-right-latest-news-updates

2026-03-28 11:43:07 UTC

The narrative that all we need to do to solve our energy crisis is to exploit the North Sea more is undermined by the actual output of those field issued exploration & production licences in the last decade... they're not producing very much at all.
Rather than listen to the fossil fuels lobby what the UK needs to do is really push further with the green transition to renewables & better storage.
Here, Ed Miliband is on the right side of history!
#energy #renewables
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/mar/28/north-sea-oil-gas-licences-conservatives

2026-03-28 09:49:34 UTC

Economists will tell you that price caps stop markets working properly... which is all very well, but when we can see that market society is not working well for the majority of the population, some focussed policy of price caps looks increasingly politically expedient (not least of all as there are all sorts of examples of prices caps not causing the economic sky to fall in).
Markets can be modified, have been modified and should be!
#economics #PriceControls
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/mar/27/governments-controlling-prices-inevitable-mexico-spain-cost-of-living

2026-03-28 08:36:18 UTC

The UK bet its future on being open to trade generations ago, and this has intensified as the UK's economy has been engineered into a focus on services rather than manufacturing; so when supply chains are disrupted prices rise & supplies are constrained.
The US/Israeli attack(s) on Iran are now having a wide range of disruptive effects as we know, but the latest to be identified as a potential problem is medicines.... that might be pretty serious!
#health #politics
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/mar/28/uk-weeks-away-medicine-shortages-iran-war-impacts-experts-warn

2026-03-28 08:20:02 UTC

Not only does the UK have a high mismatch between employment & education (which we might have suspected), that mismatch is actually skewed towards under-qualification for role.
While the media are obsessed with graduate working in manual jobs, actually the problem is we have many people working at jobs for which they are under-qualified (accepting qualification are not *everything*).
A key element of the UK's productivity problems?
#productivity #education
h/t Economics Observatory/LinkedIN
https://cdn.masto.host/zirkus/media_attachments/files/116/305/813/203/765/236/original/bf534cbbf9f44fd9.jpeg

2026-03-27 17:50:17 UTC

There lots of interesting stuff in Carole Cadwalladr's latest blog on the Broligarchy's 'war on journalism'...
following the money, she has also uncovered a funding link between Tortoise Media (newish owners of The Observer - her old employer) and Saudi Arabia sovereign funding (via a US private equity house).
As always her blog is detailed & full of only just controlled anger, but if you're interested in the political economy of the media, a must read.
#media #news
https://broligarchy.substack.com/p/the-broligarchys-war-on-journalism

2026-03-27 10:39:17 UTC

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@nprofile…v6fw @nprofile…yj83
Hmmm... I sort of agree with the last comment, but only in those areas where there is a clear international element to house prices (and so this is why the inflation - devaluing of currency) is worse in London where the housing market is much more internationally exposed.... for the rest of the country, its less the case precisely because its much less exposed to global buyers (except at the very top end of the market - country estates etc.)

2026-03-27 08:13:16 UTC

Here's an interesting comparison between the rental markets in UK & Germany from @nprofile…v6fw - which offers some interesting counterpoint(s) to the argument I made in the original post to which this is a reply
#housing

2026-03-27 08:11:25 UTC

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@nprofile…v6fw
Thanks, really interesting analysis; the distinction you draw between rental markets & the manner in which this solidifies class position is really interesting... in the UK, the notion that the lower classes need to be pacified in some manner has given way to a logic of suppression & power - which is one reason we en u having different rental regulation(s).... thanks & will boost thread.

2026-03-27 06:53:40 UTC

Some great music from the 80s, no.40
Bananarama. Venus
Bananarama became one of the biggest selling girl groups of all time, and Venus is a great example of why. A cover of a late 1960s global hit (their's is not the first cover version), this presents a quintessential mid-1980s sound, all electronic percussion & ensemble vocals. There's little subtle going on here but its a great slice of lively & strident pop, also reflecting the brashness of the time. They've got it!
#music #80sClassics

2026-03-27 06:38:49 UTC

The key problem with renting as a long-term solution to housing is that the economic interests of the owner & the resident are seldom really aligned, leading to 'no-fault' evictions when landlords' interest in the property shift (reflecting market changes).
This is why the only way to have a successful rental market is to have clear & robust regulation of this central relationship.
However, too often, our political class think 'free markets' are the solution; no, that's the problem!
#housing

2026-03-27 06:32:17 UTC

Ed Miliband's work as Energy Secretary (not least of all due to the current crisis) has catapulted him into pole position for any future Labour Leadership contest, which itself is a major rehabilitation for his as an ex-party leader.
Whether its because he's an intellectual & that's what the party now seems to think ti needs (as suggested by Gaby Hinsliff) or whether as I suspect its because he's relatively untouched by scandal, he's star is rising (again).
#politics
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/mar/27/ed-miliband-rare-labour-thinker-intellectual-heavyweight

2026-03-26 21:22:28 UTC

It seems the Israeli Defence Forces always thought that there was little if any chance that aerial attacks on Iran would result in regime change... and they told Benjamin Netanyahu so, which leaves one wondering what were Israeli's real war aims - just more scorched earth attrition?
The fact the the Tangerine Tyrant is finding it difficult to figure out what the US war aims were/are (although here Big Oil might have the answer), might suggest he's been played.
#Iran #politics
h/t FT

2026-03-26 18:40:36 UTC

The affordability of housing has dipped from its historic highs (when measured as a multiple of median earnings) - see chart below.
This dip, however still leaves housing across England at just on twice as expensive realty to median earnings as it was a quarter of a century ago (with London even more unaffordable).
Until this ratio is down to at least what it was in 2000 the housing crisis will not be solved - this reduction is a necessary not sufficient condition to end the crisis!
#housing
https://cdn.masto.host/zirkus/media_attachments/files/116/296/927/259/926/728/original/51a2df89e9e89fa5.png

2026-03-26 09:08:53 UTC

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@nprofile…60lh
No they are seeking to punish workers who had the audacity to try and get pay rises to bring their (real) standard of loving back to pre-2008 levels - inflation, which must be squeezed out of the system, despite evidence to the contrary, for the BoE is always caused by greedy workers seeking wage rises

2026-03-26 07:20:47 UTC

Some great music from the 80s, no.39
Queen. I Want to Break Free
I'm not a great Queen fan but this track has become an absolute classic. Driven by a mid-tempo stop-start rhythm & showcasing Freddie Mercury's impassioned vocals & punctuated by Brian May's guitar playing, I want to Break Free is a testament to the band's ability to write anthems. It still sounds great & has a wonderful cross-dressing video with which you are likely familiar!
#music #80sClassics #PopMusic

2026-03-26 07:12:51 UTC

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@nprofile…lhfg
Ha ha... yes, that could be the Met's logic - a target for protestors off the streets?

2026-03-26 07:08:24 UTC

So, after a pause (and perhaps the result of pressure from the Home Office?) the Metropolitan Police are to resume arresting peaceful protestors 'expressing support' for Palestine Action, even though Shabana Mahmood's appeal against the finding that such arrests are not warranted is not to be heard for another month... (although, in fairness the High Court did indicate the law would remain in place until the appeal).
#protest #politics #democracy
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/mar/25/met-resume-arresting-people-who-support-palestine-action

2026-03-26 06:52:44 UTC

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@nprofile…y789 @nprofile…j7pl @nprofile…w640
Only that those looking to Germany as a positive alternative to the UK's economic management, might need to adopt a more nuanced position...

2026-03-26 06:51:03 UTC

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And just to emphasise why the BoE might not in the ned raise rates, the British Retail Consortium is reporting a major dip in consumer confidence.... and as consumer behaviour is a major driver of economic activity, that reduction in confidence may well contribute to a further slow-down in economic activity which (as we know) the BoE thinks is a price worth paying to 'squeeze inflation out of the system'...
#economics
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/mar/26/uk-consumer-confidence-has-collapsed-iran-war-retail-industry-energy-prices-inflation

2026-03-26 06:46:08 UTC

Some of you (especially those of you looking to find a mortgage ) will be wondering what are the prospects for interest rates this year?
While the Bank of England has made 'hawkish' noises about being prepared to raise rates if inflationary pressures worsen, some commentators see this a feint, intended to impact immediate market behaviour (it has) while expecting the imported downward pressure on economic activity will remove any inflation-based 'requirement' to raise rates.
#economics
h/t FT

2026-03-26 06:37:46 UTC

Will the long(er) term impact of the Tangerine Tyrant's collusion with Israel to attack Iran be a period of global stagflation? Given that the UK is already effectively there we know what that feels like (economically).
And if that is the case, we in the UK know how difficult it can be to break out of that malaise when the political class are unprepared to look back to Keynes as the author of solutions & instead think austerity is the answer.
Things are about to get worse!
#economics
h/t FT

2026-03-26 06:30:48 UTC

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@nprofile…w640
Same 'track', surely?

2026-03-26 06:24:59 UTC

So while Germany is often held up by Remainers & others as an example of a different way of organising capitalism, if we look at the performance of Deutsche Barn (the national railway) they might be less keen on the comparison.
DB's punctuality now is worse than the worst UK train operator, and has inspired a satirical betting website where (fictional) bets can be laid on how late specific trains will be.
The problem(s) of under-investment seem oddly familiar!
#railways #Germany
h/t FT

2026-03-26 06:10:22 UTC

A key defence of higher education is its contribution to social mobility, so we should be attentive to *which* universities actually achieve the greater impact on transforming the lives of their students.
You will notice that while Cambridge is ranked 20th & Oxford are rated 34th (Cambridge has improved its place while Oxford has dropped)... its the more maligned universities that do a better job for students life chances!
Just sayin'
#universities #politics #class
https://www.hepi.ac.uk/reports/2025-english-social-mobility-index/

2026-03-25 21:32:41 UTC

Once again Wes Streeting has failed to convince the BMA & Resident Doctors that he his is a satisfactory pay offer; so they'll be on strike for six days from 7th April.
The militancy & truculence of the RDs is a clear indication that Streeting has failed to wi either their trust or goodwill; given most doctors have a vocational interest in health care, we can safely say they're pretty vexed with Streeting.
Time for a new Health Secretary?
#NHS #health #politics
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62j7jx910go

2026-03-25 21:14:21 UTC

After Philip Rycroft's review of foreign interference in UK elections the Govt. has immediately capped donations by non-resident UK citizens to £100k per year & have temporarily banned *all* donations in crypto-currencies.
And, while both the Govt. & Rycroft have explicitly stated this was not aimed at any specific political party, Reform UK Ltd's funding closely matches what is being outlawed.... but the Q. is whether is Reform is a Ltd they might sidestep such constraints?
#politics
h/t FT

2026-03-25 11:31:01 UTC

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@nprofile…eumx
Yes, but also I noted earlier in this thread, centrists have a profound lack of interest in how the current settlement was engineered (to advantage the political class) and this is their achilles heel (well one of a number really)

2026-03-24 22:36:55 UTC

Having shown its an effective gate-keeper for transit through the Strait of Hormuz, Iran has circulated the members of the International Maritime Organisation with an undertaking that non-hostile ships, co-ordinating with Iran will be able to pass through the Strait.
And, the Iranian Govt. is in the process of legislating a formalised version of this, initially ad-hoc arrangement.
The first ships through may be taking a risk, but it may not take long to be normalised!
#Iran #shipping
h/t FT

2026-03-24 18:24:00 UTC

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@nprofile…qwv5 @nprofile…d766
Well, the bit I pulled was from a longer opinion piece in the FT which was pretty OK I thought... if someone else is doing his thinking for him, I cannot say

2026-03-24 18:19:59 UTC

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@nprofile…d766
Which is why I include the ps. Not sure I can either... however insightful his analysis of populism might be

2026-03-24 17:42:58 UTC

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p.s. Yes that's the same Liam Byrne who left the infamous 'I'm afraid there's no money' note used by the coalition to stables a narrative justifying austerity.... but on this, at least, he's saying something more sensible!
#politics

2026-03-24 17:41:08 UTC

Liam Byrne has a good line on populism:
'Populism today is not simply a movement of grievance. It is a venture, with investors and revenue models. It thrives on the same forces that have reshaped global finance: speed, scale, opacity and the monetising of volatility....
[And] they are incentivised to keep countries in a permanent state of agitation. When volatility becomes the product, calm becomes the enemy'!
Populism is essentially disaster capitalism
#Populism #politics
h/t FT

2026-03-24 06:58:06 UTC

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@nprofile…x58r
Yup, very much the consensus in my timeline

2026-03-24 06:54:12 UTC

While the Labour Party may see reducing the number of study visas (as well as making them less easy for families of students) as being a great way of appealing to ReformUK Ltd's voters, the costs are being paid by those in oppressive countries now unable to transform their lives by studying in the UK.
As one refused Afghan student put it:
'The Taliban don’t want girls to study, but now the UK is saying the same thing as the Taliban'!
#universities #politics
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/mar/23/women-banned-from-studying-britain-taliban-afghanistan-sudan

2026-03-24 06:35:15 UTC

as @nprofile…advs points out, while many younger generations complain about Baby Boomers, they may be missing the amount of voluntary work this generation do...
Whether less secure newly retired will pick up the range of roles the over 60s fill (from housing committees to Justices of the Peace, from charity trustees to charity workers) is an interesting Q.
If they don't the UK's dependence on such work may become difficult to maintain?
#politics #charities #politics

2026-03-23 17:42:41 UTC

The Q. is that despite the Tangerine Tyrant saying the Iranians are ready to do a deal (and thus postponing his threat of renewed attacks of Iran's power plants), will any agreement also involve cessation of attacks from Israel?
The Iranians might be well-advised to wondering how they can ensure the Israeli attacks also halt is an agreement is reached... which may in the end be the deal-breaker.
The Tangerine Tyrant may think he's in charge, but this may demonstrate he's not!
#Iran #politics

2026-03-23 17:36:03 UTC

Well, you will not be surprised to find out that the Tangerine Tyrant has threatened the EU with constraints on supplies of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) from the USA (now that global supply is constricted by the US/Israeli attack(s) on Iran), if they fail to pass the delayed EU/US trade deal without amendments.
So having delayed the ratification with his threats to Greenland, Trump is now using his disruption of LNG markets to drive his trade agenda.
Once a bully...
#Trump #EU #LNG
h/t FT

2026-03-23 15:49:35 UTC

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@nprofile…0k7v
Yes, although the (now late) Habermas - as we've discussed before - would want to put quite a lot of effort into dialogue before the final act of blocking... the problem I think is people often block to early in an exchange rather that trying to find a ground where an exchange can be had.... and as always our on-going discussions are I think a really good example of that

2026-03-23 12:20:31 UTC

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@nprofile…0k7v
Yes, I think the key here is the rise under PR of small single issue (or tightly focussed) parties, leaving the trade-offs not within large mainstream parties as in the UK, but through the alliance & coalition process.... whether that is better is a really interesting issue, but my punt is that it is, given the mess the UK parties have got themselves into

2026-03-23 12:14:41 UTC

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@nprofile…0k7v
Agreed, this is the great paradox that economists often miss.... their very research into how markets work can itself shift & change market behaviour; some economists have had a go at talking about such reflexivity (sometimes citing George Soros, who saw it clearly), but for themes part its out on the 'too difficult' pile... and there's nothing economists like to ignore more than difficult problems not subject to their models

2026-03-23 09:46:07 UTC

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@nprofile…8mxe
Not insignificant I suspect (like you)

2026-03-23 08:28:54 UTC

Roy Lilley (NHSManagers.net) on the paradox of public health:
'We talk more than ever about prevention.
We invest less than ever in the means to deliver it.
We say we want a healthier population, but…
we organise the system so that no one is truly responsible for making it happen.
Public health hasn’t gone. It’s has been hollowed out. Functions scattered. Authority diluted'!
Its not the only reason the health service is in crisis but it certainly doesn't help!
#PublicHealth #NHS #health

2026-03-23 06:53:48 UTC

An everyday story of the impact on 'effective demand' of a range of issues from policy changes to the war in the Middle East;
when families reduce their consumption for whatever reasons, the impact spreads pretty fast across an economy largely grounded in consumer expenditure, as we have seen with the UK's continued flat-lining economy.
This may be the story of one family but the BBC are right to suppose it is emblematic of wider experience(s).
#economics #politics
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckg3g11z6d8o

2026-03-23 06:27:59 UTC

It seems pretty clear that the Tangerine Tyrant will ignore Iranian threats to attack water & energy sites across the Middle East if the US bombs Iran's power plants, in the latest stage of the escalation.
The Q. is no longer how disruptive the US/Israeli attacks on Iran will prove to have been, but how long this disruption will last.... the suspicion must now be that this is going to have a long & disruptive shadow that last years, not months.
#Iran #politics #Trump

2026-03-23 06:08:13 UTC

In the next week or so, shipments of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) will reach their destinations marking the end of supplies from the Middle East now halted by the US/Israeli attack(s) on Iran & the Iranian response.
After that (given the damage to LNG facilities in the region of the war), there will be between three to five years of constrained supply & higher prices.
Essentially exactly what's needed to drive an accelerated green transition (ironic, huh?)
#Iran #LNG #GreenTransition
h/t FT

2026-03-22 22:17:32 UTC

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@nprofile…vt7u @nprofile…k580
Ah, no its an abbreviation due to the character limit - hence the capitalised R... but thanks for the concern; appreciated

2026-03-22 22:13:12 UTC

This Tuesday Denmark goes tp the polls & while Mette Frederiksen’s Social Democrats may just scrape through with weakened support, its not a foregone conclusion.
If Frederiksen does manage to retain power many may conclude that even when things are not looking great, standing up to the Tangerine Tyrant can pay (electoral) dividends. Which would be handy....
Of course, if the SDs los we can expect Trump to claim its all on him.
#Greenland #Denmark #politics
h/t FT

2026-03-22 18:14:02 UTC

How do we know Zack Polanski is gaining traction for the Green Party of England & Wales?
Because not only are political satire shows trying to find ways to ridicule him, the Right press is no longer ignoring him but actively trying to smear & ridicule him.
While in many ways I was glad Caroline Lucas didn't have to put up with this so much (though she hardly escaped entirely), in the mixed up world of UK politics, targeting Polanski is a back-handed complement from power!
#politics #greens

2026-03-22 17:51:28 UTC

Ha ha ha.... the disgrace that is HS2 just gets worse.
Now, to save money the Govt. has decided to reduce the top speed of trains on the new lines (thereby reducing the specifications of the system & making it cheaper to construct).
Whatever might think of the original conception of High Speed Rail, this project has demonstrated the difficulty the UK in actually delivering infrastructure projects (and specifically railways).
Just ludicrous
#railways #HS2 #politics
h/t FT

2026-03-22 13:41:31 UTC

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@nprofile…60lh
Doesn't 'need' to but chooses to; so they are irrelevant if a Govt. is choosing to create credit to fund public services (by adopting a MMT-like fiscal policy), but all too relevant if the Govt. chooses to retinal an orthodox fiscal stance.
We can wish the Govt. would adopt MMT as part of their (our) fiscal political economy, but until they do, the bond market will shape political decisions.
As for inflation; that's entirely dependent on the rate of credit creation & how its deployed

2026-03-22 11:53:44 UTC

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@nprofile…0k7v
There's a list here - actually more variance than I thought but some with 2.5%
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proportional_representation#List_of_countries_using_proportional_representation

2026-03-22 11:51:26 UTC

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@nprofile…0k7v
That's an interesting proposition - if I have the time & was still a researcher I'd be really interesting in trying to text that proposition.... mind you even the research design would be challenging

2026-03-22 10:30:27 UTC

The plight of women in prison is getting worse with the use of force too often to deal with mental health crisis; under-trained & over-stretched staff lead to a failure to de-escalate problems in women's prisons (where the vast majority of inmates are dealing with mental health issues).
There is a real need for urgent reform & too reduce the use of custodial sentences (especially for mothers & pregnant women)... this is not a humane solution.
#prison #women #politics
https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/handcuffs-restraint-women-prison-use-of-force-double-three-years-england-wales/

2026-03-22 10:23:20 UTC

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@nprofile…60lh
Ha ha, teaching a grandmother to suck eggs... in theory you are right (as is MMT), but with our political class operating on a different set or principles tax receipts remain an issue - if the bond markets were relaxed about MMT, and the political class adopted it as an operating logic, then you would be right.... but equally, state spending could be higher, if the UK chose & took the hit on Gilt yields.

2026-03-22 09:40:53 UTC

As Rachel Reeves (finally) swings behind an explicit statement that Brexit has cost the UK around 8% of GDP, we might as what that looks like:
It equals around £224bn a year (in 2025), which given the UK's tax burden of around 35% is £78bn in lost tax revenue a year.
So if you wondering why the public sector is under-funded, while a continuing austerity logic is always in play, this lost tax income for the state is also contributing to budget shortfalls.
#Brexit #politics
h/t Observer

2026-03-22 09:28:07 UTC

The problem those arguing for a 'revival' of Centerism have (this morning Phillip Collins/Observer) is that they draw centrism wide enough to draw in Blairs' Labour & Cameron's Tories.
If that's the liberal centre then its been in power for decades & got us to the stagnating, unequal, failing juncture we have reached.... why would anyone think they now have the answers (other than their feeling of entitlement to govern?) as the are worried less by Reform than the Greens?
#politics #democracy

2026-03-22 08:42:16 UTC

One (hopeful) observation about the Fascist Frog's political vehicle ReformUK Ltd, is that it has peaked too early ahead of the next General Election.
Since August 2025 when it was polling 31% of voters' intention it's dropped to just under 26% (but still ahead of all other parties); The Frog's popularity rating has also dropped from balanced in July 2025 to -24 in January (by some measures below Keir Stramer).
Perhaps the shine *is* wearing off?
#politics #ReformUK
h/t SamFreedman/Observer

2026-03-21 22:15:54 UTC

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@nprofile…ezqw
I'm not sure a currency (means of exchange) as volatile in value as Bitcoin would be a good resolution to inflation.... indeed one might argue that its defining characteristic is inflation, given that most people see to buy it on the understanding g its nominal value will rise.

2026-03-21 17:58:48 UTC

Want to know why most people don't think the UK economy is working for them?
That real household income has been stagnant for a decade might have something to do with it...
(And don't forget these real levels have taken inflation into account *but* such adjustment doesn't include house prices which continue to climb as a multiple of wages, making one aspect of economic life seem less & less affordable).
This is why Zack Polanski's message on the economy has traction!
#economics #politics
https://cdn.masto.host/zirkus/media_attachments/files/116/268/441/344/426/506/original/88179fcd5b8c651d.png

2026-03-21 11:44:31 UTC

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@nprofile…0k7v
In PR terms I think I'm right in saying the consensus used to be around 2.5%?

2026-03-21 11:44:00 UTC

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@nprofile…0k7v
Ha ha, if you predict well & that impacts the markets fulfilling your predictions, that';s not prediction that's 'market making'... and there's a lot of that about where there are mono;ies & oligopolies.... I agree markets may correct in the long term, but the Q. is how long is tat nd what damage can be done in-between?