2026-03-22T07:11:00Z https://yabu.me Emeritus Prof Christopher May https://yabu.me/npub12pw99cs5a6j6r56yafxt355j8h38hhw6fh3zwunhj99m3gv3nfds7zzvxn https://cdn.masto.host/zirkus/accounts/avatars/109/363/471/129/904/593/original/366278842762c266.png https://cdn.masto.host/zirkus/accounts/avatars/109/363/471/129/904/593/original/366278842762c266.png https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs2hlwt947xw6cwwzd7cuz54z5lvflwwl0vfsv99dfesyv2r4zmtagzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kyxgnkx This looks like becoming a defining photo for the Court of the Tangerine Tyrant&#39;s attack on democracy <br/><br/>#NoKings #politics #democracy <br/><br/>h/t <span itemprop="mentions" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Person"><a itemprop="url" href="/npub1kxu2qjwefan8sarcerv8cp9mtjtyph09rgqy5dqfhxrlxgqeaeyqw09fca" class="bg-lavender dark:prose:text-neutral-50 dark:text-neutral-50 dark:bg-garnet px-1"><span>Mastodon Migration</span> (<span class="italic">npub1kxu…9fca</span>)</a></span> <br/><span itemprop="mentions" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Person"><a itemprop="url" href="/npub1y83zaeyhqvqrsyyjg7anrzs3cp8k6ttuusq7vayht8n2ugnnwmwqtjehwl" class="bg-lavender dark:prose:text-neutral-50 dark:text-neutral-50 dark:bg-garnet px-1"><span>Patrick Hadfield</span> (<span class="italic">npub1y83…ehwl</span>)</a></span><br/> <img src="https://cdn.masto.host/zirkus/media_attachments/files/116/314/593/735/216/572/original/3f0f714975678ac6.jpg"> <br/> 2026-03-29T21:31:47Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsd98ge65uyuvzcq2g5804sp75j95qrmuet9ufd7whuhxtel5sm8tszypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kqphczs So the Govt&#39;s attempt to force pension trustees to invest (our) pensions in light of state priorities (i.e. more UK-based investments made by UK pension schemes) has been defeated in the Lords.... for the pretty obvious reason that this would badly compromise the fiduciary duties of trustees towards members of pensions schemes.<br/><br/>But, Labour has pledged to try &amp; get a similar measure back into the pensions bill in some way; <br/><br/>they&#39;ve got their eyes on (y)our pension.<br/><br/>#pensions #politics <br/>h/t FT 2026-03-19T18:07:59Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsz9y4dtjygthfm5u0xsh39x63lgpasv087yxux6p09537t3mkkl9czypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9k32yycr In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqstxe47vufqy4ev2e04e5jsxthadt46j3mh7yv7py4gq9y4qlwjaps224wkz'>nevent1q…4wkz</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Well, the issue of their role in the coalition has been debated a number of times in my timeline over the last couple of years, so I won&#39;t start that up again.... see also <span itemprop="mentions" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Person"><a itemprop="url" href="/npub17tv294uql48gtq8g8p2rtny4v7yvuf3krzcuflpja5t6hwhc5t9quuq7ve" class="bg-lavender dark:prose:text-neutral-50 dark:text-neutral-50 dark:bg-garnet px-1"><span>Tim Ward ⭐🇪🇺🔶 #FBPE</span> (<span class="italic">npub17tv…q7ve</span>)</a></span> reply earlier in this thread for more on the positioning of the LibDems. 2026-03-15T22:26:40Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs0jlgqvrryzdec4sx5khzvxmtpr5w33zzs2h6pz2wzd4eqz8n7a0qzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kcektwz Here&#39;s the Guardian&#39;s account of today&#39;s al-Quds Day rally &amp; counterprotest facing off with the police&#39;s plan to keep them separated across the river from each other seeming to work (inasmuch as each group seems to have been &#39;safe&#39; from the other, if not from the police who made 12 arrests, including as one might expect for support of a proscribed organisation).<br/><br/>#protest #democracy #AlQuds <br/><br/><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/mar/15/arrests-al-quds-day-rally-counterprotest-london">https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/mar/15/arrests-al-quds-day-rally-counterprotest-london</a> 2026-03-15T22:21:50Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs9wptwjka6rmyujgpm8ntvy5puugpyldkyywgdwj5z93fwuxhp20czypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9k9yrsqz In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs8pqk8ky0g3wdq5zm5p9t04gzg2wu57u0d4y5y4qn3xt797p9xjfqn7y57w'>nevent1q…y57w</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Indeed, especially on social issues, perhaps not so much on the economics? 2026-03-15T22:10:52Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsr9nz23v8aygelx48yrgmh64v60trrzdwv0aex69zjsx7tnes4j5gzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9krwayny In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsrqxg3asyuk88ftgwzeaeft2t7m6awda3vkv09qj8fa08022j9mmg2rchla'>nevent1q…chla</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>They&#39;ve often been depicted as left on social issues &amp; right on economics.... but have definitely often been seen as a refuge from the (then) two &#39;main&#39; parties.... 2026-03-15T22:10:03Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsxgsn3570ut7hfca88pu4qd7wujytn9n2vuyuvrkynvjracugjmrszypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kucue5l RE: <a href="https://mastodon.social/@ReggieHere/116051380714282024">https://mastodon.social/@ReggieHere/116051380714282024</a><br/><br/>A nice concise statement of my position here from <span itemprop="mentions" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Person"><a itemprop="url" href="/npub1cj7lg2rwwpl94w323acm4qk7glatjslkxwum8xg65h98muahtguqhkf65k" class="bg-lavender dark:prose:text-neutral-50 dark:text-neutral-50 dark:bg-garnet px-1"><span>Reg</span> (<span class="italic">npub1cj7…f65k</span>)</a></span> <br/><br/>#politics<blockquote class="border-l-05rem border-l-strongpink border-solid"><div class="-ml-4 bg-gradient-to-r from-gray-100 dark:from-zinc-800 to-transparent mr-0 mt-0 mb-4 pl-4 pr-2 py-2">quoting <br/><span itemprop="mentions" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Article"><a itemprop="url" href="/note1fk6w3n92ak8ndmjjkzp8c050k7cxq7hjd04dmn3uqynj36m0e2fq5kqj6a" class="bg-lavender dark:prose:text-neutral-50 dark:text-neutral-50 dark:bg-garnet px-1">note1fk6…qj6a</a></span><br/> </div> The govt has become the political wing of the financial services sector. </blockquote> 2026-02-11T10:49:55Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsys08w7sdfjmqc5c836v4tye6w5356ml4d74st7rd75purejxc0mszypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kdazsgc From this side of the Atlantic (the UK side) it looks like the US is slipping towards civil war, goaded on by a President wanting to invoke the Insurrection Act as a way of militarising his political power.<br/><br/>I&#39;d be interested if followers of these posts in the US think the same or whether the media&#39;s distorting mirror is deceiving us about the gravity of the situation... <br/><br/>(Civil) analysis &amp; contextual answers boosted &amp; thanks in advance for sharing.<br/><br/>#USPol #Trump #InsurectionAct 2026-01-17T18:17:43Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsxkx4unk5phlw2yusgfp2u783j040cjnyw8fsmlrh4xhztecg0s9gzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kaz6lwx Meanwhile in Switzerland, the Young Socialists proposal to impose a 50% inheritance tax on estates above SFr 50mn (£47mn) to use funds for climate amelioration measures, was rejected in a referendum.<br/><br/>On one level perhaps its no surprise, but even in a country as rich as Switzerland one has wonder how many voters would actually be impacted?... which means the rich have convinced them that &#39;harming&#39; ultra wealthy families is not a good idea - implied blackmail?<br/><br/>#inequality #Switzerland <br/>h/t FT 2025-12-01T06:24:34Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqstk32qguf3qrmkspazzx7qla03ttw6unhfe4d5t22drqnr5q7ctyqzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kj7ju3u More on deprivation across England. Joseph Mount (Genecon) has put the date into a little historical context &amp; concludes:<br/><br/>&#39;A quick plot of &#34;winners and losers&#34; (noting of course, these are real people &amp; real communities behind these arbitrary classifications) shows the North West being the most improved in terms of the proportion of LSOAs which have improved their IMD decile, whilst London fares the worst at 32.1% of LSOAs dropping into a more deprived decile&#39;<br/><br/>#poverty #politics <br/>h/t LinkedIn<br/> <img src="https://cdn.masto.host/zirkus/media_attachments/files/115/529/549/905/481/283/original/947c7b4935f02d50.jpeg"> <br/> 2025-11-11T06:13:46Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsyl55c2uskn5yymh4gl209g9aemvvkvstvgcl6aux9mvratlkaesszypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9k8qg0lx In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs2fc9ve6xpj0hq70g06lqf4mtqrlttk5t5wsk0szvlf80waa3eg6g2xke4u'>nevent1q…ke4u</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Yes, the capture of surpluses by the top 1% is one of the key political problems of our time 2025-10-17T09:56:53Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs2hur36st9za4jwzr6tpn7qgamvzx20mv5dgjt5dn4a7gysnql5dgzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kz2gguu In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsgr26sw030uwyhd7r72qwtjr93rhzta8s9c9yvdaq7rsakgw2nj9c69cjf8'>nevent1q…cjf8</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>No I&#39;d rather see everyone offered the same service those who might pay for it can get... No-one should be in the position of having to choose to spend money to accelerate treatment or wait risking worsening health, rather the NHS should be good enough that there was no business opportunity for private health.... 2025-09-30T20:35:51Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs8ugfhcpvjjhc44l2u72lr4cafqee7zt4m4v3kr7sgq0src5zv07qzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9klp9sxw Its often difficult to get an idea of the scale of gun violence in the USA, but the Gun Violence Archive has a wealth of (just awful) detail that makes clear the costs in lives of the widespread availability, carrying and use of guns.<br/><br/>For instance, in the last ten years there has not been a single year when there have been less than 300 mass shooting events &amp; during the Covid period there was twice that number (topping 600 mass shootings for three years).<br/><br/>#guns #USPol <br/><br/><a href="https://www.gunviolencearchive.org">https://www.gunviolencearchive.org</a> 2025-09-30T05:44:29Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs0ah647t7h7065cutkz8vpctszp5chcn8q3x5cdmy4l6g4pukcmpszypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9k3kku8c When Jack Straw pushed through the Terrorism Act in 1999, under which Palestine Action have been proscribed, he noted in the House that:<br/><br/>&#39;The Bill does not focus on demonstrations, which are a normal activity in a democracy. I wholly defend people&#39;s right to go in for peaceful protest&#39;.<br/><br/>Seemingly, the Govt. is ignoring that commitment (such as it was).<br/><br/>#politics #protest <br/>h/t Hansard 2025-09-29T05:30:26Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsy303vkmjqw7756mxm8j93npeqph87vzmfne877fvk5lfk63lqu0szypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9ky9enq7 Like so many UK organisations the NHS spends far too little on training senior managers (often having what is termed &#39;accidental managers&#39;), has too much churn &amp; too many vacancies in senior management posts, and seems to have tried to make up for this by employing management consultants (albeit a slowly declining trend).<br/><br/>The NHS is a complex &amp; challenging organisation that needs competent &amp; professional management, but like so many other sectors, too often doesn&#39;t!<br/><br/>#NHS #management <br/>h/t FT 2025-09-29T05:20:10Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqspeu9q909dhne09e03payhpwmyqwg6kzmdx9svk98jcv0vrlc3yeqzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kp4ezte So Keir Starmer (and Britain) got about a week&#39;s grace from laying on a unprecedented second state visit for the Tangerine Tyrant, before he (as Martin Kettle points out) laid into us at the United Nations.<br/><br/>Its not all that&#39;s going on round the visit but its a valuable lesson in where sucking up to a bully gets you.... nowhere!<br/><br/>Starmer &amp; his advisors need to rethink their transatlantic policy<br/><br/>#politics #UK <br/><br/><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/sep/24/donald-trump-un-rant-attack-britain">https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/sep/24/donald-trump-un-rant-attack-britain</a> 2025-09-24T17:23:52Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs29wmf2wlmkk77vuc4tnpvyftynx2q3k99922pqvhgqd08zrj4nwgzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kgg5shq Britain has turned its back on arts education in schools, remaining (as Anthony Seldon/FT points out) &#39;perversely fixated on cognitive skills &amp; memory&#39; rather than fostering creativity &amp; innovative thinking.... and while making some initially positive promises about once again expanding the provision of arts in schools, this remains consternated by the other curriculum demands put on schools &amp; the shadow of past disinvestment in arts educative capacity in schools.<br/><br/>#art #education #politics<br/> <img src="https://cdn.masto.host/zirkus/media_attachments/files/115/201/393/604/262/535/original/259ca910395539aa.png"> <br/> 2025-09-14T07:13:45Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs9yzy8vjwcl99d7p45qnk22nss2758rx4v0hhz02nqacdf8ks9wkqzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kdcjaeg the civil disobedience around d the proscription of Palestine Action coordinated by Defend our Juries looks to be about to escalate further....<br/><br/>As I&#39;ve noted before, the Govt. should look at this as a message that they are the wrong side of history... and row back from this attack on the right to protest.<br/><br/>However, despite the movement of Yvette Cooper in the reshuffle there are no signs of good sense breaking out in Govt.<br/><br/>#politics #protest <br/><br/><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/sep/12/week-protests-palestine-action-ban-begin-labour-conference">https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/sep/12/week-protests-palestine-action-ban-begin-labour-conference</a> 2025-09-12T17:39:09Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsz624k9peelxcp2df7wdkeswend83cdsrhxjcyzw4rqm97rqs67cszypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kr4yvv7 &#39;This is England 2025.<br/><br/>It starts slowly at first, then all of a sudden it just creeps up on you&#39;!<br/><br/>The view from Faversham.... &#39;Racists &amp; thugs are acting with impunity, intimidating local residents &amp; people of colour, who are living in fear&#39;!<br/><br/>When the BBC gives Farage a platform to broadcast his hate this is the result... if we end up with a Reform Govt. then the BBC wil have comprehensively failed as a public service broadcaster!<br/><br/>#politics #racism #FarRight <br/><br/><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/sep/09/racist-mob-menacing-refugee-children-far-right">https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/sep/09/racist-mob-menacing-refugee-children-far-right</a> 2025-09-10T05:41:58Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsvc7la2nf807m5j2hwsr8se4g0zfzwpv64t4ckrrzyklz5n677zgqzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kggrsx6 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqswn0ucsn80ungf0jt5hpz7mfrnkzd58j3wy0asj7ev0rw4q27r7dsl5ffuy'>nevent1q…ffuy</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Indeed, one of the central (founding) arguments of my book on the Rule of Law<br/> <img src="https://cdn.masto.host/zirkus/media_attachments/files/115/163/179/757/113/815/original/f2e23ad6e5376dc0.jpeg"> <br/> 2025-09-07T13:12:13Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqspnpmvknp2xx7hu8y0fq8s4gn4vydh7yzyxlydg25wgs5yntztfsgzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kq5z7lp If you&#39;ve been wondering about the claim put about by Nigel Farage &amp; the Right that the majority in the UK receive more in benefits than they pay in taxes.... you will enjoy Emma Monk&#39;s detailed takedown of that claim... a claim which itself depends on you seeing your use of the NHS &amp; state education as &#39;benefits&#39;, rather than (more accurately) the public service(s) we expect from a modern state.<br/><br/>(and if you&#39;re not subscribed why not do so today)<br/><br/>#benefits #politics <br/><br/><a href="https://monkdebunks.substack.com/p/benefits-taxes-and-misleading-headlines">https://monkdebunks.substack.com/p/benefits-taxes-and-misleading-headlines</a> 2025-09-07T10:22:51Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqszzym8k0fhzw9akwk0a7csf6eukk6gs0u9ncq4rqr7d74jhdm00qgzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kk035hp While no foreign policy genius, one aspect of the Tangerine Tyrant&#39;s foreign policy is paying dividends; his support &amp; normalisation of the far right in Europe.<br/><br/>We know Trump hates the idea of a strong &amp; consolidated EU bloc, but he has managed to sow division &amp; disruption by aiding the rise of the far right in EU member states.<br/><br/>This has presented problems for &amp; shifted policy by the EU Commission.<br/><br/>For the EU, Trump presents an existential threat.<br/><br/>#EU #politics #Trump <br/><br/>h/y Michael Pettis/FT 2025-07-22T05:38:37Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs0yw30vstucn6pqrwzhnfls5s7pqrajg75x3huyydppxw4yaqv2lszypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kwqtr2z To say there&#39;s something remiss in the NHS maternity service is an understatement;<br/><br/>I seldom (if ever) agree with Jeremy Hunt, but he&#39;s surely right when he observes: &#39;It should be a matter of national shame that we now spend more on maternity litigation than the total cost of running maternity services&#39;.... even if he (and his party) are hardly blameless in the causes of this major problem.<br/><br/>The Q. now is how does the NHS find a way froward from this situation?<br/><br/>#health <br/><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jul/20/nhs-facing-absolutely-shocking-27bn-bill-for-maternity-failings-in-england">https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jul/20/nhs-facing-absolutely-shocking-27bn-bill-for-maternity-failings-in-england</a> 2025-07-21T05:51:18Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsyny7k0w8k86m5evezwn03skymtwqm0q3gqgcztd27hyjktzxgdqqzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kyupqeh When is a tax rise not a tax rise, when its achieved through fiscal drag... the holding of income tax threshold while wages are rising, thereby rising the proportion of the low paid workforce who will be paying income tax.<br/><br/>This will do something to balance off the &#39;costs&#39; of the concessions on PP Payments, but while this will also bring (even) more people into the higher rate tax band; so if you intuit that this is very different from taxing the wealthy, you&#39;d be right.<br/><br/>#politics #tax <br/>h/t FT 2025-06-27T17:26:59Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqst35mafw68tl8et6aa6fcd5kcz5wmmlnjs2j0rp8da6hsa492whzczypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kz7z39t 50 funky tracks for your streaming pleasure, No.11<br/><br/>Blackbirds. Supernatural Feeling<br/><br/>Sitting at the point where jazz meets souls &amp; funk, this Blackbirds funky dance classic is a joy. Great horns, a chanted vocal with some great funky rhythm playing drives this forward &amp; will have your feet tapping from the start. Made up of Donald Byrd&#39;s students, the Blackbirds knew how to get funky, while retaining a touch of jazz.<br/><br/>(You might also check out their Do It Fluid as well).<br/><br/>#Funky50 #funk #music 2025-06-24T06:08:33Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs8h0tykflyha27x699s7w8nnqprex4zdsjcnenes57e7fparg0v6gzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kga5a50 A key aspect of the water crisis that has resulted in the extraction of water from rivers growing at an alarming rate, is of course, a lack of investment in infrastructure.... in this case reservoirs.<br/><br/>A lack of storage has meant that the increasingly erratic oscillation between flooding &amp; droughts, has meant excess water in the former periods has not be sufficiently stored for the latter...<br/><br/>Its yet more evidence of the complete disaster of water privatisation.<br/><br/>#water <br/><br/><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jun/20/england-rivers-water-extraction-record-levels">https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jun/20/england-rivers-water-extraction-record-levels</a> 2025-06-21T07:14:54Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsfpatlg5lv9uzvdmly98jq4fr79fapsf2l9x0aavtpfv2alp74zcczypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9k8yn9lj If you lower the criteria of terrorism to the point where it covers spray painting aeroplanes &amp; claim that this is &#39;terrorising&#39; military personal then I think we can safely say what you&#39;re really trying to do is halt almost any protest.<br/><br/>By all means call it criminal damage, but to invoke terrorism &amp; to deploy anti-terrorism police to catch them is just as much a threat to democracy as that represented by the actions of Donald Trump.<br/><br/>This is not good!<br/><br/>#politics #democracy 2025-06-20T17:19:38Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsp4pc33z63vkq4xzzejy05fqtyd76qj3gtrkhevd3p2cf289xq29qzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kcy4z4x Ellie Chowns, Green MP offers (another) Greens&#39; statement many of us would agree with:<br/><br/>&#39;Brexiteers promised freedom but delivered decline. Five years on, British families, farmers &amp; firms are paying the price of isolation. At the [UK/EU] summit next week, Ministers must choose progress over pride: we must work to re-join the Customs Union, restore the right to live, work &amp; study across Europe, and rebuild the networks that keep Britain secure and prosperous&#39;!<br/><br/>#politics <br/><a href="https://greenparty.org.uk/2025/05/13/green-party-amendment-blasts-100bn-brexit-bill/">https://greenparty.org.uk/2025/05/13/green-party-amendment-blasts-100bn-brexit-bill/</a> 2025-05-14T21:32:04Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsz0cjv324uh5gf38u4kv5m4uzzujtjctzky5v9phntusa70nwxqrszypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9klchgnq In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsdshty5dnymfra65ay59mcs5aqnj9nhyp6pdxaf4yxc4jh6qmugtglh0jl4'>nevent1q…0jl4</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>aha sorry; that was a literature review of research on rail pricing more generally, which was what I thought you were getting at.... not sure there is any research focussed on the Scottish experience; apologies for getting the waring end of the stick 2025-05-07T12:43:20Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsv9nk3gdjdvme5sj22gmha2x9nw5dzlrytlvljhmthr4wmuwu7dsgzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kwplqal In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqspum9kqt634xntw45y6zapzayp6vfvfds9jvs9z2znn2t8xnuth5stal5jd'>nevent1q…l5jd</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>this might be a good place to start?<br/><br/><a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7390/11/4/857">https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7390/11/4/857</a> 2025-05-07T11:57:18Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqszpr7equr6tradrnw9w300x8g95g9jsp0k7gftwec2dkurxvsk7sszypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kj5remc While I have a range of criticisms of the university sector (having worked as an academic for 25 years, now retired), I still sympathise with university managers:<br/><br/>They forced to shift their budgetary strategy to a dependence on a cross subsidy for teaching &amp; research from the fees from international students.<br/><br/>Now dependent on that budgetary arrangement, once again international students look like a target for &#39;reducing migration&#39;.... now wonder the sector is in crisis!<br/><br/>#universities #politics 2025-05-06T21:23:46Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsr8uz5j4r5jafck86jhel2cmfkkt32skzz4ufy8gkw6jnhws2cv2qzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9k5ssmss In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqszmknh4ze4l4ckp5tmpy50huyyvn8kzzch8u803n0y9gd76mh9n3q5tw0t9'>nevent1q…w0t9</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>We do have (in global terms, relatively small) surplus with the USA, which of course is one of the reasons that Trump will be less interested in cutting a deal - he sees trade surpluses as an indication countries are being &#39;unfair&#39; to the US.... 2025-05-06T17:16:19Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs09g9t4qtz8jszdzgeyftx3r3kj8c0lrkmu02mvgj598ehttwwykgzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kwqlgsz What will be the impact of cutting staff of England&#39;s Integrated Care Boards by half?<br/><br/>While we might not know (but there&#39;ll be people here who do), Minister&#39;s also don&#39;t, having failed to make any impact assessment before announcing this &#39;cull&#39; of managers.<br/><br/>I&#39;ve complained about managers before, but it might be useful to have checked what they might be doing before getting rid of them?<br/><br/>Or maybe not, if you just want to free up cash &amp; think staff are just a cost<br/><br/>#NHS <br/><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/may/06/plan-to-cut-nhs-manager-jobs-reckless-say-critics">https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/may/06/plan-to-cut-nhs-manager-jobs-reckless-say-critics</a> 2025-05-06T17:11:25Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs0xc7927sncrgepk6zlccqcl4xt865aaxm4p98fr2dlfmyd5ad49gzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kduslsd Why is the EU likely t play hardball with Trump when Starmer can only cringe &amp; ope for the best.... well the UK is the primary market for less that 1% of good the US exports (its a secondary market for more); the EU, overall, however is a primary market for around 35% of US exports.<br/><br/>Losing EU export markets would be a major blow for the US, giving the EU considerable leverage, the UK, not so much.<br/><br/>another Brexit benefit that has massively undermined our economic diplomacy!<br/><br/>#economics <br/>h/t FT 2025-05-06T16:56:34Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsvzuxtgx8r84gt3wuyyezdf79h6mldum4qhmuvwtufgz20da5l0sqzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9k4t6wua The good news is that the India/UK free trade deal seems to have been finalised (after three years).<br/><br/>However, even on the UK Govt&#39;s own estimate it will only increase UK GDP by around 0.1% by 2040.<br/><br/>The &#39;price&#39;: easier access for relocating Indian staff &amp; a National Insurance &#39;holiday&#39; for three years on arrival.<br/><br/>The benefits, large reductions in tariffs on whiskey &amp; cars (the latter still subject to quotas though).<br/><br/>Is this any sort of replacement for EU membership? Hell, no!<br/><br/>#trade <br/>h/t FT 2025-05-06T16:49:07Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsfk3823pyzm7g6gn3mc2c60np47hk9pxw7jcc8jk4p904yjuhqa9czypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kg02q4h In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsdulydg3v9dhzehrz8d76uf493vu3ywcymg4f2gnqsyc60t6uyzcccadaye'>nevent1q…daye</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Which takes us back to a previous comment this morning about the evacuation of Keynes from governance &amp; the issue of the multiplier (and &#39;effective demand&#39;) being removed from discussion of welfare 2025-05-06T11:34:21Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs9mxg5hvhms9uaf9a93w2h3v80wacwwwp49l79ltwcweqf38e7clgzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9k7axrqe In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsqxks4ystrzk6wyse2wfz7l654nhl9qazhqf8ezcke7tnhcj50f2szuy9qd'>nevent1q…y9qd</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Agreed; the demonisation of anything even marginally progressive as socialism has been a corrosive force in our politics 2025-05-06T08:21:16Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs825098uau4z2j42vhe25dh8jcepae6yel07raq3jqhx7kmtachmqzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kpemw9k In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs2798ys5vn0flnhr60mt6cejp5hcrnxnnemzzxpkzs4ldmqw6k53c0cu0j7'>nevent1q…u0j7</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>yes, I think the demand for change, voting for it &amp; then not really getting it are driving changes in voter expressed preferences.... which is why much of Labour&#39;s unpopularity seems to me to be self-inflicted, if then compounded by an antagonistic media 2025-05-06T08:08:01Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqswnuk4fyj229nvhksp3kaqeap0efwg87um5f4lrn8gmhk9lvf3zrqzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9khtz4jk In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqstm5agcq9nqdkz6lzvfpxj3jag0mrwcmy90r9a3jy2vkruz9vlz8sk5cexw'>nevent1q…cexw</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>maybe so; I think that especially the cat on what we know about them; as we know, so we like them less 2025-05-06T06:57:53Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs9fpygwkz64mkvp7la75q7lx0c3q8ns5lqnt89z778ga3w22avntgzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9klrc0w5 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsrvu9vqd2hgfxs72ff7kmxk9zm4mp86jjcr8q2dx9nzxx20lcv3eqq5hkps'>nevent1q…hkps</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Indeed..... but the Right likes voter suppression as does its media &amp; we know who Starmer is sacred of upsetting (and its not you or me) 2025-05-06T06:11:28Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs2fr9q4854sasgn3jucj8av9syt4klu8ghw3rkuupxl6z4sg3rvcszypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kp6ujmr In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqszzw0r7y69hh8jjr6cjpsczw34wm0h0kwgksyw7lepqp2xmx3gxacl7khxm'>nevent1q…khxm</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Hmmm... I&#39;m not sure; I take your point on the polarisation of the electorate (which is then emphasised by FPTP), but I also think there is a indicator here about the appeal of politicians - perhaps more useful in the second post on parties - which shouldn&#39;t be discounted - its certainly not the only factor, but neither is it inconsequential 2025-05-06T06:10:34Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsy2pvhnxes2m67q8gx38j8k9zmkhudls78cjf26trahcqy8jxs2qgzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9k57rx6k Given only around a quarter of the population would appear (if YouGov&#39;s data is accurate) to have a favourable opinion of Nigel Farage, why the hell is the Labour leadership so keen to ape hi views?<br/><br/>#HeadInMyHands #politics<br/> <img src="https://cdn.masto.host/zirkus/media_attachments/files/114/459/295/037/551/471/original/4ae757fd1ef311d9.png"> <br/> 2025-05-06T05:46:24Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsxu0x8akkffs6wkr7y0swfacy3tacquflma34zshpc287ms5eakhczypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9ks45qn9 When we worry about low turnouts at elections &amp; the impact both on democracy itself, but also on the shape of politics (by virtue of distortions to the demographic of voters), the Q. of voting suppression also figures in discussion.<br/><br/>So, you&#39;ll be unsurprised that one way the UK disenfranchises people is by having a difficult t navigate voter registration process (with a range of further restrictions).<br/><br/>Democracy would be enhanced by simplification! <br/><br/>#voting #politics <br/><br/><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/may/06/britain-has-one-of-most-difficult-voter-registration-processes-report">https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/may/06/britain-has-one-of-most-difficult-voter-registration-processes-report</a> 2025-05-06T05:39:59Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs2v3ps699xf55cgcmgm2gncjrffds8kwgcfxw99f9sea2assv4caszypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kcdu4qv In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsp7wu74z2egjthm4wt8avs67rdtg4h7t4cr3twmsmvxjkzww2l3cs2m4xz7'>nevent1q…4xz7</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>You, pretty much what I argue here:<br/><br/><a href="https://northwestbylines.co.uk/politics/economy/trumps-tariffs-and-the-acceleration-of-structural-change/">https://northwestbylines.co.uk/politics/economy/trumps-tariffs-and-the-acceleration-of-structural-change/</a> 2025-05-06T05:12:42Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs0tzqs3lwhxh7xlm9mvu420n98qfkvv8y2x45dcqxqch327mqucgszypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kgwsc4e In the end, while Trump&#39;s tariffs may cause some disruption in the global economy (while also, as I have argued before) promoting an acceleration of structural changes already underway, perhaps (in the short term, at least) what is likely to be a bigger dampener on economic activity (both for business &amp; their customers) is the uncertainty about how US economic policy will develop, or even its direction.<br/><br/>Uncertainty undermines economic activity and Trump is providing plenty of that!<br/><br/>#economics 2025-05-06T05:03:11Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs8graqc0h3u4seyf0c0wy6kdm257443hfafq7sgv4smj8vfcru3xczypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9krk3d6v Cancer charity Macmillan is planning to cut funding to over 70 CAB offices offering specialist advice to cancer patients on benefits &amp; budgeting around their care &amp; treatment. <br/><br/>This £14m annual cost is, according to the charity no longer affordable... but given the service in 2022 secured £112m in support for vulnerable patients this *does* look badly conceived!<br/><br/>Once again its the poorest most vulnerable who pay the price when budgets need cutting!<br/><br/>#cancer #health <br/><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/may/05/macmillan-cancer-support-charity-specialist-benefits-advice-services">https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/may/05/macmillan-cancer-support-charity-specialist-benefits-advice-services</a> 2025-05-05T17:29:16Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsx7jleu7xp3rw3854584sx2ddclartylgp2mnu0zhyjkvg0jzpm8gzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9k85aus4 Oh, the irony:<br/><br/>For half a century people across the world have complained about the impact of Hollywood on indigenous film-making &amp; distribution (in some cases, such as France, legislating against it)... but now the Tangerine Tyrant is reportedly considering 100% tariffs on movies made abroad, because Hollywood &#39;is dying a very fast death&#39;....<br/><br/>Well, if there are problems in Hollywood, they are of the industry&#39;s own making, foreign films have played no role in that!<br/><br/>#film #politics <br/>h/t FT 2025-05-05T05:50:07Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsdn86n057ka0lqccawz4sr8n509l4jxlfz0lnpjecf8ut65y0ka3szypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kvcn8pz So week 2 of the (new) Observer &amp; what do we find, having given a nice big chunk of space to &#39;Blue Labour&#39; last week, this week we have Peter Harrison (former chief executive of Schroders) setting out the usual financial services wish list:<br/><br/>less regulation (especially that pesky employment bill);<br/><br/>cap cash ISAs &amp; &#39;encourage&#39; savers into the stock market;<br/><br/>reduce taxes on foreign (professional) workers &amp; share transactions;<br/><br/>etc. etc.<br/><br/>See a theme emerging?<br/><br/>#media <br/><br/><a href="https://observer.co.uk/news/opinion-and-ideas/article/opinion-saving-the-city-is-still-possible-heres-how">https://observer.co.uk/news/opinion-and-ideas/article/opinion-saving-the-city-is-still-possible-heres-how</a> 2025-05-04T18:07:47Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs9d9y7gkywwu3swpgtyrzafdlfrw0wd7v4hs3pcusew7zhh6d0teczypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kwdlezc Here&#39;s something interesting from the (new) Obssver&#39;s editorial today (as yet, still not on line):<br/><br/>a &#39;survey of &#34;Refrom curious&#34; Labour voters finds that of the party lost everyone of them it would lose 123 seats in Westminster - but if it lost every voter curious about defecting to the Greens, it would lose 250&#39; seats (albeit likely not all *to* the Greens).<br/><br/>If so many voters are &#39;in play&#39; the Greens need to up their ground game &amp; start making a move for them in earnest!<br/><br/>#Greens #politics 2025-05-04T17:54:26Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs0pxaa2ehuvma2tplp8vrchm6wnrc5yjd45yqchsvg32v36ulm6wszypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9k7al20l Andrew Rawnsley makes the point that Nigel Farage is now making the mood music (my term) himself, with other parties dancing to his tune(s).<br/><br/>When will the political class understand that mimicking Refrom only normalises their agenda &amp; stokes support for them.<br/><br/>THE OTHER PARTIES NEED TO OFFER AN ALTERNATIVE, NOT REFORM REHEATED!<br/><br/>The two main parties have abandoned any notion of political leadership &amp; are now little better than sock puppets on a range of crucial issues!<br/><br/>#politics<br/> <img src="https://cdn.masto.host/zirkus/media_attachments/files/114/449/938/006/618/750/original/d6527473641992f0.png"> <br/> 2025-05-04T14:05:26Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsdajdnc6z3xvpxnd5q4v4fqjtt2h7n8twsdt2j4fcx2e2dwfwxevgzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kcunahh The Police Federation represents police officers so one should not be surprised it takes their side in disputes with their employers... but the organisation, functioning as a quasi-union seems beset by chaos &amp; infighting that has little to offer other than further exhibiting the misogyny &amp; bullying that have become typical of revelations about police behaviour.<br/><br/>The Q. then is can you reform the police with the current Policy Federation, unreformed? <br/><br/>#police #politics <br/><a href="https://observer.co.uk/news/national/article/police-federation-under-fire-for-backing-unsackable-rogue-cops">https://observer.co.uk/news/national/article/police-federation-under-fire-for-backing-unsackable-rogue-cops</a> 2025-05-04T07:14:50Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs9udjdxacvfgk2ft2usq7q8nylk7t8jwj4jrsvthule38z0ep336szypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9k8pw5w5 Across at LinkedIn there&#39;ve been some posts saying that given ReformUK has no record of cocking things up (conveniently forgetting Farage&#39;s role in Brexit, of course), they should be given a chance because none of the other (major) parties have done anything to rescue Britain from its problems.<br/><br/>I wonder whether this sort of &#39;pox on all their houses&#39; position is behind some people&#39;s votes for Reform in the local elections - giving them a chance to show what they can (or cannot) do?<br/><br/>#politics 2025-05-04T06:33:14Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs8ez4lc33m8qgaayhe9ud87st6urwxm8gemwp9k4388kq9h7r2dzqzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kag96kl In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsyz3nypfz2thears2mr4cquwl465652700k9vgwxnsmn6krxmenas9rtn7c'>nevent1q…tn7c</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>My conclusion is similar - we need to try to get the Greens more popular traction t reinvigorate a widened democratic choice 2025-05-03T12:16:17Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs2ru25w2s6mwyzs8nw05utttxv38mahsdqecke4acuazzhjwsrk8szypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kek4c0u Hmmm... I see that Japan, the largest holder of US T-bills (US public debt), now sees them as a &#39;card&#39; in their negotiations with the US over tariff levels. They claim they are not considering divesting, but even to call it a card must put their holdings &#39;into play&#39;....<br/><br/>How this will play in the Court of the Tangerine Tyrant will be interesting.<br/><br/>#PublicDebt #politics #japan <br/><br/>h/t FT 2025-05-03T08:59:05Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsxgswf0vp6jk9tlwywwrlvnpplnscw0sfqftlp7d02985sslzw79gzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9ke6gpjd While tax simplification has often been a call from the Right (and a mask for tax reductions on the rich), the UK tax system is unnecessarily complex &amp; has been getting worse for decades.<br/><br/>This leads to a lot of work for tax accountants, some perverse incentives for taxpayers &amp; a range of unintended tax loopholes &amp; strange economic effects.<br/><br/>So, a simpler tax system, with fewer frequent political revisions might be a good pro-growth policy, saving unnecessary time &amp; effort?<br/><br/>#tax #economics<br/> <img src="https://cdn.masto.host/zirkus/media_attachments/files/114/442/931/228/316/419/original/1618b6f52f56d86f.png"> <br/> 2025-05-03T08:27:19Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsys5cv03z37qwle6ka0agpsefm7z3hyhhrehj9wp8p28vgul6tgvqzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9knnjvuh In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsr383q4mkesu8ny40mlta728f5jzu9mvr2ucy3shg5t8w2xww4c2qsqhuu9'>nevent1q…huu9</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Yes, I would generally agree... I was using the classic British under-statement.... apologies 2025-05-03T07:56:07Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs0m25nu0luzjkej273m0e4x4zwad5mk8gcls29ut26le0gt8tkjrqzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kynzzeg Here&#39;s a great analysis of the Runcorn by-election from <span itemprop="mentions" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Person"><a itemprop="url" href="/npub1e6ssq2mkw8kccc3e73ap7dkyf07ucntjf9z9sk3znaljrphvmffs4syt4w" class="bg-lavender dark:prose:text-neutral-50 dark:text-neutral-50 dark:bg-garnet px-1"><span>Cheryl Morgan</span> (<span class="italic">npub1e6s…yt4w</span>)</a></span> which seeks to correct various misapprehensions about why Reform won, whose votes they gained, and why Labour (and the media) are drawing the wrong conclusions.<br/><br/>And its admirably concise for a busy Saturday morning.<br/><br/>#politics #runcorn <br/><br/>h/t <span itemprop="mentions" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Person"><a itemprop="url" href="/npub1c89y03ly4tl0xmuwnry64uk6k3kmdz7xwvh78udx248vrh9m4j7qxgqyqy" class="bg-lavender dark:prose:text-neutral-50 dark:text-neutral-50 dark:bg-garnet px-1"><span>🇳𝗮ꜟ𝖼𝘩</span> (<span class="italic">npub1c89…qyqy</span>)</a></span> <br/><br/><a href="https://www.cheryl-morgan.com/lies-damned-lies-and-the-british-press/">https://www.cheryl-morgan.com/lies-damned-lies-and-the-british-press/</a> 2025-05-03T07:51:26Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqswv3x6p9qth7k9hkvew8e6p8rwq9tk8lw4scgudzae5am3l84e0kczypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9k36pyhj Having has a quick look at the ReformUK &#39;Contract&#39;, I can see how they are appealing to disgruntled voters.<br/><br/>There are plenty of awful &amp; dangerous policies there, but there are also a range of claims for the change needed that would sit perfectly well in a progressive party manifesto.<br/><br/>The key issue is (and here being an incumbent rather than challenger party is key); will they deliver on their progressive promises or just prioritise the toxic stuff?<br/><br/>#politics <br/><a href="https://assets.nationbuilder.com/reformuk/pages/253/attachments/original/1718625371/Reform_UK_Our_Contract_with_You.pdf?1718625371">https://assets.nationbuilder.com/reformuk/pages/253/attachments/original/1718625371/Reform_UK_Our_Contract_with_You.pdf?1718625371</a> 2025-05-03T07:28:22Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs2g63j4fjt8f4337nxd0yaragyd8yykndcsyt0med93se8mqhvqhqzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9knuqnr9 Given that the Labour Party in the local elections (on initial analyses) seemed to have lost votes to ReformUK, the LibDems &amp; the Greens, you might expect that the leadership would assess which voters they lost were the most important to their core support &amp; move to rework the policy profile of Labour accordingly.<br/><br/>As Keir Starmer double downs on the &#39;Blue Labour&#39; agenda of trying to match Right policies, you will know (as many already do) that Labour is now Labour in Name Only<br/><br/>#politics #LINO 2025-05-03T07:17:26Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqstte9w2fksjj0kkax9ap9044vtfv30ptyv8spg6cdarnpt997yq2gzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9khlvhmy As Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay points out... &#39;With over 850 councillors compared to a likely 650 [actually 677] or so, Greens still have many more councillors than Reform&#39;.... but you&#39;ll be unlikely to see this in much of the mainstream media.<br/><br/>As ninth past whatever ReformUK does will be at the centre of the press accounts of the election... the only solace one might draw from this is if the focus continues to but this close, Reform&#39;s governance may also be in the spotlight?<br/><br/>#politics 2025-05-02T21:13:33Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsy8eh70qmk3vlemtysklnan2vxxyuu7teyu0ehm6ng472pawjw6vszypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9k4lks7v The Greens have (so far) made a net gain of 33 local councillors, which is not bad news, but *is* dwarfed by ReformUK&#39;s 489 seat gain.<br/><br/>The Q. is can the Greens make a convincing case to fed-up Labour voters that sitting on your hands in a General Election is a less viable option than voting for the Green Party?<br/><br/>And of course, one has to wonder how things might look if the attention lavished by the media on Reform &amp; Farage had instead been directed towards the Greens?<br/><br/>#politics 2025-05-02T17:01:50Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs82puxfy304arv6tlwmtaft56eh8dpfypudjwgyhrw3mjvuunah8czypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9klevrpr In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsdnlqyyyx4fyeffmemth4r7e4xm59rasghcc6lzesdth6wm7xsxycxcd6vv'>nevent1q…d6vv</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Agreed, there seems to be a thought that somehow if you wait long enough it&#39;ll sort itself out.... perhaps (I say cynically) by life expectancy of the poor dropping further? 2025-05-02T08:53:51Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsg2v5qskwnlvd9ud5xhynkzkywc8mu4dek0j9l9j5gls05zugffwqzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kqw8nse 50 jazz tracks for your streaming shuffle, no.10<br/><br/>Oliver Nelson. Stolen Moments<br/><br/>Blues &amp; the Abstract Truth is Nelson&#39;s career defining album, and Stolen Moments is perhaps is best known track (becoming a jazz standard &amp; the version you&#39;ll want to hear). This lovely mid-tempo shuffle combines wonderful soloing &amp; instrumentation with Nelson&#39;s brilliant arrangement of his large ensemble (including Freddie Hubbard &amp; Eric Dolphy, whose flute solo is sublime). Just great!<br/><br/>#jazz #JazzIntro #music 2025-05-02T06:04:07Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsqrl5m74pdw4a3wus08c34mwdsduphf6e0w2dwu6fnerymkkhwacqzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9ksasymu In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs8k3hm52lxqx085vur93g3va5je0e5dn55cmcp8gkt22ftvpn6facr66fqf'>nevent1q…6fqf</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>No I didn&#39;t &amp; have had a quick look on the Big Issue website &amp; nothing sprung out indicating it was that specific piece... if you find it, I&#39;d like to see it, thanks 2025-05-02T05:50:32Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsrlygum5qlyjtahjef2k8f0jq76fm9acy4v3svftajymnru4l54rqzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kulvmg6 As expected/feared ReformUK won the Runcorn by-election, albeit by the thinnest of margins;<br/><br/>ReformUK 12,645/ Labour 12,639; 6 votes!<br/><br/>Sadly, given that most of the votes (albeit on a low turnout) seemed to have flowed from Labour to Reform, although the Tories also lost vote share, the Labour leadership will (wrongly) think they need to double down on their Reform-like policy pronouncements... leaving any rapprochement with the centre left to other parties.<br/><br/>Not good news at all!<br/>#politics<br/> <img src="https://cdn.masto.host/zirkus/media_attachments/files/114/436/572/778/824/605/original/8f1436bf6fb0dc06.png"> <br/> 2025-05-02T05:32:02Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsp0625kj8wsm3erf2rk2atragwkzdt0dj7qq9nf7rypppscwcenlczypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9k0k57m7 More kicking the can down the road on social care:<br/><br/>The Casey review&#39;s terms of reference say: &#39;&#39;The Commission should produce tangible, pragmatic recommendations that can be implemented in a phased way over a decade&#39;.<br/><br/>Given that the review wont report for another year, this suggests it will be setting out reforms that may take us through to 2036 for (potential) implementation.<br/><br/>Given the central role of social care problems in our ongoing health crisis, this isn&#39;t good news!<br/><br/>#health <br/>h/t FT 2025-05-02T05:21:35Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsggj0wplla5lupnmd8wq747jtpj3ln7sahc66v5hnjsuxxk0kz90szypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kuzv3vx Will abortion finally be (completely) decriminalised in the near future?<br/><br/>Well, it looks likely that MPs (in a free vote) may back Tonia Antoniazzi&#39;s amendments to forthcomong legislation to achieve that.... alongside Stella Creasy&#39;s ammendamenti to establish abortion as a human right!<br/><br/>Some might say &#39;about time&#39;.... but I wouldn&#39;t count the Right (in its various guises) among them.<br/><br/>#abortion #politics <br/><br/><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/01/mps-to-vote-on-decriminalisation-of-abortion-in-england-and-wales">https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/01/mps-to-vote-on-decriminalisation-of-abortion-in-england-and-wales</a> 2025-05-01T21:29:41Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsgwv7uednnfms0vs9c9tcs4f6yxfux9tezfaa5384mg3kkx3vyw4czypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kpc5ner In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsxecz4wtzet757urg44y4xt8drjlhk2z0p3krvnwcv82gl475ywggv59mnw'>nevent1q…9mnw</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Thanks, the slip in the post about them being doctors was also picked up earlier - classic non specialist mistake; just lumped them all in together, which I won&#39;t do again 👍 2025-05-01T13:57:27Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsysjj8m49jrt9glq0h0l9hnrlhhhk990xpx5r3xn7kv09qjv99gcgzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kznhfpe As the debate about the role &amp; use of patient records continues to be refracted through question about how patient data might be commercialised by firms accessing it, the issue of accuracy remains a major problem that needs to be resolved.<br/><br/>Research by Healthwatch England has found an alarming &amp; clearly dangerous level of inaccuracies in patents&#39; records impacting diagnosis &amp; treatment<br/><br/>Another issue of patient/doctor miscommunication or systemic failure?<br/><br/>#NHS #health <br/><br/><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/may/01/one-in-four-patients-in-england-find-errors-in-medical-records-watchdog-says">https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/may/01/one-in-four-patients-in-england-find-errors-in-medical-records-watchdog-says</a> 2025-05-01T05:40:23Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsgxf47x7zqf2duwyaf3v43495868u5dmp5unqrqnyw59aptmzwnzqzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kfweesx More climate myopia.<br/><br/>Across the finance &amp; insurance sector, firms are only accounting for &#39;repetitional risk&#39; around climate change, with little assessment of how shifts in climate might impact on actual investments &amp; insurance claims.<br/><br/>The very fact that the Prudential Regulation Authority is now requiring(!) reviews by firms on their environmental risks tells you a lot about how the financial services sector has effectively ignored a major future problem!<br/><br/>#climate #FinancialServices <br/>h/t FT 2025-05-01T05:16:50Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsd6475axe6n5dngpnep5ysnlkk5k2ytydedyrh3ucelshm00cxxvqzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kv6mt7e How serious is the crisis in the UK university sector?<br/><br/>Across the sector university managers are (perhaps perversely) cutting staff as a way of trying to resolve budgetary problems, reflecting an abiding British management problem that sees staff as a cost rather than an resource that needs to be nurtured &amp; invested in.<br/><br/>QMUL-UCU have been tracking announcements of staff reductions &amp; their list suggests universities are shedding staff at an alarming rate!<br/><br/>#universities <br/><a href="https://qmucu.org/qmul-transformation/uk-he-shrinking/">https://qmucu.org/qmul-transformation/uk-he-shrinking/</a> 2025-05-01T05:10:15Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs2rv05us3rx4enzpa5lva7q3l9akalgdlp7nz532lwdxs70w29fdczypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9khvan03 There&#39;s been much discussion of the UK&#39;s debt to GDP ration &amp; what it might mean for the Govt&#39;s ability to borrow more &amp; how this fits with Rachel Reeves&#39; (new/revised) fiscal rules.<br/><br/>So, here is a chart of Public Debt to GDP for a wide range of countries, arranged by the percentage.<br/><br/>I&#39;m not arguing there is a particular threshold over which it becomes unsustainable, nor that a lower debt/GDP ratio os necessarily good... but just wanted to share this graphic of the range of levels.<br/><br/>#economics<br/> <img src="https://cdn.masto.host/zirkus/media_attachments/files/114/428/137/830/241/348/original/fe87208f97457235.jpg"> <br/> 2025-04-30T17:43:40Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqswa23cxsj9yn77tt74r6ead5k5ay3g975g3ka24sklrmh75tlapyszypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kh0ndfx Having explored a range of reasons that Labour&#39;s mistaken in trying to attract voters who are considering voting for ReformUK, <span itemprop="mentions" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Person"><a itemprop="url" href="/npub1qeqkwenwtln92nx9zaxe7dja7u8kdvxj33dvxrer0rgk7pl86jnsm658yu" class="bg-lavender dark:prose:text-neutral-50 dark:text-neutral-50 dark:bg-garnet px-1"><span>Simon Wren-Lewis</span> (<span class="italic">npub1qeq…58yu</span>)</a></span> offers some good advice to Keir Starmer &amp; his team:<br/><br/>&#39;The simple message that Labour should be repeating at every opportunity is that if voters want to know what a country led by Farage would look like, they just need to see what is happening to the nation led by his friend Donald Trump&#39;!<br/><br/>But will they, though?<br/><br/>#politics <br/><br/><a href="https://mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/04/what-labour-is-getting-wrong-in.html">https://mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/04/what-labour-is-getting-wrong-in.html</a> 2025-04-30T10:06:57Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs0rj3detu50x0uynwjsjut9emq4339ewc7g4w9h8dt47pc7rjha5szypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kzlzgfa In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsgvyx0wh2dgxvdmqfdshzczv5px3858ahyrc89jt3euskc52jdchg0qq4se'>nevent1q…q4se</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Indeed, this may be true in part; but for the poor having the cash is a visible way of budgeting (with different envelopes (jars) for different budgets... and what economic sociology shows is people often draw out the cash to handle it in that way rather than let &#39;unseen transaction&#39; run away with them 2025-04-30T07:21:11Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqszaz6ucn6fc60ak2uamr8ds73tuv9e3n3hxnltq2n9kcghfj55fmszypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kvqvwwk In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqstpzmaktwg0nxhyk5d42w08wwh3czrlk0qc7n6x0d0x42gxn0j5ac2h83a3'>nevent1q…83a3</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Hmmmm.... however, for the poor budgeting, cash is really helpful as it allows you to see the cashflow in and out of your budgets... also for those who want to reduce their surveillance profile, cash of course works wonders;<br/><br/>for years firms managed cash easily; the costs of handling it now, are to some extent imposed by banks eager to promote a system of card payment from which they can skim (further) profits.... 2025-04-30T06:19:43Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsge3luc2tyam27splkh27zjyvguygzw0rqmknz9zfy08stzlthmdszypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kpmca7y The acceptance of cash by retailers has become a growing issue of discontent, and now MPs while not as yet moving to force retailers to accept cash, have asked the Govt. to improve monitoring of this issue &amp; to consider mandating cash acceptance if retailers do not voluntarily move to return to allowing cash to settle payments.<br/><br/>This suggests that MPs are seeing this issue rising in their constituencies &amp; may hint that disquiet on the issue is widening!<br/><br/>#economics <br/><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjwvgqz3vxzo">https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjwvgqz3vxzo</a> 2025-04-30T06:06:07Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs84kp0zdsjv68drc0d5k7wzmndamakmjh345mnsu3gjnmw3252uyczypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kmam2v3 As <span itemprop="mentions" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Person"><a itemprop="url" href="/npub1pceafpjpgycfpj003kj3sd7rej4q7herp8qmch3lz9x3t4uh3rss64k8vy" class="bg-lavender dark:prose:text-neutral-50 dark:text-neutral-50 dark:bg-garnet px-1"><span>adamtooze</span> (<span class="italic">npub1pce…k8vy</span>)</a></span> pointed out a couple of weeks ago, the first sector that will see real job cuts in the wake of the Trump tariff &#39;policy&#39; will be logistics.... and sure enough, responding to the dive in imports related to Amazon shipments from China, UPS is cutting 20,000 jobs from its workforce.<br/><br/>Trump has already attacked Amazon for saying it will make explicit the cost of tariffs, I wonder what he will say to/about UPS?<br/><br/>#economics #logistics #tariffs <br/><br/>h/t FT 2025-04-30T05:25:49Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqspwftjd5mtewjjkeqa5tm32merh0lavs054v4vtjy903hegaxe2pczypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kxafh98 It looks like Trump&#39;s interference in Canada&#39;s election has led to a resurgence of support for the Liberals, now led by Mark Carney (justifying the choice of Carney as leader), but while the full results are not yet in, it looks as the Liberals&#39; majority may be quite thin in an election that saw voters shift from minority parties to the two main Canadian parties.<br/><br/>Many might read this as a rebuff to Trump, but that will really depend on the support gained by the Conservatives.<br/><br/>#Canada <br/>h/t FT 2025-04-29T05:47:52Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsya8n844d5ck6ts09eg03jcq6n8dck9n4qhyfzsu82qjfq9q33tsqzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9k7a4tx6 Part of the enduring gender pay gap is the result of the plight of new mothers; many would like to return to work but are stymied in that aspiration by employers &#39;unreasonable&#39; refusal to allow flexible working (to fit in with childcare).<br/><br/>As Maternity Action argue the maximum compensation available through employment tribunals for &#39;unreasonable&#39; refusal (under the new employment rights legislation) still remains too low to shift the dial on this problem!<br/><br/>#workers <br/><a href="https://maternityaction.org.uk/2025/04/if-we-want-to-close-the-gender-pay-gap-now-is-the-time-to-make-sure-that-flexible-working-rights-have-teeth/">https://maternityaction.org.uk/2025/04/if-we-want-to-close-the-gender-pay-gap-now-is-the-time-to-make-sure-that-flexible-working-rights-have-teeth/</a> 2025-04-29T05:26:23Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqspn4xa07hjz6gq42wpyjhvg79ty5s9d6kv676gtlyunyggxg3ndwszypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9k4fff8m I see that some are already rushing to blame Spain&#39;s &#39;reliance on renewable/sustainable energy for the massive &#39;oscillation&#39; that has been identified as causing the widespread power outage today.<br/><br/>The system, with relatively few links to the European grid via France, was unable to cope, it is claimed, with a large (weather related?) shift in energy use.<br/><br/>You can be the nuclear power lobby will be now pushing the line they can keep the lights on...<br/><br/>#energy #Spain <br/>h/t FT 2025-04-28T21:18:35Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsrfqf23p6agfau3cepaevxacayyjzljpxacc6vy7fk90ag00frxngzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kykyhtx On Thursday we may find that people are fed up with the two mainstream parties &amp; are prepared to vote some of the alternatives.... the Q. is how this will play out for the Greens, the Lib Dems &amp; Reform UK.<br/><br/>More importantly while there will be an impact on local governance, the result will also be interpreted &amp; analysed to seek some insight on the political tactics of voters.<br/><br/>However, we know already, however well the Greens do, the media will be focusing on ReformUK.... <br/><br/>#politics #Greens 2025-04-28T16:58:05Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsxj5jz2s7gpwy0ae38kwlsn6zy4pam4l67xtnd6wl9qq5yxnalg5szypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9k2gsz82 Workers rights are a vote winner.... who&#39;d have thought it?<br/><br/>Given most voters are workers, only someone deeply in the pockets of the business &amp; political elite might think that the (frankly hardly controversial) measure Labour is pushing for i unpopular.<br/><br/>Why don&#39;t Labour make more of it &amp; stop being so apologetic about these rights?<br/><br/>Well, this is the problem with a party that is trying to retain support from unions &amp; from wealthy backers; interests collide!<br/><br/>#workers <br/><br/><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/apr/28/uk-employment-rights-bill-favourability-polling">https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/apr/28/uk-employment-rights-bill-favourability-polling</a> 2025-04-28T16:49:55Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs899yajxnj4dfha8nnhq4wrwzs8tjy2073dgsx67pjtuq3n02nytqzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kyex8ne So it would seem the pay review bodies in both the health sector &amp; education have recommended settlements, that while not massive, are above the projected affordable pay rises pencilled in by departments in light of Rachel Reeves views on the money available under her fiscal rules....<br/><br/>and so once again we are hearing the government demanding that workers be &#39;realistic&#39; about their stagnant standard of living while CEOs and others demand double digit pay rises.<br/><br/>#LINO indeed!<br/><br/>#politics #workers 2025-04-28T16:40:48Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsxc3h8dped6lfg6ac5f3nsdcdrupsuhs3e02zcuzks94fu9me5kjqzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kj7qq5e In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsd435rc3w3lhkqt7zzsw7lvme9x9vl4gufpkms6vlwj7gppxfw3dc64cmxc'>nevent1q…cmxc</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Which might be why the scheme is (at least at the moment) to be flying under the radar? 2025-04-28T13:47:35Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs2ldzsf9xwpua0ta3zkvxvpw9vn9d9znex5d46r8cw7p9gd2z3zvszypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kzfd6kp In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsg0pjdyn26pmpmvgw8gnv9cn2mg0d4qw9acxqjkp9ddeagn7m0g3cus6p9g'>nevent1q…6p9g</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>I hadn&#39;t seen that about Cambridge but there have been some stories about other universities making US scholars welcome (and funding their work) 2025-04-28T12:22:36Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs0u27vl5qjya502dfcsnepduq6vgp62vg6rfud7lhqhf5a875gsaczypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9ket4dx6 The return of the Orange Baby.... as details of the second visit by the Tangerine Tyrant to these shores begin to emerge, so do the plans of protestors.<br/><br/>If Keir Starmer is seeking to impress Trump on his visit &amp; avoid harming his vanity, the exclusion zone may end up being pretty large.... once again allowing Labour to exhibit its anti-protest, anti-democratic credentials.<br/><br/>#politics #protest <br/><br/><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/18/trumps-second-state-visit-to-uk-to-be-disrupted-by-even-bigger-protests">https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/18/trumps-second-state-visit-to-uk-to-be-disrupted-by-even-bigger-protests</a> 2025-04-19T07:24:27Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsx85zmkg054nkyg9ymwmnjxld4e48f5rslxdk5wed466zmafjx0gczypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9k7sd37t Can expanding the &#39;Advice &amp; Guidance&#39; scheme, incentivising GPs to offer tests &amp; treatments on site or locally rather than refer patients immediately to hospital offer a way to reduce waitng lists &amp; improve patient experiences of the NHS?<br/><br/>My local surgery has just built extra (physical) capacity to offer expanded treatments/tests; other surgeries will be doing the same. <br/><br/>More investment in GP practices makes more sense than some other policies!<br/><br/>#health #NHS #doctors <br/><br/><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgrgqqjdlg4o">https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgrgqqjdlg4o</a> 2025-04-17T06:10:10Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs8lgkna98qxkeqrx79a8aa4yjfn4c0ga5st2kvzg3x6q4xmg0ytkqzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9ktunh3h On way of thinking how the major trading economies might be impacted by a trade war prompted by Trump&#39;s &#39;tariff shock&#39; is to look at the proportion of the countries&#39; economies that are accounted for by goods exported.<br/><br/>Of course this doesn&#39;t include services, which for the UK here a significant proportion of overall exports (as they are for the US)... but as tariffs are (currently) only being applied to goods it give you some data to consider this evening!<br/><br/>#Trade #economics #politics<br/> <img src="https://cdn.masto.host/zirkus/media_attachments/files/114/348/788/352/547/301/original/8fb3ce2bf11abb95.jpg"> <br/> 2025-04-16T17:25:46Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsxjfktqjqjl3dzndyelyhph4ldpl8ty45wzwgryteyxz3y45c32hqzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kttcmc7 WTO DG, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, warns we are seeing a major de-coupling of China/US trade &amp; this will have an adverse impact on the global economy... <br/><br/>she may be right, but equally we may be &#39;merely&#39; entering a period of transition (as I&#39;ve argued before) between a system where the US is (perhaps too uncritically) seen as the global economic &#39;leader&#39; to one not where China takes over, but rather we end up with a multipolar system of regional trading blocs!<br/><br/>#economics <br/><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/16/trump-tariffs-will-send-global-trade-into-reverse-this-year-warns-wto">https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/16/trump-tariffs-will-send-global-trade-into-reverse-this-year-warns-wto</a> 2025-04-16T16:34:32Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsyxj9zp9wp6mj6qqv8c0m8j2g8t55aql2qnghqhuj6ggy5nfxydsqzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kusn4kz As <span itemprop="mentions" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Person"><a itemprop="url" href="/npub1qeqkwenwtln92nx9zaxe7dja7u8kdvxj33dvxrer0rgk7pl86jnsm658yu" class="bg-lavender dark:prose:text-neutral-50 dark:text-neutral-50 dark:bg-garnet px-1"><span>Simon Wren-Lewis</span> (<span class="italic">npub1qeq…58yu</span>)</a></span> suggests rather then being broadly socially &amp; economically on the right,<br/><br/>&#39;the new silent majority are those voters who are either socially liberal, or centre to left wing in terms of public service provision (or both). This new silent majority is probably actually a majority of voters. It extends way beyond what is typically referred to as the left in the UK&#39;...<br/><br/>Ignoring this silent majority would be a grave mistake for Labour!<br/><br/>#politics <br/><br/><a href="https://mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/04/the-new-silent-majority.html">https://mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/04/the-new-silent-majority.html</a> 2025-04-16T09:35:32Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsxtdx2me0rqj2upmzqelm7flsetevrv2q6jsau8m6tg2t6y7lekpczypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9k6mc2gk Seemingly some lower priced imports POTUS Trump does like:<br/><br/>In an executive order yesterday he paved the way for the importation of medicines from countries where they are cheaper, in a direct move against Big Pharma that often charges US customers around three times the lowest prices levied outside the USA.<br/><br/>This will surely be a popular move, but not with the Pharma sector, which (one must conclude) have done too little to seek favour at the Court of the Tangerine Tyrant.<br/><br/>#BigPharma #politics 2025-04-16T05:25:45Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqswt4sk8pr0xup0czhq3n8980fgjmx7u28hg09rft9aud98cu7yjkszypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9ka9yfg7 One thing that is becoming clear from the rule of the Court of Tangerine Tyrant... if the US constitution fails to contain the danger of Trump&#39;s administration, people like me who support a written constitution as a way of improving UK politics are going to have some re-thinking to do.... because Trump is the very sort of leader a written constitution would be expected to protect people from.<br/><br/>If a constitution doesn&#39;t work in this case, then how useful would it be?<br/><br/>#politics #RuleOfLaw 2025-04-15T21:04:35Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqswpcd82q4pakecgma3k6h3g5yn4ptxwep0ewh0sf8zdzwcfy5y44qzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9klfgx5j The next stage of the Grenfell killings is about to get under way; firms involved in the pre-fire refurbishment are being sued for £360m by Kensington &amp; Chelsea Council (itself criticised by the Inquiry).<br/><br/>Once this get to court the blame game which has been exercised during the Inquiry will start to have significant financial consequences.<br/><br/>Frankly if the lying, corrupt companies aren&#39;t bankrupted by this legal action, then justice will not seen to have been done!<br/><br/>#Grenfell #politics <br/>h/t FT 2025-04-08T20:29:33Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsxs77tgml5hn098espekmk9lx65d7xnk93ej8hmy5xjvc5ajt4ffgzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kqap6gq Three things about Trump&#39;s Liberation Day tariffs:<br/><br/>1. are they merely transactional? will concessions mean they&#39;ll be reduced/abandoned?<br/><br/>2. Trump is acting as if the US still controlled a large proportion of global trade; it doesn&#39;t, its around 13% of international trade (by value); which implies<br/><br/>3. If rather than retaliate, other countries&#39; firms re-focus on regional markets (&amp; states maintain free[ish] trade in those blocs], the harm may in the end be focussed on the US!<br/><br/>#trade #economics 2025-04-03T17:05:28Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsv9v67vygr6ek9m237cdpq78p0xepwy206k6e4wa5caega23524qszypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kuj2uex Unsurprisingly Private Equity firms are lobbying Rachel Reeves not to increase the tax on &#39;carried interest&#39; (how PE partners are often paid) by shifting from treating it as a capital gain, to treating it as income (albeit with some concessions on rates of tax &amp; NI).<br/><br/>As some of PE executives are already being hit by shifts in inheritance tax &amp; Non Dom tax treatment, they&#39;re claiming they won&#39;t come to/stay in the UK.<br/><br/>Good; we have have enough rapacious rentiers already!<br/><br/>#politics <br/>h/t FT 2025-04-03T06:07:31Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqstsmcgg0f6rzykl5rqsxyfgnex6trhzphfhewp2ay49su8qj4eucszypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kqay00v Keir Starmer is claiming the 10% tariff imposed by Trump in his Liberation Day speech is a vindication of the UK&#39;s &#39;quiet diplomacy&#39; as its half that imposed on the EU, while quietly not mentioning that UK car &amp; steel exports will (it seems) be hit with 25% tariffs...<br/><br/>Starmer will continue to offer up concessions, not least a more favourable tax treatment for Big Tech in the new Digital Service Tax, but Trump seldom makes a deal that is favourable to the counter-party!<br/><br/>#trade #politics <br/>h/t FT 2025-04-03T05:59:51Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqszuelyrsffus902uqvem87m3jqejgmmm3es0fdahw73p6pjlehurszypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kf4kkvd So &#39;Liberation Day&#39; has produced a general 10% tariff for all imports plus top up &#39;reciprocal&#39; tariffs on trading &#39;partners&#39; depending on their particular (taxation) circumstances... Trump is also going big on restoring (especially for Big Pharma).<br/><br/>So we are now entering a political economic experiment few of us signed up for, the consequences of which remain unclear (despite historical parallels) - but one things is sure:<br/><br/>buckle up its going to be a bumpy ride!<br/><br/>#trade #tariffs #politics 2025-04-02T21:17:50Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs87wrrrc2us5sacallky0w9s53468quv8327r69hxx3x7twfr9xnqzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kw86hzz Environment Secretary Steve Reed has told the Environment Agency &amp; Natural England, that they now need to be &#39;prioritising economic growth&#39;.<br/><br/>Using the case of the HS2 Bat Tunnel, Reed is arguing that too often both get in the way of development(s) &amp; impose onerous costs on those that go ahead.<br/><br/>This may be true in some cases, but its difficult to see how these agencies can continue to properly advocate for nature if their remit is to &#39;prioritise&#39; economic growth?<br/><br/>#regulation #politics <br/>h/t FT 2025-04-02T06:16:20Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs8edvwwd8dlnngwafr34trkmeqwllpjshcdj6f3fzrk2adp2dqamszypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9kt60v60 A key problem with the &#39;logic&#39; behind the disability welfare cuts - that disabled people are better off in work - is that disabled people often have higher costs to participate in work (from personal support to specialised tech) *and* the TUC notes, they are also pad less; the disability pay gap is around 20% <br/><br/>Being paid less, but with higher costs, means for many disabled going to work will (often) make them worse off.<br/><br/>But Starmer &amp; Reeves don&#39;t care about that!<br/><br/>#disability #politics <br/>h/t FT 2025-04-02T06:07:40Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsghzvlshcvhewz5aqwla2f3cn5ag9zlcks204jt6qf9cm224qk9agzypg9c5hzznh2tgwngn4yewxjjg77y77amfx7yfmjw7g5hw9pjxd9k4vnae7 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsz20x3h45zst92hs26e7s4dhgg9td266ncsy8zxxk4hmye25xpaksze6dcz'>nevent1q…6dcz</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Hmmm... yes one might draw an analogy between EU-UK trade &amp; US-World trade... but without wishing to be down on the UK, the US is a slightly bigger player in global economic terms.... 2025-04-01T16:40:05Z