Alastair Meeks
@alastairmeeks.bsky.social
Lawyer, writer, Zedra
It is quite remarkable the discontinuity between the British general public, where the par opinion of Donald Trump is that he is mad and depraved, and many of their political representatives (especially those on the right) who compete to ingratiate themselves with him.
Trump is incredibly unpopular here! including amongst Tory voters. What are they doing?
Conservative Shadow Culture Secretary Nigel Huddleston tells GB News that the BBC should "grovel" to Trump.
Amazing how many British 'patriots' are spending their time telling our national broadcaster to prostrate itself before a hostile foreign leader
Amazing how many British 'patriots' are spending their time telling our national broadcaster to prostrate itself before a hostile foreign leader
November 11, 2025 at 12:29 PM
It is quite remarkable the discontinuity between the British general public, where the par opinion of Donald Trump is that he is mad and depraved, and many of their political representatives (especially those on the right) who compete to ingratiate themselves with him.
One of my most firmly-held cultural opinions is that long-running series are crippled when they have a compulsion to retrofit a story arc and then use it as a framework.
Who on earth thinks about James Bond in terms more complicated than "get the girl, kill the baddie"?
Who on earth thinks about James Bond in terms more complicated than "get the girl, kill the baddie"?
November 11, 2025 at 11:25 AM
One of my most firmly-held cultural opinions is that long-running series are crippled when they have a compulsion to retrofit a story arc and then use it as a framework.
Who on earth thinks about James Bond in terms more complicated than "get the girl, kill the baddie"?
Who on earth thinks about James Bond in terms more complicated than "get the girl, kill the baddie"?
On the BBC: the government could turn the crisis into an opportunity, completely reconfiguring the BBC Board on the ground of its manifest failure to provide effective governance.
It won't though. The Culture Secretary isn't up to it, and nor is the PM.
It won't though. The Culture Secretary isn't up to it, and nor is the PM.
November 11, 2025 at 9:03 AM
On the BBC: the government could turn the crisis into an opportunity, completely reconfiguring the BBC Board on the ground of its manifest failure to provide effective governance.
It won't though. The Culture Secretary isn't up to it, and nor is the PM.
It won't though. The Culture Secretary isn't up to it, and nor is the PM.
One thing that hasn't been much discussed with the mooted capping of salary sacrifice schemes is that such schemes have been central to the adoption of electric vehicles. I'm not sure the government wants to put obstacles in the way of that trend.
November 11, 2025 at 8:51 AM
One thing that hasn't been much discussed with the mooted capping of salary sacrifice schemes is that such schemes have been central to the adoption of electric vehicles. I'm not sure the government wants to put obstacles in the way of that trend.
Reposted by Alastair Meeks
The correct takeaway is not to think this is “bothsidesist” but to conclude that “the problem is not about the BBC’s political bias, it is about the BBC’s competence”.
Sorry to be the archetypal bothsidesist again (!), but the newsreader's eye-roll *and* the editing of the Trump footage both seem quite difficult to defend?!?
November 10, 2025 at 12:46 PM
The correct takeaway is not to think this is “bothsidesist” but to conclude that “the problem is not about the BBC’s political bias, it is about the BBC’s competence”.
Reposted by Alastair Meeks
Headline from a serious and long working paper on the economic impact of Brexit. Possible that this has been feeding into OBR and HMT discussions?
November 10, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Headline from a serious and long working paper on the economic impact of Brexit. Possible that this has been feeding into OBR and HMT discussions?
A good example of how if there's one thing worse than going into an election with a secret agenda, it's not going into an election with a secret agenda.
Imagine if Labour had actually had plans to deal with the crises they immediately faced.
Imagine if Labour had actually had plans to deal with the crises they immediately faced.
While going through the proofs for "The British General Election of 2024" (out very soon!) I came across this - Paul Johnson of the IFS's verdict on Labour's manifesto last year. Labour's current attempts to claim the need to break their tax pledges was impossible to forsee don't stack up
November 10, 2025 at 8:40 AM
A good example of how if there's one thing worse than going into an election with a secret agenda, it's not going into an election with a secret agenda.
Imagine if Labour had actually had plans to deal with the crises they immediately faced.
Imagine if Labour had actually had plans to deal with the crises they immediately faced.
I'm wondering how many BBC board members will be left by the end of the week.
November 10, 2025 at 7:44 AM
I'm wondering how many BBC board members will be left by the end of the week.
Amazing how the Times defines impartiality as its own opinion (the second time in two days).
Only by ruthlessly examining what failures made it so vulnerable to groupthink in handling Martine Croxall’s case and others can the corporation save itself | ✍️ Sonia Sodha
What’s the point of the BBC if it can’t be impartial?
Only by ruthlessly examining what failures made it so vulnerable to groupthink in handling Martine Croxall’s case and others can the corporation save itself
www.thetimes.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:35 AM
Amazing how the Times defines impartiality as its own opinion (the second time in two days).
Chase are really phoning it in now.
November 9, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Chase are really phoning it in now.
No one is going to have much sympathy for City law firm partners etc. But it is worth noting that in practice they already often pay more tax on profits than their marginal rate might suggest because a lot of expenses of such firms aren't tax deductible.
November 9, 2025 at 10:36 AM
No one is going to have much sympathy for City law firm partners etc. But it is worth noting that in practice they already often pay more tax on profits than their marginal rate might suggest because a lot of expenses of such firms aren't tax deductible.
Thinking about muting the word Mamdani. Not because I have anything particularly against the man, but he seems to be a singular incarnation of a terrible take generator.
November 9, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Thinking about muting the word Mamdani. Not because I have anything particularly against the man, but he seems to be a singular incarnation of a terrible take generator.
When Labour are at 20% in the polls, I’m curious to see who are the previously-unalienated voters who are going to be flouncing off now.
I’m sure a lot of the 80% are going to be upset, but they can’t leave twice.
I’m sure a lot of the 80% are going to be upset, but they can’t leave twice.
Read her lips: Rachel Reeves means tax rises www.independent.co.uk/voices/rache...
November 9, 2025 at 9:43 AM
When Labour are at 20% in the polls, I’m curious to see who are the previously-unalienated voters who are going to be flouncing off now.
I’m sure a lot of the 80% are going to be upset, but they can’t leave twice.
I’m sure a lot of the 80% are going to be upset, but they can’t leave twice.
Saturday gym selfie.
November 8, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Saturday gym selfie.
Reposted by Alastair Meeks
I have sometimes wondered if the truly ruinous bit of social media is the "encouraging everyone to judge everyone else" bit. People yelling "you need to be held accountable!" about things which are not good but also are not their business and do not in any way matter or require accountability.
November 8, 2025 at 10:40 AM
I have sometimes wondered if the truly ruinous bit of social media is the "encouraging everyone to judge everyone else" bit. People yelling "you need to be held accountable!" about things which are not good but also are not their business and do not in any way matter or require accountability.
Reposted by Alastair Meeks
I wrote a piece about Movember and how I'm not a mental health advocate.
www.threeredkings.com/when-novembe...
www.threeredkings.com/when-novembe...
When November Ends – Three Red Kings
www.threeredkings.com
November 8, 2025 at 8:08 AM
I wrote a piece about Movember and how I'm not a mental health advocate.
www.threeredkings.com/when-novembe...
www.threeredkings.com/when-novembe...
Seems like a good morning to note again that intellect and morality are quite separate and there is no particular reason to expect a person who is possessed of large quantities of one to have large quantities of the other.
November 8, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Seems like a good morning to note again that intellect and morality are quite separate and there is no particular reason to expect a person who is possessed of large quantities of one to have large quantities of the other.
Parakeets have reached as far as Marks Tey. I wonder how completely they will end up colonising the UK.
November 7, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Parakeets have reached as far as Marks Tey. I wonder how completely they will end up colonising the UK.
Reposted by Alastair Meeks
Reposted by Alastair Meeks
"Number of unfilled primary school places in England hits record high". Link: on.ft.com/47GtJWJ
We should get used to seeing this story once a year!
We should get used to seeing this story once a year!
November 6, 2025 at 9:45 AM
"Number of unfilled primary school places in England hits record high". Link: on.ft.com/47GtJWJ
We should get used to seeing this story once a year!
We should get used to seeing this story once a year!
On the one hand, it’s got to be monitored.
On the other hand, there’s a big element of “fighting the last war” about some of the commentary on this.
On the other hand, there’s a big element of “fighting the last war” about some of the commentary on this.
In the ultra-competitive market for corporate pensions deals, and with credit spreads incredibly tight, big insurers are leveraging up their gilts to eke out higher returns.
Leveraged gilts backing pensions: never goes wrong obviously
www.ft.com/content/427a...
Leveraged gilts backing pensions: never goes wrong obviously
www.ft.com/content/427a...
Leverage creeps into gilts market as insurers seek to boost returns
Use of derivatives to enhance bets on UK government bonds raises parallels with strategies that fuelled 2022 meltdown
www.ft.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:23 AM
On the one hand, it’s got to be monitored.
On the other hand, there’s a big element of “fighting the last war” about some of the commentary on this.
On the other hand, there’s a big element of “fighting the last war” about some of the commentary on this.
The most important details right here. A perfect encapsulation of the damage algorithms can do to people.
![But she also said that her Facebook feed was full of stories of assaults by black people, as was the news.
“Whilst you say that, you know, there are white people and yellow people and everybody else [doing crimes], on Facebook and on social media, it is pushed all the time in front of us, isn’t it?”](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:lzzsbij4k5kivn7vexvzibkp/bafkreiav4nzdguq2stblpi25v4bbuvsfpryxkxa5nyfxgq5njz2bmmotce@jpeg)
November 6, 2025 at 8:21 AM
The most important details right here. A perfect encapsulation of the damage algorithms can do to people.
Reposted by Alastair Meeks
I have spent my entire professional life understanding the British point of view on foreign policy. I get certain historic and cultural differences. But the wilder the world gets the more infuriated I become by the dismissive attitude many Brits have towards the EU as a peace project./
November 6, 2025 at 7:51 AM
I have spent my entire professional life understanding the British point of view on foreign policy. I get certain historic and cultural differences. But the wilder the world gets the more infuriated I become by the dismissive attitude many Brits have towards the EU as a peace project./
He's clearly guilty of ciabatta-ry.
Day 3 of the “no more than 2” day trial of Sandwich Guy. The prosecution intends to rest; the defense hasn’t decided yet. Dispute over jury instructions continues, a few morsels (sorry) to follow.
November 5, 2025 at 4:17 PM
He's clearly guilty of ciabatta-ry.
Independently of her merits as a candidate, Winsome Earle-Sears is a magnificent name.
New "land doesn't vote" just dropped
www.economist.com/united-state...
www.economist.com/united-state...
November 5, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Independently of her merits as a candidate, Winsome Earle-Sears is a magnificent name.