Elle
@centristmum.bsky.social
Mum, Lib Dem and naturalised Yorkshire citizen
When I'm trying to win someone round to my choice of printer
It’s not a HP obsession!
November 13, 2025 at 10:49 PM
When I'm trying to win someone round to my choice of printer
Have we ruled out a complex bet on who can brief the daftest thing without losing it?
This might seem cute but it isn't. Government spokes people only do this when they've been sent out to make a fool of themselves in front of their friends and colleagues and are pissed off about it
November 13, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Have we ruled out a complex bet on who can brief the daftest thing without losing it?
To expand on this, I think taking away the salary sacrifice policies that high earners use to soften the 100k childcare limit without also softening the limit will have unpredictable labour market effects both directly via the high earners themselves and indirectly via their lower-earning spouses
I completely agree but it's also reminding me of the time Gordon Brown killed DB pensions by mistake because he was looking for stealth taxes so I also think it could be worse than this
November 13, 2025 at 9:08 AM
To expand on this, I think taking away the salary sacrifice policies that high earners use to soften the 100k childcare limit without also softening the limit will have unpredictable labour market effects both directly via the high earners themselves and indirectly via their lower-earning spouses
Reposted by Elle
The really sad thing about the Epstein files is no-one seems to really care, except for what political impact it has.
November 12, 2025 at 10:39 PM
The really sad thing about the Epstein files is no-one seems to really care, except for what political impact it has.
I feel like this budget is going to backfire in weird and unexpected ways
Rachel Reeves is setting the Cycle to Work scheme on fire as part of the war on salary sacrifice policies! on.ft.com/4oKXNrC
Rachel Reeves to curb bike purchases through salary sacrifice in Budget
Introduction of new cap comes after retailers warned some higher-rate taxpayers were exploiting the perk
on.ft.com
November 12, 2025 at 11:08 PM
I feel like this budget is going to backfire in weird and unexpected ways
Between this and the fall of El Fasher it's hard to confront the evil in the world
“There were no political or religious motivations. They were rich people who went there for fun and personal satisfaction. We are talking about people who love guns who perhaps go to shooting ranges or on safari in Africa.” www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
November 12, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Between this and the fall of El Fasher it's hard to confront the evil in the world
Streeting is a transphobe who's kicked the difficult bits on the NHS *and social care* brief into the long grass so I hope he doesn't become PM but I will concede this is funny
No 10 briefs to embarrass Streeting, knowing he’s on the media round
Streeting excels at morning round, embarrassing No 10
Another triumph
Streeting excels at morning round, embarrassing No 10
Another triumph
November 12, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Streeting is a transphobe who's kicked the difficult bits on the NHS *and social care* brief into the long grass so I hope he doesn't become PM but I will concede this is funny
If this BBC thing is what topples Starmer it will be Lisa Nandy that brought him down in the end and on the basis of 'since it's never good can it at least be funny' this is now what I'm hoping for
November 11, 2025 at 10:12 PM
If this BBC thing is what topples Starmer it will be Lisa Nandy that brought him down in the end and on the basis of 'since it's never good can it at least be funny' this is now what I'm hoping for
This government has a truly uncanny ability to absorb political pain before u-turning at a point when they'll derive no benefit whatsoever
November 11, 2025 at 7:05 PM
This government has a truly uncanny ability to absorb political pain before u-turning at a point when they'll derive no benefit whatsoever
Reposted by Elle
Well, this is quite a serious allegation. I do hope the BBC shows true impartiality and investigate whether or not some of its Board members are systemically biased. www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
BBC board member with Tory links ‘led charge’ in systemic bias claims, say insiders
Sources say Robbie Gibb amplified criticisms of Trump, Gaza and trans rights coverage, and had ‘a lot of oxygen in the room’
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 7:34 AM
Well, this is quite a serious allegation. I do hope the BBC shows true impartiality and investigate whether or not some of its Board members are systemically biased. www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
This does feel like key information tbh. Wonder why budding tyrant Donald Trump would want to muzzle a trusted independent news source 🤔
Nowhere in the hysterical pile-on against the BBC in the British press has anyone mentioned that BBC News now has 77 million viewers & listeners in the US and has established itself as the second most trusted news source there.
November 11, 2025 at 9:14 AM
This does feel like key information tbh. Wonder why budding tyrant Donald Trump would want to muzzle a trusted independent news source 🤔
Let's be generous: this person is technically correct, the best kind of correct, that at the time the majority of Huguenots arrived in London the UK did not yet exist. It's natural to be confused when you're 300 years old like Alexander must be.
November 11, 2025 at 12:06 AM
Let's be generous: this person is technically correct, the best kind of correct, that at the time the majority of Huguenots arrived in London the UK did not yet exist. It's natural to be confused when you're 300 years old like Alexander must be.
This is only partially true IMV. Young people like to hang out with other young people but the kind of weirdos who join political parties ALSO often enjoy hanging out with people of other ages IF THEY ARE TREATED WITH RESPECT
Like I'm sorry but the average 20 year old wants to hang out with other 20 year olds, not old people. This is a societally universal phenomenon that has to be adjusted to, not "why won't people just"-ed
November 10, 2025 at 2:53 PM
This is only partially true IMV. Young people like to hang out with other young people but the kind of weirdos who join political parties ALSO often enjoy hanging out with people of other ages IF THEY ARE TREATED WITH RESPECT
"The problem with the 2024 Westminster selections is that they weren't centralized or factional enough..."
Scottish Labour may be picking a fight with its own? 👀
Scottish Labour is considering blocking party members from selecting Holyrood candidates. Party bosses could instead appoint candidates for Lists based on how many voters they contacted during campaigning.
www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politic...
Scottish Labour is considering blocking party members from selecting Holyrood candidates. Party bosses could instead appoint candidates for Lists based on how many voters they contacted during campaigning.
www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politic...
Labour considering blocking party members from selecting Holyrood candidates
EXCLUSIVE: The party's governing body will discuss a proposal tomorrow which would grant List ranking places to the constituency candidates who have worked the hardest.
www.dailyrecord.co.uk
November 7, 2025 at 5:01 PM
"The problem with the 2024 Westminster selections is that they weren't centralized or factional enough..."
I haven't laughed this much since traitors finished two hours ago. Let the woman off, this is funny enough!
Australian teen charged with sticking googly eyes on artwork - BBC News
A local council said the repairs to the bright blue sculpture would be 'significant'.
www.bbc.com
November 7, 2025 at 12:54 AM
I haven't laughed this much since traitors finished two hours ago. Let the woman off, this is funny enough!
Ok I'm starting NZ series 2 tomorrow, that'll tide me over till Ireland comes on iPlayer #TheTraitors
November 7, 2025 at 12:45 AM
Ok I'm starting NZ series 2 tomorrow, that'll tide me over till Ireland comes on iPlayer #TheTraitors
Reposted by Elle
November 6, 2025 at 11:19 PM
David was very bad but he's not Sarah levels (if you know you know)
David may be the single worst faithful of all time
November 7, 2025 at 12:16 AM
David was very bad but he's not Sarah levels (if you know you know)
Counterpart: who torched their rep? Poor Kate Garraway and lovely David Olusoga leading this category I fear
Ok so who do we think the real winners are? Alan, obviously. Joe Marler, funny traitor hunting hero. Cat Burns, dead classy. Anyone else?
November 6, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Counterpart: who torched their rep? Poor Kate Garraway and lovely David Olusoga leading this category I fear
Ok so who do we think the real winners are? Alan, obviously. Joe Marler, funny traitor hunting hero. Cat Burns, dead classy. Anyone else?
November 6, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Ok so who do we think the real winners are? Alan, obviously. Joe Marler, funny traitor hunting hero. Cat Burns, dead classy. Anyone else?
"Accepting that the world has changed is hard, whether it comes to fiscal policy or throwing out a pair of skinny jeans."
This article is a hate crime against me personally and I am reporting Duncan to prevent
This article is a hate crime against me personally and I am reporting Duncan to prevent
Wrote about the rise of the anti-tax left. If Labour cranks up income taxes, the left will boo loudest
economist.com/britain/2025...
economist.com/britain/2025...
If Labour cranks up income taxes, the left will boo loudest
Many seem to believe in the common good without shared sacrifice
economist.com
November 6, 2025 at 4:55 PM
"Accepting that the world has changed is hard, whether it comes to fiscal policy or throwing out a pair of skinny jeans."
This article is a hate crime against me personally and I am reporting Duncan to prevent
This article is a hate crime against me personally and I am reporting Duncan to prevent
This is excellent
open.substack.com/pub/geoffmul...
A lot of very important points in a short post
A lot of very important points in a short post
Hollowed out: can the centre hold?
Can the centre hold and resist the far right?
open.substack.com
November 5, 2025 at 8:07 AM
This is excellent
In the interests of writing down your bad takes:
1. The tax pledge was irresponsible and dishonest
2. Reeves is right to rat on it
3. Labour can still recover to win the next election
4. But they may have to ditch Starmer and Reeves to do so
5. That's a good thing (see 1)
1. The tax pledge was irresponsible and dishonest
2. Reeves is right to rat on it
3. Labour can still recover to win the next election
4. But they may have to ditch Starmer and Reeves to do so
5. That's a good thing (see 1)
November 4, 2025 at 12:07 PM
In the interests of writing down your bad takes:
1. The tax pledge was irresponsible and dishonest
2. Reeves is right to rat on it
3. Labour can still recover to win the next election
4. But they may have to ditch Starmer and Reeves to do so
5. That's a good thing (see 1)
1. The tax pledge was irresponsible and dishonest
2. Reeves is right to rat on it
3. Labour can still recover to win the next election
4. But they may have to ditch Starmer and Reeves to do so
5. That's a good thing (see 1)
Donald Trump is banning cricket, is there no end to his crimes???
November 1, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Donald Trump is banning cricket, is there no end to his crimes???
Coming home drunk at night, stopped by a police officer in [country having a civil war]. He asks for my ID card. I show my passport. He says, no, your national ID. Instead of just showing him my driver's licence I decide to launch into The British Attitude To ID Cards in no-doubt impeccable French.
What’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever done? I don’t mean “cheating on your partner” stupid, I mean stupid stupid. Like, once, I had this bubble bath which smelled absolutely delicious, so I took a big glug of it. That kind of stupid. (It did not taste delicious.)
November 1, 2025 at 12:10 AM
Coming home drunk at night, stopped by a police officer in [country having a civil war]. He asks for my ID card. I show my passport. He says, no, your national ID. Instead of just showing him my driver's licence I decide to launch into The British Attitude To ID Cards in no-doubt impeccable French.