Chris Melvin
@chrismelv.bsky.social
Reposted by Chris Melvin
Today's 70% fall in net migration to 205,000 was not one of the six stories in BBC ten o'clock news.
Ta massive assymetry in whether rises in immigration and falls in immigration are considered newsworthy by broadcasters
Down by 140k isn't thought to be.
Up by 140k undoubtedly would be.
Ta massive assymetry in whether rises in immigration and falls in immigration are considered newsworthy by broadcasters
Down by 140k isn't thought to be.
Up by 140k undoubtedly would be.
November 27, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Today's 70% fall in net migration to 205,000 was not one of the six stories in BBC ten o'clock news.
Ta massive assymetry in whether rises in immigration and falls in immigration are considered newsworthy by broadcasters
Down by 140k isn't thought to be.
Up by 140k undoubtedly would be.
Ta massive assymetry in whether rises in immigration and falls in immigration are considered newsworthy by broadcasters
Down by 140k isn't thought to be.
Up by 140k undoubtedly would be.
Reposted by Chris Melvin
Most of the public think net migration increased last year, when in fact numbers halved.
New findings from the Ipsos/British Future Immigration Attitudes Tracker show that 56% of the public thinks immigration increased last year. Just 1 in 6 realise it was down
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
New findings from the Ipsos/British Future Immigration Attitudes Tracker show that 56% of the public thinks immigration increased last year. Just 1 in 6 realise it was down
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
November 27, 2025 at 12:45 AM
Most of the public think net migration increased last year, when in fact numbers halved.
New findings from the Ipsos/British Future Immigration Attitudes Tracker show that 56% of the public thinks immigration increased last year. Just 1 in 6 realise it was down
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
New findings from the Ipsos/British Future Immigration Attitudes Tracker show that 56% of the public thinks immigration increased last year. Just 1 in 6 realise it was down
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Reposted by Chris Melvin
This is quite a story for English Higher Education policy. #Budget2025
on.ft.com/4ogqPxZ Threshold for repaying student loans to converge with minimum wage
on.ft.com/4ogqPxZ Threshold for repaying student loans to converge with minimum wage
Threshold for repaying student loans to converge with minimum wage
Surprise move from chancellor means some university graduates in England may have to pay back debts sooner
on.ft.com
November 27, 2025 at 7:21 AM
This is quite a story for English Higher Education policy. #Budget2025
on.ft.com/4ogqPxZ Threshold for repaying student loans to converge with minimum wage
on.ft.com/4ogqPxZ Threshold for repaying student loans to converge with minimum wage
Reposted by Chris Melvin
Big news, income tax is being charged this year.
(It has to be renewed each year or it ceases to apply. Because it's a temporary tax, introduced to fund the Napoleonic wars)
(It has to be renewed each year or it ceases to apply. Because it's a temporary tax, introduced to fund the Napoleonic wars)
November 26, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Big news, income tax is being charged this year.
(It has to be renewed each year or it ceases to apply. Because it's a temporary tax, introduced to fund the Napoleonic wars)
(It has to be renewed each year or it ceases to apply. Because it's a temporary tax, introduced to fund the Napoleonic wars)
Reposted by Chris Melvin
my takeaway from climate week nyc is that "climate storytelling" is a little too much "we must reimagine our deepest souls in relationship to mother nature and the moral abyss of the polycrisis into which we must now stare" and not enough "ok but get a heat pump"
September 28, 2025 at 6:52 PM
my takeaway from climate week nyc is that "climate storytelling" is a little too much "we must reimagine our deepest souls in relationship to mother nature and the moral abyss of the polycrisis into which we must now stare" and not enough "ok but get a heat pump"
Reposted by Chris Melvin
I’d imagine this will cause a *lot* of nervousness among universities – especially as quite a few of them are right on the brink of bankruptcy.
And whatever the government thinks, it’ll end up stepping in if large universities collapse.
And whatever the government thinks, it’ll end up stepping in if large universities collapse.
i: Reeves to unveil £600m raid on foreign student
university fees #TomorrowsPapersToday
university fees #TomorrowsPapersToday
November 23, 2025 at 10:18 PM
I’d imagine this will cause a *lot* of nervousness among universities – especially as quite a few of them are right on the brink of bankruptcy.
And whatever the government thinks, it’ll end up stepping in if large universities collapse.
And whatever the government thinks, it’ll end up stepping in if large universities collapse.
Reposted by Chris Melvin
The housing crisis has been brewing for a long time, according to Professor Paul Cheshire 👇
November 22, 2025 at 3:02 PM
The housing crisis has been brewing for a long time, according to Professor Paul Cheshire 👇
Reposted by Chris Melvin
Very good policy from Labour
Early signal that taking the railways into public ownership means a better deal for passengers - ripped off for too long by privatisation.
inews.co.uk/news/rail-fa...
Early signal that taking the railways into public ownership means a better deal for passengers - ripped off for too long by privatisation.
inews.co.uk/news/rail-fa...
Rail fares to be frozen after 30 years of increases
A billion journeys will benefit from the freeze - saving passengers a total of £600m, Labour says
inews.co.uk
November 23, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Very good policy from Labour
Early signal that taking the railways into public ownership means a better deal for passengers - ripped off for too long by privatisation.
inews.co.uk/news/rail-fa...
Early signal that taking the railways into public ownership means a better deal for passengers - ripped off for too long by privatisation.
inews.co.uk/news/rail-fa...
Reposted by Chris Melvin
"Meta internally projected late last year that it would earn about 10 per cent of its overall annual revenue — or $16bn — from running advertising for scams and banned goods, internal company documents show" - Reuters www.ft.com/content/4560...
We have to be able to hold tech platforms accountable for fraud
Algorithms ensure that people who click on scams are likely to see more of them
www.ft.com
November 22, 2025 at 10:50 AM
"Meta internally projected late last year that it would earn about 10 per cent of its overall annual revenue — or $16bn — from running advertising for scams and banned goods, internal company documents show" - Reuters www.ft.com/content/4560...
Reposted by Chris Melvin
But what this really reflects is the consistent loading of extra costs onto electricity bills and not gas.
It is essential that the government reverses this, and begins removing levies from bills - whether to taxation or rebalancing on to gas.
It is essential that the government reverses this, and begins removing levies from bills - whether to taxation or rebalancing on to gas.
November 22, 2025 at 8:00 AM
But what this really reflects is the consistent loading of extra costs onto electricity bills and not gas.
It is essential that the government reverses this, and begins removing levies from bills - whether to taxation or rebalancing on to gas.
It is essential that the government reverses this, and begins removing levies from bills - whether to taxation or rebalancing on to gas.
Reposted by Chris Melvin
There’s some very bad news hidden in the Ofgem price cap for January announced yesterday: the electricity to gas price ratio has jumped to 4.67, its highest level since before the energy crisis.
This is a big barrier to households adopting heat pumps in Britain, and threatens our climate goals
This is a big barrier to households adopting heat pumps in Britain, and threatens our climate goals
November 22, 2025 at 7:51 AM
There’s some very bad news hidden in the Ofgem price cap for January announced yesterday: the electricity to gas price ratio has jumped to 4.67, its highest level since before the energy crisis.
This is a big barrier to households adopting heat pumps in Britain, and threatens our climate goals
This is a big barrier to households adopting heat pumps in Britain, and threatens our climate goals
Reposted by Chris Melvin
Reposted by Chris Melvin
The Covid inquiry’s findings are shocking but unsurprising now, so the main thing it left me thinking is that without a vaccine we wd’ve been utterly screwed. & if you worked round the clock to make a thing that saved millions of lives globally, to see that legacy trashed by anti-vaxxers…
November 20, 2025 at 5:50 PM
The Covid inquiry’s findings are shocking but unsurprising now, so the main thing it left me thinking is that without a vaccine we wd’ve been utterly screwed. & if you worked round the clock to make a thing that saved millions of lives globally, to see that legacy trashed by anti-vaxxers…
Reposted by Chris Melvin
There have been rumours swirling that the Chancellor might cut subsidies for heat pumps in the budget. This would be a terrible idea, and I've written a blog with all the reasons why...
www.nesta.org.uk/blog/seven-r...
@nestauk.bsky.social
www.nesta.org.uk/blog/seven-r...
@nestauk.bsky.social
Seven reasons we still need heat pump subsidies
Accelerating the switch from gas to electricity, make electricity cheaper, and balancing electrification with insulation are key policies that could reduce bills and carbon emissions for households
www.nesta.org.uk
November 20, 2025 at 12:08 PM
There have been rumours swirling that the Chancellor might cut subsidies for heat pumps in the budget. This would be a terrible idea, and I've written a blog with all the reasons why...
www.nesta.org.uk/blog/seven-r...
@nestauk.bsky.social
www.nesta.org.uk/blog/seven-r...
@nestauk.bsky.social
Reposted by Chris Melvin
Should be quite a spicy media committee hearing in the Commons next Monday on the BBC...
Featuring e.g...
Michael Prescott - of the Trump dossier
Samir Shah, Chair of the BBC
And Robbie Gibb, controversial non-exec director and member of the BBC Editorial Guidelines & Standards Committee
Featuring e.g...
Michael Prescott - of the Trump dossier
Samir Shah, Chair of the BBC
And Robbie Gibb, controversial non-exec director and member of the BBC Editorial Guidelines & Standards Committee
November 19, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Should be quite a spicy media committee hearing in the Commons next Monday on the BBC...
Featuring e.g...
Michael Prescott - of the Trump dossier
Samir Shah, Chair of the BBC
And Robbie Gibb, controversial non-exec director and member of the BBC Editorial Guidelines & Standards Committee
Featuring e.g...
Michael Prescott - of the Trump dossier
Samir Shah, Chair of the BBC
And Robbie Gibb, controversial non-exec director and member of the BBC Editorial Guidelines & Standards Committee
Reposted by Chris Melvin
'Face of the Moon.' (1797) John Russell was the finest British pastel artist of his time. One of his sitters, the astronomer William Herschel encouraged him to buy a telescope, and with this he produced a number of remarkable pastel drawings of the moon.
November 17, 2025 at 10:14 PM
'Face of the Moon.' (1797) John Russell was the finest British pastel artist of his time. One of his sitters, the astronomer William Herschel encouraged him to buy a telescope, and with this he produced a number of remarkable pastel drawings of the moon.
Reposted by Chris Melvin
Imagine escaping the literal Nazis, making it to America, living three quarters of a century there making your life, and then this:
79-year-old Paul Bojerski was born to Polish parents in a WWII German refugee camp. His family legally emigrated to the U.S. when he was 5.
He’s been taken by ICE in Florida.
www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/11/16/s...
He’s been taken by ICE in Florida.
www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/11/16/s...
Sanford grandfather, born in refugee camp, nabbed by ICE after 70 years in U.S.
Paul Bojerski never gained official residency, but he checked in regularly with ICE for years. Then in July, at age 79, he was detained and sent to Alligator Alcatraz.
www.orlandosentinel.com
November 17, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Imagine escaping the literal Nazis, making it to America, living three quarters of a century there making your life, and then this:
Reposted by Chris Melvin
New essay out today by me and @acjsissons.bsky.social - ‘Getting Britain out of the hole: a plan for the economy’. You can read the whole thing here getting-out-of-the-hole.uk
A chart mega-thread follows 🧵
A chart mega-thread follows 🧵
Getting Britain out of the hole
A plan for the UK economy
getting-out-of-the-hole.uk
November 17, 2025 at 8:00 AM
New essay out today by me and @acjsissons.bsky.social - ‘Getting Britain out of the hole: a plan for the economy’. You can read the whole thing here getting-out-of-the-hole.uk
A chart mega-thread follows 🧵
A chart mega-thread follows 🧵
Reposted by Chris Melvin
Whether it’s Barack Obama, appearing in a tan suit or Donald Trump appearing 1700 times in Jeffrey Epstein‘s emails, both presidents made some highly controversial appearances.
November 15, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Whether it’s Barack Obama, appearing in a tan suit or Donald Trump appearing 1700 times in Jeffrey Epstein‘s emails, both presidents made some highly controversial appearances.
Reposted by Chris Melvin
When asked if he thought Trump was a bad president…
Pete: I would go well beyond a bad president. 🔥🔥🔥
Pete: I would go well beyond a bad president. 🔥🔥🔥
November 15, 2025 at 7:22 AM
When asked if he thought Trump was a bad president…
Pete: I would go well beyond a bad president. 🔥🔥🔥
Pete: I would go well beyond a bad president. 🔥🔥🔥
Reposted by Chris Melvin
Prime example of why the contract between the public and the police is breaking down, regardless of long term crime trends. Thames Valley Police don’t even think it’s their job to investigate this. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Kidlington fly-tipping: Criminals dump mountain of waste in field
The enormous pile of rubbish is called an
www.bbc.co.uk
November 14, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Prime example of why the contract between the public and the police is breaking down, regardless of long term crime trends. Thames Valley Police don’t even think it’s their job to investigate this. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Chris Melvin
Long ago on the hell site I made long list of historically interesting things to use in dnd ttrpgs and I'll start dragging them over here starting with
2000 years-old sapphire ring presumably belonged to Roman emperor Caligula, depicting his fourth wife Caesonia.
2000 years-old sapphire ring presumably belonged to Roman emperor Caligula, depicting his fourth wife Caesonia.
November 13, 2025 at 3:51 AM
Long ago on the hell site I made long list of historically interesting things to use in dnd ttrpgs and I'll start dragging them over here starting with
2000 years-old sapphire ring presumably belonged to Roman emperor Caligula, depicting his fourth wife Caesonia.
2000 years-old sapphire ring presumably belonged to Roman emperor Caligula, depicting his fourth wife Caesonia.
Reposted by Chris Melvin
How to rapidly scale the heat pump market?
“The main hurdle is the price ratio of gas to electricity. [Reforming taxation of energy] would unlock a much more market-driven transition.”
That’s what I told the FT. Excellent piece.
“The main hurdle is the price ratio of gas to electricity. [Reforming taxation of energy] would unlock a much more market-driven transition.”
That’s what I told the FT. Excellent piece.
November 14, 2025 at 7:09 AM
How to rapidly scale the heat pump market?
“The main hurdle is the price ratio of gas to electricity. [Reforming taxation of energy] would unlock a much more market-driven transition.”
That’s what I told the FT. Excellent piece.
“The main hurdle is the price ratio of gas to electricity. [Reforming taxation of energy] would unlock a much more market-driven transition.”
That’s what I told the FT. Excellent piece.
Reposted by Chris Melvin
As things stand the galaxy brains in the Treasury and Number 10 appear to be working on a Budget that will be really quite bad for a green economy that is both one of the few parts of the UK economy that is growing and one of the few parts of Labour's agenda that is popular.
November 13, 2025 at 5:28 PM
As things stand the galaxy brains in the Treasury and Number 10 appear to be working on a Budget that will be really quite bad for a green economy that is both one of the few parts of the UK economy that is growing and one of the few parts of Labour's agenda that is popular.
Reposted by Chris Melvin
With current pledges, the world's on track for 2.6°C of warming in 2100 compared to preindustrial levels.
10 years ago, before the Paris agreement, it was 3.6°C
20+ years ago, we thought it would be 4-5°C
So 2.6°C is better, but the problem is that climate impacts are way worse than we predicted.
10 years ago, before the Paris agreement, it was 3.6°C
20+ years ago, we thought it would be 4-5°C
So 2.6°C is better, but the problem is that climate impacts are way worse than we predicted.
World still on track for catastrophic 2.6C temperature rise, report finds
Fossil fuel emissions have hit a record high while many nations have done too little to avert deadly global heating
www.theguardian.com
November 13, 2025 at 12:55 PM
With current pledges, the world's on track for 2.6°C of warming in 2100 compared to preindustrial levels.
10 years ago, before the Paris agreement, it was 3.6°C
20+ years ago, we thought it would be 4-5°C
So 2.6°C is better, but the problem is that climate impacts are way worse than we predicted.
10 years ago, before the Paris agreement, it was 3.6°C
20+ years ago, we thought it would be 4-5°C
So 2.6°C is better, but the problem is that climate impacts are way worse than we predicted.