Dan Davies
@dsquareddigest.bsky.social
"if that's the strangest thing you ever seen in your life, I'd say you haven't done much"
Reposted by Dan Davies
I just now read @stephenkb.bsky.social quick piece on "Convenientism" - and so have piggybacked my own comment, on unavoidable dilemmas in growth policy
gileswilkes.substack.com/p/be-more-ro...
gileswilkes.substack.com/p/be-more-ro...
Be more Roy Jenkins
on the absence of "win wins", Growth, Labour's predicament
gileswilkes.substack.com
February 9, 2026 at 5:22 PM
I just now read @stephenkb.bsky.social quick piece on "Convenientism" - and so have piggybacked my own comment, on unavoidable dilemmas in growth policy
gileswilkes.substack.com/p/be-more-ro...
gileswilkes.substack.com/p/be-more-ro...
Reposted by Dan Davies
"Jeffrey Epstein was secretly pulling the strings at a key Rothschild bank" is a statement that would have had you branded a conspiracy theorist until recently.
It is a fairly accurate summary of our weekend FT story on the bombshell revelations in the Epstein files, however.
It is a fairly accurate summary of our weekend FT story on the bombshell revelations in the Epstein files, however.
Ariane de Rothschild ousted her husband as CEO of his family’s storied bank, negotiated a big DOJ settlement and examined several mergers
Behind every move was none other than Jeffrey Epstein, who had found his backdoor into one of Europe’s most powerful banking dynasties
www.ft.com/content/0d70...
Behind every move was none other than Jeffrey Epstein, who had found his backdoor into one of Europe’s most powerful banking dynasties
www.ft.com/content/0d70...
How the house of Rothschild became entangled with Epstein
Swiss private bank Edmond de Rothschild was in trouble. Ariane de Rothschild turned to Jeffrey Epstein
www.ft.com
February 9, 2026 at 4:16 PM
"Jeffrey Epstein was secretly pulling the strings at a key Rothschild bank" is a statement that would have had you branded a conspiracy theorist until recently.
It is a fairly accurate summary of our weekend FT story on the bombshell revelations in the Epstein files, however.
It is a fairly accurate summary of our weekend FT story on the bombshell revelations in the Epstein files, however.
to be honest (IYKYK) it's looking like a week in which you might want to be saying "absolutely yes, I have been predicting a labour wipeout and here is the printed evidence which has been distributed to every household in Gorton"
February 9, 2026 at 3:32 PM
to be honest (IYKYK) it's looking like a week in which you might want to be saying "absolutely yes, I have been predicting a labour wipeout and here is the printed evidence which has been distributed to every household in Gorton"
Reposted by Dan Davies
"Some people who have abandoned Labour for other parties are pleased that McSweeney has gone, and may be more likely to return to Labour as a result. This is a bad thing."
February 9, 2026 at 11:41 AM
"Some people who have abandoned Labour for other parties are pleased that McSweeney has gone, and may be more likely to return to Labour as a result. This is a bad thing."
This would be a sick burn if "2024 Labour voters who didn't support Corbyn and haven't switched to other parties or don't know" was a big electoral bloc rather than a niche within a niche within a niche.
February 9, 2026 at 11:43 AM
This would be a sick burn if "2024 Labour voters who didn't support Corbyn and haven't switched to other parties or don't know" was a big electoral bloc rather than a niche within a niche within a niche.
Reposted by Dan Davies
Going to reconcile myself to the fact that the “cost of net zero” debate will always be annoying.
Mainly because:
a) net zero isn’t a discrete spending line (e.g., you mainly buy an EV for the car bit);
b) you need a counterfactual (what would it cost if we don’t do net zero?) and that’s hard
Mainly because:
a) net zero isn’t a discrete spending line (e.g., you mainly buy an EV for the car bit);
b) you need a counterfactual (what would it cost if we don’t do net zero?) and that’s hard
February 8, 2026 at 9:18 PM
Going to reconcile myself to the fact that the “cost of net zero” debate will always be annoying.
Mainly because:
a) net zero isn’t a discrete spending line (e.g., you mainly buy an EV for the car bit);
b) you need a counterfactual (what would it cost if we don’t do net zero?) and that’s hard
Mainly because:
a) net zero isn’t a discrete spending line (e.g., you mainly buy an EV for the car bit);
b) you need a counterfactual (what would it cost if we don’t do net zero?) and that’s hard
Reposted by Dan Davies
"Full speed ahead to uber-woke, net-zeroist rejoinerism" is the funniest thing a Labour MP has said for some time I'll give it that. It's like a Jordan Peterson quote about Elmo.
Yes, god help we risk a floundering government that feels like no one is in charge.
February 8, 2026 at 5:42 PM
"Full speed ahead to uber-woke, net-zeroist rejoinerism" is the funniest thing a Labour MP has said for some time I'll give it that. It's like a Jordan Peterson quote about Elmo.
Only one Bad Bunny in this house son
February 8, 2026 at 5:42 PM
Only one Bad Bunny in this house son
Reposted by Dan Davies
Right, but just to clarify, you did not appoint Peter Mandelson, because you were not Prime Minister.
NEW: PM’s Chief of Staff Morgan McSweeney resigns
“After careful reflection, I have decided to resign from the government. The decision to appoint Peter Mandelson was wrong. He has damaged our party, our country and trust in politics itself.”
“After careful reflection, I have decided to resign from the government. The decision to appoint Peter Mandelson was wrong. He has damaged our party, our country and trust in politics itself.”
February 8, 2026 at 2:35 PM
Right, but just to clarify, you did not appoint Peter Mandelson, because you were not Prime Minister.
Reposted by Dan Davies
a scam economy is when you try to have an information economy with no information quality control
February 8, 2026 at 2:46 PM
a scam economy is when you try to have an information economy with no information quality control
Reposted by Dan Davies
Reposted by Dan Davies
It seems a pretty important time to acknowledge that lots of places are thriving, and people who don't like how they're thriving should be ashamed
I haven't been to Levenshulme* in a very long time, but good to see the High Street's still doing well
*did vote Green the only time I voted there, too
I haven't been to Levenshulme* in a very long time, but good to see the High Street's still doing well
*did vote Green the only time I voted there, too
Interesting aspect - kinda spurned by argument with a local bore in the neighbourhood Facebook group.
I'll start 🧵w. seemingly unrelated Q, but bear w. me:
If an alcohol-serving business is a focal community hang-out point where you're likely to just turn up & run into ppl you know, is it a pub?
I'll start 🧵w. seemingly unrelated Q, but bear w. me:
If an alcohol-serving business is a focal community hang-out point where you're likely to just turn up & run into ppl you know, is it a pub?
I’ve written about our high streets, the Gorton and Denton by election, Brexit and how they all knit together, in a piece for LBC www.lbc.co.uk/article/high...
February 8, 2026 at 12:31 PM
It seems a pretty important time to acknowledge that lots of places are thriving, and people who don't like how they're thriving should be ashamed
I haven't been to Levenshulme* in a very long time, but good to see the High Street's still doing well
*did vote Green the only time I voted there, too
I haven't been to Levenshulme* in a very long time, but good to see the High Street's still doing well
*did vote Green the only time I voted there, too
Reposted by Dan Davies
Keir Starmer? Never heard of him mate, don’t know him from Adam. Nothing to do with me or the politics magazine I used to edit.
February 8, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Keir Starmer? Never heard of him mate, don’t know him from Adam. Nothing to do with me or the politics magazine I used to edit.
Reposted by Dan Davies
The Home Secretary has several times said she thinks levels of net migration remain quite high + are comparatively high
This is mainly a vibe.
There are a few factual mistakes/over-spins in her explanation of why she thinks this but many journalists + MPs may not quite notice those.
This is mainly a vibe.
There are a few factual mistakes/over-spins in her explanation of why she thinks this but many journalists + MPs may not quite notice those.
February 8, 2026 at 9:27 AM
The Home Secretary has several times said she thinks levels of net migration remain quite high + are comparatively high
This is mainly a vibe.
There are a few factual mistakes/over-spins in her explanation of why she thinks this but many journalists + MPs may not quite notice those.
This is mainly a vibe.
There are a few factual mistakes/over-spins in her explanation of why she thinks this but many journalists + MPs may not quite notice those.
Reposted by Dan Davies
The most frustrating aspect of this is the "prison of accounting conventions" (government edition) h/t @dsquareddigest.bsky.social . The need for these operations doesn't go away, they don't get cheaper to do by pushing them out into the future.
🚨 Thousands of NHS patients waiting for hip replacements and other routine operations are having their surgery cancelled so the health service can save money www.thetimes.com/article/5b97...
Thousands of operations cancelled to save NHS money
Spending limits are expected to affect up to 140,000 patients by April
www.thetimes.com
February 8, 2026 at 9:18 AM
The most frustrating aspect of this is the "prison of accounting conventions" (government edition) h/t @dsquareddigest.bsky.social . The need for these operations doesn't go away, they don't get cheaper to do by pushing them out into the future.
Reposted by Dan Davies
"We, as Western nations, must choose between becoming closed and impoverished societies or open and prosperous ones. Growth or retreat: Those are the two options before us. And by growth, I’m not talking only about material gain, but also our spiritual development." Pedro Sánchez, Spanish PM
February 7, 2026 at 6:51 PM
"We, as Western nations, must choose between becoming closed and impoverished societies or open and prosperous ones. Growth or retreat: Those are the two options before us. And by growth, I’m not talking only about material gain, but also our spiritual development." Pedro Sánchez, Spanish PM
This is just a desperate, under-trained, inexperienced and unmotivated team, but given the circumstances and the WRU can you blame them?
February 7, 2026 at 6:29 PM
This is just a desperate, under-trained, inexperienced and unmotivated team, but given the circumstances and the WRU can you blame them?
There is a Minecraft YouTuber who has an afternoon show on Classic FM mostly playing video game soundtracks
I wonder if people who don't play video games are aware of just how much incredible music is being created in this space? If John Williams or Jerry Goldsmith were getting started today, they would be composing for some epic RPGs, not film.
February 7, 2026 at 3:53 PM
There is a Minecraft YouTuber who has an afternoon show on Classic FM mostly playing video game soundtracks
Reposted by Dan Davies
Norms between adversaries are usually better maintained by mutual deterrence than by mutual forbearance.
on the balance i think partisan gerrymandering is bad but the only way it ends is if democrats weaponize it against republicans everywhere they can. wiping out republican lawmakers in blue states might bring the GOP to the table to end the practice.
February 7, 2026 at 3:33 PM
Norms between adversaries are usually better maintained by mutual deterrence than by mutual forbearance.
One day the phrase popped into my head, "I have too much respect for myself and my own time" and I think I have engaged a lot less with this sort of content.
I don't think we have to engage properly with Matt Goodwin talking about birth rates, he's just trying to signal that he wants more white people, it's not really anything beyond that.
February 7, 2026 at 3:38 PM
One day the phrase popped into my head, "I have too much respect for myself and my own time" and I think I have engaged a lot less with this sort of content.
Reposted by Dan Davies
End corporate income taxes!
"if we’re targeting a 25% corporate tax rate, we require companies to turn over an amount of non-voting stock equal to 25% of total shares... only way a company could cheat the government out of its tax payments is if it also cheated its shareholders."
"if we’re targeting a 25% corporate tax rate, we require companies to turn over an amount of non-voting stock equal to 25% of total shares... only way a company could cheat the government out of its tax payments is if it also cheated its shareholders."
Oren Cass uses serious economics to trash finance in the NYT cepr.net/publications... Why don't all economists?
Oren Cass Uses Good Economics in Attacking Finance in NYT
Oren Cass is right to criticize a bloated financial sector that drains the economy through excessive trading, private equity abuse, and financial waste.
cepr.net
February 7, 2026 at 2:39 PM
End corporate income taxes!
"if we’re targeting a 25% corporate tax rate, we require companies to turn over an amount of non-voting stock equal to 25% of total shares... only way a company could cheat the government out of its tax payments is if it also cheated its shareholders."
"if we’re targeting a 25% corporate tax rate, we require companies to turn over an amount of non-voting stock equal to 25% of total shares... only way a company could cheat the government out of its tax payments is if it also cheated its shareholders."
Reposted by Dan Davies
He looks as though he's been caught cooking and also as if he mistakenly believes cooking to be illegal
Tfw when you are the Dark Lord of Spin, genius manipulator of the public mind, but also think wearing Woody Allen spectacles a good choice under the circumstances
February 7, 2026 at 1:07 PM
He looks as though he's been caught cooking and also as if he mistakenly believes cooking to be illegal
Reposted by Dan Davies
Ariane de Rothschild ousted her husband as CEO of his family’s storied bank, negotiated a big DOJ settlement and examined several mergers
Behind every move was none other than Jeffrey Epstein, who had found his backdoor into one of Europe’s most powerful banking dynasties
www.ft.com/content/0d70...
Behind every move was none other than Jeffrey Epstein, who had found his backdoor into one of Europe’s most powerful banking dynasties
www.ft.com/content/0d70...
How the house of Rothschild became entangled with Epstein
Swiss private bank Edmond de Rothschild was in trouble. Ariane de Rothschild turned to Jeffrey Epstein
www.ft.com
February 7, 2026 at 12:03 PM
Ariane de Rothschild ousted her husband as CEO of his family’s storied bank, negotiated a big DOJ settlement and examined several mergers
Behind every move was none other than Jeffrey Epstein, who had found his backdoor into one of Europe’s most powerful banking dynasties
www.ft.com/content/0d70...
Behind every move was none other than Jeffrey Epstein, who had found his backdoor into one of Europe’s most powerful banking dynasties
www.ft.com/content/0d70...
Reposted by Dan Davies
"Talent is a gatekeeping mechanism" is a hell of a quote.
February 6, 2026 at 6:28 PM
"Talent is a gatekeeping mechanism" is a hell of a quote.
Reposted by Dan Davies
If you missed it, Ken Griffin of Citadel said some important things out loud this week. It's not much but it's something.
www.wsj.com/business/ken...
www.wsj.com/business/ken...
February 6, 2026 at 12:56 PM
If you missed it, Ken Griffin of Citadel said some important things out loud this week. It's not much but it's something.
www.wsj.com/business/ken...
www.wsj.com/business/ken...