Jennifer Williams
@jenwilliamsft.bsky.social
Northern correspondent, Financial Times
📍Manchester
📍Manchester
Forgot to put “the confidence of the former No 10 adviser” on my Christmas list again
January 2, 2026 at 9:33 AM
Forgot to put “the confidence of the former No 10 adviser” on my Christmas list again
Neatly proving McTernan’s point there
December 31, 2025 at 9:18 AM
Neatly proving McTernan’s point there
I find the half arsed podcast video conversions on Spotify actually quite mesmerising, just not in the way I imagine they were intended
‘Painful to hear!’ How podcasts’ rush to video is turning them into dreadful listens
‘Painful to hear!’ How podcasts’ rush to video is turning them into dreadful listens
From Joe Marler’s visual-only stunts to the incomprehensible shuffling sounds Steven Bartlett recently subjected headphone users to, dodgy audio experiences are on the rise
www.theguardian.com
December 27, 2025 at 9:56 AM
I find the half arsed podcast video conversions on Spotify actually quite mesmerising, just not in the way I imagine they were intended
Just watched the Holdovers for the first time. After this year of politics I knew I needed a salve, but hadn’t realised it was mainly that I needed to watch people being kind to each other. Merry Christmas 🎄🙂↕️
December 27, 2025 at 12:33 AM
Just watched the Holdovers for the first time. After this year of politics I knew I needed a salve, but hadn’t realised it was mainly that I needed to watch people being kind to each other. Merry Christmas 🎄🙂↕️
Christmas chutney, ready to be dispatched to unwitting friends
December 24, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Christmas chutney, ready to be dispatched to unwitting friends
Ah it’s that moment of the year where I get inexplicably emotional about the hark the herald angels sing descant
December 24, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Ah it’s that moment of the year where I get inexplicably emotional about the hark the herald angels sing descant
Tesco put these next to the fruit and veg and I’m on my second pack in little more than 12 hours. The red at the bottom is red for healthy
December 24, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Tesco put these next to the fruit and veg and I’m on my second pack in little more than 12 hours. The red at the bottom is red for healthy
Some signs of progress on NPR, which was meant to be unveiled at the spending review, then conference, then the budget.
But when it does surface, suspect it may be light on detail
as.ft.com/r/bdec77e4-3...
But when it does surface, suspect it may be light on detail
as.ft.com/r/bdec77e4-3...
Ministers set to lay out details for ‘Northern Powerhouse’ rail scheme in new year
[FREE TO READ] Timelines and funding remain unclear for proposal that has been promised for a decade
as.ft.com
December 22, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Some signs of progress on NPR, which was meant to be unveiled at the spending review, then conference, then the budget.
But when it does surface, suspect it may be light on detail
as.ft.com/r/bdec77e4-3...
But when it does surface, suspect it may be light on detail
as.ft.com/r/bdec77e4-3...
This candle is going to be a hard secret Santa to beat
December 20, 2025 at 9:59 PM
This candle is going to be a hard secret Santa to beat
Auditors and new officials have been turning over stones at the body in charge of Teesworks. Turns out the Tees Valley Combined Authority has been lending hundreds of millions of £ to connected orgs, without loan agreements, and those orgs are now struggling to repay
as.ft.com/r/ac457745-4...
as.ft.com/r/ac457745-4...
Auditors raise red flags at public body run by Ben Houchen
[FREE TO READ] EY said errors included ‘material misstatements’ in latest setback for Conservative metro mayor Lord Houchen
as.ft.com
December 18, 2025 at 9:25 AM
Auditors and new officials have been turning over stones at the body in charge of Teesworks. Turns out the Tees Valley Combined Authority has been lending hundreds of millions of £ to connected orgs, without loan agreements, and those orgs are now struggling to repay
as.ft.com/r/ac457745-4...
as.ft.com/r/ac457745-4...
that’s more like it
December 14, 2025 at 2:18 PM
that’s more like it
I’m watching The Holiday and it is precisely as awful as I’ve repeatedly been warned yet somehow it’s still on
December 14, 2025 at 10:32 AM
I’m watching The Holiday and it is precisely as awful as I’ve repeatedly been warned yet somehow it’s still on
There are many things I could say but I do think one thing that’s underpriced in all the noise is how it looks to the electorate, and how the opposition (Reform) will attack, when a backroom deal is done for someone who has always always given it all that about having the best job in the world
Taking the scenario where there is a 2026 contest for Labour leadership (either involving the incumbent being challenged & contesting it, or a contest after the incumbent resigned & is not rumming), how surmountable or insurmountable are barriers to Andy Burnham being an MP in time to contest it?
December 13, 2025 at 10:50 PM
There are many things I could say but I do think one thing that’s underpriced in all the noise is how it looks to the electorate, and how the opposition (Reform) will attack, when a backroom deal is done for someone who has always always given it all that about having the best job in the world
V interesting this - really a classic pavement politics strategy, combined with two big lessons learned from the first six months: a) “leave the social media to us” b) conspicuously no mention of council tax
open.substack.com/pub/londonce...
open.substack.com/pub/londonce...
Reform UK's leaked plan to win in London
Plus: Is this Google Map the way to unlock London's real hidden gem restaurants, are you the driver who owes Hackney council £250,000, and is the Bakerloo finally getting new trains?
open.substack.com
December 10, 2025 at 8:03 AM
V interesting this - really a classic pavement politics strategy, combined with two big lessons learned from the first six months: a) “leave the social media to us” b) conspicuously no mention of council tax
open.substack.com/pub/londonce...
open.substack.com/pub/londonce...
Reposted by Jennifer Williams
Reform UK strips council leader of membership over undisclosed X account on.ft.com/4oyJky1
Reform UK strips council leader of membership over undisclosed X account
Party expels Ian Cooper in Staffordshire after historic racist social media posts emerge
on.ft.com
December 5, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Reform UK strips council leader of membership over undisclosed X account on.ft.com/4oyJky1
As a journalist you’re always looking for ways to sum up the now, but the story is really often more incremental. This is from a Derbyshire county council paper. I was, inevitably, looking for “library to close” or “doge identified £Xm”, but the starting point is at least as important
December 4, 2025 at 10:18 PM
As a journalist you’re always looking for ways to sum up the now, but the story is really often more incremental. This is from a Derbyshire county council paper. I was, inevitably, looking for “library to close” or “doge identified £Xm”, but the starting point is at least as important
“All I can say is it doesn’t look very good,” says Farage of Staffordshire’s leader and his social media history. Yet to be suspended, but let’s see
December 4, 2025 at 4:10 PM
“All I can say is it doesn’t look very good,” says Farage of Staffordshire’s leader and his social media history. Yet to be suspended, but let’s see
I hadn’t seen this argument until yday, when I saw it being made by an X account now being investigated by Reform as an undisclosed personal account of Staffordshire council’s leader. Spent a lot of yday mulling how far and fast the window has moved
GB News now broadcasting calls to remove the ethnic minority MPs from parliament
December 4, 2025 at 10:28 AM
I hadn’t seen this argument until yday, when I saw it being made by an X account now being investigated by Reform as an undisclosed personal account of Staffordshire council’s leader. Spent a lot of yday mulling how far and fast the window has moved
This. And it’s a pattern, which is a problem.
Other striking thing, certainly from @rachelsylvester.bsky.social’s fascinating write up this morning, is the absence of the PM’s voice or thoughts in the process. If it was there, it doesn’t seem particularly explicit
Other striking thing, certainly from @rachelsylvester.bsky.social’s fascinating write up this morning, is the absence of the PM’s voice or thoughts in the process. If it was there, it doesn’t seem particularly explicit
• I think the "DID SHE LIE?!" discourse slightly misses the broader point.
ie. This all adds to the credibility worries - already a strong impression among investors: no clear strategy, reactive, bad at communicating?
ie. This all adds to the credibility worries - already a strong impression among investors: no clear strategy, reactive, bad at communicating?
November 30, 2025 at 10:49 AM
This. And it’s a pattern, which is a problem.
Other striking thing, certainly from @rachelsylvester.bsky.social’s fascinating write up this morning, is the absence of the PM’s voice or thoughts in the process. If it was there, it doesn’t seem particularly explicit
Other striking thing, certainly from @rachelsylvester.bsky.social’s fascinating write up this morning, is the absence of the PM’s voice or thoughts in the process. If it was there, it doesn’t seem particularly explicit
Reposted by Jennifer Williams
This OBR/Treasury row on who said what, when... is very muddy and complicated.
A few points:
• idea that the OBR said on Oct 31 Reeves was already meeting her target by £4b isn't really the full picture - fcast excluded the welfare u-turns since March (some media have pointed that out, others not)
A few points:
• idea that the OBR said on Oct 31 Reeves was already meeting her target by £4b isn't really the full picture - fcast excluded the welfare u-turns since March (some media have pointed that out, others not)
November 30, 2025 at 8:58 AM
This OBR/Treasury row on who said what, when... is very muddy and complicated.
A few points:
• idea that the OBR said on Oct 31 Reeves was already meeting her target by £4b isn't really the full picture - fcast excluded the welfare u-turns since March (some media have pointed that out, others not)
A few points:
• idea that the OBR said on Oct 31 Reeves was already meeting her target by £4b isn't really the full picture - fcast excluded the welfare u-turns since March (some media have pointed that out, others not)
after weeks of trying to get properly shut of this covid bout I have settled on a suitably low intensity Saturday activity:
I am
going to bake a cake
thoughts and prayers please, pics to follow
I am
going to bake a cake
thoughts and prayers please, pics to follow
November 29, 2025 at 10:48 AM
after weeks of trying to get properly shut of this covid bout I have settled on a suitably low intensity Saturday activity:
I am
going to bake a cake
thoughts and prayers please, pics to follow
I am
going to bake a cake
thoughts and prayers please, pics to follow
I don’t know how many ways there are to say “Manchester’s economy is growing, so if we’re not going to do much proactive on infrastructure, can we at least not do stuff that’s actively damaging”
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Soon-to-be-axed 7am Manchester-London train will still run – but without passengers
Exclusive: Rail regulator pulls Avanti service from timetable from mid-December but it is needed for staff travel
www.theguardian.com
November 29, 2025 at 9:52 AM
I don’t know how many ways there are to say “Manchester’s economy is growing, so if we’re not going to do much proactive on infrastructure, can we at least not do stuff that’s actively damaging”
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Longstanding ask from mayors. Possible revenue stream for a bus franchising model that costs money to implement properly
November 25, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Longstanding ask from mayors. Possible revenue stream for a bus franchising model that costs money to implement properly
I meant to do a thread on this but got sidetracked. So a couple of thoughts…
I often struggle to come up with tangible examples of English devolution but this is one. Greater Manchester is doing its own £1bn regeneration investment fund
on.ft.com/43InqRk
on.ft.com/43InqRk
Greater Manchester to launch £1bn public investment fund
[FREE TO READ] City region aims to capitalise on sustained economic growth with first fund of its kind
on.ft.com
November 22, 2025 at 9:01 AM
I meant to do a thread on this but got sidetracked. So a couple of thoughts…