Jim Obey
@jimob1.bsky.social
All opinions are other people's passed off as my own.
Reposted by Jim Obey
Nigel Farage has been making the incorrect claim that "one million people living in this country don't speak any English at all"
Facts here 👇
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c1...
Facts here 👇
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c1...
February 13, 2026 at 11:28 AM
Nigel Farage has been making the incorrect claim that "one million people living in this country don't speak any English at all"
Facts here 👇
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c1...
Facts here 👇
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c1...
Another Labour MP, Gerald Bathtub, went on to say, 'say what ya' like about 'im, but at least that Mr 'itler made the bloomin' trains run on time'.
February 9, 2026 at 4:34 PM
Another Labour MP, Gerald Bathtub, went on to say, 'say what ya' like about 'im, but at least that Mr 'itler made the bloomin' trains run on time'.
Tricoteuses react to Starmer's ruse to escape culpability.
February 8, 2026 at 3:45 PM
Tricoteuses react to Starmer's ruse to escape culpability.
Distraught Labour backbenchers to enter a period of mourning as McSweeney quits.
two men in suits and ties are waving their hands in a room
ALT: two men in suits and ties are waving their hands in a room
media.tenor.com
February 8, 2026 at 3:18 PM
Distraught Labour backbenchers to enter a period of mourning as McSweeney quits.
A disturbingly accurate summation of where UK politics is.
I think a lot of politicians & commentators see all this very differently from most of the country. They see it as part of an ongoing story about decision-making, personalities, probity, money etc. For everyone else it’s part of a long series of events: Saville, Huw Edwards, Rotherham & more (1/)
February 7, 2026 at 4:14 PM
A disturbingly accurate summation of where UK politics is.
Reposted by Jim Obey
This is an excellent question for @thetimes.com. What would be the threshold racism had to cross for you to recognize it as racism, and not as “racism”?
Hey @thetimes.com what is ’racism’ - surely depicting the Obamas as monkeys is just old fashioned racism?
February 6, 2026 at 8:01 PM
This is an excellent question for @thetimes.com. What would be the threshold racism had to cross for you to recognize it as racism, and not as “racism”?
"policy ideas are clearly based on the newspaper headlines they will promote" Ever wondered why, despite all the government policies, nothing ever changes?
Balanced budgets that necessitate cuts to services/tax rises beng the other half of the equation.
Balanced budgets that necessitate cuts to services/tax rises beng the other half of the equation.
This—by @iandunt.bsky.social—is the best thing I’ve read on the implications of this week’s shitshow for UK government, diplomacy and democracy
Starmer's moment of reckoning
Where is the competent boring government we were promised?
iandunt.substack.com
February 7, 2026 at 10:17 AM
"policy ideas are clearly based on the newspaper headlines they will promote" Ever wondered why, despite all the government policies, nothing ever changes?
Balanced budgets that necessitate cuts to services/tax rises beng the other half of the equation.
Balanced budgets that necessitate cuts to services/tax rises beng the other half of the equation.
Reposted by Jim Obey
“I graduated with £42,000 of debt and even though I’m paying it off, it’s now £72,000.”
It's truly an abomination: On a normal job you keep paying forever. 40 years!
“Why would I trust a government that mis-sold me a loan when I was a child?” is a very good question.
www.ft.com/content/7bf5...
It's truly an abomination: On a normal job you keep paying forever. 40 years!
“Why would I trust a government that mis-sold me a loan when I was a child?” is a very good question.
www.ft.com/content/7bf5...
February 6, 2026 at 3:49 PM
“I graduated with £42,000 of debt and even though I’m paying it off, it’s now £72,000.”
It's truly an abomination: On a normal job you keep paying forever. 40 years!
“Why would I trust a government that mis-sold me a loan when I was a child?” is a very good question.
www.ft.com/content/7bf5...
It's truly an abomination: On a normal job you keep paying forever. 40 years!
“Why would I trust a government that mis-sold me a loan when I was a child?” is a very good question.
www.ft.com/content/7bf5...
A blessed relief that Starmer's dynamic new broom has finally swept away years of Tory inertia, sleaze, incompetence and xenophobia.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Last chance, Keir? MPs in despair as crisis engulfs Downing Street
No 10’s misjudgment over Mandelson has left Labour MPs increasingly aware of the fallibility of the PM and his team
www.theguardian.com
February 5, 2026 at 11:06 AM
A blessed relief that Starmer's dynamic new broom has finally swept away years of Tory inertia, sleaze, incompetence and xenophobia.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Jim Obey
Here is your case for socialism. Formally, an institution like the Washington Post can be treated as private property. But substantively it is something else. And there’s an unavoidable and sometimes violent conflict between the form and the substance.
I personally do not think some rich man should be able to buy an institution like this like a toy and then break it when he doesn’t want to play with it anymore. bsky.app/profile/benm...
New: Washington Post Executive Editor Matt Murray and HR Chief Wayne Connell tell employees to stay home for a zoom webinar ahead of “significant actions across the company.” Widely expected layoffs are scheduled to begin today.
February 4, 2026 at 2:25 PM
Here is your case for socialism. Formally, an institution like the Washington Post can be treated as private property. But substantively it is something else. And there’s an unavoidable and sometimes violent conflict between the form and the substance.
I wonder what will happen if Reeves reanimates PFI in order to satisfy her self-imposed rule to balance budgets? 🤔
"Critics fear Papperger, who leads negotiations on big German contracts, runs rings around procurement officials."
www.ft.com/content/a326...
"Critics fear Papperger, who leads negotiations on big German contracts, runs rings around procurement officials."
www.ft.com/content/a326...
From arms to orbit: Rheinmetall’s expansion unsettles rivals
German group’s outspoken boss Armin Papperger wants to ‘catch’ €300bn in European deals by 2030
www.ft.com
February 4, 2026 at 1:42 PM
I wonder what will happen if Reeves reanimates PFI in order to satisfy her self-imposed rule to balance budgets? 🤔
"Critics fear Papperger, who leads negotiations on big German contracts, runs rings around procurement officials."
www.ft.com/content/a326...
"Critics fear Papperger, who leads negotiations on big German contracts, runs rings around procurement officials."
www.ft.com/content/a326...
To paraphrase Yosser Hughes (ask your grandad), "Neoliberalism's fans must remember a job is about more than the money. The value of work often gets left out of discussions about neoliberalism". So is Ai and UBI a departure from, or an extension of neoliberal logic?
www.ft.com/content/18ee...
www.ft.com/content/18ee...
UBI fans must remember a job is about more than the money
The value of work often gets left out of discussions about AI
www.ft.com
February 3, 2026 at 12:30 PM
To paraphrase Yosser Hughes (ask your grandad), "Neoliberalism's fans must remember a job is about more than the money. The value of work often gets left out of discussions about neoliberalism". So is Ai and UBI a departure from, or an extension of neoliberal logic?
www.ft.com/content/18ee...
www.ft.com/content/18ee...
This is it. If banks can't lend reserves and it's just an asset swap, how would markets react if the Fed 'threatened' to buy all outstanding Treasuries?
1/The Fed's large balance sheet involves withdrawing Treasury securities and MBS - basically highly-liquid eligible collateral - from financial markets and replacing those assets with interest bearing reserves. Those reserves are confined to the banking sector - you can't trade them to any other...
February 2, 2026 at 5:32 PM
This is it. If banks can't lend reserves and it's just an asset swap, how would markets react if the Fed 'threatened' to buy all outstanding Treasuries?
Reposted by Jim Obey
Happy St Brigid’s Day!
This is a depiction of her from Harry Clarke’s Geneva Window.
This is a depiction of her from Harry Clarke’s Geneva Window.
February 1, 2026 at 1:08 PM
Happy St Brigid’s Day!
This is a depiction of her from Harry Clarke’s Geneva Window.
This is a depiction of her from Harry Clarke’s Geneva Window.
For those on Bluesky tired with political scientists squabbling about what policies need tweaking or who will win the next election, this David Runciman interview gets to the core. Thoroughly recommended.
WEEKEND NEWSAGENTS: want to do some eps which think a bit more deeply about the systemic problems now embeded in British politics. One of them seems to me that though recent PMs have power, they all seem to lack authority. Why?
Listen now
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
Listen now
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
Is British politics just ungovernable?
Podcast Episode · The News Agents · 30/01/2026 · 47m
podcasts.apple.com
February 1, 2026 at 1:54 PM
For those on Bluesky tired with political scientists squabbling about what policies need tweaking or who will win the next election, this David Runciman interview gets to the core. Thoroughly recommended.
Reposted by Jim Obey
I’ve written this lengthy FT analysis overnight about the multiple multi-thousand pound Epstein payments to Mandelson’s husband
these particular paragraphs are worth reading slowly
www.ft.com/content/608a...
these particular paragraphs are worth reading slowly
www.ft.com/content/608a...
January 31, 2026 at 12:34 PM
I’ve written this lengthy FT analysis overnight about the multiple multi-thousand pound Epstein payments to Mandelson’s husband
these particular paragraphs are worth reading slowly
www.ft.com/content/608a...
these particular paragraphs are worth reading slowly
www.ft.com/content/608a...
Mian uses plain language to highlight the macro issues that come with rising inequality. Excellent!
Episode 2 of the Economics for Inclusive Prosperity podcast with Princeton University economist Atif Mian is live! Mian says record inequality is pushing US and world economies dangerously out of balance. "Distribution really matters," he says. Listen now! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
Distribution matters: Why record inequality is a big macroeconomic problem
Podcast Episode · Economics for Inclusive Prosperity · 01/28/2026 · 48m
podcasts.apple.com
January 31, 2026 at 10:55 AM
Mian uses plain language to highlight the macro issues that come with rising inequality. Excellent!
Reposted by Jim Obey
Fighting Words: We’re thrilled to announce the Brendan Behan Celebration on Saturday, February 7th from 11am to 3pm!
Join us as Dublin City Council unveils a new plaque honouring Brendan Behan’s legendary contributions to Irish literature at Behan
Square, the site of Brendan's childhood home.
Join us as Dublin City Council unveils a new plaque honouring Brendan Behan’s legendary contributions to Irish literature at Behan
Square, the site of Brendan's childhood home.
January 30, 2026 at 8:27 PM
Fighting Words: We’re thrilled to announce the Brendan Behan Celebration on Saturday, February 7th from 11am to 3pm!
Join us as Dublin City Council unveils a new plaque honouring Brendan Behan’s legendary contributions to Irish literature at Behan
Square, the site of Brendan's childhood home.
Join us as Dublin City Council unveils a new plaque honouring Brendan Behan’s legendary contributions to Irish literature at Behan
Square, the site of Brendan's childhood home.
Being honest and upfront with citizens? It'll never catch on.
Wild that there was an open lane called "what if we just explain things clearly to people?" and he's the first one to ever fill it
The City’s Budget is our future. And you deserve to know how it works.
January 30, 2026 at 6:25 PM
Being honest and upfront with citizens? It'll never catch on.
Reposted by Jim Obey
German industrial giant Bosch confirmed today plans to cut 20,000 jobs after profits nearly halved last year, underlining the mounting strain on Germany’s once-dominant manufacturing sector and increasing the pressure on politicians in Berlin to find a solution.
Germany’s industrial engine sputters as Bosch axes 20,000 jobs
Rising unemployment rate piles pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government.
www.politico.eu
January 30, 2026 at 3:43 PM
German industrial giant Bosch confirmed today plans to cut 20,000 jobs after profits nearly halved last year, underlining the mounting strain on Germany’s once-dominant manufacturing sector and increasing the pressure on politicians in Berlin to find a solution.
"Hello, can I speak to social services..."
Arsenal confirm Max Dowman has signed a pre-contract agreement with the club.
January 30, 2026 at 12:14 PM
"Hello, can I speak to social services..."
Reposted by Jim Obey
