Jo Rothery
@jorothery.bsky.social
Senior Research Fellow and Lecturer at Canterbury Christ Church University. PhD student obsessing over the politics of place and the Labour Party. Interested in political, cultural, economic and social domination within Britain. Plus all things politics!
Reposted by Jo Rothery
The scrapping of the two-child limit is a much-needed change to turn the tide on child poverty.
It is also the most cost-effective way of lifting children out of poverty.
It is also the most cost-effective way of lifting children out of poverty.
November 26, 2025 at 8:45 PM
The scrapping of the two-child limit is a much-needed change to turn the tide on child poverty.
It is also the most cost-effective way of lifting children out of poverty.
It is also the most cost-effective way of lifting children out of poverty.
Reposted by Jo Rothery
"You cannot have a situation where, under a Labour government, child poverty numbers just go up and up and up" says Gordon Brown.
🎲 Our proposal to tax gambling companies to pay to cut the two-child limit is "surely the right thing to do" says the former PM and chancellor.
🎲 Our proposal to tax gambling companies to pay to cut the two-child limit is "surely the right thing to do" says the former PM and chancellor.
August 8, 2025 at 7:14 AM
"You cannot have a situation where, under a Labour government, child poverty numbers just go up and up and up" says Gordon Brown.
🎲 Our proposal to tax gambling companies to pay to cut the two-child limit is "surely the right thing to do" says the former PM and chancellor.
🎲 Our proposal to tax gambling companies to pay to cut the two-child limit is "surely the right thing to do" says the former PM and chancellor.
Reposted by Jo Rothery
"We are freezing known Russian assets" says Rachel Reeves
"But let me be clear, I don't actually mean the member for Clacton"
"But let me be clear, I don't actually mean the member for Clacton"
November 26, 2025 at 1:10 PM
"We are freezing known Russian assets" says Rachel Reeves
"But let me be clear, I don't actually mean the member for Clacton"
"But let me be clear, I don't actually mean the member for Clacton"
Reposted by Jo Rothery
Three more school contemporaries who claim to have witnessed Nigel Farage’s alleged teenage racism have rejected the Reform UK leader’s suggestion that it was “banter”, describing it as targeted, persistent and nasty.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Three more ex-pupils at school with Nigel Farage reject ‘banter’ claims
Exclusive: Dulwich college contemporaries ‘rubbish’ Reform UK leader’s suggestion alleged racist taunts not intended to hurt
www.theguardian.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Three more school contemporaries who claim to have witnessed Nigel Farage’s alleged teenage racism have rejected the Reform UK leader’s suggestion that it was “banter”, describing it as targeted, persistent and nasty.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Jo Rothery
Reminder that In the 1990s Farage sought the backing of the disgraced former Conservative MP and notorious racist Enoch Powell and twice asked him to stand as a candidate for UKIP.
www.theguardian.com/politics/201...
www.theguardian.com/politics/201...
Nigel Farage asked former Conservative MP Enoch Powell to back Ukip
Despite his ‘rivers of blood’ speech, the Ukip leader has said the central thrust of Powell’s immigration arguments hold true
www.theguardian.com
November 24, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Reminder that In the 1990s Farage sought the backing of the disgraced former Conservative MP and notorious racist Enoch Powell and twice asked him to stand as a candidate for UKIP.
www.theguardian.com/politics/201...
www.theguardian.com/politics/201...
Reposted by Jo Rothery
🔴Reform UK’s ‘Cost Cutting’ Council Prepares to Raise Taxes After Presiding Over £46 Million Overspend
Nigel Farage’s flagship council, which promised to “reduce waste and cut your taxes” is set to raise bills after spending tens of millions of pounds over its budget
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/24/r...
Nigel Farage’s flagship council, which promised to “reduce waste and cut your taxes” is set to raise bills after spending tens of millions of pounds over its budget
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/24/r...
Reform UK's 'Cost Cutting' Council Prepares to Raise Taxes After Presiding Over £46 Million Overspend
Nigel Farage's flagship Kent County Council, which promised to "reduce waste and cut your taxes" is set to raise bills on local taxpayers, after spending tens of millions of pounds over its budget
bylinetimes.com
November 24, 2025 at 4:02 PM
🔴Reform UK’s ‘Cost Cutting’ Council Prepares to Raise Taxes After Presiding Over £46 Million Overspend
Nigel Farage’s flagship council, which promised to “reduce waste and cut your taxes” is set to raise bills after spending tens of millions of pounds over its budget
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/24/r...
Nigel Farage’s flagship council, which promised to “reduce waste and cut your taxes” is set to raise bills after spending tens of millions of pounds over its budget
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/24/r...
Reposted by Jo Rothery
Article featuring my good friend @liamwaghorn.bsky.social and Canterbury Foodbank. It highlights how foodbanks have become a necessary part of the welfare state, driven in part by high food inflation and the two-child benefit cap.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Budget 2025: how inflation and the two-child benefit cap has increased poverty
A visit to Kent reveals more people struggling with rising food bills and turning to food banks already suffering higher demand and fewer donations
www.theguardian.com
November 23, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Article featuring my good friend @liamwaghorn.bsky.social and Canterbury Foodbank. It highlights how foodbanks have become a necessary part of the welfare state, driven in part by high food inflation and the two-child benefit cap.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Reposted by Jo Rothery
Turns out the media & most of Parliament is as out of touch with reality as Twitter. Dear England.
Why do people think England flags have been raised on lampposts?
White adults
National pride: 26%
Anti-migrant/minority sentiment: 49%
Both: 19%
Ethnic minority adults
National pride: 15%
Anti-migrant/minority sentiment: 55%
Both: 20%
yougov.co.uk/society/arti...
White adults
National pride: 26%
Anti-migrant/minority sentiment: 49%
Both: 19%
Ethnic minority adults
National pride: 15%
Anti-migrant/minority sentiment: 55%
Both: 20%
yougov.co.uk/society/arti...
November 22, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Turns out the media & most of Parliament is as out of touch with reality as Twitter. Dear England.
Reposted by Jo Rothery
It is indisputable that Brexit has been an economic disaster, and notable that none of its political architects have paid any price.
Brexit has caused almost twice as much damage to the UK economy than estimated by official forecasts, according to new paper from a group of experts including a senior Bank of England economist
Brexit Hit to UK Economy Double Official Estimate, Study Finds
Brexit has caused almost twice as much damage to the UK economy than estimated by official forecasts, according to new paper from a group of experts including a senior Bank of England economist.
bloom.bg
November 21, 2025 at 10:15 AM
It is indisputable that Brexit has been an economic disaster, and notable that none of its political architects have paid any price.
Reposted by Jo Rothery
“The world of 2026 is entirely different from 2016, the old red lines no longer make sense and Brexit was a waste of money that, now more than ever, we simply cannot afford” @jonathanfreedland.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Rachel Reeves is studiously ignoring the cause of Britain’s woes: the Brexit-shaped hole in its roof | Jonathan Freedland
The autumn budget will mop up some damage, but the true source of the economic crisis is clear. The government should now fix it – tragically, it won’t, says Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland
www.theguardian.com
November 22, 2025 at 7:47 AM
“The world of 2026 is entirely different from 2016, the old red lines no longer make sense and Brexit was a waste of money that, now more than ever, we simply cannot afford” @jonathanfreedland.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Jo Rothery
The black hole in Durham County Council’s budget has grown by £11.1mn in the past two months under the control of Reform UK.
Its cabinet has been forced to approve a £10mn list of cuts.
But the measures will still leave the county council with a deficit of £72mn over the coming four years
Its cabinet has been forced to approve a £10mn list of cuts.
But the measures will still leave the county council with a deficit of £72mn over the coming four years
Reform cabinet backs £10mn cuts to start filling Durham’s growing black hole
Reform is now learning that running a big council is not as easy as it probably thought
northeastbylines.co.uk
November 20, 2025 at 10:51 AM
The black hole in Durham County Council’s budget has grown by £11.1mn in the past two months under the control of Reform UK.
Its cabinet has been forced to approve a £10mn list of cuts.
But the measures will still leave the county council with a deficit of £72mn over the coming four years
Its cabinet has been forced to approve a £10mn list of cuts.
But the measures will still leave the county council with a deficit of £72mn over the coming four years
Reposted by Jo Rothery
John Major, "Our links to Europe and America may be loser now than once they were and that is a loss"
"The loss of trade with Europe alone costs us £100 billion of lost trade every year"
"That's a tax yield of £40 billion"
"How useful would that have been in recent months to the Chancellor?"
"The loss of trade with Europe alone costs us £100 billion of lost trade every year"
"That's a tax yield of £40 billion"
"How useful would that have been in recent months to the Chancellor?"
November 19, 2025 at 6:39 PM
John Major, "Our links to Europe and America may be loser now than once they were and that is a loss"
"The loss of trade with Europe alone costs us £100 billion of lost trade every year"
"That's a tax yield of £40 billion"
"How useful would that have been in recent months to the Chancellor?"
"The loss of trade with Europe alone costs us £100 billion of lost trade every year"
"That's a tax yield of £40 billion"
"How useful would that have been in recent months to the Chancellor?"
Reposted by Jo Rothery
£44m funding approved for new council care home - We’ll done Medway Council, there needs to be more council owned and run care homes.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Medway council approves £44m funding for new care home
Conservatives say it is unaffordable, but their Labour opponents say the area needs to improve care.
www.bbc.com
November 20, 2025 at 7:08 AM
£44m funding approved for new council care home - We’ll done Medway Council, there needs to be more council owned and run care homes.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by Jo Rothery
![Andy Field, 61, an NHS doctor who said he
knew Farage well because they took the
same train to school, has similarly clear
memories.
"When I became a prefect, he [Farage] said,
Tll show you how to do it,' claimed Field,.
"He took me for a walk up to the lower
school playground, where all the children
from about nine years old to 12 would be.
And he singled out, completely at random, a
kid of Asian extraction, and just put him in
detention for no reason whatsoever. I was
flabbergasted, absolutely stunned. I was just
disgusted, really. No rhyme or reason, just
purely based on the colour of his skin.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:5mqpgxjffcckasqv7h6g7itu/bafkreifwa2hlzevsllsekm44ne6yprkgrfhwryxxclupy3cz2qqj42sxma@jpeg)
November 18, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Reposted by Jo Rothery
Which one is more English?
November 6, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Which one is more English?
Reposted by Jo Rothery
Reform has lost 1 in 20 (5%) of the 677 councillors it gained in May elections
In Kent alone, it has lost 14% of its councillors...
-11 have been expelled
-6 suspended
-9 have left the party
-1 has defected to UKIP
-9 have resigned from the council altogether
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
In Kent alone, it has lost 14% of its councillors...
-11 have been expelled
-6 suspended
-9 have left the party
-1 has defected to UKIP
-9 have resigned from the council altogether
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Reform Is Losing Councillors Elected In May At An 'Unusual' Rate
Reform UK has lost more than 5 per cent of the councillors it had elected six months ago, an analysis by PoliticsHome has found.
www.politicshome.com
November 1, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Reform has lost 1 in 20 (5%) of the 677 councillors it gained in May elections
In Kent alone, it has lost 14% of its councillors...
-11 have been expelled
-6 suspended
-9 have left the party
-1 has defected to UKIP
-9 have resigned from the council altogether
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
In Kent alone, it has lost 14% of its councillors...
-11 have been expelled
-6 suspended
-9 have left the party
-1 has defected to UKIP
-9 have resigned from the council altogether
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Reposted by Jo Rothery
Anyone surprised? All mouth and no trousers?
October 25, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Anyone surprised? All mouth and no trousers?
Reposted by Jo Rothery
Petulant child in the White House raises tariffs on Canadian goods in response to an advert!
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Trump raises tariffs on Canadian goods in response to Reagan advert
Saying that airing the advert was a hostile act, Trump announced an additional 10% "over and above what they are paying now".
www.bbc.com
October 26, 2025 at 5:26 AM
Petulant child in the White House raises tariffs on Canadian goods in response to an advert!
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by Jo Rothery
Spread it far and wide.
Sarah Pochin, Reform UK
Sarah Pochin, Reform UK
October 25, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Spread it far and wide.
Sarah Pochin, Reform UK
Sarah Pochin, Reform UK
Reposted by Jo Rothery
Nothing on the BBC Radio news this morning. Nothing I could find on their website. This is an MP from the party whose lead in the opinion polls normally ensures them wall-to-wall coverage. She spouts racist nonsense for which even she feels obliged to apologise. What on earth are they playing at?
Reform’s Sarah Pochin forced to apologise after claiming adverts 'full of black people' drive her 'mad’ | LBC
The Runcorn and Helsby MP was responding to a viewer live on air who complained about the demographics of advertising.
www.lbc.co.uk
October 26, 2025 at 6:57 AM
Nothing on the BBC Radio news this morning. Nothing I could find on their website. This is an MP from the party whose lead in the opinion polls normally ensures them wall-to-wall coverage. She spouts racist nonsense for which even she feels obliged to apologise. What on earth are they playing at?
Labour must learn from Caerphilly and reconnect with its mainstream - or devastating losses like this one will become the norm. I’m backing @mainstreamlabour.bsky.social to unlock the transformative potential of the Labour Party: labourmainstream.nationbuilder.com/join
Become a Member
Mainstream is the home for Labour's radical realists.
For everyone who knows that to transform the country and win again in 2029, Labour must offer the country not just a programme, but a vision of ...
labourmainstream.nationbuilder.com
October 25, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Labour must learn from Caerphilly and reconnect with its mainstream - or devastating losses like this one will become the norm. I’m backing @mainstreamlabour.bsky.social to unlock the transformative potential of the Labour Party: labourmainstream.nationbuilder.com/join
Reposted by Jo Rothery
Also, if you look properly at most issue polling (including the current row over ILR) it isn't close to what is presented as 'public opinion' by commentators and a lot of Westminster discourse.
Latest YouGov opinion poll:
Reform + Conservatives: 43%
Labour + Lib Dems + Greens: 50%
Reform + Conservatives: 43%
Labour + Lib Dems + Greens: 50%
October 21, 2025 at 11:06 AM
Also, if you look properly at most issue polling (including the current row over ILR) it isn't close to what is presented as 'public opinion' by commentators and a lot of Westminster discourse.
Reposted by Jo Rothery
Our largest water company is in the tender hands of creditors including hedge fund Elliott Management and US private capital firm Apollo Global Management. Needless to say they don’t care about our water supply just the profit they can make. Privatisation was an act of political dogma, it failed.
October 20, 2025 at 5:43 AM
Our largest water company is in the tender hands of creditors including hedge fund Elliott Management and US private capital firm Apollo Global Management. Needless to say they don’t care about our water supply just the profit they can make. Privatisation was an act of political dogma, it failed.