David Higham
@oldtrotter.bsky.social
Former economist and civil servant. Former (age related) national cycling champion. Still a music fan. Sewn up member of the Zipper Club.
Pinned
David Higham
@oldtrotter.bsky.social
· Jan 21
Beyond ‘Levelling up’: how to improve regional policy in England: 10 lessons from 20 years
‘Levelling-up’ as a political slogan in the UK may be finished, but a commitment to reducing regional inequalities remains, as highlighted in the 2024 Green Paper on Industrial Strategy. This paper...
www.tandfonline.com
A short summary of my thoughts on regional policy. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by David Higham
This chart seems to suggest a striking pattern: Kevin Warsh's speeches are consistently hawkish, except when Trump is President and about to appoint a new Fed Chair.
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
February 5, 2026 at 9:22 PM
This chart seems to suggest a striking pattern: Kevin Warsh's speeches are consistently hawkish, except when Trump is President and about to appoint a new Fed Chair.
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
Reposted by David Higham
With criminality this serious ending in death, what other crime would escape national news? This was only BBC local. What more must happen for a lifetime ban? Driving is a privilege, not a right. Our culture — and sentencing — needs radical change.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Man who drove 135mph jailed for 10 years after fatal M40 crash
Police says CCTV footage shows Trad Almaghrabi leaving the scene on foot.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 5, 2026 at 4:26 PM
With criminality this serious ending in death, what other crime would escape national news? This was only BBC local. What more must happen for a lifetime ban? Driving is a privilege, not a right. Our culture — and sentencing — needs radical change.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by David Higham
Does anyone sell subatomic sized violins?
February 5, 2026 at 7:13 PM
Does anyone sell subatomic sized violins?
Reposted by David Higham
This raises the question whether Trump simply forgot that he already did this some time ago. Before Farage convinced him to take the opposite view only for Starmer to convince him to go back to the original view /1
🚨 BREAKING: Donald Trump has formally approved the Chagos Islands deal
February 5, 2026 at 6:29 PM
This raises the question whether Trump simply forgot that he already did this some time ago. Before Farage convinced him to take the opposite view only for Starmer to convince him to go back to the original view /1
Reposted by David Higham
Imagine building a political strategy around what Trump might say from day to day
Not to mention Nigel Farage: www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
February 5, 2026 at 7:04 PM
Imagine building a political strategy around what Trump might say from day to day
Reposted by David Higham
Kind of fascinating how China hawks and the UK Right seems unable to process that if it is to his advantage Trump will sell them out over and over again without blinking
Rupert Lowe is out the traps on the latest Chagos twist. Plus his 'reply guys'.
February 5, 2026 at 6:34 PM
Kind of fascinating how China hawks and the UK Right seems unable to process that if it is to his advantage Trump will sell them out over and over again without blinking
Reposted by David Higham
"Starmer didn't pick Mandelson in spite of his Epstein connections… He picked him because of them."
Would he have made the same choice if Kamala Harris had won?
"Absolutely not", says @lewisgoodall.com.
Would he have made the same choice if Kamala Harris had won?
"Absolutely not", says @lewisgoodall.com.
February 5, 2026 at 4:22 PM
"Starmer didn't pick Mandelson in spite of his Epstein connections… He picked him because of them."
Would he have made the same choice if Kamala Harris had won?
"Absolutely not", says @lewisgoodall.com.
Would he have made the same choice if Kamala Harris had won?
"Absolutely not", says @lewisgoodall.com.
Wonder why the government has failed to hit its house building targets🤔 The private sector builds out at a rate that maximises returns to shareholders, not to deliver social objectives. Only when the public sector returns to the market in a major way will the situation change.
February 5, 2026 at 6:10 PM
Wonder why the government has failed to hit its house building targets🤔 The private sector builds out at a rate that maximises returns to shareholders, not to deliver social objectives. Only when the public sector returns to the market in a major way will the situation change.
Wait, what? I thought he was the adult in the room.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that it would be “up to the president” if he wants to sue his nominee to chair the Federal Reserve for not lowering interest rates to his liking.
Bessent Says ‘Up to’ Trump on Suing Warsh Over Interest Rates
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that it would be “up to the president” if he wants to sue his nominee to chair the Federal Reserve for not lowering interest rates to his liking.
bloom.bg
February 5, 2026 at 5:16 PM
Wait, what? I thought he was the adult in the room.
Reposted by David Higham
The Mandelorian. A high-end bounty hunter who travels long distances to scoop up high-value payouts from shadowy clients.
Peter Mandelbrot. It’s just infinite scandals the more you zoom in.
February 4, 2026 at 9:25 PM
The Mandelorian. A high-end bounty hunter who travels long distances to scoop up high-value payouts from shadowy clients.
Reposted by David Higham
One reason why leaders should write the first draft of their own speeches is that it makes them less likely to say things where you go 'what does this actually mean?'
February 5, 2026 at 11:36 AM
One reason why leaders should write the first draft of their own speeches is that it makes them less likely to say things where you go 'what does this actually mean?'
Reposted by David Higham
The only way Labour can win the next election is by governing well.
That might not be enough, but it’s the bare minimum.
The questions to be asking about any potential new PM are “what is their agenda and can they achieve it?”
Not “do they currently poll well?”
Or “can they handle a media round?”
That might not be enough, but it’s the bare minimum.
The questions to be asking about any potential new PM are “what is their agenda and can they achieve it?”
Not “do they currently poll well?”
Or “can they handle a media round?”
February 5, 2026 at 10:37 AM
The only way Labour can win the next election is by governing well.
That might not be enough, but it’s the bare minimum.
The questions to be asking about any potential new PM are “what is their agenda and can they achieve it?”
Not “do they currently poll well?”
Or “can they handle a media round?”
That might not be enough, but it’s the bare minimum.
The questions to be asking about any potential new PM are “what is their agenda and can they achieve it?”
Not “do they currently poll well?”
Or “can they handle a media round?”
Harsh but fair.
Alternatively, if he was the great asset he is claimed to be, this government wouldn't appear to have run around for a year like headless chicken holding a tape recording of Glasman speeches.
February 5, 2026 at 3:36 PM
Harsh but fair.
Not only did Johnson start the process but appears to have secured a £200mn windfall for a British property development company that has also made donations to the Conservative Party. www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/723...
The real scandal of the China mega embassy? Tory amnesia
Labour has approved Beijing’s proposal for a giant embassy at the prestigious site of the former Royal Mint. But Conservatives—including Boris Johnson...
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
February 5, 2026 at 3:19 PM
Not only did Johnson start the process but appears to have secured a £200mn windfall for a British property development company that has also made donations to the Conservative Party. www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/723...
Reposted by David Higham
People saying this stuff is inimical to actual Christianity need to read up on renaissance popes.
Trump at the National Prayer Breakfast: "We hit 'em. And we want to hit 'em right, sir, and we want to hit them from the top! East, west, north, south. Sir, they won't know what the hell! And we'll knock them out. We did it politically correct. Five years."
February 5, 2026 at 2:53 PM
People saying this stuff is inimical to actual Christianity need to read up on renaissance popes.
Reposted by David Higham
This is his most special skill
Starmer finding that place in a Venn Diagram where he manages to annoy allies without defeating enemies
Keir Starmer attacks the racism of Reform and Matt Goodwin but then adds that "Britain has also been let down by a mindset on the left of politics that is too slow to defend core British values"
February 5, 2026 at 11:30 AM
This is his most special skill
Tell me that the dog is called Yin.
Time to jump on the Yangwagon. Oh yes!
If some random MP's can meme Al Carns to leader on the basis, essentially, he was in the military we can meme Yuan Yang leadership from Bluesky on the basis of her dog.
February 5, 2026 at 11:20 AM
Tell me that the dog is called Yin.
Reposted by David Higham
Today's newsletter: I haven't seen this much anger from the PLP since the summer of 2016, when they tried to get rid of their leader as a result. Same positiion now, but impossible to tell if Starmer's fall will be short or long:
Every doomed prime minister has a moment — this is Starmer’s
This end phase of his leadership requires a crisis or resignation to tip things over the edge
www.ft.com
February 5, 2026 at 10:51 AM
Today's newsletter: I haven't seen this much anger from the PLP since the summer of 2016, when they tried to get rid of their leader as a result. Same positiion now, but impossible to tell if Starmer's fall will be short or long:
Reposted by David Higham
If some random MP's can meme Al Carns to leader on the basis, essentially, he was in the military we can meme Yuan Yang leadership from Bluesky on the basis of her dog.
February 5, 2026 at 10:05 AM
If some random MP's can meme Al Carns to leader on the basis, essentially, he was in the military we can meme Yuan Yang leadership from Bluesky on the basis of her dog.
Now that really would be a plot twist
February 5, 2026 at 10:59 AM
Now that really would be a plot twist
Reposted by David Higham
The Mandelson saga is doubly bad for Starmer & co. First because it goes against their supposed brand of probity. Second because it fits their actual brand of not listening to concerns from their colleagues and majoring on ideas that only make sense in transactional terms or getting through the week
What is the point of Keir Starmer staying as prime minister?
February 5, 2026 at 8:28 AM
The Mandelson saga is doubly bad for Starmer & co. First because it goes against their supposed brand of probity. Second because it fits their actual brand of not listening to concerns from their colleagues and majoring on ideas that only make sense in transactional terms or getting through the week
Reposted by David Higham
This is a key point. The Government is sacrificing integration to seek to curb immigration.
Which is absurd and rolling the pitch for further disintegration with a swelling migrant underclass in terms of quality of life and social and political status. Where do we think that might lead?
Which is absurd and rolling the pitch for further disintegration with a swelling migrant underclass in terms of quality of life and social and political status. Where do we think that might lead?
February 5, 2026 at 8:15 AM
This is a key point. The Government is sacrificing integration to seek to curb immigration.
Which is absurd and rolling the pitch for further disintegration with a swelling migrant underclass in terms of quality of life and social and political status. Where do we think that might lead?
Which is absurd and rolling the pitch for further disintegration with a swelling migrant underclass in terms of quality of life and social and political status. Where do we think that might lead?
Reposted by David Higham
Do they understand how mad they sound? As if anyone has ever decided to cross the Channel in a small boat because, if they make it, they might get to take a free taxi to a doctor's appointment?
"Pull factors" on steroids.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
"Pull factors" on steroids.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
February 5, 2026 at 7:01 AM
Do they understand how mad they sound? As if anyone has ever decided to cross the Channel in a small boat because, if they make it, they might get to take a free taxi to a doctor's appointment?
"Pull factors" on steroids.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
"Pull factors" on steroids.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by David Higham
Reposted by David Higham
Great report by @pronouncedalva.bsky.social revealing the influence of Mandelson on this Labour operation:
The Mandelson affair: inside the scandal of a century
Mandelson's fall from grace reveals a very Labour weakness
www.newstatesman.com
February 4, 2026 at 2:07 PM
Great report by @pronouncedalva.bsky.social revealing the influence of Mandelson on this Labour operation: