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
The Trump International means the US government will be putting more $$$ into the pitch to bring Trumpism to Britain on top of the $$$ coming from private sources
US government to fund Maga-aligned think-tanks and charities in Europe - www.ft.com/content/f869... via @FT
US government to fund Maga-aligned think-tanks and charities in Europe
State department grants to spread ‘American values’ are part of Washington’s 250th anniversary celebrations
www.ft.com
February 6, 2026 at 4:17 PM
The Trump International means the US government will be putting more $$$ into the pitch to bring Trumpism to Britain on top of the $$$ coming from private sources
AI coming up trumps here. Fun fact: Springsteen's The River was recorded at The Power Station, a former Con Edison building in Manhattan.
February 6, 2026 at 4:10 PM
AI coming up trumps here. Fun fact: Springsteen's The River was recorded at The Power Station, a former Con Edison building in Manhattan.
Reposted by David Higham
Plenty of fine, normal people. But not great.
The reason they're finding it hard to replace Starmer is the very reason why Starmer is PM.
There was nobody else. Even the Tories (!) in 2024 had more plausible leadership candidates than Labour does.
/1
The reason they're finding it hard to replace Starmer is the very reason why Starmer is PM.
There was nobody else. Even the Tories (!) in 2024 had more plausible leadership candidates than Labour does.
/1
this is the crux of my argument: the House of Commons just wasn't built with "over 600 pretty normal and reasonably clever professionals who love being in Parliament" in mind, and that's why everything's broken now youngvulgarian.substack.com/p/politics-i...
February 6, 2026 at 3:47 PM
Plenty of fine, normal people. But not great.
The reason they're finding it hard to replace Starmer is the very reason why Starmer is PM.
There was nobody else. Even the Tories (!) in 2024 had more plausible leadership candidates than Labour does.
/1
The reason they're finding it hard to replace Starmer is the very reason why Starmer is PM.
There was nobody else. Even the Tories (!) in 2024 had more plausible leadership candidates than Labour does.
/1
A change of Leader won't alter this fundamental problem, and there's more political pain to come as defence spending is increased and the implications of Reeves' tax changes become apparent.
On the Labour side, there’s a lot of “the public are not able to face up to Hard Choices” - you never gave them the chance to! You instead presented a manifesto that was either an act of self-deception or just of regular deception!
February 6, 2026 at 3:54 PM
A change of Leader won't alter this fundamental problem, and there's more political pain to come as defence spending is increased and the implications of Reeves' tax changes become apparent.
From 2019. I remain amazed that a centre left government remains relaxed about handing windfall gains to people lucky enough to own a desirable piece of land. Even Adam Smith called it an offence to free market principles.
February 6, 2026 at 3:49 PM
From 2019. I remain amazed that a centre left government remains relaxed about handing windfall gains to people lucky enough to own a desirable piece of land. Even Adam Smith called it an offence to free market principles.
Reposted by David Higham
“Your country could be as dangerous and miserably shit as ours” may not, in fact, be the winning message the Trumpists think it is.
Remember the controversy when Obama was accused of intervening in UK politics? This is the current US government openly seeking to undermine liberal democracy in Europe.
February 6, 2026 at 11:37 AM
“Your country could be as dangerous and miserably shit as ours” may not, in fact, be the winning message the Trumpists think it is.
Reposted by David Higham
And thus, having looked into that Abyss and realised how deep it was, chaos with Ed Miliband returned
I hope the abyss in @stephenkb.bsky.social's newsletter becomes a returning character
February 6, 2026 at 11:32 AM
And thus, having looked into that Abyss and realised how deep it was, chaos with Ed Miliband returned
Reposted by David Higham
I hope the abyss in @stephenkb.bsky.social's newsletter becomes a returning character
February 6, 2026 at 11:20 AM
I hope the abyss in @stephenkb.bsky.social's newsletter becomes a returning character
Reposted by David Higham
(seen a bunch of people sharing this/talking in general about how "normal" Mamdani is but imo this doesn't show a normal person, but an *exceptionally* skilled communicator - a normal person wouldn't react like that to having a speech interrupted by a child! give him his due!)
Child at the podium: “A woo woo woo.”
Mamdani: That’s how I felt when we came up with this plan. Together, we will expand the idea of what is possible in our city—and what sounds and noises we can make at a press conference.
Mamdani: That’s how I felt when we came up with this plan. Together, we will expand the idea of what is possible in our city—and what sounds and noises we can make at a press conference.
February 6, 2026 at 10:06 AM
(seen a bunch of people sharing this/talking in general about how "normal" Mamdani is but imo this doesn't show a normal person, but an *exceptionally* skilled communicator - a normal person wouldn't react like that to having a speech interrupted by a child! give him his due!)
Reposted by David Higham
One thing the Mandelson affair shows is that it is good for politicians to have a moral compass that exists outside of polls and media cycles. Because the latter changes on a dime and suddenly something that was ok becomes the reason for a major political crisis
February 6, 2026 at 10:15 AM
One thing the Mandelson affair shows is that it is good for politicians to have a moral compass that exists outside of polls and media cycles. Because the latter changes on a dime and suddenly something that was ok becomes the reason for a major political crisis
Since the Profumo scandal is back in the news, this is a good read about role of George Wigg.
www.theguardian.com/politics/200...
www.theguardian.com/politics/200...
Sinister backbench MP played key role in downfall
Ian Aitken, the Daily Express's political editor at the time of the Profumo affair, recalls the mood at the time of the scandal and the shadowy opposition figure obsessed with bringing down the minist...
www.theguardian.com
February 6, 2026 at 10:22 AM
Since the Profumo scandal is back in the news, this is a good read about role of George Wigg.
www.theguardian.com/politics/200...
www.theguardian.com/politics/200...
Whenever you think Trump can’t go lower, he does.
It took my brain a few seconds to register what I am seeing. Beneath beneath contempt.
A screenshot from a video posted on Trump's Truth Social account: truthsocial.com/@realDonaldT...
February 6, 2026 at 10:03 AM
Whenever you think Trump can’t go lower, he does.
Reposted by David Higham
If Reform-aligned 'think tanks' take money to promote 'American values', they should be honest about what those values are. The death penalty? Bullying universities? Opposition to abortion? Gleeful racism? Shooting protestors?
Then they should explain why they don't want to promote British values.
Then they should explain why they don't want to promote British values.
Remember the controversy when Obama was accused of intervening in UK politics? This is the current US government openly seeking to undermine liberal democracy in Europe.
February 6, 2026 at 7:44 AM
If Reform-aligned 'think tanks' take money to promote 'American values', they should be honest about what those values are. The death penalty? Bullying universities? Opposition to abortion? Gleeful racism? Shooting protestors?
Then they should explain why they don't want to promote British values.
Then they should explain why they don't want to promote British values.
Trump corrupts and corrodes everything he touches as Starmer is discovering to his cost. Not only has he signed which is costing the NHS millions more in drug prices but abandoned moral principles in appointing Mandelson US ambassador
!["Social normalisation of deviance means that people within [an] organisation become so much accustomed to a deviant behaviour that they don't consider it as deviant," Vaughan observed. Or, to cite the Journal of Safety Research, "in the absence of perceived losses or harm, deviant practices become acceptable", via a “desensitisation process". Nobody realises that risks are building up — until disaster strikes.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:oo3kppddak7qrhuyzgvozldb/bafkreiariay42fs3jvyerhzal46u3iuw5gjp4t23p5jrbkxvt4ljfncccy@jpeg)
February 6, 2026 at 7:49 AM
Trump corrupts and corrodes everything he touches as Starmer is discovering to his cost. Not only has he signed which is costing the NHS millions more in drug prices but abandoned moral principles in appointing Mandelson US ambassador
If you say so....
February 6, 2026 at 7:18 AM
If you say so....
Remember the controversy when Obama was accused of intervening in UK politics? This is the current US government openly seeking to undermine liberal democracy in Europe.
February 6, 2026 at 7:14 AM
Remember the controversy when Obama was accused of intervening in UK politics? This is the current US government openly seeking to undermine liberal democracy in Europe.
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.