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 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
Having heard him speak to school kids in the NW before the GE, I really don't understand why he can't speak normally in public. Quite extraordinary (and terminal in the age of personality politics).
February 5, 2026 at 11:28 AM
Having heard him speak to school kids in the NW before the GE, I really don't understand why he can't speak normally in public. Quite extraordinary (and terminal in the age of personality politics).
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.
There's hope for me yet 👍
February 5, 2026 at 11:15 AM
There's hope for me yet 👍
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.
You certainly weren't, and it certainly would. This is a governing gallon apart in front of our eyes.
February 5, 2026 at 11:06 AM
You certainly weren't, and it certainly would. This is a governing gallon apart in front of our eyes.
The irony being that I've no doubt that he is decent and honest but seems unable to translate that into governing.
February 5, 2026 at 11:03 AM
The irony being that I've no doubt that he is decent and honest but seems unable to translate that into governing.
Now that really would be a plot twist
February 5, 2026 at 10:59 AM
Now that really would be a plot twist
Which the UK debate tends to forget.
February 5, 2026 at 9:10 AM
Which the UK debate tends to forget.
Very much so. There was never anything more to the "Starmer project" than competence and probity and he's not proved particularly competent either.
February 5, 2026 at 9:09 AM
Very much so. There was never anything more to the "Starmer project" than competence and probity and he's not proved particularly competent either.
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
These people literally have no ability to look beyond the next headline/news cycle. Mahmood saying that she’ll stop at nothing to prevent migrants attempting boat crossings clearly doesn’t survive more than 30s thought. Is she going to dismantle the welfare state, prevent riding living standards?
February 5, 2026 at 8:23 AM
These people literally have no ability to look beyond the next headline/news cycle. Mahmood saying that she’ll stop at nothing to prevent migrants attempting boat crossings clearly doesn’t survive more than 30s thought. Is she going to dismantle the welfare state, prevent riding living standards?
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?
The other problem is that he doesn’t appear to have looked across the policies of his prospective cabinet ministers and asked, “are these consistent and what are the trade offs?”. eg not much point in nationalising rail and franchising buses unless you provide additional resources.
February 5, 2026 at 8:13 AM
The other problem is that he doesn’t appear to have looked across the policies of his prospective cabinet ministers and asked, “are these consistent and what are the trade offs?”. eg not much point in nationalising rail and franchising buses unless you provide additional resources.
Nor was Starmer the only Labour politician who could have won the election. Some of this current lack of authority is because his MPs (and ministers) know that.
February 5, 2026 at 7:51 AM
Nor was Starmer the only Labour politician who could have won the election. Some of this current lack of authority is because his MPs (and ministers) know that.
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...
The U.K. has particularly problems but there’s also been a general slowdown in growth across the West since 2008 (the exception being the US) and structural reasons why that might be so. The long post war boom was exceptional and perhaps we’re reverting to the mean.
February 5, 2026 at 7:47 AM
The U.K. has particularly problems but there’s also been a general slowdown in growth across the West since 2008 (the exception being the US) and structural reasons why that might be so. The long post war boom was exceptional and perhaps we’re reverting to the mean.
Reposted by David Higham
You most certainly may.
February 5, 2026 at 7:38 AM
You most certainly may.
My point here. I’d always assumed that there was a secret plan since nobody could seriously have believed those election pledges. I was encouraged when Gray was appointed and her “shit list” was bang on the money. However 🤷♂️ bsky.app/profile/oldt...
Labour’s original sin is that the 2024 manifesto was as much fantasy as Johnson’s in 2019. There was no way growth was going to increase significantly, given the Brexit red lines, to enable the necessary improvement in public services to be funded. Trump has simply made a bad situation worse.
February 5, 2026 at 7:37 AM
My point here. I’d always assumed that there was a secret plan since nobody could seriously have believed those election pledges. I was encouraged when Gray was appointed and her “shit list” was bang on the money. However 🤷♂️ bsky.app/profile/oldt...
Reading between the lines it looks like McSweeney made the request at Mandelson’s behest, so shouldn’t it be “these fucking clowns” 😉
February 5, 2026 at 7:33 AM
Reading between the lines it looks like McSweeney made the request at Mandelson’s behest, so shouldn’t it be “these fucking clowns” 😉
decide to actually increase defence spending rather than just talk about it. No way this ends well for Labour even if they change leader and eliminate unforced errors. Unfortunately, all parties believe in fantasy economics so there’s no way this ends well for the country either.
February 5, 2026 at 7:27 AM
decide to actually increase defence spending rather than just talk about it. No way this ends well for Labour even if they change leader and eliminate unforced errors. Unfortunately, all parties believe in fantasy economics so there’s no way this ends well for the country either.
Bending the tax system even more out of shape to disingenuously claim that the manifesto pledges have been met will do significant economic and political damage (a lot of the increases are back end loaded to land just before the election) and there’s more spending pain to come if ministers
February 5, 2026 at 7:27 AM
Bending the tax system even more out of shape to disingenuously claim that the manifesto pledges have been met will do significant economic and political damage (a lot of the increases are back end loaded to land just before the election) and there’s more spending pain to come if ministers