Ian Moss
@thebriefwriters.com
Politics, policy, music and blah.
Partner at thebriefwriters.com, ex Senior Civil Servant, ex Labour Advisor
From Stoke on Trent to the Sussex countryside.
Partner at thebriefwriters.com, ex Senior Civil Servant, ex Labour Advisor
From Stoke on Trent to the Sussex countryside.
Mike Lloyd was the promoter for gigs in Stoke as a kid and his record shop was where I bought my first single, first LP, first CD and spent hours every week. I still have ticket stubs in a box saying "Mike Lloyd Music". #RIP www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
December 9, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Mike Lloyd was the promoter for gigs in Stoke as a kid and his record shop was where I bought my first single, first LP, first CD and spent hours every week. I still have ticket stubs in a box saying "Mike Lloyd Music". #RIP www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
FIFA next rebadging it ‘The Lucrative Game’.
News: Every 2026 World Cup match will feature two "hydration breaks," no matter the weather.
Each half will pause for exactly three minutes midway through.
It's a player welfare measure. It also has sporting & commercial implications.
More @theathleticfc.bsky.social:
Each half will pause for exactly three minutes midway through.
It's a player welfare measure. It also has sporting & commercial implications.
More @theathleticfc.bsky.social:
2026 World Cup to feature three-minute hydration breaks in every half throughout tournament
Every game will pause for three minutes in the middle of each half, which will essentially split the match into quarters.
www.nytimes.com
December 8, 2025 at 2:34 PM
FIFA next rebadging it ‘The Lucrative Game’.
Well at least we made it to the third day of this Test. #thecricket
December 6, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Well at least we made it to the third day of this Test. #thecricket
Reposted by Ian Moss
Because it happens in slow-motion we (still) tend to underappreciate the scale of demographic change & its profound implications for society.
Compare (expected) UK child population in 2035 to that in 1971.
Scotland = 44% lower, Wales = 30% lower, Northern Ireland = 34% lower & England 16% lower
Compare (expected) UK child population in 2035 to that in 1971.
Scotland = 44% lower, Wales = 30% lower, Northern Ireland = 34% lower & England 16% lower
December 5, 2025 at 8:39 AM
Because it happens in slow-motion we (still) tend to underappreciate the scale of demographic change & its profound implications for society.
Compare (expected) UK child population in 2035 to that in 1971.
Scotland = 44% lower, Wales = 30% lower, Northern Ireland = 34% lower & England 16% lower
Compare (expected) UK child population in 2035 to that in 1971.
Scotland = 44% lower, Wales = 30% lower, Northern Ireland = 34% lower & England 16% lower
Reposted by Ian Moss
Often there isn’t a “different paradigm”; it’s just someone very confident about their new way to be wrong.
December 3, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Often there isn’t a “different paradigm”; it’s just someone very confident about their new way to be wrong.
One of the greats. I was listening to the 500 Songs episode on Dock of the Bay last night which has a great account of his importance to the songwriting.
Though, of course, I first knew his music through the cricket.
Though, of course, I first knew his music through the cricket.
if I could only listen to one kind of music for the rest of my life, the answer would be Memphis soul. RIP Steve Cropper, whose guitar and production defined the Stax sound as much as Booker T’s organ or Otis Redding’s shout
Steve Cropper, Legendary Guitarist for Booker T. & the MG’s, Otis Redding and the Blues Brothers, Dies at 84
Steve Cropper, guitarist for Booker T. & the MG's, Otis Redding, the Blues Brothers and many more, has died. He was 84.
variety.com
December 3, 2025 at 10:05 PM
One of the greats. I was listening to the 500 Songs episode on Dock of the Bay last night which has a great account of his importance to the songwriting.
Though, of course, I first knew his music through the cricket.
Though, of course, I first knew his music through the cricket.
I've been listening to a different album every day from the "1001 Albums to Listen to Before You Die" generator. I'm now in the bit where it's picks of people who have completed. Spotify wrapped has no way of analysing me. It puts me in some eclectic bucket of 3% of listeners and thinks I'm 74.
December 3, 2025 at 4:59 PM
I've been listening to a different album every day from the "1001 Albums to Listen to Before You Die" generator. I'm now in the bit where it's picks of people who have completed. Spotify wrapped has no way of analysing me. It puts me in some eclectic bucket of 3% of listeners and thinks I'm 74.
Perhaps Richard Hughes' resignation should be honoured with the OBR repot now always being released before the budget. Then it won't have been in vain.
Richard is an old colleague, a first rate official and as we all can see now a good and honourable man.
Richard is an old colleague, a first rate official and as we all can see now a good and honourable man.
Richard Hughes resigns as head of the Office for Budget Responsibility, for an error he had nothing personally to do with, and which was in reality actually a net democratic positive for anyone wanting to understand and scrutinise the Budget
December 1, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Perhaps Richard Hughes' resignation should be honoured with the OBR repot now always being released before the budget. Then it won't have been in vain.
Richard is an old colleague, a first rate official and as we all can see now a good and honourable man.
Richard is an old colleague, a first rate official and as we all can see now a good and honourable man.
Reposted by Ian Moss
This story is starting to make me feel I’m going slightly mad - maybe RR overdid the gloom, but the tax rises are paying for a) the welfare U-turns b) the £10bn-plus increase in headroom c) scrapping the two child limit d) bits of other spending eg higher local gov costs 🤷🏻♀️
December 1, 2025 at 8:15 AM
This story is starting to make me feel I’m going slightly mad - maybe RR overdid the gloom, but the tax rises are paying for a) the welfare U-turns b) the £10bn-plus increase in headroom c) scrapping the two child limit d) bits of other spending eg higher local gov costs 🤷🏻♀️
Reposted by Ian Moss
Rightly lots of debates about growth this weekend - rightly because it was low productivity growth that saw wages entirely flatline during the 2010s.
November 30, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Rightly lots of debates about growth this weekend - rightly because it was low productivity growth that saw wages entirely flatline during the 2010s.
Whatever you think of the handling, there’s no way £4bn surplus was enough. She’s given herself headroom and targeted inflation to bring down borrowing costs. Those are ‘good’ things to do.
MPs demand answers as ministers say the chancellor convinced them the public finances were in a dire state when in fact she knew that forecasts had improved ⬇️
Starmer and Rachel Reeves ‘misled cabinet to justify budget tax rises’
MPs demand answers as ministers say the chancellor convinced them the public finances were in a dire state when in fact she knew that forecasts had improved
www.thetimes.com
December 1, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Whatever you think of the handling, there’s no way £4bn surplus was enough. She’s given herself headroom and targeted inflation to bring down borrowing costs. Those are ‘good’ things to do.
"Karie's Party"
The collective leadership model for Your Party will work like this:
"The Party shall be collectively led by ordinary members elected to the Central Executive Committee, with the Chair, Vice Chair, and Spokesperson in particular serving as the public political leadership."
"The Party shall be collectively led by ordinary members elected to the Central Executive Committee, with the Chair, Vice Chair, and Spokesperson in particular serving as the public political leadership."
November 30, 2025 at 10:58 AM
"Karie's Party"
I think these lads can drop the "Labour" bit in their next rebrand.
Not sure - 14 years into project - Blue Labour ever previously set out actual proposals before, so this is new
1. Abolish Treasury
2. Leave ECHR
3. Closr/refound half of unis
4. Double army size for anti-EU alliance with Ukraine
5. PM to lead grooming inquiry with arrest powers + televised trials
1. Abolish Treasury
2. Leave ECHR
3. Closr/refound half of unis
4. Double army size for anti-EU alliance with Ukraine
5. PM to lead grooming inquiry with arrest powers + televised trials
November 30, 2025 at 9:57 AM
I think these lads can drop the "Labour" bit in their next rebrand.
Reposted by Ian Moss
This blog post by Helen Toner (well-known by some for a stint on the OpenAI board) is *really really* interesting because it is the first thing I've read by someone in Frontier AI that starts to get to grips with sociotechnical concerns open.substack.com/pub/helenton...
Taking Jaggedness Seriously
Why we should expect AI capabilities to keep being extremely uneven, and why that matters
open.substack.com
November 29, 2025 at 6:32 AM
This blog post by Helen Toner (well-known by some for a stint on the OpenAI board) is *really really* interesting because it is the first thing I've read by someone in Frontier AI that starts to get to grips with sociotechnical concerns open.substack.com/pub/helenton...
Does Daisy Cooper really believe there are "billions and billions" to be raised in tax in the UK from Elon Musk? It's a baffling position.
November 26, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Does Daisy Cooper really believe there are "billions and billions" to be raised in tax in the UK from Elon Musk? It's a baffling position.
James Murray arguing NI on salary sacrifice pensions is about controlling the cost, and no doubt it has risen under DC. A better argument might be no NI is paid on pension income (unlike Income Tax) so this is about fairness in tax system with high earners most likely to gain from salary sacrifice?
November 26, 2025 at 2:27 PM
James Murray arguing NI on salary sacrifice pensions is about controlling the cost, and no doubt it has risen under DC. A better argument might be no NI is paid on pension income (unlike Income Tax) so this is about fairness in tax system with high earners most likely to gain from salary sacrifice?
I have many many deep criticisms of Badenock but fair play, she pronounced Smorgasbord pretty well. The sort of thing that you can trip over in a speech.
November 26, 2025 at 1:44 PM
I have many many deep criticisms of Badenock but fair play, she pronounced Smorgasbord pretty well. The sort of thing that you can trip over in a speech.
After an "interesting" lead up this is a good budget. The right measures given the constraints. NI on pension salary sacrifice sensible, EV tax sensible - you can't just let the tax base on cars drain. New council tax bands done in the right way. Div tax undetsandable. It's a good overall package
November 26, 2025 at 1:07 PM
After an "interesting" lead up this is a good budget. The right measures given the constraints. NI on pension salary sacrifice sensible, EV tax sensible - you can't just let the tax base on cars drain. New council tax bands done in the right way. Div tax undetsandable. It's a good overall package
BTW. Never ever schedule uploads of market sensitive or time sensitive material folks. It only takes a person putting 11.30 instead of 1.30 by mistake and there you are.
November 26, 2025 at 12:39 PM
BTW. Never ever schedule uploads of market sensitive or time sensitive material folks. It only takes a person putting 11.30 instead of 1.30 by mistake and there you are.
The thing that jumped out was the importance of the "printing schedule for the Evening Standard" as the reason for early briefing of the budget. Only 12 years and a whole world of media ago.
I commend this review which I carried out in 2013. The recommendations remain relevant today. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7f09...
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
November 26, 2025 at 12:30 PM
The thing that jumped out was the importance of the "printing schedule for the Evening Standard" as the reason for early briefing of the budget. Only 12 years and a whole world of media ago.
I recommend English Teacher. Just saw their Brighton gig. Such a good band.
November 24, 2025 at 10:07 PM
I recommend English Teacher. Just saw their Brighton gig. Such a good band.
Reposted by Ian Moss
New on my Substack: Will the Machine Ever Learn How to Teach? (I'm afraid it's a little on the long side...)
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
November 22, 2025 at 10:12 AM
New on my Substack: Will the Machine Ever Learn How to Teach? (I'm afraid it's a little on the long side...)
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...