Ben Lowndes
@blowndes.bsky.social
Husband. Dad to two teens (girl and boy). Agency founder. Chartered PR. Lives in Somerset. Proudly Pembs.
A decent intervention would be an announcement that genuinely makes a difference.
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
November 29, 2025 at 11:14 PM
A decent intervention would be an announcement that genuinely makes a difference.
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Poll of Times readers right now. I'm not looking forward to minister after minister struggling to explain the various stealth tax rises will mean they've kept their manifesto pledge. If you're going to break the pledge, do it properly!
November 25, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Poll of Times readers right now. I'm not looking forward to minister after minister struggling to explain the various stealth tax rises will mean they've kept their manifesto pledge. If you're going to break the pledge, do it properly!
Will she, won’t she? 🪁
November 16, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Will she, won’t she? 🪁
MP furious about leaks authorises leak to the Sunday Times about his fury at leaks.
Give me strength.
Give me strength.
November 15, 2025 at 10:30 PM
MP furious about leaks authorises leak to the Sunday Times about his fury at leaks.
Give me strength.
Give me strength.
This in the Times today is an incredible leap, just take it in.
The suggestion that government is organised enough to do the things the media thinks is it’s capable is ludicrous to anyone who’s worked there.
To link this to a potential nuclear fall out is mind-bending. WTF?
The suggestion that government is organised enough to do the things the media thinks is it’s capable is ludicrous to anyone who’s worked there.
To link this to a potential nuclear fall out is mind-bending. WTF?
November 13, 2025 at 9:31 PM
This in the Times today is an incredible leap, just take it in.
The suggestion that government is organised enough to do the things the media thinks is it’s capable is ludicrous to anyone who’s worked there.
To link this to a potential nuclear fall out is mind-bending. WTF?
The suggestion that government is organised enough to do the things the media thinks is it’s capable is ludicrous to anyone who’s worked there.
To link this to a potential nuclear fall out is mind-bending. WTF?
Wise words @arianne-smart.bsky.social. As we grapple with the productivity puzzle, we should also guard time to think. That's how growth happens.
Also in the Dispatch:
Hopes for the budget
How to work with a PR agency
Things we've seen, heard, read
distinctivedispatch.substack.com/p/distinctiv...
Also in the Dispatch:
Hopes for the budget
How to work with a PR agency
Things we've seen, heard, read
distinctivedispatch.substack.com/p/distinctiv...
November 8, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Wise words @arianne-smart.bsky.social. As we grapple with the productivity puzzle, we should also guard time to think. That's how growth happens.
Also in the Dispatch:
Hopes for the budget
How to work with a PR agency
Things we've seen, heard, read
distinctivedispatch.substack.com/p/distinctiv...
Also in the Dispatch:
Hopes for the budget
How to work with a PR agency
Things we've seen, heard, read
distinctivedispatch.substack.com/p/distinctiv...
All that noise about tax and spend. It’s easier to snipe than it is to work with the hand you’re dealt.
Reform councils to raise tax for 2m households despite pledging cuts
www.thetimes.com/article/0296...
Reform councils to raise tax for 2m households despite pledging cuts
www.thetimes.com/article/0296...
November 4, 2025 at 8:24 AM
All that noise about tax and spend. It’s easier to snipe than it is to work with the hand you’re dealt.
Reform councils to raise tax for 2m households despite pledging cuts
www.thetimes.com/article/0296...
Reform councils to raise tax for 2m households despite pledging cuts
www.thetimes.com/article/0296...
Whatever you think about raising wages to a fairer level, this won’t happen.
October 25, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Whatever you think about raising wages to a fairer level, this won’t happen.
Headlines like this completely miss whats needed, as do the various stories about specific measures. We need more than the odd lever pulling. Our centralised, market-led economy needs overhauling. Start with getting the Treasury out of London. It won’t happen, and that’s a travesty.
October 19, 2025 at 7:44 AM
Headlines like this completely miss whats needed, as do the various stories about specific measures. We need more than the odd lever pulling. Our centralised, market-led economy needs overhauling. Start with getting the Treasury out of London. It won’t happen, and that’s a travesty.
Nicely done by @willdunn.bsky.social’s conference sketch, on the formulaic written-by-committee feel to do many of the speeches we’re hearing.
October 5, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Nicely done by @willdunn.bsky.social’s conference sketch, on the formulaic written-by-committee feel to do many of the speeches we’re hearing.
This is welcome but highlights a problem also around a lack of coherence and vision. Give it a month, and they’ll be onto something else.
Tactics without strategy is a quick march to death. This government has loads strategies, plans and pledges, but nothing explains what it is for that I can see.
Tactics without strategy is a quick march to death. This government has loads strategies, plans and pledges, but nothing explains what it is for that I can see.
September 25, 2025 at 6:34 PM
This is welcome but highlights a problem also around a lack of coherence and vision. Give it a month, and they’ll be onto something else.
Tactics without strategy is a quick march to death. This government has loads strategies, plans and pledges, but nothing explains what it is for that I can see.
Tactics without strategy is a quick march to death. This government has loads strategies, plans and pledges, but nothing explains what it is for that I can see.
Utterly goddam depressing. Dumping old clothes on a pavement in the rain. There are charity shops in town 5 minutes walk away.
September 7, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Utterly goddam depressing. Dumping old clothes on a pavement in the rain. There are charity shops in town 5 minutes walk away.
My walk to work along Victoria Street from Temple Meads makes my head hurt 😞.
Bristol, what’s going on with street layouts? Where’s the joined up thinking? Terrible place-making.
Bristol, what’s going on with street layouts? Where’s the joined up thinking? Terrible place-making.
August 21, 2025 at 8:05 AM
My walk to work along Victoria Street from Temple Meads makes my head hurt 😞.
Bristol, what’s going on with street layouts? Where’s the joined up thinking? Terrible place-making.
Bristol, what’s going on with street layouts? Where’s the joined up thinking? Terrible place-making.
I’ve just read this shocking stat to my mum and dad who used to trade on the high street. In their 42 years of business, they only remember there being one conviction connected to their business. One!
Too many people seem weirdly ok about this behaviour.
It’s not ok.
Too many people seem weirdly ok about this behaviour.
It’s not ok.
August 15, 2025 at 8:19 PM
I’ve just read this shocking stat to my mum and dad who used to trade on the high street. In their 42 years of business, they only remember there being one conviction connected to their business. One!
Too many people seem weirdly ok about this behaviour.
It’s not ok.
Too many people seem weirdly ok about this behaviour.
It’s not ok.
Ministerial hype about a £22bn black hole a year ago is returning haunt them.
August 6, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Ministerial hype about a £22bn black hole a year ago is returning haunt them.
Rod Stewart reads the room well before taking the stage on Sunday.
June 27, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Rod Stewart reads the room well before taking the stage on Sunday.
In some ways, we’ve regressed from this position in my lifetime. 🚂 🚌
June 21, 2025 at 7:58 PM
In some ways, we’ve regressed from this position in my lifetime. 🚂 🚌
A fair take. Bonus points for use of 'clickbait grinder'
June 6, 2025 at 12:00 PM
A fair take. Bonus points for use of 'clickbait grinder'
Productivity boost latest.
I asked ChatGPT for a simple instruction for my 15-year old son to manually update our expense sheets (names, dates), including what needs updating and where to save it.
After much back and forth, this is the response. Use python code.
Thanks a lot, bot.
I asked ChatGPT for a simple instruction for my 15-year old son to manually update our expense sheets (names, dates), including what needs updating and where to save it.
After much back and forth, this is the response. Use python code.
Thanks a lot, bot.
May 25, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Productivity boost latest.
I asked ChatGPT for a simple instruction for my 15-year old son to manually update our expense sheets (names, dates), including what needs updating and where to save it.
After much back and forth, this is the response. Use python code.
Thanks a lot, bot.
I asked ChatGPT for a simple instruction for my 15-year old son to manually update our expense sheets (names, dates), including what needs updating and where to save it.
After much back and forth, this is the response. Use python code.
Thanks a lot, bot.
First daily Dispatch from UKREiiF has immediate reflections on Angela Rayner’s speech yesterday.
open.substack.com/pub/distinct...
open.substack.com/pub/distinct...
May 21, 2025 at 8:26 AM
First daily Dispatch from UKREiiF has immediate reflections on Angela Rayner’s speech yesterday.
open.substack.com/pub/distinct...
open.substack.com/pub/distinct...
I took a couple of these tablets that we bought in Panama for hay fever.
They’ve absolutely floored me. Hay fever gone though.
They’ve absolutely floored me. Hay fever gone though.
May 5, 2025 at 6:25 PM
I took a couple of these tablets that we bought in Panama for hay fever.
They’ve absolutely floored me. Hay fever gone though.
They’ve absolutely floored me. Hay fever gone though.
Perspective...
There were 1,637 seats contested last week, around 8% of the number of seats in this chart.
Reform won more than 40% of those seats (677), taking 10 councils and 2 of the 6 elected mayoralties.
The dam of disillusion broke. And we still miss what's happening in front of us.
There were 1,637 seats contested last week, around 8% of the number of seats in this chart.
Reform won more than 40% of those seats (677), taking 10 councils and 2 of the 6 elected mayoralties.
The dam of disillusion broke. And we still miss what's happening in front of us.
May 4, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Perspective...
There were 1,637 seats contested last week, around 8% of the number of seats in this chart.
Reform won more than 40% of those seats (677), taking 10 councils and 2 of the 6 elected mayoralties.
The dam of disillusion broke. And we still miss what's happening in front of us.
There were 1,637 seats contested last week, around 8% of the number of seats in this chart.
Reform won more than 40% of those seats (677), taking 10 councils and 2 of the 6 elected mayoralties.
The dam of disillusion broke. And we still miss what's happening in front of us.
I love my dad dearly. If we ever fell out, I’m pretty certain this approach wouldn’t start a reconciliation
May 2, 2025 at 11:36 PM
I love my dad dearly. If we ever fell out, I’m pretty certain this approach wouldn’t start a reconciliation
I asked ChatGPT for pointers on potential captains in Fantasy Premier League in this game week. This happened.
Trump staffers use these tools to determine tariff formulas.
Trump staffers use these tools to determine tariff formulas.
April 20, 2025 at 10:02 AM
I asked ChatGPT for pointers on potential captains in Fantasy Premier League in this game week. This happened.
Trump staffers use these tools to determine tariff formulas.
Trump staffers use these tools to determine tariff formulas.