Depressing morning. Obvious that the government doesn’t care what happens to universities (major employers and ‘exporters’), even looking at increasing tax on their main income stream.
Our vice-chancellor announces 100 extra staff job losses. For a university our size, absolutely devastating.

Random reminder that banning members of Congress from trading stock is a total no brainer.

They can use privileged information to make money on the stock market, while they’re supposed to be working for you.

Make no mistake — it’s legalized corruption.

Rounding differences www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2025/01... Changes of 0.1% in GDP are not news. They are literally statistical rounding differences. Meanwhile, the economy and our society are riven with problems the media do not talk about. Why are they so willing to miss the real news?

2. It will leave farmers who started investing in restoration out of pocket, and destroy their faith in the green transition. The sharpness of the transition will drive some to bankruptcy.

1. The one benefit of Brexit was a new farm subsidy system, that would pay for public goods such as ecological restoration. But now the government has frozen the new grants, while swiftly cutting off the old ones, leaving farmers high and dry. It's deeply unfair and highly destructive. 🧵

1. The implicit deal behind Starmerism was this: you might not like what he stands for (or fails to stand for), but at least he knows how to win elections. If you want the Tories out, he’s your only hope.
But now? It’s as if he’s going out of his way to lose in 2029. 🧵

3. Whipped votes shut down the intelligence of our “representatives” and force them to close their minds. Tribalism replaces thoughtfulness. MPs bray, jeer and mock. They behave more like spectators at a boxing match than deliberators combining their minds to solve complex problems.

2. Most contributions were intelligent and thoughtful. They were received with respect and, in some cases – brace yourselves - open-mindedness. That’s because this was a free vote. The conduct you get with a free vote is often the complete opposite of the conduct you get with a whipped vote.

1. I’m pretty sceptical about representative democracy: broadly speaking, I think it’s a contradiction in terms. But if we are to have such a thing, it should look like the assistant dying bill debate in Parliament yesterday. That debate showed us what we are missing all the rest of the time. 🧵

This needs to be taken seriously and taken seriously now - not in 3 years' time.

www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

850,000 YouTube subscribers for @novaramedia!

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We have a tremendously exciting six months ahead, with some improvements (hopefully)!

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"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."

Psalm 23:4

The "liberal" left Bluesky. social starter pack. For those who don't want to know why the far right are gaining everywhere and why the Corbynites will come for us again 😆😆 (this is a joke.)

In December 2017, Congress voted on a bill to combat human sex trafficking.

The bill passed the Senate unanimously.

The bill passed the House, 418 to 1.

The 1 "no" vote was Matt Gaetz.

1. The difference so far (and for god's sake let's keep it that way) between X and Bluesky is not between right and left but between abuse and respect.
A good society is built on mutual respect. But what does this mean?
A short thread.🧵

No no no no no absolutely the fuck not we are not normalising attraction to children, sex with children leave the fucking kids alone. People who think kids are sexy need to be put so very far away from children. I hope this is a troll account because Jesus fucking Christ MAP are clinically insane

More good reporting from @novaramedia.com, on the farmers' protest
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUkf...

Earlier this week Ash took to the streets of London to speak to farmers furious at Labour's new tax laws. novaramedia.com/2024/11/20/a...