@denethor2nd.bsky.social
Sign of the times, UK politics and democracy in general is much diminished.
Even in comparison with leaders from the 70s, 80s and 90s the last decade has produced absolute dross.
Even in comparison with leaders from the 70s, 80s and 90s the last decade has produced absolute dross.
July 13, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Sign of the times, UK politics and democracy in general is much diminished.
Even in comparison with leaders from the 70s, 80s and 90s the last decade has produced absolute dross.
Even in comparison with leaders from the 70s, 80s and 90s the last decade has produced absolute dross.
Would love to Cal break away and slap an export tariff on all its goods and services with the MAGA states.
July 11, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Would love to Cal break away and slap an export tariff on all its goods and services with the MAGA states.
Good, let them suffer in perpetuity for what they have done in Ukraine.
July 10, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Good, let them suffer in perpetuity for what they have done in Ukraine.
Could argue that the UK economy was in a good place pre-Brexit. Growing gdp 2-3% between 2013-15.
We’d carved out a niche as a free market style economy within the EU, strong FDI figures and the City benefited from passporting of services.
Brexit has been an act of monumental self harm.
We’d carved out a niche as a free market style economy within the EU, strong FDI figures and the City benefited from passporting of services.
Brexit has been an act of monumental self harm.
July 7, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Could argue that the UK economy was in a good place pre-Brexit. Growing gdp 2-3% between 2013-15.
We’d carved out a niche as a free market style economy within the EU, strong FDI figures and the City benefited from passporting of services.
Brexit has been an act of monumental self harm.
We’d carved out a niche as a free market style economy within the EU, strong FDI figures and the City benefited from passporting of services.
Brexit has been an act of monumental self harm.
Is it a coincidence that TB’s appearance is beginning to resemble Gollum from LOTR?
July 7, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Is it a coincidence that TB’s appearance is beginning to resemble Gollum from LOTR?
The Lloyd’s boss comments in the long tradition of the London Stock Exchange having little interest in supporting UK industry and preferring to deploy UK capital overseas.
Goes back to the 19thC and the disdain City financiers had for grubby industrialists.
Goes back to the 19thC and the disdain City financiers had for grubby industrialists.
July 7, 2025 at 2:59 PM
The Lloyd’s boss comments in the long tradition of the London Stock Exchange having little interest in supporting UK industry and preferring to deploy UK capital overseas.
Goes back to the 19thC and the disdain City financiers had for grubby industrialists.
Goes back to the 19thC and the disdain City financiers had for grubby industrialists.
Its a suggestion to create a new tax on the assets of the super rich.
Not v bright are you.
Not v bright are you.
July 6, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Its a suggestion to create a new tax on the assets of the super rich.
Not v bright are you.
Not v bright are you.
Tax is collected by central govt, not local authorities.
July 6, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Tax is collected by central govt, not local authorities.
Property is the most obvious area where a wealth tax can be levied with no impact on ordinary people.
Intro a new tax levied on property value only for property over £2m. For owners of £10m, £20m homes increase it and double again for non-UK residents. Ie the oligarchs.
Intro a new tax levied on property value only for property over £2m. For owners of £10m, £20m homes increase it and double again for non-UK residents. Ie the oligarchs.
July 6, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Property is the most obvious area where a wealth tax can be levied with no impact on ordinary people.
Intro a new tax levied on property value only for property over £2m. For owners of £10m, £20m homes increase it and double again for non-UK residents. Ie the oligarchs.
Intro a new tax levied on property value only for property over £2m. For owners of £10m, £20m homes increase it and double again for non-UK residents. Ie the oligarchs.
Difficulty faced by so many UK Chancellors over the years; coming clean about the UK’s huge fiscal problems doesn’t win any sympathy.
July 6, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Difficulty faced by so many UK Chancellors over the years; coming clean about the UK’s huge fiscal problems doesn’t win any sympathy.
Are the pitches being prepared as flat tracks for maximise TV game time?
Not great test cricket when there is little for the bowlers.
Want to see a contest between bat and ball.
Not great test cricket when there is little for the bowlers.
Want to see a contest between bat and ball.
July 5, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Are the pitches being prepared as flat tracks for maximise TV game time?
Not great test cricket when there is little for the bowlers.
Want to see a contest between bat and ball.
Not great test cricket when there is little for the bowlers.
Want to see a contest between bat and ball.
Come on he is what 79? Morbidly obese and has lived on cheeseburgers for decades.
He’s going punch out sooner rather than later.
He’s going punch out sooner rather than later.
July 4, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Come on he is what 79? Morbidly obese and has lived on cheeseburgers for decades.
He’s going punch out sooner rather than later.
He’s going punch out sooner rather than later.
Pretty nasty, sexist piece. If a male prominent frontline politician had a very public display of emotion at PMQ (for unspecified reasons) they wouldn’t get this treatment, including the mocking, distasteful image.
Poor from the FT.
Poor from the FT.
July 3, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Pretty nasty, sexist piece. If a male prominent frontline politician had a very public display of emotion at PMQ (for unspecified reasons) they wouldn’t get this treatment, including the mocking, distasteful image.
Poor from the FT.
Poor from the FT.
Starmer-geddon
July 3, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Starmer-geddon
Unbelievably sad news.
July 3, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Unbelievably sad news.
There is nothing the average American can do about it, they already put Putin’s puppet in power. They may get a chance to vote him out in 3 years, but by then US democracy could be over.
It’s up to other NATO countries to step up or Ukraine will fall.
It’s up to other NATO countries to step up or Ukraine will fall.
July 3, 2025 at 10:25 AM
There is nothing the average American can do about it, they already put Putin’s puppet in power. They may get a chance to vote him out in 3 years, but by then US democracy could be over.
It’s up to other NATO countries to step up or Ukraine will fall.
It’s up to other NATO countries to step up or Ukraine will fall.
Fine, but more importantly Trump just shut off supplies of military equipment to Ukraine.
What is Rutte doing about that?
What is Rutte doing about that?
July 3, 2025 at 7:40 AM
Fine, but more importantly Trump just shut off supplies of military equipment to Ukraine.
What is Rutte doing about that?
What is Rutte doing about that?
New property tax on all homes valued over £2m in addition to Council Tax. Paid to central govt.
Tiered rates that go higher for the super rich; eg over £10m value, £20m etc
If home is owned by non-UK residents, Trusts or Corporations, double it.
High end property massively under taxed in the UK.
Tiered rates that go higher for the super rich; eg over £10m value, £20m etc
If home is owned by non-UK residents, Trusts or Corporations, double it.
High end property massively under taxed in the UK.
July 3, 2025 at 7:13 AM
New property tax on all homes valued over £2m in addition to Council Tax. Paid to central govt.
Tiered rates that go higher for the super rich; eg over £10m value, £20m etc
If home is owned by non-UK residents, Trusts or Corporations, double it.
High end property massively under taxed in the UK.
Tiered rates that go higher for the super rich; eg over £10m value, £20m etc
If home is owned by non-UK residents, Trusts or Corporations, double it.
High end property massively under taxed in the UK.
Labour has an unrivalled ability to blow itself up in government.
One caveat: not sure how much cut through this has with the public outside the Westminster bubble.
One caveat: not sure how much cut through this has with the public outside the Westminster bubble.
July 3, 2025 at 6:59 AM
Labour has an unrivalled ability to blow itself up in government.
One caveat: not sure how much cut through this has with the public outside the Westminster bubble.
One caveat: not sure how much cut through this has with the public outside the Westminster bubble.
Could not disagree more, levels of indebtedness have always played a huge role in history, from the ancient world to the present day.
If you want an example from recent times see Liz Truss. Blow a hole in public finances, leads to currency collapse, leads to no more Liz Truss as PM.
If you want an example from recent times see Liz Truss. Blow a hole in public finances, leads to currency collapse, leads to no more Liz Truss as PM.
July 2, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Could not disagree more, levels of indebtedness have always played a huge role in history, from the ancient world to the present day.
If you want an example from recent times see Liz Truss. Blow a hole in public finances, leads to currency collapse, leads to no more Liz Truss as PM.
If you want an example from recent times see Liz Truss. Blow a hole in public finances, leads to currency collapse, leads to no more Liz Truss as PM.
I don’t think it’s a US only issue.
The market is saturated with existing debt.
Central banks cannot shift long dated gilts, switching to short.
Particular issue for UK, Fr, It. where debt to gdp already v high.
Germany is the only country in a position to fund rearming.
The market is saturated with existing debt.
Central banks cannot shift long dated gilts, switching to short.
Particular issue for UK, Fr, It. where debt to gdp already v high.
Germany is the only country in a position to fund rearming.
July 2, 2025 at 8:13 AM
I don’t think it’s a US only issue.
The market is saturated with existing debt.
Central banks cannot shift long dated gilts, switching to short.
Particular issue for UK, Fr, It. where debt to gdp already v high.
Germany is the only country in a position to fund rearming.
The market is saturated with existing debt.
Central banks cannot shift long dated gilts, switching to short.
Particular issue for UK, Fr, It. where debt to gdp already v high.
Germany is the only country in a position to fund rearming.
Analysis should take account of govt finances.
For UK and France debt is already high and Bond markets have no appetite for new debt.
It’s hard to see where the money comes from to rearm.
Both governments try to cut welfare/ pensions but get stopped in their tracks by rebellions in parliament.
For UK and France debt is already high and Bond markets have no appetite for new debt.
It’s hard to see where the money comes from to rearm.
Both governments try to cut welfare/ pensions but get stopped in their tracks by rebellions in parliament.
July 2, 2025 at 7:40 AM
Analysis should take account of govt finances.
For UK and France debt is already high and Bond markets have no appetite for new debt.
It’s hard to see where the money comes from to rearm.
Both governments try to cut welfare/ pensions but get stopped in their tracks by rebellions in parliament.
For UK and France debt is already high and Bond markets have no appetite for new debt.
It’s hard to see where the money comes from to rearm.
Both governments try to cut welfare/ pensions but get stopped in their tracks by rebellions in parliament.
We are approaching a point where we cannot raise anymore debt, the Bond markets are saturated already.
It’s either raise more taxes or cut welfare.
At some point we have to face the fact that we cannot afford the current health and welfare levels of spend, it’s half of all government expenditure.
It’s either raise more taxes or cut welfare.
At some point we have to face the fact that we cannot afford the current health and welfare levels of spend, it’s half of all government expenditure.
July 2, 2025 at 7:31 AM
We are approaching a point where we cannot raise anymore debt, the Bond markets are saturated already.
It’s either raise more taxes or cut welfare.
At some point we have to face the fact that we cannot afford the current health and welfare levels of spend, it’s half of all government expenditure.
It’s either raise more taxes or cut welfare.
At some point we have to face the fact that we cannot afford the current health and welfare levels of spend, it’s half of all government expenditure.
How about the East Coast blue states to join with Canada and the UK in a new democratic commonwealth?
Drop the MAGA mugs in the South and Mid-West, leave them to stew in their own mess.
Drop the MAGA mugs in the South and Mid-West, leave them to stew in their own mess.
July 2, 2025 at 6:46 AM
How about the East Coast blue states to join with Canada and the UK in a new democratic commonwealth?
Drop the MAGA mugs in the South and Mid-West, leave them to stew in their own mess.
Drop the MAGA mugs in the South and Mid-West, leave them to stew in their own mess.
He is about to get the Jack Ma treatment.
July 1, 2025 at 1:28 PM
He is about to get the Jack Ma treatment.