Declan Gaffney
@greyskiesthinking.bsky.social
Research, analysis & grey-skies thinking on labour markets, social security, public finance & equality. Usual disclaimer. Cheap foreign labour 🇮🇪. Profile pic is Takashi Shimura with Toshiro Mifune in Stray Dog (Akira Kurosawa, 1949).
Bill Nighy for DG BBC. observer.co.uk/culture/inte...
November 9, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Bill Nighy for DG BBC. observer.co.uk/culture/inte...
Rarely performed, especially in the full orchestral version, but I would love to see a production of this. As far as I can hear there's no reference to Irish music but I wouldn't say it sounds particularly English either (as I often find with RVW).
November 3, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Rarely performed, especially in the full orchestral version, but I would love to see a production of this. As far as I can hear there's no reference to Irish music but I wouldn't say it sounds particularly English either (as I often find with RVW).
UK politics is terminally welfare-brained. That those benefiting from
abolishing the two-child limit overlap with 'working families' is simply inconceivable.
abolishing the two-child limit overlap with 'working families' is simply inconceivable.
October 31, 2025 at 10:12 AM
UK politics is terminally welfare-brained. That those benefiting from
abolishing the two-child limit overlap with 'working families' is simply inconceivable.
abolishing the two-child limit overlap with 'working families' is simply inconceivable.
À propos de nothing.
October 30, 2025 at 7:35 PM
À propos de nothing.
So without pushback from Labour backbenchers the 10-minute rule bill to leave ECHR would have passed. I'm struggling to see how that could have been a matter of indifference to the government.
October 29, 2025 at 4:46 PM
So without pushback from Labour backbenchers the 10-minute rule bill to leave ECHR would have passed. I'm struggling to see how that could have been a matter of indifference to the government.
New Threadgill! (Composing & conducting, not playing.)
October 27, 2025 at 10:38 PM
New Threadgill! (Composing & conducting, not playing.)
Chicago royalty. JDJ RIP.
October 27, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Chicago royalty. JDJ RIP.
Oh this is really interesting. Getting away from the sinister isolated genius Gesualdo legend and putting him in the context of Neapolitan music of his time.
October 26, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Oh this is really interesting. Getting away from the sinister isolated genius Gesualdo legend and putting him in the context of Neapolitan music of his time.
Slightly melancholy walk to view the damage to the Thames Path. Closed from the Kew Gardens riverside entrance to Richmond Lock. The stretch from Chiswick Bridge to
Richmond was a lifeline for me during Covid, which is when this picture dates from.
Richmond was a lifeline for me during Covid, which is when this picture dates from.
October 26, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Slightly melancholy walk to view the damage to the Thames Path. Closed from the Kew Gardens riverside entrance to Richmond Lock. The stretch from Chiswick Bridge to
Richmond was a lifeline for me during Covid, which is when this picture dates from.
Richmond was a lifeline for me during Covid, which is when this picture dates from.
Oxfam find. Somebody has looked after this very well.
October 24, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Oxfam find. Somebody has looked after this very well.
Saw this earlier today and it's still glowing in my mind's eye six hours later.
October 23, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Saw this earlier today and it's still glowing in my mind's eye six hours later.
Sarkozy as Edmond Dantès is a charming idea, someone should do something with this.
October 19, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Sarkozy as Edmond Dantès is a charming idea, someone should do something with this.
One is rarely at a loss for reasons to detest Ezra Pound, but his lame attempts at Irishry are always there if needed.
October 16, 2025 at 8:48 PM
One is rarely at a loss for reasons to detest Ezra Pound, but his lame attempts at Irishry are always there if needed.
Excellent Oxfam find.
October 12, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Excellent Oxfam find.
Excellent rus in urbe illusionism within earshot of the Hogarth Roundabout. (Duke's Meadows, Chiswick.)
October 12, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Excellent rus in urbe illusionism within earshot of the Hogarth Roundabout. (Duke's Meadows, Chiswick.)
Reminded that I've wanted a shirt in that precise shade of green since I was a teenager.
October 4, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Reminded that I've wanted a shirt in that precise shade of green since I was a teenager.
Highly recommended, and not just because the CD came with a little handwritten card from the artist. Unaccompanied uileann pipes. Music for listening intently & losing yourself a little. Available on Bandcamp.
October 1, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Highly recommended, and not just because the CD came with a little handwritten card from the artist. Unaccompanied uileann pipes. Music for listening intently & losing yourself a little. Available on Bandcamp.
I'd virtually stopped buying CDs but might start again. Ordered via Bandcamp, arrived from Ireland in just over a week, excellent design, very informative booklet & a handwritten card from the artist!
September 30, 2025 at 6:48 PM
I'd virtually stopped buying CDs but might start again. Ordered via Bandcamp, arrived from Ireland in just over a week, excellent design, very informative booklet & a handwritten card from the artist!
Public-private partnerships and blended finance instruments is it?
September 29, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Public-private partnerships and blended finance instruments is it?