@helenopinion.bsky.social
Reposted
With this latest mass shooting at Brown University, this might be a good time to mention that Bill Clinton’s assault weapons ban reduced mass shooting deaths by 43% - but after George W Bush & Republicans let it expire, mass shooting deaths spiked by 239%.
It's the guns!!! :(
It's the guns!!! :(
December 14, 2025 at 6:17 AM
With this latest mass shooting at Brown University, this might be a good time to mention that Bill Clinton’s assault weapons ban reduced mass shooting deaths by 43% - but after George W Bush & Republicans let it expire, mass shooting deaths spiked by 239%.
It's the guns!!! :(
It's the guns!!! :(
Reposted
One of the unique curses of living in the UK is having to hear rich people complaining about their wealth. Every day they are forced to be wealthy and spend more than they need to, and somehow, this is our problem to hear.
One couple — she works for the NHS and he for the RAF — are doing everything they can to give their children an independent education ⬇️
We’re almost broke and still paying for private school
One couple — she works for the NHS and he for the RAF — are doing everything they can to give their children an independent education
www.thetimes.com
December 8, 2025 at 12:03 PM
One of the unique curses of living in the UK is having to hear rich people complaining about their wealth. Every day they are forced to be wealthy and spend more than they need to, and somehow, this is our problem to hear.
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The Budget 2025. It's a real dilemma who to believe, Professor David Miles of the OBR or Chris Mason winner of the 3rd best gerbil at Grassington Show in 1995?
December 2, 2025 at 12:53 PM
The Budget 2025. It's a real dilemma who to believe, Professor David Miles of the OBR or Chris Mason winner of the 3rd best gerbil at Grassington Show in 1995?
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David Miles (of the OBR) at the Treasury Select Committee: Reeves’ speech was not inconsistent with the OBR’s assessment.
December 2, 2025 at 10:20 AM
David Miles (of the OBR) at the Treasury Select Committee: Reeves’ speech was not inconsistent with the OBR’s assessment.
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New York gets Zohran and we get Zara. Of course we do.
Zarah Sultana apparently wants to nationalise the entire economy including the Internet.
December 2, 2025 at 8:39 AM
New York gets Zohran and we get Zara. Of course we do.
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"The PM wanted today to talk about... benefits reform and the UK's relationship with the EU and about regulation, which were interesting in and of themselves, but all of the questions were about the pre-budget process."
A neat summary by Mason - but he led that questioning. ~AA #PoliticsLive
A neat summary by Mason - but he led that questioning. ~AA #PoliticsLive
December 1, 2025 at 12:42 PM
"The PM wanted today to talk about... benefits reform and the UK's relationship with the EU and about regulation, which were interesting in and of themselves, but all of the questions were about the pre-budget process."
A neat summary by Mason - but he led that questioning. ~AA #PoliticsLive
A neat summary by Mason - but he led that questioning. ~AA #PoliticsLive
Reposted
Reasons to resign:
Tories: doubling the cost of mortgages; throwing birthday parties while people are separated from their dying relatives for reasons you imposed
Labour: holding press conference & not saying thing that previously you had later said was not untrue but which the OBR didn't also say
Tories: doubling the cost of mortgages; throwing birthday parties while people are separated from their dying relatives for reasons you imposed
Labour: holding press conference & not saying thing that previously you had later said was not untrue but which the OBR didn't also say
December 1, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Reasons to resign:
Tories: doubling the cost of mortgages; throwing birthday parties while people are separated from their dying relatives for reasons you imposed
Labour: holding press conference & not saying thing that previously you had later said was not untrue but which the OBR didn't also say
Tories: doubling the cost of mortgages; throwing birthday parties while people are separated from their dying relatives for reasons you imposed
Labour: holding press conference & not saying thing that previously you had later said was not untrue but which the OBR didn't also say
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Remember -
Net migration rises: The government has lost control of the borders
Net migration fails: The government has trashed the country so badly that no one wants to come here
Net migration rises: The government has lost control of the borders
Net migration fails: The government has trashed the country so badly that no one wants to come here
November 27, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Remember -
Net migration rises: The government has lost control of the borders
Net migration fails: The government has trashed the country so badly that no one wants to come here
Net migration rises: The government has lost control of the borders
Net migration fails: The government has trashed the country so badly that no one wants to come here
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*Kemi reading the bible*
"suffer little children"
well that's enough for today, think I got the gist of it
"suffer little children"
well that's enough for today, think I got the gist of it
November 28, 2025 at 11:54 AM
*Kemi reading the bible*
"suffer little children"
well that's enough for today, think I got the gist of it
"suffer little children"
well that's enough for today, think I got the gist of it
So all those cuts the Tories made eventually drove up the welfare bill? Who would have thunk??
"I want to get the welfare bill down - its size is a symptom of failure."
Does Labour Deputy Leader Lucy Powell foresee Labour backing welfare cuts as the bill keeps climbing?
@jonsopel1.bsky.social | @lewisgoodall.com
Does Labour Deputy Leader Lucy Powell foresee Labour backing welfare cuts as the bill keeps climbing?
@jonsopel1.bsky.social | @lewisgoodall.com
November 28, 2025 at 10:48 AM
So all those cuts the Tories made eventually drove up the welfare bill? Who would have thunk??
Got into an argument yesterday with a work colleague who thinks it's unfair to have to pay tax on her LGPS pension. Added with the state pension she's expecting a total of about £30,000 per annum.
The modal British voter thinks that pensioners are the group who gets the least good deal from the state! You can't have a serious conversation either about shrinking the state or expanding the tax base from that starting point!
November 28, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Got into an argument yesterday with a work colleague who thinks it's unfair to have to pay tax on her LGPS pension. Added with the state pension she's expecting a total of about £30,000 per annum.
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My much repeated story - around 2013 when I worked in local government, the BBC reported on a survey that found most people hadn’t noticed any effect of austerity. A colleague said, “people are going to get up one day, look around and say this place is a shit hole, what happened?”
December 14, 2024 at 11:12 AM
My much repeated story - around 2013 when I worked in local government, the BBC reported on a survey that found most people hadn’t noticed any effect of austerity. A colleague said, “people are going to get up one day, look around and say this place is a shit hole, what happened?”
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The latest budget was actually political genius because it has reminded me of how much I hate so many people in the British political establishment even more than I hate Starmer's Labour.
The UK, where the day after a decision to take half a million children out of poverty, the media & political world has been full of sneering at those same children & their families, labelling them as ‘Benefits Street’, while the same people are moaning about a tax on £2m mansions. Shameful stuff.
November 27, 2025 at 8:31 PM
The latest budget was actually political genius because it has reminded me of how much I hate so many people in the British political establishment even more than I hate Starmer's Labour.
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Seriously, the left can't take a f#cking win when they get it
November 27, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Seriously, the left can't take a f#cking win when they get it
Reposted
The UK, where the day after a decision to take half a million children out of poverty, the media & political world has been full of sneering at those same children & their families, labelling them as ‘Benefits Street’, while the same people are moaning about a tax on £2m mansions. Shameful stuff.
November 27, 2025 at 8:22 PM
The UK, where the day after a decision to take half a million children out of poverty, the media & political world has been full of sneering at those same children & their families, labelling them as ‘Benefits Street’, while the same people are moaning about a tax on £2m mansions. Shameful stuff.
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They can't win. Criticised the one time they try and make them happy. Crucified when they go out of there way to make them sad.
November 26, 2025 at 7:05 PM
They can't win. Criticised the one time they try and make them happy. Crucified when they go out of there way to make them sad.
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Labour aren't "refusing to tax the rich", Zack.
The top 10% of UK earners pay 60% of the total income tax burden, & 39% of the total UK tax burden.
They are now going to be paying extra charges on their houses if worth over £2million as well.
25% of UK taxes are paid by the top 1% (ie millionaires)
The top 10% of UK earners pay 60% of the total income tax burden, & 39% of the total UK tax burden.
They are now going to be paying extra charges on their houses if worth over £2million as well.
25% of UK taxes are paid by the top 1% (ie millionaires)
The 50 wealthiest families own more wealth than the bottom 50% of the population.
How can this Labour Government say this is a "cost of living" budget and refuse to tax the rich?
They care about protecting power and wealth. And cost of living is a buzz phrase for them. Dire.
How can this Labour Government say this is a "cost of living" budget and refuse to tax the rich?
They care about protecting power and wealth. And cost of living is a buzz phrase for them. Dire.
November 26, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Labour aren't "refusing to tax the rich", Zack.
The top 10% of UK earners pay 60% of the total income tax burden, & 39% of the total UK tax burden.
They are now going to be paying extra charges on their houses if worth over £2million as well.
25% of UK taxes are paid by the top 1% (ie millionaires)
The top 10% of UK earners pay 60% of the total income tax burden, & 39% of the total UK tax burden.
They are now going to be paying extra charges on their houses if worth over £2million as well.
25% of UK taxes are paid by the top 1% (ie millionaires)
Reposted
"It's amazing what people get so angry about and on that side it's lifting children out of poverty," says Rachel Reeves as Conservative MPs try to shout down her announcement that she is scrapping the two child benefit cap which has pushed hundreds of thousands of children below the poverty line
November 26, 2025 at 1:33 PM
"It's amazing what people get so angry about and on that side it's lifting children out of poverty," says Rachel Reeves as Conservative MPs try to shout down her announcement that she is scrapping the two child benefit cap which has pushed hundreds of thousands of children below the poverty line
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So basic it’s his ego and his personal hatred of Starmer before country.
Nothing new here.
Nothing new here.
November 23, 2025 at 9:48 AM
So basic it’s his ego and his personal hatred of Starmer before country.
Nothing new here.
Nothing new here.
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They’re just perpetuating this myth that “someone else will pay” which is just as toxic and dishonest as the “it’s all someone else’s fault” that Reform trots out…
November 19, 2025 at 10:23 AM
They’re just perpetuating this myth that “someone else will pay” which is just as toxic and dishonest as the “it’s all someone else’s fault” that Reform trots out…
How much are they expecting this wealth tax to raise to pay for all this?
At the Budget, the Green Party's message is clear: Cut Bills. Tax Billionaires.
November 19, 2025 at 11:11 AM
How much are they expecting this wealth tax to raise to pay for all this?
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This guy is definitely qualified to tell the proles that their assigned place is the factory assembly line and nowhere else.
November 16, 2025 at 4:23 PM
This guy is definitely qualified to tell the proles that their assigned place is the factory assembly line and nowhere else.
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The murder rate in London is now the lowest in decades, perhaps centuries. (The Times)
November 16, 2025 at 1:27 PM
The murder rate in London is now the lowest in decades, perhaps centuries. (The Times)
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Any political system that asserts what humans should do without ever engaging with how humans are is a recipe for tyranny and brutality.
September 28, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Any political system that asserts what humans should do without ever engaging with how humans are is a recipe for tyranny and brutality.
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"The government are now doing what I want them to do. Disgraceful! let's vote them out of office and bring in someone who will do NONE of the things I want them to do ".
November 10, 2025 at 7:10 PM
"The government are now doing what I want them to do. Disgraceful! let's vote them out of office and bring in someone who will do NONE of the things I want them to do ".