Ian Mackay
@ianmackay.bsky.social
Former bar-keep. Occasional gardener up in the North Highlands. Independence for Scotland. Politics on the left. Love Celtic FC.
Apparently Israel murdering and bombing Palestinians on a lower level that they previously were qualifies as a ceasefire. Gaza; West Bank; Lebanon; Syria. It 'appears' that Israel is an out-of-control bunch of murdering lunatics.
Footage shows 2 Palestinians lifting their clothes to show they aren't armed, putting their hands in the air & kneeling on the floor
@kamalimelbourne.bsky.social : "Footage shows Israeli forces killing two Palestinian men after those two men had appeared to be surrendering"
"Appeared to be"
@kamalimelbourne.bsky.social : "Footage shows Israeli forces killing two Palestinian men after those two men had appeared to be surrendering"
"Appeared to be"
November 28, 2025 at 9:18 AM
Apparently Israel murdering and bombing Palestinians on a lower level that they previously were qualifies as a ceasefire. Gaza; West Bank; Lebanon; Syria. It 'appears' that Israel is an out-of-control bunch of murdering lunatics.
Reposted by Ian Mackay
Fewer workers. Fewer international students. More people leaving.
A "step in the right direction" according to the PM.
Impossible to take PM/govt seriously on growth if they are deliberately reducing it (and making the fiscal position worse) *as a matter of policy*.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
A "step in the right direction" according to the PM.
Impossible to take PM/govt seriously on growth if they are deliberately reducing it (and making the fiscal position worse) *as a matter of policy*.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
UK net migration falls sharply with drop in arrivals for work and study
Provisional figures for net migration to the UK show levels dropped to 204,000 in the year to June 2025.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Fewer workers. Fewer international students. More people leaving.
A "step in the right direction" according to the PM.
Impossible to take PM/govt seriously on growth if they are deliberately reducing it (and making the fiscal position worse) *as a matter of policy*.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
A "step in the right direction" according to the PM.
Impossible to take PM/govt seriously on growth if they are deliberately reducing it (and making the fiscal position worse) *as a matter of policy*.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Ian Mackay
Israel's genocide in Gaza continues as Palestinians face 'slow death', Amnesty International says - https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israels-genocide-gaza-continues-palestinians-face-slow-death-amnesty-international-says
Israel's genocide in Gaza continues as Palestinians face 'slow death', Amnesty International says
Ceasefire violations by Israel, no housing, destroyed farmland and ongoing sea blockade are intended to destroy Palestinians in Gaza, report says
www.middleeasteye.net
November 27, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Israel's genocide in Gaza continues as Palestinians face 'slow death', Amnesty International says - https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israels-genocide-gaza-continues-palestinians-face-slow-death-amnesty-international-says
Reposted by Ian Mackay
One big risk to the OBR forecasts has already materialised -migration is falling more quickly than their projections and that will hit growth and tax revenue.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cn...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cn...
UK net migration drops sharply to 204,000 in year to June - live updates
Net migration fell by around two-thirds - from 649,000 in the year to June 2024 to 204,000 in the year to June 2025.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 9:55 AM
One big risk to the OBR forecasts has already materialised -migration is falling more quickly than their projections and that will hit growth and tax revenue.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cn...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cn...
Reposted by Ian Mackay
In a speech filled with Islamophobic vitriol, the British commentator has ripped away the last fig leaf concealing Zionism's true purpose
'Home truths' from Melanie Phillips convey one message: Israel will always be at war
In a speech filled with Islamophobic vitriol, the British commentator has ripped away the last fig leaf concealing Zionism's true purpose
www.middleeasteye.net
November 27, 2025 at 6:15 AM
In a speech filled with Islamophobic vitriol, the British commentator has ripped away the last fig leaf concealing Zionism's true purpose
Reposted by Ian Mackay
Israeli society is so indoctrinated to evil they believe genocide to be a moral crusade.
#FreePalestine
#EndIsrseliGenocide
#BDS
#IsraelTerroristState
palestinewillbefree.substack.com/p/most-israe...
#FreePalestine
#EndIsrseliGenocide
#BDS
#IsraelTerroristState
palestinewillbefree.substack.com/p/most-israe...
84% of Israelis rate IDF’s moral conduct as ‘Excellent’ or ‘Very Good’ during the Gaza genocide
Six in ten Israelis (60.6 percent) are against investigating soldiers suspected of abusing Palestinian detainees.
palestinewillbefree.substack.com
November 26, 2025 at 12:16 AM
Israeli society is so indoctrinated to evil they believe genocide to be a moral crusade.
#FreePalestine
#EndIsrseliGenocide
#BDS
#IsraelTerroristState
palestinewillbefree.substack.com/p/most-israe...
#FreePalestine
#EndIsrseliGenocide
#BDS
#IsraelTerroristState
palestinewillbefree.substack.com/p/most-israe...
Reposted by Ian Mackay
They are aware that Russians quite literally wrote the capitulation document that some people in the White House and sadly many people in the media refer to as a peace plan.
Congressional Republicans including Senator Mitch McConnell are openly blasting President Trump’s team of appeasing Russia, warning that doing so would not lead to lasting peace.
Republicans Fight With Trump’s Team Over Ukraine Talks
Senator Mitch McConnell and several other lawmakers accused President Trump’s team of appeasing the Kremlin, warning that doing so would not lead to lasting peace.
nyti.ms
November 26, 2025 at 5:20 PM
They are aware that Russians quite literally wrote the capitulation document that some people in the White House and sadly many people in the media refer to as a peace plan.
Reposted by Ian Mackay
Reeves’ problem is obvious: you can’t iron out the imbalances in an economy as unequal as ours only using the tax system.
The rich don’t just have too much wealth; they have too much power – and they’re using it to capture our democratic institutions.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
The rich don’t just have too much wealth; they have too much power – and they’re using it to capture our democratic institutions.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Rachel Reeves is living on another planet
A country in crisis and a government in denial.
substack.com
November 26, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Reeves’ problem is obvious: you can’t iron out the imbalances in an economy as unequal as ours only using the tax system.
The rich don’t just have too much wealth; they have too much power – and they’re using it to capture our democratic institutions.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
The rich don’t just have too much wealth; they have too much power – and they’re using it to capture our democratic institutions.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Reposted by Ian Mackay
Not the ‘UK’ folks. The right to a jury trial was abolished here in the north of Ireland years ago. The imperial boomerang at work
The UK has gone from "We need to enshrine the right to jury trial in a British Bill of Rights" to "We need to abolish jury trial" in the space of about 3 years.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Jury trials could be scrapped except in most serious cases
Only cases of alleged murder, rape or manslaughter will be decided by a jury under new proposals to cut court backlogs.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 26, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Not the ‘UK’ folks. The right to a jury trial was abolished here in the north of Ireland years ago. The imperial boomerang at work
Farage the traitor getting it tight.
"We are freezing known Russian assets" says Rachel Reeves
"But let me be clear, I don't actually mean the member for Clacton"
"But let me be clear, I don't actually mean the member for Clacton"
November 26, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Farage the traitor getting it tight.
I thought 'The Celtic Way' now is to be satisfied getting knocked out of Europe's second-tier competition at the group stage.
November 26, 2025 at 12:23 PM
I thought 'The Celtic Way' now is to be satisfied getting knocked out of Europe's second-tier competition at the group stage.
Reposted by Ian Mackay
A special Christmas message from the far right ...
meme via Anthony Linford
meme via Anthony Linford
November 25, 2025 at 5:08 PM
A special Christmas message from the far right ...
meme via Anthony Linford
meme via Anthony Linford
Reposted by Ian Mackay
The real terms rise in welfare spending since 2019-20 comes from too major pressures - spending on pensioners, and non-pensioner disability and incapacity benefits.
Real spending on non-pensioner non-health-related benefits has fallen by £1 billion in real terms during that time⤵️
buff.ly/s5mz97u
Real spending on non-pensioner non-health-related benefits has fallen by £1 billion in real terms during that time⤵️
buff.ly/s5mz97u
November 25, 2025 at 6:02 PM
The real terms rise in welfare spending since 2019-20 comes from too major pressures - spending on pensioners, and non-pensioner disability and incapacity benefits.
Real spending on non-pensioner non-health-related benefits has fallen by £1 billion in real terms during that time⤵️
buff.ly/s5mz97u
Real spending on non-pensioner non-health-related benefits has fallen by £1 billion in real terms during that time⤵️
buff.ly/s5mz97u
I watched 'Civilisations: Rise & Fall' last night. Listened to historians talking about how empires rot and collapse from the inside, usually driven by great inequality. Maybe instead of doing PPE degrees, our politicians should study history.
Susanna Reid: "Most Brits, three in five, think the cost of living crisis is not just bad but will never end"
As Kevin Maguire says, since 2008 workers have had the longest sustained squeeze on wages #GMB
As Kevin Maguire says, since 2008 workers have had the longest sustained squeeze on wages #GMB
November 25, 2025 at 7:19 AM
I watched 'Civilisations: Rise & Fall' last night. Listened to historians talking about how empires rot and collapse from the inside, usually driven by great inequality. Maybe instead of doing PPE degrees, our politicians should study history.
Reposted by Ian Mackay
🔥 Rachel Reeves says there’s a “hole” in the public finances.
A new decade-long Brexit study quantifies it:
A 6–8% hit to GDP
That's £180bn-£240bn a year
It means less tax revenue and so less money for everything.
Brexit made Britain MUCH poorer.
A new decade-long Brexit study quantifies it:
A 6–8% hit to GDP
That's £180bn-£240bn a year
It means less tax revenue and so less money for everything.
Brexit made Britain MUCH poorer.
New: Boris Johnson’s ‘Brexit Titanic success’ was half right
Nearly ten years on, the first full assessment of Brexit confirms what millions warned: Britain made itself poorer
eastangliabylines.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 6:56 AM
🔥 Rachel Reeves says there’s a “hole” in the public finances.
A new decade-long Brexit study quantifies it:
A 6–8% hit to GDP
That's £180bn-£240bn a year
It means less tax revenue and so less money for everything.
Brexit made Britain MUCH poorer.
A new decade-long Brexit study quantifies it:
A 6–8% hit to GDP
That's £180bn-£240bn a year
It means less tax revenue and so less money for everything.
Brexit made Britain MUCH poorer.
Reposted by Ian Mackay
"For the thousandth time, "Israel says" is not journalism." -Assal Rad
November 24, 2025 at 6:38 PM
"For the thousandth time, "Israel says" is not journalism." -Assal Rad
Reposted by Ian Mackay
"If you go back a million minutes, get to the start of 2023. If you go back a billion minutes, you get to the Roman Empire. That's the scale of inequality we're living with." Zack Polanski
Such a brilliant illustration.
Such a brilliant illustration.
November 24, 2025 at 5:35 PM
"If you go back a million minutes, get to the start of 2023. If you go back a billion minutes, you get to the Roman Empire. That's the scale of inequality we're living with." Zack Polanski
Such a brilliant illustration.
Such a brilliant illustration.
Reposted by Ian Mackay
Jeremy Scahill joined Breaking Points to discuss his new report w/ Drop Site colleague Jawa Ahmad following interviews 2/ various senior Hamas & Islamic Jihad leaders on how they assess the current state of war, as well as Trump’s colonialist plan for Gaza, legitimized by the UN w/ a Security...
November 24, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Jeremy Scahill joined Breaking Points to discuss his new report w/ Drop Site colleague Jawa Ahmad following interviews 2/ various senior Hamas & Islamic Jihad leaders on how they assess the current state of war, as well as Trump’s colonialist plan for Gaza, legitimized by the UN w/ a Security...
Reposted by Ian Mackay
The ‘Danish model’ is the darling of centre-left parties like Labour. The problem is, it doesn’t even work in Denmark | Cas Mudde
The ‘Danish model’ is the darling of centre-left parties like Labour. The problem is, it doesn’t even work in Denmark | Cas Mudde
This week’s local elections are the latest reminder that when social democrats move rightwards, they’re making a mistake, says academic and author Cas Mudde
www.theguardian.com
November 22, 2025 at 5:47 AM
The ‘Danish model’ is the darling of centre-left parties like Labour. The problem is, it doesn’t even work in Denmark | Cas Mudde
Reposted by Ian Mackay
The U.K. economic model must be avoided in an Indy Scotland & actively engineered away from. It's seen long term decline for ordinary folk & the productive capacity that supports a caring society/wellbeing economy. Resist the hollow siren calls for continuity
www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2025/11...
www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2025/11...
Britain’s oil, gas and finance curses
In 1993, the economist Richard Auty coined the term “resource curse” to describe the paradox that countries with abundant natural resources often grow more slowly and less equitably than those without...
www.taxresearch.org.uk
November 23, 2025 at 12:47 PM
The U.K. economic model must be avoided in an Indy Scotland & actively engineered away from. It's seen long term decline for ordinary folk & the productive capacity that supports a caring society/wellbeing economy. Resist the hollow siren calls for continuity
www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2025/11...
www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2025/11...
Reposted by Ian Mackay
"... here are 5.8 million unpaid carers in the UK as of December 2024 with 2.6 million of these having given up paid work to care.
"... about 9% of the adult population providing regular unpaid support ..."
via @dailypolitik.bsky.social
#TaxTheRich
#WelfareNotWarfare
#SocialistSunday
"... about 9% of the adult population providing regular unpaid support ..."
via @dailypolitik.bsky.social
#TaxTheRich
#WelfareNotWarfare
#SocialistSunday
November 23, 2025 at 10:01 AM
"... here are 5.8 million unpaid carers in the UK as of December 2024 with 2.6 million of these having given up paid work to care.
"... about 9% of the adult population providing regular unpaid support ..."
via @dailypolitik.bsky.social
#TaxTheRich
#WelfareNotWarfare
#SocialistSunday
"... about 9% of the adult population providing regular unpaid support ..."
via @dailypolitik.bsky.social
#TaxTheRich
#WelfareNotWarfare
#SocialistSunday
Reposted by Ian Mackay
King’s ransom bit.ly/48rKqGO what the Royal Family really costs as its income ratchets up from the Sovereign Grant after soaring Buckingham Palace costs and offshore wind
How much does the royal family really cost the British public?
The Windsors are the most expensive royal family in Europe, with coronations, weddings, funerals all funded by UK taxpayers. Norman Baker crunches the numbers
bit.ly
November 22, 2025 at 8:07 AM
King’s ransom bit.ly/48rKqGO what the Royal Family really costs as its income ratchets up from the Sovereign Grant after soaring Buckingham Palace costs and offshore wind
Reposted by Ian Mackay
BLOG - You were never meant to know about the £25 million estate sale. How prices being paid for large-scale landholdings are being concealed from public view and what needs to change. andywightman.scot/2025/11/you-...
You were never meant to know about the £25 million estate sale - Land Matters
In my previous blog highlighting the £25.2 million sale of Scatwell Estate to Strathconon Estates Ltd, I mentioned a third interesting feature of the sale. You were never meant to know about it. I hav...
andywightman.scot
November 21, 2025 at 5:47 PM
BLOG - You were never meant to know about the £25 million estate sale. How prices being paid for large-scale landholdings are being concealed from public view and what needs to change. andywightman.scot/2025/11/you-...
Reposted by Ian Mackay
The yellow line does not seem like a temporary measure and people fear it hardening into a permanent scar. #eiGazaDispatches
Trapped by yellow
The US-brokered ceasefire plan has divided Gaza with a deadly boundary.
electronicintifada.net
November 21, 2025 at 5:25 PM
The yellow line does not seem like a temporary measure and people fear it hardening into a permanent scar. #eiGazaDispatches
Reposted by Ian Mackay
