James Sibley
@jdsibley.bsky.social
Public affairs in trade association land. Politics, cycling, gardening, and cats. #ITFC and Essex CCC fan.
WFA u-turn is an absolute mess. Pensioners won't thank you and and it highlights to working families on median salaries that you matter a lot less politically than the luckiest generation. Win win!
June 10, 2025 at 11:56 AM
WFA u-turn is an absolute mess. Pensioners won't thank you and and it highlights to working families on median salaries that you matter a lot less politically than the luckiest generation. Win win!
Last week - Strategic Defence Review talks about need to counter hybrid warfare, including disinformation
This week - can't guarantee longterm BBC World Service funding
This week - can't guarantee longterm BBC World Service funding
June 10, 2025 at 8:34 AM
Last week - Strategic Defence Review talks about need to counter hybrid warfare, including disinformation
This week - can't guarantee longterm BBC World Service funding
This week - can't guarantee longterm BBC World Service funding
Reposted by James Sibley
It's wonderful day for the supporters of the vibrant, open-to-the-world GLOBAL BRITAIN that supporters of Brexit embraced.
Correction - they think GLOBAL BRITAIN is shit.
Correction - they think GLOBAL BRITAIN is shit.
May 7, 2025 at 8:37 AM
It's wonderful day for the supporters of the vibrant, open-to-the-world GLOBAL BRITAIN that supporters of Brexit embraced.
Correction - they think GLOBAL BRITAIN is shit.
Correction - they think GLOBAL BRITAIN is shit.
The media coverage of the India trade deal is mental. It's not even toss of a coin stuff it's just absolute falsehood.
May 7, 2025 at 1:10 PM
The media coverage of the India trade deal is mental. It's not even toss of a coin stuff it's just absolute falsehood.
Reposted by James Sibley
We need more of this sort of thing.
"Change is good, say local residents as absence of anxiety grips local area."
"Change is good, say local residents as absence of anxiety grips local area."
The BBC spoke to locals near a big English solar farm and found the panels “do not really bother them” www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
What is life like living the shadow of Ashby's solar farms? - BBC News
Residents of Ashby-de-la-Zouch offer mixed views on the fields of solar panels surrounding the town.
www.bbc.co.uk
May 6, 2025 at 9:32 AM
We need more of this sort of thing.
"Change is good, say local residents as absence of anxiety grips local area."
"Change is good, say local residents as absence of anxiety grips local area."
Reposted by James Sibley
I see a lot of you are worried about your stocks so I’m glad I invested all my money in the one asset that will NEVER decline in value: tulips
April 6, 2025 at 10:43 PM
I see a lot of you are worried about your stocks so I’m glad I invested all my money in the one asset that will NEVER decline in value: tulips
Reposted by James Sibley
447% tariff on shops that put stickers on books that don't peel off cleanly
574% tariff on anyone who rings you, but you miss the call by a second and when you ring them back straight away they don't answer
790% tarrif on people talking with their mouths full.
April 3, 2025 at 11:59 AM
447% tariff on shops that put stickers on books that don't peel off cleanly
Reposted by James Sibley
European messaging today in Paris was exemplary. Strong message that Europe won’t prematurely lift sanctions for sake of a terrible Black Sea deal. Efforts to goad Trump into seeing he’s being played. Signals that Europe won’t accept caps on Ukraine‘s military. And pressing on w/ coalition planning.
March 27, 2025 at 9:23 PM
European messaging today in Paris was exemplary. Strong message that Europe won’t prematurely lift sanctions for sake of a terrible Black Sea deal. Efforts to goad Trump into seeing he’s being played. Signals that Europe won’t accept caps on Ukraine‘s military. And pressing on w/ coalition planning.
I don’t think the UK Government is trying to bridge the divide. They’re trying to buy time and Starmer nearly said that bit out loud at PMQs this week.
It’s the right strategy for a country that maintains your nuclear arsenal in a naval base in Georgia
It’s the right strategy for a country that maintains your nuclear arsenal in a naval base in Georgia
The UK Government's attempts to bridge the divide between Europe and the White House are rapidly running out of road, argues Alexandra Hall Hall
'Trump's Betrayal of America's Closest Allies Should Be a Wake Up Call for the UK'
bylinetimes.com
March 27, 2025 at 8:54 PM
I don’t think the UK Government is trying to bridge the divide. They’re trying to buy time and Starmer nearly said that bit out loud at PMQs this week.
It’s the right strategy for a country that maintains your nuclear arsenal in a naval base in Georgia
It’s the right strategy for a country that maintains your nuclear arsenal in a naval base in Georgia
Stupid policy:
(1) A lot of money is being sucked out of the economy and into pensions
(2) This will be taxed much later at a lower rate
(3) Frozen thresholds will push more money into the big pension funnel as the years go by
(4) A bunch of skilled workers will retire early in ~20-30 years
(1) A lot of money is being sucked out of the economy and into pensions
(2) This will be taxed much later at a lower rate
(3) Frozen thresholds will push more money into the big pension funnel as the years go by
(4) A bunch of skilled workers will retire early in ~20-30 years
Guess the salary threshold beyond which the marginal tax rate rises to 60%
www.economist.com/britain/2025...
www.economist.com/britain/2025...
March 27, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Stupid policy:
(1) A lot of money is being sucked out of the economy and into pensions
(2) This will be taxed much later at a lower rate
(3) Frozen thresholds will push more money into the big pension funnel as the years go by
(4) A bunch of skilled workers will retire early in ~20-30 years
(1) A lot of money is being sucked out of the economy and into pensions
(2) This will be taxed much later at a lower rate
(3) Frozen thresholds will push more money into the big pension funnel as the years go by
(4) A bunch of skilled workers will retire early in ~20-30 years
Currently can't use mobile data in the middle of the City of London with O2. Our digital infrastructure is so cooked
March 27, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Currently can't use mobile data in the middle of the City of London with O2. Our digital infrastructure is so cooked
Reposted by James Sibley
I have a cartoon in the current Private Eye. It’s set a long time ago.
March 26, 2025 at 11:35 AM
I have a cartoon in the current Private Eye. It’s set a long time ago.
Reposted by James Sibley
Surely a contender for the funniest thing a judge has ever said www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
March 25, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Surely a contender for the funniest thing a judge has ever said www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by James Sibley
New phone, Houthis
March 24, 2025 at 6:01 PM
New phone, Houthis
Reposted by James Sibley
Was going to do a jokey post about very senior policymakers using emojis and reaction gifs in a group chat about bombing Yemen, but turns out they actually did that anyway
In 25 years of covering national security, I’ve never seen a story like this: Senior Trump officials discussed planning for the U.S. attack on Yemen in a Signal group--and inadvertently added the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic. www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans
U.S. national-security leaders included me in a group chat about upcoming military strikes in Yemen. I didn’t think it could be real. Then the bombs started falling.
www.theatlantic.com
March 24, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Was going to do a jokey post about very senior policymakers using emojis and reaction gifs in a group chat about bombing Yemen, but turns out they actually did that anyway
Around 4% of US oil imports are from Venezuela
13% of crude oil imported by US refineries on the Gulf Coast is from Venezuela
13% of crude oil imported by US refineries on the Gulf Coast is from Venezuela
Trump threatens a 25 percent tariff on countries that buy oil and gas from Venezuela.
Trump threatens a 25 percent tariff on countries that buy oil and gas from Venezuela
The tariff is expected to take effect April 2.
www.politico.com
March 24, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Around 4% of US oil imports are from Venezuela
13% of crude oil imported by US refineries on the Gulf Coast is from Venezuela
13% of crude oil imported by US refineries on the Gulf Coast is from Venezuela
That scene in the Simpsons where Lenin smashes his fist through the lid of his glass coffin, except it's George III
www.ft.com/content/8b1f...
www.ft.com/content/8b1f...
Trump says he would be happy for US to become ‘associate’ Commonwealth member
US president posted Sun news story that referred to a supposed ‘secret offer’ King Charles is due to extend
www.ft.com
March 21, 2025 at 3:43 PM
That scene in the Simpsons where Lenin smashes his fist through the lid of his glass coffin, except it's George III
www.ft.com/content/8b1f...
www.ft.com/content/8b1f...
Reposted by James Sibley
Whenever I see Kemi Badenoch's name my brain starts going "If it's Badenoch for you, it's Badenoch for me" to the tune of Good Enough by Dodgy. And now your brain will too.
February 12, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Whenever I see Kemi Badenoch's name my brain starts going "If it's Badenoch for you, it's Badenoch for me" to the tune of Good Enough by Dodgy. And now your brain will too.
Reposted by James Sibley
so sad what happened to Thunderbird 2
March 17, 2025 at 4:26 PM
so sad what happened to Thunderbird 2
Reposted by James Sibley
“When the victory was won, he made the announcement himself”
Suetonius on Emperor Nero’s absurd participation in the Olympic Games.
Suetonius on Emperor Nero’s absurd participation in the Olympic Games.
March 17, 2025 at 7:07 PM
“When the victory was won, he made the announcement himself”
Suetonius on Emperor Nero’s absurd participation in the Olympic Games.
Suetonius on Emperor Nero’s absurd participation in the Olympic Games.
Reposted by James Sibley
House clearing - a doleful task. Flipped open a book of political quotations and it came up at Thomas Jefferson ‘if a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilisation, it expects what never was and never will be.’
March 16, 2025 at 3:49 PM
House clearing - a doleful task. Flipped open a book of political quotations and it came up at Thomas Jefferson ‘if a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilisation, it expects what never was and never will be.’
Reposted by James Sibley
All Zelensky has to do is collapse his own government, oversee a serious corruption scandal that nearly saw half a billion pounds (literally) go up in smoke, refuse to resign, lose seats, waste three years, lose more seats, restore the government briefly, waste a year, resign.
March 16, 2025 at 9:26 AM
All Zelensky has to do is collapse his own government, oversee a serious corruption scandal that nearly saw half a billion pounds (literally) go up in smoke, refuse to resign, lose seats, waste three years, lose more seats, restore the government briefly, waste a year, resign.
Some people seem to think that Trump is a blip and everything will get back to normal when he goes, but my money is more on the Orbanisation of the US.
Their media landscape is so fucked that I doubt people will even blame him if the economy goes into full meltdown.
Their media landscape is so fucked that I doubt people will even blame him if the economy goes into full meltdown.
As more and more Americans get their news from online shows and streamers, our analysis found that this expanding media ecosystem is overwhelmingly right-leaning. 🧵: www.mediamatters.org/google/right...
March 14, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Some people seem to think that Trump is a blip and everything will get back to normal when he goes, but my money is more on the Orbanisation of the US.
Their media landscape is so fucked that I doubt people will even blame him if the economy goes into full meltdown.
Their media landscape is so fucked that I doubt people will even blame him if the economy goes into full meltdown.
Reposted by James Sibley
Good news.
A survey of solar farms in southern England revealed surprisingly rich habitat for birds.
Solar farms can host up to three times as many birds as crop fields – new research
A survey of solar farms in southern England revealed surprisingly rich habitat for birds.
tcnv.link
March 12, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Good news.