Neil O'Brien
@neildotobrien.bsky.social
Conservative MP for Harborough, Oadby & Wigston.
Local news:
http://facebook.com/neil4harborough
Blog:
https://neilobrien.co.uk
Local news:
http://facebook.com/neil4harborough
Blog:
https://neilobrien.co.uk
The "economy reset" is not going... that well
September 2, 2025 at 8:19 AM
The "economy reset" is not going... that well
People aren't able to have the children they say they want to have. It's a huge problem we can't afford *not* to solve.
A short film with me, (aged 46),@PMArslanagic (aged 29) and Emina (age 0).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=l21q...
A short film with me, (aged 46),@PMArslanagic (aged 29) and Emina (age 0).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=l21q...
A new deal for parents? Tackling the birth gap
YouTube video by Neil O'Brien MP
www.youtube.com
August 7, 2025 at 8:48 AM
People aren't able to have the children they say they want to have. It's a huge problem we can't afford *not* to solve.
A short film with me, (aged 46),@PMArslanagic (aged 29) and Emina (age 0).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=l21q...
A short film with me, (aged 46),@PMArslanagic (aged 29) and Emina (age 0).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=l21q...
The Telegraph reports on data I’ve obtained showing there are over 600k graduates on Universal Credit.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/07...
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/07...
More than 600,000 graduates on benefits
Official figures cast doubt on the value of ‘Mickey Mouse’ degrees
www.telegraph.co.uk
July 28, 2025 at 4:21 PM
The Telegraph reports on data I’ve obtained showing there are over 600k graduates on Universal Credit.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/07...
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/07...
My new longread on residential sorting - Is Britain Balkanising?
www.neilobrien.co.uk/p/is-britain...
www.neilobrien.co.uk/p/is-britain...
Is Britain Balkanising?
Whether by age, migration, or education - are we flocking together, or coming apart?
www.neilobrien.co.uk
July 18, 2025 at 10:27 AM
My new longread on residential sorting - Is Britain Balkanising?
www.neilobrien.co.uk/p/is-britain...
www.neilobrien.co.uk/p/is-britain...
Reposted by Neil O'Brien
Most schools in the Netherlands have banned smartphones.
The impact?
"children found it easier to concentrate (75%), the social environment was better (59%) and some [schools] said results had improved (28%)."
Unbelievable that England hasn't done the same.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...
The impact?
"children found it easier to concentrate (75%), the social environment was better (59%) and some [schools] said results had improved (28%)."
Unbelievable that England hasn't done the same.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...
Smartphone bans in Dutch schools have improved learning, study finds
After initial concerns, pupils are said to be more focused and have better social interactions with each other
www.theguardian.com
July 8, 2025 at 5:48 AM
Most schools in the Netherlands have banned smartphones.
The impact?
"children found it easier to concentrate (75%), the social environment was better (59%) and some [schools] said results had improved (28%)."
Unbelievable that England hasn't done the same.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...
The impact?
"children found it easier to concentrate (75%), the social environment was better (59%) and some [schools] said results had improved (28%)."
Unbelievable that England hasn't done the same.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...
What a mess. They promised more teachers, they delivered fewer, so they are trying to move the goalposts.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/07...
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/07...
Labour has no clear plan to recruit teachers despite VAT raid
The party plans to attract 6,500 teachers over the next five years and is being funded by applying 20 per cent VAT on private school fees
www.telegraph.co.uk
July 9, 2025 at 6:00 AM
What a mess. They promised more teachers, they delivered fewer, so they are trying to move the goalposts.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/07...
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/07...
Even Schools Week talking about "shapeshifting" on this. If we had try to spin away declining teacher numbers like this Labour would have gone mad
schoolsweek.co.uk/the-shapeshi...
schoolsweek.co.uk/the-shapeshi...
The shapeshifting 6,500 teachers pledge
Education secretary confirms promised teachers won't all be new, and target omits key subjects aim
schoolsweek.co.uk
July 4, 2025 at 6:52 AM
Even Schools Week talking about "shapeshifting" on this. If we had try to spin away declining teacher numbers like this Labour would have gone mad
schoolsweek.co.uk/the-shapeshi...
schoolsweek.co.uk/the-shapeshi...
I’ve obtained a load of new data under FOI about where in the country recent migrants have moved to. I use it to look at the impact on wages and rental costs.
open.substack.com/pub/almondtr...
open.substack.com/pub/almondtr...
New FOI data: where in the UK did recent migrants move to?
And what impact did they have?
open.substack.com
July 4, 2025 at 6:50 AM
I’ve obtained a load of new data under FOI about where in the country recent migrants have moved to. I use it to look at the impact on wages and rental costs.
open.substack.com/pub/almondtr...
open.substack.com/pub/almondtr...
I have a longish two-part piece out, on what's gone wrong with sex education in schools.
Part one is here:
www.neilobrien.co.uk/p/sex-educat...
Part one is here:
www.neilobrien.co.uk/p/sex-educat...
Sex education in schools: part one
How sex education in schools has gone wrong
www.neilobrien.co.uk
June 26, 2025 at 6:41 AM
I have a longish two-part piece out, on what's gone wrong with sex education in schools.
Part one is here:
www.neilobrien.co.uk/p/sex-educat...
Part one is here:
www.neilobrien.co.uk/p/sex-educat...
Ironically I am traumatised by this sign
June 25, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Ironically I am traumatised by this sign
Best thing on here
June 24, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Best thing on here
Let’s get smartphones out of the classroom.
Our new film looks at the harm a smartphone-based childhood is doing to our kids.
youtu.be/1EHCupqEUsk
Our new film looks at the harm a smartphone-based childhood is doing to our kids.
youtu.be/1EHCupqEUsk
Get smartphones out of the classroom
YouTube video by Neil O'Brien
youtu.be
June 24, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Let’s get smartphones out of the classroom.
Our new film looks at the harm a smartphone-based childhood is doing to our kids.
youtu.be/1EHCupqEUsk
Our new film looks at the harm a smartphone-based childhood is doing to our kids.
youtu.be/1EHCupqEUsk
Reposted by Neil O'Brien
Do read; you won’t regret it: @neildotobrien.bsky.social on what matters in life www.neilobrien.co.uk/p/stargazing
Stargazing
.
www.neilobrien.co.uk
June 23, 2025 at 6:16 AM
Do read; you won’t regret it: @neildotobrien.bsky.social on what matters in life www.neilobrien.co.uk/p/stargazing
Whyyyyy would you say that
June 23, 2025 at 7:17 AM
Whyyyyy would you say that
Interesting thread
What does £4.5 billion extra for schools in England mean?
My guess is that this is a real-terms freeze in the core schools budget plus some extra money for free school meals
This thread explains why 🧵[1/6]
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
@theifs.bsky.social @nuffieldfoundation.org
My guess is that this is a real-terms freeze in the core schools budget plus some extra money for free school meals
This thread explains why 🧵[1/6]
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
@theifs.bsky.social @nuffieldfoundation.org
Surprise extra £4.5bn for schools as Reeves goes to wire ...
More money for SEND reforms and teachers’ pay while health and defence are big winners in spending review
observer.co.uk
June 10, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Interesting thread
Bridget Phillipson wants to boast teacher numbers are up, even though teacher numbers are down, so she now says the loss of 2,900 primary school teachers doesn't count.
I made a tool so you can look up what happened to primary school teachers in your constituency.
www.datawrapper.de/_/kX04l/
I made a tool so you can look up what happened to primary school teachers in your constituency.
www.datawrapper.de/_/kX04l/
Change in teacher numbers in primary schools - 2023/24 academic year to 2024/25 | Created with Datawrapper
Create interactive, responsive & beautiful charts — no code required.
www.datawrapper.de
June 10, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Bridget Phillipson wants to boast teacher numbers are up, even though teacher numbers are down, so she now says the loss of 2,900 primary school teachers doesn't count.
I made a tool so you can look up what happened to primary school teachers in your constituency.
www.datawrapper.de/_/kX04l/
I made a tool so you can look up what happened to primary school teachers in your constituency.
www.datawrapper.de/_/kX04l/
It's amazing this central pledge has been binned so early in the parliament.
June 8, 2025 at 10:00 PM
It's amazing this central pledge has been binned so early in the parliament.
I have a short piece up on Labour's decision to abandon one of their main election manifesto promises:
www.neilobrien.co.uk/p/labour-hav...
www.neilobrien.co.uk/p/labour-hav...
Labour have abandoned their main manifesto promise on education
In their General Election manifesto Labour promised they would employ an extra 6,500 more teachers. They have now abandoned that promise.
www.neilobrien.co.uk
June 6, 2025 at 3:28 PM
I have a short piece up on Labour's decision to abandon one of their main election manifesto promises:
www.neilobrien.co.uk/p/labour-hav...
www.neilobrien.co.uk/p/labour-hav...
There's 2,900 fewer teachers in English primary & nursery schools than last year.
I've made an interactive map.
47 constituencies have lost more than 5% of their teachers.
Labour's response?
To say they *no longer count* against their Manifesto promise of 6,500 extra teachers.
I've made an interactive map.
47 constituencies have lost more than 5% of their teachers.
Labour's response?
To say they *no longer count* against their Manifesto promise of 6,500 extra teachers.
June 6, 2025 at 12:54 PM
There's 2,900 fewer teachers in English primary & nursery schools than last year.
I've made an interactive map.
47 constituencies have lost more than 5% of their teachers.
Labour's response?
To say they *no longer count* against their Manifesto promise of 6,500 extra teachers.
I've made an interactive map.
47 constituencies have lost more than 5% of their teachers.
Labour's response?
To say they *no longer count* against their Manifesto promise of 6,500 extra teachers.
🔥🔥🔥🔥This is HUGE.🔥🔥🔥🔥
One of the central planks of Labour's Manifesto - abandoned - because teacher numbers are falling!
There have lost 2,900 teachers in primary this year and their response is - to say they now don't count!
@tesmagazine.bsky.social
www.tes.com/magazine/new...
One of the central planks of Labour's Manifesto - abandoned - because teacher numbers are falling!
There have lost 2,900 teachers in primary this year and their response is - to say they now don't count!
@tesmagazine.bsky.social
www.tes.com/magazine/new...
Primary schools not included in DfE’s 6,500 new teacher target
Government confirms its target will only be based on teachers in secondaries, special schools and colleges
www.tes.com
June 6, 2025 at 8:54 AM
🔥🔥🔥🔥This is HUGE.🔥🔥🔥🔥
One of the central planks of Labour's Manifesto - abandoned - because teacher numbers are falling!
There have lost 2,900 teachers in primary this year and their response is - to say they now don't count!
@tesmagazine.bsky.social
www.tes.com/magazine/new...
One of the central planks of Labour's Manifesto - abandoned - because teacher numbers are falling!
There have lost 2,900 teachers in primary this year and their response is - to say they now don't count!
@tesmagazine.bsky.social
www.tes.com/magazine/new...
Massive mistake - this will damage public services, blow an 11,000-nurse hole in the NHS workforce plan and make it impossible to get in to the professions for kids who don't go to uni.
No surprise they have announced this in recess
feweek.co.uk/level-7-appr...
No surprise they have announced this in recess
feweek.co.uk/level-7-appr...
Level 7 apprenticeship funding to be axed from January 2026
DfE also announces 'priority' bootcamp funding for next year and confirms apprenticeship budget increase to over £3bn
feweek.co.uk
May 27, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Massive mistake - this will damage public services, blow an 11,000-nurse hole in the NHS workforce plan and make it impossible to get in to the professions for kids who don't go to uni.
No surprise they have announced this in recess
feweek.co.uk/level-7-appr...
No surprise they have announced this in recess
feweek.co.uk/level-7-appr...