Paul Barbour - personal account
@paulbarbour.bsky.social
🇺🇦🇬🇧🇪🇺 personal views only. Father, husband, Europhile, internationalist, climate change is real.
I thought Precipice was one RH's weaker novels. I just didn't care that much about their affair - and it had no real hook to keep me reading. Now, Act of Oblivion on the other hand...
January 8, 2026 at 7:04 PM
I thought Precipice was one RH's weaker novels. I just didn't care that much about their affair - and it had no real hook to keep me reading. Now, Act of Oblivion on the other hand...
Or they can lobby the GoI to introduce a carbon tax - so that GoI get the revenue rather than the EU. Maybe GoI can then cut the corporate income tax rate.
January 8, 2026 at 2:33 PM
Or they can lobby the GoI to introduce a carbon tax - so that GoI get the revenue rather than the EU. Maybe GoI can then cut the corporate income tax rate.
I can't get past the FT Firewall and (surprise) I don't have a DT subscription. I would guess there is some milage in arguing that the Govt are too 'Old Labour' when it comes to tax and spend and regulate vs. New Labour which broadly supported business and saw the l/t value in them succeeding.
January 7, 2026 at 3:09 PM
I can't get past the FT Firewall and (surprise) I don't have a DT subscription. I would guess there is some milage in arguing that the Govt are too 'Old Labour' when it comes to tax and spend and regulate vs. New Labour which broadly supported business and saw the l/t value in them succeeding.
It's the (left wing) Guardian and it's the (left wing) Fabian society - hardly an article by the Adam Smith Institute published in the Daily Telegraph...
January 6, 2026 at 3:26 PM
It's the (left wing) Guardian and it's the (left wing) Fabian society - hardly an article by the Adam Smith Institute published in the Daily Telegraph...
I'd love to see the quotes where Lula condemns Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
January 5, 2026 at 4:02 PM
I'd love to see the quotes where Lula condemns Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Very true but Lula hasn't publicly criticized Russia for its brutal genocidal invasion of Ukraine...
www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/05/09/b...
www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/05/09/b...
Brazil’s Lula Pitches ‘Strategic Partnership’ With Russia - The Moscow Times
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva offered Russian President Vladimir Putin wide-ranging cooperation on nuclear energy, defense and space during his first visit to Moscow in 15 years, the K...
www.themoscowtimes.com
January 4, 2026 at 1:11 PM
Very true but Lula hasn't publicly criticized Russia for its brutal genocidal invasion of Ukraine...
www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/05/09/b...
www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/05/09/b...
Wouldn't it benefit UK consumers via cheaper chicken? I agree its a price not worth paying if people get sick from eating chlorinated chicken, but if its just a personal preference thing not to eat chlorinated chicken, couldn't this be simply addressed by clear labelling?
January 4, 2026 at 1:01 PM
Wouldn't it benefit UK consumers via cheaper chicken? I agree its a price not worth paying if people get sick from eating chlorinated chicken, but if its just a personal preference thing not to eat chlorinated chicken, couldn't this be simply addressed by clear labelling?
oh v good, bravo
December 25, 2025 at 12:06 AM
oh v good, bravo
But Mr Witkoff assures us they want peace.... so confused...
December 24, 2025 at 9:40 PM
But Mr Witkoff assures us they want peace.... so confused...
I am wondering why this Govt doesn't do its homework and then announce things, rather than announce things, lets the backbench MPs do the homework, and then climb down. (welfare reform, winder fuel payments etc.)
December 23, 2025 at 6:22 PM
I am wondering why this Govt doesn't do its homework and then announce things, rather than announce things, lets the backbench MPs do the homework, and then climb down. (welfare reform, winder fuel payments etc.)
Russians truly are disgusting barbarians.
December 23, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Russians truly are disgusting barbarians.
Tedious Russian narrative. Off to invade Finland are you? thought not.
December 23, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Tedious Russian narrative. Off to invade Finland are you? thought not.
I'm fed up with the Green Party opposed necessary infrastructure for the green energy transition we so desperately need. www.bbc.com/news/article...
Plans for solar farm rejected to stop county becoming 'Solarshire'
Plans for a solar farm bigger than 130 football pitches near Newent have been rejected.
www.bbc.com
December 22, 2025 at 7:23 PM
I'm fed up with the Green Party opposed necessary infrastructure for the green energy transition we so desperately need. www.bbc.com/news/article...
Another vote for the NIMBYs opposed to the green energy transition. www.bbc.com/news/article...
(one prominent Green, Cllr Frank Adlington-Stringer, objecting to trading "green energy for green spaces" on prime land. with Green councilors aligning with this local environmental protection stance."
(one prominent Green, Cllr Frank Adlington-Stringer, objecting to trading "green energy for green spaces" on prime land. with Green councilors aligning with this local environmental protection stance."
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd0vyv7rejlo"Forest
December 22, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Another vote for the NIMBYs opposed to the green energy transition. www.bbc.com/news/article...
(one prominent Green, Cllr Frank Adlington-Stringer, objecting to trading "green energy for green spaces" on prime land. with Green councilors aligning with this local environmental protection stance."
(one prominent Green, Cllr Frank Adlington-Stringer, objecting to trading "green energy for green spaces" on prime land. with Green councilors aligning with this local environmental protection stance."
Like the Budapest Memorandum, which to be fair the USA and UK ignored also.
December 22, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Like the Budapest Memorandum, which to be fair the USA and UK ignored also.
Fair point - Ukraine being a good example.
December 22, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Fair point - Ukraine being a good example.
... if we had an immigration target (like we have an inflation target), which was broadly met year - we could perhaps PLAN better, and build the homes + infra for a growing population.
December 22, 2025 at 4:28 PM
... if we had an immigration target (like we have an inflation target), which was broadly met year - we could perhaps PLAN better, and build the homes + infra for a growing population.
It's fascinating watching the social media reaction to falling property prices in London (a related topic, trust me). Such drama and consternation by the 60% of the public lucky enough to own a home (OAPs/Boomers/NIMBYs) and a sort of welcome acceptance from the poorer 40% of society stuck renting
December 22, 2025 at 4:28 PM
It's fascinating watching the social media reaction to falling property prices in London (a related topic, trust me). Such drama and consternation by the 60% of the public lucky enough to own a home (OAPs/Boomers/NIMBYs) and a sort of welcome acceptance from the poorer 40% of society stuck renting