Thomas
@tas93.bsky.social
Work in public affairs. Runner, hillwalker, cyclist, reader, YIMBY, Colcestrian. 🏳️🌈
Reposted by Thomas
Sometimes wonder if what the UK needs is a thinktank that doesn't do any new research, it just repeats obviously true statements that people try to ignore because they're inconvenient.
International students cross-subsidise home students. Your pension is paid for out of general taxation.
International students cross-subsidise home students. Your pension is paid for out of general taxation.
November 25, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Sometimes wonder if what the UK needs is a thinktank that doesn't do any new research, it just repeats obviously true statements that people try to ignore because they're inconvenient.
International students cross-subsidise home students. Your pension is paid for out of general taxation.
International students cross-subsidise home students. Your pension is paid for out of general taxation.
Reposted by Thomas
The fuss over who appears in TV adverts misses the point...
October 26, 2025 at 10:53 AM
The fuss over who appears in TV adverts misses the point...
Reposted by Thomas
People who have come to the United Kingdom legally, played by the rules and made it their home do not need to “go home”. This is their home.
I've written to Kemi Badenoch to give her the chance to reject these divisive calls from her frontbencher Katie Lam.
I've written to Kemi Badenoch to give her the chance to reject these divisive calls from her frontbencher Katie Lam.
October 22, 2025 at 8:32 AM
People who have come to the United Kingdom legally, played by the rules and made it their home do not need to “go home”. This is their home.
I've written to Kemi Badenoch to give her the chance to reject these divisive calls from her frontbencher Katie Lam.
I've written to Kemi Badenoch to give her the chance to reject these divisive calls from her frontbencher Katie Lam.
Reposted by Thomas
A young opposition politician once compared housing policy to a game of Buckaroo! - pile on too much and the donkey throws it all off.
Have we reached that point?
I've tried to answer that in this post (and you'll find out who the politician was...)
👇 👇 👇
longwall.substack.com/p/buckaroo-t...
Have we reached that point?
I've tried to answer that in this post (and you'll find out who the politician was...)
👇 👇 👇
longwall.substack.com/p/buckaroo-t...
October 21, 2025 at 9:31 AM
A young opposition politician once compared housing policy to a game of Buckaroo! - pile on too much and the donkey throws it all off.
Have we reached that point?
I've tried to answer that in this post (and you'll find out who the politician was...)
👇 👇 👇
longwall.substack.com/p/buckaroo-t...
Have we reached that point?
I've tried to answer that in this post (and you'll find out who the politician was...)
👇 👇 👇
longwall.substack.com/p/buckaroo-t...
Reposted by Thomas
You can't have a successful economy by kowtowing to bigots who want to close the country to the rest of the world. It'd be nice if a politician had the brains or guts to point this out.
Wilful ignorance of how trade and migration actually work in a globalised economy.
The idea that the (short and long-term) movement of people -especially between India and the UK - has nothing to do with trade and investment is (obviously) wrong.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
The idea that the (short and long-term) movement of people -especially between India and the UK - has nothing to do with trade and investment is (obviously) wrong.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
October 8, 2025 at 8:39 AM
You can't have a successful economy by kowtowing to bigots who want to close the country to the rest of the world. It'd be nice if a politician had the brains or guts to point this out.
Reposted by Thomas
Right, that's it. I'm founding a new populist party of the centre called Go Outside!
The UK is “madly left, madly liberal, hyper-progressive”, Syed says. This is a deeply odd speech, seemingly from yet another person who spends a lot of time on X.
[I deleted earlier post which had the typo of saying, 'US' rather than 'UK'.]
[I deleted earlier post which had the typo of saying, 'US' rather than 'UK'.]
October 5, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Right, that's it. I'm founding a new populist party of the centre called Go Outside!
Reposted by Thomas
“Nigel Farage is wrong in principle, his approach is racist, and we oppose it”
“Nigel Farage is right on immigration, but he doesn’t have the skill or experience to deliver his plans”
At some point, the government has to pick *one* of these narratives, instead of veering wildly between the two.
“Nigel Farage is right on immigration, but he doesn’t have the skill or experience to deliver his plans”
At some point, the government has to pick *one* of these narratives, instead of veering wildly between the two.
October 2, 2025 at 7:01 AM
“Nigel Farage is wrong in principle, his approach is racist, and we oppose it”
“Nigel Farage is right on immigration, but he doesn’t have the skill or experience to deliver his plans”
At some point, the government has to pick *one* of these narratives, instead of veering wildly between the two.
“Nigel Farage is right on immigration, but he doesn’t have the skill or experience to deliver his plans”
At some point, the government has to pick *one* of these narratives, instead of veering wildly between the two.
Reposted by Thomas
I don't think Labour's policy agenda is a winning one, but combining some quite traditional leftwing economics with, essentially, not being willing to talk about how you are leftwing feels like the worst *possible* way to govern and campaign:
Memo for Labour: globalisation is good, actually
This government is in many ways the party returned to its factory settings. But the product was faulty in the first place
www.ft.com
September 30, 2025 at 9:51 AM
I don't think Labour's policy agenda is a winning one, but combining some quite traditional leftwing economics with, essentially, not being willing to talk about how you are leftwing feels like the worst *possible* way to govern and campaign:
Reposted by Thomas
My piece on racism for @theobserveruk.bsky.social observer.co.uk/news/opinion...
August 25, 2025 at 6:25 AM
My piece on racism for @theobserveruk.bsky.social observer.co.uk/news/opinion...
Reposted by Thomas
People are gonna care about small boats regardless of what government does. The BBC has a small boats correspondent, TikTok is awash with it.
The government’s blunder has been trying to use legal migration to fix its small boats problem. Has made public finances and inflation worse to no good end.
The government’s blunder has been trying to use legal migration to fix its small boats problem. Has made public finances and inflation worse to no good end.
Immigration has dropped dramatically in the last two years – small boat crossings are a small part of the overall picture, but have come to dominate the story (in part because the government has let it)
Home office statistics for year to June 2025
Visas are 852k in 2024-25
(Peaked 1.4 million in 2023)
Year in year
Work visas down 36%
[21k health/care visas; peaked 200k]
Study visas down 4%
Study dependent visas down 81%
Family visas down 23%
Asylum claims up 14%
www.gov.uk/government/s...
Visas are 852k in 2024-25
(Peaked 1.4 million in 2023)
Year in year
Work visas down 36%
[21k health/care visas; peaked 200k]
Study visas down 4%
Study dependent visas down 81%
Family visas down 23%
Asylum claims up 14%
www.gov.uk/government/s...
August 22, 2025 at 8:58 AM
People are gonna care about small boats regardless of what government does. The BBC has a small boats correspondent, TikTok is awash with it.
The government’s blunder has been trying to use legal migration to fix its small boats problem. Has made public finances and inflation worse to no good end.
The government’s blunder has been trying to use legal migration to fix its small boats problem. Has made public finances and inflation worse to no good end.
Reposted by Thomas
We cannot allow a two-tier system where traditional broadcasters face scrutiny, while a digital giant like YouTube is allowed to mark its own homework.
It's time for Ofcom to treat YouTube adverts like TV and crack down on the scam ads.
It's time for Ofcom to treat YouTube adverts like TV and crack down on the scam ads.
August 6, 2025 at 5:28 PM
We cannot allow a two-tier system where traditional broadcasters face scrutiny, while a digital giant like YouTube is allowed to mark its own homework.
It's time for Ofcom to treat YouTube adverts like TV and crack down on the scam ads.
It's time for Ofcom to treat YouTube adverts like TV and crack down on the scam ads.
Reposted by Thomas
New YouGov polling. A monumental failure of our political class to educate, a monumental failure of our media to report fairly, for a generation
August 5, 2025 at 6:27 AM
New YouGov polling. A monumental failure of our political class to educate, a monumental failure of our media to report fairly, for a generation
Reposted by Thomas
think this is sort of interesting as actually.....no you probably didn't need to do "more research" into it? you just had to trust the state and local authorities to know better than you when it came to vaccinating your child? not good that the internet has killed faith in institutions!
July 28, 2025 at 8:09 AM
think this is sort of interesting as actually.....no you probably didn't need to do "more research" into it? you just had to trust the state and local authorities to know better than you when it came to vaccinating your child? not good that the internet has killed faith in institutions!
Reposted by Thomas
Terrific thread by Jonathan this. Since I was born, the area I grew up in has higher employment, has got older, has got healthier, became more likely to be in the private rented sector, got less religious, got less white. There is no non-bigoted reason to think the last of those is problematic.
..I have lived 55 years in LA where "white British" fell from ?85-90% to 40%. Over same time:
- population shrank by a 1/4, grew by a 1/3
- became much richer but much more unequal
- got older, less Christian, more atheist
- *massive* shift in industry/occupations.
..you get the idea [3/4]
- population shrank by a 1/4, grew by a 1/3
- became much richer but much more unequal
- got older, less Christian, more atheist
- *massive* shift in industry/occupations.
..you get the idea [3/4]
July 13, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Terrific thread by Jonathan this. Since I was born, the area I grew up in has higher employment, has got older, has got healthier, became more likely to be in the private rented sector, got less religious, got less white. There is no non-bigoted reason to think the last of those is problematic.
Reposted by Thomas
Getting a bit tired of hearing this all the time if I'm honest. Yes, Britain has plenty of problems. Its public services are in a mess. It doesn't have an actual transport system. But it is *not* totally broken. Life for most people is far better than ever before.
3 in 4 say Britain's best days are behind us. The most common description of the country is 'Broken' & 53% think the next generation will have a worse life than our parents. What do Brits think has gone wrong? How do they want to fix it? And who are the 7 new tribes of Britain?
July 13, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Getting a bit tired of hearing this all the time if I'm honest. Yes, Britain has plenty of problems. Its public services are in a mess. It doesn't have an actual transport system. But it is *not* totally broken. Life for most people is far better than ever before.
Reposted by Thomas
Someone needs to set up a pro-joy, pro-success pressure group, that goes around telling people who write this stuff to get a better job and go out and do enjoyable things.
Yes, yes, this is very much the consensus view across the globe. This is one of the many reasons that Glastonbury tickets are so easy to buy.
June 26, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Someone needs to set up a pro-joy, pro-success pressure group, that goes around telling people who write this stuff to get a better job and go out and do enjoyable things.
Reposted by Thomas
The unbelievable condescension we’re already seeing today towards working class people- suggesting they don’t travel to Europe or their kids might not want to go to university and study in Europe- is quite something to behold.
May 19, 2025 at 10:44 AM
The unbelievable condescension we’re already seeing today towards working class people- suggesting they don’t travel to Europe or their kids might not want to go to university and study in Europe- is quite something to behold.
Reposted by Thomas
The promise was change. Not enough has changed. There is no compelling plan for change. Whichever way you slice it, this is a big problem.
May 2, 2025 at 7:55 AM
The promise was change. Not enough has changed. There is no compelling plan for change. Whichever way you slice it, this is a big problem.
Reposted by Thomas
NEW: My latest @theipaper column on why alarmist, exaggerated warnings from private schools about Labour’s VAT policy were given so much attention - and what it says about Britain. Read here👇
April 15, 2025 at 8:23 PM
NEW: My latest @theipaper column on why alarmist, exaggerated warnings from private schools about Labour’s VAT policy were given so much attention - and what it says about Britain. Read here👇
Reposted by Thomas
Last-minute spreadsheet wars between the Treasury and the OBR are ludicrous way to run a country, a ludicrous way to run an economy, a ludicrous way to fund public services and a ludicrous way to run the welfare system www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Rachel Reeves to announce further benefit cuts
Liz Kendall, the work and pensions secretary, was forced to seek further cuts after the Office for Budget Responsibility rejected her welfare savings estimate
www.thetimes.com
March 25, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Last-minute spreadsheet wars between the Treasury and the OBR are ludicrous way to run a country, a ludicrous way to run an economy, a ludicrous way to fund public services and a ludicrous way to run the welfare system www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Reposted by Thomas
personal liberties like.....changing your gender, supporting Palestine, vocally opposing decisions taken by the government? those personal liberties?
SCOOP: WaPo Opinion editor David Shipley is out. Jeff Bezos emails staff about a change to Post Opinions: "We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets."
February 26, 2025 at 2:52 PM
personal liberties like.....changing your gender, supporting Palestine, vocally opposing decisions taken by the government? those personal liberties?
Reposted by Thomas
"Someone needs to ask the awkward question. And in formulating an answer they should start with geography. European and British security are indivisible. They always have been." Fantastic piece by @philipstephens.bsky.social:
Britain is struggling to accept the end of Atlanticism
The ‘special relationship’ has underpinned the UK’s security since the Suez Canal debacle — but the world has changed
www.ft.com
February 22, 2025 at 1:16 PM
"Someone needs to ask the awkward question. And in formulating an answer they should start with geography. European and British security are indivisible. They always have been." Fantastic piece by @philipstephens.bsky.social:
Reposted by Thomas
Column. On the mad right-wing ARC conference, and how peculiarly frightened they all seem to be of completely made up things, while somehow never really mentioning real things at all.
www.thetimes.com/article/25dc...
www.thetimes.com/article/25dc...
February 19, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Column. On the mad right-wing ARC conference, and how peculiarly frightened they all seem to be of completely made up things, while somehow never really mentioning real things at all.
www.thetimes.com/article/25dc...
www.thetimes.com/article/25dc...
Reposted by Thomas
A number of prominent UK Conservatives' statements about Donald Trump resemble one of those news stories that begins with a magazine feature about a new age mystic who believes he can talk to bears and ends with a newspaper article about a new age mystic being mauled to death by bears.
February 19, 2025 at 11:56 AM
A number of prominent UK Conservatives' statements about Donald Trump resemble one of those news stories that begins with a magazine feature about a new age mystic who believes he can talk to bears and ends with a newspaper article about a new age mystic being mauled to death by bears.