Tom Hayes
@tomhayes.bsky.social
Irish, lives in France, labour relations consultant, writes about Brexit, the world of work, and EU issues.
I despair to see the Labour Party die before my eyes. I am Irish, but am of the European social democratic family. I have always felt a close bond with UK Labour. Now, it is diving down reactionary racist rabbit holes, betraying ts basic values of social solidarity. If this is Labour, let it die.
Labour, you must be SO pleased with yourself.
You have the Yaxley-Lennon Endorsement.
@imogenwalker.bsky.social @darrenpjones.bsky.social @torstenbell.bsky.social
You have the Yaxley-Lennon Endorsement.
@imogenwalker.bsky.social @darrenpjones.bsky.social @torstenbell.bsky.social
November 16, 2025 at 11:26 AM
I despair to see the Labour Party die before my eyes. I am Irish, but am of the European social democratic family. I have always felt a close bond with UK Labour. Now, it is diving down reactionary racist rabbit holes, betraying ts basic values of social solidarity. If this is Labour, let it die.
On my way back from an Ibec pay transparency conference in my hometown, Dublin, some stuff about remote working caught my eye and prompted this week’s Scribblings.
hayest.substack.com/p/sunday-scr...
hayest.substack.com/p/sunday-scr...
Sunday Scribblings
Remote Working: Who Gets to Decide?
hayest.substack.com
November 16, 2025 at 5:35 AM
On my way back from an Ibec pay transparency conference in my hometown, Dublin, some stuff about remote working caught my eye and prompted this week’s Scribblings.
hayest.substack.com/p/sunday-scr...
hayest.substack.com/p/sunday-scr...
I am shocked, shocked, I tell you, that a musume spent too much money on art when it could have spent all that money on security measures. What is the world coming to when a museum spends its money on art? www.ft.com/content/15f3...
Louvre spent too much on art and not enough on security, audit finds
Report makes damning verdict on Paris museum’s finances
www.ft.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:30 AM
I am shocked, shocked, I tell you, that a musume spent too much money on art when it could have spent all that money on security measures. What is the world coming to when a museum spends its money on art? www.ft.com/content/15f3...
I think this is what you call Brexit - the consequences of the UK being outside the EU. When you make choices, then choices have consequences. Everyone looks to their own interests. www.ft.com/content/03ef...
Von der Leyen dodged Starmer request for meeting on EU money demands
European Commission president had ‘scheduling’ issues at COP30 summit in Brazil and did not meet the UK premier
www.ft.com
November 10, 2025 at 5:30 AM
I think this is what you call Brexit - the consequences of the UK being outside the EU. When you make choices, then choices have consequences. Everyone looks to their own interests. www.ft.com/content/03ef...
The second part of this week’s “double-dip”, thoughts from Auret van Heerden on the issue of forced labour in global supply chains. Something those with responsibilities for human resource management need to be conscious of and take seriously.
hayest.substack.com/p/sunday-scr...
hayest.substack.com/p/sunday-scr...
Sunday Scribblings
Forced Labour Lurks in Supply Chains
hayest.substack.com
November 9, 2025 at 3:22 AM
The second part of this week’s “double-dip”, thoughts from Auret van Heerden on the issue of forced labour in global supply chains. Something those with responsibilities for human resource management need to be conscious of and take seriously.
hayest.substack.com/p/sunday-scr...
hayest.substack.com/p/sunday-scr...
A double-dip this week. Today, a piece on negotiations resulting from a piece in the FT on talks between the EU and the UK. Tomorrow, a guest column on the risk of modern slavery in global supply chains.
hayest.substack.com/p/sunday-scr...
hayest.substack.com/p/sunday-scr...
Sunday Scribblings (on Saturday)
Negotiations: That’s the way it rolls.
hayest.substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 3:32 AM
A double-dip this week. Today, a piece on negotiations resulting from a piece in the FT on talks between the EU and the UK. Tomorrow, a guest column on the risk of modern slavery in global supply chains.
hayest.substack.com/p/sunday-scr...
hayest.substack.com/p/sunday-scr...
The prosecution thought he was toast.
Actual el oh el
🚨🚨🚨 The jury has reached a verdict. Sean Dunn, aka the DC Sandwich Guy, has been found NOT GUILTY of assault.
November 7, 2025 at 4:33 PM
The prosecution thought he was toast.
Why would anyone be surprised by this? The UK trying to extract benefits from the EU from the outside, and the EU saying that is not going to happen. You have to pay to play. www.ft.com/content/8963...
EU demands UK pay into budget as part of relationship ‘reset’
Growing tension between London and Brussels just six months after summit set out to build stronger ties
www.ft.com
November 7, 2025 at 5:17 AM
Why would anyone be surprised by this? The UK trying to extract benefits from the EU from the outside, and the EU saying that is not going to happen. You have to pay to play. www.ft.com/content/8963...
Like it or not, if you just have 9,500 members out pf a workforce of 200,000, a strike is not going to be effective.
November 6, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Like it or not, if you just have 9,500 members out pf a workforce of 200,000, a strike is not going to be effective.
Looks more like a "bribe prize" to me. www.ft.com/content/b7f6...
Fifa to award new ‘peace prize’ in Washington next month
Head of football governing body is close ally of Donald Trump, fuelling speculation that US president may be first recipient
www.ft.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Looks more like a "bribe prize" to me. www.ft.com/content/b7f6...
Trade unions have been important institutions over the past century and a half. But are they now in terminal decline in Western market economies? Some thoughts on this in this week’s Scribblings.
hayest.substack.com/p/sunday-scr...
hayest.substack.com/p/sunday-scr...
Sunday Scribblings
The End of the Trade Unions?
hayest.substack.com
November 2, 2025 at 4:43 AM
Trade unions have been important institutions over the past century and a half. But are they now in terminal decline in Western market economies? Some thoughts on this in this week’s Scribblings.
hayest.substack.com/p/sunday-scr...
hayest.substack.com/p/sunday-scr...
Imagine you are a business out there in the market place. Because of a decision previous management took, your sales are down 17%. What do you do to boost sales? Of course, you cut your sales force. Simples. Can this gov get anything right? www.ft.com/content/8f4d...
UK trade contribution to GDP ‘stagnated’ since Brexit, warns WTO
Export of goods are languishing at 17% below pre-Covid levels
www.ft.com
October 28, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Imagine you are a business out there in the market place. Because of a decision previous management took, your sales are down 17%. What do you do to boost sales? Of course, you cut your sales force. Simples. Can this gov get anything right? www.ft.com/content/8f4d...
This week, some thoughts on what I call “Bubbledom”.
hayest.substack.com/p/sunday-scr...
hayest.substack.com/p/sunday-scr...
Sunday Scribblings
Thoughts on "Bubbledom"
hayest.substack.com
October 26, 2025 at 8:40 AM
This week, some thoughts on what I call “Bubbledom”.
hayest.substack.com/p/sunday-scr...
hayest.substack.com/p/sunday-scr...
Looks like a president for a few of the people. Political leaders have some questions to answer. www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...
Historic low turnout in presidential election likely with many polling stations below 40%
Voter numbers by teatime lower generally that they were at the same stage of polling day in 2018
www.irishtimes.com
October 25, 2025 at 5:45 AM
Looks like a president for a few of the people. Political leaders have some questions to answer. www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...
After the elections in 2026, will England be on its own? How long will the UK hold together? I have no idea what the right or wrong thing to do is, but it looks increasingly like the status quo cannot hold. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Plaid Cymru ousts Labour in Caerphilly byelection
Rhun ap Iorwerth’s party, which wants Wales to become independent, seizes Senedd seat after Reform UK challenge
www.theguardian.com
October 24, 2025 at 5:37 AM
After the elections in 2026, will England be on its own? How long will the UK hold together? I have no idea what the right or wrong thing to do is, but it looks increasingly like the status quo cannot hold. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Well, if that is the case, do the logical thing and seek to reverse Brexit. Or does Labour lack the political courage to do what it now knows it should do? www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
Impact of Brexit on UK economy even worse than critics predicted, says chancellor – UK politics live
Rachel Reeves also highlights austerity and lack of capital spending as key harms to UK economy
www.theguardian.com
October 21, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Well, if that is the case, do the logical thing and seek to reverse Brexit. Or does Labour lack the political courage to do what it now knows it should do? www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
Something a little different this week, the launch of a little book on collective workplace bargaining.
hayest.substack.com/p/sunday-scr...
hayest.substack.com/p/sunday-scr...
Sunday Scribblings
Thoughts on collective workplace barganining
hayest.substack.com
October 19, 2025 at 6:53 AM
Something a little different this week, the launch of a little book on collective workplace bargaining.
hayest.substack.com/p/sunday-scr...
hayest.substack.com/p/sunday-scr...
I am gutted, gutted I tell you, that Trump did not get the Nobel. Gutted. I was forced to order a second bottle of wine at lunch to wash away the anguish. There is always next year. But he may no longer be with us by then. We can but hope. But he could get that Russian prize, the Lenin thing.
October 10, 2025 at 12:05 PM
I am gutted, gutted I tell you, that Trump did not get the Nobel. Gutted. I was forced to order a second bottle of wine at lunch to wash away the anguish. There is always next year. But he may no longer be with us by then. We can but hope. But he could get that Russian prize, the Lenin thing.
Of course, this does not include judges with right-of-center sympathies because that is the natural order of things. What he means is judges whose views do not coincide with his. Only "Big Brother Bob" gets to decide what is correct.
In the current climate of far right hostility, Jenrick is actively inciting violence against these judges with this. Badenoch may have defended his explicit racism yesterday, but this alone should see him lose both his position as shadow justice secretary and the whip immediately.
#r4today
#r4today
October 8, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Of course, this does not include judges with right-of-center sympathies because that is the natural order of things. What he means is judges whose views do not coincide with his. Only "Big Brother Bob" gets to decide what is correct.
I read this with interest, as an Irish person who lives in France and has no vote in the presidential election. The question occurred to me. Why does Ireland actually need a president? Would the political system be any worse if the office did not exist?
www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...
www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...
Maria Steen calls for presidential election to be cancelled over Jim Gavin’s departure
Conservative campaigner missed out on required signatures to make the ballot
www.irishtimes.com
October 8, 2025 at 5:52 AM
I read this with interest, as an Irish person who lives in France and has no vote in the presidential election. The question occurred to me. Why does Ireland actually need a president? Would the political system be any worse if the office did not exist?
www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...
www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...
Does the UK have a Culture Secretary, with responsibility for this stuff, who might take an interest in how media regulation works? If there is such a person, does anyone know what she/he does all day?
Someone please explain.
What is the point of Ofcom?
Utterly useless.
What is the point of Ofcom?
Utterly useless.
Ofcom to take no further action after finding GB News breached broadcasting code for "homophobic slur"
After more than six months of investigation, Ofcom has concluded that while GB News breached the broadcasting code when a presenter repeated "a homophobic slur" it will take no further action.
On 22 ...
www.scenemag.co.uk
October 8, 2025 at 4:29 AM
Does the UK have a Culture Secretary, with responsibility for this stuff, who might take an interest in how media regulation works? If there is such a person, does anyone know what she/he does all day?
Is this situation not a consequence of Brexit, of the UK leaving the EU? Did not Brexiters complain that the EU was a "protectionist racket"? Do they now complain that the US is also such a "racket"? Difficult to be on the outside of such "rackets".
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
EU plan to match Trump steel tariffs spurs ‘existential threat’ to UK steel industry
Starmer says UK in discussions with EU over Brussels plan to double import tariff to 50%, which unions warn could kill UK steel industry
www.theguardian.com
October 8, 2025 at 4:21 AM
Is this situation not a consequence of Brexit, of the UK leaving the EU? Did not Brexiters complain that the EU was a "protectionist racket"? Do they now complain that the US is also such a "racket"? Difficult to be on the outside of such "rackets".
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
I'm Irish, but I have lived outside Ireland, in France, for over 25 years. I follow Irish politics. But here is something I have never understood. Why does Ireland appear to need two finance ministers? Is the job so complicated that one person cannot do it?
www.irishtimes.com/business/202...
www.irishtimes.com/business/202...
Budget unveiled with national minimum wage to rise and VAT rate for completed apartments cut
Budget 2026 is expected to contain an overall package of €9.4bn
www.irishtimes.com
October 7, 2025 at 3:24 PM
I'm Irish, but I have lived outside Ireland, in France, for over 25 years. I follow Irish politics. But here is something I have never understood. Why does Ireland appear to need two finance ministers? Is the job so complicated that one person cannot do it?
www.irishtimes.com/business/202...
www.irishtimes.com/business/202...
France is rapidly running out of political road. It is paying the price for Macron's impulsive calling of parliamentary elections after the European Parliament elections last year. New elections now upcoming? www.ft.com/content/d2d7...
French prime minister Sébastien Lecornu resigns
Macron ally quits after rightwing allies indicated they would withdraw from his government
www.ft.com
October 6, 2025 at 8:09 AM
France is rapidly running out of political road. It is paying the price for Macron's impulsive calling of parliamentary elections after the European Parliament elections last year. New elections now upcoming? www.ft.com/content/d2d7...