Ian Rex-Hawkes
@youdeservebetter.uk
Financial expert, former martial arts teacher, disabled, photographer, web designer, occasional chess player.
Was he there in this form?
September 25, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Was he there in this form?
Just for context, it might be useful to look at the number of asylum applications over time. Prior to Brexit, most of those would have arrived through more normal channels, now they're essentially forced onto those small boats because we have been deliberately useless at opening safe routes.
August 13, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Just for context, it might be useful to look at the number of asylum applications over time. Prior to Brexit, most of those would have arrived through more normal channels, now they're essentially forced onto those small boats because we have been deliberately useless at opening safe routes.
Yep - some amazing sights to see there, including this:
August 6, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Yep - some amazing sights to see there, including this:
You got 34% of the vote, Starmer. Given how bad the last Tory government was and the interference offered by Reform, that doesn't make you some sort of political genius. If anything you should have done much better given the circumstances, but you only got 34% of the vote.
June 26, 2025 at 9:55 AM
You got 34% of the vote, Starmer. Given how bad the last Tory government was and the interference offered by Reform, that doesn't make you some sort of political genius. If anything you should have done much better given the circumstances, but you only got 34% of the vote.
Farage's manifesto would be an economic disaster, but has Badenoch forgotten that Liz Truss was the Conservative PM? It's not like he mini-Budget worked out particularly well or demonstrated any economic competence.
May 27, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Farage's manifesto would be an economic disaster, but has Badenoch forgotten that Liz Truss was the Conservative PM? It's not like he mini-Budget worked out particularly well or demonstrated any economic competence.
Really not sure how these signs got approved for use on the road. Fine if you are looking at them and taking time to read the contents, but if you are driving at 20mph and looking around as required to be a safe driver, there's no reasonable way you can absorb this much information.
May 14, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Really not sure how these signs got approved for use on the road. Fine if you are looking at them and taking time to read the contents, but if you are driving at 20mph and looking around as required to be a safe driver, there's no reasonable way you can absorb this much information.
It's often thought that we live in a 2-party society. that's definitely false, but how false is it? Do you know how many parties stood in 2024 and received more than 500 votes?
It may surprise you - it certainly surprised me - that the figure is 72, plus 459 independent candidates.
It may surprise you - it certainly surprised me - that the figure is 72, plus 459 independent candidates.
May 14, 2025 at 10:09 AM
It's often thought that we live in a 2-party society. that's definitely false, but how false is it? Do you know how many parties stood in 2024 and received more than 500 votes?
It may surprise you - it certainly surprised me - that the figure is 72, plus 459 independent candidates.
It may surprise you - it certainly surprised me - that the figure is 72, plus 459 independent candidates.
Here's what Labour would have done vs what we secured. As you can see, we kept austerity to less than Labour wanted (and the Tories, but that goes without saying).
We get blamed for it, but the fact is that Labour and Tories both wanted more.
We get blamed for it, but the fact is that Labour and Tories both wanted more.
May 13, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Here's what Labour would have done vs what we secured. As you can see, we kept austerity to less than Labour wanted (and the Tories, but that goes without saying).
We get blamed for it, but the fact is that Labour and Tories both wanted more.
We get blamed for it, but the fact is that Labour and Tories both wanted more.
Definitely doing something right with my chess puzzle solving:
May 7, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Definitely doing something right with my chess puzzle solving:
What we achieved during the coalition in the chart below. Hint, we managed to hold the Tories to less austerity than either they OR Labour wanted. Frankly we were the best thing that could have happened at that time if the country wanted less austerity.
May 7, 2025 at 3:53 PM
What we achieved during the coalition in the chart below. Hint, we managed to hold the Tories to less austerity than either they OR Labour wanted. Frankly we were the best thing that could have happened at that time if the country wanted less austerity.
Also worth remembering that Lib Dems achieved a major concession from the Tories to limit the amount of austerity they wanted to bring in. We negotiated them down by £15bn to less than what either they or Labour wanted. Then we got blamed for everything the Tories did.
May 7, 2025 at 8:19 AM
Also worth remembering that Lib Dems achieved a major concession from the Tories to limit the amount of austerity they wanted to bring in. We negotiated them down by £15bn to less than what either they or Labour wanted. Then we got blamed for everything the Tories did.
I'm a Lib Dem and I think this is an absurd example of how broken our electoral system is. We won with under 19% of the vote, so more than 81% of voters wanted someone else and probably feel unrepresented right now.
We badly need Proportional Representation at all levels of democracy!
We badly need Proportional Representation at all levels of democracy!
May 6, 2025 at 3:44 PM
I'm a Lib Dem and I think this is an absurd example of how broken our electoral system is. We won with under 19% of the vote, so more than 81% of voters wanted someone else and probably feel unrepresented right now.
We badly need Proportional Representation at all levels of democracy!
We badly need Proportional Representation at all levels of democracy!
I dislike the coalition years, but claiming that as the only benefit is a result of believing lies told to you by someone. As an example, here's a chart that I used in my general election campaign last year. It shows that we managed to negotiate the Tory cuts down from £96bn to £81bn:
May 4, 2025 at 8:22 PM
I dislike the coalition years, but claiming that as the only benefit is a result of believing lies told to you by someone. As an example, here's a chart that I used in my general election campaign last year. It shows that we managed to negotiate the Tory cuts down from £96bn to £81bn:
Nice - here's one I took a while back
April 30, 2025 at 8:28 AM
Nice - here's one I took a while back
The final myth I addressed in my charts was the claim that the cost of living crisis was over. It wasn't then and it isn't now - we still suffer under the effects of those super-high periods of inflation, and we are all poorer as a result:
April 30, 2025 at 8:19 AM
The final myth I addressed in my charts was the claim that the cost of living crisis was over. It wasn't then and it isn't now - we still suffer under the effects of those super-high periods of inflation, and we are all poorer as a result:
Another myth is that benefit fraud is a major problem for the economy. As shown in this chart, benefit fraud is a tiny fraction of the revenue lost to tax evasion and avoidance:
April 30, 2025 at 8:19 AM
Another myth is that benefit fraud is a major problem for the economy. As shown in this chart, benefit fraud is a tiny fraction of the revenue lost to tax evasion and avoidance:
Another claim is that Labour is in favour of Proportional Representation. This is just untrue, and not just at their leadership level. If you want electoral reform, you need to vote for a party where they wholeheartedly embrace the need for such change.
April 30, 2025 at 8:19 AM
Another claim is that Labour is in favour of Proportional Representation. This is just untrue, and not just at their leadership level. If you want electoral reform, you need to vote for a party where they wholeheartedly embrace the need for such change.
Third, a claim from last year that Labour were anti sewage-dumping in our waterways. The reality is that they completely abstained from several crucial votes where water companies would actually be held accountable, including this one:
April 30, 2025 at 8:19 AM
Third, a claim from last year that Labour were anti sewage-dumping in our waterways. The reality is that they completely abstained from several crucial votes where water companies would actually be held accountable, including this one:
Second, it's a myth that the Conservatives manage the economy better than Labour. This is often repeated by right wing sources, but the facts don't back up the claim. I can't include periods where the Lib Dems managed the economy because that opportunity hasn't arisen yet.
April 30, 2025 at 8:19 AM
Second, it's a myth that the Conservatives manage the economy better than Labour. This is often repeated by right wing sources, but the facts don't back up the claim. I can't include periods where the Lib Dems managed the economy because that opportunity hasn't arisen yet.
Some of the charts that I made for my (unsuccessful) general election campaign, but I still think there are some really important messages here.
First, it's a myth that Lib Dems were responsible for austerity. The reality is that we negotiated to less than either Tories or Labour wanted.
First, it's a myth that Lib Dems were responsible for austerity. The reality is that we negotiated to less than either Tories or Labour wanted.
April 30, 2025 at 8:19 AM
Some of the charts that I made for my (unsuccessful) general election campaign, but I still think there are some really important messages here.
First, it's a myth that Lib Dems were responsible for austerity. The reality is that we negotiated to less than either Tories or Labour wanted.
First, it's a myth that Lib Dems were responsible for austerity. The reality is that we negotiated to less than either Tories or Labour wanted.
Apparently it will, given the Lib Dems wanted less austerity than either Labour or the Tories and managed to negotiate to less than either of those parties announced they would enact in their manifestos. But why let facts get in the way of a good rant?
April 30, 2025 at 7:57 AM
Apparently it will, given the Lib Dems wanted less austerity than either Labour or the Tories and managed to negotiate to less than either of those parties announced they would enact in their manifestos. But why let facts get in the way of a good rant?
A fair point, but worth remembering that Labour wanted more austerity than the lib dems did at the time. What we managed to negotiate the tories down to was actually less of an attack on public spending than what labour would have introduced had they won.
April 16, 2025 at 4:21 PM
A fair point, but worth remembering that Labour wanted more austerity than the lib dems did at the time. What we managed to negotiate the tories down to was actually less of an attack on public spending than what labour would have introduced had they won.
Looks like you got your wish:
April 4, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Looks like you got your wish:
Oh yeah, it's #FollowBackFriday
I haven't said much original in the last week, but if you like any of the following, you might want to be my follower:
Wealth tax musings
Political snark
Unsolicited nature pics
Chess
I'm sure there must be more to me than that, but I can't think of anything else.
I haven't said much original in the last week, but if you like any of the following, you might want to be my follower:
Wealth tax musings
Political snark
Unsolicited nature pics
Chess
I'm sure there must be more to me than that, but I can't think of anything else.
April 4, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Oh yeah, it's #FollowBackFriday
I haven't said much original in the last week, but if you like any of the following, you might want to be my follower:
Wealth tax musings
Political snark
Unsolicited nature pics
Chess
I'm sure there must be more to me than that, but I can't think of anything else.
I haven't said much original in the last week, but if you like any of the following, you might want to be my follower:
Wealth tax musings
Political snark
Unsolicited nature pics
Chess
I'm sure there must be more to me than that, but I can't think of anything else.